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Tag: All Progressives Congress

  • Is APC doomed?

    Is APC doomed?

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) was barely two years old when it defeated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Remarkably, three years later, both parties are being dismissed as “the wrong horse to ride” in a recent statement from the self-appointed custodian of national conscience.

    Ex-President Obasanjo was an early supporter of APC in 2014. The entire leadership of the new party paid him a courtesy visit at his Abeokuta mansion. Those were good times when the new party was riding on the goodwill of Nigerians against a ruling party which had been abandoned by its first president and party leader. How time changes!

    But no matter his place in Nigerian history, Obasanjo would not have an audience if Nigerians felt that his attack was misplaced whether during the Jonathan presidency or now. Nigerians are intelligent people who would not be goaded into following anyone against their reasonable judgement on any matter. Therefore, the fact that Obasanjo’s press statement has received such a positive reception by a broad segment of the populace should give APC leadership serious heartburn.

    While some PDP stalwarts saw Obasanjo’s statement as an admission of his error in abandoning the party and its candidate in 2015; others, including his daughter who had been a vocal critic of her father pursuant to his letter to Jonathan, stand solidly behind him. And though the ruling party appeared to have been blindsided by the latest salvo from the predictable letter-writer, it has also trodden softly in its response, choosing to highlight some achievements of the government.

    Considering the history of Dr. Obasanjo’s unsolicited interventions and the outcomes of such interventions for various administrations from Shagari to Jonathan, when his missives had provided the fuel that fired the termination of those administrations, it is timely and reasonable to ask the burning question: “is the end of the Buhari presidency in sight and is APC doomed?”

    For those with vested interests, the answer is a categorical “yes”. The man they mischievously or endearingly nickname “Ebora Owu” is an enigma better to avoid. Those who crossed his path are miserable living testimonies. So, the myth goes. In the matter at hand, however, it is better to err on the side of reason. What are the issues?

    The logic of Obasanjo’s complaint centers on good governance, which is accomplishment in, localizing an American jargon, yam and palm oil issues. Specifically, the former president identifies “the lice of poor performance in government” including “poverty, insecurity, poor economic management, nepotism, gross dereliction of duty, condonation of misdeed-if not outright encouragement of it, lack of progress and hope for the future, lack of national cohesion and poor management of internal political dynamics and widening inequality” as the ills which “are very much with us today.”

    Dr. Obasanjo is not isolated voice. His concern about “kinship and friendship that place responsibility for governance in the hands on the unelected” only echoes an earlier complaint of the lady in the other room. His complaint about “poor understanding of internal politics” which “has led to …making the nation more divided” has been a recurring critique of many southerners since the beginning, when many pointed to lopsided appointments. This is also true of the issue of having competent hands in key sectors of the economy and foreign affairs. There has been a deafening chorus of complaints from thought leaders and the public in the last three years.

    Why has the noise not been taken seriously by the presidency? Every president has a coterie of loyalists who tell him about the massive support he enjoys across the land. They were there in Jonathan’s villa. They were responsible for Obasanjo’s term elongation agenda which fell flat on his face. They are professional politicos and court jesters bragging about their grassroots influence. A wise president would see through the fog of lies they feed him and break away from their fatal grip. He will arm himself with credible intelligence about his vulnerabilities. He will not see those who helped him to ascend the throne as rivals to be sidelined. He will not bite the fingers that feed him. I am not too sure that President Buhari has been loyal to his benefactors who would have benefitted him in return with sound advice.

    I do not know if the Buhari presidency is doomed. If it is, it will not be because Obasanjo turned against him. And despite Obasanjo, there is still enough heat from the shining sun to dry the wet laundry on the cloth line. In the matter of the prospect of the ruling party, APC, it unfortunately missed its bearing very early one. Perhaps it may now be getting back its mojo. I start with the party and then the presidency.

    APC was voted for massively as the party of change. It had the goodwill of many Nigerians in 2015. Then, not too long after, the arrogance of power and egoistic pursuit of same set in. Cohesion and collective interest became a slave to self-interest. The highest hierarchy of the party that should root for its overall interest and chart its course succumbed to the cult of personality. The result is mass disenchantment.

