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  • Updated: I’m a Nigerian by birth, Atiku replies APC

    Former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has faulted claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he is not a Nigerian by birth and was not qualified to seek to occupy the office of the President.

    Atiku said he is a Nigerian by birth and was born on 25th November, 1946 in Jada, Adamawa State by Nigerian parents and he is, therefore, a citizen of Nigeria by Birth.

    He said this in a joint reply he filed with the PDP in reaction to the response filed by the APC against their petition before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

    Atiku, who gave details his early life, also spoke about his working life and political career in Nigeria to support his claim that he is and has always been a Nigerian by birth.

    In the reply Atiku and the PDP argued that it was late in the day for the APC to query his qualification for the election, having not done so at the pre-election stage.

    Read also: I have always defeated Atiku, Buhari tells tribunal

    They said: “Contrary to the allegations contained in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the 3rd respondent’s (APC’s) reply, the petitioners state that the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is a citizen of Nigeria by birth and thus qualified to vote and be voted for and returned in the election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, held on Saturday 23rd February, 2019 going by the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “The 1st petitioner was born on 25th November, 1946 in Jada, Adamawa State by Nigerian parents and he is, therefore, a citizen of Nigeria by birth.

    “The 1st petitioner’s father, Garba Atiku Abdulkadir was a Nigerian by Birth who hailed from Wumo in present-day Sokoto State while the mother, Aisha Kande was also a Nigerian who hailed from Dutse in present-day Jigawa State.

    “The parents of the 1st Petitioner are both Fulani, a community/tribe indigenous to Nigeria.

    “The birth of the 1st petitioner in Jada, in present-day Adamawa State of Nigeria was occasioned by the movement of his paternal grandfather called Atiku who was an itinerant trader, from Wumo in present-day Sokoto State to Jada in the company of his friend, Ardo Usman.

    “That in Jada, Atiku, the grandfather of the 1st petitioner gave birth to Garba who in tum gave birth to the 1st Petitioner and named him after his own father Atiku.

    “The 1st petitioner’s mother, Aisha Kande was the grand-daughter of Inuwa Dutse who came to Jada as an itinerant trader too from Dutse in present-day Jigawa State.

    “All averments concerning Germany, British Cameroons, League of Nations and Plebiscite are false and misleading in relation to the 1st Petitioner and therefore completely irrelevant more so that the 1st Petitioner is a Nigerian by birth within the contemplation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic ofNigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    “The averments in the aforesaid paragraphs are indeed fabricated, contrived, made in bad faith and designed to embarrass the 1st petitioner.”

    The APC had, in its response to the petition by Atiku and the PDP argued that, by virtue of his not being a Nigerian by birth, Atiku was not qualified to have contested the last presidential election.

    It contended that by Section 131(a) of the Constitution, a person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth to be qualified to contest for the office of the President of the country. It noted that Atiku was born on November 25, 1946 in Jada, now Adamawa State, then in Northern Cameroon, “and is, therefore, a citizen of Cameroon.”

    The APC said Atiku “had no right to be voted for and returned in the election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria held on Saturday 23th February, 2019 having regard to the clear provision of Section 131(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 as amended, which unequivocally stipulates inter alia, that for a person to be qualified for election to the office of President, he must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth.”

    Atiku and the PDP, in their reply, also faulted the APC’s claim that the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) did not transmit the results of the election by electronic means, by using a server.

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  • Akeredolu’s suspension from APC, mere rumours

    A group, The Campaign Concourse (TCC) has described as mere rumours, the purported suspension of Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu by the National Working Commitee (NWC) of the party.

    The group said the insinuation was sponsored by enemies of good governance ‘who are not pleased’ with the developmental revolution Akeredolu was offering the state presently leading to massive infrastructure, industrialization and grass root development.

    The group in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Amudipe Marcus in Akure, the state capital pointed out that the NWC of the party has not issued any official statement from Abuja or anywhere to pronounce the purported suspension.

    It wondered where the authencity of the story came from saying’ the APC has not at any point communicated the governor or the party at the state level on such decision which is traditionally the party’s business.

