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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • APC won’t buy votes to win, says Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will never buy votes to win any election.

    He spoke after voting with his wife Erelu Bisi at Ogilolo ward 11, Unit 009 Oye Local Government Area of the state.

    Fayemi arrived the polling booth around 11am and voted after receiving voting rules and regulations from the election officials. .

    Speaking with journalists shortly after casting the ballot, he expressed absolute confidence the APC will coast to victory without engaging in any anti-democratic means.

    The governor stated that there was nowhere in Ekiti where cases of vote buying were reported, describing his party as law- abiding.

    “Just check round, there was no place where votes were being bought. APC is a law abiding one and that we shall maintain.

    “Whoever says we are doing that here must be believing in hearsay”.

    He applauded the security arrangements, pointing out that democracy had come to stay with people allowed to make their choice of leaders without any fear or threat.

    The governor praised the voters for their massive turnout despite postponement by INEC, saying this has shown that electoral process is maturing in Nigeria.

    Read Also: APC chieftain, elder brother shot dead in Rivers

    “With the feelers I am getting, the postponement doesn’t affect us negatively here in Ekiti.

    “People trooped out massively to exercise their franchise, I am happy about that.

    “INEC staff arrived at the polling units early, this also added more credibility to these elections”.

    Senator Ayo Arise after voting in his country home at Oye Ekiti, said the threat issued by President Muhammadu Buhari helped in putting electoral robbers at check.

    “We are really grateful to President Buhari for that we threat. It has helped in bringing sanity to the system,” he said.

  • Boko Haram attack stops Yobe gov from voting

    Yobe State governor Ibrahim Gaidam could not travel to Bukarti, his country home, in Yunusari Local Government Area of the state to vote due to an early morning attack on Geidam by Boko Haram insurgents.

    Abdullahi Bego, Director General, Media affairs to the governor, confirmed the development in a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Damaturu.

    Bego stated that the governor could not partake in the exercise.

    “The security agencies would naturally seek to reinforce and increase security around the governor for him to travel to cast his vote.

    “The increased security around the governor will mean that vital security resources that are needed elsewhere in the state would have to be diverted and allocated to the governor,” the governor’s spokeperson said.

    NAN reports that the governor, in consultation with security agencies decided that it was more prudent to make the sacrifice.

    “It is better and more useful for the security agents, including soldiers, police, civil defence, DSS, to focus their attention on providing security for the election than devoting large security contingent for the governor to cast his vote,” Bego said.

    Read Also: Air Force destroys Boko Haram Camp in Borno

    Gaidam, who is also a senatorial candidate in the Presidential and National Assembly election, commended security agencies for their effort to ensure a peaceful and successful election across the State.

    Alhaji MaiMala Buni, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Yobe, said adequate preparations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies ensured the success of the elections.

    He made the observation after casting his vote on Saturday in Damaturu, saying the timely commencement of the elections, adequate provision of election materials and security to the electorate made the election successful.

    “The massive turn out of voters was encouraged by the security apparatus put in place and the commitment to the preparations made by INEC.

    “The turnout is very impressive and the momentum should be maintained,” he said.

    NAN

  • Sanwo-Olu sure of APC victory

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, expressed optimism that his party would win Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls.

    Sanwo-Olu praised INEC’s conduct of the polls, describing it as transparent but in need of better timing.

    He spoke minutes after he and his wife Ibijoke cast their votes at about 11:50am at his Lateef Jakande Avenue/Femi Okunnu, Ikoyi, polling unit.

    At the same polling unit, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Habib Abiru, also cast his vote.

    Sanwo-Olu said: “I think the process is transparent, but I think we can still do a bit better with timing. The observation we have here is that we have two booths in which you can vote, and we have only one part, so, and it takes a while for them to search that long paper before they get your name. But outside of the time, which we understand they need to do a thorough job, I think every other thing has been very okay.”

    He added: “From what I have seen, and from the little comments I have heard around, it’s 12 O’clock now, I believe it’s been satisfactory, from the few people I’ve had interactions with, from the few observers that have come around our polling booth here, I think it’s been pretty commendable.”

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu celebrates valentine with Lagosians

    Sanwo-Olu said he was impressed with the turnout and patience of the electorate at his ward.

    Responding to a question on his party’s chances, he added:” Since I’m an APC member, it makes commendable sense and I am looking forward to my party to win at the end of the day.

    Sanwo-Olu, whose thumbprint was recognised by the smart card reader after some slight delay, explained why.

