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  • Unity Forum pledges support for Oyo APC guber candidate

    Members of Unity Forum, the break-away faction of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Oyo State, have agreed to work for the governorship candidate of the party, Adebayo Adelabu in the Saturday election.

    They came to this agreement at an emergency meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Tuesday.

    In a statement by the coordinator, Alh. Fatai Ibikunle, the group said it “bowed to pressure from the national leadership of the APC and resolved to team up with their former party to ensure victory for Chief Adebayo Adelabu in this Saturday gubernatorial election in the state.”

    The statement continued: “The Forum, which is made of many aggrieved Oyo APC faithful, had broken away in the wake of crises which engulfed the ruling party during its Congresses in May last year. It is also recalled that members of the Unity Forum later scattered as most of them landed in popular opposition parties such as African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “But the fall-out of the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections which clearly indicated that Oyo APC might be facing a difficult task in its desire to produce another executive governor as a successor to Senator Abiola Ajimobi had sent a signal to the national leadership of the APC which swung into action immediately the results were announced by calling for a truce among the warring factions.

    “In an emergency meeting held on Tuesday at a private location in Ibadan, leaders and members of the Forum unanimously considered the reports of a delegation which had earlier met with Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu and agreed to unite for the sake of peace and progress of the pacesetters state.

    “According to the leader of the delegation which recently had an interface with Tinubu in Lagos home, all the issues that led to the schisms within the Oyo APC were presented and treated accordingly while far reaching agreement were reached by both parties with a view to facilitating victory for the APC gubernatorial candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on Saturday.

    “Immediately after the February 23 elections, serious-minded stakeholders across party line took stock and realized that no group or political party was in a vantage position to win the March 9 gubernatorial poll. The APC, at the national level, also discovered the need for urgent realignment and reconciliation with the estranged Unity Forum became an option for the good of the entire state.

    “The unanimous decision is that we will all mobilize across the geo-political zones of Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa to actualize the dream of Oyo State not falling into opposition for obvious reasons. Although majority of us are not hitherto in the APC, the agreement takes good care of our members who hold either ADC or ADP tickets for House of Assembly but detail of this will be made public later.

    “Notable party chieftains at the meeting include; Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Dr. Hammed Ayinla (Oyo ADC Chairman), Dr. Adebayo Adewusi, Chief ‘Goke Oyetunji, Chief Tijani Balogun, Alh. Lekan Kazeem, Engr. Azeez Adeoye, Elder Egbetokun, Chief Sunday Owoade, Chief Emmanuel Oyewusi, Hon. Lasun Adebunmi, Mrs Victoria Adegbuyi, Alh. Sikiru Anibire, Alh. Ganiyu Alade, Hon. Kayode Obisesan, Hon. Abiodun Alade, Chief Mathew Fashola among others.”

  • APC’ll complete takeover of Delta on Saturday, Buhari vows

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said Saturday’s election will complete the cycle of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) take-over of the affairs of Delta state.

    This, he said, is going by the achievements of the party in the state during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Buhari made the declaration at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun, Uvwie council area of the state on Monday when he addressed a congregation of the party’s stakeholders and other stakeholders of the state, including traditional rulers.

    The President, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, also assured the stakeholders the federal government would ensure there is adequate security during next Saturday’s elections to address concerns about rigging and other electoral anomalies.

    “What happened last Saturday is a great victory for us but it is only the beginning because the completion of that victory is going to come by the grace of God on Saturday March 9, 2019 when we vote in our own governor, Great Ogboru, who will by the grace of God be a governor from that very day.

    “It is very clear to everybody and to the world that Delta State can never be the same again.

    “It’s impossible for Delta State to go back after what happened on Saturday. As the APC chairman said, we all watched to see what will happen in Delta state. Delta state was a focus of all of our attention.”

    He went on: “Just as the chairman has said, we have seen a Delta state where the PDP was unable to recall a vote of 1.2 million and will knew they wrote the result.

    “We wanted to see what way they can be curtailed, but you all proved that ‘you can tell a lie for a thousand years, but one day the truth will catch up’ and the truth caught up with them last Saturday.

    “That truth will manifest itself fully this Saturday when we hold the next election. Delta state has proved a very important point that this state is ready for change to the next level.

    “The other reason why it is so important for us to ensure that Delta State become an APC state has been pointed out. The social investment programme that we put in place, it is only APC governor that can implement such programmes faithfully.

    “We believe that once we are able to have an APC governor such programmes will be implemented.”

    Speaking on reasons why the state should not remain in the opposition to the federal government, Prof Osinbajo pointed at the various development projects that had been kicked off for the economic and social development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region, especially Delta state.

    “I heard talks about Delta Steel Company (DSC), after so many years, the Itakpe-Aladja railway has been completed 35 years after being on the card. It’s this same President that completed it. PDP has been in power all these many years, why didn’t they complete it? They (PDP) are the ones who created this mess.

