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  • Ibezi and prospects of an APC government in Anambra

    Ibezi and prospects of an APC government in Anambra

    By Orakwue Chikelue

    Perhaps, not since its formation in 2013 has the All Progressives Congress (APC) a more significant chance of winning the Anambra governorship election than now. With all its ducks already in a row, the party is set to knock off the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from its long perch in the state.

    Before this time, the APC was not a party of choice in Anambra – the All Progressives Grand Alliance was and had that exclusive dominance. The party loomed so prominent in the state that aspirants competed frantically for its ticket as a guarantee for victory. But the unusual dominance, which is about to end, resulted from two significant reasons.

    One was the Ojukwu factor. The other was the emergence of the dutiful but minimalist APGA government at inception. Both reasons kept the APGA government for as long as it has lasted. While the latter appealed to the conscience of the church, the former mined Ikemba’s goodwill to great advantage. But more than that, the APGA government consolidated its hold on the state by contriving a succession plan with a zoning arrangement. Though the zoning arrangement was  APGA’s decision and did not reflect the wishes of Ndi Anambra, it was nonetheless tolerated by the people.

    But it has since outlived its usefulness and  no longer resonates with the people. It is  disregarded at will by all the parties, including  APGA that introduced it. At least one of the biggest beneficiaries of zoning, Governor Soludo of APGA, did violate it at some point in time as were other candidates who insist against it. At the height of the zoning arrangement he defied APGA and contested the primary. He refused dissuasion until he was disqualified by the party hierarchy.  He is still waging impious war against those who bruised his huge ego by disqualifying him.

    Read Also: Imo CP calls for stakeholders’ meeting to enhance community trust

    Regardless of the moribund zoning arrangement, the APGA government has since lost its bite and greatly enfeebled by ineptitude, highhandedness, and poor politics. It has unwittingly provided and continues to provide the opposition, especially the newly repositioned APC the plank upon which to wrest power from it in a free and fair contest.

    And with the emergence of a new crop of pragmatic and hands-on leadership in the state APC, taking Anambra state will be a walk in the park. The leadership is already working tirelessly to exploit to advantage the lacuna in the Soludo administration and retrieve the ship of the state from apparent wreck.

    So far,,the APC has engaged in fruitful engagement with stakeholders, including party members, community leaders, youth groups, and disenchanted APGA faithful. It has also intensified efforts at grassroots campaigns, which seek to connect it with the electorate and allay any fear of change.

    Leading the charge to unite the APC and maximise its potential in winning the Anambra governorship election in November 2025 is Hon Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, who, as a member of the 9th National Assembly, made consequential legislations in furthering national development. Ibezi can be described straightforwardly as a go-getter who is unfazed by opposition. Having contested one of the most challenging elections in the state and won without riding the crest of family/politician connection puts him in the best position to deliver the APC in Anambra. Though his opponent squeaked through in the last election, Ibezi gave President Bola Tinubu the highest number of votes in Anambra state in the previous presidential election. Even when it appeared imprudent to campaign for APC against the Labour Party in Anambra, Ibezi defied the attendant backlash. He has since earned his stripes as a strong, loyal, dedicated party man with much to offer his state and the nation.

    Ibezi as the Director General of Sir Paul Chukwuma Primary Election Campaign Council appreciates that APC requires unity  to outvote any other party in the coming Anambra governorship election.  He therefore continues to foster peace and bridge the divides that sundered the party over time and rendered it incapable of winning elections in the state. With a crack team of young but tested political strategists and media managers, the chance of the APC winning the upcoming governorship election in Anambra is  very bright.

    Determined to leave no stone unturned, the party has already mapped out plans on how to win. It has started engaging the people through town hall meetings, sensitisation programs, media enlightenment, and explaining the APC’s position on improved infrastructure, security, and economic development. It is also addressing the growing discontent of the people made evident by the overbearing attitude of the Soludo government.

