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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • “Cross River State is sick”

    The deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, has described the state as sick, saying there is urgent need for its revival.

    Okon, who would be running with governorship candidate, Senator John Owan-Enoh, told some reporters in Calabar that there was a complete absence of governance in the state.

    “If you go to any government office today, you will realize that there is no work that is going on. Nothing is happening. The materials to get work done are never there. You go to the governor’s office, when the governor is not in office and there is disruption in public power supply, then there won’t be electricity. So those who are in the offices have no business coming to work when the governor is not in town. What kind of administration is that? That is the situation across the entire state. There is no administration.

    “Cross River has never reduced to this level. And you find people who ought to be leaders reduce themselves to the lowest levels of sycophancy. It is very unfortunate.

    The issues of who will become the next governor of Cross River State, first is in the hand of God. The next one is the fact that capacity of the person. A Cross Riverian, who wants to be the next governor, must prepare himself and create the require linkages across the state and he would win. We don’t have to sit down and sit down for a Governor Ayade, who will carry it like a crown and give to the next person.

    “I believe that Cross River State is sick. I believe that we have to deliberately work hard to revive Cross River. I have offered myself as part of the medical team. We find it expedient that if we must rescue Cross River, all hands must be on deck. And under such circumstance you must allow the ideal of rescue to drive you and as far as I am concerned, I must give it to John (Owan-Enoh). You must assess him from the offices he has held and the way he has stood out. He has capacity. You cannot deny that fact.

    “I believe in one thing. I am a team player. Anyone who has worked close with me will tell you one thing that I don’t run solo. I’m a team player. I have watched Senator Owan-Enoh for a long time and I must tell you one thing, there is something I have noticed in him, he has been able to build a team and run a team and I believe that teaming is the real thing. So far I believe it is all about bringing our experience, each bringing his own on the table and together we can work and make things go well.”

    Okon, a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, and from the southern senatorial district of the state, also knocked the issue of zoning for the governorship position, saying whoever should be governor should be based on his capacity to deliver.

    Read Also: Concerns in Cross River over zoning

    “I hear people talk about zoning and all of that. Let me say something. I have been in the politics of the state for this while. There has never been a zoning. Cross Riverians have a way of ensuring there is stability. I was a very critical part of the campaign of Donald Duke in 1998. There was no zoning. Donald was able to win in Cross River. And some people from my senatorial zone will be waiting for Ayade to hand over to them as if he is God. It does not happen that way. Anybody who has capacity and is ready to work, should work hard and you can become the governor.

    “You don’t have until one governor will sit down to look at your face and he will like your face and he will hand over to you. That is not it. I was here in 2003 when Donald fought for a second term, and there were candidates from across the state. Even in 2007, when Senator Imoke contested the first time, candidates came from the three senatorial districts, including the south. So when I hear all this skewed issue of zoning, in any case if zoning was the issue, the first time we ever had candidates contesting for election, coming all from one senatorial district is the last one in 2015. Maybe that is why we are having these issues now. Cross Riverians are in a position to show equity. Allow them the broad choices at any given time and they will do what is right’” Okon said.

     

     

  • APC members seek to restrain INEC from accepting Katsina candidates’ list

    Two aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State – Garba Dankani and Muhammad Mainasara – have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting list of candidates submitted by their party for the next general elections.

    Dankani said he was a governorship aspirant, while Mainasara aspired for the senatorial said.

    The plaintiffs in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1035/18 alleged that the APC in Katsina State, failed to conduct ward congresses

    They argued that the APC’s alleged failure to conduct ward congresses in the state’s 34 Local Government Areas implied that the party could not make valid nomination of candidates to INEC for the 2019 general elections in the state without first conducting valid congresses in the state.

    The plaintiffs relied on the  provisions of Section 85(3) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), Articles 12(12)(ii), 12(15), 12(16), 13(10), 13(12)(ii) and (iii) and 20(i)(a) as well as 20(iv)(a)(b) and (d) of the Constitution of the APC, 2014 (as amended) and the Guidelines for the Conduct of Wards, Local Government Areas and States Congresses of APC, 2018.

