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Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • Nigeria needs politics of ideology not stomach infrastructure – Lawal

    Ayoade Afolabi Lawal is a governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State. In this interview with Sina Fadare, he speaks on the alleged plot to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly, the invasion of National Assembly by thugs, security challenges in the country, among other sundry issues. Excerpts

    INTERNAL wrangling and party indiscipline are rampant in all the political parties; how do you think such can be reduced so that parties can stand upright to play their roles effectively?

    If you look at the structure of the parties, there is hierarchy that needs to be followed; we have the leadership who takes decisions at the highest level and other categories like that. Basically, I think we have lowered our standard on discipline in the party; some people would engage in anti-party activities and at the end of the day they get away with it and they become untouchable. This gives room for indiscipline whereas when another person does same thing and discipline was enforced you now asked questions. Like in Animal Farm, this begins to create tension within the party. There is need for us to have the right approach to instill discipline in parties and nobody should be spared if need be.

    We also must not be draconian in our approach to instill discipline in our parties. In a situation where you are too rigid, you have people leaving the party for another; nobody is perfect, there are activities that will not be grievous but some people would take it as a sacrilege which is part of politicking. Where you insist that someone has committed an offense and you decreed that he or she should go on suspension for six months whereas he should have been warned, these are things that can aggravate people to leave the party. The punishment should be commensurate with the offence committed

    Politics this day is cash and carry. How can we reduce this so that the best is given opportunity to serve?

    Money politics has actually led us to where we are today. Somebody just joined the party, because he is a money bag, he hijacks the party machinery and all others are relegated to the background. This in most cases has given room for mediocrity.  At this point, the party ideology and programmes are relegated and reduced to stomach infrastructure which at the end of the day will create more poverty for the people.

    Initially, party members would think they are gaining something but at the end, they have sold their birth rights to the money bag. I personally do not support money politics because it is not something that is positive; it is negative to the entire polity. What we need this time around is politics of ideas and intellectualism where candidates will come to the political arena with brilliant ideas which can be sold to the people. Idea is the only thing that can revolutionalise our polity.

    But from pragmatic point of view, we can only get to a situation where we start to educate our people against money politics and its consequences. You only collect that money temporarily and at the end of the day you will go back to square one. We can only start to reduce it through conscious education to electorates and to be honest, it cannot be totally eradicated from the society.

    What is your take on INEC’s recent alarm that there are too many registered political parties, a development that may pose a challenge to the forthcoming 2019 general election?

    We seem to have large number of political parties that INEC don’t have facility for? I personally feel that it is just a way to say that we have increased our budget. Even on election, when we look at normal voter register, you will see that we have a lot of parties that have no candidate, may be due to short planning. So, INEC should be able to accommodate them. I don’t see it as a big deal. You have registered them, there is nothing anyone can do now; it is going to be a big challenge but it is going to take more paper and probably more budget that is the way I see it. Parties must find a way of educating their members and voters on what to look for on the voting papers, like the way we used to say that they should look out for the broom. The logos of the parties are not the same and it will not pose any serious problem as claimed.

    What is your view on the recent declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2019 election?

    First of all, we need to recognise the fact that the President has the right to declare his intention as a citizen of this country and as a sitting President. On my point of view, we can’t really say what the second term would look like if he is opportuned to be elected because what I see is that if he wins the second term, definitely he is going to change some members of the current cabinet and the moment he change the team, we are going to have different players. Perhaps what he needs most at this critical period is that he should comb all the nooks and crannies of the country and source for technocrats and experts in governance who will deliver the goodies which Nigerians are yearning for. But that is going to be the critical factor because the President cannot see everything; he would depend on those that are running the home affairs for him. So, those who he (President) is going to deploy to oversee various ministries are going to be the determining factor for his second term.

    Do you think the argument that Osun West should produce the next governor in Osun is justifiable?

