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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • PDP: In character and integrity, Buhari is no match for Atiku

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) has replied the All Progressives Congress (APC) stating that President Muhammadu Buhari isn’t a match for its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in character, integrity, competence and public acceptance.

    The PPCO noted that the APC, in raising the issue of personal character of candidates in its statement, has unwittingly sunk President Buhari’s campaign by opening a flank that ultimately exposes him to public opprobrium.

    Read Also:‘Nigeria still very corrupt despite Buhari’s anti-corruption war’

    A statement Monday by the spokesman for the PDP campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the PDP is committed to issue-based campaign and finding solutions to the myriad of problems the “incompetent, divisive and extremely corrupt” Buhari administration has plunged the nation into.

    However, the party maintained that it would not hesitate to take on the APC, any time, any day on issues of personal character and integrity, which it said; President Buhari was in clear deficit before Atiku Abubakar.

    The statement said, “It is on record that nothing incriminatory has ever been found on Atiku Abubakar, despite being the most investigated politician in our country, particularly by the Buhari Presidency; but can such be said of President Buhari, who has been jittery over Atiku Abubakar’s soaring popularity and acceptance across the board, ahead of the 2019 general election.

    “In the interim, between President Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, Nigerians know the leader, who is bugged by integrity issues and under whose watch our Presidency became “fantastically corrupt”, with issues of certificate forgery and allegations of sundry frauds in which family members and close relatives are being mentioned.

    “Nigerians are aware of the leader under whose direct watch, over N11 trillion has been stolen from our petroleum sector and billons of naira frittered away from our National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS) and other revenue agencies in the last three and half years.

    “They are aware of the leader, who has reneged in all his campaign promises; who stays aloof always to the plights of the people and only parades as pro-poor, just to win their votes.

    “On the issue of achievement, the whole world knows the Nigerian leader whose corrupt administration plunged our nation into economic recession and who cannot point to any development project he initiated and completed in any part of the country or any personal contribution he has made to the development of our nation, either in office or as a private citizen.

    “Since the APC has raised the issue of character, it should be ready to face the debate when the heat is on”.

  • Na’abba dumps APC, says party preparing Nigeria for disaster

    Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) saying he cannot belong to an organization that is clearly preparing the country for disaster.

    The former Speaker who did not state his next destination said in a letter to Chairman of Sharada ward in the Kano Municipal local government area of Kano state accused governors of the party and other leaders of hijacking the party, while also accusing the leadership of the party of lack of consultation, crass incompetence, lack of vision, arrogance, and dangerous fixation.

    Read Also:APC raises alarm over destruction of Buhari, Ogah’s campaign posters

    He said the incompetence of the government led it to it losing the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and many others for reasons that border on meanness, lack of simple management skills and capacities and a great measure of arrogance.

    The letter obtained by The Nation reads: “This is to notify you of my resolve to resign from the All Progressives Congress (APC), effective today 5th December 2018. My decision to resign from the party follows the cavalier manner in which both the Federal Government, States controlled by the APC and the APC itself are being run, as a result of which anybody who has eyes to see only sees doom and not prosperity for our dear country.

    “Events in the last few months, particularly the way and manner the congresses and primary elections were conducted bear witness to the opprobrium that led me to this conclusive determination.

    “There is clearly no doubt in my mind, and the minds of visionary Nigerians that the APC administration is characterized by lack of consultation, crass incompetence, lack of vision, arrogance, and dangerous fixation.

    “It is a measure of the incompetence of the APC government that after all is said and done, it has lost a Senate President and a Speaker of the House Of Representatives and many others for reasons that border on meanness, lack of simple management skills and capacities and a great measure of arrogance.

    “It is also a measure of the incompetence of the party that there is almost no State in the Federation where there is no conflict. While it is generally accepted that no human organisation can be rancor free, it is disheartening that these conflicts in the party are inflicted by its leaders, some of whom can be said to be poorer in human qualities than the poorest of men.

    “Governors and some Party leaders have hijacked the party, doing with it as they wish; from the imposition of party leaders to subversion of internal democracy and inclusive governance. In their endeavor to perpetuate themselves on the system, they not only snatched away the political rights of the people, but also blocked all avenues with which and within which they would be held to account.

