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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • Buhari drums up support for APC candidates

    President Muhammadu Buhari, drumming up support for the candidates of his All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday urged Nigerians to vote for APC flagbearers on Saturday.

    According to him, security agencies will ensure a peaceful exercise.

    In his message to Nigerians on the rescheduled election, the President described Saturday as important as February 23, when the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held.

    He cautioned youths against yielding themselves as willing tools for violence and ballot box snatching.

    The President said: “The second and final phase of the 2019 general elections comes up on Saturday, March 9, with Nigerians voting for governors and members of Houses of Assembly in the states.

    “Let me once again extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives or sustained injuries as a result of accidents or criminal violence during the elections.

    “The onus is once again on qualified people to turn out in large numbers to exercise their civic rights. With the presidential poll behind us, let us not become complacent, and fail to vote in the gubernatorial poll. The forthcoming elections are as important for good governance as that of the presidency and the National Assembly.

    “Indeed, governance at the state level is closer to us, and should touch our lives more directly. That is why it is vital for us to participate in the choice of who governs us at the state levels.

    “I, therefore, urge you to troop out massively on Saturday to elect your governors and state lawmakers.

    “As a member of the APC, I recommend those standing on the platform of the party to you, as we are guided by progressive ideals, and we will not disappoint you.

    “Equally, I urge you to comport yourself properly, as you turn out for the election. Avoid all deviant behaviours like ballot stuffing, ballot snatching, and any other action that does not conform to best electoral practices.

    “I assure you that the security agencies will be on hand to protect voters, and ensure that the process is not undermined in anyway.”

    The President went on: “Let’s make the gubernatorial polls much better than the presidential, which the local and international observers have adjudged to be free and fair.”

  • Tinubu urges Lagos APC to work for victory

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday urged members  to work for the victory of the Lagos State governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and 40 House of Assembly flag bearers at the Saturday elections.

    He also advised party followers and supporters to promote peace and harmony on poll day by shunning violence across the state.

    Lamenting the low turnout of voters during the presidential and National Assembly elections, the former Lagos State governor said there was room for improvement on Saturday.

    He admonished youths who are fond of playing football on the road during elections to  cast their ballots before their game.

    Tinubu spoke on the imperative of consistent and effective mobilisation of voters for a successful poll at the APC stakeholders’ meeting held at the party office on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja.

    He charged the canvassers, mobilisers and party agents to rededicate themselves to the cause of the party, assuring that the party will reward them for a job well-done after the exercise.

    Tinubu urged local party leaders to summon meetings of all members to strategise on how to deliver their units, wards and local governments to the party.

    He said: “Go to your wards and see your leaders at the local government as canvassers and mobilisers. Take the membership list, mobilise and do your best. If you want to be a leader, you try to act like a leader.

    “On Saturday, I want to be able to announce that the in the 20 local governments, according to the INEC, we have won 40 House of Assembly seats. If you lose your polling booth, you are on your own. If you lose the House of Assembly in your constituency, don’t come back home. That means you cannot deliver.”

    The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule, deputy governorship candidate Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, party chairman Tunde Balogun, secretary Dr. Wale Ahmed, former deputy governor Olufemi Pedro, former Minister of State for Defence Demola Seriki, Governorship Advisory Council (GAC) members — Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Busura Alebiosu, one-time Finance Commissioner Olawale Edun, Rabiu Oluwa, Olumuyiwa Sosanya, Pa M.A. Taiwo, Senator Tony Adefuye, Lanre Rasak, Dr. Yomi Finnih, Mutiu Aare, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, and Prof. Tunde Samuel; Funso Ologunde, Pa Alabi Macfoy, Southwest APC Women Leader Mrs. Kemi Nelson, Sanwo-Olu’s Campaign Manager Tayo Ayinde, Mrs. Fausat Gbadebo, Toun Adediran, Kayode Opeifa, Olujobi Adio Badmus, Oyinlomo Danmole, Abiodun Salami, Bayo Ajisebutu, Chief Chris Ekwilo, Damola Kasumu and Demola Sodiq.

    Thanking party members for the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly polls, Tinubu, who lamented the inexplicable voters’ apathy, said that despite the low turnout, Lagos was delivered for the APC.

    He specially expressed gratitude to chieftains and members from five local government-Mushin, Agege, Ikorodu, Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island, saying that they voted massively for the ruling party.

