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Tag: Lagos state Governor

  • Lagos reaffirms digital agenda for rural development at training

    Lagos reaffirms digital agenda for rural development at training

    Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Rural Development, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, has reaffirmed the commitment of Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to positioning technology at the core of rural transformation.

    Dr. Agbaje spoke at a digital capacity-building programme at the Centre for Rural Development (CERUD) Complex in Igbodu, Epe, where 100 youths were trained on branding, digital marketing, and use of social media for business growth.

    The initiative, organised by CERUD under supervision of Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, attracted participants from Epe, Ikorodu, Island, Ikeja, Badagry, and others, signifying the government’s inclusivity in spreading digital education beyond urban centres.

    “By bringing this training to Igbodu and similar rural areas, we are equipping youths with skills to improve their livelihoods and make their voices heard in the global marketplace,” said Dr. Agbaje.

    “Many young people have been empowered through entrepreneurship programmes by Lagos State. This digital training complements those efforts by enabling them to advertise, brand, and position their businesses for online visibility and broader customer reach,” he added.

    Agbaje noted that the government recognises that future of commerce is digital and that failure to prepare rural communities would widen the socioeconomic gap between Lagos’s urban and rural regions.

    The training focused on Principles of Branding; Understanding Social Media Algorithms; Content Creation for Business; Leveraging Digital Tools for Customer Engagement; Search Engine Optimization (SEO); Building an Online Business Identity, and others.

    Read Also: Tinubu urges unity, pays tribute to late Awujale of Ijebuland

    Participants engaged in hands-on exercises and breakout sessions facilitated by digital marketers and media strategists, who tailored the curriculum to reflect realities of rural-based entrepreneurs.

    Musibau Balogun, CERUD’s Director, noted that the training is not just about exposure to digital tools but about a fundamental mindset shift.

    “We want youths to stop seeing digital platforms as entertainment only. With right knowledge, a smartphone can be a powerful business tool.

    The training is on creating that awareness and putting them through,” Balogun said.

    He added CERUD will organise similar training in the five divisions as part of its mandate to ensure rural areas partake in the digital revolution.

    Certificates of participation were presented, which also qualify them for grants, business expansion opportunities, and further training.

    Participants hail the state for the opportunity, saying it was a life-changing experience.

    One of the trainees, Miss Adeola Ogunmola, a bead designer from Epe, said,

    “I now know how to create business pages on Instagram and Facebook, and how to run ads to attract more customers. Before this, I was only selling within my neighborhood.”

    Another participant, Mr. Azeez Olayiwola from Ikorodu, noted,

    “This training has opened my eyes to the power of branding. I used to think my product was enough, but now I know how to package it better for the market.”

    The program underscores the Lagos State Government’s mission to foster digital inclusion, reduce youth unemployment, and promote technological advancement in all parts of the state — urban and rural alike.

    As Lagos continues to champion the cause of inclusive governance and development, initiatives like this reflect the administration’s long-term vision of creating a digitally competent, economically self-reliant rural population ready for global engagement.

  • No pilgrim should elope, Sanwo-Olu warns

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday warned the Christians pilgrims to Israel not to run away.

    He told them to be good ambassadors of the state.

    Sanwo-Olu told them to exhibit high standard and the sterling characters of good Christians, adding that no pilgrim should elope or do things that would “portray us in a bad light or bring us to disrepute.”

    He spoke at the Prayer Session and Seminar for the Easter Pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Represented by Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Mrs. Adebunmi Elizabeth Adebukola, the governor urged the pilgrims who were about to be airlifted, to show humility, dignity, dedication and sincere spirituality during the pilgrimage rites and forever afterwards.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu: Forging ahead with courage and confidence

    He said “right here in Nigeria”, the pilgrims must more than before, begin to reflect on why they “are leaving families, friends, other loved ones, homes and work behind to make this important journey.”

    She said as the pilgrims would be “walking the path of Jesus,” their prayers and supplications would easily be answered.

    The governor appealed to them to pray for sustenance of peace and growth of Lagos and the nation.