    It may not be public knowledge, but restiveness among youths is one of the biggest challenges many states face, including Anambra. Efforts to capture this very important demographic, as well as the women group in a new APC government in Anambra, have been the focus of the Ibezi group. Coupled with this is the effort to counter apparent misconceptions about the party and present it as credible enough to end the cavalier government in the state. Apart from the fact that Anambra has no better claim to good governance because it is an APGA state, voting for an APC candidate does not in any way approximate the election of a mercenary governor. Worst-case scenario, the party will appreciate the mandate given it by ndi Anambra and won’t be consumed with the same entitlement feeling of the APGA government.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that as a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra state and the Director-General of Sir Paul Chukwuma campaign, Ibezi, has a lot of work to do to change the fortunes of the party. He has done it before by successfully delivering the highest number of votes to the party during the presidential election. Against overwhelming odds – when it was an anathema to identify with the APC, Ibezi showed grit. He has demonstrated competence, loyalty and dedication. When it mattered most, he stood in the gap for the party and fought to give it a lot of relevance in the state. It will not be out of place if, to encourage greater acceptance of the party in the state, Ibezi is encouraged with enough support and higher responsibilities. After all, it is said that the reward for good work is more work.

    The passion with which he has accepted the task of delivering Anambra to APC is infectious, and it does not seem anything will alter that any time soon.

    • Chikelue wrote from Enugu

  • ‘APC government has done well in Southeast’

    Last week, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was in Anambra State, where he addressed the APC stakeholders at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Center in Awka. The ‘interactive round table’ focused mainly on how to move the party forward ahead of 2021 governorship election in the state. In this interview with Nwanosike Onu, one of the committee members and chieftain of the party in the Southeast, Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, talks on the plans of the party, things APC government had done in the zone and the APC plot to take Anambra away from the ruling party, APGA. Excerpts

    VERY soon political activities will begin in Anambra State for governorship election in 2021; how prepared is your party?

    We are strategising and preparing very seriously to make sure we take over Anambra State. We are working and putting things in place so that the experience we had the last time will not repeat itself again; so we are prepared to take over Anambra in a fair and credible election. Where you not around when the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, visited the state for the interactive round table with members of the party? That shows you the seriousness of APC in the state now. Yesterday had gone and today has come; let us see which party will challenge us in 2021. We thank God that all the egg heads have agreed to work together for that purpose.

    How can you take over Anambra when APC is going through series of crises in the state?

    You journalist create unnecessary problem in the system, even in your house you have problem with your wife; whatever problem we have is an internal crisis and that doesn’t mean we are not working to take over Anambra State.  The crisis is even helping very well in order to work as a team to actualise our goal; so it is internal and will not stop us from moving forward. We are solving it and very soon it will be over. We know those who don’t want APC to move forward in this state and we are gradually taking care of the situation; this is the reason the Vice President came and spoke with us. The plans are there already, the ruling party, APGA, is already jittery because they know it’s not going to be like before. APC members are angry in the state and have decided to make amends come 2021 after Governor Willie Obiano’s tenure.

    You have an Acting Chairman in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, who people see as a capable hand that can lead the party to the Promised Land. How capable is he?

    Well, he is capable but he’s still in acting capacity and he’s trying his best and I believe as time goes on, he will deliver. From what he has been able to do already, we believe he has something down his sleeves to bring glory to our party. But the major thing is to give him support.

    I was told you were a member of the reconciliation committee, set up in the state by the State Working Committee (SWC).  How has it been with the committee?

    The committee has done its job very well; we went round the state, we met our leaders and it was a very tough assignment but I’m glad we have done it very well. It has been a very good exercise and good experience. We’ve been able to see those areas that are giving us problems, and I believe in no distant time, the party will use our recommendations and our reports to do the needful, so that we can move on stronger.

    Why was the chairman of the committee removed?

    It is only the chairman that can talk about it; I don’t have the mandate to start talking about chairman or removal of the chairman or whatever; I’m only a member of the committee.

    Now at the national level, some political parties see your party as not performing, or would your party prefer that the opposition comes back?

    We can’t go back to ages, it is better you are slow and get it correct, than you are fast and run into problem. The President in his nature takes time to do things. He said it in one of his interviews that yes you may call me “Go Slow” but I know where I’m heading to; so we are moving forward and we are making sure that things are put in order; we are not in a hurry, but we will get to the place. Buhari is here to change the old orientation. APC is changing what was obtainable. Before, it was to your tents oh Israel, but today, it’s no more business as usual, that is why people are fighting him; fighting APC, bringing all sorts of accusations and problems in the system to distract the government of Mohammadu Buhari. And for us to solve it, we need to sit down, study it very well; all this crisis coming in here and there, we need to study it; if we rush into them, we might make a mistake, that is why we are taking our time. He was sworn in by last May and this is August; is he going to do magic? So, he’s trying so that he can actualise the principles of the next level.

