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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • Senator Abe laments lingering crisis in Rivers APC

    The Senator representing Rivers East in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe has said  has the possibility of addressing the lingering crisis in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was bleak unless the national leadership of the party do the right thing and put an end to the reign of impunity in the state.

    Senator Abe said the crisis is persisting because some leaders of the party in the state were averse to dissenting views, adding that the foundation of the crisis in the party is intolerance of dissenting views, impunity, high-handedness and lack of respect for others.

    Read Also:Cross River APC chieftains call for Oshiomhole’s resignation

    Similarly, members of the APC in the state stormed the party national secretariat to protest against what they described as impunity within the party in Rivers state and appealed to the leadership to immediately do the needful and avoid a Zamfara like treatment from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In a statement Friday issued on his behalf by Kennedy Friday of the Kairos Media Group, the senator dismissed allegations that he was being sponsored by the state Governor, Nyesom Wike to destabilize the APC in Rivers state.

    He said “The crisis in Rivers APC began long before Sen. Abe’s thanksgiving to which Gov. Wike along with other Governors, senators and ministers attended. The foundation of the crisis in the party is intolerance of dissenting views, impunity, high-handedness and lack of respect for others. Disregard for all rules and laws including the constitution of the party and even orders of courts of competent jurisdiction. Until this is addressed the crisis will continue and singing Wike as a song will not change anything”.

    Reacting to an earlier statement accusing him of working for the Rivers Governor, Senator Abe said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement issued by Mr. Chris Finebone whose election as Publicity Secretary of Rivers APC has been nullified by the judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction spewing fire and brimstone against a judicial officer and the court of law. The statement also attempted to retool a tired and monotonous blackmail of an imagined collaboration between Sen. Magnus Abe and Gov. Nyesom Wike.

    “This same tendency and inclination to become a law unto themselves, thrive in impunity, intimidate everyone with contrary opinion, disobey lawful orders and trample on the will of the people is the very root of the challenges confronting Rivers APC today. Instead of allowing for a moment of introspection, Chris Finebone and his sponsors are scavenging everywhere looking for people to blame for the problems they themselves created.

    “It’s a known fact today that many state chapters of APC across the nation are mired in crisis, with many cases in court arising from same attitude demonstrated by the leader of Rivers APC to subdue the voices of the people. Are all those cases also instituted in collaboration with Gov. Nyesom Wike?

    “Was it Gov. Nyesom Wike who collaborated with the Minister of Transportation to exclude thousands of Rivers APC faithful who paid money to the party to participate in the congresses?

    “Was it Governor Wike who instructed the Minister to order security agents to open fire on innocent APC members who were protesting their exclusion from participating in the congresses? Or did the Minister collaborate with Wike by hijacking materials for APC congresses to INTELS camp in Port Harcourt away from the reach of party faithful?”

    However, protesting at the APC secretariat, members of the party from the state led by Amb. Anosike Odowa, Hon. Bethel Oko Jaja and Hon. Onyeche Uloma said if something was not done fast about the Rivers State APC, it May suffer the same pronouncement INEC gave to Zamfara State.

    The Rivers State APC asked the party leadership and President Muhammad Buhari to rescue the party from the hands of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Ameachi, while demanding that the court ruling on Rivers State APC should be obeyed by the party, just as they also demanded for Direct primaries in the State.

    Hon. Anosike Odowa who spoke on their behalf said, “We are members of APC from Rivers State. We are here this morning to register our grievances, to speak to the National Chairman of the party and the NEC of our party that one man called Rotimi Chubuike Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation has gone ahead to disobey Court judgement. He has gone to bring his business partner to be the candidate of our party and we are saying that Tonye Cole, we don’t know him.

    “We are members of this party, we struggled for this party and we believe that APC, while we left PDP to APC is because of impunity and injustice. Now, the National Chairman of our party, should do the right thing by accepting the result of direct primaries which Distinguished Senator Magnus Abe emerged as the winner.

    “The Court of competent jurisdiction sitting in Port Harcourt has ruled and voided every activities of the purported primaries conducted by Rotimi Chubuike Amaechi. Indirect primaries conducted by Rotimi Chubuike Amaechi has been voided and in law it cannot stand.