    “Even the Warri seaport which we are now dredging has been there for years. They didn’t do it. All of these times that PDP has been in power. Sometimes, it surprises me that with the resources that Delta State has had for so many years, where are the fruit of the resources. Look at the Warri Seaport, it could have been seamlessly be done by the state. Here we are, we (APC) are completing the dredging of the channel. Even the East-West raod, this is the first government that has put resources for its completion. We are putting large amount of money into the East-West road. We all will benefit from it.

    “Delta state should not be an opposition state. Why should Delta be an opposition state? Why? There is no reason for it at all. For all the periods that Delta State has had high resources, what we need was a change from a progressive party. The time has come. This is the moment, let us seize that moment. You have shown courage, it is only the courageous that wins”, he said.

    Meanwhile, speaking earlier, various speakers had urged Presiden Buhari to ensure strict security cover for the state to prevent the rigging of next Saturday’s election by the PDP, saying that the party (PDP) would repeat its alleged rigging pattern during the governorship and state House of Assembly election if there is no proper security to deter such.

    The event gathered leaders and stakeholders of the party in the state, including the governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, the leaders of the party in the state, like the Minister of State of Petroleum Resources, Dr Dr Ibe Kachikwu, former governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and others.

  • Breaking: Lanlehin, others step down for PDP’s Makinde candidate in Oyo

    The governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Olufemi Lanlehin and Sharafadeen Alli respectively on Monday ended days of anxiety and procrastination by stepping down for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluseyi Makinde.

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Bolaji Ayorinde also joined the alliance with the PDP.

    The alliance narrowed down the major candidates in the Saturday election to only All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Adebayo Adelabu and PDP’s Makinde.

    The third major candidate, Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) is currently in an alliance with the APC.

    The directors-general of the campaign organizations of the parties involved in the coalition confirmed the decision on Monday, saying that details would be provided later.

    The Nation learnt that a formal announcement and unveiling of the coalition will be made in a press conference on Tuesday.

    The agreement was expected to have been reached on Saturday but the ADC and ZLP were said to be in consultation with their stakeholders.

    Only the SDP confirmed its status in the coalition being built with the aim of dislodging the APC which has been governing the state since 2011.

  • We were not involved in Bayelsa killings, violence – APC

    The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has dissociated itself from the electoral violence in Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Council of the state.

    A Government House photographer, Reginald Dei, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr. Seidougha Taribi, were shot in the area by gunmen in military uniform.

    But the State Publicity Secretary of Bayelsa APC, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, in a statement dismissed insinuations by Governor Seriake Dickson and the PDP that the deceased were victims of violence perpetrated by APC supporters.

    The APC challenged the picture painted by the state government, saying nothing could be further from the truth.

    The party in its account of the incident said: “On the day of election, materials were brought to Oweikorogha. PDP supporters led by Moses Taribi, Seidougha Taribi, Promise Elijah, Reginald Dei and others were fomenting trouble with the intent to destroy the electioneering materials or hijacking them for their party. APC supporters did all they could to allow voting to take place.

    “While voting was ongoing, a certain Perebigha Azikwe of the PDP arrived the polling unit with a locally made pistol, and snatched the card reader. At that instance, the APC Ward 2 Agent, Deizigha ThankGod, approached the PDP loyalists to plead with them to return the card reader, but they refused.

    “APC loyalists then insisted that voting could not continue. While they were concentrating on the other two units, PDP thugs led by Moses Taribi forcefully took away the remaining materials of that unit to Seidougha Taribi’s house and were thumb-printing in favour of the PDP.

    “At that point, the voters sought for security intervention to secure the electoral materials. Soldiers arrived Oweikorogha, and stormed Seidogha Taribi’s house. There was an exchange of gunshots.

    “The APC is concerned that houses of our members and their relations have been burnt down in the community and property looted. Our members are also being hunted for possible assassination.

    “The party condemns this unnecessary insult in Oweikorogha. APC is the victim, not the aggressor. We call on the armed and security forces to restore law and order in Oweikorogha community. Our members and other peace-loving residents in Southern Ijaw need protection”.

  • ADP to Alao-Akala: don’t rejoin APC

    The  Action Democratic Party (ADP)  leadership has asked former Oyo State Governor and the Action Democratic Party  (ADP) governorship candidate Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala to bury the thought of leaving the party to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The ADP said it was too late in the middle of the game for Alao-Akala to align with any political party.

    It stated that as far as the party’s leadership was concerned, Alao-Akala remains its governorship candidate.

    Besides, the ADP said it has embarked on mobilisation of the party’s members and supporters to educate them on the need to reject Alao-Akala’s decision to align with the APC candidate, Bayo Adelabu, in the March 9 governorship election.

