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Tag: Bola Tinubu

  • APC is doomed if Tinubu’s reconciliation fails – Party Stalwart

    A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Perekeme Kpodo, has said the APC will be doomed in the forthcoming general elections if the ongoing reconciliation by its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, fails.
    Kpodo, a former Interim Chairman of the party, appealed to all APC members and leaders to support the former Governor of Lagos State in his moves to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Speaking on Friday in Yenagoa, Kpodo said the choice of Tinubu by President Muhammadu Buhari to undertake the reconciliation task was right, unmistakable, in order and well-thought out.

    He said though he was not holding brief for Tinubu, given his socio-economic and political antecedents, he is a well-respected leader of the party with proven records of an excellent leader, a great mobiliser, an astute administrator, a great performer and a bridge builder.

    Kpodo said:  “I am optimistic that Tinubu’s reconciliation will succeed. But if his reconciliation fails, the APC will fail. Without reconciliation, APC will not go anywhere.

    “So, a respectable man as Tinubu should be commended for taking up the appointment of bringing the party together again. We should also thank Mr. President for picking him (Tinubu) for the reconciliation job. That is a wise decision on the part of the President.”

    He criticized the party national Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for allegedly jumping the gun by attempting his own form of reconciliation at a time the President selected Tinubu for the job.

    He said: “The national chairman is trying to jump the gun. He has been there for some time now, no convention, no reconcilation, nothing whatsover, but now that somebody has been appointed for reconciation, he now starts doing the same thing. That is unthinkable of him and such action will not lead the party anywhere.

    “As for the coming elections, APC has bright chances so long it is able to put its house in order and genuinely reconcile everybody that is aggrieved. Once that is done, I believe all members of the party will go back to the trenches, mobilizing and sensitizing people in order to win the general elections.

    “I want to sound a note of caution here. The President who appointed Tinubu for the reconciliation job knew what he was doing. If he does not have regard and respect for Tinubu, he would not have appointed him. So, people talking rubbish should stop henceforth for the interest of the party.

    “Look at Tinubu’s record; even in this APC we are, we know what he has achieved so far. In establishing this APC, he played crucial role for its survival. How many of them (those castigating the person of Tinubu) can match his performance and records in all ramifications?

    “What I am saying really is that we should give Tinubu the full support he needs, because we really want to win the forthcoming elections. We want Buhari to win. We have to do everything possible to make sure we win the elections.

    “But this cannot be done if our house is not in order. We need to reconcile all the aggrieved persons in the party, mobilize the people and give everybody a sense of belonging in the  party.

    “It must also not be lost on us; the problems affecting the APC are greed, in-fighting and injustice. Because of those problems, we narrowly won the last general elections. So, we have to try as much as possible to make sure we ventilate the grievances of aggrieved members through Tinub’s reconciliation and ensure that President Buhari is returned in 2019.”

    Kpodo also said that the move to suspend of some members opposed to the tenure elongation of the national chairman was wrong and unthinkable.

    He said it was foolhardy to be disorganizing the party at a time of reconciliation and wondered whether it was wrong for people to kick against what they perceived as wrong.

    He said: “We are trying to reconcile the party and they are scattering it again. Does it mean there should not be any criticism in the party? We must criticize to rearrange so that everybody will now know where they belong. The meeting of South-South was held in Ebonyi, South-East, does it mean there is no place in the South-South to hold such a meeting?

    “The issue now is that the President appointed Senator Bola Tinubu to head a reconciliation committee, but what we are seeing now is that the national chairman is now moving about for reconciliation. The question now is why did he embark on this now? If he knew all this while he could reconcile the party, why did he not do it?

    “Look at the South-South states; we do not have a single state. Those who are vibrant and capable of winning the states are sidelined. We made it open during the last elections that we could not win any election without reconciling the party.

    “But some persons thwarted our efforts and what happened next, the PDP took over the states in the South-South. So, the issue is that reconciliation should take place genuinely. If people went to court, why suspending them? That is very wrong. It is meant to cause more harm than good for the party.”