    It became quite clear to many of its members and supporters that the party had lost its focus when the National Assembly, where it enjoyed a super majority, voted down a bill for devolution of power, which had featured prominently in its manifesto. Later both the president and the chairman of the party would openly prevaricate on the matter with the chairman suggesting that the priority of the party was for the welfare of Nigerians as if there is any distinctive difference between these issues.

    Now if the party has sincerely returned to its source of strength as the party of change, with the reported recommendations submitted by its committee on true federalism, there is a prospect of change in its fortune. We may cautiously suggest that APC is not doomed if it can now convince Nigerians that it is ready to address the fundamental structure of the country. For when this change is implemented, many other things will follow.

    As for the Buhari presidency, its lifeline now is to accept the recommendations of the committee and take immediate steps to implement them. Should it seek to dither on the recommendations or delay their implementation, then Obasanjo’s wish might just be fulfilled.

    Note that, historically, the former president’s complaints have never targeted the lopsided structure of the country. But this flawed structure has been at the foundation of all the ills: nepotism, corruption, inequality, poverty, and underdevelopment. When power is so concentrated in the center with corresponding resources at the disposal of the federal government, we should not be surprised that all those ills are the co-travelers. Change the structure, beginning with the modest action of devolving power to the states, and the responsibilities shared between the center and the periphery would make a huge difference in the lives of the people.

    Why has Obasanjo now called for the abandonment of both APC and PDP? Without prejudice to his Coalition for Nigeria, with which I have no problem, I would like to hazard a guess. Both APC and PDP have now come to the realization that Nigeria needs to be restructured. PDP organized the last National Conference of 2014 which came up with far reaching recommendations. Now APC is being faithful to its manifesto with recommendations for devolution of power to states. For Obasanjo, both parties are moving in the wrong direction.

    In this matter, the former president is not only against the direction of the two parties. He is also against the expressed preference of a super majority of Nigerians across the six zones. Unless Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria also embraces restructuring early on, I do not see it in the forefront of Nigerian politics anytime soon.

    To the extent that APC moves fast in the matter of restructuring and the Buhari presidency commits to its early and effective implementation, the party will prevail. As for Buhari, since he has not declared his interest, prediction of his fate is premature.

     

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  • Orire: I’m the best man for Ekiti

    Orire: I’m the best man for Ekiti

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State Dr. Bayo Orire, has said he is in the race because he understands the problems confronting the state.

    Describing himself as “the best man for the top job,” Orire explained that Ekiti people needs a governor who lives in their midst, understands their problems and capable of solving them.

    Speaking with our reporter in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, he said he fited into the description, having lived and practised medicine among the people for over 30 years.

    Orire, who is also cleric, said Ekiti people are tired of “half-known people” who always come home whenever elections and near to contest for governorship and disappear thereafter.

    He described himself as a “committed progressive who has all his investment at home and always ready to solve people’s problems.”

    The medical doctor-turned politician said he has the advantage of having the support of party members whom he had assisted at one time or the other in all the 177 wards of the state.

    This, he said, would give him an edge when the APC governorship primary comes up and at the main election if he emerges as his party’s flag bearer.

    Orire said: “I know I am the best among all the aspirants across all the contending parties because Ekiti people want somebody they know, somebody who has been pat of them for years.

    “They are tired of half known people, they are yearning for home-based person who will understand their problems and needs.

    Ekiti people are looking for somebody of character and integrity and somebody who will take care of their needs like he has been doing before.

    “My party, APC, needs  a proven and known progressive who has been stable and invested in the progressives over a long period of time.

    They don’t want an in-and-out, bread-and-butter politician.

    “We want Ekiti to be moulded in the fold of the progressives; Ekiti people want somebody whose programme and agenda will take care of their problems.

    He added: “These are encapsulated in my agenda of massive industrialisation, pervasive agro-allied pursuit and re-enactment of Ekiti spirit of honesty, integrity and virtue.

    “They want somebody who has made a success of his life and who may likely use that as a template to make a success of Ekiti.

    “They don’t want a packaged and branded aspirant again; I am most qualified across board. The talk of the town has been Dr. Orire is the best if they are to choose.

    “They are saying he is the most known, that he is the most acceptable across all divides.”