    Alao-Akala had struck a deal after a meeting with the APC National Leader Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to support Adelabu in the forthcoming governorship poll in Oyo State.

    ADP Southwest Chairman Chief Lateef Arowosaye, in a statement in Ibadan at the weekend, said the party was unaware of any pact with the APC.

    According to the party, members and supporters of ADP should cast their votes for all ADP candidates, including Alao-Akala in next Saturday’s election.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the statement by Otunba Alao-Akala to the effect that he has withdrawn his candidacy from the gubernatorial election in Oyo State scheduled for next week. The ADP wishes to make the following clarifications after consultations at all levels of the party’s leadership:

    “We have not been formally informed by Otunba Alao-Akala of his decision to withdraw from the gubernatorial race.

    “The gubernatorial ticket belongs to the party and not the candidate.

    “The legal department of our party is fully informed and appropriate legal advice is being awaited. The ADP, therefore, remains in the gubernatorial election, moreso when the window of substitution of candidates has closed.

    “We call on our teeming members and supporters of the ADP to troop out on March 9, 2019 and vote for the ADP in the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.

    “The ADP wishes to also state that it is not in alliance with the APC in Oyo State.

    “We have campaigned on the strength of our positioning as the credible alternative to the ruling APC in Oyo State. It will, therefore, be ridiculous to turn around at the 11th hour and embrace what we have used the lifetime of the ADP to condemn.

    “The ADP is, however, in talks with other opposition parties in Oyo State to give the people of Oyo State a new breath of life. We shall duly inform party members and the public at large of this initiative at the fullest of time.”

  • Wamakko: APC to sustain good governance

    Northern Senators Forum Chairman Aliyu Magatakarda has said governments led by the All Progressives Congress (APC ), at all levels, will sustain attributes of fairness , justice, accountability and transparency for good governance.

    “ These invaluable and cherishable attributes would continue to be the cornerstone of APC-led administrations,  including the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “ The party also upholds the sanctity and dignity of human lives, as citizens, especially the less-privileged are the most invaluable treasures of the party and its leaders, at all levels,” Wamakko, coordinator of  North West Presidential Campaign Council,  added.

    Wamakko, who represents Sokoto North, spoke at his Gawon Nama,  Sokoto, home, when he received APC supporters from Yabo Local Government, led by a chieftain, Professor Musa Garba Maitafsir, and House of Representatives member-elect of Yabo and Shagari Federal Constituency Alhaji Abubakar Umar Danbukari.

    The senator hailed the electorate for their renewed confidence in the President,  himself and all candidates of APC.

    He said: ”President Muhammadu Buhari and all of us elected under the platform of the party, as well as governors and state Assemblymen to be elected, In Sha Allahu, will not betray the confidence reposed in us.

    “The re-election of the President is a testimony to his commitment to further move the nation to the Next Level.

    “We, at the Ninth Senate, would, in Sha Allahu, support the President in his determination to improve security, bolster the economy, and curb corruption.”

    On the govenorship and state legislture polls (INEC), on Saturday, Wamakko appealed to the people to vote candidates of APC.

    The Sarkin Yamman Sokoto, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, urged party faithful not to be complacent in mobilising the electorate.

    Wamakko added: “We should come out and vote out fakes, deceptors and ingrates.

    “By doing so, the state will be brought back to the path of growth and development, as what obtained between 2007 and 2015.

    “Regrettably, the people of the state have been wallowing in underdevelopment and paucity of dividends of democracy, from 2015 to date.

    “This obnoxious deficit of developmental projects and people-oriented welfare schemes can only be redressed with the election of APC governorship candidate Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and his running mate, Alhaji Faruk Malami Yabo,  as well as House of Assemby candidates.

    “While intensifying mobilisation of the electorate,  we should avoid violence, thuggery and acts inimical to peace and unity of the state and Nigeria.”

  • Arewa forum rallies for APC, Sanwo-Olu in Lagos

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikoyi and Chairman Arewa Community and Head Adamawa Youth Leader, Adamawa Community in Lagos State, Alhaji Zakariyu Mohammed, popularly known as (Zaki), has declared that the youth wing of Arewa in the state will vote massively for the APC in the coming election.

    At a political rally organised by the Lagos State Arewa Youth Community in Obalende, Mohammed said, “if you look at the present government’s achievement in the last four years, you will agree with me that APC government in the state has performed credibly and the party deserves another term. When you look at the development in Lagos State, it’s great. We cannot afford to lose Lagos State to the opposition party with the tremendous progress in the state.

    “Even at the federal level, President Buhari has performed well also. My local government in Adamawa State was taken over by Boko Haram for two years, but when this government came in, peace was restored; our people are able to sleep and close their eyes.”

    He added: “I can tell you authoritatively that our people, I mean Hausa youths in this local government and in Lagos, will vote for Mr. Babajide Sanwolu, the APC governorship candidate, come March 9. I understand their language, and we have been moving from house to house to campaign.”