    The group said ” It is crystal clear that the purported suspension of Akeredolu was only sponsored by some detractors who are not happy with the development taking place across the state today.

    “We are aware that when some governors were suspended, the National Publicity Secretary of the party was the one who announced such suspension. Our question is, who announced Akeredolu’s Suspension?

    “It’s also funny that while some enemies of progress planted that story in the media,  Lanre Issa – Onilu said he was not aware of any suspension of Akeredolu. As we speak, the Governor has neither received any suspension nor query letter from the party.

    ” We like to advise the APC to be more concern about gaining more grounds. The party has suffered so much injuries. We are aware how Aregbesola sponsored the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2016 and also rewarded Bola Ilori by appointing him as a commissioner in his cabinet.

    “Till date, no one has punished Aregbesola or Bola Ilori for engaging in an open anti – Party activities especially when Ilori was the Director General of the AD candidate’s campaign organisation

    “The people of Ondo State stand with Akeredolu. The Governor has performed so well that he has represented that party well in the state. Those behind the suspension saga wanted to force such decision on the party leadership,but have failed.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor,Segun Ajiboye maintained his stand not to make any comment on the issue.

     

  • Buhari’s new cabinet: Anxiety as ministers lobby for retention

    • Cabinet dissolution likely on May 22
    • President may pick new cabinet within
    one month of swearing-in
    • Buhari beats lobbyists to London trip

    Uncertainty now surrounds the constitution of the next federal cabinet  by  President Muhammadu Buhari  who sources say is keeping All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, ministers, associates and loyalists guessing on who are likely to be part of his team.

    The situation notwithstanding, some of the outgoing ministers are lobbying to remain in office.

    The president seems to have disappointed some lobbyists who   hurriedly flew to London in anticipation of a 12-day break by him.

    He was yet to make the trip as at press time.

    Sources said yesterday that between three and five ministers who have been members of the President’s Kitchen Cabinet in the last four years may be re-appointed.

    One of the ministers was made the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Presidential Campaign Council during the just-concluded general elections.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that  it has been difficult for APC leaders including governors, ministers and the president’s associates to know  his thinking  on his coming cabinet.

    Top posts on the card in the jostle or aspiration for cabinet appointments include the Chief of Staff,  Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Finance, Petroleum Resources, Power, Works and Housing, Transportation, Education, Aviation,  Budget and National Planning, Defence, Interior and Communications

    It was learnt that despite complaints about the job, about 60 per cent of the current ministers want to serve in the next cabinet.

    Read also: I have always defeated Atiku, Buhari tells tribunal

     

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “No one knows the mindset of the President on how he will constitute the next Federal Executive Council (FEC). The situation is so dicey that those rated as closer to the President in the cabinet cannot authoritatively say whether or not they will be retained.

    “Despite reservations, about 60 per cent of the ministers prefer to remain if they have their way. This is why many serving ministers have been lobbying those who have the ears of the President for retention.

    “One certain thing is that the new coming FEC will be a cabinet of legacies. The President has been stating it that he wants to leave sustainable legacies behind. He will go for hardworking candidates. He has agreed with his team that time is no longer on his side.

    “The President will also, this time around, not condone the idea of some powerful lobbyists and leaders recommending candidates for ministerial appointments. He hardly knew some members of the outgoing FEC.

    “Recently, when the President announced that he will be on a vacation in London, some lobbyists embarked on emergency trip to Britain to await his arrival. But the President caught them unawares by delaying his trip. This is the dimension the race for cabinet slots is taking. The President is shutting out lobbyists.

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  • APC chieftain lauds Ayade’s decision to downsize cabinet

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr Goddie A. Akpama, has lauded the decision of the state governor, Prof Ben Ayade, to downsize his cabinet for better service delivery.

    The Cross River State governor has a record number of over 6, 000 appointees.

    In a statement released in Calabar on Thursday, Ayade had directed all his commissioners and other appointees of government to prepare their handover notes and forward same to him on or before Friday, April 26, 2019.

