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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • Flooding: Uduaghan calls for more aids for victims

    …as former governor visits ravaged communities, deliver Aids

     

    Former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called on international aid agencies, religious bodies and public spirited individuals to rise up to assist communities across Nigeria currently being ravaged by floods.

    The former governor, who is also an All Progressives Congress (APC) hopeful for the Delta South Senatorial District seat, made the call Thursday evening during a visit to flood victims camped at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Emede, Isoko South council area the state, where he delivered food items worth millions of naira.

    The items donated included, many bags of rice, beans, garri, many cartons of tin tomatoes, indomie noodles, several cans of vegetable oil, palm oil and over hundred tubers of yam.

    Uduaghan, who visit many flood-ravaged communities across Isoko land before stopping at the camp, said his mission to the displaced persons and the flooded communities was to draw attention of the world to the situation and to paint a proper picture of the disaster and thereby get more attention to those who need it most currently.

    “What I have come out here to do today is to ensure that people know that this kind of situation is on ground, it is to draw attention of our people to the seriousness of the flooding situation in Delta and other places today, and that people should empathize with those that are affected and try as much as possible to do one thing or the other to alleviate their situation.

    “But you see, we cannot leave everything for the government alone to do. These people, they need psychological support, they need physical support, they need all sorts of support, even spiritual support they need.

    Read Also: Uduaghan in APC: The shape of things to come

    “So, we must as a people who God has placed in various positions and who are not affected by this kind of situation to assist them go through the situation. It is not easy to be displaced from your house or home.

    “You just woke up suddenly and there is water in your home and you have to move to somewhere else, maybe a classroom where you are exposed to mosquitoes, exposed to all sorts of hazards, all you have to do is get a mattress or a pillow where you can lay your head on, it is not easy. You are not sure of where your meal is coming from, a lot of things, displacement is not easy”, he said.

    The former governor, however expressed fears that the situation might not be easing out yet, adding that it might even be worse than what was experienced in a similar disaster in 2012, as a result of the fact that water levels are still rising.

    Uduaghan promised to visit and donate to as many camps as possible across Delta State.

  • Fayose: Osun election was a ‘show of shame’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has described the governorship election conducted in neighbouring Osun State as a “show of shame.”

    He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly perfecting rigging plans with “compromised elections” in Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and now Osun.

    Fayose in a statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said “democracy is dead in Nigeria” with the outcome of the supplementary governorship poll held in Osun on Thursday.

    Read Also:Ekiti PDP aspirants vandalize secretariat, reject alleged imposition by Fayose

    He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of compromising with the APC and security forced to pervert the will of the Nigerian electorate.

    The Ekiti governor commended the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer in Osun governorship poll, Senator Ademola Adeleke for “having fought a good fight.”

    Hailing Adeleke, Fayose said: “You did not lose but your mandate has only been stolen”

    Fayose said: “With the show of shame that happened in last Saturday’s Osun state governorship election in general and the Thursday rerun in particular, there is no other conclusion to draw than that democracy is now dead in our beloved country.

    “With what happened in Osun state, democracy is actually dead in Nigeria and we are in critical times.

    “The Osun supplementary elections was just a repeat of what happened in Ekiti state on July 14th. And it is unfortunate that, again, the will of the people has been perverted.

    “It was obvious even to the blind that the Osun election, as was the case with Ekiti, was a contest between the PDP and the security agencies supervised by a compromised INEC.”

    Fayose added that the University professors also used as returning officers by INEC have, ab initio, been compromised and only serve the interest of those he described as their pay masters.

    He added: “Therefore, we want to believe that conscionable Nigerians and the survival of this country as a whole are at the mercy of God and of the judiciary. And if the judiciary fails to rise up to the occasion, Nigerians will be among men the most miserable”

    He condemned the violence that attended the election, sympathized with the families of those killed and enjoined PDP members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

  • Oyetola: I will run community-based, consultative governance

    The Osun State governor-elect, Gboyega Oyetola, has revealed that his administration would be consultative and community-based.

    He also pledged to engage more women and focus more on welfare of his people.

    Oyetola disclosed this in an interview with TV Continental (TVC) monitored in Osogbo Friday.

    Read Also:Osun: Oyetola will build on Aregbesola’s legacies -APC

    Oyetola, who defeated Sen. Ademola Adeleke, his topmost contender in the election by 498 votes, stressed that rather than foist projects on communities, he would consult with them and allow them come up with what project is best for them.