  • APC has stabilised the country – Buhari

    APC has stabilised the country – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja, said the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) -led Federal Government had stabilised Nigeria in spite of obvious challenges.

    He stated this at APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

    “I am happy to report that slowly and steadily, we have managed to stabilise the country and redirect the ship of state.

    “We have restored prudence to the management of resources and confidence in Nigeria.

    “We have stabilised the Naira and increased our foreign reserve from 20 billion dollars to 40 billion dollars. Inflation rate is down.

    “With considerably less resources available to the country, we have improved all the indices towards a stronger economy,” the president said.

    He added that credit should be given to governors of APC-controlled states, chairmen of the party in the states for contributing to stabilising the polity.

    Buhari also commended the Armed Forces, the police and other security agencies for stopping Boko Haram and driving them from their bases.

    He said that though the government was poised to defeat acts of terrorism in the country, it was difficult to completely isolate such act.

    “No country, no matter how well secured can isolate acts of terror as we have seen in the United States, Europe, Asia and here in Africa.

    “We must support our security agencies to safeguard our country so that the job of development as outlined in our manifesto can proceed without too much interruption.

    “We cannot afford to fail in reminding Nigerians where we came from in 2015,’’ he stressed.

    He particularly appreciated the party’s leadership and governors for their stewardship and for steering it to success.

    The president noted that from the party’s resounding electoral victory in 2015, it had won elections in Edo, Kogi and Ondo states and had improved performance in the November, 2017 governorship election in Anambra.

    According to him, the APC has moved from the party in government to the party of the Nigerian people.

    He paid tribute to Nigerians who supported the government in spite of distractions from what he called “proponents of business as usual”.

    Buhari charged APC members not to relax and take things easy because, according to him, elections are looming in the horizon.

    He, therefore, urged the members to get their acts together and to cooperate with the Sen. Bola Tinubu reconciliation team to succeed.

    This, he said, was critical to resolve existing differences among party members in affected states, restore order, manage differences and strengthen the party.

    “It is perhaps inevitable that there will be differences of opinion within the party. If we resolve them, then we can build a genuinely democratic party.

    “But, we must not lose sight of our common purpose as a party to break the mule of Nigerian politics and take the country to new heights,” the president stated.

    While acknowledging that the “face of government has not met the expectations of many within the party”, he said that only a few appreciated the depth of the wrath when APC assumed power.

    He explained that the APC government had spent the last two years trying to bring the country out of the mess it met it.

    Buhari admitted that the stand-off between the Executive and the National Assembly slowed down the process of government within the period.

    He, however, added that efforts were being made to resolve the differences so that the country could move forward.

    Earlier, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odegie-Oyegun, had thanked the president, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors elected on the party´s platform and its leaders for being supportive and available always in spite of challenges.

    He noted that the party had a very tough year ahead, because of the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun coming up in July and September, respectively.

    “These elections are precursors of the national elections. It is therefore necessary that we treat them with great seriousness because they are elections we should do everything to win.

    “They are signals and signposts, indicators of what is to come in 2019. Preparations are also well underway for those elections,” he said.

    He pleaded with party members to do everything possible to minimise stresses and crises within the party and to remain in fighting shape ahead of 2019.

    The chairman reiterated the support of the party´s leadership to the Tinubu reconciliation team.

    NAN

  • Ekiti Afenifere hails Buhari over APC reconciliation move

    Ekiti Afenifere hails Buhari over APC reconciliation move

    The Ekiti State Chapter of Afenifere has backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to reconcile the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The Afenifere expressed delight with the President’s directive that there should be no imposition of candidates in the run-up to the 2019 polls.

    The group also hailed the appointment of party leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as the head of the reconciliation panel describing the choice as “wise and timely.”

    In a statement on Tuesday by its Chairman, Elder Yemi Alade, Ekiti Afenifere praised Tinubu for taking up the appointment “which every discerning mind knows how herculean it is.”

    The body also hailed the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee (NWC) “for being realistic about the state of the party and its readiness to cooperate with the Tinubu panel to bring peace and reconciliation to the party.”