     

     

  • Power must shift in Gombe, says Muazu

    Power must shift in Gombe, says Muazu

    Gombe State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Alhaji Habu Muazu spoke with reporters in Gombe, the state capital, on his chances of picking the party’s governorship ticket and wining the poll. Excerpts:

    You have started meetings and consultations with party leaders and stakeholders since last year. How would you describe their response?

    So far so good, but I want to make it very clear that I started this meetings and consultations, considering the fact that my party, APC is an opposition party in the state, and there was the need to make the party attractive to attract followers and supporters. The party cannot be attractive without being lively. So I felt the only way we can make our party lively to attract followers is by engaging party leaders, stakeholders and our supporters in series of activities,  because where there is lively activities people will always come.  That was why since early last year, apart from the usual meetings and consultations with party leaders at wards, local governments and state levels I have initiated and sponsor series of activities in collaboration with the party to bring our members together as a deliberate strategy to build and sustain APC in Gombe State. You are aware I recently gave out funds to the party to rent offices in all the electoral wards and local governments to support the reelection bid of Mr. President, we have done some rallies in support of Buhari this is all in a bid to add color and value to our party in the state. We are doing this to motivate our supporters and to give them the assurance that APC is in the state, despite not in government in the state. Politics is all about engaging the people and we cannot succeed as an opposition party without engaging the people and building the party and I thank God the people of Gombe have accepted the party and they are fully ready for change come 2019. I do all my activities in collaboration with the party because I respect party leadership and supremacy. Any aspirant that says he is disengaging himself from the party leadership is not a party man and it a dangerous trend because where you have a governor that doesn’t believe in party supremacy, it would be difficult to pull back such governor when errors are being committed. So, I subscribe to party leadership.

    These activities involve money. People are saying you have a lot of money and that’s why you started your campaign very early…

    Is not about having money but is all about sacrifice, like I told you earlier is not all about me but about building a viable party, my aspiration is secondary I cannot achieve my dreams and aspiration without having a strong platform therefore we must first of all be willing to sacrifice in building and uniting our great party in the state before we start talking of our aspiration. If is about money I am sure and you know that there are people that are also eyeing the governorship that are far richer than me. I am doing this not because I am desperate to be a governor or because I am rich, but because I believed in the vision of President Mohammadu Buhari and the APC. That is why during my meetings and consultations with party leaders I always advised them to beware of politicians that will come at the rush hour to woo them with money because if they collect such monies they are mortgaging their future and that of their children. I encourage them to assess the political antecedents of all contestants, considering their contributions to the society, humanity and the development of the party before making the decision on whom to support or vote for.

    Go and ask those that know me. They will testify to the fact that I am not doing this because I want to contest election, I am a true politician and a grassroots mobilizer, I have been accommodative and a giver right from my childhood is something that I inherited and you cannot take that away from me. Is not about having a lot of money, you can have a little and decide to share to touch lives and you can have plenty and decide to keep it to yourself, for me as a politician I value people and I care for their needs, that is why every time you come to my house you see people and I always reach out to them. That is why I do all my activities openly, I don’t wait until in the night then I call some few people and we close ourselves in a room in the name of political meetings. Politics is for the people and not a cult for a selected few. You can testify anywhere I go I engage the people and I invite the press to even cover it live, so that everyone will know what we are doing and they can ask us question.

    We have no fewer than 10 people aspiring to be next governor of Gombe State. What gives you the confidence that you will secure the APC ticket?

    Even if in the APC we have 100 aspirants, there will just be one governor. And why do we have the majo rity of the aspirants are in APC? It is because it is the platform that offers an alternative. For me, there are only two parties that can present candidates in Gombe State and they are the PDP and the APC. The PDP is shut. And why do I say so? It is because whoever will run on the platform of the PDP must have the backing of the present governor, except we are deceiving ourselves. The only platform that is open is the APC. So, you have people coming to it. My duty is to sell myself to the delegates that I have what it takes to win victory for the party.

    What do you consider as your selling points?

    Like I said earlier, I am in the APC not because of any personal gains, but because I believe in the vision and ideology of President Mohammadu Buhari, which I have always subscribed to. As a team player, I will run an all inclusive government by engaging the leadership of the party. We shall run a transparent government geared towards touching the lives of people at all level as an experience politician that has been on ground I know our people and I understand their problems more than any other aspirants. Because of my philanthropic gesture, I have initiated projects and assisted in executing projects in all the 114 electoral wards across the state, and there is no polling unit in the state that you will not meet two or more persons that know me personally. Why? Because I am touching the lives of families by giving out scholarships, buying SSCE, NECO and JAMB forms to students, apart from settling medical bills of persons that I don’t even know. And I have been doing this long before thinking of aspiring for governorship.

