The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • Waive emerges APC House of Rep candidate

    …promises quality representation

     

    A clergyman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Revd Francis Waive, have emerged winner of the party’s ticket for the Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency in next’s House of Representatives election.

    Waive was declared as the winner of the primary with 391 votes beating his closest rival, Julius Akpovoka, who had 299 votes with Andrew Orugbo and Rukevwe Ugwumba polling 218 and 22 votes respectively.

    Read Also:Ekiti APC Primaries: Adeyeye others emerge consensus candidate

    The exercise, which was held at Ovwian, Udu local government area of Delta state, was conducted by the Prophet Jones Erue led executive of the party was generally peaceful.

    In his acceptance speech, Waive who thanked God and the delegates for voting for him, said: “This is not a winner-takes-it-all situation. I call on each one of you to join hands with me to win the General elections for our people

    “It is a demonstration of confidence in me by our people, an endorsement of my seven covenants with them and a challenge to provide quality representation which our constituency has not enjoyed since 1999.

    “This mandate is also a challenge to win the General elections. So work is not yet over. I will work at it with everything I am and everything I have. However, I can’t do it all on my own. I need the support of everyone. I call on all our party men & women and indeed all our constituents to join me in working hard to win the General elections.

    “I consider this a huge privilege and a great responsibility. Together we will make the difference and change the narrative,” he said.

     

  • Osinbajo, Amosun meet in Aso Rock 

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting started around 6.10pm when Amosun arrived the Vice President’s office.

    Read Also:Osinbajo restates Nigeria’s commitment to human capital development

    Amosun was part of the nine All Progressives Congress (APC) governors that met President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the day over faulty primary elections in their states.

    The meeting with Osinbajo was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

    Details Later…

  • Ndoma-Egba clinches APC senate ticket 

    …as Ricketts emerges in parallel primaries

     

    Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has clinched the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to run for the seat of the central senatorial district of Cross River State in next year’s general elections.

    Ndoma-Egba, a former Senate Leader, scored 50,729 votes to beat Prof Oka Martins who came second with 19, 349 votes in the primary election which held in Ikom local government area. Other contestants Obol Akin Anderson Ricketts and Dr Henry Ayuk scored 302 and 252 respectively.

    Read Also:Obahiagbon, Iyoha, Agbonnayima, win APC ticket

    But in a parallel senatorial primaries for the Central District by another faction of the party, Obol Ricketts, a former Commissioner for Information in the state, emerged as the winner.

    Chairman of the primaries committee for the exercise, Arc. Tata Ifere announced that Ricketts polled 12, 311 votes; Ayuk polled 6, 520 votes; Ndoma-Egba, 251 votes and Martins got 100.

    Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who spoke with reporters, said, “I thank God for the second chance to represent my people. I still believe that the highest honour any people can give to anybody is to ask that the person represents them especially in an elective capacity. For me it is an honour to once again represent my people and it is a challenge for me to even do better than I had done in the past.

    “I will do it with more energy, urgency and more zeal. You recall that I have a number of bills that were not passed into law and I will pursue them to their logical end. I will complete all uncompleted projects like the Iruan Dan, the Ikom specialist hospitals and others. I will like to see to the conclusion of those projects, so my priority will be finishing every unfinished business.”

    Also another former Senator, Prince Bassey Otu also clinched the party’s ticket for the southern senatorial district, while Wabily Nyiam emerged the senatorial candidate for the northern senatorial district.

  • Obahiagbon, serving lawmakers pick APC tickets in Edo

    Former House of Rep. member, Patrick Obahiagbon, has emerged All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo South Senatorial candidate at the party primaries held on Thursday in Benin.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at the primaries, which held in the three senatorial districts, also returned Ehiozuwa Agbonayima, incumbent House of Representative member representing Ikpoba-Okha and Egor Federal constituency as candidates.

    Read Also:Kwara APC holds NASS, governorship primaries Friday, Saturday

    NAN reports that serving House member, Henry Okhuarobo, was retuned unopposed as the party’s candidate to represent Ikpoba-Okha constituency in the State House of Assembly.

    Mr. Christopher Okaeben, incumbent member representing Oredo West was returned unopposed, a serving House of Assembly member, Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha, emerged as the candidate for the House of Representative, Oredo Federal Constituency.

    However, at the Egor Local Government Party Secretariat, the Chairman, Mr. Olaye Odion, refused to allow NAN correspondent to monitor the exercise.

    Odion said he was acting on instructions standing from above to allow only specific media organization to monitor the exercise.

  • PDP declares results of primaries for Reps in Nasarawa

    Joseph Haruna-Kigbu, has emerged the Lafai/Obi Federal Constituency candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State.

    Malik Ohioma, the chairman of the primary election committee, announced the result at about 1:3 p.m. on Thursday at the party secretariat in Lafia, venue of the event.

    Ohioma said that Kigbu got 146 votes to defeat his rival Ahmed Dala, who got 86 votes.

    He, therefore, declared Kigbu as the winner of the election and the candidate of PDP in the constituency.