    Read Also: Afenifere insists on restructuring, resource control

    It urged Odigie-Oyegun not to regard the Tinubu committee as an indictment of the party leadership but as part of measures to build confidence in the rank and file of its membership.

    On the issue of security, the organization is of the opinion that all security agents should not relax at any time as the insurgents are never asleep.

    The statement added: “Accordingly, the army should brace up and never to allow such mindless account of students kidnap to rear its ugly head again.

    “What we need is peace across the nation and we know government can make it happen.”

  • APC chieftain begs Tinubu to urgently address C/Rivers crisis

    APC chieftain begs Tinubu to urgently address C/Rivers crisis

     

    A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Mr Utum Eteng, has appealed to National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to urgently address the crisis tearing the party apart in the state.

    Eteng, a senior legal practitioner, said Tinubu’s appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, to reconcile all aggrieved members of the APC lends credence to the overwhelming confidence in his person.

    He regretted that the crisis in the party in the state threatened its good chances in next year’s elections.

    His words, “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Jagbaban Borgu) on the recent appointment by the president to reconcile all aggrieved members of the APC family towards repositioning the party to deliver on the change agenda of the APC led federal government. It is an appointment well deserved taking into consideration the fact that the history of the emergence of the APC cannot be completely written without giving you a pride of place.

    “This appointment is not only timely, but also lends credence to the overwhelming confidence reposted on your personage. I trust in your ability and capacity to succeed in the arduous task as always.

    “Sir, as you set to embark on this assignment I want to draw your attention specifically to on the avoidable crisis eating deep into the Cross River State chapter of the APC. The crisis is gradually eroding the wonderful opportunity placed on the APC on a platter of gold to win the state governorship election in Cross River State for the APC come 2019 with less stress.

    “The APC debacle in Cross River State is largely caused by the mischief of some overzealous party members, extreme suspicion, pettiness and ingratitude between old and new members to the magnanimity of Mr President. Every elder wants to make a state chairman out of his stooge at the detriment of collectivism. It is either Mr A would be state chairman or nobody else even where the Supreme constitution of the party is breached.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s peace moves will succeed, says cleric

    “I am therefore appealing to you to enlist the problems and challenges of Cross River State in your topmost agenda. President Muhammadu Buhari has rewarded Cross River State people with unprecedented patronage and favours and anything short of victory for this party in all elections will not be acceptable.

    “Once again congratulations on the well-deserved appointment and recognition. To the President, I say unequivocally that he made no mistake in your appointment.”

     

  • APC to sanction Cross River chapter crisis suspects

    APC to sanction Cross River chapter crisis suspects

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) said it would investigate and prosecute suspected perpetrators of recent undisciplined acts and illegality in its Cross River chapter.

    The party made this known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abudullahi, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    It said that the development had caused undue disaffection among party faithful in the state.

    “We condemn in totality the recent activities in which some party members allegedly broke in, vandalised and occupied the state secretariat and allegedly claimed that there is a change in leadership of the State Executive Committee.

    “All perpetrators of this illegality and acts of gross indiscipline causing undue disaffection among party faithful shall be investigated and prosecuted in line with the party`s constitution.

    “It is imperative to state that our great party has laid down procedures of resolving any internal dispute,’’ the statement said.

    It maintained that the Mr John Ochalla-led executive of the party in Cross River was the only one duly recognised by its national leadership.

    Read Also: PDP chair bemoans fate of Nigerians under  APC

    The statement, however, appealed to party members in the state to be calm, law-abiding and to remain loyal to the Ochalla-led executive committee.

    It assured that the party’s leadership was poised to resolve all contending issues in Cross Rivers and any of its other chapters across the federation.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday, appointed Alhaji Bola Tinubu, one of APC`s founding fathers, to lead its consultation, reconciliation and confidence-building team to resolve all crises within the party.

    The measure was to improve cohesion within the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

    Tinubu’s assignment would involve resolving disagreements among party members and leadership across the federation.

