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Tag: Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

  • PDP advises APC leadership to address national issues

    PDP advises APC leadership to address national issues

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government to as a matter of urgency address the incessant killings, unemployment and other national issues affecting the country.

    PDP gave the advice in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Monday in Abuja.

    The advice according to Ologbondiyan is in reaction to the list of appointed board members of federal parastatatals which contained names of deceased persons.

    He specifically called on the APC leadership to ensure a clear roadmap that would address burning issues affecting the economy and Nigerians, rather than resorting to excuses and shifting of blames.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had dissociated the party from the appointment, saying the party had no input in the appointments.

    Some of the issues according to Ologbondiyan include economy challenges, job losses and business closures which he says have caused hardship to families.

    Others according to him include insurgency, fuel crisis, and hidden oil subsidy payouts, illegal lifting of crude and the depletion of Nigerians foreign financial instruments.

  • I have survived several coup as APC chairman says Oyegun

    I have survived several coup as APC chairman says Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that challenged all those who want him out as Chairman of the ruling were after him because of his avowed loyalty to constituted authority saying he has survived several attempts at removing him because of his integrity.

    The APC chairman also said that left for the nation’s elites, President Muhammadu Buhari would never become President, adding that President Buhari’s Presidency was made possible by the common people in the country.

    Speaking in Benin when he was conferred with the Benin National honoured by the Benin National Congress, Chief Oyegun said he has gone through several political trials because of his unflinching loyalty to constituted authority at all times, saying this posture has severally frustrated contending interests within the Party

    While appreciating the Benin National Congress for the honoured, Oyegun said “the timing of the investiture was significant given that I had just survived another attempted coup which died with a whimper. For a Bini group, my own people to say ‘oga we want to honour you’, I thought finally yes I deserved this honour. I thank you for doing this to me. This is one of my proudest moments.

    “I grew up in an environment of strong family ties, where bringing disgrace, dishonour to the family is the worst thing you can possibly do, because your own family will be the first to disown you. So all my life, this is the circumstance that has conditioned me.

    “One, I do nothing that will not make me sleep soundly at night. I do nothing that I will be afraid to see as a headline in any of the national dailies. Yes, I have been through several trials, and I have overcome them all. Why have I done so? It is because at the end of the day, however detailed, however forensic, your examination, you will not find that John Odigie-Oyegun have done anything dishonourable.

    “And so with all the hue and cry, at the end of the day when we sit down, people will say, yes you want John Odigie-Oyegun out, fine. Tell us what he has done? The whole situation fizzles out, because the only thing you can punish him for is loyalty. And we Edo people are loyal. If we believe in something, we make sacrifices to ensure that those ends are upheld and met.”

    Speaking on President Buhari, Chief Oyegun said the President can only be compared eminent Nigerians like late INEC Secretary, Justice Ephraim Akpata, late INEC Chairman, Dr. Abel Goubadia; lawyer/activist, Gani Fayehinmi; Afrobeat pioneer and activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who were not popular for simply throwing money around, but for their inspiration to others.

    He said: “The example of these men is noticed, it inspires other people. So by their conduct, they are probably doing a lot more good than those who just handover cash. There are so many ways to the top. People like Justice Ephraim Akpata, Abel Goubadia, Gani Fawehinmi, Fela Anikulapo Kuti were popular, but they controlled nothing. The same attribute is what our president has. He controls nothing. He does not have mansions, but the whole nation has accepted him because of integrity.

    “Let me make one thing clear, President Buhari was not elected by the elites, I hope you know that. If he depended on the elite, Buhari may not be president today. And if he depended on the elite, with the way they tried to do our foreign exchange and the rest of it, Buhari will not be president tomorrow.

    “But the ordinary people of this country look up to him as the symbol of the kind of persons, leadership and the kind of country that they want Nigeria to become. He is a symbol, a lighthouse, a guide. He doesn’t have to be good at everything, but he has that attribute which the ordinary Nigerian is telling us is what they need.

    “Yes, I accept there is hunger in the land, yes, I accept that the economy is in relatively bad shape. If I tell you now that what we inherited were far worse and you hear some of the details, I won’t be surprised if people go out and ask for stricter measures on those who have brought this country to its knees.

