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Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • I’m under pressure to leave APC -Yari

    Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, on Friday said that he has been under intense pressure to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) with his supporters.

    Yari, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF)  spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

    He also handed over the results of the primaries conducted in the state to the President after the Jumaat prayer.

    He promised that despite the pressure from his people to dump the APC, he will remain with the party and  fight against any injustice.

    According to him, his supporters were aggrieved over the turn out of events following the party leadership’s refusal to acknowledge the primaries conducted last week in the state.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also barred the APC from fielding any candidates for the 2019 poll in Zamfara for not conducting primary elections in the state.

    He explained that the development has caused frustration among his supporters.

    The governor also warned the national leadership of the party not to present any list that did not emanate from the primaries conducted before the expiration of the deadline for the primaries in the state.

    Reacting to reports of his purported romance with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on the social media, Yari, who was flanked by the Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, said, “I don’t know whether that is a joke or otherwise.

    “But for me, if you check my history since 1998, APP, and 2002 when Buhari joined ANPP, and 2015 APC, no time that I shifted from one party to another. That is not in my culture. So, the issue of leaving the party is not true.

    “But some other people are sending rumour through the social media. I have seen my picture with the PDP and other parties. Yes, I cannot deny pressure from the people that we should leave APC but what I told them is that what we are looking for is just justice.

    “We conducted election and we want to see what the result is going to look.  But I think for anybody to come under the national secretariat and say he is going to nominate a candidate, I think, it is a very huge joke,” he said .

    The Zamfara State Governor wondered why the INEC could claim that there were no primaries in the state when the government agencies including the Resident Electoral Commissioner ,  the electoral umpire was at hand  to monitor the process in the state.

    He said though there were some hitches in some places in the state that made the committee to postpone primary elections in the  affected areas, the process he said was concluded the next day.

    He said, “There were hitches somewhere but we decided to suspend the area there were problems until the following day. So, the following day, we continued and we concluded the election by the people nominated by that committee to conduct election but the committee ran away and refused to collate the results.

    “So, what we did was that we filed the results and kept it under the watch of those people and waited to see what was going to happen. The second committee waited 32 hours to the closing, we thought the committee would hasten and come up with modalities for the election.

     

     

  • Yari pledges to remain in APC in spite of crisis

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara has pledged not to dump All Progressives Congress (APC) in spite intense pressure from his supporters due to the crisis within the party in the state.

    The governor made his position known on Friday after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

    Yari, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), said he preferred to remain with the ruling party and fight all forms of injustice than defecting to another party.

    He stated that his supporters were aggrieved over the position of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on the conduct of the party’s primaries in the state.

    The APC National Working Committee panel sent to Zamfara for the conduct of the APC primaries had failed to organise the exercise, citing security challenges.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said the APC would not be allowed to field candidates for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly in the 2019 general elections.

    The INEC letter, which was signed by its acting Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, explained that its decision was hinged on the fact that the party had failed to conduct primaries for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly before the expiration of its Oct. 7 deadline.

    It said that the party had run foul of the provisions of sections 87 and 31 of the Electoral Act 2010.

    But, Oshiomhole faulted the electoral commission, saying the APC had conducted primaries in Zamfara, as such has candidates for all elective positions during the 2019 general elections.

    Yari explained that this development had caused frustration among his supporters, adding that he had handed over the results of the primaries conducted in the state to the President at this meeting.

    The governor also warned the national leadership of the party not to present any list that did not emanate from the primaries conducted before the expiration of the deadline for the primaries in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state and his counterpart from Ogun, Ibikunle Amosun also met with President Buhari at the State House, on Friday.

    Amosun, who was also rumoured to dump APC over the outcome of the party’s primaries in Ogun, however, declined comment on the outcome of his meeting with the president.

    NAN observed that the three governors, who visited the presidential villa, namely Yari, Ganduje and Amosun, joined the president to perform the Friday’s 2-raka’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque. (NAN)

  • APC will definitely field governorship candidate in Zamfara – Okorocha

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would definitely field a governorship candidate for Zamfara in 2019 election.

    Okorocha, who is also the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, stated this while speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with some APC Governors on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC in an earlier letter to the APC, had said that the party was not eligible to field candidates for Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections in Zamfara in 2019.