    Dankani (the 1st plaintiff), in a supporting affidavit, said that on May 5, 2018, when the ward congresses were scheduled to hold  in the 34 Local Government Areas in the state, “neither members of the Ward and Local Government Committee nor person(s) purporting to be member(s) of any Local Organizing Committee was seen at any of the wards to conduct the congresses”.

    “The congress was therefore aborted and could not hold and no official of the 2nd defendant (INEC) attended the congress,” the deponent added.

    Dankani added that aspirants for various positions subsequently met “and in a resolution, reiterated the fact that congresses did not hold in all the wards comprised in all the local government areas of Katsina State”.

    “I also know as a fact that the 1st defendant (APC) could not validly hold local government area congresses and state congresses of the All Progressives Congresses in Katsina State without first holding valid ward congresses that would elect delegates and wards executives that would participate in the local government congresses and state congresses as required by our party constitution and the Guidelines for Wards, Local Government Areas and State Congresses, 2018.”

    Dankani claimed that even when the ward congresses did not hold, the Ward and Local Government Congress Committee “submitted a list of purported elected delegates and acclaimed members of the All Progressives, Katsina State to the 1st defendant (APC).

    The plaintiffs want the court to declare the local government and state congresses of the APC which held in Katsina State on May 12 and May 19, 2018 as null and void.

    They are also seeking an order restraining APC and INEC from recognising any person or group of individuals by whatsoever name called or described as elected, ward, local government or state executive committees’ members in Katsina State pending the conduct of valid congresses in the state.

    Read Also: ‘Abuja-based APC chieftains causing problem in Imo’

    The plaintiffs want the court to restrain both APC and INEC from recognising any person or group of individuals as elected delegates or members of electoral college of APC pending when the party valid ward, local government and state congresses in the state.

    Dankani and Mainasara want the court to compel the APC to organise congresses for the state to elect principal officers of the various levels of executive committees of the party in the state, and which INEC must attend, observe and supervise.

    The plaintiffs, sought “an order of injunction restraining the 2nd defendant (INEC) from accepting any aspirant nominated by the 1st defendant political party, as candidates in any election to be conducted by the 2nd defendant, in respect of elective offices in Katsina State, without the 1st defendant holding a prior election of members of its executive committees in that state…”

    When the case was called on Thursday, the plaintiffs were represented by Olu Olanipekun, while INEC (sued as the 2nd defendant) was represented by Umar Bukar. APC, listed as the 1st defendant) was not represented by a lawyer.

    Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo adjourned to November 8 for hearing.

     

     

     

  • Imo: My name has not been dropped – Nwosu

    The winner of the Imo state governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Nwosu, has described as unfounded and misleading, reports that his name has been dropped by the National Working Committee of the party.

    Nwosu said that the news trending on the online edition of one of the national dailies is a sponsored falsehood intended to create tension in the state.

    The online report had claimed that the NWC of the party had substituted Nwosu’s name with that of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC governorship candidate for Imo State.

    But reacting to the report, Nwosu said that he remains the authentic governorship candidate of the party, adding that the NWC of the party cannot contemplate any such action, when it has already upheld his candidacy.

    Read Also: Anti-Oshiomhole protest rocks Imo

    According to him, “Apart from available records, which showed that I am the authentic governorship candidate of our party, I also have a valid Court Order barring the partly and INEC from substituting my name. So the media house reporting that is obviously sponsored to do a hatchet job”.

    He stated further that, “There are no contentions to my victory at the Imo State governorship primary election. What we have in the records is that the governorship candidate of APC in Imo State is Uche Nwosu, not only that, I have a valid Court Order barring the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving any other name that is not my name.

    “There is no contention in that, the only primary that was upheld was that of Agbabiaka, which I won and everybody knew it was the authentic primary. The earlier primary that was to be conducted by Ahmed Gulak  was cancelled and disbanded and a new Committee was reconstituted, so Gulak never conducted any governorship primary, the only primary that was done in Imo State is the one conducted by Agbabiaka which I won”.

