Tag: APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condoled with the families of all those who died in Thursday’s plane crash in Lagos and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who were injured.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its Interim National

Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed shock and deep sorrow at the double tragedy, considering that the crash involved the remains of the late Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, as well as his family and friends.

It prayed that God will give Dr. Agagu’s family and the families of all the victims the grace and strength to tide over the calamitous occurrence and the difficult days ahead.

APC said the crash, coming about 15 months after the air disaster involving Dana Air, has shown that in spite of the progress so far made in ensuring that the country’s airspace is safe for the travelling public, the government must not relent until total success has been achieved.

‘’It is the responsibility of the government to make our airspace safe, and all those involved, especially the regulatory agencies, must not relent until that safety has been achieved. This is the best way to immortalise all those who have lost their lives in avoidable plane crashes over the years,’’ the party said.

The Interim Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, yesterday wooed 300 women as supporters for the party’s candidate in Anambra State, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige.

The women, comprising wives of the members of Obi Igbokwe royal family, Okpunoeze, Uruagu Nnewi, Anambra State and sisters of the family married out to other communities in the state, were urged to spread the message that Ngige remains the best candidate for next month’s governorship poll.

Addressing them at the Obi Igbokwe’s palace in Uruagu Nnewi, Igbokwe enjoined them to ensure that Ngige was returned to the Government House, Awka, after the election by convincing people in their husbands’ communities to vote for him.

Igbokwe, who is the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructural Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) , appealed to the women to trust that Ngige would take Anambra to the next level, having done wonders in the past when he was the governor.

He said: “APC is a great party. It is a party where qualities are recognised, not minding where one is coming from. I have been the general manager of LASIMRA for the past nine years and I have seen good leadership in APC. APC is coming to Anambra to give leadership. We want to change this country. We are looking beyond Southeast because we want to change leadership in this country.

“I am here to ask you to vote for Ngige as the governor of Anambra State. He has been tried, tested and trusted. The money to develop this state is not going to come from a private pocket, but from the government. Onitsha Local Government is bigger than some states in Nigeria and we are looking for a manager of resources to manage the money.”

Delegations of the Senate and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State yesterday visited the family of the late former Governor Olusegun Agagu at the deceased’s Bodija, home in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Senate’s delegation, led by the Deputy Whip, Senator Hosea Agboola, included Senators Joshua Dariye, Boluwaji Kunlere and Helen Esuene.

A condolence letter signed by Senate President David Mark was presented to the late Agagu’s widow, Olufunke.

The Senate described the late Agagu as “a great politician, who represented his people and stood to be counted when it mattered most”.

Mrs. Agagu thanked Mark for sending such a “high-powered delegation” to condole with the family.

Ondo APC’s delegation, led by Comrade Sola Iji, was received by the widow and the deceased’s eldest daughter, Mrs. Solape Hammond.

The delegation conveyed the party’s condolences to the family, describing its members as the late Agagu’s “larger family”.

Iji said the late Agagu was dear to APC members, despite the fact that they belonged to different parties.

He said although they have lost a husband and father, the family should be comforted by that fact that their patriarch lived a good life.

Iji prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss. He also prayed against calamity in the family.

Mrs. Hammond thanked them and wished them a safe trip back to Ondo State.

Bayo Yusuf, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Prince Bayo Ehinlawo, Dr. Bayo Ademodi, Alhaji Yinusa Adeola and Mr. Adeyemi Bolarinwa were part of the delegation.

 

Lagos Central Senatorial District Senator, Oluremi Tinubu, has said that only a progressive government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) can genuinely transform Nigeria.

Senator Tinubu made this declaration during the eighth edition of Town Hall Meeting and graduation of the pioneer trainees under the Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Scheme (YESAS) initiated by her, at Banilux Event Place, Yaba, Lagos yesterday.

The event featured distribution of certificates and money-cards to 187 graduands as business start-up kits, as well as the cutting of the APC cake.

She said her optimism that change is possible was borne out of the emergence of the new party.

She said: “There is hope in the horizon. Change has come to our shores. Indeed, the announcement of the registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) electrified Nigerians and brightened the political space.

“Clearly, only a progressive government under the All Progressives Congress (APC) can genuinely transform Nigeria and end years of inadequate funding for development, poor infrastructures, mass poverty and unemployment, endless strikes in our tertiary institutions and gross development deficits.”

The nation today, Senator Tinubu noted, is confronted with many critical issues.

“Concerns over how best to resolve them continue to mount. However, there is cause for hope because Nigerians committed to change are bonding together to work together.

“If we all also work together, we can realise the vision of a better future for coming generations,” she added.

According to her, the challenge now is to work together to mobilise the populace and ensure APC’s resounding victory in coming elections.

“By this,” she said, “we will be creating endless opportunities for national progress. With determination, we can all join hands to make great things happen in place of the prevalent decay and complaints that exist across the nation today.

“Through our commitment and collective efforts, we will surely overcome our challenges. Wherever each one of us stands, let us ensure effective mobilization for our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“By working together with unity of purpose, we can send a message of hope to others and make our society better.”

Representative of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola(SAN), Hon. Teslim Folami, described PDP as a stinking party, noting that the party would never be the same again.