    The INEC in the letter signed by Mr Okechukwu Ndeche, its acting Secretary, accused the APC of not conducting primaries in Zamfara within the stipulated time-frame according to the Electoral Act.

    The letter read in part: “Please refer to the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2019 general elections released by the commission on Jan. 9, 2018.

    “You would note that from the timetable, the conduct of primaries is scheduled to take place between Aug. 18 and Oct. 7, 2018.

    “However, report received from our office in Zamfara state shows that no primaries were conducted by your party in Zamfara, notwithstanding that our officials were fully mobilised and deployed.

    “Consequently, based on the provision of Section 87 and 31 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, the commission does not expect that your party will submit names of any candidate from Zamfara state.”

    Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, while responding to INEC`s accusation had said that nothing could be farther from the actual situation in Zamfara, stressing that the party did conduct primaries in the state.

    Okorocha in reacting to the development, said the party`s National Working Committee (NWC) was looking into the issue with a view to addressing it, adding that the APC conducted primaries in Zamfara.

    “It is the outcome of the election that we are looking at now. There is one thing to say there was no election and another thing to say there was improper election.

    “Which ever the case maybe, there was an election in Zamfara, as hot as it was.

    “Zamfara issue is what we are looking at, but definitely, there was an election in the state and nobody will say there was no election.

    “It is left for our party to look at it, and we are looking at it and we are going to come out with the best solution,” Okorocha said.

    He added that the APC NWC would look at the challenges, adding that definitely it has a governorship candidate for Zamfara in 2019.

    Okorocha, however, noted that the APC still had challenges of internal democracy, saying that whenever there were primaries or elections, disagreements would always come up.

    He expressed optimism that the APC would come out victorious in 2019 general elections because Nigerians believe in it.

    The Imo Governor added that the APC was not in any way disturbed with the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic. (NAN)

  • What Atiku stands for, by campaign organisation

    The Atiku Abubakar campaign organisation has responded to a question raised by the spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena on Atiku’s scorecard in public office.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the campaign organisation listed a number of what it described as bold strides taken by the former Vice President while in public office.

    The campaign group said as Vice President (1999 to 2007) and chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Atiku superintended over the GSM revolution that saw Nigeria go from 50,000 to 100 million GSM lines.

    The organisation said the GSM revolution added 500,000 direct jobs to the Nigerian economy and attracted $27 billion to the GDP.

    The campaign group also credited Atiku with what it described as the successful privatization of many public enterprises that hitherto consumed government resources without yielding profits.

    “A further achievement of the former Vice President is initiating, starting and completing several road projects all over Nigeria, including roads in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of Katsina.

    “In return, we challenge President Buhari and the APC to mention three projects that they have initiated, started and completed in the last three years.

    “We ask President Buhari how many loopholes in public expenditure has he plugged? The spectacular failure of the 419 Nigeria Air is still fresh in the memory of Nigerians.

    “We wish to remind APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, that Atiku Abubakar is not like President Buhari who has never run a successful private business throughout his life.

    “Unlike Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar is an expert job creator who has founded many successful and thriving businesses, including the American University of Nigeria, Yola; a Microfinance Bank that has moved 45,000 families out of poverty; and Rica Gado, a livestock feed company that has significantly reduced instances of herdsmen/farmers clashes by providing a business-friendly solution instead of asking Nigerians to give up their lands for cattle ranching or face death, as the Buhari government did.

    Read Also: Buhari campaign team confused, says Atiku camp

    “Unlike President Buhari, Atiku Abubakar does not believe Nigerian youths are lazy. How could, when 25,000 out of his 50,000 employees are youths?

    “Now we urge the Buhari Presidency and the APC to mention even one successful private endeavour that the President has successfully run. And by private enterprises, we are not referring to 150 cows that never increased in number, year in year out”, the Atiku group added.

    The campaign organisation stated that it listed only a few of the “booming” commercial enterprises founded by Atiku, adding that no other candidate is as poised Atiku Abubakar to get Nigeria working again.

    “Nigerians want jobs and Atiku means jobs. It is no surprise that that is one thing the APC do not want to talk about, seeing that they have lost 11 million jobs in the last three years”.

