Accuse police of working for PDP
The Minister of State for Agriculture and a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva on Tuesday led a protest against the killings of All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the state.
Sylva, Lokpobiri and other party leaders shut down the popular Mbiama-Yenagoa Road as they marched about six kilometers to the state command of the Nigeria Police.
Details later…
Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Political and Community Matters, Chief Osaro Idah, has urged voters in the state to support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at all levels.
He noted that their support will turbocharge ongoing development by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government across all sectors.
Chief Idah, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, said: “People appreciate what Governor Obaseki and President Muhammadu Buhari have done so far in the state, especially at the grassroots level.
“The kind of infrastructural development Edo people are seeing today has not happened for a long time. The people in the rural areas are now seeing roads for the first time, I mean tarred roads.”
The candidates of the APC in the state are Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, who is contesting for the Edo South senatorial seat; John Inegbedion Edo Central senatorial seat; Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha for Oredo Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives; Dennis Idahosa for Ovia North East/ South West seat in the House of Representatives; Hon. Joseph Ikpea, Esan South East/ North East seat in the House of Representatives; Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma for Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency seat, among others.
Idah said voting for candidates of the APC will spur more development in the state as the candidates will complement efforts of the government at the federal and state levels.
“The governor has taken electricity to a number of communities through the Solar Powered system, ensuring that the people have access to health care as well as good roads.
“This is the case in Uhunmwode, Orhionmwon, Ovia and other parts of the state.
The governor’s aide added: “In Esan land, many people are seeing huge infrastructural development and the government is deliberately providing basic health centres in the 192 wards of the state. All the wards are benefiting from Governor Obaseki’s projects.”
– As Madumere assures of better deal for Imolites
The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, Imo State chapter, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has described Governor Rochas Okorocha, who is supposed to be the symbol of the party, as a huge disappointment, alleging that the governor has failed in all fronts to implement the manifesto of the party.
Uzodinma expressed his dismay over Okorocha’s performance in the state while addressing heads of Ngor Okpala during APC campaign in Ngor Okpala yesterday.
His words: “It is regrettable that a local government like Ngor Okpala is left in the state it is despite its political resources in terms of votes. I know of an erosion site that has been here in Ngor Okpala for over a decade and yet, our great party APC has the best manifesto in terms of welfare of the people and infrastructure. Unfortunately the symbol of our party is a disappointment.”
He explained that it is the major reason that accounted for the emergence of the coalition to retrieve both the party and the state. He therefore promised to do the much he could to build roads that will stand the test of time in the local government.
In the area of employment, Uzodinma averred that it takes a leader who is gifted in creative thinking to be on the saddle, assuring the people of Imo State of employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state since education curricula will be reviewed to reflect the technical areas needed to provide solution in our today’s society. He also hinted that it is not all about free education but qualitative free education that will see our children compete favourably with their contemporaries at both national and international level.
For the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, who introduced Uzodinma to the people of Ngor Okpala, he said that what matters at the moment is to ensure that reign of impunity is dispensed with and good governance restored. He called on people of good conscience to unite with a view to bringing impunity to an end and restoring confidence in the system.
On Owerri zone agenda, he said while the priority is hinged on recovering the state from the present family driven government, Madumere said that Uzodinma can be trusted with Owerri zone agenda, saying that he will deliver on it if given the support.
He used the opportunity to raise Uzodinma’s hand as the candidate of All Progressives Congress.
The event, which attracted who is who in Owerri zone witnessed the presence of politicians and business men of notes. Chief Theodore Ekechi, former Commissioner for Information and the convener of Imerienwe Declaration that led to the formation of Restoration group. The Deputy Governorship candidate of the party, Prof. Placid Njoku was present with Chief Cosmos Iwu, Director General of Hope Uzodinma Campaign Organisation. Ekechi took time to introduce the leaders of the party from Ngor Okpala among who are Sir George Schedule, former Secretary of the State Government, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, House of Representatives candidate for Abo- Mbaise-Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, House of Assembly candidate for Ngor Okpala, Hon. Ugochukwu Okere popularly known as Blackhawks among others. Others present were George Egu, Tony Grey Okpe, Dr. Uzoma Obiyor, Gibson Achonwa Njemanze among others.
