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Tag: Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)

  • CPC leaders: we’re solidly behind Tinubu, not leaving APC

    CPC leaders: we’re solidly behind Tinubu, not leaving APC

    Leaders of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have declared their loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    They distanced themselves from the faction led by former Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai and former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), who are believed to be in coalition talks with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    The CPC leaders, led by the former Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, include Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda; former Katsina State Governor Bello Masari;  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maitama Tuga Yusuf and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman, Gen. Buba Marwa.

    Others are former APC National Secretary, Waziri Bulama; APC National Vice Chairman (North West), Mohammed Datti Garba, among others.

    Al-Makura, Chairman of the CPC bloc in APC, vowed to ensure President Tinubu’s victory in 2027.

    He said: “We have come together with clarity, unity, and purpose.

    “We are here to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals that brought us together in 2013, to set the records straight, and to send a clear message to all Nigerians that the former CPC majority stakeholders remain strong, united, and deeply loyal to the APC and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

    The former governor dismissed reports that the CPC bloc had left the APC.

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    “Recent developments have seen a flood of speculation and misinformation about the position of the former CPC within the APC.

    “Let it be known clearly that we have not left the APC.

    “We are very much here, standing tall, standing proud, and standing firm within the party that we helped to found through sweat, sacrifice, and patriotic commitment.

    “We remain part and parcel of the APC family.

    “We recall with pride how we in the CPC, in collaboration with other patriots in ACN, ANPP, APGA, DPP, and nPDP contributed enormously to the spirit of unity and national cohesion that led to the defeat of an incumbent government in 2015, and ushered in a new era under the leadership of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “It is this spirit of sacrifice, patriotism, and commitment to Nigeria’s future that guides our every action,” he said.

    Al-Makura said though there are economic challenges, “we believe that now more than ever, we must remain steadfast, patient, and supportive”.

    “We commend the bold steps taken by President Tinubu and we urge Nigerians to trust the process, knowing that the foundation being laid today will lead to a more prosperous and secure future,” he added.

  • Sokoto defunct CPC members cry marginalisation in state affairs

    Sokoto defunct CPC members cry marginalisation in state affairs

    MEMBERS of the Sokoto state chapter of the defunct  Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Saturday regrouped to lament over alleged total marginalisation  from affairs of governance and appointments by the Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal led administration in the state.

    They unanimously appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene by requesting the presidential panel to mediate in the matter with a view to addressing the problems.

    Similarly, they accused the current government in the state for metting gross injustice ranging from victimization as well as subjecting them to various criminal abuses.

    Addressing a press conference in Sokoto, the Convener, Professor Muhammad Lawal Bashir said after their painstaking sacrifices in the electoral processes that saw to the victory of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) both in the state and at the centre, they were side lined.

    Bashir maintained that after the electoral victory, the PDP decampees under the leadership of Governor Tambuwal formed the government  without any one of our members. They have extricated themselves from all the merger agreements.

    ” Out of the sixty nine elected offices, none has been given to us from the office of the Governor to councils chairmen.

    ” Also, out of eighty eight political appointments, only one is given to CPC even though, he was a former member of the PDP who decamped to CPC after loosing relevance in the party at that time”, he pointed out.”

    The group however, applauded the move by the President for recognising the exigency to appoint a mediator to finetune and salvage the ruling APC from imminent disintegration and utumate collapse.

    ” We acknowledge and express our support and joy for a mediator in the person of our National party Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed  Tinubu to assist in salvaging our great party, the All Progressives Congress from imminent disintegration and ultimate collapse”, the convener said.

  • Committee identifies communication breakdown as reason for Kogi APC crisis

    Committee identifies communication breakdown as reason for Kogi APC crisis

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Fact-Finding and Reconciliation Committee on Kogi Crisis has blamed acrimony in the state’s chapter on communication breakdown.

    It said that the hitch in communication engendered the ruptured relationship among the party in the state, the government and the governor.

    Chairman of the committee, Chief Tony Momoh, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while speaking with newsmen after submitting the committee`s report to the party`s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    He said that while the committee`s assignment lasted, it met three times with Gov. Yahaya Bello because the bulk of the issues; “ really stopped on his desk“.

    Momoh added that the committee also met with members of the House of Assembly and other relevant stakeholders in the state.

    He said that while everybody in the state accepted that Bello was its chief executive, issues on his style of governance were raised.

    According to him, lots of people testified on what the governor was alleged to have done.

    “We came to the conclusion that the problem of Kogi is absent of communication, miscommunication or even inadequate communication.

    “There was breakdown of communication and everybody was singing his own song and telling his own story, “ the Momoh said.

    He added that while the committee pleaded with all aggrieved party members in the state to be calm, it ensured that everybody that had a case was heard.

    He, however, said that while most aggrieved party members had their grouse against the governor, he also came up with his own defence.

    Momoh said that some of the identified problems in the state were skewed appointment against the party, non-payment of workers’ salaries and political reconciliation with late Abubakar Audu and James Faleki’s group.

    He said the exclusive membership registration which the governor was said to be doing without relating to the party`s leadership was also identified as a problem.