    “If APC wants to win Rivers state then Magnus Abe is the Governor of Rivers state. We will stop at nothing; we will fight with our last strength to ensure that justice must prevail.

    “We are stakeholders in this party and I will advice the National Chairman to be upright and Amaechi should stop pushing him, this party is not Amaechi Peoples Party, it is All Progressives Congress not Amaechi Personal property. We want to ask that the National Chairman should live up to expectation and do the right thing.

    “We know him to be a man who is upright but he should not allow his integrity to be questioned in this matter. Rivers state is for direct primaries and Magnus Abe emerged winner of the direct primaries.”

    On the allegation of Abe working for the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Bethel Oko Jaja said, “We want to say without fear and contradiction that senator Magnus Abe is a true APC member, he has never betrayed the confidence reposed in him. When Mangus went to receive the bullet, everybody was saying that ‘this is a true APC member’, did he tell them to disallow them from contesting the primaries that they were supposed to contest.

    “When we wanted to do our ward, local government and state primaries, did he say they should not contest? When they deprived people and they went to a court of competent jurisdiction to address the issue they said he is working with Wike, today they are accusing him.

    “He remains the only committed APC member that has worked for this party. You recall that in 2015, when PDP won election in Rivers state and it was nullified and in December 2016 to be precise that election was conducted. The only man who won his senatorial district is Magnus Abe.

    “He gave APC a face in Rivers state; APC would have been lost and forgotten today in Rivers state. Magnus Abe stood and won the election. Today they are accusing him of fighting for his right, he is fighting for the good right of Rivers people, he is fighting to liberate the people impunity perpetuated by one man.

    “We are sending a strong message across to the national chairman of All Progressives Congress, our own brother, Adams Oshiomhole, to leave up to expectation, the leader of this party and commander-in-chief of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to please intervene in this matter.

    “We are committed members of APC in Rivers state. Impunity must not prevail; one man should not hold the party to ransom. We will stand against it. We believe in direct primary and on the one that was conducted on 30th September Abe emerged the winner and remains candidate of the APC come 2019 governorship election in Rivers state. “

  • Resign now or be forced out, Coalition tells Oshiomhole

    … Accuses him of being a PDP mole

    A coalition of presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have demanded for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
    The group, which includes governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, state Houses of Assembly aspirants on the platform of the party, also accused Oshiomhole of working for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), by deliberately weakening the party to make victory easy for the opposition in next year’s general elections.
    In a statement signed by two presidential aspirants of the party; Alhaji Mumakai-Unagha and Dr SKC Ogbonnia, the coalition noted that the commotion in all the chapters of the party across the country, starting from the congresses and on to the various levels of primaries, were all deliberately foisted by Oshiomhole to achieve his plot.
    They also accused the national chairman of working against the younger generation of Nigerians, preventing youths with political vision and ambition by imposing very exorbitant fees for  nomination and expression of interest forms of the party.
    They, however, doubted his capacity to lead the party successfully to victory in the 2019 general elections, noting that he does not have what it takes to manage the myriad of crises he had allegedly foisted on the various branches of the party across the country.
     
    While calling on the chairman of the party to resign immediately, the group warned that it would mobilise a massive members’ against him if he refused to heed to the call on him.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole has ignited civil war in APC, says Saraki

    “The National Chairman does not have the capacity to lead the party to victory come 2019 following the crisis he has created all over the country as soon as he assumed office, therefore he has lost the confidence of All Progressive Progress members.
    “He has not only succeeded in creating factions within the party in almost the whole thirty six states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, he has introduced development unknown to democracy.
    “He deliberately hiked the prizes of nomination forms to scare genuine Nigerians with burning desire to salvage the nation economy, he’s gradually destroying the party to pave way for the Peoples’ Democratic Party. 
    “It is obvious that he cannot manage crisis and he will not be able to manage the crisis he created with impurity during the recent primary elections conducted by the party as it was all sham. He imposed party executives as well as candidates in the various constituents against the wishes of the people. 
    “Adams Oshiomhole conspired to deny Nigerian Youths as well as party members that are desirous of contesting the 2019 general election through the prohibitive hike of the nomination form.
    “Today, APC as a party is sharply divided as the recent primary elections were held on factional bases. We are not sure of the party victory come 2019 due to what we may regard or call man made crisis created by the chairman.
    “We, the Coalition of APC Presidential aspirants including Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representative and Houses of Assembly aspirants are hereby calling on the National Chairman to resign. Should the National chairman fails to resign, we shall mobilize APC faithful across the country to besiege the party secretariat”, the statement.

