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Tag: chieftains

  • Chieftains, ex-lawmaker deliver units, ward for APC

    The Vice-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Hakeem Bamgbola and former Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Abiodun Mafe yesterday described APC as a party with “great future.”

    The duo delivered their polling units for the party.

    Former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly Abdoulbaq Ladi-Balogun also delivered his unit and ward.

    APC won in Bamgbola’s area namely Makanjuola, Ashabi Shonuyi, Imam Shuaibu and Kewulere units – all in Itire Ward, Surulere.

    In all, APC had 273 votes, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – 251 in the Presidential election. For Senatorial, APC scored 247 votes, PDP – 206 while House of Representatives results showed APC winning with 285 votes, PDP had 209.

    In Sanusi APC defeated PDP with 1,702 to 1,540 in the House of Reps. For Senatorial, APC had 1,826, PDP – 1,555. APC had 1,871 votes as against PDP’s 1,654 in the Presidential election.

    Bamgbola said the victory showed that the people appreciated APC government.

    The ruling party won Polling Unit 036 in Ward ‘G’ South area of Alimosho Local Government with 117 votes against (PDP) 56 for Presidential, 108 to 26 in Senatorial and 40 to 24 in House of Reps.

    Mafe said: “I thank God for helping me to deliver my unit for our great party, and for our candidates – President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Adeola Solomon and Femi Adebanjo. I am a loyal party man and I have been a community leader in this area for over 30 years. Irrespective of our differences here in Alimosho, I owe it a duty to ensure APC triumph in any election.”

    Ladi-Balogun also delivered his Polling Unit 028 Alayabiagba in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government with 99 votes as against PDP 11 for Presidential elections.

    APC also won the former lawmaker’s Ward E (Tolu) by 4,955 votes to PDP’s 3,208.

  • How to avert defeat of Ondo APC in 2019, by chieftains

    Aggrieved chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State yesterday highlighted conditions that will guarantee victory for the party in next year’s parliamentary elections.

    They urged the party leadership to resolve the post-primary crisis, reconcile those who lost out at the shadow poll with the flag bearers to present and redress alleged injustice arising from the primaries.

    Ondo South APC chieftains Adekunle Atimishe and Shem Ayejuni told reporters in Lagos that many members were not happy with the nomination of Senator Yele Omogunwa for a second term.

    The party chiefs insisted that his nomination violated existing rotational arrangement understood by the three federal constituencies in Ondo South Senatorial District.

    They said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was studying the post-primary crisis and strategising ahead of the poll to profit from the logjam.

    According to them, it is the turn of Ile-Oluji/Odigbo Constituency to produce the APC senatorial candidate.

    The APC chieftains said an aspirant, Odunayo Akinrinsola, who hails from the constituency, is more popular and acceptable to most of the constituents in Ondo South.

    But Omogunwa objected to the assertion, saying the three constituencies – Ilaje/Ese-Odo, Okitipupa/Irele and Ile-Oluji/Odigbo – are behind him.

    The outcome of the senatorial primary has pitched Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) against the APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC), which rejected his preferred candidate, Lucky Adedatiwa, from Irele, in favour of Pastor Omogunwa.

    Other Ondo South aspirants include Morayo Lebi (Irele), Janet Adeyemi (Ile-Oluji) and Timithy Felder (Oke-Igbo).

    The PDP candidate is a former Transport Commissioner Nicholas Tofowomo, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) is fielding former Works Commissioner Gboye Adegbenro.

    In Ondo Central, Senator Tayo Alasoadura is the APC candidate, while the PDP is fielding Senator Patrick Akinyelure.

    In Ondo North, the primary also generated ripples.

    Human rights lawyer, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, who enjoyed the governor’s support, was rejected by the national leadership in favour of Senator Ajayi Boroffice.

     

    Ayejuni said the imposition of Omogunwa on the district may be counter-productive on poll day.

    The party stalwart urged the party to retrace its steps.

    He said: “A credible and acceptable candidate is required. We must follow the rotational principle. Senator Ehinlanwo from Ilaje was in the Senate for eight years. Ese-Odo produced the current deputy governor. Senator Kunlere from Okitipupa was in the Senate for four years. Omogunwa from Irele has spent four years too. Senator Meroyi from Odigbo has served in the Senate for four years. It is the turn of Ile-Oluji to produce a senator. That is why people are rooting for Akinrinsola.”