    “Because under these conditions no person can be politically mobile except he becomes a sycophant, it becomes necessary for me to speak up. This, I did many times, unfortunately only to be met with complicit silence.

    “The malcontent within the party portends a grave danger to the stability and even existence of our dear nation. The situation is not helped by a President under whose watch all these negative traits are recurring. He instead prefers to give the country a lethargic and insular leadership informed by grudges, hatred and a general lack of understanding of what democracy and compassion are all about.

    “All these masqueraded as war on corruption. Meanness, malevolence, narcissism and self-conceitedness are never virtues, and cannot and should not therefore be the guiding philosophy of any leader. Whenever these adjectives are applied to statecraft, they not only undermine faith and confidence, but also multiply suffering. Leaders must be kind, listening, generous and caring. Above all, they must demonstrate empathy and compassion.

    “This country has dangerously been suffering from a deficit of democratic norms and culture. Successive leaders since 1999 have neglected to create the necessary conditions under which democracy may thrive and become long lasting.

    “Today, we are in a situation where leaders, instead of practicing democracy, are instead running round it. Democracy has not, historically, been determined in Nigeria. It is therefore not only incumbent on leaders to ensure that the citizenry learn how to operate and use it, but it is also their responsibility to facilitate the enabling environment for its practice and growth. Instead, they choose the easiest way out. This current administration is no different.

    “For the above reasons and more, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot continue to belong to an organization that is clearly preparing the country for disaster. When I left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC, this was not what I bargained for. This comes with the assurances of my highest consideration and personal respect.”

     

  • APC raises alarm over destruction of Buhari, Ogah’s campaign posters

    Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised alarm over the destruction and defacing of campaign posters of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governorship candidate of the party in the state, Dr. Uche Ogah within Umuahia, the state capital.

    In a telephone interview with the Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Benedict Godson on Wednesday, the party accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being behind the defacing and destruction of President Buhari and Ogah’s campaign posters.

    APC while warning that the party would no longer watch the ruling party in the state using hoodlums to destroy campaign posters of the President, its governorship candidate in the state and any other candidate of the party said that henceforth anybody caught engaging in this wicked act would be dealt with according to the law.

    According to Godson, the defacing of its candidates’ campaign posters is a sign that the ruling party is defeated already and stated that the party is concerned about at the moment is how to sell ideas of their candidates to the people of the state and ensuring that President Buhari gets maximum votes in Abia State.

    Godson, while enjoining members of the party and Abians to get their PVCs and be ready to vote out bad government from office come 2019, assured that the party would ensure that the votes of the people counted.

    “I want to advice our brothers in the opposition party that this is not the way that democracy is being played. I believe that they have seen that we have come to take over the state and I want to plead with them to gently hand over the mantle of leadership of Abia State to Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah who has come to liberate Abia from bondage come 2019.

    Read Also: Court sacks Anambra APC chairman

    “Destruction of billboards and posters Mr. President, Uche Ogah and other candidates of the party is undemocratic and that cannot stop us from returning Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari who has done so well in terms of good roads, constant light, better life for Nigerians and Uche Ogah as both President and governor of the country and Abia State respectively.

    “It is important to say that the PDP government that we have in Abia State has failed Abians in all ramifications. They owe teachers from Primary to tertiary. The roads that they claim that they have built have caved in and they cannot justify the amount of money they claimed to have spent on such roads.

    “The little that we are seeing in the state are being built by the federal government through the NDDC.

    “We want to assure them that nobody has monopoly of violence and destruction of posters. We are warning the PDP to stop destruction of our candidates’ campaign posters with immediate effect,” said Godson.

    In a related development a statement issued by Ogah’s campaign office on Wednesday corroborated Godson’s claims and further alleged that eyewitnesses has it that a team of six mobile police men in company with some agents of Abia State government along Aba Road and other parts of the state capital carried out the ugly act.

    “To confirm this report, a team was dispatched from our Campaign Office to the said locations and it turned out to be true. Many of our newly pasted posters of Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah/Buhari with the All Progressives Congress logos had been destroyed. But the shameless elements who perpetuated this barbaric act had escaped from the scene before the arrival of our team but our eye witnesses gave a valid account of all that transpired.