    “As at the time we took over, there wasn’t a single kobo anywhere. As if that was not enough, the price of crude collapsed. But the good news is that for the first time in its history, this country is finally building an economic base that is based on the sweat of Nigerians.

    “What that mean is that we will never again suffer from the kind of humiliation we have had resulting from the collapse of the one item that sustained this nation which is crude oil. Today agriculture is blossoming, young people are taking up farming as a business. Today we are almost independent in the production of rice.

    “Today we are almost self-sufficient in a lot of the grains that we depend on in this nation. Today we are opening up solid mineral mines all over the country. Things have started to solidify. The economy has started to grow. It is not a switch, it is something that will take time.

    “But once we are there, this nation will never experience the type of recession that we had in the past… Change is not bridges. Change is not electricity. Change is not roads. Change is my perception as to what is right or what is wrong or what needs to be done and being faithful in getting it done.

    “For as long as we Nigerians have the wrong type of morality, ethics, not all the roads in this world will get us out of the economic morass we find ourselves. So change also means a change of attitude, morality, ethics, knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. A system that rewards competence, productivity rather than a system that adulates wealth for the sake of the fact that somebody has money. We must change this aspect of our lives.

    “Change takes time. Changing how we perceive things, how we think and respond to issues takes time and consistency of application, meaning that we cannot go back to the bad old days. When I joined the service as an economic planner, the World Bank put Nigeria ahead of Brazil, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan.

    “Today we are importing second-hand Brazilian planes. So what went wrong with us? Finally we have a President who is insisting painfully on bringing Nigeria back to the path of rectitude, progress and enable Nigeria attain its destiny. It is not by accident that we are the largest black nation in the world. Until President Buhari we were a laughing stock. Today we are gaining respectability. So it is important that we don’t lose momentum.

    “I insisted that some of our brothers from the other parties should be here because it is important that we realise the enormity of the challenges that face this nation. It is important that we put crude politics aside and work together constructively to build a new Nigeria. Otherwise, we are still living in the past. And it is my hope that we will get together and separate policy from petty politics. And assist the President in creating a new nation that we all will be proud about.”

    Present at the reception include the Senate President represented by the Senate Deputy Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena; the Edo state governor, represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Osaro Idah; the Minister of Communications, Abdul-raheem Adebayo Shittu; former Edo state deputy governors; retired Justice of the Supreme Couurt, Justice Samson Uwaifo; current and former members of the Edo State House of Assembly; members of the APC National and State Working Committees; lawyer/activist, Festus Keyamo SAN; the academia; music icon, Sir Victor Uwaifo; former Minister of women affairs, Josephene Anenih; former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande among others.

  • Why I joined APC now- Ojukwu

    Why I joined APC now- Ojukwu

    Mr Emeka Ojukwu, son of late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, has said that he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that the South-East occupied its rightful place in the national governance.

    He stated this on Wednesday in Abuja after he was formally welcomed into APC by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    He said that his decision to join the APC was also driven by the belief that the South-East region should be in the country`s political decision making process.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ojukwu had earlier made his declaration to join the party in Awka at a rally for Mr Tony Nwoye, APC’s candidate for the just concluded Anambra governorship election.

    “I decided to lead by example. I have been talking about this for a while and I decided it was time to take the step forward.

    “It is a challenge, there are some people that will not be happy about that, but you have to be bold, take a step, and let people understand where you are coming from.

    “People have to understand why you are doing what you are doing, APC have been seen in our part of the country as the ‘other’.

    “And I believe we are now showing that the APC is a party that can contend equally with any other party in the South-East and do just as well,“ he said.

    Ojukwu added that his defection to the APC, was a pointer that “Igbos“ were part of the party.

    Speaking about his father and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, he said; “we shouldn’t take our history and our past to be shackles that hold us in one place“.

    According to him, history should be a stepping stone and building block for moving towards the future.

    He noted that when his father came back from exile, he had the option to join an ethnic-based party but opted to move to the centre for a reason.

    “You need to be at the table where decisions are being made, if you are not there, you will always get the short end of the stick; you will be marginalised.