    Oyetola, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), promised to bring together all stakeholders in the state who share his vision in his efforts to take Osun to the next level. “I am not the governor of APC alone but the governor of the entire state.”

    The governor-elect was responding to how he would address the complaints of the people of the state as well as how to be magnanimous in victory.

    On how to rejuvenate the economy, Oyetola promised to introduce creative ideas in generating more revenue without necessarily putting tax burden on the masses.

    For instance, he said his administration would bring more people who should pay tax into the tax net and also explore mineral resources and tourism through Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

    While doing that, the governor-elect said he would sustain infrastructural renewal started by the Rauf Aregbesola administration because, according to him, infrastructural decay in the state is massive.

    He pointed out that no meaningful economic development can be achieved without infrastructural renewal.

    He said: “We will look more closely into agriculture and its value chain to create jobs and empower our people. We will also develop our tourist attraction sites which are many all over the state. We can make a lot of money by developing tourists sites. Will go into PPP on them. We also have abundant mineral resources all over the state. But we are yet to convert them. We will embrace PPP arrangement to tap all of these. We will create an industrial park. We are even likely to hold an economic summit.”

    On payment of salaries and pensions, Oyetola revealed that there would be a marked improvement this time because there would be more money once the government looks inward to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He added that two major loans – capital market bond and SUKUK loan will end in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

    “Once that happens, we will have some relief in terms of cash flow. We will also grow our IGR without necessarily increasing tax. We will bring people that should pay tax into the tax net. That will help us pay salaries and pensions more easily.” He said.

    On the perception that there is concentration of infrastructure building on Osogbo alone, Oyetola said it is understandable why the state capital has earned more than any other town in the state. But he said his administration would focus more on rural development.

    “The Osogbo development is understandable being the state capital. Yet our rural areas should be well developed. I will be paying attention to rural development to additionally stem rural-urban migration.” He said.

    The governor-elect also promised to empower the masses in various ways. He said any programme that is not aimed at empowering the people would be embraced by his administration.

    He said: “Our programmes will be tailored towards those that need help and the masses generally. My administration will be people-focused.”

    On the coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oyetola said the coalition will only focus on what is best for the state.

    Thanking the people of the state for giving him the mandate, the governor-elect promised to allow women play a key role in his administration, adding: “Won’t run an elaborate administration. But women will have adequate number of appointees.

    “I thank the people of the state for giving me their mandate to serve them. I assure them that I will do everything to justify the confidence reposed in me through accountability, prudent management of resources, consultation etc.  I’m here to serve. I expect them to involve themselves in governance. I want to see communities decide what they want. It is going to be community-based governance. We will work for the best of Osun State. We will be more consultative.”

  • Primary election: APC releases names of guber aspirants

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Governorship Aspirants Screening Committee, has cleared more aspirants to participate in its governorship primary election slated for Saturday.

    Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC National Publicity Secretary in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa states aspirants were erroneously omitted from the previous list released.

    The aspirants cleared according to the statement include: Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai for Kaduna, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
    for Kano state, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru and Alhaji Hashim Ubale for Jigawa state.

    Also cleared for Katsina state were Aminu Masari, Abubakar Ismaila Isa and Garba Sani Dankani as well as Alhaji Atiku Bagudu and Ibrahim Mera for Kebbi state.

    The statement added that Abubakar Gumbi, Farouk Yabo, Ahmed Aliyu and Sen. Abubakar Gada were also cleared for Sokoto state while Dauda Lawal, Mukhtar Shehu and Brig.-Gen. Mansur Ali were cleared for Zamfara State.

    The statement added that Ibrahim Wakala, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, Aminu Jaji, Abubakar Magaji and Mohammed Hamidu were also cleared to contest the party’s governorship primary election in Zamfara.

    All the aspirants are expected to contest for the party’s ticket to be its candidates for the 2019 governorship election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that an earlier list of aspirants from states across the federal released by the NWC revealed that Mr Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communication, had been disqualified from participating in the party’s rescheduled governorship primary election.

    Read Also: APC Governorship primaries now holds Sunday

    The Minister was disqualified from the race by the party’s Governorship Aspirants Screening Committee.

    The committee revealed that the minster, which was in the race to contest the Oyo State governorship election, was disqualified from contesting the primary, because he did not participate in the compulsory one year National Youth Services Corps (NYSC) scheme.

