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  • 2015: Oyegun serves PDP quit notice

    2015: Oyegun serves PDP quit notice

    •Says Nigeria is on the ropes
    •Ruling party hails APC convention
    •Atiku: I was not zoned out of presidential race

    The new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, assumed office  yesterday  with a challenge for the electorate ahead of the 2015 polls: it is time  to sack the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power.

    He said the nation’s wait for an alternative political party is over.

    But he vowed that the APC will not be under any illusion that the defeat of PDP is going to be easy as the ruling party will stop at nothing to frustrate the mission of the APC to dislodge it in the elections.

    Oyegun in his   acceptance speech at about 10.15am after his election as national chairman of the APC, asked party members to work as a united team to secure power at the centre next year.

    He urged APC members to bury the hatchet and grudges associated with the election of a new chairman.

    He demanded what he described as “the healing of rifts and smoothening of cracks” in the party.”

    Oyegun said: “Our party has much work to do. The state of our nation is highly disturbing. It could be said with some justification that our great country, Nigeria, is on the ropes.

    “A nation blessed by the Almighty with all the key endowments to make any nation great has been virtually brought to its knees by corruption that is unbridled and will qualify for the Guinness Books of Records, resource management, directionless  and what some have described as cluelessness.

    “As if these woes are not enough, our situation has been compounded by the amazingly visionless national leadership that has been inflicted on Nigerians by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the dawn of our latest democratic dispensation.

    “In this past decade and a half of genuine suffering, Nigerians have been frustrated by the fact that there was no alternative national party of comparable strength to rescue them from the clutches of the PDP.”

    He assured citizens that “Your wait is over. Your prayers have not been in vain. Help is on the way. The APC is here! In 2015, Nigerians will finally have the opportunity to kick out a long-ruling party that has, among other things, failed to provide them with stable power supply, failed to provide them with security that will enable them sleep peacefully on their beds at night, failed to provide employment for millions of Nigerian youths, and failed to stem the tide of corruption that is robbing Nigeria’s children of their future.”

    Odigie-Oyegun promised that the APC would provide a visionary, dedicated and people-oriented leadership that will liberate the nation from PDP’s rule of poverty and oppression, adding, “Under the stewardship of the APC, Nigeria will progress and Nigerians will thrive. This is our sacred pledge to Nigerians.”

    He admitted that defeating PDP in 2015 requires unity within APC and forgiveness of offences and injuries in the party.

    He added: “But we must not be under any illusion: our work will not be easy. The very task of salvaging Nigeria will, on its own, be hard because the rot is deep.

    “But the task will be made even harder by the fact that we have, as opponents, a political party that will stop at nothing to frustrate our mission.

    “We know the make-up, the habits, the philosophy and the mindset of our opponents. We know the extent they will go to cling on to power. And we know the immensity of the resources at their disposal.”

    Party members, he said must learn to let go of past grudges and previous grievances and move together as members of the same family.

    “And so tonight, I call for the healing of rifts and the smoothening of cracks. I call for forgiveness of offences and injuries,” he stressed.

    He urged members to seek at all times the unity of the party as well as a common vision and commitment to work hand-in-hand to accomplish the task ahead.

    He added: “If we fail in our task due to disunity and acrimony, it is not only ourselves we would have let down. We would have betrayed the hopes and aspirations of long-suffering Nigerians. And we must never lose sight of the fact that the collective destiny of the Nigerian people is far more important than our individual or group interests, ambitions or grievances.

    “Because the road ahead of us is long and hard, we must heed the wise advice of our esteemed Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka that “we must set forth at dawn.”

    “And so, whereas tonight we party to celebrate the successful conclusion of the National Convention of our party, we must rise with the dawn and set forth on our patriotic mission to set Nigerians free, and usher in the New Nigeria of our dreams.”

    While extending the olive branch to all co-aspirants, Odigie-Oyegun praised the “visionary architects” of APC who worked diligently to build the party.

    He said: “Through personal sacrifices and patriotic vision, our party leaders assembled an impressive array of patriotic Nigerians and welded them into this great party and thus, for the first time in the modern era of Nigerian democracy, built a truly national party that provided a robust alternative to an oppressive ruling party.”

    He thanked members of the former Interim National Executive Committee members, “who undertook the extremely difficult task of getting our party up and running, and keeping it on its feet in its infancy, even as our opponents tried every trick in the book to knock us down.”

