The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • Defections foreknown

    To thy tents o Israel! This best describes the ongoing political defections that we have been witnessing since Tuesday, with the defection of 13 All Progressives Congress (APC) senators to the immediate past ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and one to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). At least 32 members of the House of Representatives also dumped the ruling party for the PDP; four defected to the ADC while the remaining one representative did not state which party he was defecting to. One does not need to be a political pundit to know that the defection of some PDP stalwarts to the APC in 2014 was nothing but a marriage of convenience which was bound to collapse sooner than later. That the unholy wedlock even lasted this long was due to the high degree of tolerance on both sides. But the scales are now finally falling off the eyes of the incompatible lovers.

    When politicians defect aimlessly like a rudderless ship, it is pointer to the fact that ideology or principle has fled the polity. These days, the difference between the progressive hue of politicians and the conservatives is not clear at all. Today, someone is a conservative; the next day he is in the progressive train. No qualms. This blurred distinction between both explains why these days, progressives’ votes are stolen and there are no protests, even in the very strongholds of the progressives’ camp. It is for this same reason that the Bukola Sarakis of this world would find accommodation in the APC, albeit temporarily, because he knew clearly where he was going from the beginning; and his entry into the progressive fold would be celebrated like the angels in heaven celebrate whenever a convert gives his life to Christ.  It was because Saraki knew where he was going ab initio that he ensured Ike Ekweremadu, a PDP senator, was elected his deputy! That is rare in any presidential democracy.

    Without doubt, corruption is a defining factor in all of these defections. It is its own way of fighting back. And it is President Muhammadu Buhari one has to blame. He is the one to blame for marrying their wives when he should have married their mothers. If this appears like a coded message, the president has more than enough Yoruba people around to help him untangle the knot or decode the message. Definitely, the way he opened his eyes and allowed Saraki to seize the Senate at the very beginning was the height of his political naivety, for which he is  paying and would continue to pay for probably till the end of his term, if care is not taken for, no kangaroo attempt to remove Saraki as Senate President shall prosper.This is neither a wish nor a prayer; it is just that Saraki has done his homework sufficiently to ensure it is so. Buhari has not.

    Senate President Saraki is at the centre of these defections because of his ambition to become president. Indeed, he is the face of the defectors, even though he is yet to ‘port’ from the APC for the simple reason that he has to vacate his senate presidency the moment he does that. And that will render him bare; so vulnerable because the hue and cry about whatever some people see as his tribulations becomes an issue because he is the country’s Number Three citizen. His latest trouble has to do with the confessional statements made by some of the Offa robbery suspects, to the effect that Dr Saraki is their financier.

    It is sad that some people have begun to read political motives to the police invitation to the Senate President in connection with this criminal matter. But it would necessarily be so because of the way the police are handling it. This was one robbery that the police have described as about the deadliest in the country’s robbery annals. No fewer than 31 persons were killed in the operations even as 21 AK47 rifles were allegedly snatched by the robbers when they struck in Offa, Kwara State, on April 5.

    We need to wean ourselves off this mentality that certain people, because of their exalted positions, are above the law or cannot be questioned for their suspected involvement in criminal activities. I think we should separate Genesis from Exodus; as one of my lecturers in the university used to say.

    Be that as it may, it is a weighty allegation that the Senate President could be linked with such people in the society. So, his defence that as a politician, he has too many supporters and could therefore not have known all of them, or probably what they do for a living, cannot be enough alibi to convince the police. This is much more so with the claim by the police that four of the suspects escorted Dr Saraki to pay condolence visit to the Olofa of Offa, shortly after the robbery. No fool will take this defence for the gospel truth. There is a big question mark on the integrity of the Senate President. Yet, the office that Senator Saraki occupies is not one to trivialise; therefore whoever occupies that office must, like Caesar’s wife, be above suspicion.

    Dr Saraki might not know what the people who claimed he finances their activities or buys vehicles for them, as well as gives them plenty of cash do with whatever he gave them beyond using them as political cannon fodder. He might not know they use those gifts and probably his political clout fto perpetrate crimes, including armed robbery. So, the Senate President has to give more convincing reasons beyond what he has said so far that is in the public domain about what the Offa robberies’ suspects alleged he is to them.