    Yes, it is excellently justifiable. It is all in the spirit of fairness, self-belonging and equity. A situation whereby we have three zones in Osun and one of them feels marginalized is not good enough for the state. Have we tried them and we discovered they are not competent? It is unacceptable. In fact, if you do a good surveillance and listen to the mind of the people, a lot of the people from Osun East and Central are saying that it is the turn of the Osun West. So, it is like a kind of unseen sentimental feelings that it is the turn of the people of Osun West. Let us allow them to go for the governorship in the spirit of fairness, togetherness and justice. Let us try them and see what they can contribute to the development of the state.

    What is your take on the recent invasion of National Assembly by people suspected to be political thugs and what would you say is its implication on the polity?

    The invasion of the National Assembly by thugs is an indication that there is tension in the National Assembly. It indicates that within themselves there are a number of aggrieved parties and basically it is bad behaviour that is not commensurate with the present democracy. It shows that we have some security issues even within the National Assembly because a situation where somebody walks down into the chamber, pick the mace and walk out of that building is not good enough.

    It means that if they wanted to hurt anybody there, they can easily enter into the chamber; they dammed the consequences and to forestall this we need to beef up security within the National Assembly so that such things do not occur again. Also Senators need to come together, sort things out among themselves and investigate thoroughly if any of them is actually involved in this and proper disciplinary action must be taken in order to forestall future occurrences.

  • Osun 2018: APC, PDP and the changing dynamics

    In this report, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the struggle for the governorship ticket of the frontline political parties in Osun State ahead of the 2018 gubernatorial election. He reports on the changing dynamics of the race following some developments within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

     

    Barring any change in the plans of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), voters in Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, will on September 22, 2018, troop out to elect a new governor for the state to replace incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who will be completing his second term of four years in office much later in the year. Expectedly, politicians from various parts of the state are already jostling for the coveted seat.

    Although there are currently about 20 political parties boasting of their readiness to field candidates for the September election, the struggles for the gubernatorial tickets of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), appear to be more profound. Pundits say this may be so because of the widespread belief that the next gubernatorial contest in the state is a straight fight between the two parties.

    While the APC is not resting on its oars in its bid to remain in government beyond 2018, the opposition PDP is daily putting its house in order as it prepares to challenge Governor Aregbesola and his party to a political duel which, if won, will see the party returning to power for the first time since 2009 when it was displaced by a Supreme Court judgement that sacked the then governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, from office, and replaced him with Aregbesola, then the candidate of the now defunct Action Congress (AC).

    APC

    Amidst rumour that Governor Aregbesola is planning to install one of his close aides as his successor and claims by some aspirants to have been endorsed by him as successor, the Governor  is still keeping the public guessing about who he is likely to back for the plum job on the platform of his party. While his camp hinged his continued silence on the matter on the need for him to ensure a level playing ground ahead of the party primary, some observers claim the APC leader may be unsure of where the pendulum should swing.

    Tade Lucas, Country Director of Voters’ Alliance Africa (VAA), wonders why the APC and its leadership is keeping mum on the issue of Aregbesola’s likely successor. According to the pro-democracy activist, it is unusual for the people to be kept guessing barely five months to the gubernatorial election. “This is Africa and we all know our brand of democracy is different. For the governor to still be silent on who he wants to succeed him at this time is strange. I just hope the APC is not finding it difficult to arrive at a decision,” he said.

    But Kunle Oyatomi, APC’s spokesperson in the state, thinks otherwise. According to him, APC parades a good number of capable men and will easily choose one of them as its candidate at the appropriate time through the proper process. He said the party would consider someone with the ability to continue the developmental successes of the Aregbesola administration, not someone who will drag the state backward.

    “A saboteur cannot qualify. An undisciplined person cannot qualify , and a person not committed to the developmental agenda of  Aregbesola cannot be trusted to succeed him. Anybody who has motives inconsistent with the laudable  goals of our party; and is  treacherous in the main, and against what Aregbesola has done , can never be the party’s choice in Osun. Also , anyone who is looking outside Osun APC to win the party’s nomination will fail and therefore cannot succeed Aregbesola,” he explained.