    Calling him to stop the issue of herdsmen, is it one of the things you called distractions by the opposition?

    He is a listening president; he has suspended the RUGA issue; what else do you want me to say, because he’s a listening president, that was why he suspended it.

    How feasible is the Igbo Presidency?

    We are working, we are still discussing, until we get to that period, then we will know how feasible it is, but I believe that like I had said in my pervious interviews; I believe that Igbo presidency will come to fruition.

    Criticisms against Governor Willie Obiano are much in this state, has he not performed like others before him?

    Well, he’s trying as a person, but the only regret is that some projects are not completed, like in my town, I have said it times without number, there are so many uncompleted projects in my town Achina in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. I can’t even get to my house, the road was stopped half way; since that time, we pack our vehicles far away and trek home, that is the problem. Some projects are not completed and we don’t know the reason. So, he’s trying on one side and the other side the road infrastructure is not encouraging. I’m using my town to draw this conclusion and we are calling on him to come to our rescue.

    Are you satisfied with President Buhari’s performance in the Southeast?

    You can see all the roads, all the abandoned roads, Enugu Port-Harcourt express road, Enugu- Onitsha express road and the most important second Niger Bridge is ongoing. The work is going on, I have been there several times, that alone has given me confidence that President Buhari will do more things for the Southeast, no matter the situation.

    It seems those things don’t appeal to “Ndi Igbo;” what do you think is the reason?

    I think “Ndi Igbo” want to be president; it is that presidency they need and I think that is the major problem, that’s my own thinking. I might be wrong but that is the way I see it. “Ndi Igbo” want to be president of Nigeria for once.

    Is that the reason for criticising the administration of Buhari?

    That is one of them; they want the face of the federal cake. I did say in one of my articles, where I pleaded with Mr.  President to balance the state creation to give Southeast one more state, so as to come up with the other geo-political regions. Once he does that, I think all this troubles will die down.

    You are an APC chieftain of Southeast, not only in Anambra; why are your people not embracing the party?

    We are embracing it already, all the political big wings we have in Igbo land are in APC. So we are embracing it.

    Then, why are you not winning elections in Anambra?

    It depends on individual differences. I have told you that all the big wigs we have in Anambra State are all in APC. We are not asking for more because we have enough already, the only thing remaining is to come together and work for each other and the rest will be history.

  • Kwara marginalised under APC government, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Kwara State has not been fairly treated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level.

    The party added that the APC government has denied the state of its legitimate entitlements in the scheme of things.

    Kwara State Coordinator of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Ali Ahmad told reporters in Ilorin, the capital, at the official opening of the state office, that the APC candidates do not deserve the votes of Kwarans.

    Ahmad, who is the Speaker of the House of Assembly said: “Why will any Kwaran not vote for the party that has demonstrated it can provide the much needed job to our teeming youth by promising that 40 percent of his appointments will be populated by the youth? Today, about 9,300,000 school children are said to be fed every day across the country under one of their opaque programmes, there is not a single pupil from Kwara state that currently benefits.

    “Will you not vote for Atiku/Obi who will reverse this trend within their first 100 days? Of course, Kwara enjoys no special privilege from this administration, we expected that. What we did not envisage is denial of Kwara and Kwarans our legitimate entitlements. So many examples are out there, but one will suffice. Federal commissionership at the Federal Civil Service Commission is alternated on a five year-term basis.

    “These officers mainly champion the interests of their states at the commission. No wonder Kwarans did not enjoy any appreciable placement at the Federal Civil Service all these years. But, unless we reverse it, the trend will continue.  Instead of a Kwaran to succeed Kogi at the commission for its own turn of five years, Kwara was wrongfully denied and Kogi’s term was extended for another term of five years back to back. Will you not vote for Atiku/Obi to give us our entitlement, by righting this wrong?