    The officiating Minister, Rev. Olu Ayo Oladotun in his sermon, advised the intending pilgrims to separate themselves from habits and people that would diminish their spirituality.

    He said they must do away with drunkenness and anger so that they “can be able to assume the higher plane of spirituality which is the main purpose of their pilgrimage.”

  • JOYCE ONAFOWOKAN: I wept the first time I visited disabled children’s home in Nigeria

    Mrs Joyce Onafowokan, the Special Adviser on Social Development to Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, spent good part of her adult life in the US where she was certified an Early Intervention Specialist by the State of Massachusetts, Department of Public Health. In this interview with Innocent Duru, she speaks about the rude shock she got visiting a disabled children’s home for the first time in Nigeria, among other issues.

    LOOKING from the part of the world you came from, how easy was it for you to get acquainted with what you met here?

    I have spent over two years here and I am still acclimatising. Those that I have worked closely with have begun to understand who I am. I am a person of integrity and passion. They are my guiding principles. You have to have passion for the work you do. I do my work because I enjoy it. I see the joy of the in the eyes of the parents. When I look at the parents, and they are just happy that they have a state that says  to them, “I feel your pains, I will hold your hands in this journey.”

    I am a mother. When you are pregnant for nine months and you are waiting for the birth of your child, there is no way you will not think you will not have a perfect baby.  Even when the baby comes and you are told that the baby is not perfect, you go into a state of denial by saying they must be crazy. My baby is perfect. You will begin to see what they didn’t see.

    How successful would you say you have been since you started this assignment?

    I don’t think it should be me measuring my success. You go and talk to the service providers and parents but I will say I have done the best to my ability. We were set to do more, but, unfortunately, things happened. It is my wish that somebody would take it from where we stopped. I pray that the idea doesn’t die because if it does, it will be unfortunate.

    What can the country do to stem the challenge of disability?

    You cannot eradicate disability because there are some that do not go away. What we need to be thinking as a government is how to manage it; how to ensure that the incidences are reduced. To reduce the incidences, you need to think about nutrition, you need to think about the environmental risk factors. Cooking with charcoal pollutes the environment. See the cars on the streets, they are polluting the environment. Pregnant women are in these environments and it depends on how much you breathe in, it depends on your trimester, and if it affects the brain or not. Men drink and have sex with their wives. Would that child have fickle alcohol syndrome? Nobody talks about that in this country but they are there. I see kids with fickle alcohol syndrome. The features are there. So, we need to be talking about environmental risk factors. Do pregnant women go regularly for checkups? Some don’t. The medication and the vitamins are supposed to be given to them free not just as a state but as a country. We also need to ensure that there are no fake drugs in our pharmacies because they are there. We are just pretending to ourselves. Nigeria has more laws than a lot of countries in the world but we fail when it comes to executing the laws. The state is doing a lot. The law says there is free health for all our children and all people who have disabilities. There is a special people’s law. The law says that a landlord cannot  throw them out of their house. There are places they need to go. There is a consumer protection that just was started. Those things are there. Any child that has disability is entitled to a name, food, clothing, health, shelter and education. They have God-given rights to those things.

    We also need to come back to the culture that it takes a village to raise a child. I am a product of this. We need to come back and be our brother’s keeper. I am really amazed that with the wealth we have in this country, I ask our millionaires and billionaires to put their money where their mouth is. We spend huge money on weddings, burials, support beauty pageants, entertainment but we do not support spelling bee. How much money do we get for spelling bee?  Has anyone ever said, let me pick up this cost for disability?  But if a Nollywood star is celebrating her 50th birthday, everybody comes and picks a table for N10 million.

    What differences would you say exist in the system over there and here?

    There, I see a society that takes care of its poor, pregnant women and the elderly. In the US,  if you are pregnant and you are poor, from the day you become pregnant, you are given assistance in terms of food to go and pick up all the food that meet all the food groups to ensure the baby you are carrying is well fed and does not come out with disability. They understand that they would rather spend N20 in feeding you than spend N20, 000 till the child dies in taking care of his disability. It is again, a case of a stitch in time saves nine.