     

    Oyatomi said the APC currently has about 20 aspirants seeking the party’s ticket. Among them is Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, the incumbent Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and a former Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state. The 65 -year -old politician hails from Iwo in Osun West Senatorial District. Going by what his supporters say, he is banking on an unwritten zoning arrangement to sway the ticket his way.

    Also said to have thrown his hat into the ring of the contest for the APC ticket is Hon. Najeem Salaam, the current Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly. A close political ally of Aregbesola, the Ejigbo-born politician, according to close aides, is one of those aspirants believed to be waiting to know Aregbesola’s preference before going all out. “If the Governor is not in support of him, Mr. Speaker will forget the ambition,” an aide to the Speaker told The Nation.

    For nearly two years now, incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lusun  Yusuf, has been working hard on his ambition to be the next governor of the state. The Ilobu-born lawmaker, according to party sources, is also advocating that the governorship should be ceded to Osun West. But his soured relationship with the leadership of the party as well as Aregbesola is seen by many as a huge obstacle.

    There is also Gboyega Oyetola, the current Chief of Staff to the governor. His visibility has increased rapidly in recent weeks, amidst talks that he seems to  be the choice of the grassroots in the state. Already, some leading chieftains of the party have publicly endorsed the Iragbiji-born technocrat- turned politician who is from Osun Central Senatorial District . Oyetola is seen as focused , competent, amiable and highly knowledgeable in financial matters, attributes that are said to have also endeared him to prominent indigenes of the state who are not politically inclined.

     PDP

    Just as the PDP appears to be narrowing its search for the gubernatorial candidate for the September election to a new set of frontrunners following the trouncing of the political camp of former Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore, at the last state congress which produced Hon. Soji Adagunodo as State Chairman, the Senator representing Osun West, Ademola Adeleke, declared his intent to run for the governorship position.  The lawmaker made his intention known in a letter written to the state chapter of the party.

    The senator said his intention was based on his conviction that he can unite the party in the state. He added that he has the ability to “galvanise the general electorate towards ensuring a resounding victory for the PDP in the forthcoming polls.” He urged the leadership of the party to give him the opportunity to fly its flag in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

    Adeleke was elected senator last year to replace his late brother, Isiaka Adeleke, who died three months earlier, before the expiration of his term, at the senate. His interest in the PDP governorship ticket, according to party sources, is fast changing several permutations within the opposition party. Adeleke is from Ede in Osun West Senatorial District. His ambition therefore, is favorably viewed by pro-zoning agitators within the party.

    Comrade Fasiu Ajetunmobi, a former ex-officio member of the PDP in Ife Zone, told The Nation that the PDP may have to give Adeleke’s interest in the race some very serious thought. He explained that as a party desirous of winning the election ‘we must not leave any stone unturned. Adeleke is not just another aspirant; he is a serving senator and Osun PDP’s most senior political office holder.

    “There is also the issue of visibility. Currently, no PDP politician can boast of being as visible across the state as Senator Adeleke. Beyond his politics, he is hugely popular among our people for his humanitarian gestures and his dancing steps. His family name is another plus for him. And pro-zoning agitators will also find him attractive. So, he is not an aspirant any serious party can overlook just like that,” he explained.

    Before Adeleke’s emergence on the scene, the PDP had Gbenga Owolabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ayoade Adewopo, youthful Ife-born legal practitioner, former Secretary to the State Government, Fatai Akinbade, a business tycoon, Dr. Kayode Oduoye, and Lere Oyewumi, as frontline aspirants in the race for its ticket.  Speaking to The Nation recently at a prayer session organised by the party, Adagunodo said any one of these aspirants was capable of winning the governorship election in September.

    “We are looking for a young, capable and acceptable candidate who will change the voting dynamics and deliver the votes to the PDP. We have a number of them and we are settling for one of them soon. In the same vein, we are equally considering who will be the deputy governorship candidate. We want to come out with a ticket that will attract the people of Osun to once again vote for PDP,” a party executive said.