    He said: “These five local governments came top and we have to recognise them. Those that did not measure up to expectation, we have to encourage them. On Saturday, be prepared. Call ward meetings tonight. Ask about the problems of party members. Some people have complaints. Try to solve them.”

    Reflecting on the previous polls, he added: “We went to vote, not to buy votes. You should go and work and come back for reward. The party and government have been serving you. We pay WAEC and JAMB fees of your children in schools. We take care of students in schools.

    “You agents, you need to be wise and encouraged. You worked without taking money from the party. Canvassers should double their efforts. Don’t go to sleep. You did not mobilise enough. It is a shame. Out of six million voters, we did not record half. It was a poor performance, unlike the Lagos that I know. Alimosho was disappointing. Oshodi was a struggle. So were Kosofe and Somolu. Voters barely showed up.”

    Tinubu called for peaceful polls, advising members and Lagosians to shun unruly behaviours during the exercise.

    He said: “We don’t want fight. We want peace. We want to win election. We are going to beat our opponents at the polls. Definitely, there is no need for violence. When you are confident of winning, you don’t disrupt voting. When you are provoked, ignore them.”

    Tinubu charged party faithful to exercise patience on the long queue during voting, adding that they should remember to use their index fingers to thumbprint the ballot papers.

    Firing salvos at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former governor said it is a party of poverty and poison.

    To the party agents, he said: “Agents have tried. Don’t look for money. Look at the dividends of winning. Go and mobilise the elders to vote.”

  • Uzodinma: Okorocha planning to rig Saturday’s election

    AHEAD of Saturday’s governorship election, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma has alleged Governor Rochas Okorocha has perfected plans to unleash mayhem on APC members.

    He spoke when 53 different groups, including the Kowa Party, market women in the 27 councils endorsed him for governor.

    “While we have been busy campaigning across the nook and cranny of the state, Okorocha … is threatening everybody that he will … chase us away..

    “I am proud that I delivered my polling unit, ward and local government to President Buhari. But Rochas’ son in-law, Uche Nwosu, who boasted that himself and his boss will give the President one million votes, lost his unit, ward and local government to PDP.

    “We are begging Okorocha to allow the people of Imo to elect who will be their governor. I urge security agencies to cut the excesses of the governor, else he will throw this state into chaos due to his ambition, because we will not fold our arms and allow Okorocha steal our votes.

    “When a governor starts acting like a rascal it is going to create crisis. We are ready to cast our votes and we are not afraid of anybody. We urge security agencies to be on the alert. We are not worried because I am going to win. We are glad that we have Federal Government forces that will provide security… So our people should go out and cast their votes and we will protect the votes,” he said.

  • 37 political parties support AbdulRazaq, others in Kwara

    No fewer than 37 political parties in Kwara State yesterday  declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for Saturday’s election.

    The parties, under the umbrella of Kwara Like-Minds Political Parties (KLPP), equally threw their weight behind the APC House of Assembly candidates at the polls.

    Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, spokesperson of the parties Prince Oladele Sunday directed their members to vote en masse for APC candidates during Saturday’s polls.

    Sunday said: “We are at a critical stage in our country, but most especially our dear state is already in political labour room and KLPP has joined hands with APC and other stakeholders in taking a successful delivery of a liberated Kwara.

    “Today is not meant for an unending discussion, but to let the whole world know that when the Kwarans are dying slowly in the hands of political tyrant, KLPP showed up. When Kwarans are groaning and gnashing their teeth under the bad governance in the state, posterity will be fair to us that KLPP showed up.

    “Finally, the members of KLPP hereby instruct our numerous members and appeal to the teeming voters in the state to come out en masse on March 9th to vote for all APC candidates. Let us all ‘show up’ so that we can all move from ‘o to gee’ to ‘o to pe.’”

    The state APC Chairman Bashir Bolarinwa said: “The forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections are equally important to APC. It is important to us as party and the people of Kwara State.

    “I want to say here that out of 55 political parties that are functional in the state, today above 35 have openly declared to identify with us. What that simply means is that all of them as members of these political parties are directing their members and appealing to the people of Kwara State to vote on Saturday for the governorship candidate of our party.

    “Further to that, all the 24 House of Assembly candidates of APC will on Saturday be candidates of their parties as well.”

    Also yesterday, a former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly Chief Wole Oke has said the victory of APC candidates in Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections will guarantee total freedom for Kwara people.

    Oke, who is the Jagunmolu of Shao, Moro Local Government Area, added that the current euphoria of the presidential and National Assembly elections victory should not blindfold the people into believing that all is well.