    The statement, which was signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor and Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Christian Ita, said the governor intends to reduce the size of his cabinet “considerably”.

    “His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade will run a smaller and tighter cabinet in his second term in office in order to engender a more focused administration for better service delivery,” the statement read in part.

    Reacting to the development in Calabar Saturday, Akpama said, “It is good for the Governor to reduce his executive council and other appointments to a quality number. This would help save the government the problem of too many people doing nothing or the same thing.

    “A small number can do what a large number can do, it all has to do with the right thinking people, those who have to add not just to extract. It has to do with people with quality and sense of honour to support the governor. I support his position of downsizing his appointees, but he should do that not based on favoritism.  The Governor needs credible people who have quality and capacity to offer to government value.

    “We can take examples of Commissioners in the past two administrations. The present idea of food-on-the-table policy is not a proper approach to solving the job situation, but the creation of jobs.  It is good, but this thing is a circle and there has to be a return for what government gives.Government should not be giving people food and making them lazy when they don’t add value to governance.

    “The governor has built a brand in people and I believe they can start from there.  No government has ever carried along people like Ayade’s government, but what is the future of all the appointees after Ayade?  People should work for money. Ayade has done well, his decision to downsize is excellent and timely.”

  • Signing of minimum wage bill another campaign promise fulfilled, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday branded the signing into law of the new national minimum wage by President Muhammadu Buhari as yet another fulfillment of the campaign promises of the President to boost the living standard of Nigerians especially workers.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement in Abuja that  while  Nigerian workers deserve a new, improved and implementable minimum wage in view of current economic realities, “the welfare of workers has remained a top priority of the President Buhari-led APC administration as exhibited in the federal government bailouts to state governments to pay workers salary, housing schemes for civil servants among other welfare packages.”

    He  congratulated stakeholders who  “ensured the achievement of this laudable feat, particularly the National Assembly, state governors, the Amma Pepple-led tripartite committee, labour/trade unions and indeed Nigerian workers.”

    “This is another solid demonstration of a President who matches his words with action. Nigerians will recall the President had severally assured of a new and improved national minimum wage for workers,” he said.

    “The assent of the N30,000 minimum wage by the president is indeed another election promise delivered.”

    The Buhari Media Organization spoke along the same line,saying “the economy is stimulated when workers’ salaries are improved and paid.

    “An average civil servant in Nigeria has about five dependents, so the trickle-down effect will reach their co-dependents.”

    Chairman of the group, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, said that Buhari has consistently shown that he is the workers’ friend and that he cares about the welfare of the ordinary people.

    They said that the he President’s decision to sign the upward review of the minimum wage even after the election, showed that he is not  an ovation-seeking President, but rather  a pragmatic leader who wanted to ensure that there is budgetary provision to accommodate the increase in the minimum wage.

  • Re: APC’s growing ideological clarity

    “It is truly very difficult to differentiate between the APC and PDP due basically because of the same set of people constituting the members and political leaders of both parties- at one time or the other. There is indeed still not much difference between the two parties in the true sense of it except for some important infrastructural constructions and a few investments on poverty alleviation by APC this time, which were made possible because of Buhari’s sincere desires to make a difference. And of course the people expect a lot more from him. In one of the presidential elections he lost before his 2015 victory, Nigerians could see Buhari openly weeping for the country, which was an indication of how much he loved the nation and could have made the needed difference was he allowed the opportunity. Of course, it is quite unfortunate that the opportunity he sought came when he was no longer young and at a time when the 16 years of PDP predatory rule had left the nation’s economy severely in ruins, making his genuine efforts at moving the country forward look like nothing is happening.

    “Yet concerned Nigerians and those interested in the advancement of the country are all too happy that he was after all voted in for the second tenure in the hope that with him on the saddle there is still left so much to hope for with good administration, caution and self censorship. Now there is this much talked about invisible government of the nation that must always influence the direction any government of the day must follow. Buhari should know that if anything goes wrong in the country under his watch, it is his name that will be entered on the wrong side of the nation’s history not the names of those who would counsel him to go against the will of the people and the nation. With the not too young to rule law now in place, Buhari may turn to be the last old face to mount the saddle. Mere making a difference between his APC and PDP may not just be enough this time. It is what he actually does or fails to do on the whole that will really determine his place in history.

