Tag: APC

APC Diaspora group has accused House of Representatives member representing Ideato North/South of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, of undermining the Federal Government.

The group alleged Ugochinyere, of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is rallying opposition forces in preparation for 2027 elections.

“Some House of Representatives members are concerned at subtle campaigns by Ugochinyere to target the petroleum sector and portray federal administration officials supervising the sector as complicit in alleged misdministration of the sector,” it said.

The group said “last Friday, he led five members to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta where the former leader said the legislators should work towards a reformed Nigeria.

“Ugochinyere had explained the lawmakers were in Abeokuta to confer with the former President on national issues and express their solidarity with the former President and learn from him on development and good governance.

Read Also: Ondo 2024: Jubilation in Ondo APC over rumoured Mimiko’s defection

“He said Obasanjo saw the future of the country and worked towards it, having been president between 1999 and 2007 during which he laid foundations for strong reforms that brought progress.”

The group said the lawmaker commended the former President for reforms implemented under his administration and blamed past governments for not consolidating them while hoping the present administration will make things work.

“If successive governments had consolidated reforms in electricity, foreign policies, civil service, among others, we would not be facing the challenge fighting us,” the group quoted the lawmaker.

The group said the lawmaker “is believed to be reaching out to opposition elements and businessmen not happy with the administration to sensitise them to rally against re-election of APC in 2027.”

…men are not God, says Ajayi

There is jubilation among members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State over rumoured moves by former governor Olusegun Mimiko and his supporters to defect to the party ahead of the November 16th governorship election.

Some leaders of the Ondo APC, who spoke on anonymity, said talks about the defection have reached an advanced stage.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, stated, “Men are not God,” in response to rumours about the defection of Mimiko and other party chieftains.

Hon Ajayi, who said he was not deterred by the defection of the PDP chieftains, insisted the party would win the polls.

Ajayi, who spoke in Akure in Akure at the inauguration of a Caretaker Committee for the Ondo chapter of the party, said more members of the ruling APC have defected to the opposition PDP.

He said: “It’s a normal thing. More and more APC members are coming in. You will agree with me that since 2009 this is the first time you will see an exodus of people from the ruling party decamping to the PDP every day.

Read Also: Ondo 2024: Akoko Southwest APC unite for Aiyedatiwa

“Last two weeks, we were in Ikare where six APC women leaders decamped to the PDP. There is no APC in Ese-Odo anymore. So if anybody is leaving, they are just trying to exercise their right, but I can assure you, no man is God.

“I can tell you, anybody, that must have left, we will take their responsibility from where the incumbent Governor must have stopped. Maybe probably they need their services, but we will not forget that they have served this state at a time and we will continue to play a leadership role.”

The party’s national vice chairman, southwest, Kamoru Ajisafe, who inaugurated the committee urged them to work towards victory at the polls.

Kamoru expressed optimism that the party would emerge victorious in the November 16th governorship election, saying that the majority of the Ondo electorate would vote for the PDP.

He urged Ondo PDP members not to be wary of defectors leaving the party.

“The people that are leaving right now, to me, they have left a long time ago before now. It is now that they know that we can no longer absorb their shenanigans that they are now leaving. There is no room for them to operate anymore, and that is why they are leaving. We have the majority of their followers with us”, he stated.

The new caretaker committee is headed by Hon Bakkita Olofowobi Bello.

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State took another twist on Monday, August 12, as the State High Court in Port Harcourt dissolved the seven-member Caretaker Committee led by Chief Tony Okocha.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Sika Aprioku, came in response to a suit filed by Sam Sam Etetegwung, Barnath Ezemoye, and others on behalf of the democratically elected executive committee members of the APC in the state.

The court reinstated Chief Emeka Beke as the legitimate Chairman of the party in Rivers State.

Justice Aprioku also issued a perpetual injunction against Okocha and his caretaker committee, barring them from taking any actions that would interfere with the Beke-led executive committee until the end of their four-year tenure.

Read Also: Rivers APC directs lawmakers to impeach Fubara

Additionally, the court ordered the national leadership of the APC to cease recognizing the Okocha-led caretaker committee and to officially acknowledge Beke as the rightful Chairman of the party in the state.

The court slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for supporting the dissolution of democratically elected executive members of the APC throughout the suit.

The judge cautioned that leaders of political parties must learn to obey their constitution and stop acting recklessly in managing their party.