    Atimishe said: “It is not too late for the APC to be sensitive to the popular yearning of the constituents and the electorate. The rejection of the rotational arrangement may produce a negative effect. People are calling for equity, fairness and justice. It will be easy for our party to win, if the right steps are taken by the party leadership.”

  • Tinubu should intervene in Bariga APC crisis, say chieftains

    All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains have urged the party leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to intervene in the crisis triggered by the ward and local government congresses in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.

    The chieftains complained about an alleged move to substitute the name of the elected local government chairman of the party by the former LCDA chairman, Hakeem Sulaiman.

    But, Sulaiman denied the allegation, saying he was not engaged in any illegal substitution.

    In a petition to Tinubu and the state chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, the aggrieved chieftains said the wrong substitution may lead to fresh crisis in the council, urging the leader to avert it.

    Signatories to the petition include Senator Tony Adefuye, House of Representatives member Wole Diya, House of Assembly Chief Whip Rotimi Abiru, Sesan Olanrewaju, Chief Wale Mogaji, Otunba Denge Anifowose, Sanya Osijo and Elder Oshinnuga.

    Speaking with reporters, spokesmen of the aggrieved chieftains, Onayemi Onakoya and Dare Martins, said the agreement on the sharing of party positions among the groups in the party was violated by the former chairman, adding that his attitude smacked of betrayal.

    He said the violation was also against the doctrine fairness and the “all-inclusive” principle canvassed by elders to foster a sense of belonging.

    Onakoya said: “There was a stakeholders’ meeting, prior to the ward and local government congresses where agreement was signed by all in attendance on the modalities for the sharing of the positions of party chairman and secretary. Sulaiman signed the agreement.

    “But, he was not present at the Lady Lac Primary school Ground, the venue of the congress, where Lamoren Dimeji was overwhelmingly elected as chairman, only to later come up with a list, which was drawn in an unknown venue, where members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the congress were lodged.”

    Onakoya said Elder Timothy Eyashodun, who was allegedly picked as the party chairman by Sulaiman, never attended the congress.

    “He added: “We have resolved to take the matter to Asiwaju Tinubu for his intervention and resolution.”

     

  • Edo PDP ‘ll bounce back, say chieftains

    Edo PDP ‘ll bounce back, say chieftains

    The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State is not taking any chances in its bid to  emerge victorious in the 2019 general elections. Its members have started making plans towards repositioning the chapter, despite their failed attempt to oust Governor Godwin Obaseki through the judiciary.

    To display the party’s strength and support, members of the party organised what they termed heroic welcome for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu following his return from Abuja after the Supreme Court ruling on his appeal against the decisions the lower courts. The Supreme Court ruling, which upheld the victory of Obaseki did not deter members of the PDP, especially those loyal to Pastor Ize-Iyamu from celebrating him for not pursuing the case to the Supreme Court.

    From the Benin Airport, the PDP supporters moved in a street dance to the residence of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, where they were urged upon to remain in the party because four years is not forever.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu told the PDP members not to loose hope or despair over the Supreme Court judgment, but that the outcome of the Osun State by-election has shown that the electorate should not be taken for granted.

    His words, “We belong to one family. The PDP must not scatter. Don’t lose up. Don’t give up. Let us be united. Let the other side be scared of our unity.

    “We have done an election and the law says if you are not happy with the outcome, there are processes to be followed and we have followed it. We have gone to the tribunal, we have gone to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. After the supreme court, there is no other place to go. And rather than continue to quarrel, we just put it behind us. We have sent him a letter of congratulation.

    “The challenge for those who are in government now, is to do well and to ensure that by the time we come back again for election, they will be able to justify their position in government but to our people, this is just the time for us to thank God. But what has impressed me the most is that our people never went violent.

    “Our party people, well I want to tell you that you have not been defeated. Edo people knew how the election went and I believed that they can hold their heads high. Four years is not the end of the world. In the next three, four years, we will do an election again in the state”, he said.

    At an enlarged meeting of the PDP held at the party secretariat in Benin City, the members resolved to carry out some restructuring if the party went to be victorious in the state in 2019.

    Sources at the meeting said Pastor Ize-Iyamu called for the resignation of some current party leaders that failed to win in their units and wards. The source said Pastor Ize-Iyamu told the gathering that younger members of the party, when given the opportunity, would do better than those who called themselves leaders.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu said the loss of his bid was because some party agents and leaders collected money to work for the APC.

