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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • EU election observers vindicated us, says VON DG

    Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VOA) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu has declared the report of the European Union Observer Mission (EUEOM) on 2019 general elections has vindicated the APC.

    He told reporters in Enugu on Sunday: “Some of us have been vindicated, as our position had been that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not generate 2019 general elections result from server.

    “We had maintained that its trite in law that one cannot build something out of nothing; accordingly we agree with EU Election Observer Mission denial of knowledge of the existence of the so called server used by INEC to conduct 2019 general elections.”

    Okechukwu said he was glad to hear the Deputy Chief of the Observer Mission, Hannah Roberts, agreeing with the reality of relying on results that were released by INEC.

    “What’s amazed one is the paradox in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) canvass that in one breadth INEC conducted elections transparently in Adamawa, Bauchi, Imo, Oyo, Zamfara etc, where they won and in another breadth manipulated the results in axis it lost.

    Read Also: PDP shopping for excuses for failure, says VON DG

    “Methinks it’s wrong to gloss over the truism that President Muhammadu Buhari has a 12 million vote-bank, which had been on display in 2003, 2007, 20011, 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.

    “Therefore, Facebook sever or Twitter Server, the hard fact is that President Buhari has cult followership, which is only comparable to that of Malam Aminu Kano or Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sarduna of Sokoto, both of blessed memory, in the North. Nobody can erase this hard fact.”

    On the report where the EU Election Observer Mission pointed out systemic failings in the polls and the relatively low levels of voter participation and call for fundamental electoral reforms, Okechukwu replied: “I am in league with the statement emanating from the presidency that President Buhari will work with all citizens, state institutions, civil society, the media and other experts to make sure that there will be proper electoral reforms.

    “Let me as well plead with INEC to gradually commence the introduction of E-Voting in the off cycle state elections, as preparatory ground for full implementation of Electronic Voting.

    “We must remind ourselves that there was a time when one eminent citizen said that telephone is not for the poor but today the groundnut hawker in his village has smart phone.

    “We must commence E-Voting as a matter of urgent national importance.”

  • Kaduna: Governorship tribunal adjourns to June 17

    The Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has adjourned to tomorrow, June 17th, hearing in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against the re-election of Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

    The adjournment was to allow respondents in the petition study and verify the documents presented as evidence by the practitioners.

    Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ibrahim Bako, said at the resumed hearing of the petition that the three respondents, El-Rufa’i, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not privy to the documents brought before the tribunal by the petitioners.

    According to him, the respondents would need time to study the documents assembled by the petitioners to prepare their responses.

    Read Also: Kaduna’s bold move to regulate preaching

    Documents presented by the petitioners include Certified True Copies (CTC) of INEC result sheets and voters’ registers used during the March 9 polls.

    Bako said the tribunal, on the adjourned date, will admit those petitioners’ documents certified by the three respondents as evidence, while those they disagreed on would be presented for argument by counsel to the parties.

    Counsel to the PDP, Elisha Kurah (SAN), told newsmen shortly after the adjournment that the party had assembled 685 witnesses to testify within the two weeks given by the tribunal.

    Kurah said the petitioners had all the needed documentary evidence and witnesses to prove their case before the tribunal.

    “And by the time the votes in the areas affected by  violence, rigging and other irregularities are removed, the PDP and its candidate, Isah Ashiru, would have majority votes in the March 9 poll,” he claimed.

    The PDP and its governorship candidate are challenging the return of Gov. El-Rufa’i of the APC as declared by INEC.

    The petitioners alleged that the March 9 governorship poll was characterised by irregularities, massive rigging and violence in some parts of the state.

     

     

  • Majority leader holds victory party in Lagos

    Following the swearing-in of a re-elected All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, Sanai Agunbiade, into the Lagos State House of Assembly, his campaign organisation in Lagos held a party on Saturday in the Ikorodu area of the state to appreciate his teeming supporters and the leadership of his party.

    Led by the chairman of the Team S.O.B campaign organisation, Kabat Ajalogun, supporters of Agunbiade, who has also being returned as the majority leader of the Assembly, thanked the crowd made up of residents of Ikorodu Constituency 1, party leaders and other invited guests for coming out en mass to vote.

    Speaking with The Nation at the Ikorodu Musical Village venue of the event, Agunbiade said Nigerians should be ready for a new dawn as the APC-led federal and state governments will chart a new course for Nigeria?

    Read Also: Lagos fair to showcase food, drink opportunities

    He specially appreciated the good people of his constituency for once again giving him their mandate to go and represent them, promising to redouble his efforts towards making life better and more rewarding for the people of Ikorodu.

    “It is now time to consolidate on the achievements of the past by working harder to ensure that the future comes with a better and more rewarding life for our people,” he said.