    Feelers from party sources a couple of weeks back had indicated that majority of the party’s chieftains and members across the state may have settled for the candidacy of Adewopo, who Ajetunmobi described as the ‘new face of Osun PDP’. There were even talks that either Lere Oyewunmi or Fatai Akinbade should be paired with him as deputy governorship candidate because, according to them, Adewopo’s youthful vibrancy will be greatly helped by the maturity and political experience of any of these two old warhorses.

    “But with Adeleke now officially in the race, it is uncertain if the status quo will remain the same. This is because party leaders as we speak are seriously weighing the options available for the PDP,”Ajetunmobi revealed. He added that factors, including but not limited to financial muscle, current position, political structure, as well as visibility, will help the Senator make a good showing in the ongoing struggle for the PDP ticket.

     SDP, et al

    But if the APC and the PDP think Senator Omisore is out of the race for the governorship position in September for good upon demystification in the PDP, then they better wait for this; the former Deputy Governor, according to close aides, is making plans to run on the platform of a new party in September. As a prelude to this, his supporters are reported to be moving in droves to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state.

    Omisore, during the week, held a closed-door meeting with a former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in the latter’s home in Okuku. The meeting, sources said, might not be unconnected to Omisore’s gubernatorial ambition. It was gathered that Omisore, who arrived Okuku around 12.15 pm, with his aides and political associates entered into a closed door session that lasted till 5.15pm with Oyinlola before he departed.

    In Omisore’s entourage to Okuku were the former ambassador of Nigeria to Philippines, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, former Minister for Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, Mr. Kayode Alufa, Hon Ismaila Kolawole, Alhaji Yemi Omisore, Hon Bade Falade, Hon Debo Ayinde and host of others. Though still a chieftain of the ruling APC, Oyinlola is one of the national leaders of the political coalition being championed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as an alternative to both APC and PDP.

    There were also reports that the embattled former Deputy Governor is in talks with the leadership of the SDP concerning his 2018 governorship bid. “You must understand the fact that Omisore is a political heavyweight anyway in Osun. What we need now is just a platform and we are working round the clock to sort that out. Once that is done, it will be time to free the people of Osun from political bondage,” a close aide of the Senator said.

    Similarly, there are talks that former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, may run in the September governorship election in Osun State. Sources close to him say he is under pressure to join the race on the platform of the opposition PDP. Recently, a youth group, claiming to be the youth wing of the PDP in the South West region, urged him to run in the election.

    But sources close to the ex-minister revealed that he may not seek the ticket of the PDP considering the fact that he has not been part of the party’s activities since 2015. “Rather, it is likely that he will seek to use the platform of another political party unless the PDP unanimously offer him its ticket to be the governorship candidate in September. One thing I can tell you is that the people of Osu are beckoning on him to come and govern them,” a source said.

     

  • Rain disrupts Ekiti APC Primary

    Rain has disrupted the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Ekiti State.

    A total number of thirty three aspirants are jostling for the APC ticket ahead of the July 14 governorship poll.

    The primary which was being held at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, attracted delegates from all the 177 wards.

    Accreditation had started as soon 9.00 am and was going on until heavens opened at about 12.05 pm and a torrential rain descended on the arena.

    The rain, which was heavy, lasted over one hour and affected some gadgets already installed at the venue.

    Delegates who sat at the “popular side” of the stadium scampered to the covered stand in a bid to escape from the rain.

    The chairman of the electoral panel, Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, directed that proceedings should continue after the rain has ceased.

    Accreditation of delegates continues

     

    …More updates coming later.

  • Osun polls: I have no anointed candidate – Aregbesola

    Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun says he has no anointed candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

    Aregbesola, who disclosed this while addressing the All Progressives Congress (APC) members on Saturday in Iwo, in Osun West Senatorial District, was reacting to consistent agitations by the people of the zone to produce the next governor of the state.