    Go out and investigate among all those aspiring. I am the most accessible. I have a cordial relationship with the traditional institution. I respect them and they see me as one of there own. I have a very cordial relationship with religious leaders and groups, both Christian and Muslims, that is why whenever you come to my house you see both Christian and Muslims eating together without any form of discrimination and I always tell my supporters not to antagonise or discriminate each other because of ethnicity or religion, I am working  towards uniting our party supporters not dividing them, we don’t need to bring divisive factors to destroy our party because of political competition. I have done a lot to the society that is enough to sell me to the electorates, but that is not to say that I am completely perfect but if you are to rate me with other contestants I think I can stand tall to say I am the most outstanding.

    Why do you think you can win the primary?

    I am a dogged fighter, very courageous. As a young man, I am not scared of challenges because I believe in myself. That is why I am not afraid of investing in developing the party. I am from a  respected royal family. You ask people who have interacted with me as a politician; they will tell you, I am a straightforward person and I am very honest and caring. I have also gone round the state and I don’t know any aspirant that is not taking Habu Muazu serious. I don’t need to disclose the steps I am taking to get my party ticket the most important thing is that no one can deny the fact that I am on ground and fully ready for the contest, I am not the type of politician that only show face during elections and disappear immediately after election. I am a complete politician not afraid of any form of challenges so I am ready for the contest with God on my side and with the support of the people, we shall surely be victorious. Like I mentioned earlier, my duty is to sale myself to the delegates and convinced them that I have what it takes to win victory for the party.

  • 2019: APC pledges to provide credible leadership in Ebonyi

    2019: APC pledges to provide credible leadership in Ebonyi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), says it will provide credible and people-oriented leadership in Ebonyi, if the party produces the governor in the 2019 general elections.

    Mr Eze Nwachukwu, the acting state chairman of the party, stated this on Thursday in Abakaliki, at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat.

    He said that APC would right the wrongs in the state if elected in the forthcoming 2019 governorship poll.

    Nwachukwu said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led administration of Gov. Dave Umah, had failed to deliver good governance and credible leadership .

    “We will provide credible, qualitative and people -oriented leadership, anchored on good governance and rule of law.

    “We will right the wrongs in Ebonyi when our party takes the mantle of leadership of the state and we pledge not to fail our people.

    “We assure party faithful and residents of Ebonyi , APC remains focused and committed to peaceful, violence free and credible elections in 2019 in Ebonyi.

    “Our party is the most vibrant opposition party and is poised to take over power from the ruling PDP, ” Nwachukwu said.

    He said , the party has the highest population of registered members in the state, and that APC would translate its numerical strength to electoral victory in the forthcoming general elections.

    ” If elections are conducted right now in Ebonyi and all our party members voted for the party, we are sure to win with a landslide”.

    He announced, the national secretariat of the party had approved voter sensitisation rallies for Ebonyi, to sensitise the people on the need to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

    “In line with the directive from the national headquarters of our party, APC in Ebonyi will commence a tour rally of the 13 local government areas of the state to mobilise, educate, and sensitise eligible voters on the need to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.

    Read Also: APC’s report on restructuring a ruse – PDP

    “Registration and collection of the voter cards is the only qualification to vote in the elections; any eligible voter without his or her voter card will have no business at the polling booths during election, ” he added.

    Nwachukwu urged party faithful and APC supporters to ensure that they effectively participate in the CVR exercise and other vital electoral processes.

    He advised the electorate against selling their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and urged them to report those who would engage in the illicit selling and buying of PVCs to the Police.

    “It is a criminal offence to engage in selling or buying of voter cards and you must report those found to indulge in such illicit transactions.

    “Your voter card is your property and the only right you have as a citizen to freely exercise your voting rights to elect your political representatives, selling it means automatic disenfranchisement.

    “There is no rule in the civil service that requires your voter card for employment or empowerment and no bank will require you to submit your voter card to give you loan.

    “You must resist any attempt that will make them disenfranchise you and stop you from exercising your civic right in 2019, ” he said.

