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Tag: Hamzat

  • $5m bribe claim: Hamzat lied against me, says Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied offering Lagos State governorship running mate Obafemi Hamzat $5 million bribe in the run-up to the general elections in 2015.

    Dr. Jonathan’s denial was contained in a statement in Abuja yesterday by his spokesman Ikechukwu Eze.

    According to him, he and Hamzat, who slugged it out for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the primary, before, during and after the 2015 elections.

    Hamzat was quoted as saying at the launch of the Sanwo-Olu – Amzat Advocates in Lagos that he rejected Jonathan’s $5 million offer in 2015, explaining that he took the decision for posterity.

    But Jonathan said through his aide that no such thing transpired between him and and former Lagos State Commissioner for Works & Infrstructure.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a claim by the running mate to the APC governorship candidate, Mr.  Obafemi Hamzat, that he rejected a $5 million bribe from former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 elections.

    “There is no better way to respond to this frivolous claim than to quickly dismiss it as a blatant lie apparently concocted by a wannabe politician desperate for votes in a campaign season.

    “In the first place, this character is an obscure individual who in 2015 had neither a recognisable name nor political clout.

    “The point has to be clearly made that former President Jonathan has never met this man who was obviously not relevant in the national politics of 2015, let alone seek to offer him bribe.

    “If the former President did not offer anyone bribe, having clearly acquitted himself as a man who does not believe in desperate politics, how on earth could he have sought to compromise an individual he didn’t even know and who obviously had no means of helping him politically?

    “Assuming anybody had $5 million dollars to spend to better his political fortune as Mr. Hamzat claimed, why seek to waste it on man who was just a commissioner prior to 2015…?”

  • $5m bribe claim: Hamzat lied against me, says Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied the allegation that he offered Mr.  Obafemi Hamzat $5 million bribe during the 2015 general elections.

    He denied the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze.

    According to him, he has never met Hamzat in the period to or during the 2015 elections.

    The statement reads  “Our attention has been drawn to a claim by the  running mate to the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr.  Obafemi Hamzat, that he rejected a $5million bribe from former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 elections.

    “There is no better way to respond to this frivolous claim  than to quickly dismiss it as a blatant lie apparently concocted by a wannabe politician desperate for votes in a campaign  season.

    “In the first place this character is an obscure individual who in 2015 had neither a recognizable name nor political clout.  The point has to be clearly made that former President Jonathan has never met this man who was obviously not relevant in the national politics of 2015, let alone seek to offer him bribe.

    “If the former President did not offer anyone bribe, having clearly acquitted himself as a man who does not believe in desperate politics,  how on earth could he have sought to compromise an individual he didn’t even know and who obviously had no means of helping him politically?

    “Assuming anybody had $5 million dollars to spend to better his political fortune as Mr.  Hamzat claimed, why seek to waste it on man who was just a commissioner prior to 2015, and whose best outing so far is to function as a hand-picked  running mate to a governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2019 elections?” He said

    He added “His is obviously the antics of a desperate and dishonest politician seeking to apply subterfuge and outright lies,  believing that such could boost his lowly image,  win him public sympathy and possibly, votes.

    “It is the action of people like Hamzat that conjures up in the minds of Nigerians the Biblical  ‘Mark of the Beast’ to the effect that to be accepted in his party, one must be adept at telling lies.”

    Stressing that if this is how Mr. Hamzat wished to anchor his own political doctrine on lies and name dropping, he said that he should be reminded that those who follow the route do not go far either in politics or personal growth.

    “This definitely should not be  the character and colour of a person who wants to become a governor or deputy governor of a state,  lest we lose all hope in the expectation that we have all it takes to rescue our country from the bleak future that stares it in the face.

    “What we know about liars is that they always leave a loose end which readily exposes them for who they are.  Otherwise, Mr. Hamzat should have been bold enough to tell Nigerians where the money was presented to him and in whose presence the offer was made.

    “We have always made the point that there should be a limit to these lies,  if we must make progress as a democratic nation. Nigerians are not fools. It is high time those in positions of responsibility stopped running this country on lies,” he said.

  • I rejected Jonathan’s $5m offer in 2015 -Hamzat

    The All Progressives Congress Deputy Governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has disclosed that he rejected $5million alleged bribe from former President Goodluck Jonathan during the electioneering campaign in 2015.

    He made the disclosure at the launch of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat Advocates held on Friday at Fidimaye Hall, Oko-Oba, Abule-Egba, Lagos.

    The event had over 1000 APC members and party chieftains who came him in from around Alimosho, Agege, Agbado-Ijaye, and its environs.

