The Nation Newspaper

Tag: APC

  • PDP working to plunge Nigeria into war- Group

    Buhari Support Organisation, the umbrella body of all support groups working for the election of the APC Presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of working very hard to plunge the country into a war that will make both Burundi and Rwandan genocide a child’s play.

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja and signed by its Director of Media, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, the Buhari Support group said the PDP under President Jonathan was a clear danger to the nation.

    Dr, Maduekwe said that Nigerians and the international community should hold the PDP responsible for any breach of security in Nigeria with these open sponsorship of armed militia today under the guidance of the government.

    He alleged that there was a plan by the ruling party, working with anti-democratic elements to ignite another round of confusion aimed at causing stalemate and national emergency as we approach the presidential elections, adding that Information at its disposal suggest that the renewed plan to heat up the polity is expected to provide the presidency and their spin doctors another excuse at ensuring that the Election does not hold as planned and subsequently forcing Prof. Jega out from office.

    He said: “We totally abhor all effort directed at forcing INEC and most specifically the Chairman , Prof Attahiru Jega to jettison the use of card reader that will ensure transparency of this election. We have it on good authority that the INEC Chairman was summoned to the villa and serious pressure and blackmail mounted on him to either resign or stop the use of the globally accepted card reader.

    “We recently witnessed thousands of Odua Peoples Congress and the Coalition of Concerned Nigerians members using armed thugs and gunshots renting the air to intimidate Lagosians. They took over major roads in Lagos on Monday demanding the sack of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

    “We sadly observed that the demonstrators, wielded broken bottles and knives. The National Coordinator of the OPC, Chief Gani Adams, led the protest under the cover of security agents of this great nation.

    “This protest is certainly in line with the N9bn allegedly given to the OPC and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra by Jonathan to disrupt the elections. The police and soldiers conveniently looked the other way, giving credence to the suspicion that they might have been state sponsored hooligans.

    “The PDP is desperate to plunge the country into a war that will make both Rwanda and Burundi a child’s play considering the mix of the country’s population.  PDP under Mr. President is a clear and present danger and we make bold to alert the world to hold the PDP responsible for any breach of security in Nigeria with these open sponsorship of armed militia today under the guidance of the government.

  • DPP adopts Buhari as Presidential candidate

    DPP adopts Buhari as Presidential candidate

    The Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) Thursday officially adopted former Head of State and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC), General Muhammad Buhari (rtd) as its presidential candidate.

    This was the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party held in Abuja.

    DPP in its resolution also rectify the Deputy National Chairman, Chief Garshon Benson to be the Acting National Chairman of the party due to the resignation of the National Chairman, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd).

    The resolution which was read by the Acting National Chairman, Chief Garshan Benson said NEC took the decision to adopt Buhari after reviewing the state of the nation and considering that DPP does not have a presidential candidate for the election.

    Benson disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan led-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has ran out of ideas on how to manage the current security challenges facing the country hence the need for change of leadership.

    He said: “The National Executive Committee (NEC), meeting held on the 12th of March 2015, at the party’s National Headquarters Abuja, (NEC), also resolved to adopt General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the party’s DPP presidential candidate for the 2015 general election.

    “We commend President Goodluck Jonathan for the much he has done for this country, but we believe that much more is need to be done. It is also our view that PDP as a party in power for 16 years has ran out of ideas on how to manage the current challenges facing the country, hence a serious need for change of leadership.

    “We hereby urged all our members all over the country to support and vote for General Muhammadu Buhari the presidential candidate of the APC in the forthcoming election.”

    The outgoing National Chairman of DPP, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) told The Nation that about six states have already join APC adding that he has been supporting Buhari before now.

    His words: “Personally I have been part of the merger idea since inception. We have members all over this country that will be taken part in the election. I am calling on all our members to support APC.

    “Right from the formation of APC I have been part of it and I and General Muhammad Buhari were together in All Peoples Party (APP) and then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He is my mentor. We will all work together to achieve results in APC.

