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Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • Kwara youths defend Lai Mohammed on arrest of APC members

    Group under the aegis of Concerned Kwara South Youths on Friday said that Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed did not have a hand in the alleged arrest and subsequent transfer of some All Progressives Congress members in Kwara state.

    A faction of the APC under the umbrella of Kwara South Youth Stakeholders had on Thursday this week accused the police of arresting seven of its members from Kwara South senatorial district on trumped-up charges.

    The party added that the members were allegedly arrested, intimidated and witch-hunted in Kwara south during last Saturday’s local government congresses in the state.

    The group alleged that the arrest was orchestrated by Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, spokesperson of Concerned Kwara South Youths Kayode Ogunlowo described the allegation against the minister as malicious and total falsehood calculated at projecting the minister in bad light.

    Mr. Ogunlowo added that the allegation was aimed at instigating members of the public against the minister.

    Read Also: Govt feeding 7.5m people not anti-youths, says Lai Mohammed

    Said he: “About a week ago, the state commissioner of police paraded some cultist in Ilorin. Various alleged criminal acts perpetrated by the cultists paraded and they made confessions of killing more than eleven other rival cultist and other people were mentioned by the police boss. Of all the alleged cultists, none is a native of Oro town and Kwara South.

    “Let us remind those sycophants to note that their leader on the floor of the Senate was the one who accused the IGP of not doing enough to stem the spate of killings and banditry across the country. If the IGP has now taken the challenge posed by their leader and decided to rise to the challenge and redouble his efforts at eradicating crime by moving against suspected criminal, what is the big deal in that?

    “May we also admonish the sycophants and scavengers that they will do well by waiting for the outcome of investigation before pointing accusing fingers at anyone. Blackmailing Alhaji Lai Mohammed or any Southern leaders cannot in anyway help those arrested. We strongly believe that if those arrested have nothing incriminating, they will be vindicated and they will be in good stead to seek redress in the court of law for unlawful arrest and detention.”

    The group, which claimed to loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and his second term ambition added that “we warn the so-called Kwara South Youth Stakeholder and their sponsors not to contemplate harming the minister. Should anything happen to this illustrious son of Igbomina and pride of Oro, we shall hold them responsible.

    “President Buhari is hereby invited to come to the aide of his priceless minister before those whose stock in trade is to do evil. He should also direct the IGP to invite the leaders and sponsors of the group that unjustly accused the minister to substantiate their allegation.”

  • Ebonyi APC suspends Acting Chairman

    A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi state on Thursday said it has suspended indefinitely the factional Acting Chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Eze Nwachukwu Eze, for allegedly conniving with some party leaders to tamper with the party’s guidelines for Saturday’s state Congress.

    Rising from a meeting of the factional State Executive Council, SEC, of the party in Abakaliki, the state capital, the Ben Nwaobasi led faction said the suspension of Nwachukwu became necessary in order to bring lasting peace to the party.

    The faction warned the public to henceforth, be mindful of their dealings with him.

    The party has been factionalised since 2014 when the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonna Ọnụ pulled out from the party to set up a factional office with some State Executive Committee members.

    The SEC members led by Nwachukwu, who was then Nwaobasi’s Vice Chairman purportedly announced the impeachment on Mr Nwaobasi.

    But the Nwaobasi group which is backed by Senator Julius Ucha, a Former Governorship candidate under the defunct All Nigerian People’s Party, ANPP, faulted the impeachment for not following due process.

    The fictionalization continued till the last ward and local government congresses, where both factions held parallel Congresses.

    Nwachukwu and some State Working Committee (SWC) members had on Monday adopted as a working document a report presented to it by a three man committee led by Mr Onu, which proposed a new zoning arrangement for the Saturday’s state Congress of the Party.

    The other two members of the committee were former Governor, Martin Elechi (representing Ebonyi Central) and an ex-Senator, Chris Nwankwo (representing Ebonyi North), who is also Elechi’s in-law.