  • APC chieftain hails Sanwo-Olu’s initiatives on waste, traffic management

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress  (APC) in the Ayobo Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Otunba Ladi Oluwaloni Olo, has hailed the Operation Zero Tolerance initiatives of Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

    He urged residents to support the emergency declarations on waste and traffic management, “as they are for the benefit of all.”

    Olo, who spoke on Friday in Ipaja, Lagos, while responding to the issue raised by the governor over the return of the Environmental Sanitation Day, noted that the idea of bringing back the exercise was something Lagosians should give consideration devoid of sentiments.

    He enjoined them to trust his leadership and that of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat to take the state to a greater height through their decisions.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu swears in new Chief Judge

    Olo, a chartered accountant, praised APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for always giving the state the best leadership that could not be found anywhere.

    He congratulated the newly appointed Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Tayo Ayinde, and described him as a round peg in a round hole.

    On the recent inauguration of the House of Assembly by the governor, Olo assured the people of Ayobo Ipaja and by extension Alimosho that the robust representation they enjoyed from Bisi Yusuf and the newly sworn in legislator, Kehinde Joseph, would continue.

    He sought support and cooperation for the lawmakers.

  • Obaseki: no quarrel with Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has described the reported infraction between him and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, as fake.

    Obaseki, who also spoke on his second term bid, said whether he gets a second term or not depends on God and the people of Edo State.

    The governor, who addressed reporters on Sunday after a meeting of the Progressive Governors’ Forum in Abuja, said: “There is no infraction between me and the National Chairman of the party. It is all in the press. It is all fake news.”

    There have been reports of a crisis between the governor and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and this got to a head when the governor failed to show up for the annual Okpekpe in May.

    However, President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly intervened in the crisis last week, bringing the two together. Sources close to the governor confirmed the President’s intervention, saying “the President called them and they have been talking. I can tell you that there is nothing serious going on between them really”.

    Read Also: Obaseki finally opens up on reported quarrel with Oshiomhole

    About his second term bid, Obaseki said: “My second term is left to God and the people of Edo State. At the end of the day, the people will decide, depending on how much they see that we have added value to their lives.

    “As you know, we are the only APC state in the Southsouth and Southeast. So, we want to be a flag bearer for what APC should represent as a party.

    “I have things like industrialisation, ensuring economic growth by building production centres, industrial parks and ensuring that government serves as an enabler. That is key for us. So, we have been spending time improving the business climate so that people can do business easily. Hopefully, that will have a snowball effect on the region.

    “I promised to create 200,000 jobs in our first four years in office. As at the last count, we have exceeded 90,000 and we are still counting. As you are aware, these jobs are coming in from various aspects of industries, technology, ICT, education, the services, and now, we are investing in production hubs where we bring electricity, water and security into specific locations and invite people to come and set up in those particular locations.

    “What we are doing, which is different and which we are very excited about, is education reform, particularly basic education reform. We have trained over 10,000 teachers in our basic education system, and introduced technology. Now, we can track when teachers are in class, we can track when students are in class and for about 200,000 kids in our basic schools, we have supplied them almost one million books.”

  • Southsouth APC picks Omo-Agege

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southsouth on Saturday announced the ceding of the position of Deputy Senate President to the zone by the national leadership of the party.

    The zonal APC immediately adopted Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) as its candidate for  the position.

    Former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu (South East), former Kano State governor, Kabiru Gaya (North West) and Senator Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) are also eyeing the position.

    The APC Chairman for the Southsouth, Mr. Hilliard Eta and the Zonal Secretary, David Okumagba said though both Alikikhena and Omo-Agege are qualified for the position, they settled for Omo-Agege because Edo State has already produced the National Chairman of the party.

    They said: “the Zonal Working Committee acting on behalf of the Zonal Executive Committee, Elders and Leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) wishes to state categorically that we align ourselves with the decision of the national leadership of our great party in respect of the zoning of the Principal offices of the 9th National Assembly.

    “We commend our respected leader, President Muhammadu Buhari for his sterling leadership of the affairs of our great country and our illustrious son, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for his sound administrative experience in piloting the affairs of our great Party.

    Read Also: Tribunal strikes out petition against Ondo APC’s candidate

    “The leadership of the South-South Zone is fully in support of Mr. President.  Our zone has been given the opportunity by our great Party to produce the Deputy Senate President for the 9th National Assembly and we are thankful.

    “It is important to state that our two illustrious sons, Distinguished Senators Francis Alimikhena from Edo State and Ovie Omo-Agege from Delta State had indicated interest to contest for the office of the Deputy Senate President.  Both of them are eminently qualified for that office as both are ranking Senators.