    “It is not too late to adopt Buhari; we have been taking to him on several issues. Right now as I speak six states have alright joined APC. The only thing now is that we want to go official as a party. 24 hours can make a big deal in politics. General Muhammad Buhari is a person I will always support because of his personality and his achievements.”

  • Call for Jega’s sack is illegal -Senator Tinubu

    Call for Jega’s sack is illegal -Senator Tinubu

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said that the call from some groups and individuals for the sack or resignation of Chairman of the Independent National Electortal Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega is unconstitutional and illegal.

    Tinubu who is the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, a position she has secured the party’s ticket to run for a second term in the March 28 elections stated this when she led other APC candidates in Eti Osa on campaign to Tarkwa bay yesterday.

    Among the candidates were the House of Representatives candidate Abdulhazeez Akinloye and the House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu.

    While answering questions from reporters Tinubu said, “it is not possible to remove Jega or force him to resign. He started this process and he must finish what he started. They cannot remove Jega, they must allow him to finish what he started”.

    While reacting to several demands of the community, Tinubu urged them to vote for all APC candidates in the election, because according to her many of their demands are within the purview of the Executive both at the state and federal level, so that an APC government can provide their needs.

    While promising to provide those within her powers, she reminded the people of her efforts in ensuring that the community has a health center, primary, Junior and Senior Secondary schools.

    Yishawu urged the people to take good care of their PVCs and vote for APC candidates in all the elections. He advised the voters to wash their hands very well before going to cast their votes on election day.

    Yishawu also condemned the call for Jega’s removal, saying his removal is a constitutional matter. “All we want is to ensure free, fair and credible elections,” Yishawu said.

    Akinloye advised the people not to sell their PVCs as that would deprive them of the opportunity in voting in any other election for a long time. “If you sell it, you can never vote again because the card is for all subsequent elections after the coming election.

    Condemning the call for Jega’s removal, Akinloye said it is not possible “because you cannot shift the goal post at the middle of the game.

    “This same Jega conducted the 2011 elections and PDP and everybody hailed him, why is he now a curse to the PDP, because it is visible that for the first time Nigeria is moving forward and PDP is not happy with this progress.

    “Where is it done to change a referee in the middle of a game, we want a free, fair and credible elections, anything that will make that impossible must be jettisoned,” Akinloye said.

    The candidates also met with the traditional rulers of Tarkwa bay and other surrounding communities as well as leaders of the Arewa community.

  • APC protests indiscriminate killing, arrest of members in Rivers

    APC protests indiscriminate killing, arrest of members in Rivers

    Thousands of protesting members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Thursday shut down Port Harcourt, kicking against the indiscriminate killing, arrest and detention of members of the ruling party in the state.

    The protesters, armed with placards bearing various inscriptions and chanting anti-Federal Government songs, occupied the Rivers police headquarters on Moscow Road for some hours, vowing to continue doing so daily, until the police stopped the indiscriminate arrest of APC members in the state.

    The leaders of the protesters were later received by the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature, and they subsequently proceeded to the state’s headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS), both in Port Harcourt.

    The aggrieved APC members were led by the Rivers Commissioner for Agriculture, Emma Chindah, and the Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council of the state, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree.

    As early as 6 a.m., the protesters had taken over the major roads and streets in Port Harcourt, leading to huge traffic, with the Rivers police command deploying many Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Toyota Hilux patrol van, having many battle-ready officers and men, but nobody was harassed for the over five hours that the peaceful protest lasted.

    Some of the placards read: “Another Mbu is here”, “Stop politically-motivated arrest of APC members”, “CP Bature, be neutral”, “Nigeria police or PDP police”, “CP Bature, be professional”, “Use police against criminals, not against citizens”, “Leave Rivers APC members alone, Nigeria police”, “Is Nigeria Police Force an arm of PDP in Rivers State?”, “Don’t make Rivers a police state”, “Have police stopped being our friends? CP Bature, please answer us now” and “We say no to indiscriminate arrest of APC members.”