    The Atiku group dismissed accusation of by the APC that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was desperate, saying it’s obvious who is desperate between Atiku and President Buhari.

    The group said, “Our response to the APC is to ask who is desperate between a Muhammadu Buhari who said, ‘If what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood’, and an Atiku Abubakar who said ‘love and peace should not only be preached, but must also be put into practice for the sake of sustaining the peace in our land.

    “It is left for Nigerians to judge, but even a blind person can see that Nigeria has been ‘soaked in blood’ ever since she was unfortunate enough to have fallen under the rulership of a man whose words are destructive and never productive”.

  • Shehu Sani remains Kaduna Central candidate

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday that Senator Shehu Sani remains its senatorial candidate from Kaduna Central.

    Its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, gave the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja.

    He said Sani was the only senatorial candidate from the zone that was duly recognised by the national body.

    In respect of Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North) and Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), Nabena said the National Working Committee (NWC) would wait for reports from the Ondo and Lagos chapters.

    According to him, “state chapters have no power to conduct any primary. Only the electoral committee set up by the NWC can do that.”

    Sani has distanced himself from the primary election held in Kaduna State on Saturday, where he was said to have lost to Special Adviser to Governor Nasir El-rufai on Political Affairs, Malam Uba Sani.

    The Returning Officer of the primary held at Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna, Prof. Eddie Floyd-Igbo, declared Uba Sani the winner with 2,088 votes. He said Shehu Sani garnered only 15 votes.

    Nabena said: “Yes election took place in that zone because of the House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly, but for the senatorial position, the only candidate is Senator Shehu Sani.

    The APC headquarters had announced Senator Sani as its only candidate cleared to contest the Kaduna Central senatorial seat in 2019 elections.”

    Also yesterday, the Presidency said it had not received the letter purportedly written by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President did not authorise any governor or anybody to deal with traitors and disloyal members of APC.

    The APC has been urged to revoke the automatic tickets it granted Senators Ajayi Borrofice (North), Yele Omogunwa (South) and Tayo Alasoadura (Central) in Ondo State.

    The State Executive Council of APC rejected the automatic tickets following the latest decision of the National Working Committee (NWC).

    Lagos State APC also elected some candidates.

    The Ondo State APC conducted elections into the three senatorial districts electing Dr. Tunji Abayomi (North), Senator Tayo Alasoadura (Central) and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (South) as candidates.

    A statement by the Ondo State Chairman of the party Ade Adetimehin and Publicity Secretary Alex Kalejaiye, all the deputy chairmen representing the three senatorial districts, said: “Ondo State APC has accepted and abided with the decision of the NWC of the party that only aspirants for seats at the Senate and House of Representatives, who emerged through direct primaries conducted last Friday be recognised and upheld.

    “There cannot and must not be double standards. Automatic ticket is alien to the party and the NWC in its wisdom has directed all state chapters of the party to run away from it by ensuring that equity, justice and fairness is pursued with all muscles, in order to sustain and strengthen internal democracy for which the party is well-reputed. It cannot be otherwise. We cannot and must not set double standards, lest the integrity and esteem of the party is impeached before the electorate.”

  • Zamfara APC crisis persists

    A front line All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Zamfara State, Senator Kabiru Marafa, yesterday described the call by Governor Abdulaziz Yari  to members of the APC in the state to conduct the primary election by themselves as an invitation to anarchy.

    Marafa said Yari told reporters  in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital that all party faithful in the state should conduct the primaries by themselves to beat INEC deadline of midnight.

    Marafa in a statement noted that asking the party members to conduct the primaries without moderators from the national secretariat of APC would lead to anarchy.

    He said, “It is unfortunate that the Governor after deliberately frustrating the conduct of the exercise will now be asking the people to conduct the exercise themselves. This is an invitation to anarchy and we will never be part of any illegality, aimed at pushing the state into anarchy. ”

    Marafa said on Wednesday after Governor Yari allegedly threatened that there would be bloodbath in Zamfara, five innocent persons were killed and many more wounded by Yaris boys, and the culprits are still working freely.