    The news also reports,  the party distributed 22 brand new vulcanising machines donated by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, to assist indigent party members who trained in vulcanising.

    NAN

  • NGO advocates for creation of state police, prison

    NGO advocates for creation of state police, prison

    Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE-Nigeria), a human rights and justice reform NGO, has called for the creation of state police and prisons in the country.

    Mr Sylvester Uhaa, the Executive Director of the organisation made the call in an interview with the Reporter on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the call was in support of the recommendation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) panel on restructuring led by Gov. Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna State on devolution of powers to states.

    Uhaa said the creation of state police and prisons would help to strengthen the security situation of the country, particularly now that the country was undergoing security threats.

    ”We support state police because we believe it will lead to better performance of the police and to a more accountable, lawful and responsible force, to increase security and protection of lives and property.

    ”Experiences from the recent events around the country point to the reality that the current federal police is deficient and incapable of maintaining law and order and guarantee the protection of lives and property in Nigeria,” he said.

    According to him, the situation is similar with that of the prisons since the majority of the prison inmates in states are  indigenes of those states.

    Read Also: 2019: NGOs  back Buhari as Obasanjo’s coalition lands

    He said most of the prison inmates in states were in the prison for breach or alleged violation of the state offences.

    The executive director said state governments had shown little or no interest in the prison reforms which had resulted to the deteriorating conditions of prisons in the country.

    “For example, 98 per cent of inmates in the Medium Security Prison, Makurdi are indigenes of Benue but the state does little to achieve prison reform which is true of other states across the country,’’ he said.

    Uhaa said creation of state prisons would impose an obligation on the states to reform the criminal justice system and would ensure that the police did their work efficiently.

    He said that this would allow the judiciary to perform optimally where innocent persons would not be held in the prison for years without trial.

    According to him, no state will want to spend it resources feeding innocent people in the prison, who should have been feeding themselves, adding value to the society and economic growth of the state.

    NAN

  • ‘Restructuring will distract Buhari’

    For those agitating for restructuring, a group under the auspices of Buhari Votes Guard and Awareness (BVGA), has said  the development will distract President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Restructuring, BVGA said, will also consume huge amount of money needed to tackle the unfortunate killings in some states.

    Briefing reporters on the state of the nation in Abuja, National Coordinator of BVGA,  Kailani Muhammad, said Buhari was committed to the unity of the country.

    Muhammad, who was part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dignitaries President Buhari hosted at the Presidential Villa last week, said: “Notwithstanding the decisive demarcation of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, for example, security challenges such as kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes, recent killings in some states and others are issues that Mr. President is talking head-long. For the country to be restructured as is being agitated would seem a distraction and will consume huge amount of money that is needed to tackle these challenges. Fortunately, our security agencies are doing their best to sort out these issues of security breaches by criminals.

    “Many agitators and critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on restructuring of the country seem to miss the point he was making. It would seem more Nigerians are truly more concerned about the structure rather than the process. The president has said severally that he has kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “restructuring”, and opined that no human law or edifice is perfect.

    “President Buhari has repeatedly assured Nigerians that his administration would continue to be ever receptive to ideas which would improve governance and contribute to the country’s peace, stability and change for the better. Because of his commitment to nation building, our nation is witnessing a new and impressive turnaround in our security and socio-economic situation. Government said there is going to be a summit on security. Government you can see is not resting on its oars. The security agencies are now working round the clock to see that they ensure peace in the country. There is no society that has no security challenges even in the United States of America. The government here is trying to do its best. The security challenges were carried over from last administration.

    “On the re-election of the president in 2019, the BVGA boss said: “Buhari is our best candidate and he should run for continuity. We do not have any strong candidate. Last Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari called upon us for a special dinner. He called his strong supporters and I was one of them. The president is fit, he has integrity. Corruption is fighting back. And since the masses are the ones that are saying that Buhari should seek re-election in 2019 I do not think that it is fair for anyone to say otherwise. Those telling Buhari to quit are enemies of Nigeria who do not mean well for the country. We should support the president to complete his first four years and still give him another four years for continuity. The issue of fuel scarcity is sabotage. We must live as one Nigeria. Some people are trying to destabilise the government before 2019. This country belongs to all of us.”