    Momoh said that also identified was poor state’s House of Assembly relations, dictatorial governance and corruption allegations and not to give anti-party activities during the elections.

    The committee chairman said that the party`s national headquarters complicity and poor stakeholders` consultations was also identified as an issue.

    He stressed that all identified issues were comprehensively discussed, adding that the committed had submitted its recommendations to the party`s leadership for scrutiny.

    This, he said, included five pages of executive briefs which summarised the recommendations and 300 pages of presentations.

    He maintained that the recommendation was a win win consensus and would be acceptable by all parties.

    “I can assure you that the recommendations we gave will be acceptable to all parties.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Momoh, was the former National Peter Chairman of the dissolved Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    Members of the committee which was inaugurated on April 12, were earlier charged by the party`s leadership to carry on their personal prestige and integrity and undertake the assignment without fear or favour.

  • Strangers are feeding fat on Buhari’s govt – Defunct CPC members

    Strangers are feeding fat on Buhari’s govt – Defunct CPC members

    Members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 17 southern states under the auspices of the Southern Mandate Monday described members of the legacy parties that constituted the All Progressives Congress (APC) as strangers who do not share the same vision with President Muhammadu Buhari, but have hijacked the Buhari’s project which they are feeding fat on.

    The group said both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) contributed only about 2.8 million out of 15,424,921 votes secured by President Buhari to defeat former President Gooduck Jonathan who scored 12,853,162 votes.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja and signed by its National Coordinator  of Southern Mandate, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis however wants President Buhari to appoint either the former National Chairman of the defunct party, Prince Tony Momoh or Alhaji Buba Galadima as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    He said such an appointment would “right the wrong” created by the President’s decision to appoint “strangers” to fill vital position in his government, demanding an outright sack of the suspended Babachir Lawal as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    According to him, the suspended SGF should be sacked for having “penchant for corruption” contrary to the focus of the APC government, adding that the request was an opportunity for President Buhari to right the wrong “created in the appointment he has been making so far by replacing the SGF with Prince Tony Momoh or political workaholic Engr. Buba Galadima.”

    The statement read in part: “We core members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the seventeen southern states in Nigeria under the auspices of Southern Mandate wish to call on President Mohammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency to out rightly sack the suspended SGF BabaChir Lawal.

    “We have taken time to x-ray his antecedence our research reveals that he is very arrogant, mean and has no respect for constituted authority. His attitude towards our distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic is a clear demonstration of this fact and also he has no respect for democracy, therefore has no business benefitting from democratic institution. It becomes very exigent for Mr. President to sack him immediately and the anti-graft agency should persecute him without delay.”

    Speaking on why the President should appoint either Prince Tony Momoh of Engr Galadima as the next SGF, the group said: “These are men who led the defunct CPC to give the now President Mohammadu  Buhari over 12millions votes in 2011. This is the only way our President can say thank you to the core members of the defunct CPC.

    “The truth remains that the other political parties that merged and coalesced with CPC only 2.8millions votes in 2015. As far as we of the Southern Mandate is concerned, they added little or no value in the emergency of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “But suffice to mention here that, they who are strangers in Buhari’s project have hijacked the entire process and are feeding fat, while the people that make Buhari, a mass movement and a political hurricane are now feeding like an ant in a project we laid our lives for.

    “We wish to reiterate our earlier position that the key appointments Mr. President has made so far are occupied by strangers who do not share the same vision and mission of President Buhari for a better Nigeria. For instance the suspend SGF Babachir Lawal, came from the blues to occupy the all-important office of the SGF. We are therefore not surprised that he has a penchant for corruption.

    “Prince Tony Momoh and Engr. Buba Galadima are men of implacable character who are co-vision bearer with President Mohammadu Buhari. These men made a very strong foundation for President Buhari.

    “We are aware that Engr. Buba Galadima turned down three major juicy appointments from former President Olusegun Obasanjo we also have it on record that former President Goodluck Jonathan offered him FCT ministerial appointment and a cash offer of 2billion naira to abandoned Buhari’s project but blatantly refused the juicy offer.

    “On the other hand Prince Tony Momoh is Buhari’s personified who has sworn in many public fora that the day he will take bribe thunder will strike him dead. It is mind blowing that these men are not in Buhari’s cabinet today.”

     

  • Buhari congratulates veteran journalist Tony Momoh on 78th birthday

    Buhari congratulates veteran journalist Tony Momoh on 78th birthday

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated veteran journalist and former Minister of Information and Culture, Prince Tony Momoh, on his 78th birthday.

    Buhari, in a statement, joined Momoh’s professional and political colleagues, friends and family in celebrating the cerebral statesman.

    The statement was issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He noted that Momoh’s career in journalism, as an editor and administrator, covered some of the most dramatic and defining moments of Nigeria’s history.

    The president extolled the courage, versatility and nobility exuded by the former minister in making tough and selfless decisions for the benefit of the nation.

    He particularly saluted Momoh’s decision to serve with opposition parties like All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (APC) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in spite of all the odds.