    ” it is  against this background that I’m calling on the national Headquarters of our party to invoke the relevant sections of the party constitution to disqualify Yari and his co travellers to serve as a deterrent to others, ” he said.

    He urged the members of the party not to listen to the Governor, saying Yari was only interested  in looted the resources  of the state and not it’s people or their welfare and wellbeing.

  • PDP protest to Force Headquarters reckless, says APC

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday described as irresponsible, shameful and reckless the protest to the police headquarters in Abuja by the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    It said the protest was a terribly acted imitation of its 2015 protest to the same police headquarters.

    In a statement issued by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the party said the PDP leaders’ action was capable of leading to loss of lives.

    The APC accused the PDP of trying to resort to violence ahead of the 2019 general election. It appealed to political parties to play by the rule as the nation prepares for the general elections.

    The statement reads: “The APC strongly condemns the irresponsible, shameful and reckless actions of the PDP led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, PDP state governors, ranking PDP federal lawmakers, who led hired thugs in a failed attempt to forcibly enter the Police headquarters under the guise of a ‘protest’.

    “If the PDP’s confrontation with the police was an attempt to copy APC leaders’ peaceful protests in Abuja, ahead of the 2015 elections, it was a low-budget imitation and terribly-acted script.”

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

    Text of President Muhammadu Buhari after being affirmed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate at the party’s national presidential convention in the early hours of yesterday at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

    I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the chairman and members of the convention committee for planning and conducting this convention. The same appreciation goes to the chairmen of national and state executive committees of our party. Thank you very much for doing a difficult job well.

    I would like to pay tribute to Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande the first chairman of our great party and to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who led the party until this year and all the APC governors.

    The result of the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress this time is different because I am the only candidate. I thank all other eligible candidates who deferred to me in the interest of our party unity and over-all national stability.

    Fellow party members, it is with a deep sense of humility that I stand before you today to accept the nomination of our party, the APC to be its candidate and flag-bearer in the 2019 presidential elections.

    As I stand today before you, there is no honour greater than the confidence given to me by all of you when you affirmed my nomination. I thank you for your support. I thank you for your guidance. I thank you for staying committed to the CHANGE agenda.

    I accept this honour as a tribute and mark of confidence to carry the responsibility as we all join hands to continue the good work of the APC government to 2023 and beyond.

    We are very proud of our record from 2015 to date. We have arrested and checked the slide to anarchy on the security and economic fronts.

    Boko Haram is reduced to dastardly attacks on soft targets. Normalcy has returned to much of Northeast and neighbouring Northwest states.

    Our currency has stabilised. Our reserves are now $44 billion, a lot higher than we had in 2015. Power generation capacity has reached 8,000 megawatts against less than 4,600 when we came into office. As we invest in new power generation infrastructure we are strenuously working to address the legacy deficiencies and challenges of transmission and distribution networks across the country.

    We are executing Independent Power Projects (IPPs) in nine Federal Universities to deliver uninterrupted power supply and we intend to expand to a total of 37 universities

    We have revived most of our capacity to produce fertilisers locally.

    The Federal Government, through its Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) and other incentives, has empowered more than two million farmers to go back to the land.  We now produce 80 per cent of our rice requirements. Many farmers who nearly lost hope are now millionaires.

    We have introduced primary school feeding programmes to encourage attendance and enrolment. We also have introduced the conditional cash transfer to help small and medium businesses, the men, the women and young people who drive our economy.

    We have repaired and are repairing major arterial roads and starting major railway projects with the aim of linking the 36 states with efficient road and rail transportation systems.

    We are attacking corruption head-on. With international support we are recovering Nigerian stolen assets and applying them to infrastructural developments.

    Today, the corrupt are facing the wrath of law and leakages have been generally blocked.

    We can be proud of our achievements. CHANGE has come.

    Ladies and Gentlemen and fellow Nigerians, think, how much PDP governments earned between 1999 and 2015… Think, what they did with it. Infrastructure down!

    Security down! Eighteen local government areas under the control of a hostile army of insurgents! Reserves depleted! Bankruptcy around the corner… What did they do with your money?

    Internationally, Nigeria is now respected. My inter-action with foreign heads of state and government has been very encouraging. The international community is very supportive of our efforts to put our country in order.