    Also disqualified from the contest, was Hajiya Aisha, Alhasan, Minister of Women Affairs, popularly known as mama Taraba, who was in the race to contest the party’s ticket for Taraba governorship election.

    The committee did not, however, give any reason why the minister was disqualified from the race.

    The committee also disqualified Mr Osiobe Okotie from Delta, Alhaji Ibrahim Halilu (Nasarawa) and Alhaji Abubakar Magaji (Niger) from contesting for the party’s ticket at its governorship primary election.

    The list also contained names of aspirants that were not cleared and those that withdrew from the race.

    NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE DECISIONS ON GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS SCREENING COMMITTEE REPORT

    NORTH WEST

    Kaduna State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. H.E. Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai
      Cleared

    Kano State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. H.E. Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
      Cleared

    Jigawa State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. H.E. Alh. Abubakar Badaru
      Cleared
    2. Alh. Hashim Ubale
      Cleared

    Katsina State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. H.E. Rt.Hon. Aminu Masari
      Cleared
    2. Abubakar Ismaila Isa
      Cleared
    3. Garba Sani Dankani
      Cleared

    Kebbi State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. H.E. Alh. Atiku Bagudu
      Cleared
    2. Ibrahim Mohammed Mera, OON
      Not Cleared

    Sokoto State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. Abubakar Abdullahi Gumbi
      Cleared
    2. Hon. Farouk Malami Yabo
      Cleared
    3. Ahmed Aliyu
      Cleared
    4. Sen. Abubakar Umar Gada
      Cleared

    Zamfara State
    S/N
    NAME
    DECISION

    1. Dauda Lawal
      Cleared
    2. Mukhtar Idris Shehu
      Cleared
    3. Brig. Gen. Mansur Ali
      Cleared
    4. H.E. Hon. Ustaz Ibrahim Mohammed Wakala
      Cleared
    5. Sen. Kabiru Marafa
      Cleared
    6. H.E. Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi
      Cleared
    7. Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji
      Cleared
    8. Engr. Abubakar Magaji
      Cleared
    9. Mohammed Sagir Hamidu
      Cleared

    *NOTE: Kaduna and Kano States were erroneously omitted from the previously released list.*

    SIGNED:
    Mr. Yekini Nabena
    Ag. National Publicity Secretary

  • Party primaries: Bello directs stakeholders to return to wards

    Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger has directed stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to their wards and local government areas to participate for the party’s primaries.

    A statement on Friday by Malam Jibrin Ndace, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said that the governor enjoined all stakeholders to ensure that the exercise was conducted peacefully and in line with INEC guidelines.

    Bello called on all security agencies to maintain peace and ensure a hitch-free primaries at all levels.

    He reiterated his stand on direct primaries, adding that the system would carry all party members along and give everyone a sense of belonging.

    Read Also: ‘Bello has no challenger in Niger’

    “We are comfortable with the direct primaries because it is what our people and party want and we must be just and fair to all in accordance with the party ideals.

    “I therefore urge all stakeholders to exercise their rights in peaceful, rancor-free and in atmosphere of mutual respect for one another,” he said.

    The governor also pleaded with all aspirants to accept the outcome of the primaries in good faith and support those who emerge winners to work for the overall success of the party.

    Bello commended members of the party for their loyalty and support and urged them to work for the progress and success of the party before, during and after the primaries.

  • Group accuses Benue APC of plans to cause mayhem

    The Benue Liberation Front has accused a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state of plans to cause mayhem.

    Coordinator of the group, Mr Yunum Tyosor, made the allegation in a statement on Wednesday.

    Tyosor, who did not disclose the APC leader, also accused the Inspector General of Police of being part of the plan to cause trouble in the state.

    The statement reads: “There is a thick plot hatched by the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue State and the Inspector General of Police to cause mayhem in the state.

    “According to our sources, the said APC leader has been holding clandestine meetings with the Police IG to trigger crisis in Benue that can lead to the dissolution of the current democratic structures in the state. This is a desperate last gasp by enemies of the state who have failed in all their previous attempts to remove Governor Samuel Ortom from office.

    “We understand that the APC leader and his group have been heavily mobilized by the Abuja cabal with huge sums of money to prosecute the plot.

    “Part of the evil agenda is to eliminate key members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State before next year’s elections. Our sources further confirmed that the group has already drawn a list of those targeted for elimination.”