Justice Aprioku held that the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC failed to prove its actions, which he ruled violated their party and the Nigerian Constitution.

The judge insisted that they relied on hearsay allegation of anti-party activities which was not demonstrated by the defendants in the suit.

The judge dismissed preliminary objections by the defendants on the issue of justification and application for joinder by a set of individuals, who had earlier sought to join the suit.

He further held that the national leadership of APC disobeyed its own constitution by not giving a fair hearing to elected party executive members and awarded N300,000 as cost in favour of the Beke-led leadership of the APC.

Justice Aprioku held that the APC could not benefit from its illegality and declared the inauguration of a seven-man caretaker committee of APC led by Okocha as null and void and of no effect.

He said the CTC chairman and his members never existed in the eyes of the law.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appealed to the  36 governors

to show more commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve to end economic hardship.

He said commitment of the governors to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President, irrespective of their political affiliations, would put the country on the path of economic prosperity.

The APC chieftain, who made the remarks while speaking with reporters yesterday in Osogbo, said having examined interventions by the Federal Government, channelled through states since the removal of fuel subsidy, it was clear some governors must do more to assist the president in meeting Nigerians’ expectations.

Read Also: FG, Oil companies chart framework for navigational services

The ex-lawmaker said the governors must show more commitments to the welfare of the masses, by working for the success of the interventions, rather than being suspected to be laid back.

He said the financial interventions by the Federal Government to the states to alleviate poverty had not reflected in the well-being of the masses.

Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council, said without the support of the governors, the agenda of the president for the masses might be difficult to achieve.

• Ganduje, Basiru mark one year in office

Governors, lawmakers, chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and other eminent Nigerians will tomorrow celebrate the maiden anniversary of the inauguration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Basiru as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party with a symposium.

The event is at the instance of a support group within the ruling party, the National Progressive Hub (NPH).

The two leaders took the oath of office on August 3, last year, at a special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja.

It followed a leadership crisis that led to the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore, the then National Chairman and National Secretary.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by NPH National Coordinator Bukky Okangbe said the symposium is meant to celebrate the first year of Ganduje’s and Basiru’s purposeful leadership and to brainstorm on the future of the party’s leadership.

The event is also expected to discuss the challenges encountered by leadership of various political parties in the country with a view to proffering solutions to strengthen party administration, deepen democracy and democratic ethos.

Read Also: Hunger protest: North tolerated too much poverty, corruption – Shettima

The statement said: “The Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies at Baze University in Abuja and political commentator, Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, will present a keynote address, titled: Political Party Leadership in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects, at Ladi Kuwali International Conference Centre at the Continental Hotel in Abuja by 10 a.m.”

The statement said eminent Nigerians and leaders of the party scheduled to discuss the paper include the former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and foundation member of the party, Mr. Osita Okechukwu; former National Secretary of the party, Waziri Bulama; and Alphonsus Eba Ogar, a lawyer; APC Cross River State Chairman and Secretary of the Forum of APC State Chairmen.

“Senate Deputy President Jibrin Barau will be the Chairman of the occasion while House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas; Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Kabir Bichi; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, are special guests of honour.

“Dr. Ganduje is the chief host, while coordinating state governors and top party leaders are expected to give goodwill messages.

“Recommendations from the symposium will be forwarded to the party’s newly established Progressive Institute as part of the NPH contributions towards strengthening the nation’s fledgling democracy,” the statement added.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state on Saturday expressed concern over the recurring incidents of alleged diversion of palliatives by officials of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) administration in the state.

Kano APC Chairman, Alh Abdullahi Abbas, who blew the alarm threatened legal action, calling for a thorough investigation and prosecution of the culprits.

Abbas, in his statement asserted that “government’s failure to take necessary action against its officials found to be involved in the diversion of the palliatives could be interpreted as acts being perpetrated with its tacit support.”

He said it was unfortunate that last week, hundreds of bags of rice labeled “Federal Government Food Security Program,” were discovered at a private school, Wada Sagagi Islamic School owned by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Kano, Shehu Wada Sagagi.

Abbas observed that, with the acts, the people have yet to see the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in Kano state as evidenced in the level of frustration and expression of anger against the government.

Abbas insisted that no convincing argument was put forward by Sagagi as to how the bags of rice which form part of the grains donated to the Kano state government to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal among the poor and vulnerable residents were found in his private residence turned Islamiyya school.