  • How APC defied downpour to elect Odigie-Oyegun, 47 others

    How APC defied downpour to elect Odigie-Oyegun, 47 others

    The All Progressives Congress, (APC) yesterday defied over three hours downpour to elect its 48-man substantive first National Executive Committee members.

    The leaders of the party who thronged the Eagle Square sat throughout the night despite the cold weather to ensure the emergence of the new executive members.

    The rains rippled through the unprotected stands at the square leaving over 6,000 delegates wet to their pants.

    But despite being soaked, the APC leaders and members were goaded by their determination to effect change and tolerate the rage of the rains.

    The downpour, which was accompanied by storm, blew off make-shift tents and attempted to sweep away the ballot boxes but the “Can Do” spirit of the APC leaders and members prevailed.

    The convention which was officially declared open at about 8.15pm on Friday ended at about 11.00 am on Saturday morning.

    Despite the three hour disruption by the rain, the leaders completed the most important assignments of the convention which were voting, the collation of the ballot papers and the announcement of winners.

    Former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was declared elected as the National Chairman of the APC at about 9.40am by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the convention, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

    He added that some of the new executive members emerged by affirmation in line with the constitution of the APC while nine of the positions were keenly contested for.

    Baraje said: “The following positions were contested for by one competitor only and therefore in accordance with the relevant provisions of the constitution of our party which gives us the opportunity that we could go ahead and make voice vote and affirmations, I am going to announce such positions that in spite of their being single contestants, we still voted for them and their ballot boxes can be seen over there.

    “After, I am going to read those positions, nine of them, that were also keenly vied for by more than one contestant and the persons that emerged in that category too as the winners.”

     

    According to Baraje, the position of the National Chairman of the party was won by the former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    The post of the Deputy National Chairman South went to Segun Oni while Senator Lawal Shuaibu emerged the Deputy Chairman North.

    Mallam Ibrahim Bala Gubi was declared the National Secretary with Orji Ugofa as Deputy National Secretary while the post of the Vice Chairman South West went to Akinyelure Pius Oloye.

    The Vice Chairman North West is Inuwa Abdulkadir while the Vice Chairman North Central is Zakari Abdullahi Ede.

    Others are Deputy National Organizing Secretary Alhaji Suleiman Manko Hunkuyi, National Treasurer Bala Mohammed Gwagwaruwa, National Financial Secretary Alhaji Tajudeen Olawutan Bello, National Welfare Secretary, Dika Umaru Lada, Deputy National Welfare Secretary, Mr. Jock Alamba, National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammmed, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, National Legal Adviser, Mr. Muiz Banire, National Woman Leader, Hajia Ramatu Tijani, Deputy National Auditor, Oputa Ado, National Youth Leader, Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo, and the Zonal Youth Leader North Central, Mr. Tempe Adigwe.

    Other national officers elected at the convention are Zonal Youth Leader North West, Shehu Marshal, Zonal Youth Leader North East, Michael Tanko, Zonal Youth Leader South West, Adedotun Oluwasegun, Zonal Woman Leader South East, Mrs. Helen Ojukwu, Zonal Woman Leader North East, Fatima Danjuma, Zonal Woman Leader North West, Aisha Kaita, Zonal Woman Leader South-South, Rachael Bassey Akpabio, Zonal Woman Leader North Central, Hajia Hassana and Zonal Woman Leader South West, Kemi Nelson.

    Also elected were Ex-Officio Members South East, Nduka Anyanwu, North East, Mallam Mamman Isah Azare, North West, South West, Mallam Razak Ayobamiseresile, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu, and National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu.

    Baraje further announced the following as the winners of the keenly contested elections where the party had more than one competitor:

    According to him, Mr. Emmanuel Eneukwu scored 683 votes to defeat Uchena Kiyari Ufiaro who scored 14 votes for the position of the National Vice Chairman South East.

    The post of the National Vice Chairman South- South, was won by Illiad Atagbo with 328 votes as against Obono Obla who scored 54 votes.

    Bibi Lawal emerged the National Vice Chairman, North-East with 772 votes against Dr. Umaru Duhu who polled 626 votes.