    The Publicity Secretary of the party, Chris Nehikhare, said that the meeting resolved not to probe any party official but to prepare the members ahead of 2019 general elections.

    Nehikhare said that there would be some form of restructuring within the party hierarchy.

    The chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, said the outcome of the Osun State bye-election was a clear indication that Nigerians were tired of the ruling APC.

    He said, “This is the time for us to flow with the mood of the nation. That mood is what you saw in Osun. It is clear Nigerians are tired of APC. Edo people are more tired and I know that the mood is that PDP should remain strong and united so that they can save Edo State and save Nigeria from the failed policies of APC.

    “This is the time for stock taking. There may have been mistake, as a party we must learn from those mistakes and move forward than we were in 1999. God will not come down from heaven to do it for us. Our destiny is in our hands. Throughout the crisis of Modu Sheriff, the leaders of this party did everything possible not to allow Modu Sheriff divide us in Edo. It there are one or two people who decided to go with Modu Sheriff, they should come back to the party.

    The chairman added: “The coming elections will see a repeat of what happened in Osun State. Nigerians are tired and they are prepared to do everything to protect the results of subsequent elections. We must start to put in place structures that will expand the frontiers of our followership. We are not going to waste time. The time to begin the process of election winning is now. We will welcome positive suggestions from party leaders and members.

    “Everything we need to do to make the party stronger we must do. We did well in the last general elections. We can build upon what we have achieved so far. Let us at this moment retire to the inner recess of our minds and do stock taking. The time is now to do all that is needed to be done to put our party in good stead ahead of the next general election. If moving this party forward necessitate my stepping aside, so be it.”

  • Anambra poll: three chieftains declare interest in IDP ticket

    Anambra poll: three chieftains declare interest in IDP ticket

    The Independent Democrat Party (IDP)  is set for its congress in Anambra State, ahead of the governorship election.

    Its Chairman, Mazi Omife  Omife, told reporters in Awka, the state capital,  that three chieftains have indicated interest in the governorship race in the party.

    He said the party will conduct a credible primary for the aspirants.

    Omife assured that the contestants would be given a level playing ground to avoid a post-primary crisis.

    He said the primary would be witnessed by the national officers  and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Omife said the congress, which would hold at the ward, local government and state levels would take place between this month and next month.

    He said the IDP membership was drawn mostly from former and serving town nion Presidents Generals, adding that there will be an effective mobilisation for the poll.

    He said efforts will be made to enlighten the people about the manifestos of the party, ahead of the exercise.

    Omife said: “The IDP has come to liberate the people of Anambra State from years of socio-economic bondage and exploitation by the so-called big parties and unconscionable politicians.”

  • Lagos PDP chieftains join APC

    Lagos PDP chieftains join APC

    •Ajomale: we’re expecting more

    Prominent Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains Chief Bode Oyedele, Yahaya Dosunmu and Anthony Bakare have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They were received at the APC Secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja by top party leaders, including the Chairman, Otunba Dele Ajomale, his deputy, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Vice Chairman Chief Funso Ologunde, former Deputy Governors Femi Pedro and Abiodun Ogunleye, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Senator Gbenga Ashafa and one-time Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Wale Edun.

    Oyedele, retired permanent secretary and former Presidential Assistant on Ecology, and Dosunmu, a former member of the House of Assembly, were founding members of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

    The duo said they retraced their steps, following advice from a party elder, Prince Oluyole Olusi.

    Presenting flags and brooms to them, Ajomale urged them to work for the party’s victory in future elections.

    He said their return would ease the tension that usually characterised elections in Ibeju-Lekki and Eti-Osa and tilt the pendulum of victory towards the direction of the ruling party.

    Ajomale said: “They were in the opposition in Lagos for 16 years. They were formidable opposition figures in the PDP. They started as former strong members of the AD.

    “Dosunmu was even a member of the AD State Executive Committee. We moved from AD to AC, ACN and now APC. It is the same party.

    “Coming back to the APC is a blessing to our party in Eti-Osa, Lagos and Nigeria. In politics, you cannot discountenance anybody. They have come home and we have now received them.

    “Bakare is a force to reckon with. During the last election, he contested for the House of Representatives seat.