    He, therefore, urged Kwarans to come out and vote massively for the APC governorship candidate and all the House of Assembly candidates on March 9th.

    He said: “We can be partakers and active participants in the management of the patrimony and commonwealth of the state only if we vote massively for the APC candidates in the elections; this remains the only breaking away from the practice and tradition of the 16 years in the governance of our dear state.”

  • Southwest APC to voters: elect our candidates for good governance

    THE Southwest All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the electorates in the zone’s six states to vote for its governorship and state assembly candidates on Saturday

    A statement signed by its Zonal Secretary, Mr. Ayo Afolabi, said the APC prides itself as the party that offers good governance, which is the overall goal of democracy.

    It said good governance brings unprecedented growth as witnessed in APC-governed states, a feat it said started since the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s days.

    APC added that it has the best record of responsive leadership in Nigeria’s democratic history.

    The statement reads: “We are asking the people to vote for all our candidates because we remain the best listeners and the most approachable. Our democracy is still growing and we remain the best party to bring it to maturity.

    “Our people must remember the past PDP leviathan regimes. We have not forgotten how they remained deaf to people’s complaints and cries and did whatever pleased them. Such characters always come disguised as angels with temporary reliefs to deceive the people, but their devilish intention can never offer meaningful development and long-term solutions.

    “It is only during the regime of the APC that we see the Rule of Law gaining ascendancy instead of the Rule of Force that held sway under the PDP administrations.

    “What this means is that our party remains the best structure to deliver good governance to our people because we not only listen to the people, we learn from our mistakes.”

    Afolabi urged residents of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states to vote for the APC governorship and the state assembly candidates.

    The party also denied that former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala was induced with huge amount of money as being reported in some media.

    Describing the reconciliation with the former governor as a norm in democracy, he said such “allegation can only exist in the minds and imagination of heavily-corrupt PDP and their supporters”.

    “It is out of place for APC to give financial inducement to anyone with a view to  gain or get the support of anyone, talk-less of a person of Governor Alao-Akala’s caliber, who was until some six month ago a strong member of our party.

    “Alao-Akala made some certain demands, which includes among others: the completion of the teaching hospital in Ogbomosho, which he wanted to be put to immediate use as soon as possible, the issue of LAUTECH,  which he wanted the governments of APC to address immediately and other sundry issues, which are the basic ingredients for good governance,” the party said.

  • Chief whip to PDP: you can’t take over 9th National Assembly

    The main opposition party in the National Assembly, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been advised to banish any thought or attempt to wrestle the leadership of the 9th National Assembly from the majority party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

    House of Representatives Chief Whip, Hassan Ado Doguwa said APC has learnt its lesson and have taken steps to correct the mistakes of the past that led to the taking over of the leadership of the outgoing Assembly by PDP.

    Doguwa, who secured the ticket for the sixth term to represent Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal constituency of Kano State inthe next House of Representatives however urged the leadership of APC to as a matter of urgency come out with the sharing zoning strategy for the principal offices in the two chambers of the National Assembly.

  • Arewa community endorses APC

    The Arewa Community in Lagos State has thrown their weight behind the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Its Chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Yabo, said members of the community will vote for Sanwo-Olu on Saturday.

    At a briefing in Ogba, Yabo said the Arewa Community has been supporting the ruling party in Lagos since the days of Alliance for Democracy (AD).

    “After the merger took place in 2013, we stick with the APC. Our consistency has shown that we are with the progressives and nothing is going to change our ideology.

    “We shall deliver block vote to the APC. As we did in the presidential election, we will replicate same on Saturday to indicate that we are not social media electorate, but real voters,” Yabo said.

    He called on other residents of the state to come out on Saturday to exercise their franchise and decide their leader for the next four years.

    “The Arewa people are psychologically ready and are enthusiastic to support Sanwo-Olu. We assure APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that noting will stop us from going out to exercise our constitutional right as enshrined in the constitution. The Arewa Community hereby re-endorsed Babajide Sanwo-Olu and all APC state assembly candidates,” he said.

  • Senator Bode Ola back in APC

    Senator Bode Ola, who represented Ekiti Central in the sixth Republic (2007-2011) on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) but who defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The event, held in Ado-Ekiti, was chaired by Ekiti State Deputy Governor Adebisi Egbeyemi and attended by APC chieftains as well as all the Ado-Ekiti Local Government ward chairmen and their executives.