    “That is the message I want to help to propagate, this is a much bigger party than the one I came from. So I put myself at your service to help us achieve our dreams.

    “For me, anyway that I can help to push this message forward, I am ready,“ he stressed.

    Odigie-Oyegun, while receiving Ojukwu, said his entry to the party would be a major asset in its ongoing drive to mainstream the South-East into national governance and political decision making process.

    “I thank you for choosing the APC, a family that is practical in its political orientation.”

    He said despite losing the recent Anambra governorship election, the APC`s performance clearly showed that progress was being made in terms of its appeal and inroads in the South-East.

    According to him, the APC has made a lot of gains in spite of not winning the just Anambra election.

    He said the party was not resting on this, adding that it had set up a team to study the elections and resolve all challenges that obstructed it’s victory.

    “I truly welcome you, there is no question at all that your name is an asset, what you stand for is an asset.

    “We hope that in the next few months you will be much more closely integrated within the party structure at national level and in the South-East,“ he said.

    Odigie-Oyegun added that for people to join the APC at this time, was a clear indication that they understood what was going.

    He further added that it also showed that people were ready to put their names, reputation, energies and resources behind the party`s effort to rebuild the country and be part of the process of change.

    “This is a struggle that we must win, the nation cannot afford to lose, because greatness beckons and unless we get our act right, we are not going to get there, “ the APC national chairman said.

    Read Also: APC congratulates Obiano

  • In search of APC’s next National chair

    In search of APC’s next National chair

    If the plans work, former governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, will displace Chief John Odigie Oyegun as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Doubters and quibbler can now be content that Oshiomhole might soon be saddled with the responsibility of piloting the affairs of the ruling party in Nigeria.

    The repulsive news broke last weekend that Mr. Oshiomhole is currently favoured by 17 APC Governors in a plot to remove Odigie Oyegun as the APC national chairman. In the report, a source was quoted thus: “Ahead of the NEC meeting of APC next week, there is tension in the party. About 17 of the 24 governors are unhappy with the national chairman. They are plotting to withdraw their support for him, unless he carries all of them along”.

    The Governors are reportedly angry, that Oyegun has been running the party with only 7 of their colleagues. The news posits that the dissatisfied governors are expected to table their grievances at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on October 31 and pass a vote of no confidence in Oyegun.

     

    The report went ahead to say that the Governors are believed to have spoken to President Muhammadu Buhari on their decision to reject Oyegun’s leadership, while Oyegun’s supporters have fingered former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s backers as part of the plot.

    It also hinted that the 17 governors believe that Oyegun is romancing their 7 colleagues because the APC National Chairman is of the opinion that they are close to the President. Those purportedly on the side of Chief Oyegun are Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Solomon Lalong (Plateau); Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

    The report also quoted an APC NEC member thus: “…the issues the 17 governors are raising are part of the conspiracy against the National Chairman. “And what you are likely to see is the direction where things will go at the NEC session. As regards Oyegun’s preference for some governors, I do not think it is true. If the chairman has personal relationship with some governors, I think it is by virtue of their position or performance”.

    Interestingly, Oyegun and Oshiomhole are both from Edo State and are former governor of the state. While Chief Oyegun retired as a Federal Permanent Secretary, Mr. Oshiomhole had his days at the helm of affairs of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. However, there are lot of questions begging for answers as Oyegun’s four-year of APC leadership draw to a close.

    Nigerians would like to know whether Oyegun demonstrated desire leadership at the saddle all through the four-year as the chairman of the APC? Has there been stability in the party and the polity? Was there conscious effort by Chief Oyegun at developing party policy that will differentiate the APC from the PDP in the eyes of the general public? You’re wont to ask also, what might Oshiomhole bring aboard the leadership of APC, different to what Chief Oyegun has been offering the ruling party presently? Is Oshiomhole ambition about fulfilling all righteousness? What is Oshiomhole’s contribution to the APC before now?

    The problem with political party development in Nigeria arises from the ruling elite unwritten rule/law that whoever is the president or governor, even local government chairman automatically becomes the leader of the political party in their domain. This primitive and/or backward-looking winner-takes-all disposition is the albatross of political party growth in the country’s democratic evolution. Political parties which ought to be vehicles for formulating and propagating national economic development has been reduced to mere praise singing platforms for elected government officials, regardless of their woeful performance in office. This, apart from Oyegun’s personal weaknesses, may have accounted for Oyegun’s languid performance in the last four-year.