  • APC dismisses Nnamani’s expulsion

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the purported expulsion of a former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani from the party by a faction of the party in the state, saying the group has no legal power to take such action without following due process.

    A faction of the party in the state had announced the expulsion of Chief Nnamani for dragging the party to court over the outcome of the National Convention, but the National Organizing Secretary, Barrister Emma Ibediro said the party was yet to receive any official communication on the said expulsion.

    Ibediro explained that before a party member is either suspended or expelled, the laid down procedures must be strictly adhered to, adding that anything contrary is null and void.

    He said that the party’s Constitution stipulates that “You must set up a disciplinary committee to try such an individual and the report of such committee must go through the Ward, Local Government, State and finally the National. Such a person must be given fair hearing and as long as such a procedure is not complied with, any announcement of expulsion is a ruse and of no effect”.

    He stated that a lot of issues had arisen from the National Convention of the party as those who were not comfortable with the outcome have decided to challenge the entire process, noting that his own emergence is equally being challenged in court.

    “You don’t wake up and begin to expel people on account of the decision to vent their anger on the outcome of the convention. There must be issues, but we must come together and resolve our differences. Whatever happened during the convention is part of the process and must be allowed to rest.

    “APC is a very big family and in any such family, you will definitely have issues, but I think we need to resolve these issues internally instead of expelling people.”

    Read Also: Abia APC factions trade words

    He said the party in Enugu state must tow the path of peace and reconciliation in resolving it’s differences instead of resorting to physical combat as that will not help the party view of the forthcoming general elections.

    National Publicity Secretary of APC, Lanre Isa-Onilu denied knowledge of Nnamani’s expulsion of Onyemauche Nnamani.

    Onilu who spoke on telephone said: “I am not aware of the development in the Enugu state chapter, but I can tell you that our party has a provision in its constitution that provides procedures for such disciplinary measures and unless it is adhered to, it will be of no effect”

    Factional Chairman of the party in Enugu state, Okey Ogbodo also dismissed the expulsion, describing it as a “figment of Nwoye’s imagination.

    “It is null, void and of no effect as those responsible have no locus standi to make such pronouncement as his tenure as chairman ended on May 19, this year.”

    He stated that the expiration of the tenure of Nwoye led to the election of the state working committee headed by him (Ogbodo), adding however that Nwoye and few others were bent on pulling the party down.

  • Enugu APC chairman escapes assassination

    The Enugu state chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Dr. Ben Nwoye, escaped death by whiskers in the early hours of Saturday, as heavily armed suspected assassins invaded his Enugu residence.

    According to Nwoye, the hoodlums, who gained entrance into the compound at about 2:15 am,  shot one of the police officers attached to him, Mr. Gerald Eke, on the head, and took away his official riffle.

    The officer, who hails from Nsukka, Enugu state, is currently on admission at the Federal Orthopedic Hospital Enugu.

  • Unite to end misrule in 2019, Kwara APC urges members

    Group seeks solution to primaries’ fallout

     

    Preparatory to 2019 general elections, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara state has charged its members to put their act together in order to end misrule in the state.

    The party added that bad governance has bred impunity over the years in the state.

    APC also hailed governorship candidate, Alhaji Abdulraham Abdulrasaq and other candidates of the party on their emergence.

    “They must continue to bear in mind that, they have been pushed forward to help in ending mal-administration, incompetency and high handedness in the corridors of power,” the party said.

    Also, a group of intellectuals under the auspices of Kwara People’s Network (KPN) has urged the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC to bridge the loop-holes created in the just concluded primaries of the party in the state.

    State Chair of APC Hon Bashir Bolarinwa “we can assure our members, supporters and good people of the state that every aggrieved person or member will be reached in the coming days, so as to present a united front that will dislodge the pretenders in government.

    “We will continue to rely on the support, counsels and prayers of our members, supporters and the good people of Kwara state as we walk into  2019 to elect true representatives for our people.”

    Hon Bolarinwa said: “However, we are grateful to party members for displaying high level of commitment, dedication and readiness to make our political liberation struggle in Kwara State, a done deal.

    “We shall continue to accord our party leaders, members of the executive council at all levels and the teeming supporters their pride of place in the scheme of things.