    Senator Ola stated that his adventure to PDP did not meet his aspirations to deliver on the needs of his electorates, hence he decided to return to APC because the governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Otunba Egbeyemi have started to do the right thing to salvage the suffering of the masses.

    He enjoined his supporters to follow him to APC.

    At the same event, the senator’s elder brother, Segun Ola, a staunched PDP member in Ekiti State, also renounced his membership of PDP to join the APC.

    Segun Ola was a former member of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Chairman of PDP Ado Local Government as well as Chairman of PDP Chairmen in Ekiti State between 2008 and 2012.

  • Abia APC in final push for Saturday polls

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State is in a final push to secure victory in Saturday’s governorship and state Assembly elections.

    Leading the mobilisation is Chief Ikechi Emenike, a prominent factional member of APC in the state.

    He spoke in a statement yesterday by his Media aide, Sir Mike Ozoemena: “We are making the final push for victory… Emenike has, after campaigns in all 17 local governments, scheduled final meetings in all councils.”

    The statement went on: “The meetings to be held on the last day of the governorship election campaigns, being Thursday (today), will be hosted by selected leaders of the party in all councils.

    “Council leaders to host the meetings are: Aba North, Sir Mike Ozoemena; Aba South, Deacon Obinna Atuonwu; Obingwa, Grant Nwaogu; Ugwunagbo, Justice Onwumelu; Osisioma, Chief Aham Clement; Isiala Ngwa South, Chief Ngozi Nwoko; Isiala Ngwa North, Solomon Alozie; Ikwuano, Chief Chinedum Adindu; Umuahia South, Dr Bob Uwaga; Umuahia North, Obilor Ogbonna; Arochukwu, Chief Uche Okoro Orji; Bende, Dr Kingsley Ononugbu; Ohafia, Chief Onu Onyioha; Isuikwuato, Chief Oby Ndukwe; Umunneochi, Fabian Okonkwo.”

    The statement added that the meetings would hold simultaneously  in all councils.

    “They are geared towards mobilising and sensitising party leaders and faithful at the polling units, wards, and councils for victory on Saturday,” it said.

    Expected at the meetings are party chairmen and executives in the councils, ward chairmen and executives, youth and women in the wards.

    “Also invited are the leadership of the personal structures of Chief Ikechi Emenike in the wards and councils namely: Emenike Youth Vanguard; Emenike Teenagers; Emenike Daughters and Emenike Mothers (different from party women leaders).”

    Emenike urged Abians to “Nigerians on the Next Level of progress for the country under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari by voting for APC candidates on  Saturday”, the statement said.

  • Two remanded for allegedly attacking APC candidate

    Two persons were yesterday remanded in prison custody in Onitsha, Anambra State, for alleged conspiracy and unlawful attack on the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Onitsha North 2 state constituency, Michael Afam Emejulu.

    The accused persons, Onwuegbusi Ifeanyi, 35, Chidera Uzoma, 19, and others at large allegedly attacked Emejulu.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ugochukwu Leonard alleged that the accused on Monday, at Egerton Street, Onitsha, conspired and allegedly caused a grievous bodily harm on Emejulu.

    He said the accused on the same date and venue, with intent to maim, disfigure or disable, unlawfully attacked Emejulu with dangerous and offensive weapons.

    Ugochukwu further alleged that the victim was severally hit with a big hammer on the head and at the same time attacked with machete on his leg and other parts of his body, which caused him harm.

    The offences, the prosecutor said, were punishable under sections 495 (a) and 288 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, as amended.

    Before the charge was read, the police prosecutor told the court that he had withdrawn the first charge No. MO/122c/2019 bearing attempted murder as their offence, due to pressure from above and replaced it with the current charge No. MO/123c/2019, which is bearing grievous harm.

    After the charge was read, no plea was taken, as counsel to the accused persons, K. K. Oguejiofor, applied for their bail, saying he was ready to produce the accused any time they were needed in court.

    But the prosecution counsel, Mellitus Eze, leading other lawyers, objected to the bail application, arguing that since the court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain such a matter, which borders on life imprisonment if convicted, the court cannot also have the jurisdiction to grant them bail.

    Senior Magistrate Chioma Amuluche had before remanding them in prison custody, requested to see the victim to ascertain the level of injury he sustained during the attack, and his relations went to the hospital where he was receiving treatment and brought him to the court premises in a car.

    The magistrate, who came out and saw him snoring inside the car, ordered that he be driven back to the hospital.

    Ruling, Amuluche ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody till March 28 when the plea on the application for their bail could be taken.