    He said:  My wife’s finger got approved the first time, maybe my fingers are a bit pressured up, I don’t know, but at least I got to thumb print and I have since voted.”

    He also explained that he transferred his polling booth from his ancestral home on Lagos Island East Constituency to Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, two years ago, following his change of residence.

    Commenting on the process, Justice Abiru said, “One must commend INEC for what they’ve done seriously.

    “It’s not easy; they have over 120,000 polling units. One must commend the officials here.

    “I just wish that the results will reflect the actual desire of the people.”

  • 20 kidnapped, APC chairman killed in Zamfara

    Suspected bandits on Friday’s night killed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dodon Daji ward chairman in Tsafe local government Alhaji Yusuf A.D.

    Locals said the town was cordoned by the bandits at about 8pm but started shooting until later when they had confirmed security operatives were not on sight.

    They also stated that over 20 locals were kidnapped.

    Read Also: Yari congratulates Zamfara APC candidates

    Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara state SP M Muhammad Shehu confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone chat in Gusau.

    He said the incident took place around 1:30 am, stating the Commissioner of Police Celestine Okoye visited the area in the early hours of Saturday for on the ground assessment, while urging people to be law abiding.

    While reacting to the incident, chairman of the local government council, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar described the assassination of the APC ward chairman as unfortunate.

    Abubakar linked the killing to the current security challenges facing the state.

    The PPRO disclosed that investigations were ongoing, assuring Police will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to bring the perpetrators to book.

  • APC, PDP in verbal war over chair’s defection

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State are locked in a verbal war after the PDP chairman in Yobe State, Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru, who defected to the ruling party on the eve of the presidential and national assembly elections.

    The PDP fired the first salvo, saying the APC is celebrating a bad product it does not know.

    Speaking to reporters in Damaturu, the state capital, the PDP governorship candidate Alhaji Umar Ilya Damagum said Nguru was more of a liability than an asset to the party.

    He said the former party chairman’s defection would not affect PDP fortunes but rather enhance its chances in this year’s elections.

    His words: “It is a season if cross carpeting. Everyone is changing places that suit them and it didn’t come to me as a surprise because he came through the same process on the eve of last election because he has that antecedent.

    “Of course human behavior is situational. It all depends on what he feels at that particular time.

    “The decision he took at that time was out of certain circumstances Only God knows the offers that he has gotten or what has gone into his mind.

    “I don’t think his defection could affect the fortunes of our party looking at what we have done so far.

    “As I am talking to you, I am going to receive some defectors from Zone C where he comes from, who have been coming en mass.

    “Some of them told me that they left the party because of him and now that he has gone they’re coming back.

    Read Also: APC to Nigerians: reject treasury looters

    “There are people that have been disenchanted in the party because of his presence.

    “Now they have activated their mode to work with the party with his exist less than 24 hours.

    “So if you look at it from that angle his departure has no harm to the fortune of the party  but will only increase our success.

    “We are going to have election God willing tomorrow, we will assess ourselves. When someone does this kind of act at this particular time, then two questions are in place: the question of credibility and the question of sincerity.

    “I am sure those that are receiving him know him more  than us who had received him four years ago. For us, he is a bad product that shouldn’t be celebrated.”

    But the APC governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji  Mai Mala Buni attributed Nguru’s defection to the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari .

    He said the Buhari’s integrity has been attracting more politicians of note to the APC.

    He said: “The defection of Inuwa Nguru and his supporters is a major political fortune for the party, they will work assiduously for the re-election of President Buhari and the victory of the party at all levels.

    “Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru has practically and personally seen the achievements of the President Muhammad Buhari led administration and remains the best option for Nigeria’s democracy.

    “The former chairman was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the re-election of president Buhari and APC was the best option for Nigeria and this informed his last minute decision to abandon PDP for APC.

    “In spite of all persuasions by the opposition party, the former chairman took an independent and honest decision in the interest of the nation and in accordance to the dictates of his conscience.

    “Yobe state has enjoyed major intervention programs including completion of the 330kVA power transmission line, Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari federal highway, Education and healthcare delivery.

    “We are proud to say that at the state level, the APC administration has more than ever provided democracy dividends in road network, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and economic empowerment to the citizenry.

    “It is on record that while most states could not pay salaries, the APC administration in the state has consistently paid salaries, pension and gratuities to retired civil servants making it as a leading workers friendly state in the country.”