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and publisher of Sahara Reporters Omoyele Sowore, has said that there is no rational human being in the country today that would willingly cast vote for the two major parties (APC and PDP) in the imminent elections.
He said this while referencing past years of stagnation under the watchful eyes of the two parties, who are unrepentant masterminds of the country’s political and economic doldrums.
He premised statement on their bad antecedents saying: “no Nigerian in the right frame of mind would vote an oppressor to power.”
He further advised Nigerians to forget about the rented crowd at rallies of the major parties and rather focus on the need for courage in upstaging the horrible forces that have kept them in darkness. He counseled the citizens to brace up and take the bull by the horn, emphasizing the need to vote for conscience rather than allow votes to be swayed by pecuniary gains that have been consistently used to bait the electorates.
“Every trick in the political world has been played and outplayed by the political class.” He began. “Nobody is carried away by money anymore; nobody is swayed by rented crowd out there, and there is the silent majority that has made a decision this time around to vote their conscience. If the elections are free and fair, there is no rational human being who will vote for the two major parties this time and what that means is that, we have the brightest chance.”
Sowore spoke primarily to the young people of Nigeria. They consist of the largest demographic in the country and it is with them that the future rests. He charged them with removing the old guard who have deprived them of basic amenities and made them residents of the poverty capital of the world. He encouraged young Nigerians not to give up in the face of hardship and despair but rather, they make vital efforts to reverse the status quo.
“I understand there is a lot of anxiety and despondency” Sowore said while acknowledging that many people are acutely depressed about the country. “I mean– clinically depressed. That’s the truth, but, that is exactly why things must change because it is either we give in or brace ourselves up for a struggle like this in providing the liberation that we need. And the reason this must happen is because we have nowhere else to go. For those of us who are outside the country, we have seen other parts of the world and found out there is nothing as good as having a country that works and you come back so much energized considering you know that only less than one percent of the population is holding the country to ransom.”
He said that the clarion call to redeem Nigeria must be heeded by all youths who intend having a thriving country they would be proud to call their own, and to have such a prosperous country, the youths that constitute major part of the electorates must speak in unity of purpose regarding voting his candidacy to power, adding that, he is poised to effect a seismic transformation to the country’s dwindling fortune.
Speaking about his level of readiness to disrupt the political space, Sowore alluded his party’s monumental achievements since treading this path barely six months ago and issued sound warning to the old guard politicians that the 2019 elections won’t be business as usual. He said that, his party would use technology to demystify hitherto inscrutable election irregularities and table them as pieces of evidence to Nigerians and to the rest of the world.
“The disruption has been done in the last nine months.” Sowore started. “I made a pronouncement in one of the first town hall meetings that, since I have disrupted the media I was going to disrupt the political space and, you can count the number of things that have happened since we started.”
He reeled out both his personal achievements in the quest to effect transformation in his environment beginning from when he was a student at the university of Lagos and what his party, the AAC, has attained within the short time of coming into existence.
“You know the disruption has spread and is completed already.” He continued. “First, was that we wanted to demystify all the very powerful criminal institutions in politics and we have done that. We have demystified the power of money. We have demystified the notion that Nigeria is complex and vague. We have demystified the notion of religion and ethnicity in the sense that, we have been able to travel round the country, get wide acceptance, under the same political party, young people from across all different ethnic groups and religious beliefs, nobody is thinking ethnicity and everybody is thinking humanity till now. We have disrupted the political process to the point that we are forcing conversations that ordinarily don’t happen to happen. We have disrupted it to the point that today; almost everybody is doing a townhall meeting, which had never been done before.”
“Buhari was supposed to do one but he didnt. It was a townhall meeting, regardless. Otherwise, it would have been their parachute rallies, dropping their wares and what have you but they are being forced to answer questions. We have created a narrative around the efficacy and efficiency of a vibrant youthful political class in the country. We have disrupted the notion that only big parties can discuss elections.”
