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Tag: APC

  • As apc seeks to outflank pdp

    The emerging political behemoth, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has every cause to celebrate the successful poaching of five governors, and their electoral worth, from the troubled behemoth, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Many have argued that the country is approaching a state of balance of political terror, with two strong political parties as contenders. That may even prove more correct as far as our country’s political fortunes are concerned, unless the new APC is able to engage in Pauline conversion of the strange bed fellows that it has welcomed to its fold. Of course, the wish of this column that the APC will engage in bottom up expansion of membership based on defined ideology has suffered another major set back, with last week’s development.

    But building ideology based political parties is not completely a lost cause. After all who could have contemplated the possibility that through deft political manouvre, the leadership of three completely diverse political parties, at least as far as public perception is concerned, namely the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress of Progressive Change and the Action Congress of Nigeria, with a stump of All Progress Grand Alliance, could agree to collapse their structures to form a single political party, the APC. While commentators were still relishing that unprecedented political feat in our country, the APC leadership has again boldly struck a severe blow on the over confident PDP by appropriating a sizeable chunk of its sagging bulk, to add to its own already bulging weight.

    So I join other Nigerians to invest hope that the leadership of the two major political parties, particularly the new APC would sit down, to draw programmes that is in accordance with the provisions of chapter II of the 1999 Constitution – fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. With the tantalizing possibility of gaining power by the APC and the sobering possibility of losing power facing the PDP, there is a huge chance, that the two major political parties, the APC and PDP may begin to context for power based on ideas instead of manipulation as in the present. The new APC or even the PDP can boldly tantalize the electorate by promising to make chapter II of our constitution justiciable, that is, enforceable against the Nigerian state in the same manner as the provisions of chapter IV of the constitution, dealing with the fundamental rights of any person living in Nigeria.

    As Nigerians celebrate the reduction in the potency of the PDP to abuse its privileges, with the emergence of an expanded APC, let me yet again, rehash my prayers, in my piece on this page on August 6, titled: Congratulations to APC, “as we relish the possibilities with the new party, it is of paramount importance, in my humble view, for APC               to immediately define its position on those national issues that has held our country down. For instance what is the position of the party on access to quality education, employment and housing? What will the party do with our lopsided federation, with regards to the ownership of natural resources, national infrastructure, federation account and cost of governance, police and the so called indigenship?”

    The new APC will need courage and plenty sagacity to deal with the challenges of helping to remake Nigeria, particularly with the nature of its present make-up. My prayer is that it will not be bogged down by internal challenges and contradictions, which have been the bane of the PDP. As things are, our politicians have scant regard for the welfare of the ordinary Nigerians, and as I have severally argued on this page, the cankerworm of corruption cuts across the political parties, and not much national progress can be made without first dealing with that. Unfortunately with the near abolition of political divides, corrupt political practices are as much a problem in PDP as it will be in APC. The challenge is even more worrisome as it is presently near impossible to determine with certainty, who sincerely belongs to which party, in spirit and in body.

    As things are, there is a substantial obfuscation of the dividing line between the two political parties in Nigeria, the APC and the PDP, and what they stand for. Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, captured this comic tragedy. On Tuesday last week, the Osun Prince, was joyously embracing his former political foe, Chief Bisi Akande, the chairman of APC, as he joined other defectors to celebrate their new membership of APC. In the photo shot, with the leadership of the APC, he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Murtalo Nyako, and several other former PDP top shots, while the spirit of Wammako Aliyu, and Abdulfatah Ahmed hovered around.

    Surprisingly while partisans were yet to recover from the reverie of downed champagnes, to celebrate the new births and the attendant hangover (that word again; apologies to Dr. Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesperson, who has quarreled over such allusion to his principal, who recently allegedly celebrated his birthday in far away London, and became indisposed the next day); Prince Oyinlola was on air, claiming that he was still a member of the PDP and its National Secretary to boot. That means that while he has joined APC, he still retains his position in PDP. With what a senior friend appropriately called a poker face, he made those claims.