     

  • ‘APC still strong in Niger State’

    ‘APC still strong in Niger State’

     Imam Jibril is the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Chairman in Niger State. In this interview with Justina Asishana, the ruling party boss said contrary to rumors of mass defection of members to other parties, no genuine member of the APC in the state left the party for any other party. He added that the ruling party is intact and still very strong in Niger State.

    IS it true that over a thousand members of your party, the APC in Mashegu and Agaie areas defected to PDP?

    This is the second time a propaganda like this is occurring. You know we are in a propaganda period now. I can confidently tell you that APC members across Niger state are intact,  even those in Mashegu and Kontagora. When I read it in the papers, I saw that they received the defectors in a secondary school which is one of the schools renovated by this administration as part of its whole school renovation  approach. The so called defectors would have seen the school building and that alone would have told them that our party is working. Incidentally,  Mashegu is one of our strongholds and we have invested heavily there. Also, the council chairman is working hard in the council. Due to their achievements and what they have contributed in terms of infrastructural development in the local government, the people are happy. So for them to say we did not do anything, so that is why people are defecting is a lie. No single person defected from APC and I challenge them to bring names. The names of the people we saw in the report were strange names. In fact,  PDP does not have a structure in the whole local government, that is why they received the defectors in a secondary school. Why didn’t they receive them in their party office? The same goes for Kontagora, that was just another lie in order for the party to get popularity. If you are receiving defectors, the state Chairman is suppose to be there to, at least,  give credence to their claim. But they didn’t even mention the name of the local government party chairman. They only mentioned the person that spoke on their behalf. So the so-called defection ceremony was false. It lacks details because all those that were supposed to make it credible were not there.

    But why do you think the opposition is making all these claims of defection across the state?

    The opposition have lost hope in Niger state. For a party that ruled the state for 16 years to be churning out lies is a sign of hopelessness. They did not achieve much while in power. Even when they were in government, they never received any defector from the opposition, so how come now that they are not in government, people are defecting from a ruling party to join them? This should make you know that such news is fake as we have verified.

    What are you doing to keep your members intact?

    We have a lot of programmes for our people. APC is known as a constitutional party. We are waiting for the ban on campaign to be lifted for us to roll out our activities. However,  at the wards,  activities are going on. In fact,  the APC have been very active in all the wards and the polling units across the state.  Incidentally, it is only APC that have polling unit executives in Niger State. You will be surprised that our population is well over 500,000. Our party is very strong in the state. So for the opposition to say 1000 of our members defected is false. 1000 is not a small number that you will receive them in a school. If the number is that large, I expected the state PDP Chairman to be there because 1000 is a big number. We take it as a political gimmick because our members are still intact. They should give us at least the names of 10 people who defected, ten members of APC.

    So the PDP is no threat to APC in Niger state?

    In politics, you don’t say anybody can’t pose a threat to you but the way they are going about it, they are seeking to gain cheap popularity and that is not the way to go about it. They should come for tutelage from those of us who have been in opposition for more than 30 years. Every political party have its own strength. However, our own strength is much more than theirs. If you have 40,000 executives  to follow you and your opposition have zero, you will know our strength is stronger than theirs. If each of these 40,000 can bring 10 people each, that means we already have 400,000, so we are way ahead of them. It is simple arithmetic; their strength technically is weakened. We have more than 40,000 polling unit executives with records and database. If these executives  can vouch for at least 5 people, that means we already have 200,000 votes and if they can vouch for 10 each,  then it means we have 400,000. The party is rooted in the polling unit. That is how we know our strength, compared to a party that has zero polling unit executive.

    Are you insisting none of your party members left for the PDP?

    None. Instead,  we are receiving a lot of decamps from the PDP and very soon, we are going to prove that. Not in the manner PDP did. We are going to prove to the whole world that PDP members are decamping en-masse into the APC in Niger state. We are not going to rush about it, when the time comes, we are going to make it happen. I can assure you that no single member of APC have decamped to PDP, not to our knowledge. Somebody can be sitting on the fence and calls himself a part member while he is not. Membership is different from supporting a party. That is the mistake people are making. Not everybody is a party member. Supporters can change direction anytime and any day. They have no stake in the party but a member is one that is registered and has cards to prove he is a member. You cannot go and bring people from the garage and claim they are APC members. The fact that a supporter no longer supports the party does not mean that we have lost our members. We want the PDP to give us 10 names of our members that defected and we will crosscheck it in our database. The public need to know the difference between the supporter and member. A supporter can be sympathetic to your cause but he is not registered. So when you say 1000 members defected in Mashegu, we should feel the impact.

