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  • APC picks presidential candidate today in Lagos

    APC picks presidential candidate today in Lagos

    NO fewer than 8,000 delegates are to pick today the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in Lagos.

    The five presidential aspirants are former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (a three-time presidential candidate); former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (ex-presidential candidate and aspirant); Governor Rochas Okorocha (ex-presidential aspirant); Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and pharmacist-turned newspaper publisher Dr. Sam Nda-Isaiah.

    The presidential primary election is significant for six reasons.

    They are:

    •unique and historic merger of the party;

    •shape of the party which has made the progressives to cohabit with the conservatives;

    •increasing socio-economic problems and desperate desire for change in the country;

    •urgent need for alternative to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has ruled since 1999;  and

    •whether or not the APC coalition (a party of heavyweights and ex-this or ex-that) will sink its differences to produce a candidate without breaking up.

    Although the party threw its presidential ticket open, indications emerged last night that the delegates might support power shift to the North.

    The development has significantly left the race for the four Northern aspirants namely Buhari (North-West), Atiku (North-East), Kwankwaso (North-West) and Nda-Isaiah (North-Central).

    The choice of the candidate is likely to be determined by many factors, including the outcome of the primaries at the state level, forces from the North, antecedents of the aspirants; their political and personal pedigree; and   the influence of the 14 APC governors, who control party structures in their states.

    Other indices which may shape the results of the primaries, are the voting power of statutory and elected delegates, including members of the Board of Trustees of APC; members of the National and State Executive Committees of the party; and members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

    Also, some of the national leaders of APC will play a crucial role in deciding the flag bearer.

    These leaders include Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, former Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Secretary Mai Mala Buni,  Senator Bukola Saraki, ex-Governors Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Adamu, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, George Akume and Sani Yerima.

    Others are Speaker Aminu Tambuwal,  Alh. Kawu Baraje, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, Senator Shuaibu Lawan, former Governors Segun Oni, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Adamu Aliero, among others.

    But a highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, said: “If you look at Article 12(1) of the Constitution of APC, the governors, APC leaders who control state structure, and members of the National and State Houses of Assembly will wield electoral powers to determine our flag bearer.

    “With 14 out of the 36 states under the control of APC governors, any aspirant who secures the nod of these governors can conveniently win the election at the convention.

    “Whether we like it or not, the governors seem to hold the ace.”

    A document obtained by our correspondent last night listed members of the Electoral College as follows: all members of BOT, National Chairman and all members of the National Executive Committee(NEC); serving and Presidents and Vice-Presidents who are members of the party; serving and past governors; past and serving deputy governors who are members of the party; serving and past members of the National Assembly, who are members of the party; serving and past Speakers, Deputy Speakers and other principal officers of State Houses of Assembly who are members of the party; and the members of the State Working Committee including those of the FCT.

    Those eligible to vote also include all party chairmen and secretaries of all the local government areas and local council development authorities (LCDAs); all elected chairmen of local government councils and LCDAs who are members of the party; and three elected delegates at least one of which must be a woman from each LGA and LCDA.

    As at press time, the aspirants have started intense horse-trading with their foot-soldiers relocating to Lagos where the convention is holding.

    Going by the composition of the electoral college, the  hot spots with huge votes are Kano(44 LGAs); Lagos (20 LGAs); Oyo (33 LGAs);  Osun(30 LGAs); Borno (27 LGAs); Imo (27 LGAs) Sokoto(23 LGAs); Rivers (23 LGAs); Ogun (20); Edo(18); Yobe (17) Kwara(16); Zamfara(14 LGAs); and Nasarawa(13).

    Another party source added: “Though the 22 other states are important, they do not command huge volume of votes like those ones where APC is controlling the Executive,  the Local Governments, the Legislature and other statutory delegates.

    “For instance, there is no APC government again in Adamawa State, unlike when ex-Governor Murtala Nyako was in charge of the state. This may be to the disadvantage of ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, whose home base support is weak.

    “In Buhari’s home state of Katsina, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not only in control of the state, it recently swept the Local Government poll in all the 34 local governments in the state. The APC boycotted the election. With this scenario, Buhari is not in a position of strength at the home front.

    “Sam Nda-Isaiah is also from a PDP-controlled Niger State with 25 local governments. He is also constrained from the outset due to limited number of delegates from his state who can vote for him in sympathy.

    “But Kwankwaso and Rochas Okorocha are solid at home because they are in total charge of all statutory and elected delegates in their states. They, therefore, reach out to other delegates from a voting premise.”

