The Nation Newspaper

Tag: APC chiefs

  • Adebule, APC chiefs strategise for Sanwo-Olu’s victory

    Ahead of the Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule and All Progressive Congress leaders in Ojo Local Government Area yesterday strategised for the victory of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates in the poll.

    The leaders lamented the turnout of voters in last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls in the area, stressing that everything would be put in place to ensure a better outcome in the forthcoming coming elections.

    Rising from an emergency Stakeholders Meeting at Iba to review the result of the last elections, Adebule who met with the APC stalwarts comprising G39, party executive, representatives of market men and women, APC Youths, appealed to stakeholders in the area to work for the success of the party in the Saturday poll.

    She urged the people to consider the future of their children and the development of their communities above other selfish interest while making political decisions.

    She told reporters that all the stakeholders have resolved to forge ahead and work harder and ensure that they deliver all the polling units in the areas to the party’s candidates

    She said: “We are now going back to the drawing board because, we don’t want to make the same mistake we made in the last elections, our people did not come out as expected which gave our opposition an upper hand. One thing that I am very positive about is that we have now put measures in place to ensure that come, March 9, we will not be found wanting again.

    “The next elections are very important to the development of our state and our people too, so we are determined as a people that all our candidates will receive massive votes form our zone by the grace of God.”

    The deputy governor, while commending INEC for doing a good job in the last Saturday elections adjudged to be free, fair and credible by various observers that monitored the exercise, urged them to work harder and ensure that other technical areas like the card readers and other machines for the elections work perfectly so as to further build public confidence and trust in their efforts.

    Former member of the House of Representatives Cornelius Ojelabi noted that Ojo area had not in the recent times recorded such unimpressive performance in any national or state elections, citing anti- party activities, disloyalty and poor turnout of members as some of the reasons the ruling  party underperformed in the elections.

    “Let me warn us that our outing last Saturday has negative consequences on us, remember this is the council that produces the current deputy governor. We have members in the House of Assembly, all our council chairmen are APC, we should not betray the confidence reposed in us by the leadership of our great party at the state level. I am confident that we can do it again. We only need to retrace our steps and rededicate our commitment to our party. Let’s ensure that on Saturday, we all come out in large number, put the problem of last week Saturday behind us and ensure that we deliver all our polling Units, Wards and the entire council areas to our party,” he said.

    He urged them to give them massive votes so as to guarantee victory of the remaining APC candidates in the rescheduled National Assembly elections.

    While pledging the support of the Igbo community to the party in the next elections, Coordinator of the Southsouth Lagos West Senatorial District, Chief Amos Napoleon, said it was the joint resolution of all the people of the region to vote for the APC.

    Lagos State government, he said, did not discriminate in the provision of infrastructures in the state, adding “there is free primary and secondary education for all and sundry irrespective of language or tribe and largely, there is peaceful co habitation with every Igbo sons and daughters in the state.”

  • OKOROCHA locks out OSHIOMHOLE, Imo APC Chiefs from stadium

    NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State were yesterday locked in a fresh spat after the state government allegedly denied APC the use of Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri for the flag-off of its governorship election campaign.

    Oshiomhole branded the governor’s action anti-party and derided his style of governance. Although Okorocha is an APC member, he is vehemently opposed to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, whose election he has threatened to work against. The governor, who is supporting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, for the governorship race on the platform of Action Alliance (AA), fired back at Oshiomhole, dismissing the allegation that he denied Uzodinma the use of the stadium as untrue, adding that only Oshiohole could believe it. Okorocha and members of the state cabinet boycotted yesterday’s campaign of APC.

    Oshiomhole said: “For the workers who no longer know what a pay day looks like, I bring a message of hope. “When a governor will look at the face of his people and say there is money to do other things but no money to pay those who are working for the government. “I bring a message of hope that appointments into your government will be made on merit and not on family connection. “I bring a message of hope that when we talk of happiness, we will not domesticate it in the hands of a sister; that the happiness of the great people of Imo State will be the primary purpose of government under Senator Hope Uzodinma. “I bring you a message of hope that in constructing buildings and building roads, they will be based on due process. “One contract will not be awarded to three people. If it must be awarded, it must not be awarded to in-laws; it will be awarded to genuine business men and women of Imo State.