    One must confess though, that the way the Buhari presidency has been handling the Saraki matter leaves much to be desired. And that is one thing many people do not understand about the government’s style. If truly the robbery suspects made such claims about Dr Saraki; that is enough to keep him busy with the police asking him to report to their office at intervals since the allegation was made. But to wait until the week that Saraki and his friends had perfected defection plans from the APC to move against him is what has given room to insinuations in many quarters that the whole thing was politically motivated. In other words, the ruling party is ready to shield or tolerate Saraki for as long as he is ready to remain in APC. If people who are adept in political maneuverings had handled this matter, it is the Senate President who by now would be begging people to help him beg the government for safe landing. But, the Buhari presidency is about bungling this again.

    It is because President Buhari had left undone what he ought to have done, or had done wrongly what he ought to have done that many of the people whose mouths should be in ‘permanent position of shut up’ are still having their voice. Those of them who had lost it before have found it. Even Olisa Metuh (remember him?) the master actor whose ‘lying-in-state’ on stretcher was well recorded in the media has suddenly resurrected. Add this to the drama in the defection of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom to the PDP, then you get a clear picture of the kind of game that is playing itself out. First, it was youths in the state who were putting pressure on the governor to leave the APC. Then, they removed the APC stickers on the governor’s vehicles. Only God knows what next they or some other characters would do in some other places to make their political godfathers look like they are being forced to do something that is against their wish. Yet, to me, the APC might have expressed surprise over Ortom’s exit, he appears to have a good reason for his action. His state has been the centre of herdsmen’s killings, with his government having to provide mass graves for the victims. But the way the governor has painted the whole scenario, the only thing I can say to him is that when next he and the other defectors who are pretending to be angry with Buhari’s dictatorial tendencies go to the supermarket, they should not forget to buy bibs for the rest of us so we put on our necks in order not to soil our clothes when eating.

    Again, whether the N-PDP or whatever contraption they ultimately form  will last is a different matter altogether, given the sheer number of presidential aspirants that will flock the party. I do not see many of them willing to gift the ticket to another without a fight. So, it might yet only be the end of a scene, with another scene in the offing.

     

  • Kano 2019: The battle ahead for Ganduje, Kwankwaso, Shekarau

    Following Monday’s defection of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and about 13 other Senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kano State Correspondent, Kolade Adeyemi, recalls the political rivalry between former Governor Kwankwaso and his successor, the incumbent Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and reports on the likely effects of Kwankwaso’s defection in the intricate politics of Kano State ahead the 2019 General Elections

    SINCE last Wednesday’s political drama at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly, when about 14 senators defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) there has been speculation that the development would go a long way in shaping or re-shaping political calculations ahead the 2019 general elections.

    To keen observers of Nigeria’s current politics, it was however not a surprise in the real sense of the word, though everyone seem to agree that the development would affect the politics of various states and zones differently. The Nation observes that hours after the defection of the senators, the effects have started to manifest, especially in the states where stories of political alignment and re-alignment had been heard loudly.

    In Kano, for example, the battle has been centred on three major political gladiatorsthe incumbent Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; his immediate-predecessor as governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; and another former governor of the state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. Though there may be other political leaders that could also spring surprises, there is no doubt that they are bound to queue behind the political lineages of these three.

    At the inception of the fourth Republic in 1999, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on a twin-ticket with Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, won the Kano State governorship election under the banner of the PDP. As at that time, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office. His disposition over Kwankwaso’s style of leadership which was extremely critical did not go down well with Governor Kwankwaso, who in many occasions, openly showed his anger to the senior civil servant.

    Kwankwaso and Shekarua’s rift grew stronger by the day so much that at one point, Kwankwaso ordered his immediate redeployment out of cabinet office and later demoted him to a class room teacher. This development prompted Shekarau’s resignation from the civil service. He went in search of greener pastures with the Dantata Foundation.

    Free from the ‘bondage’ of civil service under a perceived antagonist governor, Shekarau in 2002 re-energised his plot of sacking Kwankwaso out of Kano Government House. Using aggressive propaganda, Shekarau who was respected for his pious lifestyle, particularly, within the religious circle, endeared himself into the heart of the Kano masses. In the build-up to the 2003 general elections, Shekarau aligned with the populist Muhammadu Buhari (now the sitting President), who was the presidential candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP). With the influence of Buhari, Shekarau clinched the APP governorship ticket and defeated incumbent Kwankwaso, in a historic election that has continued to beat the imagination of pundits. Shekarau held sway as Governor of Kano State for consecutive eight years, breaking the jinx in Kano politics. For these eight years, Shekarau tackled Kwankwaso, notwisthanding the so-called Federal might which he enjoyed as the Minister of Defence under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    In 2011 general elections, at the expiration of Shekarau’s tenure, Kwankwaso staged an aggressive come-back and defeated Shekarau’s choice candidate, Salihu Sagir Takai of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). At this point, Ganduje remained Kwankwaso’s deputy. Kwankwaso and Shekarau had another open political clash at the advent of the legacy party that later transmuted into the All Progressive Congress (APC). In fact, Mallam Shekarau, who came from the ANPP bloc of the legacy parties, was said to be one of the brains behind the APC merger arrangement. At this point, Kwankwaso, engrossed with his presidential ambition, became a major player among the PDP rebels that formed the nPDP.