    You said you are about 62 years but you look like you are in your 50s. What is your beauty routine?

    I love to sleep. Do you know what they call beauty sleep? I rely on it. I am one of those who believe that what I cannot help, I don’t stress about it. All my life I see the glass half way. I don’t see the glass half empty. Half empty is negative but half full is positive. My friends will tell you that I am too optimistic to a fault and that I am in denial. I am happy to be in a denial because my brain is very little, so I do not stress myself keeping nonsensical things in my brain. We have two months to the end of our job,  I haven’t lost sweat thinking about what is next. If I sweat thinking about it, I am going to stay awake all night. Does it help me? I have always believed God will make a way.  That is my attitude. just

  • Ambode congratulates Sanwo-Olu, 40 APC Assembly members

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor-elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat as well as the 40 House of Assembly members-elect of the party for their resounding victory at the polls on Saturday.

    Sanwo-Olu was declared winner of the election and Governor-elect of Lagos by the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, having polled a total of 739,445votes to defeat his closest challenger and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje who got 206,141votes.

    Ambode, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, said the feat was a reward for the vigorous campaign embarked upon by the APC candidate and his running mate across the length and breadth of the State.

    “Lagosians have spoken loud and clear with their votes and have overwhelmingly voted for a government they believe will continue the trajectory of growth that we have experienced in the last 20 years under the APC.

    “It is therefore with great pleasure that I congratulate our great party for a resounding victory yesterday.

    “Again, the people of Lagos have decided to stay on the path of infrastructural drive, economic growth and all round development.

    “While I congratulate the Governor-Elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat on their well-deserved victory, let me also thank all Lagosians for keeping faith with the APC,” Ambode said.

    The Governor also congratulated all the 40 candidates of the APC in the State Assembly elections for emerging victorious, adding that it would ensure a seamless relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

  • Ambode promises adequate security on Sat.

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has assured voters that security challenges experienced during the residential and National Assembly elections will not repeat itself on Saturday during the Governorship and House of Assembly poll.

    According to him, efforts have been intensified to ensure that every registered voter in the state by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) participate without any security hindrance.

    The governor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule and other cabinet members, gave the assurance yesterday after the weekly Executive meeting at the State House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

    He stressed that the security challenges experienced after the just concluded election had been dealt with and efforts have been made to prevent a reoccurrence

    The governor said: “We were very much aware of the incidences that occurred after the presidential and National Assembly election in the state. We have taken proper care of that.

    “The peace, harmonious relationship and security that had existed in the state are very paramount to this government. We will ensure that everyone that is eligible to vote perform his civic duties without intimidation.”

    The governor argued that the state government understand that the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and efforts would be made often to ensure it sustain that status.

    He went: “We will ensure that Saturday election is held without hitches. We want to assure all residents of the state of their safety. Lagos is a cosmopolitan state and it will remain like that even after the election.

    “We encourage every resident that had been registered by INEC to come out and perform their civic duties. The security agencies have assured us that there will be adequate security in the state during and after the poll.”

    The governor, however, noted that giant strides recorded in Lagos could only be sustained when every electorate vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the party’s other candidates.

    “We believe in continuity in this government and that is why we have decided to back every candidate of the party. So, we urged everyone to support and vote every APC candidates in Lagos,” Ambode said.

    Echoing the governor, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Zubairu Muazu, said that his Command has doubled security, especially in areas identified as flashpoints.

    Muazu said that armed security operatives would be stationed at closest locations to polling units to forestall disruption of the voting process as was witnessed during the Presidential/National Assembly election in Okota and other areas.

    Muazu spoke at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja while briefing reporters on the security arrangement for the forthcoming election.

    He denied reports that there was lack of synergy among security agencies and that gave rise to attacks by miscreants, noting that all the services worked in collaboration and were still doing so.

    Already, Muazu said plans have been concluded for the marine police unit and operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) to cover the state’s riverine communities.

    Assuring voters of their security on Election Day, Muazu urged them to come out and vote candidates of their choice, noting that miscreants who disrupted elections were being prosecuted.