    “I bring you hope that never again will your governor look at your leaders and abuse them because democracy is about people. “I bring you a message of hope that never again shall we govern on the basis of family connection: whether you know somebody or you don’t know somebody; you married from me, I didn’t marry from you; that shall not be the basis of winning the next election. “I bring you a message of hope that your money will be used to develop Imo land. “And through you, I bring a message of hope to the traditional rulers; that they will be able to preside over their domains without being intimidated by the governor. “I bring you a message of hope that from now on, we will govern in a way that will leave no man in doubt that democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people.

    “I want to assure those workers who have been lamenting, those families whose husbands have not been paid for six months to nine months, and I want to assure those pensioners that the bailout money which President Buhari gave to governors, including the governor of Imo State, that was not used for the purpose, that money will be retrieved and our pensioners will smile again.  “Never again will a governor of this state look at you in the face and say that your salary depends on when he wants and not when it is due. “Never again will someone use your money to print posters with a President Obama when he is doing the opposite of Obama. “I bring you assurances of hope that you are going to have a governor who will lead you by the power of personal example. “Let me say it without fear of contradiction that those who are printing President Muhammadu Buhari’s posters, putting his face and their own faces because their faces are unknown, their party is unknown and they will put Buhari’s face and put the logo of an unknown party, those ones are fake.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has APC as his party. He is our presidential candidate. President Muhammadu Buhari believes in and has adopted Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC governorship candidate. “We want real democrats that will accept the will of the people. How can you explain that an APC governor will deny an APC candidate the use of the stadium that is built with tax payers’ money from Imo State?” Switching to pidgin English, Oshiomhole continued: “I hear say yesterday he talk am say he no wan give stadium because when he dey contest against (former governor Ikedi) Ohakim, he talk say Ohakim no give am stadium. So, he too go copy Ohakim. I say e good oh! If you copy who fail exam, you too you never fail? If you copy who fail exam, what will you get? He who copy failure will find failure awaiting him.”

    In a swift reaction to Oshiomhole’s allegation, Okorocha, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “For those who know Chief Hope Uzodinma very well, they won’t be surprised that he could come up with this false claim on the issue. Only men like Adams Oshiomhole would believe him. “Since Governor Rochas Okorocha became governor in 2011, the Dan Anyiam Stadium has always been made available for all the political parties and candidates to use, not minding the political affiliations.

    “The Stadium is the property of Imo people and Chief Uzodinma would not have been denied the opportunity of using the facility for the flag-off of his campaign if he had asked or applied for it. “He never applied to use the stadium, especially when a press release had been issued days before the flag-off of his campaign that the governor had directed that the stadium should be released free to political parties and candidates who would like to use it for their rallies or for other political activities. “As usual, Chief Uzodinma wanted to use the stadium issue to blackmail the governor and to continue to deceive men like Oshiomhole.

    “The truth is that Chief Hope Uzodinma cannot raise up to one thousand people, talk more (sic) raising a crowd that would fill the stadium. “He does not have the capacity. He knows his handicaps. Where would Chief Uzodinma get the crowd to fill the Stadium? “Last time, he published a crowd of an event that took place in the north as the crowd that graced his rally when he was named the candidate of the party. And Senator Araraume’s men also used the picture of the same crowd. We exposed them on that. “Men and women of goodwill should ignore Chief Uzodinma’s claim for who he is.”