    In the heat of the PDP crisis, Kwankwaso, with power and money at his disposal, struck a deal with the APC and cross-carpeted and the party structure was handed over to him on a platter of gold. Malam Shekarau who was relegated by the party leadership had no choice than to play to the tune of the PDP-led Federal Government, which compensated him with the portfolio of Minister of Education.

    However, the latest defection of Kwankwaso from APC to PDP has, again created serious dust in the political atmosphere of Kano State. The question many pundits continue to ask is whether Kwankwaso and Shekarau can work together in the PDP or if there is going to be a replay of the 2013 episode when Shekarau left APC for Kwankwaso.

    Also, the political atmosphere in Kano remains even more tensed following the irreconcilable political rift between Kwankwaso and Governor Ganduje, which started at the tail-end of Kwankwaso’s second-tenure. The unfolding drama that followed last Monday’s defection of Kwankwaso to PDP, forced Ganduje to cut short his official trip to London. Being one of the major point men to President Muhammadu Buhari and considering the strategic nature of Kano to Buhari’s 2019 presidential project, Ganduje, who made a short stop-over at Abuja, ensured that his political structure remained intact and solid. In fact, his immediate response to the already tense situation foiled a grand plot to divide the Kano State House of Assembly by Kwankwaso and his men. Ganduje’s underground work paid off as the leadership of Kano State House of Assembly, came out openly to puncture rumours that 22 of them, including the Speaker, were making plans to defect to the PDP. Addressing reporters on the development, the Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, dispelled the rumour of defection of some APC members to the PDP and affirmed that members of the Assembly were in solid support of Governor Ganduje and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, “the Assembly has 40 members from the 44 local government areas in the state and 33 of those members are solidly loyal to Ganduje and Buhari. Six members, who are staunch followers of Kwankwaso, as well as one PDP member, who clinched the mandate through the outcome of Supreme Court judgment, are still with us.  Ata further stressed that, “the defection of Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso to PDP will not in any way affect Governor Ganduje’s victory in Kano State.”

    Also speaking on Kwankwaso’s defection to PDP, his cousin, who is currently serving as Ganduje’s Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Illyasu Musa Kwankwaso, described it as a blessing to Ganduje’s 2019 return. According to him, “Kwankwaso’s return to the PDP will only succeed in capturing 60 per cent of the party’s structure. The former Foreign Minister, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the erstwhile Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, including Senator Bello Hayyatu will be left to grapple with the remaining 40 per cent.”

    Ilyasu Kwankwaso further explained that, “the implication of this is that Senator Kwankwaso will never endorse the candidature of Aminu Wali and Shekarau. He will attempt to manipulate the already existing structure for his personal gain. I want you all to wait for the next one month, after the defection of Senator Kwankwaso from the ruling APC and be on the watch out for what would happen, as there would be mass defection of numerous PDP members to the APC. Kwankwaso will neither support Wali’s candidature nor Shekarau’s candidature.”

    It is however important to underscore the fact that from the forgoing scenario, Kwankwaso’s main target is to ensure that Ganduje is not re-elected as governor of Kano State in 2019. Already, he has started perfecting his plots with the endorsement of Ganduje’s deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, as a potential governorship candidate in the 2019 gubernatorial elections in the state. This plot is becoming clearer because few months ago, Hafiz openly declared that he was not interested to run as deputy governor with Governor Ganduje in the 2019 elections. Also, a fortnight ago, Prof. Hafiz and Kwankwaso were sighted in London where they held a high profile political meeting with some Kano stakeholders, where Prof. Hafiz was finally endorsed to run as a governorship candidate in the 2019 governorship election.

    Reacting to Kwankwaso’s defection to PDP, Malam Shekarau, through his spokesman, Sule Yau Sule, welcomed him to the party and only hoped that he would abide by the constitution of the party and play the game of politics according to the rules.  “I hope the PDP has received a reformed Kwankwaso. I hope it is not the old Kwankwaso I knew. I hope he will, this time around, abide by the rules and regulations of the PDP. I hope he will not repeat what he did after he joined APC in 2015. At that time, he took over everything, leaving us with empty hands. I hope Kwankwaso is not coming to PDP to repeat the injustice he did in 2015. If everybody will be allowed to play his card according to rules of the party, that will be better for him (Kwankwaso) and every member of the party,” he added.