    Looking at Chief Oyegun’s past as the first executive governor of Edo State for less than two years, it is evidence he demonstrated copious leadership endowment by ensuring that everyone, including non-indigene of the state benefited from his free education program. Accountability and astute leadership wre enthroned. Ditto every other aspects of governance. Edo would have been better for it but for the rude military incursion that brought the administration to abrupt end.

    The story of the APC as a political party would not be complete without the previous alliance between the defunct ACN and CPC. In 2011 when Acton Congrass of Nigeria, ACN, and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, made futile efforts at merging into an alliance, Mr. Oshiomhole was the first to truncate that alliance by preventing President Muhammadu Buhari to enter Edo State to campaign for his (Oshiomhole’s) reelection bid in 2012.

    The same Oshiomhole is currently clowning as President Buhari’s man Friday! Oshiomhole, against the ethics of political party development, canvassed vigorously for President Goodluck election in 2011, while Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was a candidate in Oshiomhole’s  political party.

    Mr. Oshiomhole has been laying claims to President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, even though the APC lost the 2015 Presidential election in the state. Before we forget, the Peoples Democratic Party won the 2015 presidential election with 52% of total vote cast in Edo State.

    Before Mr. President would consider Oshiomhole for any Federal appointment or before the so-called 17 friendly governors would support Chief Oyegun’s replacement with Oshiomhole, it will please Edo people for an inquest to be conducted on the fiv-star hospital that was commissioned by Buhari 12 months ago. The Benin Central Hospital has remained under lock and key, without equipment and personnel.

     

    • Ikhide, a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Lagos.
  • APC: Best option for South-East Presidency – Odigie-Oyegun

    APC: Best option for South-East Presidency – Odigie-Oyegun

    National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the party remained the best option for South-East to actualize its presidency aspiration in the nearest future.

    He stated this on Thursday in Abuja while inaugurating a 48-member Anambra Governorship Campaign Council ahead of the state’s governorship election slated for Nov.18.

    Odigie-Oyegun challenged the committee to work and bring the South-East into the main stream of Nigeria’s politics and into “the progressive family”.

    He also charged the committee led by Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, to mobilise the entire citizens of Anambra for victory.

    He said that the state was very important to the APC, pointing out that a victory for the party in Anambra would help to address the cries of marginalisation in the South-East.

    “We must change the narrative in the South-East and we must start with Anambra, because the APC represents the most viable root for any South-East person to the presidency of this country.”

    Odigie-Oyegun said that the APC recognised that the Anambra election would not be a bed of roses in view of the fact that the incumbent governor was seeking re-election.

    He, however, expressed optimism that the party would emerge victorious in the election.

    “If the APC can defeat an incumbent President, we can also defeat an incumbent governor; we have done it before in Kogi and Ondo states,” he said.

    On his part, chairman of the committee said that though the task was daunting, party members would ensure that the APC emerged victorious in the election.

    He added that the committee recognised that it was necessary for the APC to win the Anambra governorship election and bring the zone into main stream of national politics.

    Abubakar, however, said that there was need for the party and its members to work for its success in the election.

    He advised the party’s members in the state to avoid a repeat of the defeat it suffered in Osun Senatorial election.

    He added that the party should capitalise on the age of its candidate, Mr Tony Nwoye, to campaign for a generational shift.

    According to him, Nwoye’s victory will give the youths “a say” and assurance.

    Leader of the party in the state and Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, assured that the people of the state would work with the committee to ensure victory for the party

    Members of the committee are Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo)

    Others are Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Ministers of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Dr Ogbonnaya Onu of Science and Technology.

  • Oyegun, Nnamani speak on how to end marginalisation

    Oyegun, Nnamani speak on how to end marginalisation

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun and former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani said on Thursday that the cry of marginalization spreading across the country, particularly in the south-east can only end when states in the zone join the ruling party at the national level.