    “However, considering the current zoning of political offices in our zone whereby Edo State produced the current National Chairman of our great Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and other considerations, it became imperative that our zone supports the candidature of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the office of the Deputy Senate President.

    “The South South geo political zone had demonstrated uncommon faith, courage and vigour in the just concluded general elections by voting massively for candidates of our great Party at all levels. We implore all Distinguished Senators to please stand by us and support Senator Ovie Omo Agege for the position of Deputy Senate President.”

  • Estranged APC aspirants urge Osinbajo to accommodate them

    The 180 aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who obtained nomination forms for the House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries in Ondo State have urged Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to re-accommodate them in the ruling party.

    The group, last year, sued the party at the Federal High Court in Akure for failing to conduct primary elections for the 2018/2019 election year.

    The crisis was almost consuming the party as leaders felt disenchanted with the non-conduct of the elections.

    However, early this year, the national body set up a reconciliatory committee, which met with the aggrieved aspirants at the Governor’s office, and recommendations were made.

    But the group, in a letter to the Vice President, signed by former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kenneth Olawale, said till now, the recommendation had not seen the light of day.

    Read Also: APC restates confidence in Oshiomhole

    The same situation was said to have been applicable to the reconciliation committee set up by the state leadership.

    The letter reads: “Subsequently, a meeting was held in Akure, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, and attended by other national leaders of the party and the aggrieved aspirants, and it was agreed that the pre-election suit pending in the Federal High Court be withdrawn. The VP then urged the aggrieved aspirants to work for the party’s victory with a promise to compensate them. Consequently the case was withdrawn and the aggrieved aspirants worked for the party’s victory.

    “We were expecting the vice president’s team to fulfil its part of the agreement, which included but not limited to compensations in lieu of costs incurred by these aspirants in the build-up to the primaries which were not allowed to hold.

    “However, we were surprised that the party’s leadership has not deemed it fit to allow further communications between us since we fulfilled our own part of the agreement inspite  of several letters we wrote to the appropriate authorities.”

    The group pleaded with Osinbanjo and his team to take appropriate actions in the interest of the party, stressing that the same disruptive pattern was already playing out in Imo, Rivers, Osun and Zamfara States.

    “We beg you to please honour the understanding, we sought from the aggrieved aspirants in Ondo State since the case in court is withdrawn, the presidency has the capacity to accommodate all 260 aggrieved APC aspirants from Ondo State.”

  • Why Gbajabiamila should be House Speaker, by APC chieftain

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice-Chairman (Lagos Central) Hakeem Bamgbola has said the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila is the most qualified lawmaker to lead the lower chamber.

    Describing Gbajabiamila as the most experienced lawmaker in the House, Bamgbola said there was hardly any other candidate that can match Gbajabiamila’s qualities.

    “One of the things he is noted for is his ability to engage the floor of the House. He is a lawmaker, who really understands how to press down his cases articulately. He has exhibited a lot of strengths. His assemblage of personal principles is unparalleled,” he said.

    According to him, Gbajabiamila performed excellently as a member of the House of Representatives with great doggedness and patriotism.

    He described him as a brilliant, hardworking, committed lawmaker and party man to the core.

    “Gbajabiamila is more humble and accords everyone with due respect and a high level of courtesy. His personality is most befitting to lead the House of Reps. My understanding of him is that he knows how to manage people and situations of any nature. He is very loyal to the party and the people of his constituency.

    “One of the problems that lawmakers have with some past Speakers of the House is high handedness and personal ego. Gbajabiamila is a far cry from all these attitudes. He knows his colleagues well and understands how to relate with them,” he said.

    Read Also: Students, youths, endorse Gbajabiamila

    Bamgbola, the former Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area (LDCA), added that Gbajabiamila is a core nationalist, who never allows tribalism or ethnocentrism to take preference over national development.

    “He is very eloquent and has the mastery of debate of issues on the floor of the House. The art of debating House issues has almost become a craft for Gbajabiamila. We can’t compare him to second comers or first-timers. He’s intellectually sound. That’s most obvious anytime he speaks on issues at the Chambers,” he said.

    He noted that Gbajabiamila has the ability to reach across to members of both the ruling and opposition parties during debates on matters of national importance without stepping on the toes of any sides.

  • How Jonathan ‘surrendered’ in 2015, by Adoke

    A former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Mohammed Adoke (SAN), has spoken about the roles played by allies of former President Goodluck Jonathan in making him concede defeat in the 2015 election.

    In an interview with Premium Times, Adoke said Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, the ex-President’s former Special Adviser (SA) on Domestic Affairs, took the lead role in convincing him to accept the outcome of the election.

    Jonathan, who lost to Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had called to congratulate his opponent before the final results were announced.