     

    The post of the National Organizing Secretary was won by Senator Osita Izunaso with 952 votes against Mrs. Adaugo Obi who polled 15 votes.

    The Deputy National Treasurer went to Abubakar Lado Suleija with 722 votes against Alhaji Yusuf Sheriff who scored 210 votes while the post of the Deputy National Financial Secretary was won by Sunday Chukwu with 893 votes against Chijioke Agwugwe with 15 votes.

    Helen Chika Adike became the Deputy National Woman Leader with 537 votes against Tina Akunobi who scored 10 votes.

    The post of the Zonal Youth Leader South East was won by Paul Chukwuma with 268 votes against Mr. Igwe Udimata who scored 156 votes, while Ex-Officio Member North Central, went to Alhaji Jemilu Baba with 121 votes ahead of Nelson Alapa who polled 157 votes.

    There was however drama few minutes into the announcement of the results.

    Baraje, who had to pause as a result of power failure at the Eagle Square , said: “For the past almost seven years, the ruling party has been promising light and have been spending billions and billions of Naira, yet we are in darkness.

    “The reason why some of us felt we can no longer live with dishonesty. They are not happy. We are waking them up with this very good news of how it is done.”

     

  • MARY AIPOH- ‘I am jack of all trades’

    MARY AIPOH- ‘I am jack of all trades’

    Hailmary Aipoh is a woman of many parts. The Abuja business woman is also the FCT woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). She shares with Yetunde Oladeinde her humble beginnings, initial challenges and the turning point in her life.

    YOU are a woman of many parts. How did all these start for you?

    I read Agriculture in the University and I later worked in the Ministry of Agriculture as an extension officer in the FCT at the beginning of my career.

    I like to play with food and that is what took me to the catering business. Apart from, this I am into importation and I do a number of supplies. The journey into the catering business started when I was young and I always enjoyed organising events for friends and family members. I was also the leader of the protocol unit of my church, the Living Faith Church.

    God is a master strategist and a master arranger. At a point, a man of God just called me and said that they had been to my place and found the food and environment to be great. So any time a pastor is visiting, I was put in charge of the arrangements and that was how it all started. So, I started cooking for men of God and whenever Bishop David Oyedepo came to town, I was the one cooking for him. Then one day, Bishop Oyedepo said I should think of making the cooking commercial and I told him then that I was still in paid employment.

    I began to give the idea a thought and resigned after 10 years. It was at this point that I realised that there was money in business unlike the peanuts that you get on the job. I got referrals for weddings, birthdays as well as worked with organisations like the United Nations as well as cooking for board meetings. Gradually, I became an established caterer and had all the utensils that you can think of. I had trained personnel, chefs, waiters and waitresses.

    Is it true that catering is one of the easiest businesses to establish and run?

    When I hear people say this, I laugh. You need to have the technical knowhow; it is not just about cooking alone. You must know how to manage the workers and have to be there. If you want to excel, you must have the basic knowledge because workers can disappoint you. There was a time that I had a contract for an event for the United Nations for finger foods for tea breaks between 8 and 9am. I slept off and at about 9pm the previous day, something just said move to the restaurant. When I got there, lo and behold, the two chefs were not there. I had to remove my clothes that night and began to do the job to meet the deadline. If I didn’t know how to do it, how would I have coped? What would I tell those who gave me the job? You must know the rudiments of the business to excel. I like entertainment, everything concerning parties like mascots, rentals as well as kitchen utensils which I ship in from Dubai.

    How do you combine your busy schedule?

    It is the grace of God. When you have the grace of God, it makes things easy. When I look back and compared what it was like when I started and now, I marvel. I give God the glory. Can you believe that it was actually another pastor who gave me money to start the business? He just said: “Madam, I think you are wasting away, go into the business.” I hesitated at that point and he gave me N5,000 to start the business and I turned it around. In any business that you do, it is important to be disciplined when it comes to funds. When people ask me for the secret to my success, I tell them that I did not eat my future. At the beginning, I kept all my money for business. I kept a low profile and did not buy clothes. I had a distributorship with Coca-cola and God gave me the strength. I was a jack of all trades, master of all.

    Did you get into politics through catering?

    No, I didn’t. Funny enough, I have never done that for them. I usually tell people that I play with food and it may not really occur to them that I am into catering. My journey into politics started one day after attending a service where Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo ministered at KICC. He came in from London to talk to us and he said that the government is upon our shoulders.