  • APC chiefs write Ajimobi over caretaker chair

    APC chiefs write Ajimobi over caretaker chair

    Chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the newly created Lagelu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Oyo State are protesting last Friday’s swearing-in of Abiodun Oladeji as the council’s caretaker committee chairman.
    In Oladeji’s stead, leaders, youths and members of the party called for immediate swearing-in of Akeem Aransi (aka Arolak), who was screened and confirmed by the House of Assembly.
    As at yesterday, the police command and the command of the Department of State Services (DSS) had been called in to intervene in the crisis.
    A protest letter, titled: Self-appointment of Oladeji Abiodun Peter as caretaker chairman of Lagelu West LCDA, and addressed to Governor Abiola Ajimobi by concerned leaders of the party in the area, queried why Oladeji was screened and sworn in instead of Aransi.
    Signatories to the letter are: Chief Lokun Olaitan, Kehinde Olajire, Oyesola Olusola, Musa Akinsola, Bode James, Gbenga Oladejo and Adeleke Olalere and Alhaji A. Adeleke.
    Hailing Ajimobi for finding Aransi worthy of the position by sending his name to the House of Assembly for screening ab inito, the APC chiefs also thanked him for wading into the matter “with a view of righting the wrong perpetrated by a chieftain of the party in the council area”.
    The letter added: “We are, by this letter, appealing to your Excellency to order that the authentic candidate, whose name was sent to the House of Assembly by your Excellency and confirmed by the legislature, that is, Akeem Aransi, whose name appeared as candidate Number 52 on the official Caretaker Chairmen’s list released by the Assebly, be allowed to assume office as the authentic caretaker chairman of Lagelu west LCDA.”

  • APC chiefs okay Ekere’s, Frank’s appointments

    APC chiefs okay Ekere’s, Frank’s appointments

    Leading chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State have backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of former Deputy Governor Obong Nsima Ekere as the new managing director/chief executive officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The chieftains, who spoke in separate interviews with our reporter, hailed the President for reconstituting the intervention agency’s board.

    They pledged their support to the new management to achieve successes in its assignment.

    In a statement by the party’s State leader and Chairman, Obong Umana Umana and Dr Amadu Attai, on the appointments of Ekere and Samuel Frank as NDDC’s managing director and commissioner, APC’s State Working Committee (SWC) praised President Buhari for reconstituting the board.

    The statement reads: “On behalf of the State Working Committee and the membership of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC, we want to commend President Buhari on the reconstitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    “We are delighted at the high quality of appointees to the new board of the commission and want to register our appreciation of the President’s careful and well-considered choices, which reflect deep concern for experience, competence and integrity.

    “We are confident that the new Board under the able chairmanship of the highly experienced Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba will effectively steer the affairs of the commission for the fulfilment of its mandate to the people of Niger Delta.”

    The party described the former deputy governor as the right pick for the top job at the commission in terms of track record, exposure and other indicators of leadership ability and expressed confidence in him and his ability to discharge the Office of Managing Director of the commission with utmost prudence, dedication and exemplary sense of duty.

    The statement expressed delight at the choice of the commissioner-designate from the state, describing Mr. Frank as a man known for his self-control, loyalty to any cause he believes in and commitment to duty and wished the appointees success in their new assignments.

    Also, a former Minister of Petroleum, Atuekong Don Etiebet, who spoke on telephone with our reporter from the United States of America, said President Buhari has, by the NDDC appointment, proved mischief makers wrong.

    He said: “I received the news two days ago while on a trip in the USA with lots of excitement. I quickly sent my congratulations to His Excellency, Obong Nsima Ekere on his very well deserved appointment which has gone to prove the political mischief makers wrong that Akwa Ibom was being neglected.

    “I thank President Muhammadu Buhari most heartily for the appointment and pray Almighty God to give His Excellency, Nsima Ekere all the wisdom to make the difference at the NDDC required of him in this dispensation.”

    The senator who represented Akwa Ibom North West in the National Assembly, Aloysius Etok, described Ekere’s appointment as a perfect match for the institution and expressed gratitude to President Mahammadu Buhari on the appointment.

    He said: “I congratulate His Excellency, Obong Nsima Ekere on this well deserved appointment as the Managing Director of NDDC. He is a square peg in a square hole given his wealth of experience and knowledge of the Niger Delta Region.

    “I also commend Mr President on this diamond choice of Obong Nsima Ekere for this important appointment for all Niger deltans. This is a perfect match for the man and the institution. We are all very grateful to the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    An elder statesman Otuekong Sunny Jackson said the appointment is the beginning of good things to come to Akwa Ibom people, submitting that he hopes to see more of such appointments in the days ahead.

    He said: “Let’s rejoice with what we have now and be united.”

     

  • Wike’s chief of staff held over attack on APC chiefs

    Wike’s chief of staff held over attack on APC chiefs

    The governorship candidate of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11, last year election, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, and some leaders of the party yesterday came under attack in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    Peterside, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), was riding in a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with his former deputy, Asita Honourable and APC Chairman  Daview Ikanya when they came under fire

    Peterside’s Special Assistant (Media) Sylvester Asoya, in a statement last night, said his boss and other APC leaders escaped assassins’ bullets by a stroke of luck.