“In December last year, one Tasiu Al’amin-Roba, allegedly working for the Secretary to the State Government, Baffa Abdullahi Bichi, who was identified as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Cabinet office, was arrested over alleged diversion of the state’s palliatives.

”The suspects was found repackaging the rice and maize at a warehouse located at Sharada, and was subsequently arrested with a promise to drag him to court.

“The government of Kano state is in the habit of rebranding and repackaging some parts of the grains they wanted to distribute, mostly to their members with the picture of the governor and logo of the NNPP.

“In September, last year, the Managing Director of the state Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), Dr. Tukur Dayyabu Minjibir was suspended for alleged involvement in an inappropriate sale of grains belonging to the Kano state government.

“It is therefore very important that the Kano state government should not stop at suspension or investigation. All actions taken should be concluded by  prosecuting all those found to have been involved in these scandals to serve as deterrent.

Read Also: Zamfara lawmaker denies dumping APC

“Recently, the Tinubu administration sent 70 trucks of fertilizer, seedlings and other inputs for free distribution to farmers in Kano, but the state government claimed the credit as if it procured the products and was said to have been sold to farmers at N5,000 per bag,” Abbas stated.

The party chairman described the actions of the NNPP government as a deliberate attempt to rubbish the effort of the administration of President Bola Tinubu in supporting the people during this trying period.

“At different times, the federal government donated truckloads of grains to the Kano state government for distribution to the needy, but apart from symbolic official launch, these interventions have not been felt in the larger society,” the statement added.

Abbas said: “To our knowledge, Kano state government received 100 trucks of rice, 44 trucks of sorghum, and four trucks of maize. It was also apportioned 969 metric tons of maize, 1,320 metric tons of sorghum, and 417 metric tons of millet, to be distributed equitably across all local government areas. Just recently, 20 trucks of rice were also given to Kano state.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for an investigation into the alleged diversion of the rice donated by the Federal Government to the Kano State Government by some officials.

The party also demanded the urgent prosecution of those likely to be indicted by the independent probe.

The State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, expressed concern over the recurring incidents of alleged palliatives’ diversion by some of the NNPP-led government officials.

He warned that failure to take action may be seen as a tacit support for these nefarious and unpatriotic acts.

Abbas cited several instances, including the discovery of hundreds of bags of rice labeled “Federal Government Food Security Programme”, at the Sagagi’s private school.

He also mentioned the arrest of one Tasiu Al’amin-Roba, allegedly working for the Secretary to the State Government, for diverting the state’s palliatives.

The APC chairman also accused the state government of rebranding and repackaging palliatives with the Governor’s picture and NNPP logo, hence selling them to party members.

Abbas also criticised the state government for claiming credit for the Federal Government interventions, such as the recent distribution of fertilizer, seedlings, and other inputs to the farmers.

He described the actions of the NNPP-led government as a deliberate attempt to undermine the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration in supporting the people.

When contacted the Chief of Staff, Shehu Sagagi, denied the allegations of diverting the Federal Government’s branded rice meant for the people of the state.

He said, ”The rice found in my Islamic school was either purchased with my personal funds or donated by generous individuals.

” I have a long-standing commitment to feeding children in my Islamic school, a practice I began before assuming the role of Chief of Staff.”

Read Also: Zamfara lawmaker denies dumping APC

Sagagi said that he had never diverted any palliatives meant for the people of the state for his personal use.

He added, ”My actions are driven by a sense of social responsibility and a desire to support the community.

” I assure the public that my integrity and commitment to serving the people of Kano State remain unwavering.

” I am willing to cooperate fully with any investigation to clear my name and demonstrate my dedication to transparency and accountability.”

(NAN)

Chairman of the House Committee on Ecological funds Hon Aminu Sani Jaji has dismissed reports he is planning to dump  the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Jaji, who represents Kauran Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, described the report as “pure mischief, devoid of truth”.

In a statement in Abuja, Jaji said the social media report was the handiwork of mischief makers, urging the general public to disregard such false information.

“I want to unequivocally state that this is pure mischief devoid of truth. I’m still a member of the APC, and I have not defected to any party. I’m appealing to my supporters, constituents, and the general public to disregard the report.

Read Also: Hunger Protest: Account for 13% derivation, IGR other funds -APC tells Oborevwori

He maintained that he is still a genuine, active, committed and loyal member of the party in Zamfara and at the national level. 

He warned those behind the rumours to desist and join hands to support the party and the President to deliver on his mandate.