    According to the new zoning formula,  Chairmanship position of the party is zoned to Mr Nwachukwu’s Ebonyi North zone and even narrowed it down to his Ohaukwu local government.

    But briefing journalists after the 54th SEC meeting of the party on Thursday, the state publicity secretary of APC in the state, Mr Ngaji Nwodo, who read the resolutions of SEC said the adoption of the purported new zoning formula presented by Onu’s led committee by the Acting Chairman was a clear violation of the party’s constitution.

    They maintained that the new zoning formula adopted by Nwachukwu and his cohort was an anti-party activity and indiscipline,noting that it was unfortunate that Mr Onu, who is a serving Minister in the government of the APC is championing it.

    “SEC condemns the nocturnal and anti-party action of Mr Eze Nwachukwu Eze, Chief Martin Elechi, Ogbonnaya Onu and Chris Nwankwo, to tamper with the 2014 APC Congress guidelines which is still in force for the 2018 congress,”they said.

    They also noted that the new zoning formula was not only done with disregard to the constitutional rights of members of the state executive committee of the party in the state, but anti progressive in its entirety.

    They added that the action of Nwachukwu and his cohort must be dealt with decisively and seriously.

    SEC further directed Onu, Elechi and Chris Nwankwo to withdraw the purported new zoning arrangement within 24hrs or they would be constrained to invoke in full the party’s constitution to discipline them.

    They further called on members of the party especially interested aspirants in the state’s congress to discountenance the purported new zoning formula by the Onu led committee.

  • Ramadan: APC greets Ekiti Muslims

    The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has greeted Muslims for the Commencement of Ramadan 30 days fasting reminding them to pray for the State during the holy month.

    The party urged Muslims to make supplications to Allah to put an end to what it called “reign of terror and misrule in the state.”

    In a statement on Thursday by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, he called on Ekiti Muslims to remain holy and prayerful throughout the month of Ramadan as prescribed by the Holy Quran.

    Olatunbosun stated that this special spiritual cleansing period should be used to ask for divine intervention in the state as we commence the process of rescue mission.

    He urged them to pray for peace in the state as we move closer to the July 14th governorship election.

    Olatunbosun enjoyed Muslims to remember that Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and as such, they must use the period of sober reflection to pray for Allah’s guidance in rebuilding Ekiti State, so that her sanity is restored.

    “Our Muslim brothers should besiege Allah to put an end to the reign of terror and misrule in our state and restore her back to her former peaceful state where people, both old and the young enjoy good governance and dividend of democracy,” Olatunbosun said.

  • A’Ibom APC chairman gets support for second term

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom have declared their support for the second term aspiration of State Chairman, Dr Amadu Attai.

    Members of the party made their position known on Thursday at a consultative meeting of the party in Uyo during which Attai declared his intention to run for a second term.

    In his address, Attai said he was there to  present himself and members of the state executive for a second term in office, as was recently decided by the state party caucus, so they can work hard to move together to the government house in 2019.

    He promised to work assiduously against ethnicity and hatred, promote internal democracy to sustain inclusiveness in the party as well as revisit the reward system so that people who have laboured can be rewarded.

    His words, “I stand before you this day, to formally announce my desire and interest to recontest the Chairmanship seat of APC, at the Akwa Ibom State Congress of the party scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

    “You are no doubt aware of the transformation in the history of political parties in Nigeria that metamorphosed to the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2013, an opposition party that vanquished the then ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the 2015 general elections with overwhelming support from Nigerians across the country.

    “In 2014, providence and the political dynamics at the time threw me up as the preferred and and acceptable chairmanship candidate of the party, a position I have occupied till date. In that position, I superintended over and contained the influx of PDP decampees (vexed by impunity in the party) who jumped seat and sought the platform of APC in pursuit of their political aspirations.

    ” As the state chairman, I will continue to promote and encourage politics of inclusiveness and internal democracy within the party. I will revisit the reward system of the party and ensure that all those who have served the party conscientiously are appropriately rewarded “.