    “Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah frowns at this unholy behaviour that can only be perpetuated by low lives and cowards. He wants to sound a note of warning to the Abia State government led by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to desist from such shameful act or be ready for an appropriate response.

    “Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah believes that election is about the contest of ideas and the opportunity to present the people with a program of action on how to better their lives and that of their generations yet unborn; That those who seek to lead must have the confidence to face public scrutiny amidst contending ideas.

    “In the light of the above, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah is asking the failed PDP government in Abia State to challenge the All Progressives Congress in Abia State based on their records of performance and allow free contest devoid of intimidation or harassment to enable Ndi Abia to make their choices without fear of molestation. He is hereby assuring the PDP and their failed administration in Abia State that the party and merriment is over. From now on, any act of intimidation by the PDP in the state, the government and their agents will be severely retaliated within the confines of the law.

    “All Abians are hereby encouraged to report any act of intimidation, harassment or molestation in any part of Abia state to Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah’s Campaign Office and the appropriate response will follow.

    “It is no longer going to be business as usual. All Abians are equal stakeholders in the state and they can no longer be made strangers in their own affairs. They must be allowed the freedom of choice that they deserve to choose between the failed diabolical PDP government that have looted our state to waste and the deliverable action plan of the APC led by Dr.Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah and Martins Azubuike; which will transform Abia into a prosperous sub national economy.

    “All Progressives Congress members in Abia State and other members of the Abia public are hereby encouraged to report anybody in their locality who dares to harass them or to tamper with Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah/President Buhari’s posters or Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson  Ogah/ Rt. Hon Martins Azubuike’s posters and other campaign materials. We promise to ensure that such actions are severely punished and any individual or groups involved brought to justice.

    “The peace and development of Abia state is the primary focus of Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah and Rt Hon Martins Azubuike and that will not be allowed to be toyed with,” the statement concluded.

     

  • We have not withdrawn from 2019 contest, says Lagos APC Assembly candidates

    Three candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the Lagos state House of Assembly have raised an alarmed over an alleged forged signatures bearing their names on the withdrawal forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    They asked the electoral body not to entertain any forged documents bearing their signatures as they have not withdrawn from the contest.

    The APC candidates are Hon. Rauf Olawale Age-Sulaiman, contesting the state House of Assembly in Amuwo-Odofin Constituency 11, Hon. Olumoh Saad Lukman, contesting the state House of Assembly in Ajeromi Ifelodun Constituency 1 and Hon. Olanrewaju Suleiman Afinni, contesting the state House of Assembly in Lagos Island Constituency 11.

    In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, they claimed that information at their disposals revealed that some persons within the APC were colluding with some senior staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the submission center located at International Conference Center (ICC) to change their names for another party members who were not original candidates.

    Read Also: Lagos APC to PDP: Sanwo-Olu is prepared

    The candidates claimed that they have not empower any person or group of persons to forge their identities, adding that the Electoral Act “succinctly forbids the substitution of candidates of political parties after the nomination and submission of the list of candidates to the INEC.

    “Section 33 of the Act states that “A Political Party shall not be allowed to change or substitute a candidate whose name has been submitted pursuant to section 31 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate.

    “We are hereby notifying the Nigerian people and especially the INEC of the antics of such unscrupulous persons in the Commission aimed at subverting the provision of they law so that the Commission can avert same and give effect to Section 33 of the Act,” the statement stated.

     

  • Breaking: Imo Speaker, 18 others dump APC for AA

    …House reiterates support for Buhari

     

    The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim and 18 other members of the House, Thursday on the floor of the House, defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Action Alliance (AA).

    With the defection, the AA now controls the majority of the 27-member Assembly with 19 members, while the APC has three members and the PDP zero

    Five APC members were earlier suspended and have not been recalled.

    Read Also:Court sacks Anambra APC chairman

    Addressing the plenary, the Speaker, disclosed that the defection of the Lawmakers was as a result of the crisis that bedeviled the APC primaries in the State.