    Ladies and gentlemen and members of the APC, I thank you deeply for your support and confidence in me. I will not let you, or the people of Nigeria down. On to victory in 2019!

  • PDP: our primary a lesson to INEC, APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said yesterday that its presidential primary is a lesson to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) on how elections should be conducted.

    It highlighted what it called the orderliness, transparency and credibility of its presidential primary.

    In a statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said “The success of our presidential primary followed our strict adherence to democratic rules and principles of transparency and fairness, which has eluded the nation since President Muhammadu Buhari-led licentious administration assumed office. Simply put, in the PDP presidential primary, every vote counted.

    “Nigerians are therefore no longer in doubt that our compromised electoral umpire, under the Buhari administration, is ostensibly culpable for injecting rancorous situations that create openings for violence, manipulations, inconclusive polls and outright rigging of elections.

    “We invite the whole world to note that the PDP conducted its Presidential primary  and a clear winner, Atiku Abubakar, emerged, without any form of disagreements or reliance on heavy security, showing that Nigerians are peaceful, orderly and desirous of credible processes at all levels of political engagement.

    “The PDP therefore charges INEC to stop blaming voters, accept responsibility for its failure to conduct credible elections and learn from our presidential primary, as we approach the 2019 general elections.

    “The PDP restates its determination to dismantle APC’s rigging machinery and return credible processes in all spheres of our national life”.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated Atiku Abubakar describing him as a man with the capacity to take the country to greater heights.

    His media aide Ikechukwu Eze quoted Jonathan as saying: “I congratulate His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, and by the grace of God and the votes of Nigerians, the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Our party members have spoken and have nominated you as the candidate for the forthcoming Presidential elections.

    “I am convinced that you have all it takes to take Nigeria to greater heights and transform her into a hub for prosperity and happiness. Congratulations.“ he said

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday congratulated the former Vice President for emerging as the standard bearer of the PPD.

    Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu also commended the delegates to the convention and members of the organizing committee, led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, for holding a convention in which a candidate was elected in a free, fair, transparent and rancour-free atmosphere.

    “Our just concluded convention was a partisan event which the country can show-case as an example that democracy has a future in Nigeria and that when we are determined we can elect our leaders without any manipulation, intimidation and violation of the law and democratic norms.

    “The credit goes to the leadership of our party led by Prince Uche Secondus, the organizing committee led by Governor Okowa, the numerous delegates who came from across the country and conducted themselves in a civil, mature and democratic manner. I give kudos to them.

    “My commendation also goes to the government and people of Rivers State, for providing the best necessary facilities for hosting over 5000 delegates, campaign workers, security personnel, observers, media people and others who came to play one role or the other in the convention.

    “More importantly, let me congratulate the winner and new flagbearer of our party and all the fellow aspirants for running credible and mature campaigns and working all along to reassure millions of our fellow party members and other Nigerians that PDP will leave the convention venue more united and ready to work together to form the next government at the federal and other levels in a manner that we will unite the country, grow the economy, carry along all stakeholders, empower the youths and make government serve the people better.

    “Like I said in my speech at the convention after the official declaration of Alhaji Atiku as winner, all the other aspirants, especially myself, are ready to walk and work with him to spread the positive message of the PDP and his campaigns acrosss the nooks and crannies of the country such that the PDP will win the 2019 general elections.

    “Those who expect that the party will degenerate into crisis after the primaries have miscalculated. We will all work for the Atiku-PDP ticket to succeed and contribute ideas into solving the problems confronting Nigeria today. The event in Port Harcourt between yesterday and today was a victory for Nigeria and for democracy. We will not lose the momentum but sustain it to rebuild Nigeria and elect Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the next President of Nigeria.

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, said Atiku has the requisite experience and knowledge to tackle the challenges bedevilling the country.

    Dickson, according to a statement by his media adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said: “Let me congratulate the former Vice President and now the presidential candidate of our great party for the next presidential election over his resounding victory in a free, fair, transparent and credible primary election.

    “The delegates have spoken and they have elected a man who understands our country, the Niger Delta and a man who has the requisite experience. He can build bridges of understanding and unity and form a great team to address the challenges that are facing our country. We look forward to working, collaborating and supporting him in that onerous responsibility. As he rightly said, it is not a job left for him alone.”