    The real contest among the aspirants is in their ability to woo delegates from all the states.

    The Chairman of the National Convention Committee (NCC), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has, however, assured of a credible election at the convention.

    Fayemi said: “I have no doubt in my mind. That is why we have a very huge task on our hands as the convention committee. I am reasonably convinced that we have serious minded aspirants. And once we do our job in terms of the process being credible, transparent and it is seen to be transparent by all and sundry, everybody would accept the outcome. That is our own belief.

    “But we also have post-convention conflict management mechanisms. There must be something in it for all players. We want to win an election; the presidency of Nigeria is not the only position. People want to serve and those contesting on our platform are politicians of extensive credible experience. I would like to think that is it service that is propelling them.

    “Of course they want to be president but the presidential candidature is not available due to the fact that they did not win the primaries there are other ways they can serve and I believe they will all want to live up to their undertaking.”

  • APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

    APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

    No fewer than 7,000 delegates from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will elect the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for next year’s election. Five aspirants are in the race. Who gets the ticket? Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU and Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI examine the search for a credible and nationally acceptable opposition flag bearer and issues that will shape the shadow poll. 

    Buhari

    Former Head of State Major-General Muhammadu Buhari  was born December 17, 1942 in Daura, Katsina State.

    He joined the Nigerian Army in 1962. Buhari first came to widespread public attention in 1976 when he became the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. He had earlier served as Governor of the then North-Eastern State.

    Buhari served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust  Fund (PTF), a body created by the government of General Abacha, and funded from the revenue generated by the increase in price of petroleum products, to pursue developmental projects around the country.

    He contested the presidential election in 2003 and  2007 (under the platform of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP). He also contested the 2011 presidential election under the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    Gen Buhari is well regarded as a highly disciplined leader and statesman who abhors corruption. His politics is defined by integrity.

    He is married with children.

     

    Abubakar

    Businessman, administrator and former Vice President , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was born on the 25th of November 1946 in Jada village, Adamawa State

    He was admitted to Adamawa Provincial Secondary School in Yola in 1960. He graduated from secondary school in 1965. He worked briefly as a Tax Officer in the regional Ministry of Finance, from where he gained admission to the School of Hygiene in Kano in 1966.

    He graduated with a Diploma in 1967. In 1967, he enrolled for a Law Diploma at the Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Administration, on a scholarship from the regional government. After graduation in 1969, he was employed by the Nigerian Customs Service.

    His assignments at the Customs included Idi-Iroko, Apapa Ports (1974), Ibadan Customs Command (1975), Kano Command (1976), Maiduguri (Area Comptroller, 1977), Kaduna (1980)  the Apapa Ports in 1982 and Murtala Muhammed International Airport

    He won the Adamawa State governorship elections in December 1998, but before the inauguration date, he was named the vice-presidential candidate to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He is married with 30 children.

     

    Kwankwaso

    Alhaji Mohammed Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, politician, administrator and currently governor of Kano State was born in Kwankwaso village in Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State in 1956.

    He attended Kwankwaso Primary School, Gwarzo;  Wudil Craft School and Kano Technical College before proceeding to Kaduna Polytechnic for his tertiary education. He also did his post-graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

    He started work in 1975 with WRECA. He joined partisan politics in the aborted Third Republic where he contested elections to the House of Representatives. He became the Deputy Speaker.

    Kwankwaso was elected Governor of Kano State in 1999 and led the state between 1999 and 2003 with a  massive focus on educational development of the state.

    He lost his re-election bid in 2003. He was however re-elected as Kano state governor on 27 April 2011 and sworn in on 29 May 2011 for a second term in office.

    Prior to his second coming as Governor of kano state, Alhaji Kwankwaso served as Minister of Defence in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s cabinet in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed as the Presidential Special Envoy to Somalia and Darfur by the federal government.

    He is married with children.

     

    Okorocha

    Businessman, administrator and philanthropist, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, currently the Governor of Imo State was born on  September  22, 1962, in Ogboko, Ideato South, Imo State. He attended Juladaco High School, Jos (1976-1981). He studied at the University of Jos (1990-1991), obtaining a diploma in Public Administration. He returned to the University of Jos (1993-1994) to obtain an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration.

    He has held position as  President, Nigeria Red Cross Society, President/Founder, Rochas Foundation Inc, President, Rochas Group of Companies Limited, Pro Chancellor, African Business School. He is married with children.

