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Tag: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)

Nwoye accuses Police of harassing APC members

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye has raised the alarm over the systematic clampdown of the Chieftains and supporters of the APC.

Nwoye who spoke with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Ofianta Polling Unit 002 in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area, alleged that the Police is colluding with ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to compromise the exercise.

According to the APC candidate, who arrived the polling unit shortly after 12 noon, “I am worried about the intimidation of APC supporters by the Police. They having been arresting key APC Chieftains. From the calls I got, Police have been arresting APC Chairmen. In some other cases our supporters have been brutalized by thugs aided by the Police”.

He however commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the preparation and conduct of the election so far, “so far I score INEC 50% but I expect improvement in the areas there are hitches”.

On his chances, he said, “I am optimistic that APC will win the election at the end of the day”.

November 18, 2017
More voters turn out in Obaze’s unit

More voters are turning out in Unit 14 in Ogbaro where People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Oseloka Obaze expected to vote.

An All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) agent Enebeli Augustine said the process has been peaceful.

“I have not seen anyone harassed or intimidated,” he said at about 11am.

A 76-year-old farmer Patrick Ogbune said he voted for his brother Obaze.

“Oseloka is my brother and I want him to win. If he wins, he must make Ogbaru a better place,” he said.

Another voter, Ifeanyichukwu Nzekwe, said Anambra deserves a good leader.

“We want a leader that will bring us out of darkness. Everything has been going on peacefully in the ward,” he said.

November 18, 2017
Live updates of Anambra governorship election

The Anambra guber election took place across the state Saturday and results have started trickling in bits.

The election has been widely described as peaceful with no fewer than 37 candidates including Governor Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) participating.

Below are the election updates:

Counting of votes have started in some polling units where elections commenced on schedule in the Anambra governorship poll.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that voting ended at exactly 2 p.m, and counting of votes immediately commenced in the polling units where accreditation and voting commenced between 8 a.m and 9 a.m on Saturday.

NAN reports that INEC has 4,608 polling units across the 21 local governments areas.

4:30pm: Votes being counted at former Governor Peter Obi’s Agulu ward. APC 5, APGA 40, PDP 145

4:20pm: Bishop of Awka Diocese casting his vote

4:00pm: Sorting and Counting has been concluded at PU04/01/07/013, EKEMEZIE SQUARE, EKWULOBIA II, AGUATA LGA

3:23: Obaze just voted

1:30pm: The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye has raised the alarm over the systematic clampdown of the Chieftains and supporters of the APC.

Nwoye who spoke with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Ofianta Polling Unit 002 in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area, alleged that the Police is colluding with ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to compromise the exercise.

12.40pm: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Henry Oseloka Obaze is yet to vote as the time of filing this report by 12.40pm.

As at 12.30pm, when The Nation called at polling unit 001, Civic Centre, Ward 1, Umuchu, where the governorship candidate of the PPA, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, is registered to vote, voting materials had not arrived and there was no INEC official on ground. Whereas voting started at 11am at the unit next to his.

Ezeemo expressed frustration over this development, saying it is a deliberate attempt to deny his supporters the opportunity to vote.

He said: ”I am not desperate to be governor, but I’m worried about way we are treating ourselves. I’m worried about this nation. The ruling class wants to impoverish this nation.

11: 31: Voting have started according to schedule across most polling stations in the Anambra state, irrespective of threat by proscribed separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Turnout at the various polling units visited by The Nation, was impressive contrary to anticipated low turnout.

At Ofianta polling unit 11 in Anambra East Local Government Area, where the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye, accreditation and voting commenced at about 9.27 am, as against the 8 o’clock takeoff time fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

11:30am: More voters are turning out in Unit 14 in Ogbaro where People Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Oseloka Obaze expected to vote.

An All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) agent Enebeli Augustine said the process has been peaceful.

“I have not seen anyone harassed or intimidated,” he said at about 11am.

11:02am: An elderly man has just been arrested at the Community Primary School Amawbia, sharing money to prospective voters from Ghana must go sack. INEC commissioner Chief Solomon Soyebi who witnessed the incident said he will be dealt with.

Soyebi agreed that the process started slowly but that it has picked up.

10:40am: Voters lined up in ward 8 to cast their votes

10:32: Line up of voters at Aguleri

At a polling unit at Aroma roundabout in Awka. The process is taking off slowly. At 8.20am, they are setting the stage for the election. Few prospective voters standing, waiting for the exercise to kick off.

10:30am: Contrary to expectations, the process has been peaceful so far in the the Awka area. People were initially not the eager to come out and vote., due to fear of violence. The process started late in some polling units, but generally it us proceeding smoothly and peacefully as at 10 30am, but with usual problem of card reader failures. There was a slight commotion at one of the units at Community Primary School, Arabia when electoral officials refused to provide incident forms for people who experienced card reader failures. They said they were waiting for their supervisor to give the go ahead. As a result, people queuing up to vote revolted, because the queue stopped moving.