    Dickson commended the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and members of the National Working Committee as well as the chairman of the convention planning committee and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and his team “for their hard work and the good job they have done.

    “I cannot fail to appreciate my brother, Governor Nyesom Wike, the government and people of Rivers State for their hospitality and sacrifices in hosting this historic event.

    “Let me also commend our worthy leaders most of whom are my compatriots and friends for offering themselves for service. I thank and appreciate them for their show of sportsmanship and magnanimity.

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike urged Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation to sack the most “inefficient Federal Government”.

    Speaking to reporters after a Thank You Visit by PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar at the Government House Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said all PDP leaders and well-meaning  Nigerians should be united in this cause.

    He said though different party leaders supported different aspirants, with the emergence of Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s Presidential Candidate, all hands must be on deck for the good of the country.

    The governor said: “We have no party that will salvage the country other than the PDP. A candidate has emerged and we owe it a duty to see that the party takes over the government.

    “We are one family. You may support aspirant A or B, but once a candidate emerges  you owe it a duty to make sure your party returns to power.

    “We are doing everything we can to ensure that we don’t  give  APC any gap. They have failed Nigerians and we will take over in 2019.

    “My happiness today is that the convention was successful and it went on without hitches”, he said.

    Atiku said: “The entire country needs a new government. Definitely, we don’t need APC to  return to power  in 2019”.

    He said the country had gone through challenges ranging from recession, unemployment, insecurity and lack of unity. He said the country needed to chart a new direction in the interest of the people.

    He said: “I came to personally congratulate the Governor, people and Government of Rivers State and also thank him for hosting a most successful convention “.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was accompanied by Former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Senator Sam Anyanwu, Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara and Edo State PDP Chairman Chief Dan Orbih.

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi described Atiku’s victory as a consummation of the wishes and desires of most Nigerians, both high and low.

    In a message, Obi described Nigeria as a nation that had drilled off the paths of development due to what he called  cumulative leadership failure, Obi said going by  Atiku’s wealth of experience, track record of wealth-creation,  knack for identifying excellence among excellent people, detribalized nature and perfect understanding of the ills of the country, that he has confident that Alhaji Abubakar Atiku has all it takes to restore the glory of Nigeria.

    “Having personally followed him in the past 6 months, listened and interacted with him on a number of issues negatively affecting our society, I  observe in him a person who has the burning desire to leave a footprint  in the sands of time.”

    SouthWest PDP in a statement by its spokesman Ayo Fadaka, said: “We wish to congratulate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on his emergence as the flag bearer of our great Party in next year’s Presidential election. His victory signifies the Party’s determination to field our very best in the quest to win the Presidential election.

    “We also congratulate all those aspirants that sought to pick this same ticket, together they all participated in a race which was essentially beneficial to the synergy that currently propels the Party.

    “Their declared commitment at the convention to work assiduously for the victory of the Party in next year’s general elections signals the solidarity and uniqueness of actions that shall be deployed against the disintegrating APC.

    “The PDP with the successful conduct of this convention further confirms its resurgence and extending same to new frontiers, we therefore inform Nigerians that we represent a fresh breath, a complete difference from the decadence that APC represents.

    “We therefore appeal for the support of Nigerians for PDP as we prepare for 2019 as there is an incumbent task on all Nigerians to salvage our lives, institutions and nation from the unimaginative and vindictive grip of the APC.”

  • Buhari will win more in 2019, says Ekere

    The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has predicted a victory for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

    Speaking with reporters at Eagle Square, Abuja, yesterday after the APC National Convention in which Buhari’s nomination was affirmed, Ekere said from the results of the presidential primary in the 36 states, it was clear Buhari will secure several more votes from across the country than what he scored in 2015.

    He said the President’s popularity rating, as reflected in his huge votes in the presidential direct primary, has increased in all 17 southern states from what it was three years ago, in addition to Buhari’s support in the 19 northern states.

    Ekere, who is the managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said the President would sweep the polls in the nine Niger Delta states because of his interest in the development of the region.  He hailed Akwa Ibom people for their show of support for Buhari, himself and APC.