  • Diaspora APC hails Sanwo-Olu

    Members of United Kingdom All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State office have described of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the party flag bearer as round peg in round hole.

    According to UK APC chairman, Tayo Shodeinde, the electorates have freely expressed their choice, noting that the use of direct primary to pick a party flag bearer would entrench democracy.

    Read Also:APC to Saraki: your performance at convention indicates rejection

    He said Sanwo-Olu had served three administration in the state, stressing that the candidate had experience and exposure to take Lagos to greater height.

    “Sanwo-Olu you have served in three administrations in Lagos State and we are proud of your exemplary record as an astute administrator par excellence, who will bring all this experience to bear as when you take the helm of affairs.

    “This diaspora arm of the party, Lagos State APC UK has always played a crucial role in progressive and developmental politics in Lagos State for many years during struggles and it is against this backdrop we recognize you as a progressive and willing to stand with you shoulder to shoulder.

    “We truly appreciate you and we fully throw our weight behind your quest to become the Governor of Lagos State. Please be rest assured that we will do all within our power to support you in your quest to consolidate and continue the good works of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in the aftermath of general elections.

    “May we also seize this opportunity to extend an invitation to you to visit us in the UK to share with us your vison for Lagos State. As such it would be most appreciated if you would let us know by way of reply your availability to visit us in the UK,” he said.

  • Excitement greets Buhari’s branded campaign wristbands

    The flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari, now has new
    campaign wristbands.

    The wristbands were shared at The Eagle Square, Abuja venue of the party’s recently held primaries thus highlighting an early start to
    his campaign.

    Excitement greeted the distribution of the branded wristbands, as 7,000 APC delegates gathered to endorse Buhari for a second term at the Square on Saturday October 6.

    The branded wristbands were distributed by Directors of the Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria (GOGAN) and the Buhari Unity Band (BUB) namely, Hajia Zainab Mohammed, Dr. Abayomi Oyekoya and Mr. Yinka Oladunjoye.

    A statememnt signed by the Director, Communication and Media, BUB, Dr. Kunle Hamilton, said printed leaflets titled “Ahead 2019 Presidential Election” were also distributed along with the Buhari wristbands.

    Billionaire business mogul Chief Felix Idiga is the Chairman and National Coordinator of GOGAN and BUB.

    The statement also said National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, were the first to wear the wristbands. Mustapha then distributed the bands to the hierarchy of the party.

    Read Also: Buhari to Nigerains: I won’t disappoint if re-elected

    APC Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, wore the new wristband, which bears an arty image of Buhari and showed the president who also wore one with excitement.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Nasir El Rufai equally shared Buhari’s excitement.

    According to Chief Idiga, who has just picked up a House of Representatives ticket in the Imo State APC primaries, “We believe in the second term candidacy of President Buhari for his exemplary discipline, integrity and commitment to the unity and progress of Nigeria.

    “GOGAN is committed to the same ideals and will continue to cooperate with our party leadership in ensuring strict implementation of our party manifesto.”

    The new wristband, which thousands of people at the APC presidential converge squabbled for, has the inscription, “Buhari for one more term; Nigerians’ 1st Choice” plus APC’s logo. The four versions of the wristband made available at the Eagle Square were in English, Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa.

  • Affirmation of Buhari shows peace, love in APC – candidate

    Enugu West All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu says President Muhammadu Buhari’s affirmation at the APC party convention in Abuja indicates that love and peace reign in the party.

    Ibekaku-Nwagwu, the Special Adviser to the President on Justice Reform and Open Government Partnership, stated this when she addressed newsmen after attending Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka’s Adoration Ground prayers in Enugu on Sunday.

    She expressed optimism that with the affirmation, Buhari would win the 2019 Presidential Election, promising that she would place Buhari’s election before God and sought for mercy and favour on his behalf.

    Read also: Buhari to Nigerians: I will not let you down

     

    The presidential aide, therefore, called on all factions of the party in the state to close ranks so that the party could muster the required strength to defeat the incumbent party in the state.