    However, though there were rumours that Kwankwaso and Ganduje are struggling to win the heart of Shekarau, the former Minister of Education however denied striking any deal yet with both of them, adding that he never sat one-on-one with Kwankwaso since 2015.

    Be that as it may, pundits have continued to doubt the possibility of Kwankwaso working together Shekarau as many of Shekarau’s lieutenants are said to have started piling pressure on the two-time Kano State Governor to dump PDP for Kwankwaso before it is too late. Come what may, as events continue to unfold in the weeks ahead, the compass is focusing on Ganduje, Shekarau and Kwankwaso as no one can predict, for now, where the pendulum will swing.

     

  • Ortom’s exit from APC a blessing to us – Oshiomhole

    Says Governor making political capital on the graves of Benue people

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said Friday that Benue State that the exit of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom from the party was a blessing in disguise to the APC, saying his three and half years as governor in the stage was a waste as he had no single project to show for the mandate given to him by the party.

    Addressing a news conference at the party secretariat, Comrade Oshiomhole said even though the party leadership had attempted to wade into the conflict between the governor and leaders of the party in Benue State, he could not successfully defend the weighty allegation leveled against him by the leaders of the party in the state.

    He said that at the instance of the Governor, the National leadership of the party had arranged another meeting to bring north Gov. Ortom and party leaders in the state to a round table with the meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, July 24 only for the governor to turn governance to “nollywood”.

    Oshiomhole said “Within the last 48 hours we have watched the unfolding events in Benue State particularly the decision of Gov, Ortom to leave the party. Ordinarily, we would not have responded having already responded to the decision by the Publicity Secretary.

    “As you all recall, Gov. Ortom had said that the APC in Benue State gave him red card to leave our party and that they will not field him in the governorship election in 2018 and that because the door had been shut against him, he had no choice than to leave. Without going into investigations, we invited him to speak to us on the issues and we also invited our party leaders in Benue State to also brief us on what the issues were.

    “From the point of view of our leaders in Benue State, their position was clear that field Gov. Ortom On APC platform in 2019 can only lead to electoral defeat for a number of reasons.

    “They reminded us that inspite of the allocation accruing to Benue State, the bail our fund amount to over N20 billion and the huge sums of money collected from the Paris club refund, he was not paying salaries to Benue workers, including teachers, local government employees and civil servants. He owes some of the as much as 12months salaries.

    “So, the entire economy of Benue State that survives on civil servants salaries is to that effect compromised. What is not obvious is that those who live on rents paid by civil servants cannot collect their rents with which to survive, thereby having effect on the commercial live of the people. This explains a vicious circle of poverty in Benue State that has been deepened under Gov. Ortom.

    Read Also: Ortom appoints BIRS chairman

    “The second is that Gov. Ortom has complicated, by his own actions, and poor judgment the security situation in the state. They draw our attention to the fact that some of those that have been arrested as a result of the killings are people who have been associated with him, including people in his employment, especially a guy known to have been involved in Boko Haram whom he recruited to manage what they called forest guard.

    “These people have been arrested and are in police custody. If an appointee of a Governor is involved in a heinous crime, including killing that will be enough for a governor to worry about. Instead, he played up the ethnic dimension of criminality, even though some of those killed were killed not by Muslims, but Christian of Benue State origin, including those he employed.

    “These people have been in police custody, so, his attempt to explain away criminality by playing the ethnic card is unhelpful to what he should as governor to manage the situation better. After all, those in Benue State have always been there and his predecessors, including Suswam had found ways to manage these diversities. So, Ortom’s incapacity to manage it and even seek to make political capital of the death of Benue people is unfortunate.

    “It is important that Nigerians understand that the condemnable killings of two Reverend Fathers and some Christians in a church, those who have confessed to these crimes include people who have worked with Gov. Ortom an these killings were done few weeks after one of them was extremely critical during his sermon about the governance of the state and the style of governance of the Governor.

    “His price obviously was to pay with his dear life and not a few thought that the governor would celebrate that. I am not about to suggest that Gov, Ortom might have asked anybody to go and kill anyone, but that some of those involved in these killings are Benue State originated are Christians.

    “That is not to deny that some herdsmen have also been involved in the killings. But the responsibility of any government is not to seek to manipulate this, but to confront it.

