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Tag: Alliance for New Nigeria

  • Peoples Trust ratifies merger with ANN

    THE Peoples Trust (PT) has ratified its merger with another political party, the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).

    It also affirmed the candidature of Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hasim, who had earlier emerged as ANN’s presidential candidate.

    These developments took place at the weekend in Lagos during the PT’s maiden national convention. Delegates at the convention also adopted a name, the Alliance for Peoples Trust (APT), as the new identity for the political platform.

    PT National Secretary Mallam Naseer Kura said the two political parties have formed a strategic alliance to provide a credible alternative for Nigerians during the 2019 elections.

    Kura said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) failed in 16 years to provide a credible leadership and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also reneged on its promises to deliver change in the last three and half years.

    He said there must be paradigm change in leadership, because the country needs people with integrity and capacity and not recycled leaders.

    The National Secretary added: “The APT is committed to offer a credible alternative to render purposeful governance. We have integrity, we have the capacity and by God’s grace, we will win in 2019.”

    Olawepo-Hasim emerged by consensus after the party’s second presidential aspirant, Olufunke Awolowo, a granddaughter of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, stepped down for him.

    Olawepo-Hasim, after receiving the party’s flag, thanked party members for choosing him to be their candidate, saying it reflected the confidence they have in him.

    He said Nigeria needed serious change in leadership to reposition and inspire people to achieve its development goals. The candidate said he has the capacity, the passion and the integrity to deliver the desired change to Nigerians.

    Olawepo Hassim also hailed the APT National Chairman, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), and its founding National Chairman, Dr. J. Osi Samuels, for putting a platform that was out to make Nigeria realise its dream for a better country.

     

     

     

  • Ladan emerges Plateau ANN governorship candidate

    Following its gubernatorial primaries in Plateau State, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has unanimously affirmed Mr. Alex Ladan as it’s governorship candidate in the 2019 general election.

    Addressing delegate in Jos, state Chairman of the party, Mr Senlat Garbaý said, “we are not a crowd in this group, but I can assure you that we are a people with credibility and good quality. Good things come in small packages. ANN is what Nigeria has been waiting for.”

    Ladan who emerged by affirmation observed that Nigeria is desperately in need of good leadership and that is what the party has come to provide.

    Turning to the delegates, Ladan said, “You had the chance to follow the money bags, but you looked beyond your emotions and your lacks, and have come to declare your support for ANN, the party you believe will bring about a New Plateau that we would all believe in; the Plateau that will restore our collective hope.

    “We are like a seed. When you plant it, it yields bountiful harvest, far beyond our dreams. ANN is what we currently need in Plateau and in Nigeria, and we have to work together to achieve it.

    Reeling out his programme in education, health, security amongst other, Ladan said, a mandate for him will be a mandate for a total liberation of Plateau from the siege it is currently in.

    Aside from Ladan that emerged as the governorship ýcandidate, others for the positions of National and State Houses of Assembly also emerged by affirmation.

    Commending the exercise, Garba described it as peaceful and credible, adding that the candidates that emerges are of impeccable characters that will do the state and Nigeria proud.

  • Shock as Olawepo-Hashim pulls out of ANN presidential primaries

    The hitherto upbeat Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) may be witnessing a major crisis of confidence with the withdrawal, yesterday, of its Presidential aspirant and key financier, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, from the presidential race, on grounds of breach of party’s constitutional procedure, in the build-up to its presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday, September 29.

    Olawepo-Hashim, erstwhile favourite to clinch the party’s presidential candidacy slot, said in a letter addressed to the party chairman, that, it is regrettable that the abnormalities he mentioned to the chairman at their Wednesday meeting have not been corrected.

    Dated September 28, the aspirant who has toured a substantial part of the country campaigning for delegates’ support noted that, “The list of delegates has not been provided to me as a Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the ANN. This is contrary to the constitution of the ANN and the Electoral Act. This is such a fundamental flaw as to render any exercise purporting to be presidential primaries to be nugatory.”

    Olawepo-Hashim said it is unfortunate that even on the eve of the so-called primaries, the guidelines, which ought to have been approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) and issued at least seven days before the elections, are not available.

    “The absence of guidelines to guide the conduct of the primaries constitute a grave violation of our party’s Constitution and the Electoral Act,” he said, adding that,  “The arrangements for the Presidential Primaries have not been published so that everyone will know. Who are those to conduct the Primaries, including Accreditation of delegates, Screening of Aspirants etc.? As a Presidential Aspirant, I am yet to know the arrangements put in place for the conduct of the primaries”

    Because of these alleged imperfections, Olawepo-Hashim pulled out of the presidential race.

    “I regret to inform you that I will not participate in tomorrow’s primaries until the constitution of the party is respected and all the defects are rectified,” he said.