    Others included: “Mbu and Bature, any difference?”, “Stop harassing and arresting APC members in Rivers State, Nigeria Police”, Nigeria Police Force, agent of PDP”, “Release our brothers now”, “Police in Rivers State acting as security of PDP”, “Democracy is threatened by police in Rivers State”, “Release our husbands now” and “We say no to violent elections, unjust arrests in Rivers State.”

    The Rivers agric commissioner said: “What we want Nigerians to know is that before the whole world, at an APC rally on February 17 in Okrika, PDP’s armed thugs came to the place (playground of National School, venue of the campaign of Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside), in a programme transmitted live on national television stations and started shooting indiscriminately. A policeman was killed and over 50 persons were injured. Imagine killing a policeman in uniform and keeping his family members in the situation they have kept them. Till today, we do not know those who have been arrested by the police.

    “Every now and then, APC members are arrested in Rivers State. Have police become an arm of the PDP? Is indiscriminate arrest part of their tactics for the elections? The people of Rivers State have come here to say in unequivocal terms that it will not work.

    “If we check and there is no change, we are going to occupy permanently, the Rivers State Police Headquarters, in a lawful manner, until they give us justice. We have come here to look for freedom. The freedom we are looking for is from the Nigeria Police Force. The policemen in Rivers State have turned themselves into the arm of the PDP. Rivers State needs freedom. Rivers State cannot be turned to a police state. We have elections in nine days. Virtually everybody who is here has been marked for arrest, including myself, probably after making this speech. We have to look for our freedom. Freedom we must get.”

    The chairman of Asari-Toru LG council, in his remarks, declared that the members of the APC in Rivers had lost confidence in the police in the state.

    Flag-Amachree said: “The Chairman of Etche LGA (Charles Anyanwu, of the APC) is already in detention. We are not comfortable with the way the police are harassing and arresting APC members in Rivers State. CP Bature has assured us that the police will make sure that everybody in Rivers State will be protected. We want free, fair and credible elections in Rivers State.

    “CP Bature told us that the matter of the arrested APC chieftain is in court and that we should go to court. The truth is that we do not have confidence in the police. That is why we are here (Police Headquarters in Port Harcourt). We have registered our complaint. We are going to be watching them as the days go by. Police are now an arm of the PDP.”

    While also speaking, one of the protesters, Victor Chioma, who is from Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers state, where the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike, hails from, expressed displeasure that President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience, are both ruling and mismanaging Nigeria, in spite of the fact that Nigeria’s constitution did not provide any role for First Lady.

    Chioma also stated that the upland/riverine dichotomy in Rivers state must be upheld, while condemning Wike’s scheming to succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who are both Ikwerre from the same Rivers East Senatorial District.

    Another protester, Peter Ibianga, noted that policemen were arresting and detaining APC members in Rivers state, in order to prevent them from being around during the March 28 and April 11 elections.

  • OPC protest in Lagos: APC to report Jonathan to ICC

    OPC protest in Lagos: APC to report Jonathan to ICC

    A petition against President Goodluck Jonathan will soon be sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) said yesterday.

    APCPCO’s Director of Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement yesterday, said the petition followed “the massive terror unleashed on the residents of Lagos by armed pro-Jonathan groups under the cover of a faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC)”.

    A protest was held in Lagos last Monday by the armed groups on the pretext of demanding the sack of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) National Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

    Shehu said the machete-wielding and gun-bearing armed pro-Jonathan groups marched on major streets of Lagos, harassing and intimidating motorists, chanting anti-Jega songs in a manner that gave them away as acting the prepared script for the truncation of the general elections.

    The statement reads: “There was such disruption to the tranquility of the city that warranted the citizens scampering for safety in all directions, a foretaste of the violence they plan to unleash on election day.

    “Our investigations have confirmed that Monday’s show was a dress-rehearsal for the main disruption planned for the general elections. Lagos and the entire Southwest, being a stronghold of the APC, have been marked for massive dishevelling commotion that would involve killings, maiming and kidnapping.