    According to him; “after the injustice that was meted to our members by the National Chairman of our party, the APC, some of our members went to another party to actualize their ambitions. They wrote me a letter through Ikechukwu Amuka, expressing their intentions and today I want to officially announce that 17 members of the House have officially defected to AA.

    “It is interesting to note that PDP members also moved to AA, Speaker and I have no choice than to join the majority by dumping the APC for AA”.

    The defectors were Ikechukwu Amuka (Ideato South) Arthur Egwim (Ideato North), Obinna Egwu (Ngor-Okpalla) Chinedu Offor, (Onuimo), Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba), Mike Iheanetu (Aboh Mbaise), Victor Onyewuchi (Owerri West), Ken Agbim (Ahiazu) and  Bruno Okuoha (Wzinihitte).

    Others were Lyod Chukwuemeka (Owerri West), Kennedy Ibe (Obowo), Henry Ezediaro (Oguta), Lugard Osuji (Owerri Municipal) and the Speaker, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim (Okigwe).

    The defected Lawmakers however reiterated their commitment to the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that he has delivered on his campaign promises and has proved to be an honest leader.

    The Majority Leader of the House, Hon Lugard Osuji, in his speech, noted that the National Chairman of the APC robbed the people of the State by hijacking the party structure and handed it over to “rascals”.

    He said, “Our defection does not affect our support for President Buhari, we are going to work for his reelection. We only left the APC because of the injustice done to us by the National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole”.

  • ‘Buhari, APC do not need campaign to defeat PDP in 2019’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna on Wednesday said the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari were visible enough for APC to defeat the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the next general elections come 2019.

    Dr. Gwamna who is the Sardaunan Gombe, made this disclosure in a chat with newsmen, saying that the people-oriented programmes and policies of the Federal Government would make APC defeat any opposition in 2019 with ease.

    He insisted that it would be difficult for the PDP or any party to convince those who have benefitted from the good governance of the current administration not to vote APC at all levels.

    According to him, President Buhari and APC do not need to campaign like other parties because the people are now more political-conscious than any time in history to know the difference between good governance and bad leadership.

    “President Buhari and the APC do not need to campaign like the PDP or other political parties. The people-oriented programmes and policies of the federal government which have affected positively the lives of Nigerians will speak for the president.

    “It will be difficult for the PDP or any party to defeat President Buhari and Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state, because the people have tested lives under these two political parties and are more knowledgeable to differentiate between the good governance of APC and the bad leadership of the PDP.

    “Without sounding immodest, the PDP has a lot of campaigning to do because they performed poorly while in power and even in Gombe State within the last years.

    “How will the PDP convince the 500,000 N-power beneficiaries, farmers who have been given loans through Anchor Borrower Programme, those enjoying the over 3000MW of power that has been added to the national grid, the residents of the North East who had abandoned their homes for fears of Boko Haram, are now back to their normal way of life, not to vote the APC?

    “So you see why I said the PDP has a lot of campaigning to do in terms of denying the reality on ground which is not possible,’’ he said.

    Read Also: APC will form govt in Ogun come May 29 – Osoba

    Gwamna also advised the people of Gombe State to be wise in their voting, adding that vote-buying should be resisted as it portends grave danger to good governance.

    He expressed his optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 general elections.

    He, however, appealed to Gombe electorate to cast their votes for Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya to align Gombe to the center and jettison the ‘opposition’ status that was tagged to the state.

    Furthermore, Dr. Gwamna said, “Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya is a prudent businessman who has administrative prowess to lead the state to the next level,” adding that, “the state has not fared well under the PDP in the last seven years.”

  • Okorocha, Amosun behaving like poor students of history- Oshiomhole

     Says Obasanjo inviting God’s anger

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress  (APC),  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said on Wednesday that the governors of Imo and Ogun State,  Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ibikunle Amosun  were behaving like poor student of their own history who had forgotten  that they lost elections before winning on the platform of the APC.

    Oshiomhole who spoke while receiving APC women leaders from Edo State and the FCT also hit at former President Olusegun Obasanjo saying the former Nigerian leader was inviting the anger of God upon himself by supporting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the Presidency after severally saying the God will not forgive him if he supports his former deputy. 