     

    Sam Nda-Isaiah

    Pharmacist, Newspaper Publisher and entrepreneur, Sam Nda-Isaiah was born in Minna, Niger State, on May 1, 1962. He attended Christ Church School, Katsina Road, Kaduna, between 1968 and 1974; Government College, Kaduna, 1974–1979; and the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, 1979-1983, where he studied Pharmacy. On graduation, Sam worked at the Minna General Hospital, after a stint at the Kano Specialist Hospital. He did his NYSC at the General Hospital, Ilawe Ekiti, and the State Hospital, Ikere Ekiti, both in Ekiti State, in 1984. In 1985, he joined Pfizer Products Limited where he worked until 1989. He resigned and launched into serial entrepreneurship.

    Sam’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish the Leadership Group in 2003 with less than N1 million. He is highly respected for his Monday column in the LEADERSHIP Newspaper, through which he has established himself as a pro-good governance exponent.

    Sam is an alumnus of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore and also of the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University, New York.

    The proprietor of LEADERSHIP Newspapers is a member of the Institute of Directors, member of the Vienna-based International Press Institute;  World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and an executive member of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Edusoko University, Bida, and of the newly reconstituted Heritage University in Kaduna.

    He is married to Zainab and they are blessed with four children.

     

  • Intelligence deficit in war against terror

    SIR: Not quite a few perceptible observers were stunned when the raid of All Progressives Congress (APC), an opposition party’s data base facility by the Department of State Security (DSS) was reported in the media. The DSS had claimed that it raided the facility because it received intelligence report that the opposition party was using it to clone the INEC permanent voters card (PVC) and hack into the data base of the electoral umpire. Many days and even weeks into raid and after a second raid, the DSS has yet to process the ‘intelligence’ to prove the party culpable of the alleged infraction and possibly prepare for prosecution.

    However, the lightening speed with which the opposition party was pounced on is exactly what has been lacking in the prosecution of a more heinous crime committed in the broad day light and on a sustainable basis by a terror group that wantonly sows death, destruction and agony across the country but more devastatingly in the North-east where the federal authorities have implemented state of emergency.

    It befuddles common sense and assaults sensibilities of any observer that six years into the brutal war being waged by blood-sucking terrorists, there seems to be no intelligence trail into their activities. The Boko Haram terrorists who started their campaign with a string of motorcycles and even walk bare- footed’ now travel in a convoy of Hilux trucks, departing from a base or bases within, Nigeria or in the neighborhoods and returning to the same without a trail, because they operate from the same base or bases to another day of their bloody mayhem.

    How and where the terrorists procure the Hilux trucks and constantly fuel it for their murderous operations’ wouldn’t have eluded an intelligence service that is worth of its name and even modestly alive to its responsibility.

    A group that is under the trail of a competent intelligence service could not have in the past few years grown from a ragtag, wandering under-nourished and illiterate band of bigoted extremists to a sophisticated and highly mobile strike force. In the past few years, the state security services have announced the capture of high valued terrorist commanders, including the allegedly propaganda chief of the group, “Abu Qaqa”, yet none of these high valued commanders have provided any useful insight into the operations of the group. The key to decisive victory in a war and even more strategic, in asymmetric guerrilla war fare is cutting the supply line of the insurgents or the enemy. Only by securing the supply lines of the insurgents or the conventional enemy, would it possible to squeeze them to surrender or subject them to the siege of hunger. The Boko Haram fighters who kill women, children and the elderly they come in contact with, are not revolutionary guerilla fighters who depend on a friendly civilian population for supplies of essential needs.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian intelligence service community have a clear responsibility to track and find how the terrorists procure the Hilux trucks they drive in a convoy, where and how they fuel it, procure sophisticated gadgets and explosives which they now use to deadly effect as in the Kano mosque attack. Where are their foot soldiers that captured towns in Adamawa State and made spirited efforts to capture Damaturu Government House, recruited and trained?

    Is it not time, that the intelligence community put forth their personnel to be “recruited” by Boko Haram? How could Boko Haram recruit fighters without the intelligence service offering its covert operatives to be recruited? How would the DSS have such generous supplies of hooded covert operatives for elections, especially in opposition strongholds like in Osun State, but evidently demonstrated cold-feet in infiltrating the bigoted band of Boko Haram extremists? The unintelligent strategy of encircling Abuja with army barricades that traps hundred of motorists who work in the city especially from the Keffi-Nyanya axis in a deluge of traffic jam must end. It does not take any special insight to appreciate that gathering thousands of motorists and other commuters in a single place in the name of security check would in the long run prove an attractive choice for the blood thirsty mass murderers.