    “While Nigerians are certainly not interested in restructuring the country in a way that the separatist agitators will cash in to split the nation, there are some essential tinkering that just need be done to devolve some powers to the federating units – the states of the country – for the better. With the elections now over and his second tenure deservedly secured, Buhari as part of the measures to take the nation to the next level, can now call for the recommendations of the 2014 confab and constitute a committee to study its content towards urgent implementation of what should be generally acceptable. If no other thing, he should be able to reconstruct the nation in such a way that it will be practically impossible for one man or a few of them to be the ones determining the leadership and political direction of the country against what should be the collective will of the people. And having promised going tougher in his war against corruption this second tenure, he should launch out fully to drive home the assertion that if Nigeria doesn’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. During his just concluded 67th birthday colloquium, the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Tinubu outlined what he believes should be the ideological framework of the party. I think Buhari can simply kick start from here, at least to lay a progressive foundation those coming after him could build on should there be no time enough for him to take us to the promised land”, Emmanuel Egwu, Unwana, Afikpo North LGA, Ebonyi State.

     

    “Great analysis as usual, sir. My fear, however, is that the much touted APC ideological evolvement must first and foremost reflect solid institutional features before it could be celebrated. Sir, from your analysis, it seems as what’s being seen as ideology is more a reflection of the ideological leanings of top current power actors in the party than what the party actually stands for. By the time President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Oshiomhole and the likes cease to be part of the party’s top power players, then the true ideological leaning of the party could thoroughly be assessed”, Tayo Ogunbiyi, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy.

     

    ILLUMINATIONS: “Very pertinent point Mr. Ogunbiyi. I think the seeds of progressive politics in Nigeria were sown through the efforts of the progressive tendencies that led the nationalist struggle for independence particularly the Zikists and the radical trade union movement led by the likes of Michael Imoudu. The seeds of progressivism were further nurtured in diverse spheres by Obafemi Awolowo and Aminu Kano’s AG/UPN, NEPU/PRP in the first and second republic respectively. The glowing but brief flowering of the Murtala/Obasanjo military regime’s radical and patriotic African –centred foreign policy can also not be discounted in the evolution of progressive ideology in Nigeria. In this dispensation, the flame of progressive ideology has been kept aglow no matter how tremulous by the succession of the defunct AD/AC/ACD/ ACN and now being consolidated by the APC. A recognizable, distinct and increasingly coherent body of ideas, value dispositions, philosophical orientations and policy prescriptions that constitute Nigeria’s variant of progressive ideology is slowly crystallizing and this, in my view, transcends the arbitrary whims or fleeting fancies of current APC leaders. If APC does not summon the discipline and vision to give this emerging systematically related body of ideas enduring institutional expression, other more purposeful and focused parties will emerge to do so. Nature abhors a vacuum. Thanks for your always thoughtful interventions.

     

    Re: Ideology and pdp’s electoral resurgence

    “Much as the nation needs a viable opposition party to keep the ruling party on its feet and make it always accountable to the people, there is nothing in practical terms in what you christened the ideology of Atiku to merit the eulogies you seem to be heaping on him and the PDP in this piece, objective though the write up is. Those we even know how much they had looted our economy, and who in developed climes should have been languishing in prison shouldn’t be given such image laundering as you would Atiku as projected in that article. Whatever is said to be Atiku’s ideological clarity or invented PDP value orientation was never responsible for the impressive PDP performance in the last general election. The vast majority of Nigerian electorate hasn’t developed to the level of making their electoral choice based on aspirants’ or party ideological rhetoric such as free-market policy prescriptions at least for now.