     

  • Dan-Musa steps down for Olawepo-Hashim in race to presidency

    The presidential aspiration of frontline contestant on the platform of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, got a boost on Friday as another top contender and veteran of presidential politics, Alhaji Ibrahim Eyitayo Dan-Musa, shelved his ambition in favour of Olawepo-Hashim.

    Olawepo-Hashim, who had earlier emerged victorious as one of the four successful contenders of the fourteen screened by the elders of the Middle Belt Forum about four months ago, was in high spirits on Friday as Dan-Musa described him as a purposeful politician.

    Dan-Musa, in a letter he submitted to the National Chairman of the ANN, Pastor Emma Dania, to intimate him with his decision to withdraw from the race and team up with Olawepo-Hashim, said he consulted with his teeming supporters nationwide before taking the action.

    He said his supporters would be mobilized to ensure that Olawepo-Hashim clinched the presidential ticket of the party, adding that the same effort would be invested in the February 16, 2019 presidential election to ensure his victory.

    Dan-Musa described Olawepo-Hashim as “a proactive politician who understands the dynamics of Nigerian politics. He is a very vibrant youth who has been part of the politics of the forth republic where we had both, as foundation leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, played prominent roles. He was a foundation deputy national publicity secretary of the party.”

    Olawepo-Hashim said Dan-Musa’s decision to withdraw from the race and support him was service to Nigeria and the ANN.
    According to him, “You have not stepped down for me but for Nigeria and our great party. You have made a great contribution to the party. You have demonstrated the spirit that the ANN is made of.

    “This development is very important to me because Alhaji Dan-Musa, a prominent politician and an accomplished entrepreneur, has structures nationwide, which he is deploying in support of our campaign to rescue Nigeria. We will all campaign together and form government together by the grace of God.”

  • Not Too Young to Run: ANN to be managed by youth

    The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) on Tuesday promised to adhere to the recently passed Not Too Young to Run bill by declaring its intent to push for 60% of its offices to be held by youths below 35.

    The national party Chairman, Osi Samuels, said this during an interview at Abuja on Tuesday.

    He also said that the party is interested in creating a new bloc of younger voters and occupants of public office.

    “Our primary target is to engage Nigerians, especially youth, who have not been engaging in politics, or participating in the election process.

    “This portions of Nigerians are in majority. If we attract them to us, we can urge them to register and vote, and even contest in elections.”

    Samuels said that 70% of the party’s members are not only well-learned and experienced, but have also never been involved in any political party before.

    According to him, 90% of the members are ages 30 and below, some of whom were the brains behind the Not Too Young to Rule bill.

    He said that improving the quality of politics and governance in the country is one of their greatest aims.

    “We are proving that Nigerians can own their own party.

    “We will not throw in the towel in despair of the current situation in the country. We can govern and we will determine our fate.”

    The political party, which was officially formed in December 2017, is committed to maintaining internal democracy to check autocracy.

    Samuels said: “We are all equal members.

    “We are owned by ordinary Nigerians. We don’t have an individual owner.

    Read Also: Still on ‘Not too young to run’

    “Our unique selling point is that we are primarily a party of professionals who are tired of the recycling of the same set of leaders for the past 20 or so years.”

    He expressed dismay that the various empty promises made by the present administration has made it difficult for other parties to make promises without being misconstrued as deceptive speech.

    He said that Nigeria lacks visionary leadership as well as the willpower to implement the already existing policies.

    He promised that, given power, ANN would enhance different sectors of the economy, such as security, to boost economic productivity.

    “By enhancing a sector like security, we can support youth entrepreneurs by giving them contracts to import security ware and technologies.

    “This not only improves our security overall, but also provides employment opportunities.”

    Samuels admitted that raising finances for political candidates could pose an obstacle in the path to campaigning and contesting for offices.

    He said that certain groups have approached ANN in order to assist in financially backing these candidates.

    The chairman also made it clear that ANN has not participated in any by-election.

    “We are yet to conduct our national convention wherein our officers will have been duly elected. This will take place by next month.”

  • ‘It’s time for generational shift’

    Fela Durotoye, a motivational speaker, is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN). He spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on his vision, the quest for generational shift and other partisan issues.

    You are known as a public speaker and leadership coach. How does it feel to be a politician?

    I know what it is to be a technotician, which is what we are in the ANN. I don’t know whether I will need to learn what it means to be a politician, but we are technocrats here and technoticians who have a deep understanding of political structures and realities and we also are not just focused on politics and the power of it, but really, the deliverance of good governance for the benefit of the people. So, I know what it means to be a technotician.

    What is your background and professional calling?