     

    • Charles Onunaiju

    Abuja

     

  • Lagos APC welcomes delegates

    Lagos APC welcomes delegates

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has said the party has the solutions to the nation’s problems. It welcomed delegates and supporters to the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, for today’s presidential primaries.

    The party’s spokesman, Joe Igbokwe, in a statement yesterday, said: “Lagos is pleased to host such historical event that will certainly feature in the annals of Nigeria’s history for decades to come.

    “We are glad that Lagos, the oasis of hope in the midst of the monumental wreckage and misrule the country has faced this last 16 years, is being called upon to play a strategic role in the rescue of Nigeria from mindless leadership.

    “We see the APC presidential primaries as the start of the project of rescuing the country from corrupt and inept governance next year. We see the presidential primaries as the grand finale to the APC’s march for change and the laudable and peaceful conduct of primaries for all elective offices, which had disappointed doomsayers.

    “We are glad that by its stellar primaries, the APC has served the final notice to those who invested in a continuation of the regime of rot in Nigeria.

    “We are glad to welcome heroic Nigerians to Lagos, the bed of progressivism, the centre of excellence and the waterloo of reactionary and unproductive leaders. We are glad to welcome Nigerians to Lagos; the oasis of hope in the midst of the sixteen years of gloom the PDP has sentenced Nigeria.”

     

     

  • Buhari visits Ondo today

    Buhari visits Ondo today

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will today visit Ondo State to woo state delegates for tomorrow’s national convention in Lagos.

    A statement by the State Coordinator of the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO),Ifeolu Oyedele, said the former military ruler would arrive the APC state secretariat, Akure by 9am.

    It urged all State Working Committee (SWC) members, council chairmen, secretaries and all the national delegates to mobilise themselves to welcome the APC leader.

     

  • Rein in your supporters, APC tells Jonathan

    Rein in your supporters, APC tells Jonathan

    •Party accuses Clark, others of overheating polity

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to rein in his supporters, who it accused of overheating the polity with their comments.

    The party specifically named eldest statement Chief Edwin Clark as one of such supporters, whose utterance could set the country on fire if not checked.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC described as absurd, incendiary and unbecoming of an elder statesman of Chief Clark’s stature to label the opposition as an assembly of killers.

    Mohammed said the APC had waited for a refutal from Clark to ascertain if he was quoted out of context or if the statement was wrongly credited to him.

    Clark, the APC spokesman, alleged, said if the opposition has its way, it can poison or kill President Jonathan just to take over power.

    The statement reads: “In making his dangerous comment, Chief Clark probably mistook the party for the PDP, which has been described as the nest of killers.

    ‘’Our party has never and will never contemplate killing or poisoning President Jonathan just to take power, as Chief Clark carelessly said. We are neither a violent nor an anarchic party. We do not seek power by any means other than through the ballot box. Therefore we reject, totally, the statement by Chief Clark.

    ‘’We remind Chief Clark that since President Jonathan was voted into office by Nigerians, they also reserve the right to vote him out of office. This is the way it is done in every true democracy, and heavens will not fall if President Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015. His supporters should put their emotions in check and stop making comments that are downright treasonable,’’ the party said.

    “It is a mark of the gross partisanship of the security agencies that they have turned a blind eye to all the incendiary comments being made by the President’s men.

    ‘’The security agencies, especially the police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS), have busied themselves with harassing and intimidating the opposition. They have engaged in torturing innocent Nigerians for political reasons, while pretending not to know that President Jonathan’s supporters, in particular Mujaheed Asari Dokubo and Chief Clark, have been threatening the very existence of Nigeria through their capricious statements.

    ‘’Had the statements credited to these men been made by the opposition, the security agencies would have suddenly become hyperactive. They have failed to make the President’s supporters to realise that no one is above the law.’’

     

     

  • Wamakko, Lafiagi, Olofin, others get APC’s Senate tickets

    Wamakko, Lafiagi, Olofin, others get APC’s Senate tickets

    •Party okays Akume, Saraki, Boroffice, Tinubu, Ngige

    In a clear departure from the past when candidates emerged through consensus, the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday created a rancour-free environment for aspirants to test their popularity, report OUR CORRESPONDENTS.

    It was easy ride for most senatorial aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as they went through primaries in various states without challengers.

     

    Wamakko, Damboa emerge as Gobir returns in Sokoto

     

    Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko yesterday emerged unopposed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Sokoto Central Senatorial Distict.