    According to her, this is the first time since this Republic, that the ruling party in the state; the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Sen. Ike Ekweremadu will be running for an election.

    “In the past it, was a mere affirmation for him. I am the only candidate with the magic finger to defeat him. He will be defeated this time,” she said.

    Ibekaku-Nwagwu promised to ensure quality representation of the zone at the Senate, if elected.

    She said that she sort the face of God at the Fr. Mbaka Adoration ground, weeks before the primary election was held, adding that the cleric prayed and assured her that she would emerge victorious.

    “Fr. Mbaka prayed for me and told me straight that I would win, the contest was so hot and very unpredictable, I needed something that would give me an edge over my senior brothers that slugged it out with me.

    “The outcome of all such prayer was what gave me victory. I owe every appreciation to God almighty. I will continue to hold on to God until I unseat Ekweremadu at the 2019 general election” she said.

  • 2019: Former Rivers APC chairman secures National Assembly ticket

    The immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State , Mr David Ikanya, has emerged as the party’s candidate for the Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency.

    He promised to  ensure robust laws that will attract development to the constituency if given the mandate in 2019.

    Ikanya gave the assurance in his acceptance speech after he was returned winner of the APC primary election.

    He said that his victory in the primary held at NGO town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers on Friday was a collective victory for the area and enjoined the party faithful to rise to the challenge of winning in the general elections.

    Read Also: APC NWC sacks Zamfara party exco

    Ikanya polled 341 votes to defeat his opponent, Mr Hicent Elebe, who secured eight votes.

    He thanked his supporters for their confidence and promised to use his office if elected to drive growth in the area.

    Ikanya, a former local government council chairman of then Bonny Local Government Area, former Commissioner for Special Duties and chairman of the immediate past State Working Committee of the APC, attributed his success to his all-inclusive leadership style.

    “As a local government council chairman of the then Bonny Local Government Area, I’m sure that the legacies I left are there to speak for me and I believe that we shall win the forthcoming general elections together,” he said.

  • Ribadu, Modi reject Adamawa APC governorship primary

    Two of the three governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Mahmood Halilu Ahmed (Modi) and Nuhu Ribadu, have said the conduct of the governorship primary across the state Friday through Saturday was so flawed that no result from it could be acceptable to them.
    In separate press briefings Saturday morning,  both aspirants insisted that the primary did not take place anywhere in the state and that they were perplexed that some results were already being bandied.
    Modi who spoke at his ward in Yola town as the results of the primary were being collated at the APC state headquarters in Jimeta,  asserted that the entire process was fraudulent and its result could not stand even in a Banana Republic.
    Proclaiming that he would reject the result of the primary even if he was declared winner,  Modi said,  “The guidelines were flouted so much that an electoral officer who supervised the exercise in Mubi North (Governor Muhammed Jibrilla’s home local government area) announced the result of the election and declared one of the aspirants winner on camera, something which should only be done by the chief returning officer.”

    Read Also: Ribadu, Pate warn against indirect primary

    Reiterating that the APC governorship primary did not take place in Adamawa State,  Modi said,  “We are shocked that they now say they are collating result when no election was held.  I condemn the exercise in its entirety. It isn’t just that it lacks credibility, the election didn’t happen.”
    Nuhu Ribadu sounded the same way during his own press briefing, conducted just before noon Saturday at his campaign office in Jimeta, Yola, contending that no election took place anywhere in Adamawa State and it was therefore impossible to declare any result.
    “Thousands of our supporters trooped to voting centres across the state, but there was no election,  no officials to attend to them and no election materials,” Nuhu Ribadu said,  reiterating during a question and answer section that some of such voters waited as far into Saturday morning as 3 am just to see if any official would turn up for the election to no avail.
    He said he and his team were shocked to hear of collation of result by sunrise Saturday,  adding, “The whole thing is incredible.  How can you conduct a direct primary election in the night? It’s just not possible.”
    He said the questionable exercise was a test of the credibility of the officials of the committee sent to conduct the primary election and urged the national leadership of the APC to intervene.
    “The NWC should step in and save our party from this embarrassing situation. We demand immediate cancellation of the process.  The electoral committee should be disbanded,” he said.
    The electoral committee was yet to react to the allegations by the time this report was being filled Saturday afternoon.
    Modi, Nuhu Ribadu and Muhammed Jibrilla (Bindow) were the three aspirants entered for the Adamawa State governorship primary.