    It would also involve reconciling political office holders in some APC states and addressing the crises in its chapters in Kano, Kogi and Bauchi States.

    NAN

  • We will respond to Obasanjo’s Coalition Movement at the right time – Tinubu

    We will respond to Obasanjo’s Coalition Movement at the right time – Tinubu

    ….Obasanjo playing politics with letter to Buhari 

    National leader of the All Progressives Congress ( APC )  and former governor of Lagos State,  Bola Tinubu, yesterday said that the party will respond to the Coalition Movement launched by former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the “appropriate time “.

    He accused Obasanjo of playing politics with his open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, where he accused him of (Buhari) of non performance.

    Tinubu who made a stop over in Owerri, the Imo State capital on his way to Anambra State for the burial ceremony of late former Vice President in the company of another APC leader, Chief Bisi Akande, insisted that Obasanjo could have exploited other better ways of communicating his observations about the Buhari’s administration other than open letter if not politically motivated. 

    According to the APC leader, who jocularly said that the letter was not written to him, “Obasanjo wrote it about the government. It is a very good awareness on his part and they are both from the same background. I believe that is the doctrine  of Military Officers (retired) because he has unrestricted access to the President, either through the Council of State or by any other means that he need to see the current President privately and he was his junior in the Army.  So I think Obasanjo was playing politics with his public letter that’s all I see. He could have used other means,  he met him in the AU too he has a way of discussing privately but the letter is being responded to by the government”.

    Also responding to the former launching of Obasanjo’s Coalition Movement, in the brief interview with journalists at the Imo State Government House,  Tinubu,  said that it is still too early to respond to the development, 

    He said, “the appropriate time is not now for response on the Coalition Movement but we are in a democracy, we are in a country that is a signatory to the Charter of the United Nation which guarantees free movement, free association and free speech”.

    On the reason for his visit, he stated that, “the governor is a very good friend and the government that is here is our government, the APC government. We are here to pay final  respect to the gentleman and Nationalist, Alex  Ekwueme”.

  • How Buhari is preventing corruption, by Presidential media team

    How Buhari is preventing corruption, by Presidential media team

    The Presidential Media Team, in a forthcoming book, offers deep insight into how the President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration is blocking corruption loopholes in the nation’s public institutions.

    The book titled, “Making Steady, Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity: A Mid-Term Scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration”, is set for launch in Abuja on Nov. 16.
    In an excerpt of the 348-page publication, the team notes that beyond arrest and prosecution of suspects, the Buhari government is strengthening public institutions for accountability and transparency.
    The book explores measures being instituted by anti-graft agencies, especially the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ( ICPC ), in this regard since the last two years.
    These include conduct of System Study and Review in ministries, departments and agencies, and Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) in various sectors of the nation’s economy.
    It says the education, health, water and aviation sectors as well as e-governance platforms, including the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), have benefited from the ICPC’s CRA exercise.

    The exercise, it adds, has led to the identification of weaknesses in the systems that create opportunities for corruption.

    Consequently, the commission has designed Integrity Plans directed at plugging the loopholes and enhancing the integrity profile of the systems for efficiency and effectiveness, it states.

    The book promises to clear the cynicism of many Nigerians, who think the Buhari government is more reactive than proactive in its fight against corruption.

    Nevertheless, the publication contains milestones recorded by the ICPC in the area of convictions, and recovery of looted funds and assets since the inception of the Buhari government on May 29, 2015.

    The book was edited by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity; Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on  Media and Publicity, and Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, (Office of the Vice President).

    The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) contributed to the publication, whose foreword was written by the president.

    The book will be presented by APC National Leader Bola Tinubu and  reviewed by Prince Tony Momoh.

    NAN

  • FMARD to engage 2m youths, 997,500 women through LIFE programme – Report

    FMARD to engage 2m youths, 997,500 women through LIFE programme – Report

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD ) says it will engage 1.9 youths and 997,500 women through its Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises ( LIFE ) programme.