    Two other aspirants – Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba Damboa(Sokoto West) and Ibrahim Gobir(Sokoto East), also clinched the APC tickets to fly the party’s flag at the 2015 election. The duo had no opposition.

    No fewer than 2,372 out of expected 2,432 delegates filed out to ratify Wamakko’s candidature at the Trade Fair Complex venue of the shadow poll in Sokoto Central.

    Sixty of the delegates were, however absent.

    Wamakko, who scored 2,372 votes, will be representing Kware, Binji, Tangaza, Silame, Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Wamakko and Gudu Local Government Areas in the senate if elected next year.

    The rancour-free primaries were conducted separately in Sokoto, Bodinga and Gwadabawa under the watch of security agents, party officials and representatives of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)

    Declaring the results for the Sokoto Central primaries, Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Alhaji Nasiru Danladi Bako, said the governor, having returned unopposed, scored 2,372 to clinch the ticket.

    The trio of Wamakko, Damboa and Gobir are to face the opposition of the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates. They are: Muhammadu Maccido(Sokoto Central), who got automatic ticket, Kiriyo Yabo(Sokoto West) and Dahiru Yari Gandi(Sokoto East).

    Maccido is seeking re-election for the third time while Yabo and Gandi are first timers.

    APC’s Damboa, a new entrant, replaces Senator Umaru Dahiru Tambawal, who lost out at the party’s governorship primaries that saw House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal victorious.

    Wamakko attributed his success to the glory of Allah and thanked delegates for the mandate.

     

    Boroffice wins as Alasoadura, Lebi get tickets in Ondo.

     

    The Senator representing Ondo State North Senatorial District, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, yesterday got a return ticket  of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the February 2005 National Assembly election.

    Boroffice, who contested the primary with Dr. K.S Shaaba, a member of the House of Representatives  from Akoko North East/West, Ganny Dauda and London-based lawyer,  Nathaniel Adojutelegan polled 1,460 votes.

    Shaaba scored 31 votes, Dauda 569 and Adojutelegan got 139 votes.

    Also, in Ondo South Senatorial Zone, Morayo Lebi, a lawyer was  elected candidate of the party with 1261 votes. His challenger, Mr. Femi Akingbola got  152 votes.

    In the Central Senatorial District, it was a keen contest between the House of Representatives member, from Akure South/North, Ifedayo Abegunde and former State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Tayo Alasoadura.

    Alasoadura, who was the Director-General (DG) of Rotimi Akeredolu Campaign Organisation during the 2012 governorship election, scored 811 votes to beat Abegunde, who polled 771 votes

    In the tension-soaked contest, that dragged beyond 8pm, about 105 votes were voided.

    Addressing  reporters, Alasoadura  commended  leaders of the party for allowing internal democracy, stressing that the step has helped the party to be transparent in producing popular candidates.

    Alasoadura said:  “The transparent system designed by the party allowed prospective aspirants to test their popularity on the field and helped to curb possible rancour.

     

    Obioma faces Orji in

    Abia Central

     

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Iheanacho Obioma,

    picked the Abia Central Senatorial District ticket to run for the Senate in 2015 under the platform of the All Progressives Control (APC).

    Obioma’s victory drew the battle line drawn between him and incumbent Governor Theodore Orji, who will slug it out at the poll under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Abia Central Senatorial seat. The zone is made up of six local government areas.

    The primary was conducted under the watchful eyes of the three-member primary committee, chaired by Usman Abdulkadiri. All accredited delegates were identified by the committee before voting started.

    Obioma was elected unopposed being the sole candidate of his party.

    The lawmaker said he will be contesting against Orji, a governor

    “who has been in charge of Abia State with little to show for it. So, the people of the state will not be willing to vote for a man who has not done well as a governor to represent them at the Senate.

    “It will ever be in my mind that my people sent me to the senate and by my self neither was I foisted on the people, the qualities and policies that made you vote for me I promise to maintain.”

     

    Saraki, Lafiagi, Ibrahim

    unopposed  in Kwara

     

    Former governor of Kwara State and a serving Senator,Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday emerged as the senatorial candidate of the Kwara Central District of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Both are serving seators.

    Saraki polled 1540 of the delegates’ votes at the Kwara Hotel, venue of the shadow election to seek reelection into the Upper Chamber as the sole contestant.

    Speaking shortly after his victory, Saraki, who will be returning to the National Assembly if he wins, charged President Goodluck Jonathan to come clean on the state of the national economy, saying the President has so far, been economical with the truth on issues bothering on the health of the economy.