    “By the impressive outing of the PDP during the last election, the party was merely trying to reap bountifully from where it had actually sowed ruins and emptiness. The disaster PDP foisted on our economy and inherited by Buhari was such that things needed to get worse first before getting better with PMB’s adopted method of turning things around for the better. It was that getting ‘worse’ situation process which was actually very hard on Nigerians, that people had really reacted to in that election by voting for Atiku to the extent they did, unaware that things would be worse were the same PDP still in p0wer to date. That’s the reason for the impressive performance of the PDP in the election and not the clarity of any kind of paper ideological pontification, that many Nigerian voters may neither read nor understand the content”, Emmanuel Egwu, Ebonyi State.

     

    ILLUMINATIONS: “Thanks Mr. Egwu. Did I even remotely insinuate that the emerging ideological coloration of the APC and PDP was responsible for voter behavior in the last election? Not even a neophyte in political analysis would resort to such crude mono-causal determinism in discourse. Ideology cannot be a key factor in electoral outcomes when the dominant parties are only just gradually crystallizing around distinct ideological positions and widespread poverty and poor political consciousness reinforce primordial proclivities. My point is that there is a gradual ideological awakening and this is a good thing. If I found things to commend in Atiku’s politics or policy package, I am absolutely unapologetic apout it. Those who believe that PDP is populated wholly of devils and APC of saints are free to continue to luxuriate in their illusory world. Anybody who is blind to the dizzying cross migration of an assortment of morally tainted characters across the two dominant parties can remain blissfully impervious to reality. If the APC does not feel the need to critically interrogate the reasons for the electoral resurgence of a badly morally damaged PDP in the 2019 polls, particularly the unforced errors of the Buhari administration, there is pretty little this column can do about that”.

  • New twist in race for Speaker

    The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is seeking support for Femi Gbajabiamila to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. This is coming at a time more aspirants are showing interest in the race and insisting on realising their ambition, reports Dele Anofi, Abuja.

    Lagos APC urges Reps-elect to support Gbajabiamila

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State Chapter has urged party members who have won elections into the House of Representatives to support Mr Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker.

    Mr Abiodun Salami, APC’s Assistant Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, made the appeal yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Salami was reacting to the adoption of Gbajabiamila for Speaker of the lower chamber by the APC’s national leadership on Tuesday.

    Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, was re-elected for the fifth term. He is the House Leader.

    APC’s National Publicly Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu had announced the adoption of Gbajabiamila in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He had stated that the party took the decision after extensive deliberations with APC House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa.

    Issa-Onilu, in the statement issued shortly after the meeting, also announced that the party had zoned the position of the Deputy Speaker to the North Central.

    However, an APC House of Representatives member from Benue State, Mr John Dyegh, hours after the adoption of Gbajabiamila, declared his ambition to be Speaker.

    Read also: Our NASS aspirants free to negotiate with PDP members, says APC

    In his speech yesterday in Abuja, Dyegh said he was out to serve the nation and that the North Central zone had been marginalised in the leadership of the House since 1999.

    Meanwhile, Salami urged all House of Representatives members-elect under the platform of the party to work with unity of purpose and support the ambition of Gbajabiamila.

    He said the party had acted well by adopting Gbajabiamila, saying, “he is an experienced legislator with sterling records of service to the people’’.

    “We in Lagos APC are appealing to all our members across the country to support Mr Gbajabiamila in his bid to become the speaker of the ninth House of Representatives.

    “He has been adopted by the party and that makes him the candidate of the party. We, therefore, urge House of Representatives members-elect to support him,’’ he said.

    Salami described Gbajabiamila as a committed and loyal party man with good records of service both at the national and state levels.

    “Even though he is elected on the platform of the party, we have no doubt that he will serve the interest of all Nigerians when he emerges as the speaker.

    “We are also appealing to all Nigerians to support this cerebral gentleman to further impact on the country’s development through his legislative experience and prowess,’’ he said.

    Salami said Gbajabiamila had sponsored many bills which have impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians.

    “He sponsored the bill seeking equal opportunities for people with disability and criminalising estimated billing by electricity distribution companies,’’ he said.