  • Protesters against Osun governorship result mentally unstable – Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday described those protesting against the result of Osun State governorship election as being mentally unstable.

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus were among the PDP leaders that staged a protest against the outcome of the election at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    Aregbesola spoke with State House correspondents on Friday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    At the meeting with Buhari, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Election Campaign in Osun State and Governor of Kano State, Umaru Ganduje and Aregbesola, formally presented the Governor-elect of the Osun Election, Gboyega Oyetola to the President.

    On the protest, Aregbesola said: “I will not even respond to this because what you are referring to is a charade, an act of gross irresponsibility from people who ought to know that after an election, the only option left for every responsible citizen is to go to the tribunal.

    “And again interestingly, the other party defeated in the election is already in tribunal. I don’t now know what the protest you are talking about is meant to do.

    “If you are already in court and you are still doing a street protest either you are not mentally stable or you need psychiatric attention.” he said

    On the purpose of the visit to the Villa, he said they came to thank Mr. President.

    He said “We came with the chairman of the party in the state and the deputy governor elect as well as the national chairman of the party to express our gratitude to the President.

    “Yesterday we met with the national chairman to do the same. Before yesterday soon after the receipt of Certificate of Return by the two candidates who won the election to the offices of the governor and deputy governor on Wednesday indeed the President expressed joy and charged us not to relent in mobilizing our people to support his own election and the return of our parliamentarians at the state and national assemblies and made commitment that we will not rest again in mobilizing our people to victory in all the other subsequent elections.

    “We let him know the challenges we face and we are very hopeful that with the support we got from him and all other critical stakeholders from the leadership at the national level to leadership at the regional level and the governors of the party in virtually all the states of the federation particularly in the North, I do not think there was any election in such an array of eminent Nigerians and personalities particularly governors who committed everything they have to ensure that their party got the upper hand in the election.”

    “He noted our observations and he assured us that the party will continue to enjoy support with the administration. I want to use this medium to thank all progressives in Nigeria and to assure them that Osun has been the forerunner of victory for our party ever since and we shall continue to lead in telling Nigerians that our party to beat in all the elections.” he added

    On his part, the Governor-elect, Oyetola promised to run a very transparent government in Osun State.

    He said “I came to say a big thank you to Mr. President for the support he gave to us during the election and to thank the leadership of our party all over the country for being with us throughout the period and to assure him that by the grace of God, I must  run a very transparent government.”

    Read Also: Nigeria’s greatness unstoppable, says Aregbesola

    According to him, he would continue the good work already done by Aregbesola and the party in the state.

    “I will want to continue to consolidate on those achievements and improve on them in the area of infrastructure, health, in the area of particularly the economy and this is the time to look at the economy to ensure that we have the opportunity of their welfare being properly taken care of.

    “It is a continuation of the legacies that he built. I believe that the people have confidence in our party, they believe in us and we will not abuse the opportunity given to us to continue to be in government.

    “It is a continuous thing, we have actually been addressing that, recently we have paid about four months of salary backlog and I believe we will settle all the outstanding and we have started even paying full salary and I believe we will be able to sustain it by the grace of God. We will review our IGR to ensure that we are able to look inward for sustainability.” he said

    Ganduje said “We came to thank the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the enabling environment for a true fair election in Osun State.

    “We are here in order to present our Governor-elect to Mr. President and to thank him in what he has done in order to allow for free and fair election.” he added

  • APC now a formidable party, Says Uduaghan 

    …Says present APC crises not unusual

     

    Former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan on Friday said that the crises rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including irregularities in primary elections, showed that it has become a strong and formidable party.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the present APC crises are not unusual.

    Read Also:‘APC risks not fielding governorship candidate in Zamfara’

    He noted that the practice is the same with any government in power since majority of aspirants will naturally want to align with a ruling party.

    He said “The crisis in the party shows that the APC have become a formidable party. It is only when a party is strong and formidable that everybody will be showing interest in it.