    Addressing the gathering earlier, Chairman on the occasion, Hon. Engr Efiok Akpan said it was time to fill in candidates for the different executive positions and that people at the gathering should sit tight and follow how the event will unfold.

    In his response, Rt Hon Emmanuel Ekpenyong, former member, Uyo Federal Constituency, stated that Attai and his team had worked assiduously to uplift the status quo of the party and that many reasons abound why he should be supported to carry on with the good works. Ekpeyong, who said Akwa Ibom State APC cannot afford to miss Amadu Attai and his workaholic team, said Uyo people are up and waiting for the election date, so they can do the needful by electing him for the seat.

    Former Chairperson, Uyo Local Government Area, Mrs. Stella Effiom noted that Dr Attai who is a very simple man and has remained very assessable, has the charisma and pedigree and deserves the support of all the women in the party so they can drive the party to its permanent site.

    For Eket Senatorial District, Hon. Mrs Mabel Udonwo said Amadu Attai is God fearing, honest, humble and is a team player and that Eket Mkpat Enin, Eastern Obolo and Oron Federal Constituency are intact to cast their votes for him to continue. They added “the journey which is starting today would end in 2019 when the government of Akwa Ibom State would be overthrown by the progressives”.

    Obongifiok Dr. Anny Asikpo from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District praised the ingenuity of the party’s state chairman who has denied himself of the juicy ‘betrayal appeals’ just to keep his integrity and the face of the party. He said, “We were opposition before now but in 2019, we are playing positions no  more opposition. We are the winning team and we would play the winning team. Therefore, all unit, wards, chapter and state executives should carry on with their good works. God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless APC and God bless Nigeria”.

    Dr Nduehe Esitikot said he is in charge of the Ikot Abasi and that APC would produce Akwa Ibom State Governor in 2019. He appealed to those who loved Amadu Attai and Dr Nsima Ekere to come out enmass to vote Dr Amadu Attai and his executive members for a second term so they can, together, move to the government house in 2019.

    Dr. Abasiubong Udofia said Attai’s leadership prowess has been widely commended, even at the national level and so the team needs an encouragement to continue to provide the needed leadership template to drive the party forward.

    Meanwhile, the 31 chapter chairmen of APC, led by the chapter chairman of Nsit Ibom, Hon. Nkereuwem Okpok endorsed Amadu Attai and offered to purchase his chairmanship form for him. State Vice Chairman, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Obong Kufre Inyangette said Annang, Ibibio, Oron are all desirous to support the executive to move the train forward for the next four years.

    Other notable personalities who attended the meeting included Rt. Hon. Alex Nyong, Dr Hon. Dan Akpan, Dr. Mrs Roslyn Harry, Rt. Hon. Dr/Mrs Enobong Ufot, Rt. Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, Hon. Mrs Stella Efiom, Hon. Joy Ubong Abasi, among others.

  • ‘Igbo better off with Buhari presidency’

    A group, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, has urged the Igbo to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    It said the Southeast would fare better with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in power.

    The group said while the Igbo made a political “mistake” in the past, it must avoid a repeat in 2019.

    Yoruba Ronu, in a statement by its Secretary General Akin Malaolu, said President Buhari deserves the support of the Igbo because of his integrity.

    It said the President has ensured that development spreads across Nigeria, including Igboland.

    “The Igbo must hold the present leadership in high esteem because of his probity and requisite caliber.

    “The government today and with its present leadership has modernised the rudiments of administration and has departed completely from the attitude of ‘we’ as against ‘others’.

    “Developments are today springing up everywhere in the Igboland and that must not be discouraged. The nation needs the Igbo people just as the Igbo also need Nigeria completely,” it said.

    The group urged the Igbo not to repeat what it called the mistake of the past when it voted massively for Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

    “The Igbos made some bad moves during the Jonathan era of ugly opportunism that gave rise to division both from religion and tribe. All of these must be forgotten and we must make Igbos partners in all affairs of Government at the centre.