    He said that in 2014, “I contested with the current Governor, Akinwumi Ambode for the Governorship ticket of the party and as we all know how it went, the then President Goodluck Jonathan offered me bribe of $5miillion and I refused it. Some of you here are my witness, I mean some of you that were sent, are here to testify. I refused because I was thinking about the future and I don’t want to spoil my name. Let us remain calm, our turn will come.”

    Hamzat appealed to party faithful who are aggrieved to work for the interest of the party because their time will come.

    “Our work as Nigerians is simple and our campaign will be very easy because PDP destroyed this country for 16 years. They spent N1.7trillion on power for 16 years and they were unable to give the country just 2,950 megawatts.”

    Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works, Lagos State, added, “In the last three years, I worked as a Special Adviser Technical to the Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, we travelled round the 36 states by road, the opposition party has spoiled this country because since 1999 to 2015, federal government did not finish any road project except the Lagos- Abeokuta road.”

    He posited that the present administration inherited 206 road projects that were incomplete, whereas the present administration has completed 84 in three years.

    He said that between 1999 to 2015, the country spent N1.7, trillion on power sector which is the budget of 11 states and imported 900 containers which were abandoned at the port for three years.

    He lauded the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his foresight saying, “In 1999, when Asiwaju became Governor, Lagos State was a pariah state, it could only generate N600million monthly and the salary of civil servants was N1.2billion and they have to borrow to pay salaries but today the state is generating close to N35billion monthly.”

    He said some people worked to make this possible, adding that successive administrations in the state have worked to improve the state’s internally generated revenue.

    According to him, “Our party (APC) will make Nigeria great, the party is making Lagos a better place and is poised to do more to make Lagos progress to the next level.”

     

  • Ambode endorses Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat ticket

    He said the duo was prepared to take on the task of moving the State to greater heights.

    The Governor, who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting at the State secretariat of the party on Acme Road in Ogba, raised the hands of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat before scores of party leaders and faithful and wished them well in the March 2, 2019 election.

    “As we are looking forward to February 16, 2019, we know it is the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket that the whole of Lagos will vote for.

    “As we proceed two weeks after on March 2, we also declare that it is the Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat ticket that will come to take over from me by the special grace of God.

    “I pray for them and bless them that they will take over from me successfully in good health and in good spirit,” he said.

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    He urged those still aggrieved with the fallout of the primaries of the party to follow his example and accept the party’s supremacy.

    “The first thing I want to say is to appeal to all our party members who, in one way or the other, have been wronged or aggrieved that they should find a place in their hearts to let it just be the same way that I have accepted the greatness of the party.

    “I want us to know that the party is supreme to all our individual interests because it has the common good for all of us and we must find a place in our hearts to let the party reign supreme,” he said.

    The Governor also appealed to the leadership of the party to go a step further by looking for avenues to compensate aggrieved aspirants, saying such was necessary to spur them to work for the party and also move the party forward.

  • We will sustain Employment Trust Fund, says Hamzat

    Deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has said the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, if elected, will sustain and expand the state’s Employment Trust Fund which the current administration initiated.

    Hamzat said the Security Trust Fund (STF) initiative will form part of the focal areas of preference, if the APC continues the next dispensation in Lagos State.

    Hamzat spoke at the weekend in a live programme on Television Continental (TVC) in response to questions and comments by callers during the programme.

    The APC chieftain, who emphasised the importance his party attaches to infrastructural development, promised that if it wins next election, security, employment, provision of social amenities will be top on the agenda of the government.

    Hamzat said: “Coincidentally, our candidate and I understand the enormity of challenges ahead of us, and providentially, both of us have the experience and understanding of what will make our slogan ‘For a Greater Lagos’ a reality.

  • Why I chose Hamzat as my running mate — Sanwo-Olu

    The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Lagos State, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday said he chose Dr Obafemi Hamzat as his running mate because he would make a capable deputy.
    Sanwo-Olu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Hamzat is a man with high level of knowledge and skills that would help make the difference in the state.
    ”Femi and I, we have been friends for well over 15 years. I know his strength and I know he is a capable man, and I know he is a competent individual.
    ”I know his pedigree, the value, the level of integrity, knowledge and skills that he has.
    ”I’m not in any doubt that he would not only be a strong supporter of my campaign and programne, but he will be a capable deputy that will help make a difference in Lagos.
    ”It is two good hands in the narrative of Lagos State, ” he said. (NAN)

  • Lagos APC names Hamzat as Sanwo-Olu’s running mate

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday unveiled former Works Commissioner Obafemi Hamzat as running mate to its governorship candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    Describing the Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat ticket as a “super team,” state chairman Tunde Balogun described them as the pride of the state, adding that they would jointly and harmoniously work for the interest of the state.