    He added that we keep complaining but we need to ask ourselves how we can grow the politics of the nation. When the righteous are in place the people rejoice. He informed that it was better for the children of God to have and leave a legacy for posterity. If God’s people are not in governance then we should not expect miracles. Stressing the need to have a good political class and a turnaround, Ashimolowo admonished us to think about the matter.

    How do you affect people and how do you affect the nation? I like to touch lives as well as love to see transformations that are positive in the society. So, I started thinking about the message and how to make a change. It was at that point that I had an eye opener; I said to myself, this message is for you. I got provoked and that was a turning point in my life.

    In the past, the thing that caught our attention was the argument that politics was for useless people, for illiterates or women who were not responsible. If we are children of God, we should not shy away from politics. While I was doing the self examination, I told myself that if I wanted to affect people I could not do this through food or the other businesses that I was into. So that was how it all started for me in the political arena.

    At what point did you get into mainstream politics?

    I started doing my research in the background to understand the new terrain that I was about to launch myself into. Then one day, we were in a business meeting where a male colleague said he was going to the ACN secretariat in Abuja to register and I went with him. It is a process and I had to start from the grassroots in 2008. Currently, I am the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) woman leader for APC in Abuja. As you know, Abuja is the host and I am here to build the capacity of our women.

    What are some of the strategies that you think would take women in politics to the next level?

    Many women look at politics as dirty. Politics is not dirty but we have dirty players. We are having a reorientation for our women now. This is not the era for women to sit on the fence, we need to take our place and help to rebuild the nation. Luckily, APC women leaders are women to be reckoned with; women who have something upstairs and they know what they want. In Abuja, we want to be a force to reckon with. Those who didn’t go to school, we advise them to go back to school. It is important to build a critical mass of women and be able to support ourselves. We should be able to leave legacies for the future. We should be women of purpose, women of influence and affect lives positively.

    If we go into your wardrobe, what are we likely to find?

    Interestingly, I design my clothes myself. I am a very creative person and I always tell my tailors to do things the way I want. I like to dress well; I like good clothes and accessories. When I travel, I shop for clothes that are unique and exclusive. I also like to wear the African fabrics and I have a number of them in my collection. Here, I admire a number of our designers, especially Adeola Sagoe.

  • PDP hails new APC leadership on successful convention

    PDP hails new APC leadership on successful convention

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) got a rare commendation from its arch rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday on the success of the APC’s national convention in Abuja on Friday.

    The PDP congratulated the national executive council members elected at the APC convention, saying the peaceful conduct of the convention is a good omen for constructive and purposeful opposition needed in Nigeria.

    The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, in a statement said his party looks forward to trading tackles with the APC on issues that could enhance the well- being of Nigerians.

    He charged the new APC leadership to purposely and constructively engage the ruling PDP on issues of principles, particularly as they relate to vital democratic tenets.

    Metuh said:”We charge the newly elected APC national officers to ensure an issue based opposition that will purposefully and constructively engage and challenge the PDP with decency and maturity as prescribed by democratic tenets and principles.”

    Stating further that Nigerians deserve a vibrant and patriotic opposition driven only by the national interest, the PDP charged the new APC leadership to put the unity and welfare of Nigerians ahead of other considerations.

  • Osun APC lauds delegates

    Osun APC lauds delegates

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State yesterday congratulated the national leaders and delegates to the party’s convention in Abuja for the “maturity and skill they displayed in making the convention a success.”

    In a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said, “With this success, the party’s internal democratic process has gained a firm foothold, and the leadership consensus building approach to solving difficult issues has also matured significantly.”

    He said that opponents and detractors of APC who had wished and predicted failure of the convention would “at least now bow their heads in disappointment.”

    The party added: “Having scaled the hurdle of putting together a formidable National Executive for the party, led by the former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, the task ahead now is to marshal a plan to replace the failed PDP through a democratic process.”

     

  • PDP lauds APC’s convention

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the newly elected national executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The ruling party also hailed the successful conduct of the APC’s national convention, describing it as good omen for constructive and purposeful opposition that the Nigerian people deserved.

    The PDP, in a statement on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, hailed the emergence of Chief John Oyegun, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and other national executive members of the APC.