    “Our findings have further shown that the recent N9 billion Pipeline surveillance contract to OPC and some militant groups in southern Nigeria was the elixir for the latest crude impudence of the pro-Jonathan armed groups. Indeed, the contract award was indeed a subterfuge for the mobilisation of these murderous militant groups for the destruction of life and property to force the desire of the re-election of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on the Nigerian people.

    “As an opposition APC, we are using this medium to serve Dr. Goodluck Jonathan the notice of our formal protest of this extreme show of impunity to the International Criminal Court (ICC). We are aware that Mrs. Patience Jonathan is already on the watch list of ICC. The activities of this President and his wife as regards the elections are not patriotic and very unhelpful for entrenching democratic values in the nation.

    “We recall the bombing of the APC secretariat and the shootings and disruption of the party’s campaign rally in Okirika in Rivers State, where the First Lady hails from, with a muted silence from President Jonathan.

    “Whereas the police authorities had denied the opposition party its legitimate and democratic rights to organise one million person march for General Buhari in Kano, it was, however, quick to approve that in Lagos, providing security to the pro-Jonathan armed groups while they unleashed mayhem on citizens in Lagos on Monday – a day that inhabitants of the city consider the most important of the week.

    “We are not ready to cower to the intimidation of Dr. Jonathan, ahead of the general elections. We believe Nigerians shall speak eloquently on March 28, 2015, and this brutality on the psyche of the Nigerian people shall cease.”

  • Polls: APC raises alarm over booby traps

    Polls: APC raises alarm over booby traps

    •Cautions Jonathan against summoning Jega

    President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to summon the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega to a meeting that was not attended by other political parties in Abuja on Tuesday was part of moves to compromise the integrity of the electoral commission.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) spoke yesterday in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The party said it was wrong for the President, who is also a candidate in the elections, to summon the electoral umpire at will, especially when such meetings were populated by his appointees.

    The statement reads: ‘’Without the representatives of other political parties attending such meetings, irrespective of whether or not it is aimed at briefing security chiefs on the preparations for the polls, the ruling PDP and its presidential candidate are seeking to gain undue advantage over others ahead of the elections.

    ‘’It is like the referee in a football match meeting with key officials of one of the teams ahead of the match. This is against the spirit of transparency and fairness and must stop forthwith.

    ‘’Had the representatives of other political parties apart from the PDP (the President is the leader of the PDP) attended the meeting, the widespread speculations that Jega’s life and job were threatened if he fails to drop the use of the card reader, as well as circulating reports that he will be removed before Saturday, would not have happened.”

    Whatever briefings must be given by the INEC chairman on the elections, APC said, must have in attendance the representatives of all the political parties to participate in the elections.

    The party decried clandestine meetings between some key Presidency and INEC officials with a view to rigging the elections, warning the Presidency to steer clear of the electoral officials if indeed they are desirous of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

    Also yesterday, the party said the Presidency and the PDP must not be allowed to profit from their sponsorship of ethnic militias, including Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), to create chaos and violence before, during and after the elections.

    It said the plot by the two groups was to make the country ‘’so unsafe before the polls that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who are supposed to serve as electoral officials, would “simply say they can no longer participate in the elections because they fear for their lives”.

    ‘’This will simply truncate the elections and trigger a constitutional crisis, the exact scenario being plotted by the Jonathan administration and the PDP to allow them to either perpetuate themselves in office or install an interim government,’’ APC said.

    It said another booby trap on the path of holding the elections as rescheduled was the pending court cases against the use of the Card Reader by INEC.

    ‘’Nigerians should note that nothing is yet guaranteed as far as the holding of the rescheduled elections is concerned. The Jonathan administration and the PDP are still shopping for a court judgment to declare the use of the Card Reader unconstitutional, just because they are now painfully aware that Nigerians have rejected them and their party.