    Oshiomhole was however confident that the APC is stronger now  in IMO and Ogun states  despite grievances of their governors as a result of the outcome of the party primaries where their preferred candidates lost out.

    But supporters of the governor’s have since left the APC for other parties with both governors who are Senatorial candidates of the party promising to work against the party in the governorship elections. 

    Oshiomhole said “The real headline today is that we win in Ogun state and we will deliver Hope Uzodinma in Imo state.  Our popularity in Imo state today are increasing, what we don’t know and Nigerians always make this mistake that once you are a governor, you have electoral value.

    “Yes we have overwhelming majority of APC governors who has electoral value and we also have some few electoral liabilities. I can tell that in Imo state today we will more votes. Politics is about numbers and I am looking at the average Imo voters because on that the governor will have one vote and his Son-in-law will also have one vote, those market women, artisans, mechanics and farmers will also have their vote.

    “Those who think our political future is tied to them; they are poor students of their own political history. Some of these people who talk as if they are invincible, they have forgotten that they have run elections in the past and lost until they abandoned their parties and joined us. So if they return back, history will repeat itself.

    “In Imo state today, APC will win more votes. My focus is on ordinary Imo voters because on that day, the governor would have only one vote, his son-in-law would have only one vote while his Commissioner for Happiness would have only one vote.

    “But artisans, traders, teachers and workers whose salaries are not being paid have the same weight of vote and they are excited about the renewed possibility of a new government coming with fresh ideas free of all the encumbrances of the present system. So in Imo I’m very confident.

    “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is from Ogun State. The state is one of the most enlightened States in Nigeria. They have a huge history; they are not in a political kingdom headed by one person.

    “If they were looking for true reconciliation, they wouldn’t have done what they did (defection of aides). That is not how democracy works. Nigeria must grow beyond this syndrome ‘I’m the governor, I will decide.’ You have only one vote. With due respect, I was once a governor. Overall APC is much stronger now.”

    Read Also: Imo APC crisis irreconcilable – Okorocha

    Oshiomhole asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo to remember he swore that God should punish him if he ever supports his former vice to become the president.

    “We know there are people across the divide who are fighting back. There is a gang up by those who are used to sucking the system without adding any value but Nigerians will not allow that,” he said.

    He expressed confidence that the 2019 election would be a smooth sail for President Muhammadu Buhari and APC because ethnic and religious sentiments that characterised the 2015 election lost by former president Goodluck Jonathan would have no play this time around.

    “The two candidates are from the North and they are both Muslims. People are now going to look at character. Nobody has ever said Buhari is a thief. But who said the other person (Atiku) is a thief? it was his boss (Obasanjo).

    “When you are working with me and I said you are a thief, God will punish me if I support you. And when you are confused because your supply line has been chopped off, you now turned around to support the same person. That God that you called with your name to punish you if you support the person is about to go to work. And he will go to work in February and HE will punish him thoroughly and the person he is supporting, in favour of Nigeria.”

    Speaking further on Buhari’s chances in 2019, he said: “My hope is that Buhari will win. He will have more votes than he got before because some of those who misused religion, for that was the most potent weapon that was used very recklessly, by people who have no issues in 2015. 

    “This time around, they will have to speak to the issues because the two main candidates are Muslims. Again, the issue of North-South, Buhari maintained the key support in the North, that was because people voted on the basis of son of the soil, this time, the two main candidates are from the North so these things will not be there. So we are now going to look at character. 

    “Who can say Buhari is a thief, nobody has ever said so. But who said the other person is a thief, it is the person he was working with. Because if I you are working me and I say you are thief, God will punish me if I support you, and when you are confused because your supply line has been chopped off, and you enter a new deal and you come back to say I now support you, that God that you call with name that He will punish you if you support this person, that God is about to go to work and He will go to work in February, next year. He will punish him thoroughly and punish the person he is supporting in favour of Nigeria”.

    Turning to the women,  he said “Yes, the women are going to play a key role in the elections, they are going to compare notes,  those of them who were about 20 year’s old in 1999, by the time they were 36 years, they know all that has happened.