    Metuh said the PDP was looking forward to trading tackles with the APC on issues that could enhance the well being of the Nigerian people.

    Metuh charged the new APC leadership to purposely and constructively engage the ruling PDP on issues of principles, particularly as they relate to vital democratic tenets.

    “We charge the newly elected APC national officers to ensure an issue based opposition that will purposefully and constructively engage and challenge the PDP with decency and maturity as prescribed by democratic tenets and principles”, the statement added.

    Stating further that Nigerians deserve a vibrant and patriotic opposition driven only by the national interest, the PDP charged the new APC leadership to put the unity and welfare of Nigerians ahead of other considerations.

    The statement called for a mutual agreement between the PDP and the APC to jettison divisive tendencies, including issuing of unguarded statements that could overheat the polity and pitch Nigerians against one another.

    The ruling party however asserted its pre-eminent position and “widest acceptance” among Nigerians across board despite the emergence of APC new leadership, which it said, posed no threat at all.

    Metuh maintained that PDP remained the only party that has continued to be committed to the national interest, as well as providing level play ground for all Nigerians to achieve their aspirations irrespective of religious, ethnic and gender considerations.

  • Photo: APC Convention

    Photo: APC Convention

    L_R: All Progressive Congress (APC) Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Fomer Governor of Bayelsa State Mr Timipre Sylva, Gen Mohammed Buari, Interim Chairman and outgoing Chairman All Progressive Congress Chief Bisi Akande and Former Vice President of Nigeria Alhaji Abubaka Atiku. During the All Progressive Congress (APC) Convention held in Abuja Yesterday. Photo NIYI ADENIRAN and Abayomi Fayese Abuja
    L_R: All Progressive Congress (APC) Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Fomer Governor of Bayelsa State Mr Timipre Sylva, Gen Mohammed Buari, Interim Chairman and outgoing Chairman All Progressive Congress Chief Bisi Akande and Former Vice President of Nigeria Alhaji Abubaka Atiku. During the All Progressive Congress (APC) Convention held in Abuja. Photo NIYI ADENIRAN and Abayomi Fayese Abuja
  • Sweeping of campaign venue provocative – Mu’azu

    Sweeping of campaign venue provocative – Mu’azu

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmadu Mu’azu, has described the sweeping of the Ekiti stadium by the All Progressives Congress (APC) after last Saturday’s campaign by the PDP as provocative.

    The police and PDP supporters had attacked APC supporters in Ado Ekiti during which Governor Kayode Fayemi was physically manhandled by the police.

    An APC member was allegedly killed by the police and PDP thugs during the encounter.

    Fayemi had described the encounter as an assassination attempt on him and had personally lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    But Mu’azu, who spoke at the All Party Summit in Abuja on Thursday, described the APC supporters’ action as provocative, wondering why “men should be carrying brooms.”

    He said: “I wonder why the APC would use brooms to sweep off our footprints each time our party goes to campaign in states under their control.

    “It was equally wrong for the APC to go to the stadium in Ekiti State immediately after our rally in the state to sweep off our feet. I was worried about such conduct and I don’t know when men started carrying brooms.”

    The PDP chairman also alleged that the “Bring Back Our Girls” protests were being sponsored by the opposition, saying the ruling party had since dismissed the protest as an affront against the government.

    “Initially, I thought the “Bring Back Our Girls” protests were well intentioned. That was why I asked my Chief of Staff, the former FCT Minister, to represent us and for two days, he was there.

    “Little did I know it was opposition protests against the Federal Government. But I want to remind us that the war against the abduction of the girls should not be politicised.

    He charged participants at the summit to take a critical view of the security challenges facing the country and act with one voice in bringing the problem to an end.

    Former military head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who chaired discussions at the summit, commended the political class for playing critical role in the successful transition from military to civil rule, which he superintended in 1999.

    Abdulsalami cautioned the political class against blame game over the challenges of terrorism and insurgency in the country.

     

  • Court directs member to put APC on notice over suit

    Court directs member to put APC on notice over suit

    Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos directed yesterday an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Mr. Bamidele Avoseh, to put the party on notice of his suit against it.

    The plaintiff is praying the court to nullify the party’s state congress.

    He is seeking an order setting the congress aside on ground that it was allegedly irregular.