  • Akala rejoins APC, dumps gubernatorial ambition

    A former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He is the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the March 9 governorship election.

    The former governor, The Nation learnt, made the decision earlier today after meeting the APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Abuja and Lagos.

    A reliable source within the party confirmed that the Ogbomoso-born politician will make a statement on his new decision today for his supporters across the state to understand the reasons for his move ahead of the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly election.

    READ ALSO: Breaking: APC NWC suspends Amosun, Okorocha

    His return to the APC will deal a heavy blow on the alliance he was leading among opposition parties against the governing party in the state.

    He was leading an alliance between ADP, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Prior to the election, Akala had vowed that all opposition parties would do anything to end to the reins of the APC in the state.

    But the intervention of Tinubu and other national leaders made him change his mind.

    The former governor left the APC last October to pick the governorship ticket of the ADP.

    He is widely believed to have influenced the victory of the PDP in Ogbomoso Zone in the February 23 presidential election.

     

     

     

  • Updated: APC NWC suspends Amosun, Okorocha

    ….Okechukwu, Usani, Akeredolu to be queried

    It was the day of long knives as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) suspended governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and Rochas Okorocha of Imo .

    The suspension of the governors was confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday by a top party official, even as the NWC was still in session.

    Also suspended were Osita Okechukwu, the director-general of the Voice of Nigeria and Pastor Usani Usani, Minister of Niger Delta affairs.

    An APC source said the NWC also decided to query Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, where the party lost two senatorial seats and the presidential election to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the 23 February election.

    All the sanctioned party members were indicted for anti-party activities in the run-up to the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections, NAN learnt.

    Read Also: Updated:NBC sanctions NTA, AIT, Channels, others

    NWC, which is currently in a meeting, also recommended the expulsion of Okorocha and Amosun from the party.

    The duo won senate seats in the National Assembly election in their states as members of the APC.

    However, both governors are supporting governorship and assembly candidates against the APC.

    In Ogun, Amosun is backing AbdulKadir Akinlade as governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement(APM) against the APC candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    In Imo, Okorocha is supporting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu as candidate of the Action Alliance, against Senator Hope Uzodinma, the APC candidate. (NAN)

  • APC Campaign Council to members:let’s celebrate after guber elections

    The APC Presidential Campaign Council has reminded Nigerians and members of the party that it was yet celebration time as the governorship and state assembly election was equally important to the party as the President would need majority of states to be able to successfully implement his programmes for the country

    The council said the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly members was only a step to actualising good governance in the country, stressing with majority of states coming under the control of the party, the developmental efforts of the President would be implemented without hitches.

    Director Field Operations Directorate of the Council, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who spoke at a ‘thank you’ reception for members of the directorate, held in Abuja Friday told all those who have made sacrifice for the success of the party to return to the field and ensure total victory for the party in the governorship elections.

    Ribadu said “let us be very proud of ourselves. We did something that money cannot buy. We did it honestly and only God can testify to that. We didn’t invite people to even come and look at it, no. The best human being is one that will do good thing without necessarily waiting for people to take note.

    “Honestly, be proud of yourselves, genuinely! And you will see the reward of it when it will come. No good work can go unrewarded. One way or the other, it will come. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow in the morning, but certainly it is going to come.

    “We will continue to be happy for the next four years because we have done something that is going to be good for our country. We have re-elected a good man. Buhari is a good man. He is genuine. He is a fair gentleman. He is honest. He will protect our resources and will not allow bad people to cheat us and steal from our own commonwealth. He will not! And that is what we want in a leader.

    “He will not go and sell Nigeria. He will not sell whatever that we have. He will not sit with anybody to plot evil or do bad thing. He will not. There was never a day or a minute that Buhari sat down and tell us, as his own campaign council, to go and do bad things. Never!

    “He refused to allow even the traditional way of politicians taking advantage of what they have. He refused. He refused to talk to the law enforcement agencies. He refused to interfere with INEC. He said let us go and meet the people, lets sell our own product, lets tell Nigerians what we have, and if they want to buy, let them take it. It is not about money or intimidation, we would give Nigerians free opportunity and chance to decide and they decided.

    “The elections are not over yet. We still have one important election waiting for us. We just got one, presidential and National Assembly. We have another one coming, which are the gubernatorial and state assemblies. It is a very important election for the party. I want to appeal to all of us, let us take it equally very important. We have already done a wonderful job and we are capable of doing that again.

    “The work we are doing is a continuation of supporting President Muhammadu Buhari because he would need a party that has majority of states in Nigeria. He would need more governors so that he can carry on with his work and implement the policies of our party.

    “The governors would also require our own state assembly members. Governance is about team work. I therefore appeal to us, let us go back and continue with this work. It is not yet time to rest until it is over.”