    He said that he was not ready to impose any candidate on the people.

    He said that there would be a free, fair and credible primary to pick the party’s flag bearer.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed Sept. 22 for the governorship election.

    The governor, however, appealed to party members not to allow the outcome of the primary to divide or disturb the peace and progress of the party.

    He said the outcome of the primary should rather unite the party to make it stronger and indivisible.

    ” Every party member is free to support any aspirant of his or her choice.

    ” But after the party’s primary, any candidate that emerges as the party’s flag bearer should be supported by all to enable the party to win the election convincingly,” the governor said.

    The APC Chairman in the state, Mr Adegboyega Famodun, urged the party members to remain strong and united for the election.

    Famodun said that with the achievements of Gov. Aregbesola in education, health and infrastructure development, among others, victory was guaranteed for the party.

    The Asiwaju of Iwoland, Mr Gbadegesin Adedeji , urged the governor and party members to allow Osun West Senatorial District to produce the next governor of the state.

    Adedeji said the zone had been marginalised for long and urged the governor to consider the zone whenever decision on who would be party’s flag bearer was being taken.

    “The entire people of Iwo constituency are solidly behind Mr governor.

    ” And I am using this opportunity to tell you that we want the next governor to be from this zone.

    ” We have many responsible, cultured, experienced, qualified and well trained people that will not disappoint the state if given the opportunity,” Adedeji said.

    NAN

  • Rivers APC’s stalwart confirmed dead

    A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), Ferdinand Ovundah, who was one of the five occupants of the black Toyota Hilux van of Rivers State Secretary of the  (APC ), Chief Emeka Beke, that a big tree fell on Thursday, is dead.

    Ovundah, who hailed from Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state, had spinal cord injury from the accident and passed on yesterday in a private hospital in Port Harcourt.

    Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Chris Finebone, Friday evening, confirmed the death of Ovundah, describing it as very pathetic and so unfortunate.

    Beke, who sat in the front passenger’s seat of the van, and the other occupants, including a policeman, were around 10 a.m. on Thursday, on their way to the Rivers secretariat of the main opposition party (APC) on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, through the road by the residence of a former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the Port Harcourt Club, when the big tree fell and damaged the vehicle.

    Rivers secretary of APC, his driver and others were injured and they were quickly rushed by passersby and sympathisers to the nearby Rivers state government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) in the Rivers state capital, from where they were quickly moved to better-equipped private hospitals, off Aba Road in Port Harcourt and in Eleme, Rivers state (names withheld), where they received treatment.

    Beke was on Friday afternoon at the Rivers secretariat of APC with swollen face, while thanking God for the narrow escape, but expressed sadness over the death of Ovundah.

    Thursday’s heavy rain in Port Harcourt and its environs, accompanied by windstorm, was responsible for the sudden fall of the tree.

  • Rivers APC uncovers plot by Wike, other PDP members to destabilize Ward Congress

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) states that it has uncovered a plot by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, other members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their collaborators to destabilize today’s ward congress of the APC, asking Wike to address his bad governance.

    It noted that the PDP plotters were colluding with some members of APC to cause confusion, declaring that they would fail.

    Rivers APC, through its Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt, expressed optimism that the ward, local government and state congresses of the party would be peaceful.

    Wike earlier asked all APC members in Rivers to work towards a peaceful and successful congress, devoid of rancour, while urging them to be law-abiding and maintain the peace in the Niger Delta state.

    Rivers governor asked all hoteliers in the state not to allow their hotels to be used to foment  trouble, as was the case during the party’s last congress, when Novotel Hotel on Ken Saro-Wiwa (formerly Stadium) Road, Port Harcourt was allegedly negatively used by some persons, leading to the misconception across the country that Rivers state was in crisis.

    Wike, while speaking on Friday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, during a courtesy visit by retired military and para-military officers of Ogoni extraction, claimed that the illegal use of operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and military personnel to cause rancour ahead of today’s ward congress of the APC in the state had vindicated him.