    Governor Nyesom Wike’s Chief of Staff Emeka Woke was arrested over the attack. But Wike said Woke’s driver was killed.

    Peterside said his vehicle was attacked by gunmen in two SUVs as they approached the city from the Port Harcourt International Airport. His orderly Emma Esi was said to have been hit in the leg.

    Peterside said: “Two jeeps belonging to Emeka Woke, Nyesom Wike’s Chief of Staff, carrying two unknown gunmen, trailed us to UTC Junction (near Government House, Port Harcourt) and opened fire on my car. Our car, however, did a detour to the DSS (Department of State Services) office gate, where we drove to seek refuge, but the unknown gunmen opened fire again at the DSS men on guard.

    “The exchange of fire between the DSS men and the assailants lasted for more than 30 minutes. This is a very ugly experience, but I thank God that my colleagues and I escaped unhurt.”

    “Today’s (yesterday’s) experience is not only terrifying, but also shows the parlous state of security in Rivers State. If I can be engaged openly by gunmen for nearly an hour in the heart of Port Harcourt, only God knows the fate that will befall members of our party and those sympathetic to our predicament. What is happening today in our dear state is not only horrible, but also constitutes serious national security risk.”

    The NIMASA boss, who was Wike’s opponent in last year’s governorship election, also stated that it was now evident that the governor wanted to kill him and that he (Wike) was prepared to do everything possible to eliminate him.

    Woke was last night arrested ostensibly to explain his role in the  alleged attempt to shoot at Peterside’s convoy, in front of the office of the DSS on Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

    Peterside’s driver had driven into the DSS’s office but Woke and the two gunmen with him were not deterred.

    The armed men allegedly continued to shoot at the DSS men.

    Governor Wike   accused Peterside and Asita of hijacking results  from Isiokpo in Ikwere Local government yesterday.

    The governor added that Peterside and his security  detail opened fire and  killed the driver to  his Chief of Staff, Mr Emeka  Woke.

    Speaking to reporters at the Government House, he said: “Remember I warned that today’ s  Nigeria  is not yesterday’s  Nigeria. Things that were done wrongly before cannot be done wrongly now. I warned that the people will resist any attempt to rig.

    “Now they have the Federal might, army, police, INEC and DSS, but we have the people.”

    Wike condemned what he called the desperation of some politicians to win the Assembly elections at all cost.

    Wike said: “The driver to my chief of staff has been shot to death this evening, including others who were killed on election day. I am surprised to see the kind of desperation displayed by some politicians in this rerun election.

    ”I saw the military acting as if Rivers State is at war. I saw those working with me being harassed and arrested. My SSG, Commissioner for Environment Prof. Roseline Konya and some PDP members were arrested and manhandled.”

  • Amaechi leads crowds in 4km walk for APC chiefs

    Amaechi leads crowds in 4km walk for APC chiefs

    -Police teargas fans

    -Buhari, Akande, Tinubu, Oyegun, others in Rivers

    -APC ‘ll sanitise Nigeria, says Aliyu

     

    All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders stormed Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday to persuade Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to join the battle for a better Nigeria.

    But the colourful visit was not without some initial obstacles. Policemen, on the orders of Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, barred Amaechi’s teeming supporters from the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa where they headed to welcome the visiting APC leaders.

    The main gate on the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway was locked against the sea of admirers of Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). But the people were undeterred. They started singing, drumming and dancing as from 6 am, not minding the teargas canisters fired at them by the policemen.

    Amaechi flew in from Lagos yesterday morning to receive a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, APC Interim Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, party leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and many others.

    After landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport, the NGF chairman was on his way to the Government House, Port Harcourt to freshen up and get ready to receive the visitors.

    On getting to the airport’s main gate in a convoy at 9:20 am, Amaechi noticed that some policemen did not allow his supporters in.

    The governor spoke with the senior police officers at the main gate, but they were adamant. Amaechi made a detour and asked all the people at the gate to move in.

    Rather than heading for the Government House, Amaechi decided to join his supporters, trekking the four kilometres back to the airport.

    But, it was an exciting walk.