    In another development, the son of the defected PDP Chairman   Lawan Sani Inuwa, popularly known as Mr. LAS who is contesting for the State House of Assembly Election on the platform of PDP said he will not jettison his ambition or follow his father to the APC.

    Inuwa said by phone that he had not spoken with his father since his defection became public.

    He vowed to pursue his ambition to actualize his dreams of becoming a lawmaker in the state.

  • APC appeals for adequate security in Okrika ahead of elections

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika local government area, Rivers State has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to provide adequate security during and after Presidential and national of assembly elections in the area.

    The appeal followed the alleged uncovered plans by the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to unleash mayhem on APC members and voters in the LGA.

    A statement by stakeholders of APC Okrika chapter in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday, alleged that the PDP has moved thugs and cultists from Ondo, Bayelsa and other states into Okrika and have concluded plans to station their gun boats at strategic locations to ensure that all the polling units in the riverine wards are hijacked at mid sea and results drawned and submitted for collation.

    The APC also alleged that the PDP have already purchased PVCs ahead of the polls

    But in a swift reaction, PDP Spokesman in the state Darlington Orji denied the allegations discribing it as bogus and unfounded.

    Read Also: APC to Nigerians: reject treasury looters

    Orji queried the reason PDP could instigate trouble or involve in vote buying in an election that it will win.

    According to him, “Everybody knows that it is APC that is known for violence. We are on the ground in the state, more so in Okrika, so why should PDP want to make trouble or think of vote buying in election we are going to win.

    “APC is not participating in the polls, they have been mobilizing their tugs to cause trouble during the exercise and the security operatives should be aware of that fact.” he said.

    In the statement by APC they stated that,  “We have been reliably informed that PDP leaders have acquired uniforms of police, army and other security agencies with the intention to use these uniforms to perpetrate their evil plans and portray these security agencies in bad light.

    “They have procured PVC’s which they intend to give to strangers who are currently in Okrika ahead of the elections today.

    “We have it on good authority that money have been paid to the officials of the independent national  electoral commission (INEC) officials and these officials have accepted to collide with the PDP in rigging the elections.

    “They have concluded plans to storm and burn all collation centers should their above plans fail to ensure the victory of the PDP in Okrika”.

    They demanded that the commissioner of police, director DSS and President Muhammadu Buhari ensure that the conspiracy is not carried out at in Okrika.

    They also demanded that the people of Okrika be given adequate security before, during and after the scheduled elections among others.

     

  • PDP alleges APC moved in N2.5bn for vote-buying in Akwa-Ibom

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in Cross River state has alleged the All Progressives Congress (APC) intends to buy votes during the Presidential and National Assembly elections with N2.5billion .

    Director-General of the campaign council, Mr Efiok Cobham, in a statement in Calabar in Friday evening, alleged the money was channeled to the state chapter of the APC through the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in Calabar.

    The council also called on the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state to resist any attempt to be bought and conscripted into an alliance aimed at thwarting the will of the electorate.

    “It is now crystal clear to all that APC is fake, not on ground, desperate and afraid of defeat.

    “APC is the opposite of what it pretends to be or how else can one describe a party that claims to be an agent of change and fighting corruption but is currently neck deep in monumental electoral thievery?

    “APC ‘s evil mechanizations in Cross River will fail because Cross Riverians have since made up their minds to go with the PDP which represents hope.

    “We appeal to INEC to assert its independence and remain steadfast in its avowed commitment to protecting the sanctity of the ballot box.

    “They should resist every inducement and intimidation that the APC would subject it to.”

    Read Also: PDP’ll be defeated on Sat, says Tinubu

    “Cross Riverians are politically sophisticated  and the level of electoral education here is excellent but the APC, aware of its utter hopelessness in the state, is working hard to pollute the system. Cross Riverians should beware of APC’s antics.

    “Ignore the APC and its desperation. Don’t allow them to pollute you. Go out there tomorrow and vote Atiku and all PDP candidates en mass.We must reclaim our country from these buccaneers,” he said

    But Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Mr Bassey Ita, described it as a malicious fabrication, which has the potential to damage the integrity and honesty the APC is known for.

    Ita said it was ironic that a bunch of dishonest people should make such accusation and called on members of the public disregard and discard it.

  • APC supporter shot dead in Nsukka

    An uneasy calm now pervades Eha Alumona, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State as a strong supporter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Chukwuemeka Ishienyi, was shot dead on Wednesday.

    The deceased was said to have been shot dead while returning from a meeting allegedly organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Eha Uno Ward in Nsukka.