    “Igbo people must do well to accommodate our differences in diversity. They must play politics with obvious intention to contribute to the growth of first the Igboland and secondly Nigeria.

    “The prosperity enjoyed by the Igbos in their participation in previous administrations shows clearly to be individualistic in nature and not generally for Igboland as compared to today.

    “2019 is around the corner and we feel it necessary to plead to the Igbos that the APC has enough space and heart to give the Igbo people equality and respect which they rightfully deserve.

    “It is only in APC that the Igbo prosperity can be enriched with comfortable speed. Igbos should come on board the APC train and take their rightful positions in the affairs of our nation.”

  • We’ll continue to support Buhari – APC Chairman

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa says its members will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari.

    It’s Chairman, Alhaji Ado Kiri, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the president’s visit to Dutse on Tuesday.

    He said that APC members in Jigawa did not have any presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election other than Buhari.

    “We are with Buhari and we will continue to be with him. We are satisfied with his war against corruption, terrorism, insurgency and other vices,” he said.

    According to him, the measures taken had in handling the problems, have brought relief to the people of the country.

    “We are also happy with the policies and programmes of the Federal Government in the economic and agriculture sectors, which made life meaningful for the people,” he added.

    The chairman also expressed satisfaction with the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) of the Buhari government, popularly known as ‘N-Power’ which he said provided employment opportunities for many youth in Nigeria.

    Kiri commended Buhari for visiting Jigawa, in spite of his tight schedules.

    “With this, we are elated; this demonstrates his love for us and we also love him like he loves us,” the APC chairman said.

  • Oyegun unduely interfering in congresses – Ogboru

    A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Delta state, Great Ogboru has accused the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun of unduely interfering in the congresses of the party in the state against the provisions of the party.

    Ogboru who accompanied the Chairman of the Delta state Congress Committee t9 present its report to the National Working Committee said the Chairman was unduely interfering in the congresses, pointing out that the actions of the chairman run contrary to the party constitution and the guidelines for the congress.

    He said “I felt last week that the national chairman of the party interfered unduly, unjustly and unconstitutionally in the conduct of the congress in Delta state but I am not so sure if this is the appropriate place to say it.

    “It is sufficient to say that there was undue interference in the process which we felt that the chairman has no authority to do and which we told him to his face that what he did was not only unconstitutional but a slap on democracy.”

    Read Also: Oni writes Oyegun, NWC, says system compromised

    The Chairman Ward and LGA Congress for Delta state, Alhaji Dododo told newsmen that the congresses conducted and supervised by him were peaceful and carried out in line with the party guidelines.

    He said “Last week, we submitted the report of the ward congress conducted in Delta state and we are here today to submit the report of the Local Government Area congress. I had gathered all the  delegates and stakeholders in Asaba and after addressing them we had swung into action with the conduct of the election in the presence of the INEC representative.

    “There was no violence, rancour or intimidation during the congress. All the stakeholders are in the same page. There was only one single congress held in Delta state and it is the one I chaired. Senator Omo-Agege, Minister of State for Petroleum, Great Ogburu and all the state leadership of the party among other stakeholders are with me. We had lots of challenges but they are part of politics.”

    He claimed ignorance of a parallel congress in the state, saying he was sent to ensure unity of the party in the state and worked the relevant stakeholders t9 actualise the task given to him.

  • Abe denies link with opposition over APC congress saga

    Sen. Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Rivers South-East in the National Assembly, has denied links with the opposition party.

    Magnus made the denial in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday while reacting to allegations that he was hobnobbing with the opposition to fight the party.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abe has been complaining of high-handedness by the APC leadership in the conduct of the ward and local government congresses.

    Meanwhile, Some aggrieved members of the party allegedly loyal to Abe had gone to court, challenging the conduct of the ward congress in the state.

    Following the legal action, Justice Chiwendu Nworgu of a Port Harcourt High Court, had granted an order stopping the party’s local government congress.