    ‘’We are, therefore, calling on all our compatriots to be more vigilant in the next few days to the elections. We are also alerting local and foreign observers, and the international community, to the ongoing shenanigans by the Jonathan administration and the PDP to scuttle the polls,’’ APC said.

  • PDP can’t win by brigandage, says APC

    PDP can’t win by brigandage, says APC

    …Party flays OPC for vandalisation of campaign materials

    Lagos State All progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the wanton vandalisation of its billboards, banners, posters and other campaign materials by factional members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) during its anti-Jega protest in Lagos on Monday.

    The party lamented that the group led by Otunba Gani Adams behaved as paid mercenaries acting the script of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that its display of violence and crudity underscored the party’s penchant for brigandage and intimidation.

    The APC Publicity Secretary, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, alleged that OPC is in league with the PDP in its desperation for power.

    He said the PDP cannot win power in Lagos through brigandage, repression and intimidation of prospective voters.

    Igbokwe condemned the protest by the group, recalling that it disrupted socio-economic activities in the metropolis for hours.

    He added: “Particularly outrageous was the unprovoked attack on the APC, whose campaign posters and materials were destroyed by this rampaging purchased mob and people bearing insignia of the OPC. Cars bearing flags, stickers and posters of the APC were attacked violently by agents of a party now gasping for breath after woefully failing Nigerians for sixteen years.

    “We see this as a daring provocation and an outright call for war, in a bid by the PDP and its hired OPC mercenaries to scuttle the elections because it is clear that it cannot fraudulently have its way with Nigerians.”

    ”We see the disgraceful outing on the streets of Lagos as a show of  desperation and frustration. No party can try that brigandage in an area where it claims it has support. The shameful protest was a syndicated plan by the PDP to scuttle the elections and is a hallmark of President Jonathan’s relocation to Lagos to dispense patronage  and induce voters.”

    Igbokwe said it is worrisome that President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP could instigate militias and outlaws to visit violence and mayhem on Nigerians out of desperation for power, thereby disrupting the peace of Lagos.

    He also berated the Presidency and the PDP for hate campaigns, propaganda, lies and fabrications, stressing that it underscored the frustration of a ruling party heading towards electoral defeat.

    Igbokwe faulted the protest by the OPC, saying that it is illogical for the group to demand for the sack of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, who has insisted on credible elections.

    He said: “The election cannot be won by brigandage. Why is the PDP against card readers? What is their grouse with Jega? What do they

    The Publicity Secretary emphasised that the PDP has jeopardised national security by inducing ethnic militia to create mayhem in its bid to grab power through the back door.

    He added: “What surprised us was that these outlaws, who were wielding dangerous weapons and visiting violence on the streets of Lagos, were being serenaded throughout their violent voyage by fully armed policemen, who provided them shield as they were destroying APC banners, billboards and posters and attacking anybody with APC insignia.

    “We note that the police never acted or restrained these purchased mercenaries throughout the period they were destroying APC materials. We wonder whether the Police was part of the violent demonstration.”

    Igbokwe urged Lagosians to remain calm, saying that judgment day is at hand. He urged them to revenge on the election day by rejecting the PDP.

    He added: “We call on all to resist the evil plot of the PDP to plunge Nigeria into violence as a way of sabotaging the critical election but treasure their PVCs as a weapon to send home a bad, failed and corrupt government on March 28.

    ”While we call the police and other security agencies to do their legal duties of prosecuting the vandals sponsored to unleash violence in Lagos and destroy APC campaign materials. Lagos APC strongly warn that nobody should test the will of Lagosians as a people that have withstood arrays of bad governments and this government will not be an exception.

     

  • APC protests violence in Ife/Ijesa

    APC protests violence in Ife/Ijesa

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijesa-North Federal Federal Constituency, Osun State, has resolved to drag the Ife/Ijesa senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Francis Fadahunsi, before the International Criminal Court for allegedly sponsoring violent attacks on its members.

    The party frowned at the “provocative” violent attacks, saying that thugs could not be stopped by security agents.