    Ishienyi, 24, and the only son of his mother, a Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the community learnt, was a strong supporter of the PDP before he joined the over 100 youths that decamped to APC a month ago.

    However, the Enugu State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu, said he had not been informed about the incident, adding:  “I will find out”.

    The journalists had earlier visited the Nigeria Police Divisional Headquarters, Umuabor Ehalumona, where they were referred to the PPRO for comment on the incident.

    But the Chairman, Eha Uno Ward of APC, Mr Lawrence Alumona, told the two newsmen at the deceased compound that before his death, Ishienyi came to him about a month ago and informed him about how he and his friends were disenchanted with PDP and wanted to join APC.

    “He came to me one day and said that they did not like what PDP was doing and that they want to switch over to APC,” he said.

    Read also: Police confirm attack on Osinbajo’s campaign train in Ilorin

    According to the ward chairman, ever since the late Ishienyi and his group joined the APC, the deceased had been receiving death threats.

    “They have been threatening me and warning me to be careful. Since then, I have not been sleeping in my community. I didn’t know that this could lead to death and now see what has happened,” Alumona lamented as he narrated what Ishienyi had told him.

    Alumona said that one the day that he died, Ishienyi had told him that the PDP invited him for a meeting and he never returned from the meeting alive.

    “The PDP invited him to know why he decamped and to persuade him to rejoin the party and when he was coming back, he was shot dead,” he alleged.

    Another supporter of APC in the area, Mr Okwudili Ugwu, said that on the evening he was killed, the deceased was with him and they drank till 8 p.m. but only to hear in the morning on Wednesday that he was dead.

    Ugwu said that the youth that took his dead body to the hospital were singing an ominous song that portends danger of a possible breakdown of law and order.

    He said that his body was deposited at a local hospital at Umuabor, called Daughters of Divine Love (DDL) Hospital.

    The aged grandmother of the slain youth, Mrs Veronica Ishienyi, narrated how the news of his death was broken to her.

    “On Wednesday in the morning, some members of my church came to me and were asking me why I did not come for morning mass.  I told them that I had pain in my legs and that was why I could not come.

    “After some time, they told me without beating about the bush that Chukwuemeka was dead. I asked which Chukwuemeka and they said my grandson. I wept but I know that will not bring him back to life. Now his body is deposited in the hospital,” she lamented.

    His older sister who came down from Enugu, Ifeanyi, said she was shocked to hear that her younger brother and the only brother was dead.

    “At first, they told me that it was an accident but I later discovered that he was shot dead,” she said, noting that she never knew he was involved in active politics.

    According to her, he was in Ghana at a time doing business and only came home recently.

    A source close to the family disclosed that the deceased was supposed  to travel outside Nigeria in March and that his Visa was ready for the travel before tragedy struck.

    However, the PDP Ward Chairman for Eha Uno Ward, Austin Odo, said that he did not call Chukwuemeka for any meeting.

    He claimed that there had been series of support group meetings going on here and there and that he might have attended one of the meetings before his death.

    “I am aware of the incident but I did not call for any meeting. There has been series of meetings of party support groups.

    “He may have attended one of them before the incident happened. He was one of our strong supporters before,” Odo told newsmen.

    He explained that he was a tanker driver and that he was not around when the incident happened but heard about it when he returned. (NAN)

  • Amosun working against Buhari – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has accused Governor Ibikunle Amosun of discreetly working to undermine President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential and National Assembly elections rescheduled for Saturday.

    In a statement on Thursday in Abeokuta by Publicity Secretary of Ogun State APC Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party alleged Amosun was to reduce the margin of the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in Ogun East and Ogun West Senatorial Districts in a vainglorious attempt to send a wrong signal of his popularity in Ogun State and undermine the Vice President.

    The statement reads: “We have at our disposal, confirmed intelligence reports that Governor Amosun has been holding nocturnal and clandestine meetings in the last three weeks with a failed governorship Aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) whose father is a renowned betting agent.

    “The purpose of the meetings is to work against APC at the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “The objective, for which the governor distributed the sum of N200, 000 per polling booth last week, before the postponed elections, was to ensure that President Buhari loses the election or to drastically reduce the margin of his victory in the two Senatorial districts, especially in Ogun East, where the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, hails from.

    Read Also: PDP are jesters, says Ondo APC

    “It would be recalled that the failed governorship aspirant recently, without any justification whatsoever, took to the mass media to disparage the Vice President, blaming him for his woes arising from the loss of the PDP’s governorship ticket, only for the same aspirant to turn around few days after to contradict himself with a boast that INEC would soon name him as his party’s candidate”.