    He, however, expressed confidence that any of the presidential aspirants of the APC who loses out in tomorrow’s primaries would see himself as sacrificing personal ambition to rebuild the country and therefore stand with the winner to ensure a successful outing for the party at the general elections.

    He described the emergence of his former Security Adviser, Yinka Aluko as senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the zone as sign that the opposition party in the state did not have quality minds and so had to pick someone trained by him to contest against him.

    Vowing to continue his opposition to the ruling PDP at the centre irrespective of personal deprivations and attacks he may suffer, Saraki said he was desirous to see a better future for the people of the country.

    He urged his supporters to go back home and intensify campaigns to ensure that they deliver the state to the APC in the coming polls.

    Alhaji Sha’aba Lafiagi, also a former governor of Kwara State, was elected to represent the North Senatorial Zone at the Senate. His election took place in Bode-Saadu, headquarters of the Moro Local Government Area of the state. As the sole aspirant, he polled 1, 555 votes.

     Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim, a member of the House of Representatives representing Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency won the Kwara South Senatorial seat ticket was clinched by Dr Rafiu Ibrahim,.

    Ibrahim, who was the sole candidate, polled 2,463 at the primary election held at Irepodun Local Government Secretariat, in Omu-Aran.

    The returning officer for the election, Mr. Nandom Dombin, said Ibrahim, being the only candidate and having scored the required number of votes got the fly the APC flag at the election next year.

    In his acceptance remarks, Ibrahim thanked the party’s stakeholders for their support and promised to embark on meaningful projects that would impact positively on the well-being of the people.

    “This is a victory for the people of this great constituency. We are optimistic of similar support come 2015 to ensure the continuation of the good work our administration has started,” he said.

     

    No challenger for

    Akume in Benue

     

    Senate Minority Leader, Dr. George Akume was yesterday returned unopposed as the flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Benue Northwest Senatorial Zone.

    Akume, a former governor, was the only aspirant, who picked the APC nomination form from the constituency popularly known as ‘Zone B’.

    He was immediately issued with the certificate of return at at Unice Resort, venue of the primary in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    The results of the Benue Northeast and Benue South primaries were still being expected last night.

    Speaking after receiving his Certificate of Return (CoR), Senator Akume charged APC members to remain steadfast, assuring them of better days ahead.

    He encouraged members of the party to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which he described as their instrument of power.

    Party chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro, had earlier stated that the APC will send PDP packing next year and install an administration that will focus on wealth creation through massive agriculture production.

     

    Osagie, Inegbeneki get tickets as Obahiagbon lose in Edo

     

    A frontline member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State, Chief Francis Inegbeneki, yesterday won the All Progressives Congress ticket for the Edo Central Senatorial District.

    He polled 852 votes to defeat his closest rival, Prince Joe Okojie, who scored 335 votes.

    Voting started at about 2:30pm after the accreditation of delegates from the five local government areas making up the district.

    Inegbeneki was a former State Youth Leader of the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he decamped to the APC.

    He will slug it out at next year’s election with Clifford Ordia, an engineer and Chairman of the Benue River Basin, who defeated Senator Odion Ugbesia to pick the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    But the Chief of Staff (CoS) to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Patrick Obahiagbon, failed in his bid to represent Edo South Senatorial District in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

    He was defeated by the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, representing Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon Federal Constituency.

    In the keenly-contested primaries, Obahiagbon polled 894 votes to Osagie’s  1120.

    Obahiagbon had in 2011 lost his seat in the Lower Chamber the House of Representatives seat to  Razaq Bello-Osagie.

    There was heavy security presence at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where the primaries held.

    Delegates were thoroughly searched before they were allowed  entry into the stadium.

    A total of 2212 delegates were accredited and eight votes were voided.

    Two other aspirants, Erhabor Emokpae and Jim Adun scored 28 vand 162 votes respectively.

     

    Buhari, Akanbi win in Oyo

     

    In Oyo State, a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Wale Okediran lost the Oyo North Senatorial ticket to the current Commissioner for Local Government, Fatai Buhari while a former governorship aspirant, Soji Akanbi, clinched the ticket for Oyo South.

    Buhari polled 2, 843 votes to beat Okediran while Akanbi scored  2,189 votes to beat his closest opponent, Femi Olaore, who polled 330 votes in the primary held at the old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Camp, Iseyin.

    For the Oyo South primary, a total of 2,675 delegates were accredited for the election whild held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, the state capital.