    Read Also: 2019: APC approves mode of primaries for states, FCT

    The group called on security agencies to move urgently and decisively to curtail any act capable of breaching the peace in Benue State.

    “We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the Inspector General of Police and replace him with a non-partisan professional who has the capacity to handle the nation’s security. We believe that the Nigerian Police Force has several capable hands to redeem its reputation from the hands of the present failure of IGP who is clearly acting the script of his twin sponsors – Miyetti Allah and APC.

    “We urge security operatives to place the leader of APC in Benue State on close watch and not hesitate to arrest him for questioning.

    “We call on security personnel to urgently dislodge the heavily armed thugs the APC leader has camped near his house at Judges Quarters, Makurdi. Those are the thugs he plans to use to unleash terror on Benue people during next year’s elections.

    “We once again caution political actors who have ulterior motives to shelve such intentions and work for the development of the state.

    “We will resist any attempt to throw Benue into avoidable crisis by any individual or group. Our people have known no peace since the beginning of the year owing to the invasion and killing of innocent persons by armed herdsmen. They will therefore not want to go through the trauma of political unrest,” the statement added.

     

  • APC chieftain defects to PDP in Edo

    Chief David Olukoga, an aide to former Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, and Chairman, Edo State Traffic Management Agency (ESTMA), on Wednesday, formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Olukoga led several of his supporters, majority of who were youths, to the PDP Secretariat.

    They were received by Chief Dan Orbih, the party’s chairman as well as national executive members of the party.

    Addressing the gathering at the occasion, Olukoga said that he decided to return to the PDP after due consultation with his supporters.

    He also said that marginalisation as well as ethnic, regional and religious politics and impunity in the APC was a major reason for his leaving the party.

    “I return to the PDP with a clear conscience, because I believe the party has learnt from its past mistakes and now well repositioned and forward looking,’’ he said.

    He called on all Nigerians to join hands with the PDP and rescue the state in particular and the nation at large from maladministration of the ruling party.

    Read Also: Osun: Lasun, Omisore join forces with APC to fight PDP

    Earlier, Orbih said that he was happy to address the thousands of youths, who have decided to leave the APC for the PDP.

    He said that he was convinced that fundamental issues affecting the state were responsible for their defection.

    He said some of the issues include failed promises of job creation for 200,000 persons annually, as well as the failed N30 billion Water Storm project.

    The chairman said that the failed Water Storm project was also responsible for the disaster being experienced and flooding in some parts of the state capital.

    He, therefore, appealed to NEMA as well as the state government to urgently provide relief materials to flood victims within the state capital and environs.

    Orbih urged the state government to wake up and address the problems in the state as there was need for the government to take concrete action against problems affecting the state.

  • Lagos APC primaries: Chieftain urges party to consider women

    Mrs Omotayo Oduntan, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) and Deputy Chief Whip in the Lagos State House of Assembly, has advocated increased women representation in politics ahead of party primaries.

    Oduntan, who represents Alimosho Constituency II in the Assembly, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday.

    According to her, there are so many qualified and capable women seeking tickets to vie for elective positions in 2019 general elections that must be considered.

    She said: “In this dispensation, we don’t have enough women representing people of Lagos State in parliament.

    “It is not as if we don’t have competent women, but most women do not either comes out to vie for positions or when they came out; they are shortchanged, which is not good enough for our state and democracy.

    “When we want to talk on women issues, who will do that if women are not given the opportunity?

    “When we want to talk of children-related issues, who do we want to talk to, if women are not there?”

    The lawmaker said that the increasing needs of Nigerian women and children had made it imperative to have more women at the helm in the country.

    “I want to move up with the hope of collaborating with seasoned and passionate legislators like myself, to be able to move the nation forward and address women and child-related issues.

    Read Also: Lagos APC: 377 councillors endorse Sanwo-Olu

    “If we have more women, we would be able to speak as a strong and unified voice.

    “Since Alimosho Federal Constituency was created, no woman has ever represented it at the House of Representatives and I want to be the first woman to be there from this constituency,” she said.

    Oduntan said she would build on whatever legacies past representatives of the constituency had left behind to put smiles on the faces of majority of the constituents.

    On her chances of securing the ticket, Oduntan said her scorecard would speak for her, as no one had been able to beat her record in terms of good representation and empowerment given to people as a state legislator.