“We created a party that is less than six months old. However, one of the most popular political parties in Nigeria today is AAC and it’s just six months old. So, a number of theories have been disrupted and the disruption process is complete. We are waiting to ensure it delivers victory to a disruptor in two weeks’ time.” He rounded off.
Sowore’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the AAC few months ago seems to have given hope to many Nigerians about a third force that was consistently gossiped as viable alternative to the Peoples’ Democratic Party and the ruling All Peoples’ Congress, two parties that have been likened to the two sides of a coin. Perhaps, the long awaited revolution in the political firmament would take place if the candidacy of Omoyele Sowore is voted into powers.
The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to disqualify president Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly bringing in people from outside the country to influence the election in his favour.
Chairman of PDP, Uche Secundus, made the call in Enugu during the PDP rally for election of the presidential candidate of the Party, Atiku Abubakar and other candidates of the party in the 2019 elections.
He accused Buhari of planning to influence the election in his favour and called on INEC to disqualify Buhari over alleged plans to influence the election.
He urged Enugu people to vote for a man (Atiku) that will not sleep on duty, adding that “PDP is Enugu and Enugu is PDP”
In his speech, Atiku urged Ndigbo not to miss the opportunity of producing the vice president, adding that vice president is from the South East.
He, therefore, called on them to vote for him, saying the PDP has never failed the people of the South East.
Present at the rally were Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Governor Ifeanyi Ugsuanyi, Jim Nwobodo, among others.
*We’ll campaign for you, Marafa tells Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed his campaign rally earlier scheduled for Zamfara State on Sunday.
The postponement of the rally is linked to the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also released the final list of candidates for the March 2 Governorship and State House of Assembly election without any name for APC Governorship candidate for Zamfara State.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina confirmed the postponement.
Speaking with State House correspondents on the latest development, Senator kabiru Marafa, said “I am not aware of the cancellation of the APC Zamfara rally; honestly because I was not told. As I said, I just submitted a proposal which I think will serve the interest of our party, the president and our people.
“We don’t have candidates for now because of the political impasse that characterised Zamfara State in the last few months and the president is billed to be in Zamfara on Sunday, Feb. 3
“Because of the rumple between disagreeing parties, we felt it is better Mr President suspends his visit to Zamfara. After all, we are there; we can campaign for him; he knows us; he knows our individual capacities; there is no point bringing all the factions under one umbrella, because once the president is there, if you like the president and you are with him, you will like to show your face.
“However, we feel it is avoidable; but you cannot come to the president with just one single suggestion. So. I just put my opinion across; that if it is a must; maybe the party has fixed Feb. 3 for the visit, then we want to be excused because there is no way President Muhammad Buhari will go to Zamfara and my face is not seen and people will not ask questions and I think it is not fair just to be absent like that.
“We are not doing what we are doing to impress anybody; we have already gotten all the necessary trust and belief from Mr President even if he is not there, we will do the right thing.
“But if the party or the Presidential Campaign Council feel they must be in Zamfara on Sunday, we and our supporters want to be excused and we will conduct our own rally for the president on a different date and we will televise it live on NTA so that everybody can see; so let everybody show his support in Zamfara not to come together and then everybody will be claiming victory that I pulled this crowd; let everybody stand on his own.
“The most important thing is that we all believe in Mr President and we all like him and we will support him and we want him to win; so let us work individually, and Feb. 16, we will all converge on the box and show what we can do but let the people of Nigeria see us individually.” he added
On way forward, he said “The way forward like we proposed before the State High Court in Zamfara that heard complaints from the governor and his side. The governor went to court and said he conducted primary elections, we joined the case and said no, you didn’t conduct elections because you don’t have the right; the constitutional powers to do so; it is not the size of your office that determines what you can do; it is the constitutions that specifies your functions and responsibilities.
“State governors cannot conduct elections, state party chapters cannot conduct elections, so nobody except the National Working Committee of the political party especially our own–that is specifically mentioned in the constitution.
“So, only the political party can conduct primary elections. So, we felt that APC needed to be represented; the people of Zamfara State needed to be given choice and they say variety is the spice of life; the more the variety, the better for the people.
“However, that variety should not just come because a political party feels they must be there, no. Justice must prevail; you cannot exclude some people and claim that APC should not be included, no.