10:00am: Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano just voted, he said PVC worked but had a glitch with finger print recognition.

9:45am: officials yet to arrive at PU:04/19/05/006 (Obu Okofia, Awa Ward, Orumba North)

9:40am: At Ilodibe Awada Onitsha North LGA Ward 9 PU 003, no INEC officials, no security officers.

9:35: Amawbia 2, Unit 1. Accreditation and voting ongoing peacefully and orderly.

9:30am: INEC officials just drove in

9:28am Ward 2 Udeozor Primary School, Awka South INEC officials are setting up

Update: Voting is yet to start at different polling units visited so far in the capital. At another polling unit near the Secretarial junction at Aroma, the officials are huddled together, fiddling with the card reader. The polling unit is filled with policemen, election monitors and reporters, with only three prospective voters waiting.

8:02am INEC officials ready at Mbosi WARD Ihiala, Polling unit -P S/S 1 009. Polling Officer addressing the scanty crowd to start voting now.

November 18, 2017
2019: APGA factional governorship candidate predicts victory for PDP

The 2015 factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ), Chief Regan Ufomba has predicted a landslide victory for the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in 2019 general election. This is even as he vowed to resign from politics if APGA, his former party scores half of the votes they scored in 2015 come 2019.

Ufomba claimed that APGA lacks the capacity in terms of exposure, experience, wisdom, spread, numbers, men, material, and therefore the required strength to play national politics in defense of the Igbo cause and redefine the naked social inequality in our polity

Ufomba last week decamped to the PDP with his supporters in a rally held at Isiala Ngwa Mini Stadium and was received by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu and other PDP stakeholders in the state.

Ufomba while explaining on his Facebook wall why he rejoined PDP revealed some of the things Ikpeazu told him he (Ikpeazu) would do to improve and better the lots of Abians which includes prioritization, capacity building, intellectual and financial re-engineering, regular payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities, subject to availability of funds.

The post on Ufomba’s Facebook timeline read “Great Friends, characteristically, I did carry you along sufficiently all through the process of our mass resignation from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to the point of rejoining the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“Yesterday, I promised to inform you of my awesome discussion with Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, that would translate into infrastructural and economic revolution in a couple of months. I am happy that contractors are mobilizing back to site already.

“Of interest is our understanding that prioritization, capacity building, intellectual and financial re-engineering is required in this era of dwindling resources.

“Going forward, emphasis will shift to capacity building, regular payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities, subject to availability of funds.

“Ongoing road projects scattered all over the state will be completed, and on time too, especially those in Aba. Mechanized Agriculture, storage and processing of agro-products, youth employment and restructuring of the polity was amply discussed.

“I must admit that APGA, which operates only from a tiny town of Agulu lacks the capacity in terms of exposure, experience, wisdom, spread, numbers, men, material, and therefore the required strength to play national politics in defense of the Igbo cause and redefine the naked social inequality in our polity. Only the PDP can!

“So much is at stake nationally that requires time-tested men like us and time-tested party like the PDP to salvage. It is therefore no time to be selfish in one’s political pursuit or senseless in wisdom or tongue in cheek in our utterances.

“I have read some silly comments and press releases from drowning political nitwits. I must state with emphasis that Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba will not jump into the mud with scavengers. It is their entitlement to mourn over their lost jewel, and cry irresponsibly like the animalistic cock they are, but not insanely mimic the owl or bark like a toothless bulldog as they’re doing right now. I do not envy them either.

“Politics is a game of numbers and not a contestation of madness or beauty or media hype or even ugliness. I am very confident that, even if they were, we shall trash them silly at the polls considering the physical dwarfs, intellectual Lilliput’s and very ugly nauseating half creatures that populate that band of ‘cultural organization’ by whatever name called.

“Take it from me, PDP will win landslide in the 2019 governorship election. I will resign from politics if APGA scores half the vote we scored in 2015 again.”

November 3, 2017
Anambra: Court refuses Agabso’s request to stop Obiano

Factional leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Martin Agbaso has suffered setback in his bid to stop Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State from contesting the November 18 governorship election on the party’s platform.

A Federal High Court in Abuja rejected his prayer for an injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Obiano as APGA’s governorship candidate for the election.

Justice John Tsoho, in an ex-parte ruling on October 25 this year, also declined Agbaso’s prayer for an injucntion restraining Obiano from parading himself as the candidate of APGA for the election.

The Nation sighted a certified true copy of the enrolled order issued by the court based on the ruling.

The ruling was on a motion ex-parte filed On September 28 this year by Agbaso in a suit suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/913/2017.