    Speaking at a reconciliation meeting between aspirants that contested the party primary for the governorship ticket in Anambra state, Oyegun said: “Until we manage to bring few states into the mainstream of Progressives politics, we may not see the end of this continued cry of marginalization.”

    Senator Nnamani who also spoke at the meeting collaborated Oyegun’s comment when he said: “unless you go into the ruling party and make meaningful contributions, you will then have the moral standing to ask why don’t we have this or that.”

    While commending the aspirants for attending the meeting which was boycotted by Senator Andy Uba who lost the governorship primary, Oyegun informed them of the need to unite to be able to displace an incumbent governor.

    He said: “I thank you all for answering our call. We have an incumbent governor in Anambra state. We have all been through the most exciting period of campaigning for the primaries, which is over now and we have by divine mercy a candidate. But a tree does not make a forest. 

    “We are in politics and we recognize that each and every one of those who aspired for the office of the governor of Anambra state has a constituency. Each and everyone has something very significant to contribute if we are to have the hope of winning the governorship seat in Anambra from an incumbent. 

    “It is very important, essential and vital that we manage to hammer together not just a patchwork of peace or make-believe kind of camaraderie, but a very serious unity of purpose between all those who aspired for that office to act as a serious guarantee that we are indeed also serious in winning the Anambra governorship seat. 

    “That is why I called you today and the elder statesmen to join us and act as guarantors of whatever we agreed to do today. I welcome you most wholeheartedly and it is my hope and expectation that by the time we leave here, we will have one single fighting force of 12 persons that will make us proud as governor of Anambra state.

    “The state is very significant to us as it is the gateway to the South East. It is important that we do everything we can fair and square to bring Anambra State into the fold of the Progressives for a lot of reason. Until we manage to bring few states into the mainstream of Progressives politics, we may not see the end of this continued cry of marginalization. 

    “It is important that we work and work very hard to win Anambra being a critical state in the South East. It is not going to be a small political struggle. We must work hard with the unity of purpose to breakthrough to the South East in a major way to win Anambra.”

    Collaborating Oyegun’s statement, former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani said: “Our national chairman has summarized the purpose of this meeting and he has torched on very critical issues pertaining to the aspirations of the party to make very strong inroads into the South East.

    “I totally agree with him especially on the issue of marginalization that you cannot stay under the rain when it is pouring heavily and start crying because nobody will observe.

    “Unless you go into the ruling party and make meaningful contributions, you will then have the moral standing to ask why don’t we have this or that. I will like to congratulate Mr chairman for initiating this peace move and bringing together those that aspired to govern the state.

    “It requires courage to offer ourselves for service. It is not everybody that has that courage to contest an election. It is like wrestling when the umpire signals, it is not every able-bodied person who throw-in the towel would like to contest. I congratulate each and every one of you and hope you harken your what the National chairman had to say. 

    “I spoke out of the experience, observation and interest. We have people who have gone through the crisply of planning in Nigeria’s electoral planning. The chairman talked about unity of purpose but I want to add that we need unity of action,” he said.

    Speaking on behalf of the former aspirants, one of them, Bart Nwibe said they have been looking forward to the meeting, expressing co five central that at the end, they will be able to build the necessary synergy to help deliver our party in Anambra state. 

    He said: “I am sure that we all willing to do our very best. But I also think that our party both at this level and the executive will do the needful so that we will be empowered enough to return and deliver Anambra state and by extension South East into the APC. 

    “We are optimistic that we will do our very best. We are on the ground and if we do the needful, there is no reason why we cannot win our state. We have a candidate who is a very young fellow and I am certain he will bring certain kind of freshness. But I think our party and the presidency will have to step in to help us achieve this”.

  • Hate speeches fallout of 2015 Presidential election – Oyegun

    Hate speeches fallout of 2015 Presidential election – Oyegun

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterance and actions as is currently being experienced in the country is a fallout of the 2015 presidential election which should not be allowed to continue.

    In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, Oyegun described perpetrators of hate-speeches, images and songs currently circulating in part of the country as worst perpetrators of terrorist activity than Boko Haram insurgents.

    Reacting to the audio recording which he described as “dangerous and despicable”, the APC National Chairman called on security agencies to promptly apprehend those behind the recording and other similar acts, “no matter who they are.”