    He said Gbajabiamila also organised periodic empowerment programmes to uplift the people of his constituency.

     

    North Central caucus rejects deputy speaker slot

     

    Dyegh said the North Central caucus was not satisfied with the decision to adopt Gbajabiamila. He said the North Central caucus has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconsider the decision and zone the seat to the North Central.

    Dyegh, at a news conference yesterday, while reiterating the loyalty of the North Central caucus to the party, went ahead to declare his intention to vie for the position of the 9th Speaker of the House.

    “We are not fighting the party,  we are not, we shall not, we are only giving the party an opportunity to come back and look at the zoning and look at what we are saying.

    “Taking what the party says hook, line and sinker is not democratic, we are in a democracy. We have the right to vie for position, there’s freedom of expression. We believe in parry supremacy,  yes, the party is supreme.  I sing that, I say it, I believe it, I go by what the party says but this is a democracy and I believe we should give the Green chamber an option,” he said.

    According to him, in addition to being the third largest contributor to the 2019 election success of the party,  fairness and equity demand that the North Central be considered for the position since the region has never produced the Speaker or Deputy Speaker since the country’s return to democracy in 1999.

    He said: “My party the APC in her wisdom zoned the position of Speaker to the South West and even micro-zoned.

    “I am a party man and my loyalty to the APC is 100 percent, however, the North Central zone has not been convinced nor given reasons why their votes should not count and why we should not run and we feel very strongly that there is still room for negotiation because we believe ‘it is not over until it is over’.

    “We are therefore appealing to the party to have a rethink and rezone the Speakership to the North Central for justice and fair play. We pray to God Almighty to touch the hearts of our Leaders to reconsider us favourably.

    On his candidacy for the post, the lawmaker said the decision to join the race was based on his unyielding faith in a united and prosperous Nigeria.

    Citing sections of the constitution, Dyegh noted that “It will only be fair if the position of Speaker is given to the North Central, having taken away the seat of Senate President to the Northeast.

    “It is instructive to note that the North Central has neither produced Speaker nor the Deputy Speaker since 1999. We are saying that reward in politics is based on what you bring to the table and the North Central brought the third highest number of votes in making President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term reality and enabling the APC to form Federal Government.”

     

    Imo, Benue Reps declare for Speakership

     

    Chike Okafor (Imo) also declared his intention to run for the Speaker’s office on Tuesday shortly before the Presidential dinner, saying that the Southeast deserved the Speaker’s position for the 9th House of Representatives.

    He said no region contributed more to the 2019 election success of the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) Presidential candidate and others than the Southeast, adding that  the region deserved to be compensated for being denied a Principal Officer’s position in 2015 on the pretext that the region had no ranking members in the party then.

    Okafor said the party must look beyond numbers but more on fairness and equity.

    He said: “A ruling party doesn’t just look at the numbers alone; it also looks at National interest; it looks at social justice; it considers political stability and harmony in the body politics; it feels the pulse of the Nation and weighs in on equitable inclusion of federating units of the country in line with the provisions of the constitution of the country and the party, even as it affects sharing of political offices and looking at all these indices, as a party, we have not given the South-East a fair deal! Not yet.

    “A critical review of the last general election would easily indicate that the South-East holds immense political prospect and our party needs to initiate efforts to bridge the inclusion gap as it affects the region and pave the way to extract some political capital from the region come 2023 and there is no better way to start than to zone the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the Southeast.”

     

    ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’

     

    Another contender from the Northcentral, Umaru Bago (Niger), vowed not to relinquish his ambition for Gbajabiamila.

    Bago, in a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Victor Ogene, said the party risked being steered towards the same path which led to the 2015 fiasco that the 8th National Assembly leadership tussle.

    The statement reads: “Following yesterday’s (Tuesday, April 16, 2019) purported zoning and micro-zoning of the office of Speaker of the incoming 9th House of Representatives by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, there have been varied reactions by a cross-section of Nigerians, including members-elect, party stalwarts, political commentators and journalists.