    President Buhari recalled with delight, his many insightful encounters with the septuagenarian over the years, and said Momoh would be remembered for his unalloyed support for the truth.

    He prayed that God would grant the former minister longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve his community and the country.

    Momoh, born on April 27, 1939 in Auchi, Edo, served as Minister of Information and Culture between 1986 and 1990, during the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

  • Defunct CPC members reject Tony Momoh’s appointment

    Defunct CPC members reject Tony Momoh’s appointment

    Members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the legacy parties that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Monday described the appointment of the former Chairman of the party, Prince Tony Momoh as an insult to them.

    Reacting to the appointment of Prince Tony Momoh as Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Jos, the defunct CPC members said they were not in agreement with the appointment, pointing out that the appointment was not befitting of the caliber of the former Minister.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on behalf of other defunct CPC members in 17 states of the southern region, National coordinator of Southern Mandate, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis said the appointment “does not befit our former National Chairman of CPC and therefore we reject it in totality.”

    The statement reads: “We, members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the seventeen states of the southern region in Nigeria under the auspices of southern mandate wish to express our dismay over the appointment given to Prince Tony Momoh as the chairman Governing Council of the University of Jos.

    “We want to state categorically that the appointment does not befit our former National Chairman of CPC and therefore we reject it in totality. Prince Tony Momoh today in the ruling APC has gone far, over and above “for himself alone” he should be given an Office or position that can empower his teaming followers and supporters across the country.

    “In fact Mr. President is marginalising the core former CPC members in his appointment. As we speak now, how many of the founding NEC, state chairmen, and leaders of the former CPC are in his appointment?

    “We doubt if there is any. Imagine up till now, the likes of Engr. Buba Galadima, Sule Harmma, Sen. Rufai Hangai and host of others are not in his cabinet today. These are men who made prominent TBO (the Buhari Organization) even all of them that is acclaimed to be CPC members in FEC today are not core CPC members, but they are decampees.

    “We wonder why organizations like NPA, TETFUND, NDDC should be given to strangers who were not there when we were building and labouring? We have worked for Mr. President like an elephant but today we are eating like an ant which negates the saying that a child whose mother is in kitchen cannot be said to be hungry.

    “Even if it is Prince Tony Momoh that made this choice of appointment, it is not acceptable to us as well. We understand his aged but he should have considered that he can no longer take a position for himself alone or are they asking all of us to start seeking admission in the University of Jos? What is in Governing Council of a University?”

    They asked President President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit and ensure that Chief Momoh is given “a viable office we can always run to or he should not accept anyone in the first instance.

    “The truth is that Mr. President is starving those that have labored for him in four consecutive elections. Imagine two years into his administration nothing to show for it, in terms of empowerment to core former CPC members. To say that we are hungry and angry is an understatement. If the way Mr. President is going about the empowerment of members of his party, then Politics is not worth playing.”

     

  • Change for good takes time, Bakare pleads with Nigerians

    Change for good takes time, Bakare pleads with Nigerians

    ….Urges Nigerians to be patient with Buhari

    The General Overseer of the Later Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare on Friday urged Nigerians to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari as he steers the ship of state.

    According to him, any change for good normally takes time.

    Bakare, who was the running mate to Buhari during the 2011 Presidential Election under the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), spoke with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He met behind closed doors with President Buhari for about fourty five minutes.

    Bakare said: “I will like to appeal to all Nigerians that we should just excise a bit of patience. This change will not become chain that will tie all of us down. Change for good takes time and we should just exercise a little bit more of patience.

    “We trust that government is listening and the leaders are listening too and they will respond to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.” He added

    Speaking further on the change agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bakare said: “When you are driving on a wrong direction, for example, you are going to Ibadan and you face Badagry and you get to Cotonu and you realize you have gone in the wrong direction for too long a time, then you turn back and make a U-turn, there will be some suffering you have to go through.

    “Pain is part of gain. No pain, no gain. The years of wastage and all that we have done wrong has finally caught up with us. All we are praying for is wisdom for this government to do things right and to do the right things. So that gradually, we can begin to come out of the woods,” he said.

    He said that it is too early to begin to judge the performance of the administration.

    “If there is anything I know about Mr. President, it is that he has a good heart. He loves this country and he wants the country to run well. But it takes time. I know we are all impatient and in a hurry and I trust we will come out of the woods.” He added

    Bakare declined to speak on the Budget padding controversy at the National Assembly, stressing that he is still studying the allegations.

    “I just return to the country last Friday. I am reading about it. I will make my decision when I have checked both sides. And I will definitely speak on that,” he said.

    When asked if the time has not come for the President to carry out cabinet reshufflement,  he said that it is left for the President to take the decision anytime he wants.

    “He knows what he has given them. For example, I have not given any appointment to anyone so I can’t judge their performance. But if there are yardsticks and standards given to them and if they have performed below par, definitely, the president would not mind at the right time to do those things.”

    On why he visited the Villa, he said: “I came to see the President and he is doing very well health wise. That’s all I came to do.”