    “They won’t forget that the PDP promised that in six months they will provide stable power, 16 years they did not. They will not forget that PDP spent $16 billion, they will not forget that PDP spent so much money on rail and workers will not forget that under the PDP industries have been shut down.

    “Some people recently said that Atiku was one of the most powerful Vice President Nigeria ever had, so he would not say that he didn’t know what was going on on in goverment. So he was a central player and you know all the issues of corruption in goverment then, especially the allegation that sums of money ranging from N50 million was being share to National Assembly members for the third term, all coming from the system. So we can return to those eras of locust.”

  • A’Ibom 2019: Udom, PDP move to strengthen support base 

    Amid the growing political tension in Akwa Ibom state, arising from the lingering battle between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) over who controls the state, Governor Udom Emmanuel and the PDP have stepped up moves to strengthen their support base and galvanize their people with the ongoing peace-building process in the party.

    Akwa Ibom state has been in the “eye of political storm” in recent weeks following the crisis in the state House of Assembly which led to a face-off between the state government and the police authority and led to heated altercations between the PDP and APC in the state.

    Read Also:Akwa Ibom: Udom’s service to God and humanity

    Apparently to aid this galvanization process and also help in dousing the palpable apprehension in the state, the PDP Integration and Harmonisation Committee, in a statement Wednesday, December 5 2018, announced the commencement of the second phase of interactions with aggrieved stakeholders and other members of the party who have concerns over diverse issues in the party, which include what they refer to as “poor reward mechanism”.

    According to the statement in Uyo the state capital, signed by the Committee secretary, Barrister Goddy Umoh, who is also the legal adviser to the party in the state, this second phase will “entertain complaints from individuals who have sent private petitions to the Committee through its dedicated phone numbers, email and website.”

    The Committee, headed by His Excellency, Engineer Patrick Ekpotu, former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom state, was inaugurated by Governor Udom Emmanuel, in October and charged with the responsibility of bringing together every aggrieved parties in the recently concluded primary election exercise of the PDP in the state, with the aim of addressing their grouses, in order to present a united front in the coming 2019 governorship election.

    Barrister Umoh revealed that the “Integration and Harmonisation Committee started interactions with stakeholders of the first sets of local government areas on October 26. In that first phase the Committee hosted and received complaints from people from eight local government areas, which included, Ikono, Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Itu, Nsot Ibom, Nsit Atai, Mkpat Enin and  Urue Offong/ Oruko.”

    Different interests within the party in the local government areas that have met with the committee were said to have unburdened their grievances to the committee. Issues ranging from people who felt shortchanged by the system at the party primaries after working hard for the party or communities/wards that raised concerns over seeming neglect by successive governments in the state in the areas of either projects or political appointments were presented to the committee.

    The committee, working closely with the governor on the Integration and Harmonisation process has assured that a “mechanism is in place with the full backing of the governor to address these concerns in order to assuage the apprehension of the people, because the spirit of setting up the committee is not only to help our party put its house in order, in this peculiar challenging period in the state,  but essentially to heal wounds and encourage inclusiveness by integrating every interest for peace, progress and unity of our dear state.

    “So far the response by the people has been very impressive. As should be expected in this kind of setting, we have been having explosive but very frank sessions with participants from different local government areas, as people are encouraged by the committee to air their views with sincere openness, aimed at a dispassionate resolution. The beautiful aspect of our often heated sessions is that sometimes people came with palpable apprehension, but often would live with smiles and genuine convivial embrace and handshake.”

    Umoh disclosed that after attending to these individual complainants, the Committee, would then resume its interactions with the remaining local government as according the statement, “the objective is to achieve equity, fairness and justice in the party, which will ultimately lead to peace and harmony in the PDP family, and essentially more electoral success by the party in the state.”