    Similarly, the committee chairman declared Idris Gani, as the candidate of the party in Awe/Doma/Keana Federal Constituency.

    Read Also: PDP Primary: Abdulkarim wins Reps ticket

    Gani polled 163 votes to defeat Adamu Aboki, who got 148 votes.

    In their reaction, the winners of the elections thanked the delegates and leaders of the party for the confidence reposed in them and promised not to let them down.

    They also called on all members of the party to join hands with them to ensure victory for the party in the 2019 elections.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kigbu represented the constituency from 2011 to 2015 at the lower chamber.

    He was defeated in 2015 election by Abubakar Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

  • Zamfara APC primary: Marafa backs NWC decision

    …blames Yari for violence

     

    All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial hopeful, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, Thursday threw his weight behind the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC on cancellation of Wednesday’s governorship primary in Zamfara State.

    The decision followed the recommendation of Professor Abu Fari led governorship primary for Zamfara state.

    Read Also:APC NWC cancels Zamfara governorship primary

    Marafa who is one of the aspirants in a statement blamed Governor Abdul Aziz Yari for the violence that erupted in some parts of the state during the exercise.

    He noted that the insistence for the continuation of the exercise despite the violence orchestrated by those who should have ensured peace was the height of lawlessness and wickedness.

    He said, “Yari set the state on fire just to perfect his plot to upturn the people’s will and force his stooge on the party and by extension the state with the sole aim of continuing with his misrule through proxy after May 29, 2019.”

    Marafa said that the primary election was postponed thrice and that after an exhaustive meeting with all security agencies, nine governorship aspirants, INEC and the Committee sent from Abuja on Tuesday, it was unanimously agreed that the election should hold yesterday, Wednesday.

    He noted that shortly after the distribution of election materials, the aspirant agents raised the alarm that ballot papers given to them were not up to 10% of the registered party members in their wards.

    Marafa added that the development forced the committee chairman to summon an emergency meeting in the office of the Commissioner of Police to address the issue.

    He said, “In attendance at the meeting were all the aspirants and heads of other security agencies. The chairman called the National chairman of APC, Chief Adams Oshiomhole who spoke individually with all the aspirants. In the end all the aspirants agreed that the ballot papers should be set aside and direct method of people queuing behind the candidate of their choice be adopted.

    Marafa said that the National Chairman thereafter gave approval that the system be employed.

    He said that “the election went on smoothly in many wards and results started coming in, then suddenly violence erupted in major towns where desperate government officials  organized thugs to attack party members especially women.”

    The development, he said, forced the chairman of the election committee to quickly cancel the election to halt the crisis.

    “It is pertinent to mention here that the governor’s candidate lost in all the wards where elections held.

    “Hours after the cancellation desperate Governor Yari went on air to announce that election will continue today (Thursday) without even condoling and sympathizing with the families of the deceased and the injured persons,” he said

    He urged the members of the party and the entire people of the state to remain calm abide by the decision of the national committee and await further announcement.

  • Edo: APC members vote in peaceful National, State Assemblies’ primary elections

    …Collation in progress

     

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, turned out in their numbers on Thursday to elect candidates that will fly the party’s flag in the 2019 national and state assemblies’ elections.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki was seen casting his vote at Ward 4, in Oredo Local Government of the state.

    Read Also:Buhari, eight APC governors meet in Aso Rock

    Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. voted at Ward 7 in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area while the party’s secretary, Lawrence Okah, also voted at Ward 7 in Oredo Local Government Area.

    Chief of staff to the governor, Chief Taiwo Akerele voted in Akoko Edo.

    He said the elections were peaceful and orderly in the local government area and other areas he monitored.

    Jenkins Osunde, the chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, was at Urhokpota Hall, the collation centre for the local council and reported an orderly process.

    Chief Osaro Idah, Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, voted at Ward 10, Oredo Local Government Area and reported an orderly exercise.

    The primary elections were peaceful and orderly across the state as members were seen queuing to vote for their preferred candidates at the wards monitored, and collation was ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

  • Majekodunmi returns to APC, backs Amosun’s Senatorial ambition

    A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, on Thursday re-united with former party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    Majekodunmi, who served as the Caretaker Chairman of ADC in Oyo State, said his resignation of membership of ADC is with immediate effect, made this known in a  release to reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    Read Also:2019: Smart Adeyemi, others emerge Kogi APC Senate candidates

    The medical doctor – turned politician also disclosed that he has withdrawn from the Ogun Central senatorial race under the platform of the ADC and from any real or imagined membership of the party.

    He added that his decision to withdraw from the race for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat as a mark of respect to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, stating that he is now fully back to the APC at his ward in Abeokuta South local government after due consultations with his family members, relations and political associates within and outside Ogun State.

    “My loyalty is now fully with APC,  I hereby confirm that there is no more divided loyalty and will henceforth fully resume my activities in APC starting from my Ward 1, Abeokuta South.

    “After due consultations with my immediate family, political leaders and teeming supporters across the length and breadth of Ogun State and all over the country, I have decided to resign my membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and return back to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “This decision is the best I could take at the moment given the political situation in our dear state, Ogun State. Indeed,  it was in the best interest of the people of the state as I believe that for now it is the APC that is in better position to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people,” he stated.