    In the days ahead, it is going to be a handful to determine those who are moles and those who are members of either party, whether the APC or the PDP. In the meantime, may I congratulate the leadership of APC, particularly Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the unparalleled successes; while praying that their tectonic maneuvers should profit Nigeria.

    This piece published last December is republished to underscore Ribadu’s adventure in PDP.

     

  • Three PDP governors to join APC, says Wamakko

    Three PDP governors to join APC, says Wamakko

    Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko yesterday said that three governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to join the All Progressive Congress (APC) next month.

    Two of the governors to join the opposition are from the North. The other one is from the South, he said.

    Wamakko was in Kaduna last night for  the APC Northwest caucus meeting to strategise ahead of a zonal rally slated for  Sokoto next month.

    Wamakko said: “We met here to first and foremost put a functional zonal office and other offices to fill the gap and to hold zonal rallies to kick start our party’s victory stride by 2015.

    “As I am talking to you now, three PDP governors are set to join the APC between now and the end of September. Two of the governors are from the North while the third one is from the South.”

    When asked to comment on allegations that he has an anointed candidate to take over from him, the governor said: “Only God makes leaders, I cannot tell you who will succeed me in Sokoto State.”

    On the defection of former Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) boss, Nuhu Ribadu from the APC to the PDP, he declined comments because he (Ribadu) is a man of his own who can take decisions for himself.

    Wamakko left to attend another assignment at another venue. Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Zamfara State Senator Ahmed Sani and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Bello Masari, among other APC chieftains from the Northwest zone were still meeting .

  • Defection: APC urges Mimiko, Ondo Senator to resign

    Defection: APC urges Mimiko, Ondo Senator to resign

    •‘Move won’t affect party’

    Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Senator representing Ondo South, Boluwaji Kunlere, to resign their public offices for reportedly defecting from Labour Party (LP) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP.

    APC Publicity Secretary Charles Titiloye, in a statement in Akure yesterday, noted that LP had no internal crisis or division to warrant defection by Mimiko and others to the PDP.

    He condemned Mimiko for taking the mandate of Ondo State’s people to the PDP without the consent of the electorate in an election.

    Titiloye said: “For long, we know that the governor was using LP to deceive the progressive-minded people of Ondo State that he loves the masses when, in fact, Mimiko and all his chieftains are members of the conservative PDP.

    “Finally, the governor has gone back to his kith and kin in PDP, carrying along his dwindling public credibility to his natural base.”

    APC symphatised with members of the state LP, who, according to the party, have now been betrayed and deserted by their “general in the war field.”

    The party urged the LP to now wind up its political operation in the country. “Middlemen in APGA should also defect to enable the masses decide between PDP and APC in 2015,” the statement added.

    It said APC was ready to welcome defectors from LP and PDP, who were uncomfortable with Mimiko’s defection.

    The Osun State LP has said that the proposed exit of Mimiko would not affect the party in anyway.

    The state LP Chairman, Timothy Olatunji, who spoke with reporters in Osogbo yesterday, said reports from the national headquarters of the party had not indicated that Mimiko would be dumping LP for PDP.

    He said: “Osun State chapter of the party would not be affected even if Mimiko tomorrow decides to dump the party.”

    He noted that his executive council does not depend on the Ondo State governor to survive.

    He said: “If Mimiko had played a pivotal role in canvassing votes for Alhaji Fatai Akinbade in the last governorship poll in Osun State, his exit might have negatively affected us. In the last Osun State governorship election, we solely bore the burden and whatever we achieved as success was made possible by our resolve to make a mark.”

  • 2015: APC decries plan to relaunch acronym battle against party

    2015: APC decries plan to relaunch acronym battle against party

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has decried an alleged plan by “unscrupulous and apparently-hired hands” to relaunch the acronym battle against the party.