    “That we have this kind of issues that are going on. But I also know that the leadership is doing a lot to resolve the issues and with time the issues will be settled and everybody will move forward and move the party forward.

    “It is not unusual, what is happening is not unusual with a party that is growing and has become very strong,” he added.

    On alleged parallel primaries in Delta, he said it only existed in the imagination of many as nothing of such took place.

    He said “There is nothing of such, some people gathered somewhere and said they were doing primaries. If you notice, the person they declared winner has already disowned them.”

    The purpose of his visit to the Villa, he said, was to appeal to President Buhari to reopen the Osubi Airport.

    According to him, the continuous closure of the airport was rubbing off negatively on the state economy.

    “I also came to appeal to the President about the Osubi airport which is close to Warri, it has been closed for more than one month because of crisis between NAMA and a private firm handling the airport.

    “I appealed to him to give an order that they open it while the engagement process is going on between NAMA and the private firm and the line that is supposed to be handling the airport because right now most people travelling to Warri have to go through Benin and even Owerri and that is very discomforting.

    “For those of us who work in that area and you know that there are a lot of oil companies there and the workers have to travel by road from Benin so that’s why I came to appeal to him if they can quickly open it while discussions are going on whatever issues,” he stated.

     

  • Oyetola to Oshiomhole: I am fully prepared for governance

    Osun State Governor-Elect, Gboyega Oyetola has said he is full prepared for governance and would not be needing any tutelage when he assume office, assuring the party leadership that he will not disappoint them.

    Oyetola spoke just as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) asked him to run an all-inclusive government and work to carry along the party’s last alliance with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in other to cement the alliance.

    Oyetola who presented his certificate of return to the APC national Chairman in company of the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said having learnt the rudiments of administration; he will work to build on the legacies left behind by the outgoing governor.

    He said “I must thank Mr.  President for his support throughout the period and coming to campaign during the period and giving me massive support. I thank the chairman who literally moved his base from Abuja to Osun.  I thank you for the fact that I happen to be the first product of direct primary which everybody is now copying.

    “I thank the leadership of the party and the governors, starting with the governor of Kano state who headed the campaign team. All the governors played a vital role to ensure we secure victory.  I am happy that at the end of the day, the best emerged and the best party won the election.

    “By the grace of the Almighty God, we really are going to build on the legacy of Ogbeni Aregbesola, especially infrastructure and the economy. I am going to be running an all-inclusive administration.

    “My guiding value will be accountability and integrity. I want to be able to show case the developmental agenda of Osun that everybody will be proud of. I will not disappoint you because I am prepared for the job. I have learnt the rudiments of administration and I believe that by the grace of the Almighty God, one year from now, we will have cause for celebration.”

    Read Also: INEC issues Certificate of Return to Oyetola

    Receiving the certificate of return, Comrade Oshiomhole charged them to work with to develop even areas that did not vote him, pointing out that the results of the election was a clear indication that it was a free and fair election with all the candidates evenly matched.

    Oshiomhole said “I expect you to deliver the expected goods within the shortest possible time regardless of where you won and lost.  From my own experience,  it help when you somewhere you lost that if they don’t vote for you this time, they may find you their dearly eat time.  That is the beauty of democracy.

    “In particular, you need to extend a genuine hand of fellowship to all those who contested against you because we knowingly opted for multi-party democracy which mean that we prefer a system in which people can engage us. The outcome may not be the best, but it always represents the will of the majority.

    “In your own case, it is a double victory because you made it in the private sector; you are not a government created baby.  You are your own man and it was on the strength of that Aregbesola found you worthy to function as his Chief of Staff. Having done that job, you don’t need any learning process.  You need to go full blast to work as ensure that the people of Osun state gets the dividends of the investment they have made in your person.

    “These are difficult times financially, but God will give you the enablement to do what you have to do.  Aregbesola has established a standard and has his style that helped him to mingle with the people.

    “He had the capacity to mobilize, but there are no two people that are the same.  But on hand confidence that you are not going to learn anything because you have already done your apprenticeship and have been part of the team.

    “The only appeal I want to make to you is to try hard to carry along our last minute alliance as represented by the SDP headed by Senator Omisore and see how we all can work together to cement the alliance, build on it and pray that our party in only become stronger particularly as we prepare for the 2019 general election.”