    He however said his leaving the ADC does not mean its members are his enemies, stating that as a politician that has served the state in different capacities, he will continue to make himself available to serve the people irrespective of his returning to the APC.

  • APC governorship primaries: Aspirants want Abia, Yobe primaries cancelled

    Alleges Manipulation

     

    Aspirants who contested the recently concluded governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia and Yobe State have rejected the outcome of the primaries, insisting that the primaries be cancelled and a fresh date set for a fresh conduct.

    One of the aspirants in the contest on Abia state, Prince Paul Ikonne accused the electoral committee sent by the party and the leadership of the party in Abia state of seeking financial inducement to favour the highest bidder.

    In Yobe State, one of the aspirants, Mallam Umar Ali said he was contesting the outcome of the primary in the state which threw up the APC National, Secretary, Mai Mala Buni as the party flag bearer because of his believe that the entire process was manipulated.

    In a petition to the National Chairman, Prince Ikonne said the committee sent to conduct the primary in Abia state connived with the leadership of the party in the state to jettison the party register sent by the national headquarter and used a register that was manipulated and doctored by unknown persons.

    He alleged that electoral guidelines set by the party were not complied with in the conduct of the primary, adding what was done in Abia undermine the party tenet and principle of credible election.

    He said that the enthusiasm that greeted the primary, the contrary was the case and demanded that the process be cancelled and a fresh primary ordered while the register sent by the national secretariat be used for such conduct.

    He said that the action by the Chairman of the electoral committee and the State Party Chairman ls unbecoming, disgraceful and disheartening that at the at this stage of our democracy, and also with a view of our party manifesto, and incessant fight against corruption such anomalies can be happening.

    Read Also: APC primary: Ajimobi picks Oyo South senatorial ticket

    On his part, Mallam Umar Ali said he has overwhelming evidences pointing to manipulation of the process in Yobe State, adding that they have collated video evidences showing irregularities, contrary to the election guidelines. The Umar Ali Campaign Organisation said in a statement that “The ballot papers used for the election is different from what is approved by the national headquarters. Candidates’ pictures, as seen in ballots used in places like Borno, Katsina, among others, were missing on the ballots used in Yobe.

    “Also, instead of thump printing, they adopted writing names of candidates on the ballots. This gave the opportunity for some biased persons to write the name of the anointed aspirant on all ballot papers that got into their hands, in the name of helping delegates”.

    He complained of lack of accreditation of delegates, as stipulated in the election guidelines, making it contentious to ascertain who was a delegate or not.

    Mallam Ali said he has written to the national headquarters of the party and the election appeal panel to protest the alleged misconducts.

  • Court stops APC from issuing automatic ticket to Shehu Sani 

    …ignore them, group tells APC

     

     

    Kaduna State High Court has on Wednesday restrained the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from conducting the primary election to select the party’s candidate for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

    The court order is coming after supporters of Uba Sani had protested at the state’s party secretariat on Tuesday night, asking the party to rescind its decision.

    Read Also:No automatic ticket for Shehu Sani -APC NWC

    Meanwhile, a pro Senator Shehu Sani group on Wednesday addressed a press conference in Kaduna, asking the national secretariat of the party to ignore Uba Sani and Governor El-Rufai on the matter.

    Following the automatic ticket given to Senator representing Kaduna North zone, Shehu Sani by the national secretariat of the APC, his opponent in the party, Malam Uba Sani had dragged the party to the court challenging the decision.

    Uba Sani is the acclaimed preferred candidate of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.

    Ruling on an ex-parte motion in a suit filed by Uba Sani, the court ordered the APC, its chairman Adams Oshiomhole, INEC and Shehu Sani to maintain the status-quo prior to 2nd October 2018, when the APC national chairman ‘unlawfully’ excluded Uba Sani and other aspirants from the contest in favour of one aspirant.

    In a motion brought pursuant to Order 15(1) and Order 36 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules of Kaduna State, the Court granted leave to issue and serve the writ of summons on the defendants.

    Our Correspondent gathered that, the restraining order has been served on the APC at its national headquarters in Abuja.

    Uba Sani’s lawyer, Sule Shuaibu Esq., explained that his client took this step to protect his democratic rights after exhausting the internal party grievance-redress processes.

    “Upon becoming aware of his unlawful exclusion, Uba Sani wrote and submitted a letter of complaint to the national chairman, urging him to reverse the decision. He followed up with a letter to the Appeal Committee, stating clearly that having fulfilled all the conditions for contesting the primary election, his unlawful exclusion should be set aside and he  be allowed to contest the primary election.

    “Given the imminence of the INEC deadline for the conclusion of primaries, Uba Sani cannot sit on his right and allow the effluxion of time to extinguish his cause of action,” he said.

    The court however adjourned the matter to 15th October 2018.

    The pro Shehu Sani group called, APC Solidarity for Senator Shehu Sani led by led by Architecct Ado Mohammed Sani said that national leadership of the party should ignore Uba Sani and Governor El-Rufai.