    “For us in the Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago Campaign Organisation, we view the development as a poorly choreographed political orchestra aimed at using the hallowed precincts of the Presidential Villa to anoint a candidate from the Southwest geo-political zone.”

  • Breaking: APC adopts Gbajabiamila, zones deputy slot to North-Central

    The All Progressives Congress (APC ) has endorsed the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi  Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the Office of the Speaker in the 9th National Assembly.

    The party has also zoned the slot for Deputy Speaker to North-Central.

    According to a terse statement by the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the adoption of Gbajabiamila was arrived at during a dinner between President Muhammadu Buhari and House members-elect at the Presidential Villa.

    Read also: 9th NASS leadership: Buhari host reps elect to dinner

    The statement said: ” The APC has adopted Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.

    “This position was reached after an intensive deliberation with the APC’s House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa.

    “The Deputy Speaker position has been zoned to the North Central.”

     

  • Allow North Central, South East lead House of Reps, Nabena tells APC

    Ahead of the official announcement of the zoning formula for National Assembly leadership, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has asked the leadership of the party to ensure even spread in all offices in the interest of the nation.

    Nabena advised the party to zone the Speaker of the House of Representatives and deputy Speaker to the North Central and South East respectively while the South South should be allowed to produce the Deputy Senate President.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, Nabena who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, said with the President and Vice President from the North-west and South-west respectively, other parts of the country should be allowed to produce principal officers of the leadership of the National Assembly.

    He said warned that if the party does not get it right now, 2023 elections might turn out to be a free- fall all in the ruling party.

    He said: “The APC has elected National Assembly members from all geopolitical zones of the country.

    “Hence, the party’s leadership and indeed the presidency must take deliberate efforts to provide a fair and justifiable zoning arrangement for the 9th National Assembly leadership.

    “The zoning arrangement must also respect the fact that the North-west and South-west has already produced the President and Vice President respectively.

    “So, for equity and adherence to the principle of federal character which is a constitutional requirement, the positions of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in the incoming 9th National Assembly must be occupied by APC members from the remaining four geopolitical regions of the country.”

    READ ALSO: Saraki, PDP plotting to hijack 9th NASS leadership, Nabena alleges

    He said that it was evident that the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has already zoned the Senate Presidency to the North-east.

    Recommending a zoning arrangement for the remaining positions, he said “The Deputy Senate President should be zoned to the South-south while the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives should be zoned to the North-central and South-east in any order agreed by the party’s leadership.”

    While not unawares his recommendation was in conflict with the aspiration of presumably the South-west led by a member/aspirant from Lagos state for the Speaker, House of Representatives, Nabena said: “the South-west already has a slot filled by the Vice President.

    “In any case, the South-west does not necessarily translate to Lagos or Ogun state. This is a sentiment widely shared by our members from the zone.

    “As I earlier stated, the party’s leadership must take deliberate steps to provide a fair and justifiable zoning arrangement for the incoming 9th National Assembly leadership.

    “Our actions and inactions will have serious implications on party unity and positively or negatively affect our standing ahead of 2023.”

  • Adelabu, APC get tribunal’s nod to inspect election materials

    THE Election Petitions Tribunal in Oyo State yesterday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the March 9 governorship election, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, to inspect materials used in the poll.

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde, was declared winner of the election after polling 515,621 votes to defeat Adelabu, who had 357,982. Joined in the case as respondents are the PDP and the INEC.

    The tribunal chairman, Justice Anthony Akpovi at yesterday’s hearing,  ordered INEC to allow the petitioners and their agents to inspect and obtain all polling documents used during the election.

    Justice Akpovi also directed INEC to make available all ballot papers, voter registers and copies of all election materials in all polling units.

    Counsel to Adelabu Mr. Olajide Ola had prayed the court to grant his motion ex parte to inspect the governorship election materials.

    Adelabu and his party had filed a petition at the tribunal against INEC for declaring Makinde winner of the governorship election.

    They are seeking, among other reliefs , a declaration that the commission is wrong to have declared Makinde winner of the election as well as a declaration that the election is marred with violence and irregularities.