    Adoke said while some close aides of Dr Jonathan advised him to concede defeat, some others kicked against it.

    The former AGF said it was while some of them were contemplating how to meet the ex-President to urge him to concede defeat that Dafuda took the lead.

    “The (former) President was visibly agitated, like any other person would be. No President wants to be defeated because that is a referendum on his tenure.

    “So, it was at that point, when the ex-President was still agitated that a fine young man, the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Dudafa, shouted from the back and said: ‘Daddy, we are leaving here (Aso Rock) on May 29’.

    “That gave us the impetus to now approach the ex-President: myself, Osita (Chidoka) and Dudafa. We stooped before him and started counselling him; we said: ‘Mr President, what do you want to be remembered for?’ So, he stood up crisply, went to his study and placed the call to President Buhari to make the concession,” Adoke said.

    The former AGF also spoke of how Mrs Patience Jonathan, wife of the former President, abused him when her husband’s defeat was imminent.

    Adoke said he remained loyal to Dr Jonathan, even when some of those in the administration then “were contributing money” for Buhari’s campaign.

    “It is true that I was abused by the President’s wife. This happened on March 30, a day before the concession,” he said.

    “I don’t blame the ex-President’s wife. I respect her as a person and I appreciate the fact that she voiced out her frustration and anger at me.

    “That was better than those who pretend to be friends but would go to the (then) President to say: ‘Your Attorney General is not with you; your Attorney General is an APC member; he has sympathy for President Buhari. He is a Buhari boy’.

    “In any case, most of those who were talking were the same people who contributed money for Buhari’s campaign. I, Mohammed Bello Adoke, never contributed money to Buhari’s campaign,” he added.

    The former minister made some revelations about the trial of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    He said a lawyer close to Asiwaju Tinubu played a huge role in the trial.

    Adoke said: “Let me clarify this issue very well. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s trial took place, it was his case with Code of Conduct Tribunal. It was a very unfortunate thing. But what most people don’t know is that a lot of people who claimed to be close to Asiwaju Tinubu, a particular human rights lawyer, was the one that engineered that trial.”

     

  • Adebanjo, George must work for Yoruba’s interest, says Salvador

    A Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Moshood Salvador, has urged Afenifere leader Ayo Adebanjo and former Deputy National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Bode George to work for Yoruba’s unity and progress.

    Salvador, who spoke at a news conference in Lagos, said they should leave the issue of who becomes the president in 2023 to God and stop casting aspersions on illustrious sons of Yorubaland.

    The APC chieftain frowned at their statements attacking the APC stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for aspiring to become the president in 2023.

    Salvador said any statement emanating from them were personal, noting that they never represent the interest of the Yoruba people.

    He wondered why the elders, who should be there to guide the youths, were sowing the seed of discord ahead of 2023.

    According to him, all efforts at this point should be to provide the guardian on how those in governments would succeed in their primary responsibility.

    Salvador said it was abnormal for any Yoruba elder to be seen going against the aspiration of any Yoruba person, who wants to become president in 2023.

    He maintained that they should leave the issue of 2023 presidency to God and Nigerians to decide, stressing that “it is God who gives power”.

    Read Also: We’ll protect Yoruba’s interest, says OPC faction

    He said: “Have you ever heard of any derogatory statement from a Northern leader against aspiration of a Northerner in favour of any other aspirant from another region? Have you ever heard of Ohaneze leaders condemning or speaking against the aspiration of another Igbo man?

    “Have you ever heard Edwin Clark or any of the South-South leaders speaking against the aspiration of their son? It is only these Yoruba Afenifere leaders that believe that Yoruba does not deserve good things, claiming to be nationalists. Remember the statement of Baba Abraham Adesanya, ‘I am from Adesanya family before I became an Ijebu man. I am an Ijebu man before a Yoruba man. I am a Yoruba man before a Nigerian and I am a Nigerian before I can be called an African.”

    According to Salvador, the same set of Yoruba elders said Yemi Osinbajo would not be vice president in 2015, “but when God decides, nobody can stop it”.

    He said in 2019, Adebanjo, an Ijebu man from Southwest, and others were busy campaigning for Peter Obi against their son, Osinbajo.

    The APC chieftain noted that if it was the wish of Almighty Allah that a Yoruba man would be president in 2023, nobody would stop it, “not even the Afenifere elders”.

    Salvador said the claim by Adebanjo that no Igbo man had been president since independence was spurious, noting that Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first Nigerian president, was an Igbo man.

    He said Tinubu, an illustrious son of Yoruba land, who apart from Awolowo, took the Southwest to the centre and had also empowered so many Yoruba people, produced captains of industries and political leaders.