The suit has Agbaso and APGA as plaintiffs, with INEC and Obiano as defendants.

Agbaso had sought five reliefs in the motion ex-parte, from which the court granted three

The court granted the first, second and fifth reliefs, but rejected the third and fourth refliefs.

The court granted an order abridging time from 30 days to 10 within which the defendants are to enter appearance to defend the suit

It also granted an order of substituted service of copies of court processes on the 2nd defendant (Obiano) through substituted service by publishing them in a national daily and pasting on the walls of Anambra State liaison office in Abuja and the state’s Governor’s lodge.

The third relief granted was an order for accelerated hearing of the suit.

The reliefs declined by the court are:

*An order of injunction restraining the 1st defendant (INEC) from recognising the 2nd defendant as the gubernatorial candidate of the 2nd plaintiff (APGA) in the governorship election of November 18 in Anambra State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

*An order of interim injunction directing the 2nd defendant from parading or representing himself as the gubernatorial candidate of the 2nd plaintiff in the forthcoming election of 18th November 2017 in Anambra State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice

Justice Tsoho adjourned to November 9 for further proceedings in the case.

Agbaso, who claimed to be the authentic leader of the party, is challenging Obiano’s emergence as APGA’s candidate.

October 31, 2017
Anambra best in SDGs projects in Nigeria – Obiano’s aide

Mr Geoffrey Uba, the Senior Special Assistant ( SSA ) to the governor of Anambra on Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), says Anambra is one of the best in the implementation of sustainable development goals projects in Nigeria.

He said the state was also among the best three in the country in terms of security, road networks, economic development, and collaborations with international donor organisations.

Uba in Awka on Monday that Anambra which was listed among the educationally disadvantaged states in the South-East now ranked the first in education.

The governor`s attributed the successes recorded in the state to the well articulate manifesto of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ) and prudent management ability of Gov. Willie Obiano.

Uba, however, dismissed the rating of APGA by some people as a one state party, saying “APGA is a national party.’’

“ Let me emphasize that APGA is a national party. It is not a one state party. We have elected members at the state and national assemblies. In Abuja, we have a mayor of APGA extraction,” he said.

Uba, a chieftain of the party, said that Nigerians should remember that Imo used to be an APGA state before it joined the All Progressives Congress.

He said that the party was proud of the achievements of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra in three and half years.

“APGA has achieved a lot in Anambra state. Anambra used to be ranked as one the backward states in the country.

According to Uba, Gov. Obiano has used the party`s platform to take the state to greater heights and will do more if re-elected on Nov. 18.

“These are the core democracy dividends and Anambra people are very happy and we will demonstrate this happiness on Nov. 18 election.

“Anambra state under Willie Obiano has demonstrated so much passion for the welfare of the people,” the SSA said.

NAN

October 30, 2017
Anambra: Ekwueme, Ezeife, Soludo disagree over APC, APGA, PDP candidates

The November 18, Governorship election in Anambra State, has pitted the former Vice President , Dr Alex Ekwueme against former first Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) , Prof Chukwuma Soludo among others in the old Aguata Union (OAU) political bloc.

While, Ekwueme has endorsed the Governorship candidacy of Mr Oseloka Obaze of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with his daughter Chidi Onyemelukwe as the running mate, Soludo and Ezeife have endorsed Obiano of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

But the youth, led by Emmanuel Agu had championing the candidature of Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA)

Before now, it was celebrated by the APGA faithful that Ekwueme had given his nod for the re-election of Obiano in an interview he granted one Paul Nwosu some month back .

Speaking with the PDP faithful at his Oko country home at the weekend, Ekwueme who delved into memory lane on the formation of the PDP, said Anambra state had a kindred affinity and alliance with the party.

Read Also: 2019 polls: Opposition parties ‘ll get few votes- Wamakko

It was when he received Obaze, the PDP candidate his daughter Onyemelukwe with former Governor Peter Obi among others which attracted an unprecedented crowd.

He said time had come to unseat Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and enthrone a PDP government in Anambra State.

He said APGA was able to saddle the affairs of the state for 12 years because of the protracted crisis in the PDP in the state.

According to the former Vice President,”Anambra State is a PDP state from inception. We shall now continue with PDP. Time has come for us to take away power from APGA”

For Obaze, who commended Ekwueme for his roles in the enthronement of democracy in the country in 1999 assured the people of simultaneous development of the state.

He said his priority would be on education, adding that 26 percent of the state budget would be dedicated to education, while promising scholarship from nursery to Junior secondary school, if voted to power.

However Soludo and Ezeife alongside two former Deputy Governors in the state, Dr Okey Udeh and Chief Emeka Sibeudu, had in meeting of the old Aguata union (OAU) at Amaokpala Orumba North Local Government Area last week, said the people should support Obiano as it was the surest way of the zone getting the Governorship in 2022.