    It alleged that the masterminds were “seeking to register three new parties that bear the acronyms of the same parties that merged to become the APC”.

    In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those behind the phantom parties, who are apparently working at the behest of people who have a mortal fear of the APC, have applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Allied Council of Nigeria (ACN); Advanced National Patriotic Party (ANPP) and Conservative People’s Congress (CPC).

    It said the fact that the acronyms of the three entities tally with those of the APC component parties – the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – is not accidental.

    According to the party, the registration of the phantom parties is a grand design by those who have been having sleepless nights since the APC was registered.

    APC said: “It is worthy of note that the three applications to INEC for the registration of the three organisations as political parties were made on the same day. Apparently, common sense takes flight in the face of great desperation!

    “Their plan is simple: Once the parties are registered, they will then apply to change their logos to those of the original ACN, ANPP and CPC, and then hope to be on the ballot for next year’s general elections. Just before the elections, the sponsors of the phantom parties will send out messages that the APC has splintered into its component parties for the purpose of the election. Whatever happens, their plan is to confuse the electorate and hamper the electoral fortunes of the APC.”

    The party urged INEC not to succumb to the antics of those who are planning to sabotage the 2015 general elections and win elections by subterfuge.

    It said: “This acronym battle is a part of the larger war against our party to prevent its registration. Nigerians will recollect that the same people, apparently, applied to register a phantom APC the moment it became clear that our merger would succeed and INEC would register our party, having met all the requirements to consummate the merger.

    “Thankfully, INEC refused to compromise its neutrality and integrity and chose to act in accordance with the law by registering our party.

    “We urge the electoral body to do the same now, in the face of unprecedented desperation by those who believe they can only win elections by cutting corners.”

    APC advised Nigerians to be vigilant as the 2015 elections approach, adding that those coming to terms with the reality that the party is a viable alternative in the country’s political firmament will stop at nothing to seek to mar its electoral fortunes.

  • Niger East by-election: APC plans to unleash thugs, alleges PDP

    Niger East by-election: APC plans to unleash thugs, alleges PDP

    •‘Ruling party guilty’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Niger State branch, accused yesterday the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plans  to unleash thugs on the electorate to disrupt Saturday’s Niger East by-election.

    The opposition party, however, said it was the ruling PDP, which engaged thugs since the start of the campaigns.

    APC alleged: “Thuggery is synonymous with PDP. The party has been using thugs to harass people because its candidate is unpopular.”

    The PDP Deputy Chairman, Tanko Beji, a lawyer, alleged in a statement in Minna yesterday that APC hired thugs from neighbouring states and gave them maps of the places to unleash terror in order to disrupt the election.

    He alleged that the  mission of the opposition party was “to cause confusion to either manipulate or frustrate the process.”

    The PDP chief decried the manner APC was going about the election, saying: “The planned action of the opposition party shows that it is far from being prepared for the next general elections.

    “The opposition in Niger State need to be schooled on the basic values of electoral practices. They have failed to realise that politics is not all about thuggery, blackmail or propaganda. Niger APC must understand that election is not a do-or-die affair.”

    APC Publicity Secretary Jonathan Vatsa dismissed the allegation, accusing PDP of being guilty of the allegation.

    He said APC members were law-abiding.

    “It is the ruling PDP that has money for thugs. Thuggery is synonymous with the party. It is only crying and accusing APC because its candidate is not popular. The noise is a face-saving device for the impending defeat on Saturday.

    “PDP has been using thugs to destroy the billboards of our candidate. The hoodlums are also tearing his posters. We have reported this to the security agents. The party is engaging thugs because it wants to force its unpopular candidate on the people.

    “PDP has tax payers’ money and it is using it as well as the local government funds for thuggery because its candidate is not popular,” Vatsa added.

  • APC hails Kwara South indigenes on registration

    APC hails Kwara South indigenes on registration

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), Kwara South Stakeholders’ Forum, Lagos State chapter, has hailed Kwara South indigenes for travelling home to participate in the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration.