    What are your plans to further strengthen your party ahead of the 2019 general elections?

    We are empowering the local government councils. We just distributed some vehicles to kick start familarization within the local governments. They will start going from ward to ward to educate the people about government programmes. We may not have done it the way the people want because of lean resources, but now, we are trying to gather information on what they need. Where we have deficiency, we will correct it and where we have done well, we will applaud ourselves. Those are the things we are doing now. When the ban on politics is lifted , we will start our campaigns.

  • Pray for peace, APC urges Osun citizens

    Pray for peace, APC urges Osun citizens

    The chairman of All Progressives Congress in the state of Osun Prince Gboyega Famodun has urged the people of the state to fast and pray tomorrow, so that God will prevent any incident to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the state as people proceed to vote to elect their councillors into local governments  (LGs) and LCDAs in the state.

    The appeal from the chairman is coming less than 24 hours before the scheduled council polls, which comes up tomorrow.

    The APC is asking everybody to join hands in prayer that those who may wish to cause trouble tomorrow should have a change of heart and allow peace to reign because it is in the interest of everbody that there should be no violence.

    In a statement issued from the party secretariat in Osogbo on Friday, the APC chairman warned those who may be contemplating violence that they will have the law to contend with. And it may not be a very pleasant experience.

    Prince Famodun emphasised that political engagement should not turn violent because politics is about winning the hearts and minds of the people and not about breaking people’s heads and limbs to get to power.

  • Don’t declare ex-Speaker’s seat vacant, Abia APC warns

    The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that any attempt to declare the seat of former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Martins Azubuike vacant by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not be accepted.

    Hon. Azubuike, former member of the PDP representing Isiala Ngwa North was among the four members of the Assembly who defected to the APC during its mega rally held at the Umuahia Township Stadium on January 9.

    Others who also defected were Hon Ikedi Ezekwesiri (APGA), Umunneochi; Hon Solomon Chibuzo Okogbue (APGA) Bende South and Hon Theophilius Ugboaja Ikwuano State Constituency.

    Speaking over the alleged surreptitious move by the PDP that is in the majority to declare the seat of the former Speaker vacant, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Comrade Benedict Godson said the era of impunity was over, stressing that any attempt to declare the seat of the former Speaker vacant under any guise would be seen as a declaration of war on APC which will resist such.

    Questioning the rationale behind the PDP’s move against Hon Azubuike, Godson said last year, about four members of APGA in the House defected to the PDP and they were received with pump, wondering why the people that were happy when other members decamped to their party should now tinker with the idea of declaring the seat of their former member vacant because he left for another party.

    “If the PDP thinks that APC in Abia is quiet over the years in the face of what have been happening was a sign of weakness, it is making a mistake. The former Speaker, Hon Azubuike is a bona fide member of APC and we are solidly behind him and nothing will happen to his seat.

    “We are sounding this note of warning that any attempt to declare his seat vacant would be seen not only as a declaration of war on his person and constituents at Isiala Ngwa North, but also on APC as a party and this will be stoutly resisted.

    “Since 2015, we’ve seen over 200 defections of members from the National Assembly and states’ Houses of Assembly and the seat of none of them was not declared vacant and that of the former Speaker should not be an exception”, Godson said.

    He advised Hon. Azubuike to go about his legislative duties without fear of any intimidation or harassment, assuring that APC will always give him the necessary backing.

  • PDP chieftain Lado defects to APC in Kano

    PDP chieftain Lado defects to APC in Kano

    Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman from Kogi State hails the decision of Senator Basheer Lado to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State and urges others of like-mind to team up with the ruling party to achieve the vision of a better Nigeria.

    He belonged to the 12 original senators who were the pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) arrowheads that started the APC movement in the 7th Senate, clearly a tricky project at the period. Some of the senators in that group of 12 include Senators Bukola Saraki, now Senate President Muhammad Bindow Jubrilla (now Adamawa State Governor), Shaba Lafiagi, Abdullahi Adamu, Aisha Alhassan (current Women A8ffairs Minister), Danjuma Goje, Ibrahim Musa, Ibrahim Gobir, Dahiru Tambuwal, Bello Tukur, and of course Basheer Garba Lado. Senator Magnus Abe was like the spokesperson and the face of this group of 12.