    I am professionally, a business management consultant.  My focus is business strategy and my area of specialty is on corporate transformation. I started my professional career in 1992 as an investment manager and consultant with focus on venture capital and project finance. I worked with Ventures and Trusts Limited; that time, it was  the sole investment consultant to the European Investment Bank. Thereafter, I went to an MBA. Then I came back and joined a company called Phillips Consulting. I worked in the Total Quality Management Unit and then, I went on to set up a customer service unit. From Phillips Consulting, I eventually set up my own consulting firm called VIP Consulting and we focus mostly on service delivery, performance management and service culture delivery and that is how companies begin to do culture transformation. So, that is the journey of my professional career. I think that the whole concept of motivational speaker has come from just my natural style of delivery. Even if I’m teaching on business strategy or customer management, people say ‘ I am so inspired’.  The world came to know me more as a motivational speaker because when they see me on public platforms, that is what I am trying to do. To inspire a generation  that is going to believe in Nigeria; to inspire a generation to believe that we can build a new Nigeria; to accept the responsibility to build it and to actually go ahead to do what we can to build it.

    What about your followers. Are they ready to go with you on this journey?

    I believe that many people who have followed me are leaders in their own rights.  I believe that we are  all concerned about the well-being of Nigeria, but most importantly, we share the same values and our passion for good governance and the understanding that we need political parties that are truly free and fair in terms of democratic processes. I didn’t take the decision to come to ANN by myself , it was a collaborative decision after we had evaluated several platforms and we had collectively determined that ANN is the platform.  So, while you see me here, there are many other people, in fact quite a few tens of thousands at the very least who have joined the ANN and will be joining the ANN immediately.

    The general impression is that you are eyeing the presidency in 2019. How true is that?

    I do aspire to serve my nation and I believe that to be able to do the most that I can, it will require that we have the kind of leadership for the nation that I believe I can offer in terms of priority of vision, in terms of a set of clear values that can bring about the kind of behaviour and culture of a new Nigeria.

    More importantly, in terms of the fact that I am someone who has spent the most of my life helping others build their businesses, find their careers, I don’t  know if there is any other platform that will enable me serve the people as well as possible as the presidency. So, I am grateful to Nigerians for their encouragement and if my party, the ANN, gives me the nomination, I will be honoured to serve my people as president.

    Are you led by God to seek the presidency?

    I am a child of God and I think that is the highest calling that anybody can have. As a child of God that is led by the spirit of God to not only share the good news, but the fact that God desires for each and everyone of us to fulfill the mandate for which we are created and to share the good news of salvation unto every man. I am so grateful for the opportunity to constantly share, and I share not only in churches but I share on every platforms, including religious platforms. I have been invited even by people of other faith. The principles of God are quite simple and they apply to all. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have always received to share my faith and the principles that we require to all succeed as God wants to.

    Don’t you think your political involvement will now make you compromise your time-tested principles?

    I believe that the only thing that we hold valuable and most priceless are our values. I share with my team that on this journey, by the grace of God, I will not have to compromise about this. I said if I have to compromise on my values and I lose my values and identity to win an election, then, I have lost everything. And it will be worse still if you compromise on your values and then lost the election because that could be a tragedy. But, I believe very strongly that it is possible for us to hold on to the values that we profess and still be able to win an election because there are more people who value people like me. There are people  of all tribes and societies who want people of integrity to manage the affairs of our country; people who will not steal, people who are faithful in their commitment to their duty, people who hold excellence and professionalism as values. These are people who truly value people like myself. And once people like me step out there and join with other people who are like me but have already gone ahead of me, I believe we will not have to compromise our values to win this election.

    If after the primary you are not chosen by delegates, will you abandon the party?

    Of course not. Especially if the party has and carries out its promise which we have checked out, of truly free and fair democratic elections. It will be my joy to see the best candidate emerge from all the list of aspirants. My commitment is to a new Nigeria, not just an elected office.

  • INEC registers 21 new parties

    INEC registers 21 new parties

    …Sacks three staff for registering Kogi governor twice

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday announced the registration of 21 new political parties in the country.

    The parties are – All Blending Party, All Grassroots Alliance, Alliance for New Nigeria, Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, Coalition for Change, Freedom and Justice Party, Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria and Justice Must Prevail Party.

    Others include: Legacy Party of Nigeria, Mass Action Joint Alliance, Modern Democratic Party, National Interest Party, National Rescue Mission, New Progressives Movement, Nigeria Democratic Congress Party, People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty, People’s Trust, Providence People’s Congress, Re-Build Nigeria Party, Restoration Party of Nigeria and Sustainable National Party.

    This development brings the number of political parties in the country to 67.

    The INEC National Commissioner and member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mrs. May Agbmuche-Mbu,  also disclosed in a statement that the Commission has sacked three of its staff over their alleged role in the double registration of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

    INEC, however,  said it could not take any action against the governor as he still enjoys immunity by virtue of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.