    We defeated him, but it was not an easy task. Now that he is one of us, we will not have problem in the area again.”

    Hailing Oyedele for coming back to the progressive fold, Ajomale added: “Whatever that had happened before, let’s forget it. We are creating a new dawn in Ibeju-Lekki. Ibeju-Lekki is a very serious local government, Bode Oyedele is a factor in Ibeju-Lekki.

    “You will not regret your defection. More people will defect from the PDP to the APC.”

    Bakare pledged his loyalty to the APC, saying he will work for its success in future elections.

    Thanking Olusi, Ogunleye and Ajomale for encouraging him to retrace his steps, Dosunmu said he was will not leave the progressives again.

    Oyedele said: “I am here with the PDP structure. I am here with the state vice chairman, Rasak Balogun. I have with me many state and ward chairmen. We want to hand over the structure to the APC.”

    At the ceremony were Dr. Abayomi Finnih, former Rural Development Commissioner Dr. Odutola Kasali, former House of Assembly Speaker Yemi Ikuforiji, APC Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe, his deputy, Abiodun Salam, Adebayo Balogun, Pa Abiodun Sunmola, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Tunde Isiak, Denge Anifowose, and the Administrative Secretary, Sola Abayomi.

  • How to reposition PDP, by chieftains

    How to reposition PDP, by chieftains

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Ladosu Ladipo has called for the restructuring of the party to avert future electoral misfortune.

    He described the party as a party of few oppressors lording it over the majority, stressing that many party leaders are self-centred.

    The party elder from Osun State reflected on the party at the recent Southwest PDP Elders Summit in Lagos chaired by Chief Olabode George.

    At the meeting, a party leader from Ekiti State, Ambassador Dare Bejide, warned against the imposition of candidates during congresses and general elections.

    He said the party may continue to wallow in crisis, unless a culture of equity, justice and internal democracy is promoted.

    The politician lamented that Governor Ayodele Fayose may not give the party any chance of survival, owing to his manipulative tendencies.

    He said: “Some party leaders have sat down and compiled the list of delegates to the national convention. In Ekiti, the governor has compiled the names of ward and local government chairmen and delegates.”

    Ladipo, who sought to rule Osun State in 1990, said: “We must restructure the PDP. The PDP is not a party now. It is more or less a cash and carry party. Some leaders are self-centred. They don’t carry the grassroots along. This will always lead to disagreement.

    “Many people in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP) and the Accord Party (AP) are disgruntled and they want to come to the PDP. But, we are not providing an enabling environment for them.”

    Urging the party to postpone its convention, he added: “The officers should have interim status, pending the restructuring of the party. If we continue like this, many will desert the PDP and there will be no new entrants.”

    The former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, urged the leaders to dump the culture of imposition and promote internal democracy.

    Senator Bode Olajumoke from Ondo State said the party should put its house in order to attract aggrieved APC members.

    He said: “We went through an era of negativity and impunity. We now have an opportunity to reflect. The era of imposition and absence of internal democracy should give way. Whatever disaster that befell the PDP was self-imposed.”

  • Pro-justice group urges Oyo Apc to reverse expulsion of chieftains

    A group within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peace and Justice Vanguard, has urged the elders of the party to prevail on the laedership to reverse the expulsion of Hon. Olujide Adewale and Hon. Oyeniran Oyeniyi.

    Its statement reads:  “We, of the above Group, and, committed members  of our great Party-All Progressive Congress, wish to appeal to our revered elders, leaders, and all justice lovers within our party to prevail on the party executives to reverse the purported expulsion of the duo of Hon. Olujide Adewale- former Commissioner for Environment in the state and Hon. Oyeniran Oyeniyi- the majority leader of the 7th Oyo state House of Assembly, as widely reported in the media recently.

    “This action, in our view, poses great danger to the survival of our party beyond 2019. The personalities concerned, by our reckoning,are dedicated party stalwarts and leaders of their constituency with large follower ship. Our party’s performance in their Local Government- Oluyole, during the last elections attests to this. Can we therefore, as a party, afford to do away with them?

    “More so, when their “offence” was, as we all know, that they cried when whipped!, by exploring constitutional means in seeking justice in the face of the failure of the internal crisis resolution mechanism of the party. How could this be an offense in a democracy!Democracies around the globe thrive through the rule of Law.