    It urged them to vote during the coming general elections so that their efforts would not be in vain.

    The group said the people of the senatorial district should support the second term bid of Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed.

    At a meetingat the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos,theforum deliberated on governance in Kwara State and on the 2015 general elections.

    The participants resolved that Kwara South people should prepare for the general elections by creating an awareness and mobilising their people in Kwara, Lagos and other states.

    They said individuals’ financial contributionsý and corporate sponsorship were necessary for the mobilisation.

    It was suggested that zonal committees should be constituted to organise mobilisation for the poll.

    The people lauded Governor Ahmed for his achievements not only in Kwara South, but also in all parts of the state.

    They said Kwara South indigenes should be actively politically to take their destinies in their hands.

    “Our people resident in Lagos should be closer to their communities and be well informed about the activities going on there.”

  • Omisore can’t win at tribunal, Osun APC declares

    Omisore can’t win at tribunal, Osun APC declares

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State yesterday dismissed as a pipe dream, a statement by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in the state, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, that the party’s candidate in the August 9 election, Otunba  Iyiola Omisore, would win at the tribunal.

    Babatope had told a rally in Ibadan organised by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) to drum up support for the re-election of the president that the election petitions tribunal would overturn the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbeola in favour of Omisore.

    But in a statement in Osogbo, the APC Director of Publicity, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said Babatope was merely engaging in a face saving stunt.

    He said: “Chief Babatope has the right to his optimism. However, we at the APC know that this is just a mere dream that can never come to reality. Has Babatope forgotten that almost all the PDP leaders could not even win in the polling units where they voted?

    “It is therefore unthinkable that PDP would ever nurse the hope that anything would come out of its fruitless journey to the tribunal. Indeed, we are convinced that at the end of the day, PDP will find out to its utter disappointment that a huge chunk of votes allocated to its candidate will be declared to have been in error.

    “Under a clean election without any arm-twisting tactics and harassment of APC members and its leaders, how could the PDP have garnered such number of votes credited to it? The people of the South West have rejected in its entirety anything PDP. The August 9 election was what the PDP leaders needed to confirm the extent of its rejection in Nigeria as a whole and in Osun in particular.”

     

  • Resurgence of politics without bitterness, and ideology?

    Resurgence of politics without bitterness, and ideology?

    The facile claim by most politicians in our country that politics is a game of number does not apply to indiscriminate recruitment or admittance of members of ideologically opposed political parties

    As he exits the All Progressives Congress (APC) and migrates to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Nuhu Ribadu, a one-time fellow at the Centre for Global Development for his reputation as Nigeria’s anti-corruption czar thrown into irrelevance by the same party that appointed him to the country’s anti-corruption agency, re-introduced recently into the polity what Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of Greater Nigerian People’s Party during the second republic called ‘politics without bitterness.’ In the same breath, Malam Ribadu raised the problem of the scrambling of the culture of progressive politics in the country.

    Ribadu’s commitment to the politics of bitterness is unmistakable in his letter of withdrawal from the party that sponsored him as its presidential candidate in 2011: “My defection shouldn’t be seen as an initiation of political antagonism with my good friends in another party. I still hold them in high esteem, and even where there are marked differences, I believe there are decorous and honourable ways of resolving them.” He also added that there is no desire for any short-term gratification or love of ‘stomach infrastructure’ in his migration from APC to PDP, adding: “I wish to assure you that my defection is in pursuit of a good cause and never out of any selfish interests.”  Ribadu’s assurances should be believable, given the moral high ground that he occupied at the time he was head-hunted to run as ACN presidential candidate at the end of his fellowship at the Centre for Global Development in Washington.