    At a brief ceremony at the party secretariat along Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Balogun presented Hamzat, a technocrat-turned politician, to reporters, amid cheers by party leaders. The event was witnessed by Deputy Chairman Sunny Ajose, Vice Chairman (East District) Kaoli Olusanya, Secretary Dr. Wale Ahmed and Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe.

    The deputy governorship candidate, who holds a doctorate degree in Engineering, was until recently, Special Adviser to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.

    Balogun said: “The highest decision making body of the APC in Lagos State and all the stakeholders have endorsed Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat as running mate to our governorship candidate Babjide Sanwo-Olu.

    “After the endorsement, it is important for me to publicly and officially present Dr.Hamzat as running mate to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, our governorship candidate for the 2019 election. It is my delight and pleasure to present Dr. Hamzat.”

    Hailing the decision of the party leadership, Sanwo-Olu said: “It is heart warming and gratifying that the party has endorsed Dr. Hamzat as my running mate.”

    He described him as his “friend and brother” for two decades, adding that he is a man of intellect, knowledge and integrity.

    Sanwo-Olu stressed: “He is an ally, a confidant. Together, we will take Lagos to a greater height. He is a graduate from the University of Ibadan and he has worked in national and multi-national organisations in United States, Oando; and he has served as commissioner for science and technology, and works and infrastructure. He is a thorough technocrat and a politician. He has worked in the private sector; a fine gentlemen. Lagos will be better for it with him as my running mate.”

    Hamzat thanked Samwo-Olu and the party leadership for bestowing the honour on him, saying he is extremely gratified by their decision.

    Waxing philosophical, he said while human beings may have intentions, it is only God who can allow them to come to fruition. He promised to work for a better Lagos as running mate to the flag bearer.

    Hamzat said: “Lagos is dear to all of us. The survival of the black nations in the world revolves around Nigeria and Lagos is critical to Nigeria. The world is a global village. What is done in Lagos affects the world.”

    The running mate said Sanwo-Olu is fit to be governor, stressing that he is a man of integrity, capability and experience required for the job.

    He added: “I feel a sense of responsibility and honour to have been selected. We have the same chemistry. We understand the geography of Lagos. Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and myself understand what it takes to cook what Lagos will eat. We will take Lagos to the next level.

  • Lagos APC names Hamzat as Sanwo-Olu’s running mate

    The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday officially named Dr Obafemi Hamzat as the running mate of Mr Babajide Sanwoolu, its governorship candidate for the 2019 elections.

    The Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Tunde Balogun announced Hamzat’s choice at a news conference in Ikeja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that speculations about the choice of Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Works became rife after he stepped down for Sanwoolu shortly before the primary.

    Balogun said Hamzat was selected after wide consultations by the Apex decision making body of the party with other important stakeholders.

    He described Hamzat as a competent hand, saying the party had no doubt of the complementary role he would play in helping Sanwoolu move the state forward

    “The highest decision making body of APC together with all the relevant stakeholders of APC in Lagos State have endorsed Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat as the running mate to the candidate of APC in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    “After the endorsement, it is important for me to publicly and officially present Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat as the running mate of our candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the 2019 gubernatorial election in Lagos State,” he said.

    Sanwo-Olu, commended the choice of Hamzat as his running mate, expressing confidence that the former Commissioner would help realise a better Lagos.

    He said he had known Hamzat for years personally and professionally and that he could vouch for his competence and integrity to help deliver a better Lagos.

    “Dr Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat and I have been players in the same political matters for many years.

    “We have been friends and brothers for close to two decades and he is a man of deep intellectual knowledge. He is a man of high level of integrity.

    “He is competent and I know he is going to help greatly to deliver the Lagos of our dream. With a technocrat like Hamzat, we will take Lagos to the next level,” he said.

    In his acceptance speech, Hamzat thanked the party for choosing him and Sanwoolu to fly its flag in the elections.

    He said he and Sanwoolu knew what was required to deliver a better Lagos, promising to do his best if the party gets the mandate.

    “Lagos is dear to all of us and If Nigeria will be great, Lagos must be great. And as such the party decided to look for somebody who has the experience to run the state, in the person of Mr Sanwoolu.

    “We are now a global village and what we do in Lagos affects everywhere in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

    “So, I am very happy. I feel very happy and I feel a sense of responsibility that the party after sitting together, have selected me to be his running mate so that we can work together with our experience.

    “We have known each other for over 15 years professionally and personally. So, we have the chemistry and I dare say that we understand the geography of Lagos.

    “Mr Sanwo-Olu and I understand what it requires to cook what Lagosians desire. So, we promise to do our best to deliver the Lagos of our dream,” he said. (NAN)

  • Lagos APC: 36 lawmakers adopt Sanwo-olu, Hamzat steps down

    Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have adopted Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the candidate they will support in the coming governorship primaries of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to a statement by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Honourable (Princess) Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, the decision was taken at a Parliamentary meeting of the lawmakers which took place at Lateef Jakande auditorium on Saturday, a day before the governorship primaries of the party.

    The meeting was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa. 36 members were present out of the 40 members of the House and all of them endorsed the decision and duly signed the statement announcing the decision.

    Hons. Segun Olulade and Abiodun Tobun both from Epe constituencies 1&2, the same place as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode were absent including Hon. Sikiru Osinowo who is said to be outside the country.

    The lawmakers stated that they were in agreement with the leadership of the party and the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) which had earlier endorsed Sanwo-olu for the governorship ticket.

    “At the Parliamentary meeting held on 29th September, 2018 at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, members do hereby unanimously resolve to support the position of the Leadership of All Progressive Congress(APC) and the Governor’s Advisory Council(GAC) in Lagos State on the endorsement of Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu as the APC Gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 election.

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    The meeting was attended by 36 out of the 40 Honourable members in the House of Assembly.”

    In a similar development on Saturday, at a meeting held at the Ikoyi residence of Sanwo-Olu, Obafemi Hamzat the third aspirant in the tripartite governorship race, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat stepped down for Sanwo-Olu calling on his supporters to vote massively for Sanwo-Olu at tomorrow’s direct primaries which will take place all over the state.

    Hamzat described Sanwo-Olu as a man of integrity who is competent to handle serious business of governance.

  • Lagos: Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat challenge good for democracy, says APC chair

    •Salvador heads Assembly aspirants secrening panel

    THE excitement triggered by the emergence of two challengers to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket is good for internal democracy, party Chairman Tunde Balogun said yesterday.

    He spoke at the ACME Road, Lagos secretariat of the party during the inauguration of a seven-member panel to screen aspirants into the State House of Assembly ahead of the primary scheduled for October 4.

    Balogun said that the emergence of two former Commissioners – Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu (Establishment & Training) and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat (Works & Infrastructure) reflected the beauty of democracy.

    Assuring that the governorship candidate would be determined by party members at the primary, Balogun described the APC as a truly democratic party which had redefined governance in the state.

    He named Moshood Salvador as chairman of the panel to screen the aspirants.

    About 230 aspirants jostling for the state’s 40 assembly seats are to be screened by the committee.

    Salvador was, until recently, chairman of the Lagos chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He defected with members of the state executive to the APC.

    Other members of the screening panel are: former Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Pedro; former House of Representatives member Wale Oshun; a member of the Governor’s Advisory Committee (GAC), Dr. Yomi Finih and Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris.

    He told reporters after the closed-door inauguration that the setting up of the committee was in preparation for the state assembly primary.

    The committee, which, according to him, swings into action today, will conclude its job on Friday. It is to ensure that aspirants met the requirements to contest in the primary.

    Each of the members of the committee will chair a sub-committee with members to respond to the high number of aspirants.

    He said: “We have a large number of people who are to be screened to contest in the state House of Assembly primary.

    “We have 40 seats in the state and over 230 aspirants are to be screened.

    “This is a large number, and that is why each member of the committee is chairing a sub-committee to rise up to the challenge.

    “We are prepared for this enormous job, and and we are even expecting members from the national secretariat to do the work,” he said.

    He assured that the committee would carry out its responsibility without let or hindrance.

    On the inclusion of Salvador in the committee, Balogun said it reflected the party’s promise that all defectors would be treated equally like the others.

    The chairman said the APC would not renege on its promise to ensure new members were fully integrated.

    The ranks of APC in Lagos State swelled yesterday as the former Lagos State Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu-Bakare was received into its fold from the PDP.

    Other defectors were the National Chairman of the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN), Mr Dare Falade and the Lagos State Chairman of Democratic People’s Party (DPP), Mr Tajudeen Yinus and their supporters.

    Welcoming the defectors, Balogun said he was excited that progressives who left APC were coming back to the ruling party.

    Adiukwu-Bakare assured the leadership of APC that she would work tirelessly to ensure the party has a good outing during the 2019 general elections.