    He noted that the series of statements released by APC stakeholders on the illegal activities of F-SARS personnel, ahead of today’s congress should draw the attention of all well-meaning lovers of democracy, alleging that if security agencies could be negatively used during a party congress, Nigerians should expect electoral mischief, masterminded by security agencies in 2019.

    Rivers governor said: “In an ordinary party congress, over a platoon of soldiers and more than 200 F-SARS personnel have been handed over to one man (apparently referring to Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor). The operatives are to protect just one man, while other people are left without protection.”

    Wike also claimed that conflicts during elections were usually generated by overzealous security agents, detailed to manipulate the process, assuring that his administration would continue to invest in the promotion of security of lives and property across Rivers state.

    The main opposition party in Rivers, however, said: “Information unearthed by the APC confirms that the group that will destabilise today’s ward congress of our party, collected a huge sum of money from Rivers governor, with the sole purpose of discrediting the congresses through wild allegations against leaders of the party, especially the leader of the party in Rivers State and the Southsouth zone, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, and Rivers Chairman of APC, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, among others.

    “Details of the plan seem to have been rolled out already, as the group has gone on air to accuse the transportation minister of hijacking materials for the congresses, an accusation that exposes the ignorance of the group and makes absolutely no sense at all.

    “Whereas, the APC is working hard to fully expose the full dimension of the plot and the evil people that are hell-bent on destabilizing our party’s congresses. We urge party faithful and the general public to ignore the well-known antics of Wike, other PDP members and their collaborators within and outside the APC, who have sold their souls for blood money. We are re-assuring all APC members of strict adherence to the guidelines of the party’s congresses and not to be distracted by anyone or group, under any guise.”

    Rivers APC also stated that members of the party and the general public must refuse to be deceived by the agents of doom working for Wike, who, according to the main opposition party, were to employ diverse means to destabilize the APC, in fulfillment of the agreement between them and their sponsors.

    While also speaking, the Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Chris Finebone, declared that the party found it disgustingly hypocritical for Wike, who could not ensure good governance in the state, to extend a piece of advice on peaceful conduct of congresses to the APC, while the dust generated by massive violence and mayhem that characterized the recent PDP local government primaries across Rivers was yet to settle.

    Fine bone said: “We believe that the unsolicited advice by Rivers governor is a script from his dubious and irresponsible politics to divert attention from the massive criticism of the unbridled violence, killings and destruction of property during the PDP primaries by well-meaning Rivers people and Nigerians.

    “It would have been far more important if Wike had preached peaceful primaries to his party men and women. It would have been quite needful if the Rivers governor walked the talk by not planting the seed of imposition, discord and deceit in his party, which eventually led to the kind of unprecedented violence that marred PDP’s primaries. That surely would have been a more practical means of preaching peaceful congresses.

    “APC believes that Wike is jittery that at the end of its congresses, peace-loving Rivers people will have the opportunity to compare the activities of PDP and APC. The Rivers governor fears that people of the state will so easily confirm that PDP members are the people responsible for the political violence in Rivers State, against the peaceful disposition of the APC members. It is this fear that has propelled Wike to embark on offering his tainted advice. We say to him, physician, heal thyself.”

    Rivers publicity secretary of the APC also urged right-thinking Nigerians to ignore Wike’s allegations against soldiers, F-SARS personnel and Amaechi, describing the Rivers governor as a drowning man, who definitely needed help, having been unsure of his re-election and vice-presidential ambition in 2019, in spite of producing the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, an indigene of Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers state.

  • APC would win Cross River in 2019, says Eta

    National Vice Chairman, South-South, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ntufam Hilliard Eta, has expressed confidence that the party would take over government in Cross River State in next year’s election.

    Eta said this when a stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party in Calabar Municipality local government area, Ntufam Maurice Omin Iso, defected to the APC with thousands of his supporters.