    “We have a duty to appreciate our aspirants for all offices whose efforts put more life into the party. You moved round the state, propagating the ideals of our party. You committed your hard earned resources to the process. We don’t have enough words to appreciate you.

    “We are grateful to the father of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari for finding time out to meet with our governorship aspirants and stakeholders in the party from the state. KPN added that a correction of the deficiency created by the primaries would ensure inclusive governance and give every Kwaran a sense of belonging. It added that that would give APC a landslide victory in the 2019 elections in the state.

    Read Also: Kwara electorate enjoined to vote for experience

    In a statement, National Coordinator and Secretary of the forum Busayo David and Abdulazeez Lukman said that APC “has the qualities and manifestos that can lead our dear state to the Promised Land, which made us to support the APC in kwara and Nigeria so that we can enjoy the dividends of democracy.”

    The statement reads: “The sharing formula used in distributing the elective positions majorly at Kwara Central and Kwara South senatorial districts, is a bit deficient. In kwara central that comprises of four LGAs; Asa, Ilorin east, Ilorin south and Ilorin west, which are divided into two federal constituencies; Asa/Ilorin west and Ilorin East/Ilorin south. Asa and Ilorin east have been given House of Representatives, Ilorin west has both governor and senate while Ilorin south has none. Based on the fact stated, it will be fair enough to consider Ilorin south for senate.

    “Similarly, Kwara South comprises of seven LGAs; Ekiti, Oke-ero, Offa, Oyun, Irepodun, Isin and Ifelodun. Kwara south has two federal constituencies which are Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun and Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-ero. Offa has the Senate seat, though Oyun has none but Ifelodun should be considered with the House of Representatives.

    “We hereby humbly call on NWC of APC to treat this matter with utmost urgency. Irepodun local government area has been represented at the House of Representatives for16 years. The only Christian that won House of Representatives from Ekiti local government area should not be denied.”

  • 11,500 AAN members defect to SDP in Adamawa

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adamawa State’s third most popular party after ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has received 11,500 members of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), including its state chairman, Mr Robinson Mathias.

    Mathias who led the defectors to a reception held for them at the SDP state Secretariat in Yola Friday, said their decision was prompted by ‘gross injustice’ meted out to them by the national headquarters of the ANN, and that they were in any case never satisfied with the manifesto of the party.

    Read Also:2019 : Ebonyi APC chieftain dumps party, picks SDP governorship ticket

    “Having carefully evaluated the manifesto of the party and the injustice by the national headquarters, we opted for the SDP which has a state chairman and governorship candidate that we have faith in,” Mathias said.

    Receiving the decampees on behalf of the National Chairman of the SDP Chief Olu Falae, the Adamawa State Chairman of the party, John Muva, assured that the new members and the old members would be treated in equal fairness.

    “The SDP is waxing stronger daily and we are set to win the state,” he stressed.

    The governorship candidate of the SDP in the state, Chief Emmanuel Bello, is a former House of Representatives member who has done much over the months to give visibility and reckoning to the party.

  • Bamidele, Adeyeye, Olujimi, others cleared for Nass Poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the names of National Assembly candidates in Ekiti State.

    The list of candidates cleared to contest was displayed at the gate of INEC state headquarters in Ado Elite.

    Parties including People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN), Democratic People’s Party (DPP) are fielding candidates.

    Read Also:I earned N60.2m in three years, Atiku tells INEC

    In the senatorial race, the APC candidate cleared for Ekiti North is a former National Assembly member, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi.

    Former Houses of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele cleared to fly APC flag in Ekiti Central senatorial district.

    Bamidele defeated the incumbent Senator, Mrs. Fatimat Raji Rasaki in the APC senatorial primary held in Ekiti Central.

    Former Minister of State for Work, Prince Dayo Adeyeye is the cleared APC candidate for Ekiti South.

    Senate Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who is seeking re-election, has been cleared as the PDP candidate in Ekiti South senatorial district.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Duro Faseyi, who is also seeking re-election, is the cleared PDP candidate for Ekiti North.

    Former Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, is the PDP candidate for Ekiti Central.