    The senator, who had already expressed his intention to contest the governorship of Rivers, said he was only interested in the enforcement of due process in the conduct of the exercise.

    He said that those linking his stand as signifying alliance with the opposition, were only calling him a bad name in order to disparage his political interests.

    “When they say I am working with the opposition, I wonder what they mean; when did it become wrong to demand for intra-party democracy and level playing field.

    “The same thing people did when they were not given a level playing field in our former party is what is being done today; why call it a bad name?” he asked.

    Abe said that the APC in Rivers denied its members who had paid for nomination forms access to participate in the elections.

    Meanwhile, Rivers APC Spokesman, Mr Chris Finebone, has said that the party did not sideline any member in the course of the exercise.

    He said that some persons had invaded and destroyed property in the state party secretariat before it could commence the issuance of forms.

    “The party then directed its members interested in contesting positions at the wards levels to proceed to their wards for the forms.

    “The ward congresses held peacefully and due processes were followed; forget all these stories; they are simply baseless,’’ Finebone said.

  • Rivers APC crisis: Abe seeks Buhari’s intervention

    Embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly call warring party members in the state to order.

    Abe who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja also said that they were forced to go to court when it became clear that “all internal conflict resolution processes within the party had been compromised at the alter of individual power.”

    The Rivers South East senator noted that it was at the point of the realization that the internal conflict resolution within the party had been allegedly compromised that a decision was taken to advise aggrieved members of the party to head to the court and seek the intervention of the court.

    He noted that the need to appeal to President Buhari to intervene in the crisis became necessary in order to ensure that the party was not surrendered to “men without conscience.”

    The APC, he said, must distance itself from “the show of shame that is currently going on in River State.”

    On accusation that he was working with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to destabilize APC in the state, Abe noted that it was public knowledge that his dealings with the governor has been in the open and in the best interest of the APC to help douse tension in the state and minimize violence.

    Abe who titled his briefing “The APC must distance itself from the show of shame going on Rivers state.” Stated in part: “I have decided to address you this afternoon because it has become clear that my party the All Progressive Congress has reached a point where it must take a decision either to live up to the core values of our leader President Muhammadu Buhari and do the right thing or abandon our values and destroy our soul in other to please man.

    “You will recollect that I briefed the press before the ward congresses in Rivers State where I stated publicly, that the confusion that was deliberately being set in Rivers state was nothing other than an attempt to display the raw power of man, to destroy and exclude all those who have expressed disagreement with the leader of the party in the state.

    “The South South caucus of the party had met at the home of the Minister of Transportation, (Chibuike Amaech) in Abuja and directed that certain steps be taken by the leaders in the states to build confidence in the process before the congresses should begin.

    “First it was agreed that an all-inclusive meeting be called between Thursday and Friday preceding the ward congresses.

    “The meeting was to include all tendencies in the party and the modalities for congresses be discussed and agreed upon. It was also directed that the congress committee from Abuja should equally meet with all stakeholders on arrival and be briefed on the arrangements and agreements already reached in the state.

    “None of this was done in Rivers State rather a faction of the party led by the Minister proceeded with the exercise in total disdain of the rights and privileges of other members. Party members who paid money to the party were blatantly disenfranchised. All protests and appeals fell on deaf ears. After the purported failed exercise

     “Another South South caucus meeting was called this time at the home of Minister of State for Petroleum and it was agreed that the rules were not followed in Rivers State and the exercise in Rivers State was not acceptable.

    “However in other states where such conclusions were reached the caucus gave clear directives on what should be done to remedy the situation before the local Government congress.

    “In the case of Rivers State however it was decided that because it is the home state of the President’s DG of campaign the President should be briefed before any further action can be taken.

     “We all knew of the President’s planned travel and the Local Government congresses were set to proceed using the flawed ward congresses as a base.

     “At that point it became clear that all internal conflict resolution processes within the party had been compromised at the alter of individual power.