    Addressing a press conference in Osogbo the state capital, Chairman, Ijesa-North APC Campaign Committee, Dr Wale Bolorunduro lamented that security agent have not acted on petitions sent to them on the attacks by thugs in Ilase, Ijeda, Ibala-Ijesa Ibokun and Ilahun the Oriada and Obokun local governments.

    Bolorunduro alleged that many APC members and supporters have been brutalized, while the billboards of the APC have been destroyed.

    According to Bolorunduro, the APC members and supporters in Ilase, the hometown of Fadahunsi, have been subjected to consistent attack and intimidation by the PDP chieftain.

    The former Commissioner for Finance maintained that the hoodlums have attempted to attack a female member of the APC in a church in Ilase.

    He said: “Fadahunsi’s terror act now knows no bound. Last Sunday, March 15, there was a failed attempt by the Fadahunsi’s thugs to attack a woman member of the APC, Mrs Ogundipe during church service at a catholic church in Ilase.

    “All the schools in Ilase have been closed by the state government because of the terror activities of Fadahunsi’s hoodlums who have engaged in consistent sporadic shootings around Ilase community and environ since.

    “On Friday March 13, we had a rally in Ilase. Before the rally, our banner tied around the rostrum had been destroyed. Several members of our party could not return home on the fear of being attacked by the Fadahunsi’s thugs. Those that returned home were attacked and brutalized.

    “Some other APC members who were returning from the Ilase rally to Ibala Ijesa were attacked at Eleke Junction and they were left with various degrees of gunshot and machete cut wounds by the Fadahunsi’s hoodlums.

    Bolorunduru added: “Some of the victims are: Bukola Agunbiade, Bode Ogunleye, Adedeji Omotosho and Banji Fadairo. Mr Bukola Agunbiade is currently receiving medical attention at a government hospital where the doctors are battling to remove five bullets in his body.

    “Also, while returning from the same campaign, various vehicles conveying the APC members were attacked between Iponda and Idominasi by Fadaunsi’s thugs. The vehicles were riddled with bullets and so many people sustained gunshot injuries.”

  • ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    ‘Abia ‘ll be better under APC’

    In this piece, Sam Oguegbu examines the struggle for power in Abia State and contends that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will restore the glory of the state.

    For nearly 16 years now, Abia State has been brutalized, battered and suffered sustained, deliberate and wicked neglect from her past leaders. This is a well known fact to Abians, indigenes and residents. Like the Jerusalem of old, Abia State has been ravaged and plundered by “enemies of the state”, who came under the guise of either successful and well known business men or technocrats.

    They left the state worst than they met it. This is inhuman and therefore, they (the past leaders of Abia State) do not deserve any accolade from Abians. The colossal damage inflicted on the state range from economic downturn (whereby it is known that Abia State has a gargantuan debt overhead from financial institutions – both private and public), infrastructural decay such as bad roads, poor health services, no pipe borne water, poor sanitation in the cities, falling educational standard, lack of agricultural programmes, endemic corruption to lack of transparency in government, etc.

    The list is endless. These past leaders were either clueless/rudderless or lack basic management skills. Research has however shown that most people occupying exalted position at the local, state orfederal levels are often times being misled by sycophants and bootlickers, who rather that tell their principals the truth about issues, resort to telling them lies or at best, half truths.

    Thankfully, just as Nehemiah offered to rebuild the walls and city of Jerusalem as recorded in the Holy Bible, one man from Abia State (of Ngwa extraction) has come to the rescue. Dr Nyerere Anyim, a highly cerebral fellow, chartered accountant, successful businessman and great philantropist has offered to carry the burden of Abians and vowed that ‘ABIA STATE MUST CHANGE FOR BETTER’. With the abundant resources (human and material) available in God’s own state – it only takes a man with sound managerial skills and acumen to put back the state to its rightful place of glory. I believe it is pertinent at this point to take a look at the background and antecedants of this man, Nyerere Anyim, for the public (especially Abians) to know his suitability and preparedness for the job.