Folami, the governor’s Special Adviser on Legislative and Political Bureau, said the APC would strategise and get ready for PDP’s antics come 2015.

The Lagos Central District Leader of the APC, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, said that APC is strong because it is made up of honest and sincere people.

“Our target,” Prince Olusi said, “is change for the betterment of the country. Our governments at various levels have discharged good leadership to the people. I urge all our party leaders at the grassroots to compliment achievements at the state level.”

Among the personalities at the event were the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola; former Minister of State for Defence, Prince Demola Seriki; former Lagos state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Edun and the representative of Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, Chief Aderibigbe Ajose; Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Mrs Toun Ajomale; former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Alhaji Ibrahim Balogun; Mrs Patricia Arawore and Women Leader, Hon. Toun Adediran.

Others were Alhaji Mutiu Are; Omoba Murphy Adetoro; Council chairmen Jide Jimoh (Yaba); Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe (Coker-Aguda); Ayodeji Joseph (Apapa); Dr Samuel Adedayo (Apapa-Iganmu); Prince Muideen Abayomi Daramola (Iru-Victoria Island); Oladele Adekanye (Mainland); Wasiu Sanni Eshilokun (Lagos Island); Kamal Salau-Bashua (Lagos Island East) and Otunba Yetunde Arobieke.

Also presnt were White Cap chiefs; Mrs Anike Adekanye; Alhaja Ashabi Bamgbola; Hajia Sikirat Jimoh; Mrs Khafeelat Salau-Bashua; Mrs Bilikisu Eshilokun and Mrs Elizabeth Osisanya.

A four-man team of the governors of the All Progressives Congress yesterday met behind closed doors with opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly to set agenda on APC’s position on proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act.

Some of the proposed amendments are state police; local government autonomy; revenue sharing formula and immunity clause.

The meeting also discussed the ongoing nationwide registration of members and party building process.

Members of the team were Governors Kayode Fayemi, Tanko Al-Makura, Adams Oshiomhole and Kashim Shettima.

The session was also designed to re-strategise, following the split of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Also, a key issue at the meeting was the planned defection of some members of the National Assembly to the APC.

According to findings, the session was held at Lagos Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro District in Abuja.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said the APC governors were trying to prepare for far-reaching amendments to the constitution and the Electoral Act.

The source said the meeting was also an attempt to respond to development in the National Assembly following the emergence of the Kawu Baraje faction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

He said: “We met with our members in the National Assembly on some fundamental amendments to the constitution and the Electoral Act. We have mandated them to go and check the loopholes in the Electoral Act.

“Do not forget that the Electoral Act is crucial to the successful conduct of the 2015 poll. This is an area we will accord priority.

“We need to task our members in the National Assembly so that by the time we take control of the majority in the legislature, we know how to push for these amendments. We are hopeful that very soon the opposition will be in charge of the National Assembly.”

Asked to be specific on amendments to the 1999 Constitution that the APC might be interested in, the source added: “These proposed amendments border on contentious multi-level policing which you people call state police; local government autonomy; revenue sharing formula and immunity clause.

“There may be more because we will continue discussion with our lawmakers as soon as it is time to address these issues.

“We also discussed with our members in the National Assembly plans by some of their colleagues to defect to the APC. We obviously cannot shy away from this reality in view of recent development in the National Assembly and the PDP.”

The constitution of the Campaign Committee of Senator Chris Ngige on Tuesday by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is causing unease among other parties in the governorship race in Anambra State, it was learnt.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who spoke with The Nation yesterday in Awka, said the battle on November 16 would not be easy for them.

The committee has moved into the hinterlands to mobilise the All Progressives Congress (APC) members ahead of the kick-off of Ngige’s rally by the party’s national leadership on October 3.

Besides the Labour Party (LP), which parades oil magnate Ifeanyi Uba as its candidate, other strong contenders are swimming in crisis.

The ruling party in the state, APGA, is enmeshed in a leadership problem, which has resulted in the party fielding two candidates, Chief Willy Obiano and Dr. Chike Obidigbo.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in court to determine its candidate. Three aspirants – Comrade Tony Nwoye, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and Senator Andy Uba – are jostling for its ticket.

Although Ukachukwu’s name appeared on the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nwoye and the national leadership of the PDP have rejected it.

However, it was learnt that the visit of Okorocha, the interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Senator Osita Izunaso, among others, on Tuesday, has caused fear among the other parties.

According to a member of the Campaign Committee for Ngige, Mr. Olisaemeka Onyeka (Odu-Ogidi), APC would not take chances.

Speaking with The Nation yesterday, he said: “It is going to be a big battle between APC and three other parties, namely PDP, APGA and LP. But we have no problem because we are going to show them why we are APC.

“If you look at the four major parties in contention, it is only APC that has no problem in its leadership. Our candidate, Senator Ngige, is a man other candidates and indeed the people want to emulate.

“In the 2010 election in Anambra State, it was obvious that Ngige won on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). But INEC gave it to another person. This time round, it will be a different fight.

“Our eyes have opened wider. Anybody who thinks Anambra State is his property will get it hot this time. We will show them that we are on ground.”