    But Akanbi’s opponents rejected the result, alleging irregularities.

    Other aspirants are: Moyosore Aboderin, Femi Olaore, Dr Fola Akinosun, and Kingsley Omotosho.

    Aboderin scored 15 votes, Omotosho (13) and Akinosun had 113. A total of 2,660 were recorded as valid in the election. Voting started at about 4:30pm and ended 9:35pm as electoral officers and delegates arrived late.

    Voting was still going on for the Oyo Central Senatorial District at last night atAkinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan, the state capital.

     

    Adetunmbi, Olofin scale through in Ekiti

     

    In Ekiti State, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi cliched the ticket to seek re-election to the National Assembly from the North Senatorial District while Ambassador Gbenga Olofin won the ticket to replace Senator Babafemi Ojudu for the Central Senatorial District. Incumbent Senator Ojudu is not seeking re-election.

     

    Ngige clinches Anambra Central ticket

     

    Incumbent Senator Chris Ngige polled 1832 of the 1834 votes to get the APC nod to represent the Anambra Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

     

  • APC National Assembly primaries today

    APC National Assembly primaries today

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has said it will hold the inconclusive National Assembly primaries today.

    A statement by the Chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Senator Adudu, the party said the affected federal constituencies are: Abeokuta South, Ijebu Central and Ijebu North.

    The party appealed to all its members and the public to co-operate with the organising committee to conduct a hitch-free primary.

     

  • Beyond winning and losing

    Beyond winning and losing

    The Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primaries have been won and lost, with Akin Ambode emerging victorious.  But why does it evoke eerie parallels from the Femi Agbalajobi-Dapo Sarumi titanic primary of 1991?

    Dr. Agbalajobi (of blessed memory) was the undisputed favourite of the then Alhaji Lateef Jakande Lagos political establishment.  Then, the 2nd Republic Action Governor of Lagos’ word was law.  But the Sarumi camp was bent on resisting any Baba so pe (“Baba has decreed”) alleged imposition.

    Mr. Sarumi, on the other hand, was the Lagos face of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s “new breed” — fresh, nimble and dynamic Olympians on Nigeria’s political firmament; come to run, out of town, the stale, awkward and rickety Titans, veteran politicians of the 1st and 2nd Republics, who little realised their epoch was over!

    For Agbalajobi  and Sarumi, the primary was a hideous stalemate, resolved only by their party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), disqualifying them both.  But the battle continued by proxy.

    Yomi Edu, the eventual SDP candidate, who faced Sir Michael Otedola (God bless his soul) of the National Republican Convention (NRC) was perceived, by the Jakande camp, of the Sarumi provenance.

    Both camps banded together to win the legislative election with a near-clean sweep.  But on the governorship, the Baba sope camp triggered mutual destruction as combat tactics.

    They allied with Otedola’s NRC  and gave their own candidate a terrible electoral hiding.  When the dust cleared, the political progressives, for the first time in Lagos history, had lost the governorship to the conservative NRC.

    Now, the eerie parallels between 1991 and now.

    In 1991, Lagos East Senatorial District was theatre of war.  It is also now.    After Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Lagos West) 1999-2007 and Governor Babatunde Fashola (Lagos Central), 2007-2015, APC has zoned its governorship, from 2015, to Lagos East.

    Like in 1991, a pre-primary din alleged “imposition” of a “favoured” candidate, thus leading to horrific bad blood among the contestants.  Like in 1991, though the governorship primary delivered a candidate, there is probably no guarantee that candidate would be acceptable to all the feuding camps.

    That must explain why, before the primary that eventually produced Mr. Ambode, Asiwaju Tinubu, the party’s leader, had pleaded with everyone to accept the result.  It is also heart-warming that, after, Governor Babatunde Fashola has asked Lagosians to vote Ambode for continuity.

    But much more than a historical parallel, a direct link, between 1991 and now.

    The anti-Jakande crusading boys of yesteryear have become men.  Mr. Sarumi, no thanks to series of bad political decisions, may have vanished from the horizon.  But Asiwaju Tinubu has taken his place, thus replacing the Jakande political hegemony with their own.

    And, to be sure, they would appear to have done Lagos some hefty good.

    Whereas the Olusegun Obasanjo-Umaru Yar’Adua-Goodluck Jonathan Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continuum at the centre appears to have bankrupted Nigeria, with the present fiscal panic over crashing prices of crude, the Tinubu-Fashola Alliance for Democracy-Action Congress-Action Congress of Nigeria-APC continuum in Lagos has led the state from a revenue profile of N600 million a month in 1999 to about N23 billion in 2014.