    There will be many more qualified observers of partisan politics to comment on Ribadu’s choice of PDP as a platform for him to pursue his project of good cause. Today’s piece is about how Ribadu’s abrupt exit from APC, which he co-founded with other leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, provides  motivation for a narrative about the threat to the tradition of progressive politics in the country’s post-military era. When individuals like Ribadu migrate from APC to PDP and others like Nyako transfer their political seat from PDP to APC, students of political affairs are bound to raise questions about the character of progressive politics and parties.

    To call one party or movement progressive in the context of Nigeria is to recognise the role of ideology in the organisation of the polity and society. In Francis Fukuyama’s “The End of History,” he predicted that the end of the cold war may lead to the end of major ideological conflict in the world at large. However, Fukuyama added that in countries that have not attained liberal democracy as a dominant value, the tendency for conflicts remains until such countries accept the inevitability of liberal democracy. This implies that there will be reasons for creating ideologies in transitional societies like Nigeria until the end of history, if Fukuyama’s theory is accepted as capable of explaining human historical trajectory.

    From the 1950s till date, there has been the imperative for any political party created by the Yoruba to construct a clear ideology that presents its vision and mission statements to the electorate, as a means of mobilising for citizens’ support. Whether it was the Action Group, the Unity Party of Nigeria of Awolowo’s time (with no reference to the use of such names by contemporary politicians), the Social Democratic Party, the Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress, Action Congress of Nigeria, and now the All Progressives Congress, politicians in the Yoruba region have always known that any party that wants to be listened to by the generality of voters in the region must present a progressive face and agenda.

    It was the belief that most Yoruba people are politically ‘to the left of the ideological spectrum’ that also explained why it was the SDP (a little to the left party) out of the two party-structures created by General Babangida that the Yoruba espoused in 1993, leaving the non-threatening number of Yoruba conservatives to NRC. The recognition among a majority of Yoruba people that government exists for the sake of the governed also explained the attraction of Yoruba intellectuals to Aminu Kano’s NEPU or Balarabe Musa’s PRP.

    Now that the country’s presidential system makes it easy for politics of personalities or god-fathers to eclipse that of ideology or of ideas, it is understandable when governors or former governors catch headlines when they migrate out of and into parties whimsically. The fact that political parties no longer scrutinise the ideological leanings or credentials of politicians crossing into their folds should be a source of worry for truly progressive politicians and thinkers. Most of the nomadic politicians that move from one party to the other are more besotted to power than to service to the people. This also explains why most of such politicians have no qualms in moving back to their first political party when their assessment of their new political party changes. To such itinerant politicians, a political party’s normative vision is of no relevance. What matters is the opportunity to use their belonging to or disengaging from political parties as a bargaining chip for power and privilege.

    It is too soon to point at what made Ribadu run from APC to PDP. It is also premature to say that he will not run back to APC from PDP later. What is important is for political parties that are progressive and want to be seen to be progressive not to leave the gate to the party wide open. There needs to be a mechanism within the culture of progressive parties to resist the temptation of being ensnared or seduced by individuals capable largely of generating sound bites and hype. What makes multi-party democracy meaningful is the distinctiveness in the vision and mission of each political party in contest with others for state power, not the readiness of parties to serve as fall-out shelters for members of other political parties.

    What has been obvious in the last fifteen years of post-military governance is the search by the ruling party for a one-party system. The saying that the PDP will be the party in power for the next 65 years is a code to other parties seeking power at all cost and with immediate effect to merge with the ruling party. It is the desire for absolute power that must have pushed the ruling power at the centre to stigmatise opposition political parties periodically as working and talking to undermine the party in power. While it is right and respectable for opposition political parties to resist being swelled by the ruling party, it is a puerile strategy for opposition parties, especially those that carry the image of progressiveness, to open their doors wide for politicians that may have differences other than ideological disagreement with their home parties.