    The party added: “Governor Amosun is insisting on the posting away of some corps members in Ogun West Senatorial District where he is sponsoring an APM candidate against his former Chief of Staff, Chief Olu Odebiyi, who is of the APC.

    “The party is using this medium to ask the Presidency to tame Governor Amosun before he sets Ogun State on fire over his egoistic and moribund self-preserving ambition.”

     

  • Rescheduled polls: Obaseki assures of adequate security

    The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured voters in the state of adequate security to ensure peaceful conduct of the rescheduled general elections, calling on the people to come out en masse to exercise their franchise to deepen democracy in the country.

    Obaseki gave the assurance in a state-wide broadcast on Thursday, stressing that the state was committed to working with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the election is free, fair, transparent and credible.

    He said, “as we know, election is the most significant ingredient of democracy and a major instrument for recruiting political leadership in democratic societies like ours. Participating in the democratic process enables the citizenry (the electorates) to freely determine who should lead them at every level of government periodically and take decisions that shape their socio-economic and political destiny; and if elected officers falter, the electorates still possess the power to recall them or vote them out in the next election.”

    Noting the state government’s resolve to contribute to deepening democratic governance in the country, the governor explained, “The issue of security will be key to the success of this election, therefore any threat to peace will be taken seriously and dealt with properly. I want to assure you all that adequate security arrangements have been put in place to prevent breakdown of law and order and guarantee free and fair elections in Edo State.

    “Any incidents of violence should be reported to the National Crisis Centre on telephone number: 196 or the Edo Election Crises Centre on telephone numbers: 08077773721 and 07033940263.”

    He cautioned Edo residents to refrain from public statements, pronouncements, speeches and hateful conduct capable of causing violence during and after the elections, adding, “Violence-free incidents at the polling units will encourage more people to come out and vote. This will boost the dwindling ratio of voters’ turn-out in recent years in Edo State and also contribute to nurturing and the consolidation of democratic governance in Nigeria which future generations would be proud of.”

    While urging support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obaseki said, “2019 General Election is a crucial election to Edo people. Since I assumed office on the 12th of November 2016, all my actions, policies and programmes have been based on the agenda and manifesto of my party – the APC.

    Read Also: Obaseki’s aide urges INEC to embrace ICT

    “And as I stated in my New Year Message, our success as a government has been largely based on the support from President Muhammadu Buhari. With the assistance and intervention of President Buhari, we have been able to pay the salaries of all workers in Edo State as and when due. Pension payments due to state and local government retirees are now regular, and we are clearing the backlog of pension and gratuity arrears of all workers.”

    On the president’s support, he said, “President Buhari has supported and encouraged our Education reforms particularly the revamp of our technical colleges and EDOBEST, which is becoming a reference for educational transformation globally. My job creation efforts have been boosted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s N-Power initiative which has contributed over 12000 graduate jobs to the 80,000 jobs we have been able to create in the last two years mostly for young people.

    “Over 30,000 Edo citizens have benefited from the Federal Government’s social intervention programmes such as Trader-moni, market-moni. With the active support of Mr. President we are currently processing applications for federal government incentives such as export processing zone licence for the Benin Industrial park which by the grace of God will receive its first tenants early next year. This is happening at the same time as we are awaiting the Federal Government to guarantee the credit facility to develop the Benin River Port.”

    Noting that the major industrialization projects by his government are driven by the President’s support, he said, “I am very optimistic that President Buhari will grant us the required approvals which we need to break the monopoly of BEDC so that Edo people can enjoy constant supply of electricity just as he did when he gave us the approvals to build the 450MW Azura plant in Ihovbor. I have gone into great lengths to highlight how much we have benefited as a state from having an APC government in Abuja which has supported our government fully. If we are able to complement the support which we currently enjoy at the Federal level with competent legislators from my party, who are committed to the Edo Agenda, I am confident that I will be able to fulfill and perhaps exceed my promises to you.”

    Calling on the people to vote for APC candidates in the elections, he said, “I am therefore using the opportunity of this broadcast to solicit your support and the goodwill of all well-meaning Edo citizens to sustain the current development efforts of my government by voting all the candidates of APC. They all have a history of patriotic service. Your vote for my party APC and our candidates will guarantee that I can complete all my ongoing projects and reposition Edo State as a major state where it rightly belongs.”