    “The opposition, which is now re-grouping and re-branding should not be allowed to benefit from this self-inflicted crack in our wall. In stead, we should by now be consolidating,empowering and further bonding and growing our membership towards retaining power beyond 2019. The opposition, like the eagle, over the mother hen and her  chicks, are hovering!

    “We therefore plead with the Leader of our party in the state;  His Excellency, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi to rally other leaders and elders towards strengthening the party by ensuring that peace and justice prevail in the party; as espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. that “when evil men plot, good men must plan, when evil men shout words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love; and where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status-quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice”. We know, our Leader is a good man.

  • PDP loses chieftains, members to APC in Ekiti

    A prominent leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Chief Temidayo Olubodun, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He defected at a rally in his hometown, Are-Ekiti in Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government Area yesterday with another PDP stalwart, Chief Olowojebutu, and scores of their supporters.

    Olubodun, who was PDP Chairman in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, had served as local government councillor in the Third Republic and as board member of the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) during the Obasanjo administration in the Fourth Republic.

    He was received by party leaders led by the state Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye; Ekiti Central senatorial chairman, Chief George Ojo; Women Leader, Mrs. Dupe Bakare; Deputy Women Leader, Princess Iyabo Fakunle; Youth Leader Femi Ogundare and Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun.

    Olubodun told the gathering that he took the decision because the PDP government has failed the people and inflicted more hardship on them with what he called “anti-people policies and poverty of ideas on what governance should be”.

    He claimed that Ekiti has retrogressed under Governor Ayo Fayose whom he accused of “leaving substance and chasing shadows”.

    Olubodun said: “People are suffering under this oppressive regime as a result of its selfish policies which promote greed and self-aggrandisement. We are leaving PDP because whether anybody believes it or not, this government is doomed to fail.

  • Ekiti PDP crisis worsens as Fayose expels chieftains

    Ekiti PDP crisis worsens as Fayose expels chieftains

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, yesterday worsened as a faction loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose suspended four members of the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The faction loyal to Fayose is led by Idowu Faleye while the other faction made up of 11 aggrieved SWC members is led by Tunde Olatunde, who was appointed Acting Chairman shortly after Faleye purportedly resigned in May.

    The two factions have been locked in a bitter struggle for the soul of the party which culminated in a reported shootout at the state party’s secretariat on July 31.

    The Faleye faction in a statement on Friday said those suspended include Olatunde, state PDP Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko; Women Leader; Mrs. Busola Oyebode and Auditor, Tunji Olanrewaju.

    They were accused of involvement in anti-party activities by the disciplinary committee set up to investigate them.

    The statement read in part: “The State Executive Committee of Peoples Democratic Party Ekiti State met today  August 10, 2015 to review the report of the disciplinary committee set up by the party to investigate allegations of anti- party activities levelled against some officers of the party and resolved as follows:

    “That the Chief Idowu Faleye led executive is the recognized Executive in Ekiti State as confirmed by the National Working Committee.

    “ SEC resolved to uphold the recommendation of the panel on the expulsion of the following people from the party in line with the constitution of the party for their anti- party activities;  Dr Tope Aluko;  Mr Tunde Olatunde; Mrs Busola Oyebode and Mr Tunji Olanrewaju.

    ”SEC ratified the sustenance, nomination and /or appointment of the following as the State Working Committee of the party: Chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye; Deputy Chairman Nelson Shaba, Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti North, Gbeyiro Sunday, Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti South, Alhaji Gani Bankole, and Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti Central , Mr Femi Ogunleye.

    Others are the new Youth Leader, Ayo Ogungbuyi; Women Leader, Afolabi Yemisi Gloria ,Treasurer;  Hon Adeolu Aluko; Auditor , Mojeed Azees Apempe; Publicity Secretary; Jackson Adebayo, Legal Adviser;Olowolafe Ojo Sunday and  Financial Secretary, Akutupu Afolayan.

    Reacting to their suspension, Aluko described the action as a “huge joke, an affront on the party’s constitution and impunity of the highest order and we are not affected by their illegal action.”

    Aluko who spoke in a telephone interview described Faleye and his backers as “jokers and jesters” expressing worry that the party was being ridiculed before Ekiti people and Nigerians by those bent on violating its constitution.

    According to him, those “fomenting the crisis” are defectors from the Labour Party (LP) who don’t understand the philosophy, doctrine and manifesto of the PDP.