    “There was also the fact that for three and half years that he has been in office, he cannot point to any concrete project that he has carried out. He cannot point to any major project that has been completed.

    “When we asked him these questions and allegations that why the Vice President and the President has visited other states to Commission projects, in Benue, they have only paid condolence visit. It is okay to lament the absence of federal presence, but what is the excuse for the absence of state projects in the state.

    “His argument is that he has diverted a lot of the resources to security issue. That raises the issue. Can you be spending N22 billion on security and the people are increasingly insecure? So if you accept that he spent money on security, it meant that he realizes that he has a responsibility to secure life and not pass the bulk.

    “So, I felt scandalized watching him saying he had to leave the APC because he did not feel secure. To be honest, I am relieved as National Chairman and the leadership of our party in Benue State are relieved that he has returned to where he came from.

    “So, we now have a clean platform to search for a credible Benue citizen that can provide the kind of leadership that the Benue State deserve and not one who seek to make political capital out of human graves and celebrating the death of his own people.

    “As a party, we condemn any life that has been wasted by criminals and we accept that government responsibility is to protect live and property. But I condemn anyone of us who seek to make political capital out of these killings because we have shared responsibility to protect their lives regardless of their religion or location. So, we are re lived that Ortom has returned.

    “When you look at it, he got our ticket on a platter of gold because he was never a participant in the building process of the party. He became a candidate by accident. The lesson to learn is that never again should people become candidates by accident.”

    On the allegation that he was being victimized for refusing to share state resources with the party leaders in the state, Oshiomhole said “If a governor confessed that he shared government money to party leaders, is that the reasons he will be re-elected?

    “Then if he has shared the government money with party leaders then the party leaders should try to keep in in office by guarantee him the ticket since he shared the money with them. If on the other hand he claimed that he refused to share the money, good therefore what have you done with the money?

    “You couldn’t pay the workers salaries with the money you refused to share, have you built more roads for the people of Benue state? What have you accomplished with this bailout fund and the Paris fund?

    “So let me assure that what I do promised, and please mark my word each time I speak, those negotiable and verifiable grievances we would address. And I said we won’t deny somebody ticket on account of a conflict between him and any other person if he is at home with his people, even yesterday I emphasized that.

    “When people say automatic ticket, does it guarantee automatic victory when people are against you? I said so. Because we didn’t give you departure ticket, so how are we going to gice you a return ticket?

    “So, I couldn’t assure gov Ortom that we will overrule the posution of our members and leaders in Benue state that come 2019 we will give him ticket. I wanted to simply cross chect with him in the allegations made against him and he was to come by Wednesday that is why he organised that drama.

    “And that tells you the quality of reasoning, with all due respect to Governor Ortom, how can you reduce governance to Nollywood, saying hen I wanted to go to Abuja to meet with the National Working Committee but my people have blocked the road that I will not go. When has it become a case that when a governor want to travel it is on the radio that he is travelling and this is the purpose.”

  • Bayelsa APC stalwart remanded in prison for alleged rape

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State, Chief Perekeme Richard Kpodo, was on Friday remanded in prison custody for alleged rape by the the magistrate court sitting in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Kpodo, a vocal critic of the government, was arraigned at the Magistrate Court 10 presided over by E.T. Empire-Ugwa on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of one Teke Blessing.

    According to the charge sheet, Kpodo was alleged to have detained Blessing on June 20th, 2018 at Etegwe area of Yenagoa with an intent to defile her  and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 155 of the Criminal Code.

    On count two, Kpodo, a former Security Adviser in the state, was said to have on the same day he allegedly detained the girl raped her thereby committing an offence punishable under section 285 of the Criminal Code.

    The accused person, who was in the dock, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    His lawyer, Julius Iyekoroghe, who was represented by Funlayeifa Seibokuru, quickly applied for the bail of Kpodo on grounds of sickness and personal recognition.

    Seibokuru told the magistrate that the bail application was predicated on the fact that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    He said Kpodo was hypertensive and suffered other sicknesses, appealing to the court to grant him bail.

    Besides, he said the accused person was a known politician and businessman, who owned hotels and properties in the state.

    “If granted bail, he won’t jump bail. We also have sureties that are also ready to take him on bail. The court should consider his ill health and his personality and grant him bail”, he said.

    But the prosecution lawyer, Ayibatonye Jumbo, opposed the bail application, saying that being a politician and influential businessman, granting Kpodo bail could jeopardize the case.

    Read Also: Bayelsa begins documentation of Dickson’s projects, policies

    “There is the likelihood of the accused person interfering with the witnesses of the prosecution. The court should also consider the prevalence of the offence on daily basis. Almost on a daily basis, crimes like rape occur. Some are not reported because of stigma of the victims”, Jumbo said.