    Eta, an indigene of Calabar Municpality, at the state reception for Iso at the Ikot Ansa (Nkonib) Royal Square in Calabar, said his entrance to the APC would greatly enhance the party’s chances next year.

    His words, “All politics is local and this is my local government area. This new entrant into our party is known as a kingmaker. He has been involved in the production of political kings in my local government. My joy knows no bounds as we speak today because he has joined me in the army of progressives to see that we seize power not just in Calabar Municipality but in Cross River State and bring progress and development to our people.

    Read Also: Cross River: 2019 senatorial race hots up

    “We depend on the grace of God and the democratic will of the people. It is predicated on that, that we would march triumphantly to the Government House. But victory is assured when you have men like Omin Iso by your side.”

    Responding, Iso said he was committed to ensuring that the APC emerged victorious in next year’s elections.

    Iso, who said he was not joining the party to contest for any position, promised to respect the party structure at all levels.

    Chairman of the Coalition of APC Support Groups in the state, Comrade Iso Bassey Edim, expressed joy with the development, saying the defection was timely, especially at a time that the state is faced with “unprecedented maladministration, underdevelopment, gross misconduct, ineffective leadership and representation and bad governance.”

    “We are sure that your coming to APC would not only be an asset, but a preparation for victory in Calabar Municipality and Cross River State at large,” Edim said.

  • A’Ibom APC caucus pass vote of confidence on Buhari

    The caucus of the All Progressives Congress in Nsit Atai local government area of Akwa Ibom state has passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari for providing conscientious and positive leadership direction for Nigeria.

    Rising from a meeting in Uyo, the state capital, the APC caucus which met to deliberate on the achievements and gains of the Buhari administration amid other national issues, gave the APC led federal government a pat on the back for “repositioning and rebuilding the country for good”.

    It stressed that the Buhari administration has delivered on three pronged electoral promises of fighting corruption, reviving the economy and taming the monster of insurgency and Boko Haram terrorist’s activities.

    The resolution reached by the caucus read by Elder Monday Udoh also commended President Buhari for appointing its key leaders such as Emah Bassey as chairman Nigeria Geological Survey Agency(NGSA).

    The caucus said the appointment was a reflection of the President’s spirit of all-inclusiveness and desire for human capacity development.

    It hailed the President for the numerous Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) projects in the state.

     

  • ‘Allow due process in Ondo APC Congress’

    The Segun Abraham Support Group (SASG) in conjunction with other card carrying interest groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State on Thursday said the ward congress will hold on Saturday as scheduled.

    In a statement, the groups reiterated that there will be elections into all offices from the ward, local government, state offices to the national offices during the congresses and convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the party Weald retain its zoning formula.

    They urged party supporters to disregard the rumours that elective congresses will be jettisoned in place of a mere filling of the vacancies created by death, appointment and defection to other parties in the Ward, Local Government, State and National Executive Committees(NEC).

    The statement reads “We condemn this evil campaign of calumny and lies as we restate that the aim of the said campaign of disinformation is to  discourage teeming APC supporters from effectively participating in the elective congresses from ward to state levels to disenfranchise many members across the State.

    “They want to prevent members from voting. This is not in the best interest of our party. This is not in the best interest of democratic practices and due process. This is unknown to our extant APC Constitutions and it will not happen in Ondo State.

    “We wish to inform all our loyal and party faithful that the nomination forms for the ward congress scheduled to hold on Saturday had arrived Ondo State APC Secretaria, Akure, on Thursday and all Ward Executive candidates who intend to contest for Ward Executive Committee are enjoyed to obtain their nomination forms from the party secretariat, accordingly.

    “The contention that the upcoming congress is merely to fill vacancies created by death, appointment and defection to other parties in the Ward, Local Government and State Executive Committees is pettifogging, fraudulent, illegal, divisive and runs contrary to the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress 2014 as Amended and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended”.

    The groups maintained that no single individual has the right under the APC 2014 as amended to deny, amend, proscribe the APC members’ democratic right to contest the ward congress election by denying same purchase of nomination form.