    Born on April 25, 1960 in Jos to the family of Agburuike Isiugwu Obingwa, Abia State. Nyerere had his early education in Jos with excellent academic records, graduating in Accounting from the University of Jos. As a fellow of ICAN (Istitute of Chatered Accountants of Nigeria) and Certified public accountant, he is adequately equipped to fight corruption by plugging wastages in government and running a transparent government. During my interaction with him recently, Nyerere promised that as part of his pledge to run a transparent government, he will publish the monthly revenue received from federal allocation to states, FAT, and Abia’s IGR (Internally Generated Revenue) as well as expenditure, if voted as the governor of Abia State, come April 2015. A devout Christian, philantropist and prolific water, he has numerous Social Responsibility (SR) programmes to his credit, in a bid to serve humanity.

    Nyerere has worked in both private and public sectors of life for over two decades and until recently, sat atop a conglomerate of Business Empire, the Rochas group, as the Group managing Director (GMD).

    Some of his SR programmes include:

    Free Education and Scholarship programmes to thousands of students from Abia State.

    Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes.

    Community and Rural infrastructure Development projects tender this program – He has graded and rehabilitated road projects such as Itungwa – Osaa Ukwu Road, Umuopara-Ntigha/Unuaro Road, Abayi, Amaorji, Onicha Ngwa Christian Hospital Road. He has sunk boreholes in his water for life project at Agburuike-Isiugwu, Obegu-Ugirunagbo LGA, Aba Park, etc. Nyerere has also constructed village markets at Ahia Nkwo and other places.

    Home for the homeless, where he has built homes for people free of charge.

    Sports development scheme.

    Agricultural Support Initiative – supporting rural farmers with farm implements, improved seedlings, etc.

    With a humongous vision for the developemnt of Abia State, Nyerere has assured Abians that if voted in as governor of Abia State under APC (The All Progressives Congress) come April 11, 2015. he will urgently take steps to change the state for better by:

    Putting God first in all his programmes.

    Implementing Free Qualitative Education at all levels to Abians.

    Running a transparent government, fighting security and corruption.

    Developing tourist centres at – Arochukwu along Juju River, Creating Aba Water park along the Bank of Aba River, Developing the Azumiri Blue River, Abia Golf course development to International standard, Develp the colonial structures/site as war museum etc. this will no doubt boost te economu of Abians.

    Industrializing Abia State through reactivation of Golden Guinea Umuahia, Modern Ceramics Umuahia, Aba textile mills, Aba Glass Industry, Metallurgical centre etc.

    Providing health Care Development System.

    Agricultural Development

    Infrastructural development and Rural Transformation

    Wealth and Job creation.

    Housing Development

    Social welfare and security

    Entrepreneurial and Youth Development programmes.

    As laudable as these programmes are, it will only take a man who has such vision to implement it. That is why Abians should arise and vote enmass for Nyerere Chinenye Anyim and APC at the elections.

  • I’m not a drug addict, says Kebbi APC governorship runningmate

    Yombe described the attack and insult  on his personality by the PDP  as unfortunate. He said it is a ploy to defame his person.

    He dismissed the drug addiction allegation as baseless challenging the PDP, it its to make public any evidence of their claims. He said that as a professional pilot, he can not be a drug addict.

    Yombe added: “I have served the Nigerian Aviation as a professional pilot for years , how can i attain such a status if i am a drug addict.”

    “I undergo several medical test routinely and i come out cleared, I don’t even take paracetamol without prescription “

    On the issue of religion , Yombe wondered why the PDP is bent on using religion to judge his devotion, which according to him, was a secret pact between man and God. He said the PDP lacked the moral right to assess his devotion to God.

    The soldier said that his career records was open for all to see, adding that PDP has no  mandate to determine his competence. Yombe stressed: “If PDP don’t have anything to tell the public they should shut up , People want change for the betterment of our state and out country.