    He said: “Every ethnic-based crises of whatever nature had started with hate speech. When people within the same country frame and define one another in the manner intended to set them up for violent attack, then they are setting themselves up for a major disaster.

    “The ‘merchants of hate’ don’t know or just don’t care about the consequences of the fire they are stoking in the country. But they have the experiences of other countries to learn from. Rwanda remains a classic example on our continent. “However, even as terrible as Rwanda was, it would be nothing compared to what could happen if a huge country like Nigeria is allowed to fall into the disaster of hate-driven conflict. This is why we must all rise, regardless of our political differences and condemn these ugly and shameful acts with one voice.”

    Odigie-Oyegun observed that even though ethnic distrust is not new in the country, the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterance and actions as is currently being experienced, is part of the fallouts of the 2015 presidential election.

    “Anyone participating in an election knows that there could only be two outcomes, you win or you lose. When you lose, you prepare for the next election. What we have seen however is that since 2015, some politicians and political groups have carried on as if they wish the country itself to collapse just because they are no longer in power. This is tragic indeed,” he said.

    The APC chief appealed to the Acting President to direct the security agencies to ensure that those behind these odious acts are promptly arrested and swiftly brought to justice, saying “we cannot sit idle and watch a few disgruntled individuals to destroy our democracy, and God forbids, the nation that we all fought hard to achieve and build”.

  • Bye-election: Odigie-Oyegun leads APC campaign in Osun

    Bye-election: Odigie-Oyegun leads APC campaign in Osun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Thursday reaffirmed Federal Government’s commitment to finding solution to socio-economic and political challenges in the country.

    He made the promise when he led the leadership of the party on a campaign ahead of Saturday’s  bye election in Osun West Senatorial District.

    The seat became vacant following the death of the senator representing the district, Chief Isiaka Adeleke, on April 23.

    Odigie-Oyegun said the prevailing economic situation was not created by APC, adding that the federal government was working day and night to solve the problems.

    “APC will not disappoint Nigeria, and I want you all in the senatorial district to troop out and vote for our candidate, Mudashiru Husain,’’ he said.

    “I hope in the next four days I will be able to tell President Muhammadu Buhari that Aregbesola has delivered once again and Husain is back in the Senate.

    The APC chairman said since the party’s victory in the 2014 governorship election in Osun, it had not lost any major election in Nigeria.

    He commended the courage of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola, saying Osun was a major ground from where the APC launched itself to the federal level.

    According to Odigie-Oyegun, Osun is strategic to the party in all ramifications.

    “I want you to know how important this election is to us, and that is why you can see me and all other party members here.

    “As challenging as the situation in Borno is, the Governor, Kashim Shettima and the Kebbi Governor, Abdullahi Bagudu, came here to support us all.

    “We need Mudashiru Husain in the Senate, he is a ranking man.  He won’t sit at the back when he gets there. Osun will be represented well,” Odigie-Oyegun added.

    NAN

     

  • APC governors, NWC meets Wednesday

    APC governors, NWC meets Wednesday

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the auspices of the Progressives Governors Forum will Wednesday meet with the national leadership of the party to chat the way forward for the party.

    Although the agenda of the meeting was not known as at the time of the report, it was gathered that second anniversary of the government and efforts to get the party out of the current financial mess will top discussion at the meeting.

    This is the second time the governors will be meeting with the National Working Committee of the party this year.

    During the last meeting which took place in April, the governors promised to hold regular consultative meeting with the leadership and help it source funds to finance its activities.

    The party has been enmeshed in acute shortage of funds which has made it impossible for them to hold constitutionally mandated meetings such as the National Executive Committee meeting and the midterm convention.

    The party has also found it difficult to settle debts some of which date back to campaign period.

    It was also not clear as at press time whether the governors have fulfilled their promise to help the party source funds from within even though the party is said to have installed a software that will automatically deduct N100 from the phone of members monthly as membership due.

    The meeting which will be presided over by the National chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun is expected to be attended by the all the governors elected on the platform of the parry.

  • We must begin to prepare for 2019 – Oyegun

    We must begin to prepare for 2019 – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said on Friday that the party must begin now to articulate its achievement no at the federal and state levels and not wait for the 2019 general elections before doing so.