    This was disclosed in excerpts of a Book entitled: ‘‘Making steady, sustainable progress for Nigeria’s peace and prosperity: a mid-term scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’’, authored by the Presidential Media Team.

    The book will be presented to the public on November 16 in Abuja.

    LIFE is a programme aimed at bringing life back to rural communities through the empowerment of youths, women and other vulnerable groups across the country.

    It stated that the programme design commenced in the past one year.

    It is geared to promote community-based on-farm and off-farm business activities as a model for job and wealth creation among unemployed youths and women in rural and suburban households.

    “Programmes under LIFE are expected to establish 150,000 cooperatives nationwide under commodity value chain groups, establish and operate up to 1,000 cottage industries in the country.

    “It is also expected to ultimately engage 1,995,500 youths and 997,500 women for enhanced productivity and, through these interventions, add about 5,965,000 metric tonnes of foods to the national food store,’’ it said.

    The report said the key challenge leading to the late take-off of the programme was related to the cumbersome procurement procedures.

    It stated that the Anchor Borrowers Programme, driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with FMARD, had provided substantial money for dry season farming in 2015, wet season rice and wheat farming in 2016.

    According to the report, the programme is currently supporting 2016 dry season farming in many states.

    “Anchor Borrowers Programme is an intervention aimed at fast-tracking access of rural farmers to finance for productivity.

    “This entails provision of agricultural credit for financing the production of rice, wheat, ginger, maize and soybeans in nine states.’’

    The states are Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Benue, Zamfara, Anambra and Kwara.

    “Through the programme for the out-growers in the past one year, massive harvest is expected to meet the national requirements of paddy and milled rice within the shortest possible time,’’ it stated.

    The publication was edited by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity; Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, and Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, ( Vice President’s Office).

    The book is a documentation of the notable achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Party (APC) administration since it was inaugurated on May 29, 2015.

    President Buhari wrote the foreword of the 348-page book, containing milestones of all the federal ministries and some select departments and agencies in the last two years.

    The Buhari Media Support Group also contributed to the compendium rich with text and visuals.

    The book will be reviewed by Prince Tony Momoh while APC National leader  Bola Tinubu is the keynote speaker/book Presenter.

    NAN

  • FG generates 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works in two years

    FG generates 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works in two years

    The Federal Government ( FG ) says it has generated 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works.

    It has also trained 3,392 people in technical and vocational agricultural skills in the last two years.

    It said this in excerpts of a book entitled “Making steady, sustainable progress for Nigeria’s peace and prosperity: a midterm scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’’.

    The book is to be presented to the public on Nov. 16 in Abuja.

    Authored by the Presidential Media Team, it is a documentation of the notable achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration since its inauguration on May 29, 2015.

    According to the book, the Federal Government also trained 16,587 people in life planning and entrepreneurial skills and implemented 182 community/local government development projects.

    It said efforts were also made to reduce unacceptable level of poverty and socio-economic vulnerability in the nation.

    In this direction, the Federal Government formulated the Social Investment Programmes ( SIP ) for which N500 billion was appropriated in the 2016 Budget.

    The programme features Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme and Government Economic Empowerment Programme (GEEP), among others.

    “The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is aimed at providing a free nutritional meal for public primary pupils across Nigeria to improve school enrolment and completion as well as child nutrition and health.

    “So far, 2,000 youths have been empowered through the N-Power programme.

    “The National Cash Transfer has also given out loans to farmers, traders and business people to enable them to secure gainful employment.’’

    Buhari wrote the foreword of the 348-page book, which contains milestones of all the federal ministries and some select departments and agencies of government.

    The publication was edited by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity; Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity and Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, (Office of the Vice President).

    The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) also contributed to the publication.

    The book will be reviewed by Prince Tony Momoh while APC National leader  Bola Tinubu is the Keynote Speaker/Presenter.

    NAN

  • Photos: Tinubu meets Buhari

    Photos: Tinubu meets Buhari

    Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressing the Journalist during his Courtesy Visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari in a handshake with APC Chieftain, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his Courtesy Visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN