The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CUPP

  • We won’t challenge Kano rerun elections, says CUPP

    A coalition of 42 registered political parties in Kano State, under the aegis of coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has dissociated itself from reports that it had concluded plans to challenge the victory of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the just concluded supplementary election before the tribunal.

    Reports had it that the 42 political parties vowed to challenge the victory of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in the tribunal.

    CUPP, who paid a solidarity and congratulatory visit to the Kano State governor-elect, led by its chairman, Alhaji Isah Nuhu Isah, expressed disgust over a purported news conference, held on Monday 25th March, 2019 , where it was reported that the coalition condemned the entire process due to alleged electoral irregularities.

    Isah who is also the chairman, lnter party advisory council (IPAC),with 72 members, described the position of the coalition as unacceptable, pointing out that ” CUPP has distanced itself from such claims.”

    “CUPP was shocked and perplexed to read the contents of the news conference discrediting the whole conduct of the process, security agencies, INEC and worst still the declaration to challenge the outcome of the exercise.

    “We in CUPP comprising the representatives of the 42 political parties in the coalition, and joined by the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), categorically disowned and disassociate the coalition from the sham press conference as well as condemn it in its entirety as it does not reflect our true assessment of the election,”

    Isah also explained that the coalition were dismayed by the action of the conveners of the news conference for using the coalition to express personal and untoward views for whatever reasons and influence under the guise of CUPP.

    He noted that the coalition monitored the supplementary election in Kano and in all sincerity believed it to be free, fair and peaceful, but acknowledged that there were pockets of violence in some polling units which scale and magnitude were indeed insignificant to warrant any call and agitation for cancellation of the election or legal redress at the tribunal.

    In his remarks, governor Ganduje wondered why only the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) faulted the re-run election while it was not the only party that participated, as clearly shown by these 42 political parties who were also fully involved in the process.

    “Why is PDP crying more than the berieved, are they hiding some mischievous anti-Kano mission?”

    Ganduje promised run an all-inclusive government, which would be anchored on government of unity, where members of other political parties will be embrace to participate in the cabinet to develop Kano state.

  • CUPP demands removal of Bayelsa REC

    The Coalition of United Political Parties, (CUPP) and Inter Party Advisory Council, (IPAC) in Bayelsa State on Wednesday demanded the redeployment of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Monday Udoh

    The parties alleged an “unholy alliance” between the REC and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the groups said they had lost confidence in the ability of the REC to conduct free and fair elections on Saturday following the outcome of the last presidential and National Assembly polls.

    Chairman of CUPP,  Mr. Tari Edwin said the parties would no longer tolerate manipulation of future elections in the state.

    He said: ‘We will not tolerate any manipulation this time around .There is an unholy alliance between the REC and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in the state to undermine the forthcoming state assembly elections.

    “We are calling  on the National INEC to immediately redeploy the state REC due to his poor handling of the last presidential and National Assembly elections where elections materials were stolen under his supervision.

    “We don’t see a reason why he should be conducting this Saturday elections. In the last elections you are all aware that materials were hijacked and carted away by thugs.

    “A total of 63 card readers were stolen during the exercise in different parts of the state namely Brass 1, Nembe 23, Sagbama 8, Southern Ijaw 24, and Yenagoa 6 council.

    Read Also: 63 card readers missing in Bayelsa, says INEC

    “The law stipulates that card readers must be used during the elections but here where card readers were carted away and elections did not take place results were announced.

    Also speaking, the state IPAC chairman, Mr.  Eneye Zidougha insisted that they had lost confidence in the state umpire.

    “Another election is about to be conducted, we don’t have confidence in the REC anymore. There is connivance between security personnel and INEC officials’, he said.

     

  • CUPP alleges plots to topple leadership of N/Assembly

    The Coalition for United Political Parties (CUPP) has alleged plots to forcefully effect a change in the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly.

    The CUPP, at a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, said the alleged plot, which is slated for execution on Tuesday, had received the nod of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Spokesman for the CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere told journalists that available information indicated that some All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the two chambers have been mobilised to executive the plot.

    Recall that the leadership of the Senate had invited members to reconvene on Tuesday to deliberate and take positions on the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    The CUPP spokesman further stated that Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan is being primed to take over frm Dr Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate.

    According to the CUPP, the plot will also see Senator Hope Uzodinma taking over from Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President, while Senator Godswill Akpabio will become Senate Majority Leader.

    The Coalition said, part of the plot is to replace Mr. Yakubu Dogara with Mr Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the House of Representatives, while Mr. Abdulmumini Jibril will be made to replace Mr Lasun Yusuf as Deputy Speaker.

    President Buhari had, on Friday, suspended Justice Onnoghen, following advice from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The President had since sworn-in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed as Acting CJN.

    Ugochinyere said, “The APC led Federal Government are of the firm belief that Tuesday is their best and last chance to effect the changes as their control of the judiciary will be put to use to ensure there is no reversal of justice for the present occupants.

    “The APC is ready to do whatever and destroy the very fulcrum of our constitutional democracy on Tuesday and have vowed, it is tomorrow or never.

    “The judicial coup, which they believed was supposed to be more difficult, went very easily beyond their imagination hence the need to complete the takeover of the National Assembly immediately so that the distraction of the election campaigns will be put to use.

    “They have also resolved that the government will make some big positive announcements tomorrow being Monday, 28th January so as to deflect the minds of Nigerians”.

    The CUPP identified some serving APC senators and members of the House of Representatives as arrowheads of the alleged plot.

    Continuing, Ugochinyere said, “Nigerians are hereby put on notice that these coupists are plotting that Sen. Saraki, the Senate President, Sen Ike Ekweremmadu the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ben Bruce and Sen. Sen. Dino Melaye, Biodun Olujimi, Hon. Dogara, Kingsley Chinda, Nnena Ukeje among others would be stopped by security agents from gaining entry into the National Assembly.

    “Thugs have been mobilized from Plateau, Kwara and Kogi to mount protest at the gates of the National Assembly and have the approval to attack and disperse any group that come to hold a counter rally.

    “Nigerians have been sleeping too much and not keeping vigilance. We hereby reiterate our call; If you are sleeping- wake up! If you are eating – stop! If you are playing – stop!

    “The political barbarians are knocking on the last door of constitutional governance and democratic rule and are willing to knock it down if we do not resist them.

    “This was how Hitler started! He burnt down the parliament and we all know the tyrant that was born afterwards. Nigerians be vigilant, many citizens paid the supreme price to win our democracy which President Buhari and his Buccaneers want to destroy.

    “We shall stand shoulder to shoulder with all men of good will till we overcome. They claim they have taken over the Media!
    They claim they have taken over the judiciary!
    They claim they have taken over the INEC!
    They claim they are now taking over the Legislature!

    “But alas!!! They have not taken over the Nigerian people, our collective will and our renowned resilience to push back evil out of our land! Freedom comes by struggle!”.

  • CUPP sues Buhari, PSC over IGP’s tenure

    The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has sued President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, over the move to extend the tenure of the IGP.

    Also taken to an Abuja High Court are the Nigeria Police Council and Police Service Commission (PSC).

    In the suit filed on their behalf by Messrs. Obed O. Agu, the plaintiffs, is seeking an interpretation of Section 215 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Public Service Rule 020810.

    They want the court to determine whether by the mandatory provision of the sections, an IGP shall only be appointed from among serving members of the police and whether any person or an officer who has attained 60 years or 35 years in service cannot be deemed to be serving member of the force.

    Addressing a news conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital yesterday, over the purported moves to extend IGP’s tenure, CUPP’s First National spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Kenneth Udeze, said the IGP, who will be 60 years on January 15, 2019, having been born January 15, 1959,  is not eligible for extension  and any attempts to do so would contravene relevant sections of the constitution.

    The CUPP said that moves to extend IG’s appointment after retirement is a desperate effort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to politicise the Police Force.

    The Coalition expressed fears that the fact that the IGP had not commenced necessary procedures prior to retirement had further confirmed their suspicion.

    It accused some APC chieftains of being behind the plot to extend IGP’s tenure, adding that the 2019 election is a straight contest between Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)/Coalition candidate, which APC feared it could lose.

    Calling on the President to direct Idris to proceed on terminal leave, and commence his mandatory one month pre-retirement workshop/training, APP and CUPP gave the respondents 30 days to reply to the summons.

  • ‘ADC stands with CUPP on Atiku’

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reiterated its support for the decision of the Coalition of United Political Parties to endorse the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as its joint candidate.

    The National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralphs Nwosu, who disclosed this during a Fund Raising Dinner/First Annual Global Handshake Awards, in Abuja, said ADC’s main priority was the wellbeing of Nigeria.

    He said as a party with integrity, ADC would always abide with the provisions of the CUPP Memorandum of Understanding. He assured members, stakeholders and supporters that all grey areas would be addressed to ensure that all ADC votes were protected in the National Assembly and other elections.

    Nwosu maintained that ADC’s 115 sitting legislators at the state and federal levels and others contesting election at different levels would defeat the ruling and other parties in 2019.

    On the fate of the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, the National Chairman explained that all presidential aspirants had been properly briefed before the primary on the decision of the party to adhere strictly to the provisions of the CUPP MoU.

    He added: “Our presidential aspirants were properly briefed before and during the screening exercise for the primary. We made it clear to them that they, and presidential candidates of other member parties would have to go into the CUPP basket from where the best would emerge, based on consensus. We made it clear that the party would uphold the decision of CUPP even if they eventually did not make it, because our first priority is to deliver the nation from the hands of the ruling party, and no one can do it alone,” he said.

    “Since our guide, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has adopted ADC and played a critical role in the formation of CUPP, we have decided that we will follow the directions given by the Coalition team because we believe they are people of integrity. Our candidate will also respect that decision,” Nwosu added.

    The Deputy National Chairman, Strategy, Innovation, and Change, Dr. Chike Okogwu, said: “The ruling government has failed the nation, especially in the management of our economy. How can the Federal Government earn about N8.4 trillion but spend N6.4 trillion on fuel importation, thus needing to borrow money to pay salaries and provide unsustainable infrastructure projects?

    “The candidate of CUPP will ensure local governments in Nigeria go into generating 30MW of power from either of solar, wind, hydro, gas, coal, and waste dumpsites, among others. Improved power generation will drive innovation and industrialisation.”

    According to the chairman, ADC currently has over five million card-carrying members across all the states of the federation.

    He said that the fund raising dinner and awards ceremony was to garner support and evolve a people-oriented party that would effectively respond to the quest for best political leadership that would lead to the realisation of the aspirations of the founding fathers of the country.

    ‘We are a members-driven party that gives priority to participation of members in the decision making process. Through our different strategies, we have been able to achieve a membership base of over five million due-paying members,” he said.

    While commending the Zonal and State executive officers of the party’s commitment to the growth and advancement of ADC, he said, “Within four months, ADC grew from having only one Bayelsa State House of Assembly member to having over 115 elected political office holders.”

    He said the party had five elected Senators, 18 members of the House of Representatives, and several members of the states’ assembly, spread across the country.

    “It will interest Nigerians to know that in Oyo State alone, ADC has more members in the State House of Assembly than any other party,” he noted.

     

  • CUPP adopts Atiku

    The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has adopted the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as sole presidential candidate for the February 16, 2019 election.

    According to CUPP, 46 political parties in the coalition, including Social Democratic Party (SDP), adopted the candidature of Abubakar, adding that nine criteria were used to arrive at the decision.

    The CUPP also dismissed the prediction by a London based magazine, The Economist, that the coalition would collapse before the election and that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 election.

    Speaking in Abuja yesterday on how it arrived at its decision, Chairman of the CUPP National Steering Committee Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola said: “The steering committee invited all political parties in the coalition to forward to us memoranda detailing their suggested ideas on how the candidate of the coalition should emerge and the criteria to use.

    “The response was very impressive and rich. The steering committee, which as you all know has every coalition party represented in it, distilled the suggestions, the aggregate of which was used to arrive at the result.

    “After a painstaking assessment of what we have across the coalition parties and after processing the candidates’ suitability using these criteria, the steering committee hereby submits that a former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is the best and his the most virile of all the options before us.

    “We therefore chose him as the CUPP candidate for the 2019 Presidential election.”

    Speaking on the importance of adopting a candidate and working together, CUPP said if it had formed a formidable force, it would have been difficult for the ruling party to win the governorship election in Osun State.

    He also urged the coalition not to disappoint millions of Nigerians, who he said, were looking up to them for deliverance.

    On the number of parties that signed the MoU and whether SDP was involved in the decision-making, he said: “SDP did submit the forms given to every presidential candidate for the selection committee to appraise. They were even part of the people that drafted the memo if I may go any further. So, SDP were part and parcel of this decision. On the steering committee, SDP was represented from the beginning to the end by Professor Adeniran and by this decision, we mean all the presidential candidates under this coalition will withdraw for Atiku.

    “We started with 39 and other parties have requested to join and as of today, we are talking of 46 with other applications being considered.”

    On the prediction by The Economist magazine that President Buhari would emerge as winner in the 2019 election and that the coalition would collapse before 2019, he said: “From what is happening today, do you see any sign of collapsing on the part of the coalition? The Economist will be surprised.”

  • Osun rerun: INEC describes CUPP allegation as baseless

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described as irresponsible and baseless, the allegation that uncollected Permanent Voter Cards were being released ahead of the Osun State Governorship rerun election.

    Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman dismissed the allegation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    Oyekanmi asked the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), which made the allegation, to provide the proof.

    “It is highly irresponsible of the CUPP to make a wild, unsubstantiated allegation such as this at this time.

    “What exactly is their motive? The media should ask the CUPP to provide concrete proof about this allegation.

    “INEC has conducted 191 different types of elections, including six governorship elections since 2015.

    “If the Commission did not manipulate any of these elections, why will it do so now with the Osun Governorship election?

    “The CUPP is advised to engage in patriotic actions rather than sowing discord at a time like this.”

    The CUPP in a statement issued by its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere alleged that credible intelligence revealed that
    some INEC officers were releasing uncollected PVC to the desperate politicians in Osun to use imported voters to vote at the rerun.

    Ugochinyere also alleged that a senior INEC staff had refused to release the official list of people who have collected PVC’s at the seven polling units where rerun election would be held.

    “We have it on good authority that less than 1000 registered voters have collected PVC’s out of the 3,498.

    “This means that less than 1000 persons are to participate in the actual voting. We demand that INEC immediately release this list.”

    He added that the plot was part of a move to use incidence form to vote knowing that the finger prints of those with the hijacked uncollected PVC can’t be read by the Smart Card Reader.(NAN)

  • Ex-Ondo CJ, Kumuyi joins LP

    A former Ondo State Chief Judge, Chief Olasehinde Kumuyi has formally joined the Labour Party (LP)as one of political admirers of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    He said the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) including the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), LP and Social Democratic Party(PDP) is one of the major strategies to unseat the ruling APC during the 2019 general election.

    At a political meeting in his home town, Ogbagi-Akoko, Kumuyi who retired in 2017, noted that the coalition would only work if selfish political gladiators dropped their unnecessary ambitions for national interest.

    The former CJ now a traditional Chief in his community said he joined politics on the MP’s platform after his retirement in order to rescue the downtrodden and to facilitate development to Akoko area of the state.

    According to him,the area is the most marginalised and backward part of Ondo state.

    Kumuyi who noted that over 1500 PDP and APC stalwarts including a PDP House of Assembly Aspirant for Akoko Northwest Constituency-2, Oyebode Awe had defected to the LP in Akoko North West local government area, noting that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s administration had failed to live up to expectations.

    He said “Nobody will come from another place to rescue our area that has been neglected, see roads in Akoko, that is why am now going into politics on the labour party platform to give our people better direction”.

    Kumuyi said no single political party can defeat APC in 2019, stressing that the idea of coalition by major opposition parties is very good for our democracy.

    The former CJ who however said he had no immediate plan to contest political office, explained that marginalisation of the four local government areas in Akokoland in terms of deplorable condition of roads and other social services, informed his decision to venture into politics.

    Former governor Olusegun Mimiko represented by his ex-deputy, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo described revival of the LP in the state as a major step towards restoring the lost glory of Ondo state.

  • CUPP: Old wine, new bottle

    SIR: In Nigeria, alliance politics is a historical staple. In the 1960s, the NCNC and NPC forged an alliance to stabilise the newly independent country.  But the marriage segued from harmony to divorce.

    The skirmishes among the political parties – NCNC, NPC and AG – heightened the political temperature of the country to a frightening degree, and eventually the military struck in 1966.

    In 1979 (Second Republic), NPN (Shehu Shagari’s party) entered into a relationship of “convenient necessity” with NPP (Nnamdi Azikiwe’s party). The reason for the entente was so that the executive could get bills passed by the National Assembly, where there was vicious opposition.

    But corruption brought an end to the union. In 1981, members of both parties went for each other’s throats over access to government’s largesse. The military struck two years later.

    In 2013, AD, CPC, ANPP and ‘nPDP’ emulsified into APC.  But a few years after the marriage, the party cannot keep its broomsticks together. The marriage was one of convenience; simply contracted for the sake of taking over power.

    Now, it is obvious that the APC polygamous marriage was just for political expediency and not for delivering quality governance to Nigerians.

    We are back to where we were in 2013 with a new union of kindred political parties – Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

    I will not write off the coalition yet because Nigeria deserves good governance and a better alternative at this point. The country is in an intensive care unit and needs urgent surgery.

    But my only issue with the coalition is that it is an erratic response to a pungent malady. Obviously, the throbbing aim of the coalition is to take over power from the APC. No programme, plan or agenda of how to deliver good governance to Nigerians. After taking over power what next? Are we going to return to an era of excuses and arrogant incompetence? And of ‘we are not performing because APC wasted four years?’

    Nigeria needs a doctor. But we should not in a hurry take this patient to a Babalawo.

    Again, I will not write off the coalition just yet, but I hope the 32 parties in the alliance will begin to show singularity in the agenda of how they will rescue Nigeria.

     

    • Fredrick Nwabufo, <fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com>.

  • ‘CUPP won’t render smaller parties irrelevant’

    National Chairman, Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, on Tuesday, said coming together of political parties to form coalition ahead of 2019 elections would not render smaller ones useless.

    Abdulsalam told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview in Abuja that every party in the alliance would maintain its identity.

    Thirty-nine political parties under the aegis of Coalition of Political Parties (CUPP) on Monday formed an alliance to synergise and oust President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 election.

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is acting as the rallying point for the alliance, which includes Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), a group that pulled out of APC.

    The Labour Party is among the political parties that entered into the coalition.

    In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by all the parties in the alliance in Abuja, they also resolved to have common candidates for other elections in the 2019 polls.

    The coalition also promised to form a government of national unity and usher in a well-structured economic and fiscal federalism.

    The LP chairman said that there was no plan by all the parties involved to dissolve into any other party, hence, the issue of making smaller parties irrelevant, especially at the state level, would not arise.

    ”Go and read the MoU, nobody is dissolving into any other political party.

    ”Our intention is one – the presidency,” he said.

    He said CUPP was formed with the sole aim of rescuing Nigeria from its present state.

    ”Nigerians should be assured that the people of goodwill are coming together now to salvage the situation from the way it is,” he said.

    Abdulsalam explained that the coming together of the parties differed from what took place prior to 2015 elections when the APC was formed.

    “”This one is totally different. That one was merger, this one is not merger.

    ”Why it will be different is that all of us who are coming together now have the basic interest at heart and we cut across every segment of Nigerian society,” he said.
    Abdulsama said: ”The coalition is meant for the Presidency and not for any other position.

    ”Now Nigerians are suffering from poverty, penury and want. People can no longer feed themselves, children can no longer go to schools; hospitals are no longer functional.

    ”So, the change which APC said they are bringing to Nigeria, we have not been able to see it.

    “The important thing now for us is to ensure that the centre is no longer what it is now.”