    The facile claim by most politicians in our country that politics is a game of number does not apply to indiscriminate recruitment or admittance of members of ideologically opposed political parties. The game of number principle applies to the electorate. It is the number of voters that political parties can woo to their sides on account of the relevance of their vision and mission statements to the citizenry that matters in a proper democracy, not the number of individuals in office or seeking office who choose to change political parties without any reference to the ideological stance of such parties.

    Just as Malam Ribadu has pledged to avoid any acrimony with members of the APC during his stay in the PDP, so should APC leaders and their image makers refrain from demonising him for what may appear to be political nomadism in a country where whatever goes up politically must always come down.

  • Adamawa governorship: APC seeks suspension of curfew for good turn out of voters

    Adamawa governorship: APC seeks suspension of curfew for good turn out of voters

    THE All Progressive Congress (APC) Thursday asked theFederal Government to temporarily suspend the curfew imposed on Adamawa state to enable the people of the state to come out and exercise their civic right during the forth coming Adamawa governorship election. This was part of the decisions taken at the inaugural meeting of the National Executive Council meeting of the party attended by National Officers of the party as well as former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The party was however silent on the zoning formula for the 2015 elections, while also expressing concern over the role of security agents and other officials of government whom the party said has openly become partisan. Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting which was also attended by five Governors, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the party was concerned that if the current stage of emergency will deprive many people in the state the opportunity to cast their vote. He said: “The highlight of the discussion with regard to the elections in Adamawa is that the party is very worried and concerned about the neutrality of certain public officials. “I think that one thing the party insisted on is that with the state of emergency in Adamawa state today, for an election to be free and fair, the party will insist that the curfew imposed on the state be lifted temporarily during the elections. “I don’t want to be misquoted, I don’t want to be misunderstood. We are not saying that they should lift the state of emergency. We are saying that the curfew must be suspended for the period of the election. “In the northern part of Adamawa for example, by 6.00pm, the curfew is on. We are not confident that under such a condition, you can have a free and fair election. So, we are asking the federal government to lift temporarily for the period of the election, the curfew in all parts of Adamawa state”. Mohammed stressed that the party is not worried about the recent defection of the former Chairman of ten Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to the PDP saying that the party has since moved on. He said: “You see, the beauty of politics is the freedom of association. No party would want to lose any of its members. But we believe that the APC is such a strong brand with a strong follower-ship in Adamawa and all over Nigeria that the defection of one person will not adversely affects our fortune and we have moved on since his defection” He said: “This is the inaugural meeting of the National Executive Committee meeting of the party since it was elected. This is because immediately after the national convention, we had to battle with the elections in Ekiti, we had to contend with the impeachment threat in Adamawa and Nasarawa and we had to face the elections in Osun. “Of course, this is not to say that we have not been meeting informally. But today’s meeting is the inaugural meeting. In today’s meeting, we discussed the forthcoming elections in Adamawa, Niger and the local government elections in Delta state. We also discussed the guidelines for the primaries of the party. “We had the governor of Osun who came not only to thank the party for its support, but also warned that the party must be prepared for the monstrousity and viciousness of the opposition political party in subsequent elections. “The party discussed guidelines on primaries and principally, the party has decided that the primaries will start as early as October. We would want to ensure the participation of a large section of our people and so, we have opted for what we called a modified direct primary for the party. “INEC says that you either do a direct or indirect primary and we have opted for the direct. In other words, we have opted for a method that will ensure the participation of the largest number of our members. “We called it modified because we are also aware of certain constraints of getting all your 20 million members or thereabout to queue for election especially in areas where we have security challenges like Yobe,Adamawa and Borno. We are working out a formula that will still enable the largest members of our party to participate. “But I want to say that we are not settling for delegate elections. We want to get people from the grass root to be involved in our primaries because we want to show the world that we are different and that our party and our primaries would not only be grass root inspired, it will be transparent and free. “Don’t forget that we are going to have more than one primary election. Everybody seems to be focussing on the presidential primary. There will also be primary for members of state houses of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship election. We are going to have separate primaries staggered over a period of time. The party did not discuss anything about zoning”. Speaking on the renewed move by members of the Nasarasa state House of Assembly to impeach the state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, The APC spokesman said “I think that the constitution of the country is very clear on this issue. “You cannot try a person twice for the same offence and the members of the Nasarawa state house of Assembly should know that they are a product of a constitution and that it is the same constitution that they invoked in trying to impeach the governor. “So, they can’t go outside that constitution again to impeach him. What they can do in law is very simple. They should find a new sets of allegations if there are any, follow the same procedure. Most importantly, they have no liberty to ask a vacation judge to go and and set up a panel. “They must go back to the same Chief Judge to empanel the impeachment committee. I think that they should understand that Nigerians are tired of this era of impunity because what they want to embark upon is just impunity. “They are saying that they are going to resubmit the same sets of allegations which has been dismissed and they are going to take advantage of the vacation and ask a vacation judge to come and set up a panel., that will be blatantly illegal. For us, it is nothing but noise”. Speaking on the conduct of public officers, he said “Honestly, we are concerned about the neutrality of certain public officials in the last couple of month. Institutions which ought to be neutral have today taken partisan roles in elections. “We are very concerned that institutions which ought to be for the entire country have in recent times behave as if they are for a particular political party. We would in a few days elaborate on his because we are going to come out with a very powerful statement especially on the role of security agencies. “We are encouraged by the statement of the INEC chairman yesterday that hoarded security personnel are not needed for any election. It is a sign of transparency for a security man who is coming to enforce laws must be transparent and the citizens have the right to know who he is, and the organization he represents and t also see his face. “Jega was quoted as saying that some INEC officials were arrested by some over zealous security officials. The story of Osun election has not been told completely because the kind of monstrosity and viciousness the PDP embarked upon is better imagined. “We have records of hoodlums who were given uniform of various security organizations. When an election gets to a level where federal institutions are now subverted and are made to work in favour of a particular political party, I think it is very dangerous not just for one election, but for the institution itself and the country as a whole. “We know that ministers and some security personnel have thrown caution to the wind and have openly identified with the PDP in the conduct of elections. This is not good for the country”.