    “It was at this point that a decision was taken to advise aggrieved members of the party to head to the court and seek the intervention of the court.

    “Members went to court, the state legal adviser who had earlier with some other members of the state working committee held a press conference to say they were not aware of whatever was going on was in court and attested to this facts.

    “At this point the other faction now proceeded to circulate a document purportedly suspending the state legal adviser.

    “I am a member of the State executive committee no meeting of the state executive committee of the APC has ever been held in Rivers State. When how and by who was he suspended?

    “When all this failed, there was a bizarre decision by the same faction of the APC to blockade the judiciary complex in Rivers state and physically prevent the court from giving its ruling.

    “Physical force and arms were mobilized to shut down the judiciary complex, housing over 40 courts including the chief judges court, the NBA offices, and others, thousands of people, workers, litigants, were shut out.

    “It took a gun battle which has gone viral on social media to reopen the state judiciary. As if this was not enough, after the order was granted and was duly received by the state deputy chairman of the party, the national legal adviser sent one Barrister Tuduru Ede to the court.

    “National body was duly informed and the announcement of the order by the deputy chairman was on every radio station in Rivers state every hour.

    “The state publicity secretary of the party went one air to give legal reasons why the APC will not obey the order of the court.

    “This cannot be APC; this party cannot trade its soul to massage the ego of any individual. An order of the court is an order of the court. There must be a limit to which we can descend in obeisance to power.

    “I respectfully call on our president not to surrender our nation to men without conscience, this party must distance itself from the show of shame that is currently going on in Rivers state.

    “Finally to those who have accused me of conniving with Governor Nyesom Wike to cause crisis in the APC, let me say publicly that all my dealings with the governor has been public and in the best interest of the APC to help douse tension in the state and minimize violence.

    “Let others who belong to the same socio cultural and tribal association with the governor be bold enough to open up to the world the position of their elders, and the various interventions that form foundations for their actions in the APC in Rivers state. In politics sometimes the more you look the less you see.”

    Those at the briefing included Senator Wilson Ake, one of the senators who defected to APC during the 7th Senate, Hon. Chidi Frank Wihioka, Ikwere/Emohua Federal Constituency Rivers State and Hon. Maurice Pronen representing Khana/Gokona Federal Constituency Rivers State.

     

  • ‘Stop crying more than the bereaved over Oshiomhole’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Osawe Osayemwenre, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party to stop crying more than the bereaved over former Governor Adams Oshiomhole ambition.

    Hon Osayemwenre said it was wrong for the PDP to attempt to ignite ethnic sentiments by accusing Oshiomhole of seeking another Edo man’s job in his quest to become the National Chairman of the APC.

    In a chat with newsmen, Osayemwenre who called on all Edo residents to support Oshiomhole’s ambition said the interest of the party and how it would win the next year’s election should be paramount to members of the party.

    He urged members of APC not to yield to the antics of their political opponent who believe in tribal politics.

    “For those drumming that an Edo man is seeking another Edo man’s job, I will say, these are the antics of political opponent who are trying to weep more than the bereaved as party matters are matters of national interest and winning elections and not a tribal or state affairs. So, let Oshiomhole be as he remains the best man for the job today.

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     “From the time he was a labour leader to the time he was elected governor of Edo State for the period of eight years, he performed exceedingly well and his per-degrees are there to speak for themselves as they are verifiable.

    “For years, Oshiomhole has been a national labour leader, uniting and navigating the labour force for national unity and progress, for eight years, he displayed his political sagacity as governor of Edo State, he retired all the godfathers and tin gods in the polity.

    “So, electing him as the national chairman of APC is like bringing him into a familiar terrain or returning the fish to the water”, he said.

    “We of Edo State and indeed the South-South zone of the party therefore wish to appeal and seek a hand of fellowship to our colleagues in other parts of the country to let join hand to elect Adams Oshiomhole in order to move the party forward, united and ensure our victory in the 2019 general elections”, he said.