    Jumbo further deflated the argument of granting the accused person bail on the grounds of ill health insisting that the lawyer for the accused person failed to tender medical reports to prove his case.

    He said: “The count one is misdemeanor, which is not a serious offence. But the second count is felony and a serious offence, which if he is convicted, he will be jailed for life. Based on this, we appeal to the court to reject the bail application”.

    But his lawyer Iyekoroghe, who said the arrest of Kpodo and his arraignment were politically motivated, describing the rape allegation as a trump-up charge.

    He said the politician was being persecuted for criticizing the government adding that the development was aimed at shutting him up.

    “This is a democracy and the act of the police against some critical views by a politician is unacceptable and a violation of his right as a Nigerian. As at last night, he was still being detained without taking statement as the police are still desperately searching for case file” he said.

  • Scores hold rally in support of Buhari in Kwara

    Loyalists and supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday staged peaceful rallies in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital drumming support for the relection of the president in 2019.

    The procession commenced about 10 am in front of the state stadium complex through Unity road along Ibrahim Taiwo road and ended in the Post Office area of the metropolis.

    The processors comprised motorcycle riders, artisans and students.

    They urged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to publicly declare which political party he belong and also called for his resignation as the senate president.

    Addressing reporters, Spokesperson of the group George Towoju said: “The defection of some members of the National Assembly from the All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of the desperate attempts of Nigeria’s Senator Saraki and his co-travelers to continue to embark on undeserving political negotiations and mortgaging the genuine interest of the masses for their personal and individual gains.

    Read Also: Kwara spends N6.5b on water project

    “Having found their political bargains as unwarranted, frivolous, condemnable, barbaric and uncharitable to the overall interest of the entire Nigerian population, it is the resolution of this great movement to pass votes of no confidence on the national assembly under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki for their ill-political characters capable of initiating political disunity and derailing the executive arms of government from implementing masses oriented policies/programmes.

    “We hereby call on Dr. Bukola Saraki to make his political party membership known to Nigerians and resign his appointment as the Senate President with immediate effect in order to allow for better legislative process in the interest of the masses” He said.

    He urged Saraki “to desist from politics of deceit and assassination of character of constituted authorities in pursuant of cheap publicity, undeserving empathy from members of the public and international community as well as personal political gains.

    Towoju hailed President Buhari for his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as total willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party, for the benefit of the nation.

    He said “We also declare our total support to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid and we call on men and women of goodwill and conscience to rally round Mr. President in order to salvage the nation from the current political turbulence and always stand by the oppressed so that we can together build a virile and prosperous Nigeria.”

  • Ortom’s defection surprising – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it was surprised by the decision of Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom to dump the party after efforts by the national leadership of the party to resolve issues raised by the governor concerning the politics of the state.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said in a statement that while the party respect the right of every member to make their choices, it was surprised that after giving his words, Gov. Ortom will do the opposite of his promise.

    The statement said despite the defection, the party will not relent in it’s efforts at reconciling aggrieved members of the party who keeps their mind open for reconciliation.

    The statement said “The Party recalls efforts made by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to address some of the grievances raised by the Benue State Governor pertaining to the local politics in Benue State.

    Read Also: Ortom finally dumps APC for PDP

    “The Governor had left the meeting saying he was satisfied with the assurances given by Party leaders. We are still working on giving effect to the resolutions from the meeting. Therefore, we are somewhat surprised by Governor Ortom’s decision.

    “The Party reiterates its earlier position that it respects the rights of every citizen to chose their political affiliation but expresses hopes that those who have left the Party will rescind their decisions.

    “Even with this development, we don’t think it is too late for reconciliation. We have to continue to talk. As long as people keep their minds open and have the courage to put the real issues on the table, reconciliation is still possible.

    “The Party once again call on members across the country to remain calm as the Party leadership continues to work hard to position the Party strongly for the next general elections.”

  • Cross River youths protest against Ayade joining APC

    The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday stormed the national secretariat of the party to protest against the alleged plan defection of the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade to the party, saying there was no vacancy for the Governor.

    The protesters were however stopped from successful carrying out their protest by security personnel and some staff of the APC secretariat, saying while nobody protested against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom leaving the party, they were protesting against another governor joining the party.

    The protesting APC youths from Cross Rivers state said there were plans by the governor to join the party, adding that Gov. Ayade wants t9 join the APC because he has been rejected by his own party for failing to deliver on his campaign promises.