    Avoseh, through his lawyer, Mr. Aruwayo Omoniyi, is seeking a declaration that the alleged refusal to submit his name as a delegate to the congress was contrary to the Electoral Act.

    The respondents are the APC, Mr. Joseph Ayodeji, Mr. Tayo Sanyaolu, Mr. Tunde Balogun, Lagos APC Chairman, APC National Chairman and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Yesterday, Omoniyi informed the court of his motion exparte and sought to move it.

    But Justice Tsoho ordered that the defendants be put on notice.

    He said it would be tidier to do so before the motion is moved.

    In a supporting affidavit, the plaintiff said the APC guidelines required the State Congress Committee to display the names of candidates vying for party positions in wards, local government and state congresses.

    He said the committee was to announce aspirants’ names within 48 hours before the election and forward them to INEC, informing it of the congress venue.

    Avoseh said his name and that of four others were listed as state congress aspirants from Apapa Ward C in a harmonised list signed by the second defendant, who is local government chairman.

    He said Sanyaolu was listed as an aspirant for the council election in Apapa Ward C.

    According to Avoseh, on April 25, the list of all wards in Apapa council was published and delegates’ tags were given to aspirants, except him and others whose names were listed in the harmonised list.

    Avoseh said on April 26, the Election Day, he was not allowed into the congress venue, the APC State Secretariat, because he was not accredited.

    He alleged that the third defendant was hand-picked as an aspirant for the state congress and elected youth leader.

    Avoseh is seeking a declaration that the non-accreditation of aspirants and the exclusion of his name were illegal.

    He is seeking a court order setting aside the results of the local government and state congresses.

    Justice Tsoho adjourned the case till July 11.

  • APC: clampdown on media part of strategy to capture Ekiti

    APC: clampdown on media part of strategy to capture Ekiti

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over the desperation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government to capture Ekiti State at all cost.

    According to the party, the ongoing clampdown on the media “is part of a grand strategy to silence Nigerians ahead of the satanic plan to thwart the will of the people of Ekiti and indeed that of all Nigerians.”

    The Interim National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said the multi-pronged approach to realising the plan started with the harassment and intimidation of the people of Ekiti to prevent them from coming out to vote on 21 June.

    “The pre-meditated violence inflicted on innocent and harmless Ekiti people last Sunday by the police, which has now turned itself to PDP enforcers, is aimed clearly at signalling to the people of the state what they should expect before, during and after the forthcoming election,” it said

    A follow-up to that, the APC said, is the ongoing clampdown on all those who can challenge the Federal Government’s planned impunity in Ekiti, starting with the nation’s fiercely independent media.

    “The clampdown on the media has nothing to do with Boko Haram or any “intelligence” report. That is a ruse. Journalists do not carry weapons. They only fight with words. In fact, this terror band called Boko Haram has had occasions to threaten the media with attack over their reports exposing the terrorists for what they are. Therefore, the unprecedented and utterly indefensible clampdown on the media is part of a sinister plot that is not unconnected with the elections scheduled for this and next year.

    “The PDP-led Federal Government’s strategy is simple: we must capture Ekiti at all cost, even when we may not have the votes to win the state. After that, we can then dare anyone who alleges rigging or election manipulation to head to court. In the meantime, we must tamper with the freedom of expression and the right to information, of which the media is at the vanguard,” APC said.

    The party said anyone that believes this strategy is far-fetched only needs to look at the groundwork that has been laid for it by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, who picked both the Minister of Police Affairs and the Minister of State for Defence from the South-west.

    “This Federal Government sees the South-west as very critical to the President’s chances of getting re-elected next year, and has thus turned it to a battleground. They are desperate to capture Ekiti and Osun, which they see as the road to the heart of the South-west next year. That explains their desperation about the elections in the two states,” it said.

    APC, however, said that the PDP-led government “has shot itself in the foot, first with the deadly attack on defenceless citizens in Ekiti, including the governor of the state, and then the senseless and irresponsible clampdown on the national media – the same media that no dictator in the history of Nigeria has succeeded in silencing.”

    The party urged the government to desist from its satanic plot and allow the people of Ekiti and the people of Nigeria to choose their leaders in free, fair and transparent elections.

    It warned: “While a standing army or a tyrannical government can indeed suppress a people, no where in the world have they succeeded in defeating the people, the ultimate reservoir of power.”