  • APC dismisses Kalu’s death, warns against peddling of wicked rumour

    Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State dismissed rumours of death of former Governor of Abia State and chieftain of the party in the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.
    This is even as has cautioned members of opposition parties in the state to discontinue peddling of the wicked rumour that the former governor of the state and the party’s candidate for Abia North senatorial zone in 2019 is dead.
    According to the rumour, Kalu reportedly died few weeks ago in a Wiesbaden, Germany Hospital after a major surgery, and that a lookalike has been contracted to impersonate him (Kalu) for political reasons, adding that the man parading himself as Kalu is one George from Gambia.
    However, in a statement, the state publicity secretary of APC, comrade Ben Godson said it was the height of wickedness for any person or group of persons to carry fake news about the death of someone, stressing that it amounts to wishing the living, dead.
    Godson said it was a taboo in Igbo land for anybody to wish his fellow human being dead, stressing that those members of the opposition parties have taking politics too far by wishing Kalu dead.

    Read Also: Orji Kalu and the revocation of bail: Matters arising

    “What members of the opposition in the state particularly PDP are doing is playing wicked politics by wishing Kalu dead, but that will not stop the eminent defeat that is staring them in the face in Abia North senatorial zone in particularly and the state in general come 2019.
    “Political enemies are at it again; they know there is going to be a level playing ground in 2019 election and they are aware that Kalu is going to win the Abia North senatorial district seat and they think that the best way to stop him is to continuously dish out fake news, this time to wish him dead thinking by that they will stop him.
    “The other time, the rumour was that his name was not in the APC register and when that could not work out, they came with another rumour that he was screened out by his party to contest the election and that even his name was not on INEC list of those to contest the election. When all these failed, then they came with this fake news that he is dead.
    The state APC publicity scribe reminded those wishing Kalu dead to learn from history and remember what happened to those who rumoured in the ‘80s that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was dead, adding that none of them actually lived to witness when the Zik of Africa eventually died.
    “People should learn from history, when Zik of Africa was alive, some people rumoured that he was dead, but those who ignited the rumour, all died before Zik’s death and they should know that history has a way of repeating itself”.
    Godson said he spoke with Kalu on Monday night, stressing he was live and preparing to kick off his campaign.
    A close source to the former Governor who pleaded to be anonymous while corroborating Godson’s statement added that he spoke with Kalu on Tuesday morning.
    According to the source, Kalu is concerned with his senatorial campaign and on how to deliver the state to APC and also to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari wins the 2019 Presidential election.
    “We heard stories about the cloning of OUK and before we could come out of it, another one is that he was dead. These are all fabricated stories that only represent the wishes and imaginations of the rumour mongers.
    “What I can tell you is that OUK is alive and I can also tell you that he is ready to come back and begin campaign across the Abia North Senatorial District and the truth is that his opponents are already jittery”, he said.

  • Alhassan urges Taraba youths to resist being used for thuggery

    Aisha Alhassan, the Immediate past Minister of Women Affairs and Child Development, has urged youths in the state to resist attempt by politicians to use them as political thugs.

    Alhassan, the Governorship Candidate of United Democratic Party (UDP), made the appeal in Jalingo on Tuesday during the inauguration of her campaign committee and unveiling of her manifesto for the development of Taraba State.

    The former minister advised the youth to rather demand to know the programmes and policies spelt out in the politicians’ manifestos that were targeted at youth development.

    She cautioned religious and traditional leaders to distance themselves from partisan politics and consider all candidates as their children during and after the electioneering period.

    Alhassan alleged that some clerics had already taken sides with some candidates as they had openly castigated others and dismissed the chances of some flag-bearers based on gender.

    She explained that she left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined UDP because of the injustice meted out to her by the party leadership.

    Read Also: APC disqualifies Shittu, Alhassan guber race

    “There are some clerics who are sponsored to castigate me and such clerics are going from one local government to another to mislead people that the APC governorship candidate is more suitable than me,’’ she said.

    Alhassan challenged such clerics to assemble both of them for a debate to see who is more qualified in terms of education and working experience.

    She explained that her blueprint of the state was very clear and extensive, which she had carefully put in place and intended to implement if voted into power in 2019.

    Alhassan promised to give priority to education, healthcare services, agriculture, infrastructure and youth empowerment.

    According to her, what is more paramount is the unity among the people of the state.

    She noted that if elected, she would reunite the people of the state, irrespective of religious, ethnic or regional affiliation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the flagging off of the campaign also marked the acceptance of some people that decamped from other political parties to UDP

     

    NAN