    It noted that “Articles 17 and 20 of the APC Constitution 2014 as Amended states that “…all officers of the party elected…into the party organs shall serve in such organs for a period of (4) four years and shall be eligible for re-election”.

    The APC stakeholders alleged that certain party officials in State are hoarding nomination forms from legitimate party members who desire to seek elective positions during the upcoming congress, stressing that the artificial hoarding is unknown to all democratic principles and due process.

    It therefore called on the NWC and the NEC to prevail on the relevant Congress committees to make the nomination forms available to prospective members in the State who are interested in offices at the ward, local government, state and national executive committees.

    Besides, the groups warned against the rumours that certain  groups were planning to truncate the lawful and peaceful conduct of the ward congresses in the 203 wards of the State.

    “Any effort by any individual to impose candidates on the party by intimidation, coercion or violence will be resisted and reported to lawful authority in accordance with the laid down procedures in our party’s Constitution.

    ‘Allegation that only the governor will purchase all nomination forms dispatched to the State from the National Secretariat is undemocratic, the INEC should ensure that open party congress takes place as contained in then party constitution”. The statement stressed.

    The group appreciated the effort being made by security and law enforcement agents to ensure safety of party members during the coming congresses.

  • APC clears Fayemi, Oni, Ojudu, 30 others for Ekiti primaries

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Wednesday that the Minister of Solid Mineral, Kayode Fayemi, former Deputy National Chairman (South)  Engr. Segun Oni and Political Adviser to the President, Senator Babefemi Ojudu and 30 other aspirants have been cleared by the party to participate in this weekend’s governorship primaries of the party.

    Party however assured all the aspirants that it has no preferred candidate for the governorship primary of the party in Ekiti state, assuring all aspirants for the primary that the party was committed to conduct tong a free and fair primary with a level playing field for all.

    Inaugurating the Umaru Tanko Al-Makura led five-member primary election committee, the National Organising Committee, Senator Ostia Izunaso said the APC was poised to win the Ekiti governorship election and charged the committee to ensure a transparent exercise.

    The Ekiti governor primary for the APC is scheduled to hold on May 5 in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    He said the committee should rely on the party’s guidelines for the nomination of candidates for public office, particularly section 14 (iii) which stipulates the composition of the Electoral College/delegates, secret balloting at a venue in the state capital and declaring winner an aspirant with the highest vote.

    “If we conduct a transparent primary, any aspirant that wins will surely become the next governor of Ekiti state. The party has no preferred candidate, there is no such thing in our lexicon. It does not exist. All aspirants are equal until after the election” Izunaso stated.

    The National Organising Secretary who disclosed that the official delegates list has been given to all aspirants said no petition has been received on the list. He said all thirty-three aspirants have been cleared by the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to contest the primaries.

    Izunaso urged the primary election committee to convene a stakeholders meeting with aspirants and party chieftains in the state to agree on modalities for the primaries.

    The Governor of Nasarawa State, H.E. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and Chairman of the Primary Election Committee assured that the committee will do a good job.

    “We thank the Party for considering us worthy to carry out this very critical and important assignment at this point in time. As far as we are concerned, we consider this assignment as a family affair which has to be done in strict conformity with our Party’s guidelines and the constitution. I wish to assure the National Working Committee that by the special Grace of God, we as members of the Ekiti governorship primary will do justice to this exercise.

    “We will ensure free and fair election, conformity and adherence to all the guidelines so that by the time the exercise is over, the Party will become stronger and more cohesive. This will be the beginning of the assurance of our great party to reclaim the mandate in Ekiti state” the Governor said.

    Other members of the primary election committee include: Hon. Magaji Aliyu (Secretary); Mr. Duke Oshodin; Barr. Robert Okwuego and Mr. Tunde Balogun. The appeal committee include: Capt. Bala Jibrin (Secretary) and Mrs. Lilian Obenwa.