“We asked the court that APC could not conduct primaries in Zamfara not because they cannot or they failed to do so. The issue was that there was a subsisting court order; this crisis started from the congresses that were conducted in April last year; two factions emerged—Yari had his own party executives, I have my own party executives.
“However, the NWC then cleared the governor’s side and recognised it and we went to court that the process was flawed; that we were disenfranchised and we will not agree.
“The court looked at the complaints because primary elections were approaching that time; it gave an order that both Marafa and the other faction should stay away from anything that has to do with party executives at the local level; so what that means is–the NWC only sends a panel of maybe 7, 10, 14 people but we require 441 local staff to conduct the primaries across the 147 wards of the state.
“The first attempt on Oct. 3, we agreed that since these factions will not participate, how do we get staff? So, we said let’s use the Nigerian Union of Teachers(NUT). So, NUT provided the staff but however as the process began and the government saw it was losing, they unleashed mayhem; there was violence.
“The chairman cancelled the elections. On the 7th when they came back, the NUT compromised somehow; they were put under pressure because they are under the state government.
“So, we could not agree on the local organising committee that is the local staff. This is actually what stopped APC from conducting primaries. We now asked the court, the reason why we could not do was because there was no local staff; now that primary elections are over in all the states of the federation, APC can bring in staff from anywhere to conduct the primary election; so we asked the court, mandate APC to conduct fresh primaries and ask INEC to collect the result.
“This is what we did, but the governor and his side did not want that because they cannot face the people in any election. They know if there are primaries, they will lose; so they now prayed to the court that prayer should not be granted. And the judge in his own wisdom granted their own prayers and rejected that part of the prayer.
“So, we are now before the appeal court to say that Appeal Court should reconsider the judgement and give APC new lease of life; allow APC to conduct primaries; just one day is okay. We conduct primaries and submit the result to INEC.” he said
He also expressed the hope that the Appeal Court will do justice to the people of Zamfara and to the various aspirants that purchased the forms at a very high cost.
A detachment of armed policemen and Special Anti – robbery Squad (F -SARS) took over Abeokuta and its environs on Thursday following alleged botched attempt on the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Dapo Abiodun and his running mate, Engr. Noimot Oyedele – Salako in Mokola – Elega area of the state capital by suspected political thugs.
The armed policemen and SARS were deployed by the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, to the seedy Elega area and other flashpoints to restore normalcy and forestall further outbreak of violence, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told The Nation.
Abiodun and his running mate were attacked by thugs wielding guns, cutlasses and cudgels after blocking their access way with cars on approaching the Mokola junction near Akomoje in Abeokuta North Local during campaign tour of the area.
They later opened fire on his campaign train and smashed things on sight.
There was chaos, tension and pandemonium at the rustic neighbourhood as security Operatives in the convoy of the APC governorship candidate fired repeatedly into the air to scare the attackers away.
They also cleared the obstructions for quick and safe evacuation of Abiodun and the running mate from spot, but the attackers, it was learnt, audaciously held on to the reign of terror momentarily before they beat a retreat.
In the pandemonium and ensuing stampede, some of the fear-stricken party members, supporters and innocent passers-by fell on one another as they scampered to safety when gunshots rang out repeatedly.
It was learnt the assault was allegedly sponsored by a federal lawmaker from Ogun Central, who is a candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), who was allegedly sighted fleeing the scene when the situation took a worrisome dimension.
It was further gathered the attackers having been dislodged at the Mokola – Elega area later regrouped by noon and stormed the junction of Ori – Omi Sokori area.
They threatened Abiodun to emerge from a stakeholders’ meeting at Akin Olugbade Social Centre, Abeokuta but his supporters resisted them.
The prompt intervention of more detachment of armed Policemen hurried to the scene, saved the day as the suspected thugs were chased away.
Reacting to the latest attack on him, Abiodun said: “When we were approaching Mokola Junction in Abeokuta North Local government, we saw some group of people approaching us, we realised that they were fully armed.
“Suddenly they started shooting. Thank God for the gallant policemen who were on ground and rose up to the occasion and chased them away.