    The supporters were saying: “No intimidation”; “Mbu must go”; “We are for Amaechi”; “Amaechi is our man”; “Amaechi is doing well”; “We are solidly behind our performing and focused governor”; and “Let us avoid sentiments”, among others.

    Later in an interview with reporters at the VIP Lounge, the NGF chairman said the police had become the military wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The aircraft, marked ZS-ZOT, painted white with yellow and blue stripes, which conveyed from Abuja, Buhari; Tinubu; Akande; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari; Chief Tom Ikimi; a former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; and some leaders of the APC, landed at 10:53 am.

    A long convoy of vehicles departed the airport at 10:57 am, with the governor’s jubilant supporters lining both sides of the road from the airport to the junction.

    It was an opportunity for Amaechi to show the dignitaries some of his administration’s projects.

    The convoy headed for the Model Primary School at Elekahia, Port Harcourt. The visitors saw also the nearby Model Health Centre, before heading for the Government House, Port Harcourt where a huge crowd had gathered.

    The main gate of the seat of power was unusually left open, for the carnival-like reception near the Presidential Lodge in the Government House. A long queue of Amaechi’s supporters, who were trying to enter the seat of power, remained at the gate.

    Amaechi said at the airport: “I flew in and wanted to go and change (dresses) to receive my visitors. I got to the gate (of the airport) and I was told that the policemen did not allow my supporters into the airport. I said an ordinary minister of state, who was my chief of staff (Chief Nyesom Wike), would gather people at Eleme (Rivers State on Sunday) with police protection, while a former head of state, with some governors arriving and police will not allow the people in; what type of country is that?

    “Somebody said the police had become the military wing of the PDP. That is not the only truth. The other truth is that we are running a military government. I led the people. I had to march them into the airport. That’s how we got here (VIP Lounge). I trekked from the gate to this place (VIP Lounge).

    “For any breakdown of law and order in Rivers State, police should be held accountable. If they had allowed the people to come in, they would have been orderly. They were here (at the airport) for the purpose of receiving the guests.

    “The last time we were here (airport) to receive the President (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan), Nyesom Wike and his group mobilised people that booed me. If we had mobilised people, there would have been crisis.

    “I quietly walked in; let them boo me and I went to receive the President. By the same way they were allowed to get to the airport, blocked all the roads, and in the same way, they should have allowed the people to come in to receive the guests. Buhari is a former President. Bola Tinubu is a former governor and there are other governors that are coming.”

    After the inspection of projects at Elekahia, Gen. Buhari said: “What I have seen, though briefly, is what you can give to the people – education. They will look after themselves and will also be able to look after their country. I am extremely impressed by what Governor Amaechi is doing.”

    Tinubu said: “Fantastic (projects). Putting people at the cornerstone of his (Amaechi’s) developmental policy is what the goal of democratic government and good governance is all about. It is demonstrated clearly here. It is very impressive.

    “The MDG goal, the primary education, the primary health and the staffing. Preparing the children for the challenges of the future. There is nothing in good governance, but that.”

    Members of the National and Rivers Assemblies, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, George Feyii, commissioners, local government chairmen and other eminent personalities were also at the airport to receive the APC leaders.

    Thousands of supporters of the Rivers governor, who also thronged the airport on Monday to welcome the visiting leaders of the APC, were barred by policemen from the facility. They stayed at the junction from 7 am till evening, but the visitors did not come.

    The President’s wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, was expected to leave Port Harcourt for Abuja at 11:30 am on Monday. The APC leaders were to fly in from Abuja around 2 pm, but the First Lady did not leave until the evening. The APC leaders’ visit was postponed till yesterday.

    The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Chief Felix Obuah said the open confession and resolve of Governor Chibuike Amaechi and his lawmaker supporters yesterday is an eloquent testimony that they had long defected from the PDP.

    A statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the State Chairman noted that the demand on Amaechi by the suspended lawmakers loyal to him and led by Otelemaba Dan Amachree for an immediate declaration for the APC is a mere camouflage to hoodwink Rivers people into believing they are being wooed to join the party.

    “We urge the police commissioner and all the security agencies in the state and the country at large to keep a tap on Governor Amaechi and his cohorts to ensure nobody is taken awares as he is plotting”, the statement said.