    She said her sterling performance would guarantee her the party ticket and her eventual victory at the poll.

    The lawmaker said that she would support a woman to take over her seat in the Lagos Assembly when she leaves for the House of Representatives.

    Oduntan said that more women had to be supported as their representation in politics was still unsatisfactory, and the 35 per cent affirmative action had yet to be attained.

    “We have not got there at all. What we plan to do is to bring up more women, mentor them to replace us,” she said.

    According to her, the fear of sexual harassment that discourages many women is not real.

    She encouraged women to become adventurous and courageous to vie for elective positions and urged the party in the state to give qualified women a chance.

  • 2019: Atiku urges Oyo PDP to unite for success

    A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has implored members of the party in Oyo State to unite for the success of the party in the 2019 elections.

    Abubakar, who stated this on Tuesday in Ibadan when he met all national delegates and other party stakeholders from the state, stressed that unity was key to winning the 2019 general election.

     

    Read also: Atiku promises to take Nigeria to higher level

    The former vice president said that PDP would take the mantle of leadership from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) both at the state and national levels in 2019.

    He further sought for the support of all the party delegates to the presidential primary so as to emerge as the party flagbearer.

    In his remarks at the occasion, Elder Wole Oyelese, a chieftain of PDP in the state, assured Abubakar of the support of the members in the state.

    Oyelese, a former Minister of State, Power, urged all party members to work towards the success of the party in the 2019 polls.

  • APC must work hard to win Osun governorship rerun, says Okorocha

    Says essence of governance to create happiness

    Says it’s difficult to reconcile with his political opponents

     

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs to work hard to retain Osun State among the state it is controlling in the country.

    He gave the warning while reflecting on the result of the last Saturday’s governorship election in the state as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the APC Governors Forum, spoke with State House correspondents in Owerri, Imo State.

    According to him, the result of the election in Osun State where the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led the APC with over 300 votes showed that there was a good fight between the APC and the PDP.

    The fight, he said, helps in checks and balances.

    Okorocha was however optimistic that the APC will come out well in the 2019 general elections.

    He said “Well, it is inconclusive (the election), as long as it is made inconclusive, it is inconclusive and it is a good fight.

    “I love that kind of democracy where there is a close margin; it shows that there is checks and balances.

    Read Also: Okorocha sacks aides contesting election

    “That is why I tell APC, we must never go to bed to sleep, we have a lot of work to do because you are more endangered when you are in power than when you are not in power.

    “The forces to pull you down are more than the forces to build you up when you are holding unto power.

    “So APC has a lot of work to do and I hope we will come out fine.”

    Speaking on some elites, who are presently opposing him in the state, Okorocha said that the fight was all about the state treasury.

    He said “The issue of reconciling with the elites is a very difficult one and the more you reconcile you either not to give up or you reconcile because what they want you cannot afford to give them.

    “The elites want you to give them the local government so that the money that comes from the local government, they take it that is the reconciliation they want. The elites will want you to give them the contract of the entire state budget. The elites will want you to pay their medical bills in their hundreds of millions.

    “The elites want to be in power and then do whatever they want to do with the treasury of the state. The struggle for power in this state is not for power really to govern the people, it is a struggle for the treasury of Imo state and that is what I am protecting.” he added

    Okorocha explained that the essence of any governance is to create happiness for its citizens.

    His administration had earlier created a novel ministry named the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment.

    Stressing that his administration has completed over 1000 projects in the state, he promised that there will be no project left uncompleted at the end of his tenure.

    Some of the projects, he said, included new wing of the government house, chapel, 8-lane road, multiple level car park, 5000 capacity Imo International Convention Center, Freedom Square, Cabinet Office, first inland bridge, second inland bridge, third inland bridge, Jacob Zuma road, permanent and temporary sites of the Ministry of Happiness, Heroes square, Heroes apartment, Imo Youth Center, renovated state secretariat, ISOPADEC,

    Others are 3000 capacity Imo Trade and Investment centre, Police Headquarters, modern prison, Imo State High Court complex, sentinary towers, Nigeria Labour Congress House, Nigeria Union of Journalists House, Creative Arts and Entertainment house, Imo foundation complex, CAN Secretariat Imo chapter, two tunnels, drug house, new Ministry of ICT complex,

    Also completed are the Eastern Palm University and 200-bed Nigeria Air Force hospital.