“If not for them, only God knows what would have happened today. It is unfortunate that our politics has gotten to this level where it has become do- or- die affair.
“We should rather canvass for votes and endear ourselves to the people. That is the only way that we would have peaceful election.
Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, when contacted said policemen, including area Commanders, have been deployed to the affected areas to restore normalcy.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the decision of the Court of Appeal to okay the trial of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal has vindicated his suspension from office by President Muhammadu Buhari.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement on Thursday that the Appeal Court has further advertised true credentials of the President through its ruling.
Recall that when the President, acting on the directive of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) announced the suspension of Onnoghen, some opposition parties wrongly alleged an illegal action by the President and viewed the CCT as lacking jurisdiction.
But the Court of Appeal had in a unanimous decision read by Justice Abdul Aboki dismissed the request brought by Onnoghen asking for a stay of proceedings in his asset declaration trial at the CCT ostensibly clearing any doubt about the competence of the CCT and the procedure that led to the suspension.
Onilu said: “The APC had in the wake of the suspension insisted that the rule of law be upheld and allowed to thrive while Justice Onnoghen submits himself to the law.
“The Appeal court ruling has further advertised the credentials of President Buhari as an unrepentant believer in the rule of law, due process and justice. Contrary to claims by the opposition and a section of the Nigerian Bar Association that the suspended CJN is a victim of persecution and that the law is not being followed in his arraignment.
“The Appeal Court has now confirmed that Onnoghen’s trial at the CCT is indeed within the confines of the law. His suspension is therefore not prejudiced as being painted in some quarters since it was based on an order lawfully issued by the CCT.
“The suspended CJN had adjudicated on many cases where he ruled that only the CCT is exclusively empowered to entertain cases on asset declaration. It may be tempting for a weak and self-serving leader to ignore these legal precedents, but not President Buhari. He is ever truthful, fearless, fair and just and a stickler to rules.
“The APC is calling on the opposition to subject their criticisms to constitutional tests before polluting the public space with remarks, largely a product of political experience capable of bringing an incorruptible President to opprobrium. Issues of law cannot thrive where emotions and sentiment are the driving force.“
The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) on Thursday declared Nigerians will never return to the era of looting of national resources and wealth.
In its reaction to Wednesday night’s televised town hall meeting, The Candidates, which featured the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his running mate Peter Obi the ruling party stated Nigerians know what is at stakes in the February 16 poll and will never return to Egypt.
APC’s Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Oni-Issalu, in a statement titled whose interest does Atiku’s Presidency bid serve? faulted Atiku’s plan to grant looters amnesty, if elected.
The party said: “It is disturbing that Atiku and his returning mate, Peter Obi, could boldly face the national, and indeed, global audience boasting the future of our country belongs to the looters.
“As a matter of fact, Alhaji Atiku repeatedly told a bewildered nation that those who caused poverty, unemployment, poor infrastructure and misery for many Nigerians under his watch as the vice president would be left to enjoy our commonwealth as long as they turned in part of what they have stolen. This no doubt must have gladdened the hearts of all the enemies of our country.”
The APC added: “In a barefaced manner, the PDP’s Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku promised to roll out the red carpet for people who have wickedly teamed up with him under PDP to ruin our country, in an environment such as ours, where many ordinary Nigerians, not being Atiku’s friends, are wallowing in prison for stealing their neighbours’ goats, phones, foods and such.
“While Atiku tries to crowd the public space with falsehood on the ongoing fight against corruption and efforts to ensure credible 2019 general elections, the real issue remains Atiku’s inexplicable desperation to selloff remaining national economic assets to his friends and shadowy foreign concerns as Atiku did in the past and has severally and brazenly promised in his campaigns.
‘’Atiku’s bid to trade national assets as an incentive for the support of his friends and foreign investors must be resisted.
‘’For the All Progressives Congress, we would not get tired of reminding the PDP and Atiku that Nigerians will never return to Egypt.
“The era of unbridled corruption and impunity is one mission the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is determined to FIGHT and WIN under a free, fair, and credible electoral process, with the support of well-meaning Nigerians.”