    On the balance, Lagos appears clearly to have moved from point A to B; signalling progress in enhanced security, infrastructure renewal, a greener environment and a far cleaner Lagos — Lagos, hitherto among the dirtiest on the globe.  There is always, of course, a lot more to do.

    Conversely, on the balance, the centre would appear to have regressed from B to A, with a harvest of decayed infrastructure nationwide, though President Jonathan, in his 2015 declaration speech, claimed stats that suggested he was fixing that.

    Still, there is legitimate feeling that, had post-1999 Nigeria (with its quantum of funds) been blessed with the leadership of post-1999 Lagos, the country would have been better.

    But success does have its hassles!  After the halcyon days of collective success, it appears now the era of “what is in it for me”!  That would explain the fierce contest — all the contestants Tinubu’s close protégés — to succeed Governor Fashola, who has boasted, from all objective accounts, superlative governance.

    Now, back to a peep at 1991!  At the start of the Ambode phenomenon, a band of demonstrators stormed the Ikeja seat of the Lagos government: first, at the precincts of the Lagos House of Assembly and later, at the adjoining Lagos House.  The message: “No more Oga sope!”

    If “Oga sope” echoes the Jakande era “Baba sope”, it is because the wished-for Utopian, all-equal Animal Farm of the anti-Jakande crusaders of yesteryear has morphed into something more earthly, of some animals more equal than others, to parody George Orwell.

    Let’s not beat about the bush — to use Soyinka-speak in his Jonathan Nebuchadnezzar putdown — though the battle has been lost and won, too many are aggrieved.  If things were not to degenerate to the Agbalajobi-Sarumi tragedy of 1991, then urgent, conscious and deliberate efforts must be made to placate the aggrieved.

    But first, both winners and losers must agree: theirs is a milieu that needs urgent reformation.  Starkly put, reform or die!

    The APC and its forebears may have got governance — brilliant governance at that — right.  But not their internal politics, which is always in a shambles, with today’s beneficiaries — and tomorrow’s victims — shouting “fairness!”, only later to scream “imposition!” when the table gets turned.

    The party must work some consensus on its internal business, without threatening to bring down the roof each time.  Since “consensus” is simply “imposition” to not a few, APC should deepen its primary elections, and make them a fresh start at deepening its own internal democracy.

    If the combatants won’t embrace entente for charity, they must, out of sheer enlightened self-interest.  They must not destroy  the house they built.

    In 1991, a dominant segment of the SDP got Edu as candidate, in lieu of Sarumi.  But the Jakande faction, dominant in the electoral streets, deployed the ultimate hammer — the classic Yoruba “Kaka k’eku maje sese, a fi sawa danu” [virtually in English: my private loss must turn a collective disaster].

    Lagos was the worse for it: Sir Michael was an excellent elder and citizen.  But as governor, he was far from excellent; and his electoral war cry, “That Lagos may excel” turned a hollow joke, as Lagos nearly stagnated.

    In 1991, the progressives were a shoo-in; even in 1999.  But in 2015, not so: no thanks to haemorrhaging over the years, despite proving their mettle.

    Again, no thanks to President Jonathan’s playing the end against the middle: Christians against Muslims, Igbo against Yoruba, subverting state coercion for partisan gains; and vicious Tinubu demonization by embittered Yoruba enemies, 2015 will be a far tougher proposition.

    That is why Tinubu himself should reach out and placate those who lost out on December 4.  Anything short may just replicate the Agbalajobi-Sarumi tragedy.

    With how PDP has beggared the nation at the centre — and that party stands to benefit most from any ensuing crisis — Lagos would be the worse for it.

     

  • ‘Owo APC exco legitimate’

    AN Akure High Court 1, presided over by the Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, has upheld the April 12 election which brought in the executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Owo Local Government Area.

    The local government party executives, including Sidney Ogunleye, Adebayo Oke, A.Eniola-Ajipe, Abayomi Alale, Obanigbo Akinro and 21 others, sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party for alleged non-recognition of their executive committee.

    They claimed that the election was done in strict compliance to Section 228 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 85 and 86 of the Electoral Act 2010.

    The applicants maintained that having been duly elected in Owo Local Government, they are entitled to be entered in INEC records, inaugurated and accorded all rights and privileges of the Executive Committee as required.

    Justice Kumuyi said: “I am satisfied that the Owo APC executives’ application has merit and it is accordingly granted as prayed.”