    Read Also: Ayade vows to rid Cross River of crimes, seeks FG’s support

    Spokesperson of the group. Sankara Unung told journalists that party stakeholders in state are not comfortable with the antics of the governor and as such is kicking against his proposed entry.

    He said “Ayade is a man with grand scale skimming techniques. APC does not have any space for him and his ilk. For a man whose party has roundly and unprecedented rejected for his very poor and abysmal performance, APC cannot be and should never be his safe heaven.

    “Ayade is running Cross River State like a fiefdom where he designated his younger brother as the co-governor with state powers. A man who is aiding and abating corruption using his direct sibling as proxy should not be allowed to identify with a party with a decent pedigree like our great party, the APC.”

    According to the group, the governor always laying claim to phantom projects which he uses to deceive the people, adding that with the level of poverty and suffering of the people, Ayade does not deserve to be given a space in APC

  • Ekweremadu gives details of EFCC, Police siege to residence

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Wednesday gave detailed account of the siege to his Abuja residence by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other the security agencies.

    The Enugu west senator warned that the country’s democracy was “seriously on the decline.”

    A statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, said that Ekweremadu spoke when Senators paid him a solidarity visit in their numbers and across party lines at his Apo Legislative Quarters residence.

    It quoted Ekweremadu to have said, “On Tuesday morning, some people laid siege to my house. They left at about 12:20pm after spending about six and half hours.

    “We anticipated that a number of our colleagues in All Progressives Congress (APC) would defect and join People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In anticipation of that, the APC leadership had tried to stop them. When that didn’t happen, the first thing they did was invite President of the Senate to come to the Police. They believed that once the President of the Senate goes to the Police, I would be the one to preside and probably give effect to the letter of defection.

    “In anticipation of that, the Police, EFCC, and other security agencies came together, about 200 of them, to stop me from going to the National Assembly.  They said I should come to the EFCC to give explanation over the things I was accused of. I agreed to follow them even though there was no prior invitation, but they were not eager to let me go to answer the invitation.

    “The plan was to stop me and the President of the Senate from going to the National Assembly today. Unfortunately for them, the President of the Senate was already at the Senate to preside over the plenary session”.

    Read Also: I was not invited by police, EFCC – Ekweremadu

    “This is not good for democracy. We must respect the law, respect institutions because that is the only way we can make progress as a nation. This is total embarrassment to our nation. I hope this will not happen again”.

    Ekweremadu expressed worries for the nation’s democracy, saying: “I am very worried. This is a decline in our democracy. I want to call on the media and Nigerians to stand up for Nigeria and ensure we save our democracy. This is a dangerous development. The whole world expects Nigeria to lead in democracy in Africa. We need to make progress and show the world that Nigerians are indeed leaders in every aspect of life.

    “This is my official quarters. Invading my official quarters is like an invasion of an aspect of the National Assembly. When you invade the National Assembly, you are invading the temple of democracy. That is exactly what has happened today. This is a major assault on democracy. This is not the type of attitude we should be encouraging. The principal thing in a democracy is dialogue, discussion, and networking, not through threats. We need to have a rethink”.

    Ekweremadu said whoever advised the executive on the siege to his residence and that of the President of Senate was an enemy of both the current administration and the nation’s democracy.

    “Those advising the President should advise him correctly.  As a result of this occurrence, Senate had to go on recess when there are outstanding issues to attend to. Nigerians are loosing. Whoever is behind this is not a good friend of Nigeria”, he reiterated.

    The Senator urged Nigerians to stand firm in defence of democracy.

    “Nigerians should, please, stand against this type of impunity. We must remain strong to be able to reverse this type of impunity so that justice will be upheld through the rule of law and respect for human rights”, he added.

    Ekweremadu, who was full of praise for Nigerians and Senators also said: “I want to thank my colleague senators, I feel very honoured that when they didn’t see me in the chambers today and, hearing what had happened, they adopted a motion demanding that the siege be lifted immediately and they also came here across party lines to show solidarity and support.

    “I thank the Nigerian public, who showed support and solidarity towards me. I am aware that Nigerian youth also rose to the occasion. I want to thank the media, the young people of Nigeria, the Peoples’ Democratic Party too, for their support and solidarity. I understand there is outrage in Enugu. I thank my people.

    “I just want to say that this is democracy in action. This is the power of the people”.

  • APC Deputy Spokesman calls for Saraki’s expulsion

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, on Wednesday, called for an immediate expulsion of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, from APC for anti-party activities.