    Three out of the incumbent House of Representatives members in the PDP fold were cleared by INEC to seek re-election.

    They are Mr Kehinde Agboola (Ekiti North 1), Mr. Akin Awodumila (Ekiti South 2), Mr. Segun Adekola (Ekiti South 1) and Mr Ayo Oladimeji (Ekiti Central).

    New entrants cleared to run in the House of Reps poll are Chief Bisi Kolawole (Ekiti Central 2) and Mr. Sola Omotoso (Ekiti North 2).

    APC House of Reps candidates cleared are Mr. Peter Owolabi (Ekiti North 1), Mr. Ibrahim Olarewaju (Ekiti North 2), Mr. Sola Fatoba (Ekiti Central 1), and Mrs. Omowumi Ogunlola (Ekiti Central 2).

    The rest are former Chief of Staff, Chief Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South 1) and former Ekiti House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Femi Bamisile.

  • ‘No crisis in Akure North APC’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State has said they were satisfied with the emergence of Abiodun Faleye as the party’s flag bearer for its state constituency.

    The leaders of the party in Akure North stated this in a communique signed by 11 ward chairmen after their emergency meeting on Thursday in Oba Ile,Akure.

    The communique was signed by Mrs Olufunke Adu, Vice Chairman, APC, Akure North, and Gbenga Fadeyi, Secretary, APC Akure North.

    Others signatories were Mrs Serifat Adepoju, Women Leader, APC Akure North and Isaac Lawal, Youth Leader of the party in the region.

    The Chairman of the party in the area had described the candidature of Faleye as an imposition, calling for Dele Ologun to be recognized by the national body.

    The communique noted that it would be unfair to other communities from the region, if the House of Assembly candidate and the Local Government Chairman emerged from the same ward out of 12 wards in the area.

    It observed that the party primary conducted in the local government reflected the wishes of the generality of the party members, where  Abiodun Faleye won the primary with 7,947 votes as against Dele Ologun’s 2,742.

    Read Also: Our decisions on primaries final, APC tells protesters

    The party supporters therefore urge the national chairman of our great party comrade Adams Oshiomole, the state chairman,Ade Adetimehin, party leaders and the general public to disregard the statement as signed by Joshua Eleti,chairman of the party in the council.

    One of the leaders at the meeting,who is the commissioner for Youths and Sports, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said there were two APC groups in the council area which had agreed to work together for the interest of the party.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye said a decision was reached that the two elective positions; council chairman and house of assembly be shared,adding that the position of councillors was also agreed to be shared between the groups equally.

  • Sylva: l’ve no plans to leave APC

    Former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva has debunked insinuations that he was on his way out of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Sylva in a statement signed by his Media Assistant,  Julius Bokoru, also described as inconsequential, the recent defection of his former Campaign Director, Media and Publicity,  Chief Nathan Egba, to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Bokoru in the statement on Thursday clarified that the reported defection was a sponsored rumour, describing the PDP as a floundering party.

    “Ordinarily, Chief Sylva would have stepped over this most mundane rumour cooked by the basest of minds but for his teeming supporters, members of the All Progressives Congress and the good people of Bayelsa State who this rumour is aimed at

    “Let it be established that Chief Timipre Sylva is firmly of the APC and nurses no plan to leave the party to any other party, least of all the PDP which is floundering and churning in the throes of its last days.

    “Chief Sylva cannot leave the APC, a party he has joined in building, in both state and national, to the very top of political and governmental efficiency”, Bokoru said.

    He attributed the rumour to the agents of the state government saying they kept recycling the report on the social media to achieve some evil intentions.

    He said: “The purported defection of Sylva which they announced through their Facebook hirelings in August had to be recycled in October, just like the ridiculously untrue story of the 48 houses they keep recycling every year.

    “The fact is not lost to Chief Sylva that this latest defection story coincides with the so called defection of a certain Nathan Egba who was neither a member of the APC nor a man with any bit of political relevance.

    “Chief Sylva urges his supporters, members of the APC and the good people of Bayelsa State to remain steadfast as this current darkness will soon give way for light”.