    Ahmad added: “Since the last time they came here for campaign in 2015 and we voted them in, they have visited so many states they consider important uncountable number of times, how many times have they come to Kwara since then, if we are important?

    “But Kwara is very much important to PDP and, for example, you can count the unprecedented number of Kwarans in the Atiku/Obi national presidential campaign organisation in Abuja. Indeed, the

    “The Director-General is your son.  How many Kwarans are in the other parties and what is the highest office they occupy? Of all the political parties in Nigeria, which one accords Kwara the highest regard and respect?

    “Even before the first ballot is cast, the number three position in the country, that is the presidency of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been ceded to us Kwarans by the other 35 states. That is a monumental privilege and never a right. And we all know what comes with that privilege to the state as a whole. PDP is the only party that has done that.”

     

  • Kwara marginalised under APC government, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Kwara State has not been fairly treated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level.

    The party added that the APC government had denied the state of its legitimate entitlements in the scheme of things.

    Kwara State Coordinator, Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Ali Ahmad, told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, at the official opening of the state office, adding that as a result the APC candidates at all levels do not deserve the votes of Kwarans in 2019.

    Dr Ahmad, who is the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, asked:

    “Why will any Kwaran not vote for the party that has demonstrated that it can provide the much needed job to our teeming youth by promising that 40 percent of his appointments will be populated by the youth? Today, about 9,300,000 school children are said to be fed every day across the country under one of their opaque programmes; there is not a single pupil from Kwara State that currently benefits.

    “Will you not vote for Atiku/Obi who will reverse this trend within their first 100 days? Of course, Kwara enjoys no special privilege from this administration, we expected that. What we did not envisage is denial of Kwara and Kwarans our legitimate entitlements. So many examples are out there but one will suffice. Federal commissionership at the Federal Civil Service Commission is alternated on a five year-term basis.

     

     

  • PDP to FG: Stop tagging opposition as IPOB sponsors

    PDP to FG: Stop tagging opposition as IPOB sponsors

    The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Federal Government to stop tagging members of the opposition as sponsors of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had accused those he described as treasury looters of sponsoring IPOB’s secessionist agitations in the South East.

    In a statement Tuesday signed by the spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party told the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government to look inwards in the search for sponsors of IPOB.

    The party accused the Information Minister and the APC of having formed the habit of blaming a “superficial opposition” for the continuous gaffes of the Federal Government.

    The statement said, “We had advised not a few times, that the APC should look inward and seek solutions to its self-induced challenges in government caused by its unpreparedness for governance; but since the Party seem set for self-destruction, we shall not relent in helping to expose their ineptitude to the Nigerian populace.

    “We noticed that the Minister who is much known for his unbridled capacity for constant polarization of the polity rather than ardency in the proper dissemination of government policies and information to the populace, tried once again on Sunday, to shift blames of the poor handling of the agitations of IPOB by the current Government to an opposition that exists only in his imagination.

    “It is disheartening that rather than accept blame for its ineptitude, the APC Government has continued to blame enemies, real or imaginary for its woes.

    “How on earth will a serious minded government blame opposition parties which they have conveniently labelled ‘looters’ for the activities of IPOB? But we take solace in the fact that the APC might actually know the looters, as the party has clearly demonstrated its penchant for giving covers to people considered as corrupt”.

    The PDP recalled the release of 48 houses allegedly confiscated as proceeds of crime back to an unnamed member of the APC said to be standing trial for allegations of corruption.

    “Much as we will continue to harp on the one sided corruption fight of this administration, we wish to urge the APC to look inwards in locating the looters using their ill-gotten wealth to sponsor separatist agitation against the government of the day.

    “It is instructive to note that we are aware of the internal crisis rocking the amalgam of interests that formed the APC and the struggle for power within the government, as the noise of discontent keeps rising on a daily basis from the party.

    “We wish to put on record that agitation for actualisation of the State of Biafra was a total silent voice while the PDP was in power because of the government of inclusiveness we provided for Nigerians who were made to experience what a genuine national government meant.

    “The APC should therefore, learn to mould itself into a real national party, provide good leadership for the people and let the generality of Nigerians feel safe.