    Nabena in a statement, a day after 15 senators and some members of the House of Representatives left the APC, accused Saraki of being in cahoots with the defectors.

    He said for “being the ringleader”, there was no justification for APC to continue to tolerate Saraki.

    “He must go now. Or be shown the way out”, Nabena said adding that the party leadership and other members were not surprised by the defections.

    But he said people were rather shocked by Saraki’s utterances and body language, which revealed unconcealed cooperation with the defectors.

    He said: “The news of the about 15 senators who reportedly defected from our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), hardly came as a surprise to anyone. What however, shocked political observers, especially democratic minds, was Senate President Bukola Saraki’s postures and expressions, which clearly communicated his unhidden complicity in the charades against his supposed party.

    “Clearly, Saraki had a big hand in organizing the events that transpired in the National Assembly. He has, therefore, lost the moral justification to remain in APC. The time to expel him from the party is now.

    Read Also: Offa Robbery: Saraki shuns police invitation

    “The public outing by the deserters at the National Assembly was the culmination of months of antiparty activities organised and directed by Saraki. And every scene in that dramatic work of shame revealed his hand.

    “When the senators submitted the letter declaring their intention to leave APC, which was excitedly read by Saraki, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, attempted to point out what should have been the right procedure if APC had a true party man at the helm.

    “Lawan tried to emphasise the need to allow some time for dialogue, knowing that politics is always a game of negotiation, dialogue, and agreement. Rather than listen to the senate leader and stand down the defections, at least temporarily, to see how the situation could be salvaged, Saraki simply gave in to his own consuming interest in the whole affair and enthusiastically shut down the valid intervention by Lawan.

    “The senate president went on to make a deceitful case for the defectors.

    APC as a democratic institution of democrats understands that “People have the freedom of association.” Saraki did not need to remind us or anyone of that fact.

    “Like we had cause to emphasise in a recent statement, “The APC is not averse to dissenting positions. But we reject deceit in every shade or form.”

    “We have also previously emphasised the fact that the senate president is the major sponsor of the so-called Reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC), which has pulled out of APC, and whose members in the National Assembly staged the exit that we saw today.

    “Being the ringleader, therefore, there is no justification for APC’s continued toleration of Saraki. He must go

  • Ekiti made right choice in Fayemi, says Rep

    A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Stephen Olemija, has said the people of Ekiti State made the right choice in electing Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the governor-elect.

    Olemija, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Ekiti governorship election, said the Fountain of Knowledge will witness unprecedented development under Fayemi’s watch.

    The lawmaker representing Akoko Northeast/Akoko Northwest Federal Constituency of Ondo State in a congratulatory message to Fayemi made available to The Nation on Wednesday said Ekiti will the governor-elect’s track record and experience in governance.

    Olemija called on Fayemi to run an all-inclusive administration to fast-track real development in Ekiti for the people of the state to enjoy dividends of democracy which he claimed eluded them under Fayose.

    He commended the people of Ekiti for their support for Fayemi and steadfastness in enthroning good governance in order to link the state with the league of progressives in the Southwest in particular and Nigeria in general.

    Olemija said Fayemi’s victory will further strengthen relationship between two sister states of Ekiti and Ondo which he said share many things in common.

    Read Also: Fayemi: It won’t affect APC chances

    “Ekiti and Ondo States share many things in common, therefore, the coming together of the two states under the same political banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will no doubt speed up intra-infrastructural development and promote their economic prosperity,” he said.

    Olemija said further: “Dr Fayemi remains an astute administrator and a politician of note, who knows where the shoe pinches an average common man of Ekiti State, the reason why Ekiti people came out en masse during the July 14 election to vote for him as their preferred candidate.

    “It is to say the least that, Ekiti people have made the right decision in electing Dr. Fayemi and APC over Mr. Fayose, his stooge, Prof. Olusola and PDP, the camp that has put Ekiti into penury and hardship in almost four years of its reign.

    “There is no doubt that, Ekiti State is in a dire need of urgent attention to redefine its image among the comity of states in Nigeria due to the way the current and outgoing governor, Mr. Fayose, had bastardize its image and turned the state into a laughing stock in the country.

    “Core values, integrity, decorum and political tolerance have been replaced with lies, unreasonable propaganda, publicity stunt, fraud, cosmetic and self-serving projects and unnecessary vituperation to gain cheap attention from the public.

    “Ekiti people, like other states in the Southwest, are known for truthfulness, sincerity, respect and forthrightness, hence the need for Dr. Fayemi to urgently redefine the status of the state again to continue to earn more respect and accolade in and outside the country.”