  • 2015: APC opts for modified direct primaries

    2015: APC opts for modified direct primaries

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) will start the process of picking its candidates for next year’s general elections in October, using modified direct primaries, the party said yesterday.

    This is one of the major decisions taken at the inaugural meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja.

    The party also urged President Goodluck Jonathan to suspend the state of emergency in Adamawa State to enable residents to exercise their civic rights in the October 11 governorship election.

    National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting, also accused President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of violating electoral guidelines.

    Apart from the national officers of the party, five governors and former head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, attended the meeting. Also present was former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    Mohammed said: “This is the inaugural meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party since it was elected. This is because immediately after the national convention, we had to battle with the election in Ekiti, we had to contend with the impeachment threat in Adamawa and Nasarawa and we had to face the election in Osun.

    “Of course, this is not to say that we have not been meeting informally.

    “In today’s meeting, we discussed the forthcoming elections in Adamawa, Niger and the local government elections in Delta State. We also discussed the guidelines for the primaries of the party.

    “We had the governor of Osun (Rauf Aregbesola) who came not only to thank the party for its support, but also warned that the party must be prepared for the monstrousity and viciousness of the opposition political party in subsequent elections.

    “The party discussed guidelines on primaries and principally, the party has decided that the primaries will start  as early as October. We would want to ensure the participation of a large section of our people and so, we have opted for what we call a modified direct primary.

    “INEC says that you either do a direct or indirect primary and we have opted for the direct. In other words, we have opted for a method that will ensure the participation of the largest number of our members.

    “We call it modified because we are also aware of certain constraints of getting all our 20 million members or thereabout to queue for election, especially in areas where we have security challenges, like Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. We are working out a formula that will still enable the largest members of our party to participate.