    The then Senate leadership under Senator David Mark being not too comfortable with the idea of PDP Senators fronting the emergence of APC in the senate chamber dangled a subtle threat of declaring their seats vacant. This was aimed at dissuading them from pursing their association with the new political party, APC. Prior to that time, there was an unwritten policy in APC  to handover the party structures to defecting Governors of those states. These states were Rivers, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kwara and Kano.

    Indeed in Kano,  the APC structure was handed over to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who was  rounding up his tenure as Kano Governor and had just lost in the APC presidential primaries clearly had his eyes set on the Kano Central Senate ticket. At this point, Senator Lado being a canny and discerning mind, held back in the PDP in other to be able to pursue his ambition of a return to the Senate.

    Of course, Lado couldn’t have been accurately described as lacking ambition. He simply bidded his time. This stern forbearance was inspired by the compelling vision and discipline of his political model, late Northern sage, Mallam Aminu Kano. This encapsulates the substance and measure of the man.

    He simply demonstrated that in history, men are defined by how astutely they manage and direct the energy of ambition. Senator Basheer Lado, close friend, businessman, notable philanthropist and politician who ably represented Kano Central Senatorial District in the 7th Senate is indeed no less a child of providence as a man destiny has prepared for leadership and service. With 15 LGAs, Kano Central Senatorial Zone is the largest in the country and bigger than many states.

    Basheer, following his reading of the nation’s and Kano State’s political barometers and after extensive, painstaking consultations with critical stakeholders in his turf as he is wont, he has come to the conclusion that the time for a strategic shift in his political station is now. This important decision has set the stage for his imminent declaration for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), from the opposition PDP. Folks who know him as close as I do, can easily confirm he does not change his positions on important issues lightly.

    It’s then little wonder that in his home base Kano, critical political stakeholders are sitting up and keenly following the developing trend. A restrained excitement is building up in the politics of the whole city of Kano.

    Although I hail from Okene, Kogi State and represented Kogi Central in the 7th National Assembly, I was actually born at the Nassarawa Hospital Kano. I attended St. Louis Primary School Kano, grew up in Fagge, Sani Ungogo Road, Kano and have spent most of my life in Kano.

    As I write, some of my siblings are married and still live in Kano. Senator Lado has been a close friend over the years and my insight into his strength and vision of life derive from this close association. My family home is in Lado’s constituency of Kano. Besides my relationship with him in the Senate, I actually consider myself his constituent.

    In Kano, a place where the level of political awareness and participation ranks highest in Northern Nigeria, political stakeholders and interestingly, the masses, recognize quality and pedigree. Almost in equal measure, they are impatient with mediocrity and incompetence. The script that confers this outstanding status on Kano was largely inspired by the late Mallam Aminu Kano the formidable advocate of Talakawa politics  and incidentally, Senator Lado’s political model.

    As colleagues in the 7th Senate and as rookie Senators I readily recall asking him how he managed to influence and fund such a project as the N2.5billion Kano flyover, popularly known as Gadan Lado. He also influenced the N14.5billion Kano-Katsina road dualisation as his constituency project.

    In a political arena where numbers represent its defining feature, to pull in over 116,000 followers from one party into any political family is no mean feat. This essentially will redefine the political equation  significantly in Kano politics. But then Senator Lado has the pedigree and track record to deliver this powerful political statement and more.

    Lado defeated former Reps Speaker, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’abba in the primary that cleared the way for him to contest and win  in Kano Central, founded the ‘Ladon Alheri Foundation.’ Through this platform, he has committed a lot of time and funds to impactful philanthropy which has touched and changed many lives – from quality interventions in the health arena to education and more.

    As Kano awaits the January 27 date of Senator Lado’s declaration for APC with over 116,000 loyalists, the emerging consensus is that a major youthful force who believes in a just, united Nigeria has indeed emerged. This is hardly debatable. I want to use this opportunity to congratulate him in advance and welcome him to the progressives’ fold where I believe, he truly belongs. Welcome my friend and brother to the APC home.