    Addressing Party’s Publicity Secretaries from the 36 states and the FCT at a two-day workshop sponsored by the International Republican Institute (IRI), Chief Oyegun said the party must begin now to prepare for the next election by constantly and effectively communicating the achievements and plans our state governments to the people.

    According to him, it is the responsibility of the publicity Secretaries to convince the people to continue to support the policies and programmes of the Government both at the states and federal levels, while selling the party vision to the people.

    He told the, that as “spokespersons, you are the face and voice of the Party. You are the ones that the media and the public deal with most frequently. This has serious implication for the Party, our success or failure to a large extent depends on how well you are able to do your job.

    “Accordingly, if for any reason the people are not happy with the party, the spokesperson is often the one who bears the brunt. He is criticised and railed against as a liar or even worse, called unprintable names.But in spite of this, he still has to do his job

    But in spite of this, he still has to do his job which is that of effectively communicating the Party’s vision and plans in a way that it is acceptable to the public.

    As you are aware, our Party is the first in the history of Nigeria to unseat a ruling party. We achieved that feat because of what you did and because of the effectiveness of our communication system across the states. We were able to sell the Change agenda to Nigerians, a message of hope and true transformation built on efficient management of government resources.

    “Now that we are no longer in the opposition, but have formed the government at the federal level and in 24 states, there is more work to be done.

    We need to sell our programmes and vision to our people even with greater vigour. We need to convince them to support the policies and programmes of the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We need to properly articulate the achievements of our respective state governments and sell the programmes of our Party to the people. We do not have to wait until the next election cycle to do this. This
    > is the time to prepare for the next election by constantly and effectively communicating the achievements and plans our state governments to the people.

    “In this digital age, there has been an explosion of the mass media channels. In fact, it is very difficult to catch up with the information in the media these days, not to talk of the challenge of fake news that abounds everywhere.

    “This has made the job of the Publicity Secretary even more complex. You have to be wary of what you respond to, and how you respond. The world is changing fast and we must also change the way we do things to continue to be relevant and effective.”

    Country Director of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Sentell Barnes said an assessment conducted by the institute after the 2015 general election revealed that while only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APC clearly separated the responsibilities for internal and external communication, none of the parties has a written communication plan and strategy.

    He said further that though the report observed that political parties are resorting to the use of new media platforms over and above the traditional media channels, it is interesting to note that none of the party reviews the content of its website to reflect it ideology, aims or address strategic party issues.

    He stressed that a strong party-based communications provide vital avenues for public participation and connecting leaders and elected officials around common programs.

    According to him, “Nigeria witnessed a remarkable political change nearly two years ago when for the first time in its political history, an opposition political party defeated a government whose party has held power for over 16 years. Many factors may have been considered as responsible for the feat but one which I consider prominent among them was the practical effort at communicating the party manifesto to the public.”

    He disclosed that the workshop is expected to explore the communication channels that the party can use to strengthen their links with citizens by developing communication policies that will promote dissemination of party-based information through effective coordination of internal and external of the party.

    In his remarks, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the it was important for the party and its spokesperson to recognise the critical challenge in making transiting between how to handled party communication in the time of war, which election more or less is and how we handle party communication when you form government.

    According to him, the party at the national level has benefitted from this transition by changing communication leadership at the national level from wartime to peace time, adding that people will now hold us to account for those promises that we made, People will recall that we were a party in opposition and there were things that we said as a party in opposition that presumed that we were operating on higher moral grounds.

    “Now that we are in government, people will want to hold us to the same, if not higher standards. People will ask questions. Some will ask nicely, some will not. If they ask nicely, how do we respond? If they don’t ask nicely, how do we respond?

    “For me, these are questions that I have struggled with. But one thing that is clear to me is that my job will be easier if I don’t see anyone who criticises the party as the enemy of the party. It is to presume that the criticism that I receive are well-intentioned, even if they are not.

    “Treat them as well intentioned and therefore stick to the facts available to you. I know how much I have struggled to do this and I know that the aggregate of the party’s performance at the national level is the performance of all of you across the country.”