The eminent sons of Aguata said they were tired of producing Deputy Governor everytime which according to them was like a spare tyre, adding that they would never support that idea again saying “enough is enough”

The youths of old Aguata Union (OAU), had tackled the pioneer Governor of Anambra state, Ezeife, Soludo and others over their call to the people of the area to support the second term bid of Governor Willie Obiano.

The leader of the youth, Emmanuel Agu who opposed the meeting held by some members of OAU, said it was natural that the people of the area should support their own in the person of, Mr Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressive People Alliance (PPA)

Agu called on the Aguata leaders to stop such blanket endorsement on behalf of the people of the area, adding that enough is enough.

According to him,” the purported endorsement is an imposition, it is not allowed in a democracy. We refuse to continue in the ignorance of old men in our union, who collect money and sell our collective birth right “

The youth said their reason was not enough as Ezeemo who came from Umuchu community in Aguata, was a member of the union and also gunning for Governorship on the platform of PPA and therefore should be supported by his people.

The old Aguata union comprised of 45 communities and three local government areas in the state.

Meanwhile, majority of the people in the area are equally rooting for the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye.

Some them like Chief Hon. Okonkwo Okom, had faulted the endorsement of Obiano by some of the members of OAU, declaring that the prominent candidates in the Governorship election like Nwoye, Obaze, Ezeemo and Obiano had equal opportunity of emerging victorious during the election.

He noted that what had prompted the blanket endorsement by some the members of the clan was because they were afraid of inroads APC had made in recent times after branding the party with all sorts of names in the past.

October 13, 2017
Appeal Court reinstates Oye as APGA national chairman

The Court of Appeal Siting in Enugu Wednesday upturned the judgement of an Enugu State High Court that sacked Victor Oye as the National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

An Enugu High Court presided over by Justice A.R Ozoemena had ordered the removal of the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Oye and replaced him with Chief Martin Agbaso.

The judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop further dealings with Oye.

The action of the lower court followed a suit by the Secretary of the party in Enugu State, Comrade Mike Alioke, who challenged the continued occupation of Oye in office after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party affirmed his suspension on October 5, last year.

But, delivering judgement on an appeal brought against the judgment of the lower court, the appellate court presided by Justice Abdul Aboki quashed the judgment of the lower court.

The judge declared that the Appeal succeeded in its merit and declared Oye as the authentic chairman.

August 16, 2017
Anambra 2017: Lagos APGA congratulates Obiano on ticket

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Wednesday congratulated Gov. Willy Obiano of Anambra State for picking the party’s ticket for the Nov.18 governorship election in his state.

Mr Kayode Alabi, the party ‘s Chairman in the state, congratulated the governor in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said Obiano’s picking of APGA’s ticket at the party’s primary on Tuesday was a measure of the confidence the party reposed in him to lead the state.

Alabi said Obiano had delivered purposeful leadership in Anambra and so deserved another term to govern the state.

“We at the Lagos chapter of the party congratulate Gov Obiano of Anambra state for winning the party’s governorship ticket in the primary yesterday for the November election.

“The ticket is well deserved, having delivered purposeful leadership in Anambra. We are proud of him and we wish him all the best,” he said.

Alabi said under Obiano, Anambra had witnessed phenomenal development.

He said it was on record that Anambra had been made a state with one of the lowest poverty rates under Obiano.

The party chairman said education had been moved to greater heights in the state under the Obiano administration.

“Also, agriculture also received a boost from him, with the state exporting pumpkin leaf to Europe and America.

“The governor has clearly done well and so deserves a second term,” he said.

Alabi urged the people of Anambra to give Obiano a second term to continue the good work.

August 16, 2017
APGA:1,119 delegates for primaries

No fewer than 1,119 delegates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will take part in the party’s primary election to produce its gubernatorial candidate for the Nov.18 election in Anambra.

Chairman of the party, Dr Victor Oye, made this known at a news conference in Awka on Monday and said that the primaries would hold on Tuesday in Awka.

Oye said the delegates were made up of 150 statutory and 969 elected from the 326 wards of the state.

He said that the election would be in the mode of ‘yes or no’ as only Gov. Willie Obiano purchased the form and met all the criteria.

He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police and other agencies had been informed and would be part of the process.

Oye said that there was no controversy over the leadership of the party as he remained the authentic chairman with the full legitimacy to produce APGA’s candidate for the election.

He blamed the media for fanning the embers of discord in the party, charging them to stick to the ethics of the profession by observing the principles.

“I have never been embattled; my seat has never been vacant or in contention.

“This matter would have been over long ago if the media played their role nobly,” he said.

August 14, 2017