    “But I want to say that we are not settling for delegate elections. We want to get people from the grassroots to be involved in our primaries because we want to show the world that we are different and that our party and our primaries would not only be grassroots inspired, it will be transparent and free.

    “Don’t forget that we are going to have more than one primary election. Everybody seems to be focussing on the presidential primary. There will also be primary for members of state Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and for the governorship election. We are going to have separate primaries staggered over a period of time.

    “The party did not discuss anything about zoning”.

    He added: “The highlight of the discussion with regard to the elections in Adamawa is that the party is very worried and concerned about the neutrality of certain public officials.

    “I think that one thing the party insisted on is that with the state of emergency in Adamawa state today, for an election to be free and fair, the party will insist that the curfew imposed on the state be lifted temporarily during the elections.

    “I don’t want to be misquoted, I don’t want to be misunderstood. We are not saying that they should lift the state of emergency. We are saying that the curfew must be suspended for the period of the election.

    “In the northern part of Adamawa for example, by 6.00pm, the curfew is on. We are not confident that under such a condition, you can have a free and fair election. So, we are asking the Federal Government to lift temporarily for the period of the election, the curfew in all parts of Adamawa State.”

    Mohammed stressed that the party is not worried about the recent defection of the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to the PDP, saying that the party had moved on.

    He said: “You see, the beauty of politics is the freedom of association. No party would want to lose any of its members. But we believe that the APC is such a strong brand with a strong followership in Adamawa and all over Nigeria that the defection of one person will not adversely affect our fortune and we have moved on since his defection.”

    He said the party was convinced that the PDP had already chosen its presidential candidate for the elections, stressing that the clamour for President Jonathan to come out and declare for the election was just a game.

    He said: “I think that the PDP has already come out with its candidate. I think we must be fooling ourselves if we consider all these orchestrated drama about asking Jonathan to come and run.

    “But one thing we are saying is that Mr. President and the PDP are violating the electoral guidelines with impunity, with nobody to stop them. I can assure you that we in the APC are not threatened by the emergence of any candidate.

    “The only thing that threatens us is the absence of a level playing field. If a free and fair election is conducted in Nigeria today, we are very confident that we are going to defeat PDP. But we will insist that a level-playing field is procured.”

    Speaking on the renewed move by members of the Nasarawa state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Mohammed said: “I think that the constitution of the country is very clear on this issue.

    “You cannot try a person twice for the same offence and the members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly should know that they are a product of a constitution and that it is the same constitution that they invoked in trying to impeach the governor.

    “So, they can’t go outside that constitution again to impeach him. What they can do in law is very simple. They should find a new set of allegations, if there are any, follow the same procedure. Most importantly, they have no liberty to ask a vacation judge to go and and set up a panel.

    “They must go back to the same Chief Judge to empanel the impeachment committee. I think that they should understand that Nigerians are tired of this era of impunity because what they want to embark upon is just impunity.

    “They are saying that they are going to resubmit the same set of allegations which has been dismissed and they are going to take advantage of the vacation and ask a vacation judge to come and set up a panel; that will be blatantly illegal. For us, it is nothing but noise”.

    On the conduct of public officers, he said: “Honestly, we are concerned about the neutrality of certain public officials in the last couple of months. Institutions which ought to be neutral have today taken partisan roles in elections.

    “We are very concerned that institutions which ought to be for the entire country have in recent times behave as if they are for a particular political party. We would in a few days elaborate on this because we are going to come out with a very powerful statement especially on the role of security agencies.

    “We are encouraged by the statement of the INEC chairman yesterday that hooded security personnel are not needed for any election. It is a sign of transparency for a security man who is coming to enforce laws to be transparent and the citizens have the right to know who he is, and the organisation he represents and to also see his face.

    “Jega was quoted as saying that some INEC officials were arrested by some overzealous security officials. The story of Osun election has not been told completely because the kind of monstrosity and viciousness the PDP embarked upon is better imagined.”