    “Finally as a party, we had condemned and we are still condemning separatist movements tailored towards balkanising the nation. We therefore make bold to further state, that the APC policies have been the catalyst for IPOB problem, and as such, the party should do soul searching and correct the anomaly. No external enemy so to say, is working against this government. The government is its own worst enemy”.

  • El-Rufai begins daily free feeding for school pupils

    El-Rufai begins daily free feeding for school pupils

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai on Monday flagged-off free feeding Programme for 1.8 million primary school pupils in the state.

    The free feeding programme according to El-Rufai was the beginning of a different phase of the State Government’s project to expand access to education.

    In his address at the occasion held at the Aliyu Makama Road Primary School, Barnawa area of Kaduna metropolis, El-Rufai said the launch of the programme  which is to serve as a direct intervention in the health of the pupils, will also place the schools to promote education and nutrition among the pupils.

    The governor admitted that his administration will not be surprised to hear about teething problems with the take-off of the feeding, he said the problems will be swiftly addressed with continuous improvement where necessary.

    He said in executing the policy, perfection must not be allowed to be a restraint in doing the needful, adding that it is in the process of feeding the school children that the programme can be refined and perfected.

    He said. “Every school day from Monday, the Kaduna State Government will be providing a meal for 1.8m primary school pupils.

    “It is an unprecedented undertaking in this state, but one that we solemnly pledged to do when we were campaigning.

    “It is a challenge in terms of its scale, cost and the logistics required to deliver the meals every day. But our children deserve this, and more.

    “We are conscious that it would save parents break-time money, empower the women within the community who have been selected as the catering vendors and expand the market for farm products.

    “In fact, the school feeding programme is directly creating 17,000 jobs for catering vendors, each of whom will need to employ workers to help them deliver.

    “Thus there is something for everyone in the School Feeding Programme. In seeking to take care of our children, we are creating jobs, boosting demand and exposing our people to new skills and hygiene standards and providing extra income.

    “I urge everyone involved in the programme to discharge their responsibilities with the utmost sense of commitment, transparency and accountability. The monitoring mechanism must be rigorous, and we invite the school-based management committees and Parent-Teacher Associations to review and provide us their observations on the implementation of the programme at the school level.

    “We will not be surprised to hear about teething problems, but we expect these problems to be swiftly addressed within a governing ethos of continuous improvement.

    “As pragmatic people, we understand that in executing policy we must not let the perfect be a restraint on the doable. It is in the process of actually feeding our school children that we can refine and perfect the programme.

    “As I noted earlier, school feeding is a separate plan of our initiative to expand access to education, to ensure that every child can have nine years of free, decent basic education, no matter the income level of their parents. Parents have responded with enthusiasm, and at the beginning of this session enrollment in public schools rose by 64%.

    “We began our education programme with the recruitment of teachers for core subject areas, conducted a needs-assessment to identify how we can strengthen the capacity of current teachers and then announced the removal of all bureaucratic impediments to the career advancement and sense of fulfillment of professional teachers in the public school system. We made it clear that a professional teacher can rise to Grade Level 17, without having to stop being a teacher.

    “Having taken steps to raise the morale and capacity of teachers as the frontline workers in delivering quality education, the government began addressing the question of the physical condition of the theatre in which they work: the schools.

    “We inherited a baleful legacy of dilapidated schools, inadequate classrooms, and no furniture for 50% of the pupils. The schools also often lacked water and toilet facilities.

    “The APC government of Kaduna State responded by launching a school rehabilitation programme. It is a massive commitment to fix the more than 4000 public primary schools in the state and transform them into conducive places for the delivery of quality education. We will strive to complete the rehabilitation within our term of office.

    “Permit me to register our gratitude to the Kaduna State House of Assembly for supporting our vision, and passing the 2016 Budget swiftly with such massive provision for Education and the Social Sector in general.

    “We are also grateful to the Federal Government which has,  through the Office of the Vice-President, provided technical support and has committed to reimburse the Kaduna State Government up to 60% of the cost of the School Feeding Programme.

    “There is still so much work ahead. I assure you that we shall never be lacking in the commitment, determination and courage to do as we promised. We will appreciate your feedback and suggestions so that we can do better in serving you, the citizens of Kaduna State,” El-Rufai said.