    He said: “It is also insinuated that certain ethnic nationalities are deliberately denied or prevented from voting for political reasons or to enhance the fortunes of a particular political party.

    “Let me categorically state here that those attacks were planned and orchestrated by miscreants, most of whom have been apprehended and are facing prosecution.

    “Let me re-emphasise that Lagos State is peaceful and Lagosians are peace-loving. There is no ethnic group or community under threat in any part of the state. We have reviewed and redoubled our strategies to ensure a peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections come March 9. Our surveillance and patrols are intensified, especially in identified flashpoints.

    “I am using this medium to call on Lagosians to go about their lawful businesses and to continue to support the police by being vigilant and report any suspicious movement or persons throughout emergency numbers so that we can serve them better.

    “I use this medium to warn people who sit in their homes, offices and generate fake news, which they circulate on social media deliberately to fan the ember of hate among the various peace-loving entities in Lagos State. They should desist from this act or be ready to face the wrath of the law.

    “I want to reassure the good people of Lagos State that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies are working round the clock to ensure their safety and security. They should come out en masse to cast their votes to the candidates of their choice as their security is fully guaranteed.”

    Muazu denied claims that the alleged ballot box snatcher in Okota, identified as Demola, escaped from the hospital, insisting that the suspect and nine others held for electoral offences in that axis have been sent to Abuja as directed by the acting Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu.

    “It is untrue that Demola fled from the hospital. While he was being treated, he was granted administrative bail based on doctor’s recommendation that he was not fit enough to stand trial. But he has since returned to us and has been transferred to Abuja with others arrested for electoral offences that day. They are being centrally prosecuted,” said Muazu.

    The police chief also confirmed that 20 suspected cultists were arrested during a raid of flashpoints within the week, adding that such raids would continue to keep off elements that might want to disrupt the process.

  • I’m committed to Sanwoolu’s victory, says Ambode

    LAGOS State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has denied a newspaper report alleging that he was working with the agents of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded presidential election. Rather, he said, he is busy working for the election of the Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwoolu Sanwoolu.

    A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Habib Aruna, noted that the report published in The Nation newspaper attempted to hold Governor Ambode responsible for the alleged activities of Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi because the latter supported the governor’s ambition for re-election during the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in October 2018. He said that having publicly declared his acceptance of the decision of the decision of the party on the party’s governorship primaries, he would never take any action to undermine the prospects of the party in the ongoing elections.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has been drawn to a report in today’s edition of The Nation newspaper, Friday March 1, 2019. “Specifically, the contentious report, which was published on the newspaper’s front page without any by-line, insinuated that Governor Ambode might be working with an opposition party through a former member of the Lagos State Executive Council and Commissioner for Energy & Mineral Resources, Mr. Wale Oluwo. “The report also attempted to hold the Governor responsible for the alleged activities of Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi because he supported the governor’s gubernatorial ambition during the primaries of the All Progressives Congress in October 2018.

    “The governor wishes to make it abundantly clear that, having declared publicly his acceptance of the decision of the party on the primaries, he has not and will never take any action to undermine the prospects of the party in the on-going elections. “It is human to aspire, and the capacity of each individual to manage the negative outcomes of a legitimate aspiration differs. But that should never be the basis to link His Excellency to whatever action of certain individuals who might have shared his vision in the past but have proceeded to pursue their own interests as adults and citizens without any influence from or recourse to the governor.

    “Governor Ambode’s decision to stand by the party that has given him the platform to serve Lagosians meritoriously is based on the principle of justice, responsibility and loyalty. “He has everything to gain from the victory of the party’s candidate Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Governor of Lagos State on March 9, 2019, and he looks forward to handing over the affairs of the state to the candidate of the APC come May 29th. “It is therefore disturbing, unfair and sad that a respected  medium such as The Nation, which enjoys the goodwill of members of our party and is appropriately positioned to verify the falsehood of these fictitious and sponsored hatchet job chose not to observe the journalistic dictum of “if in doubt, leave out” in the breach.

    “In this circumstance, His Excellency hereby makes use of his right to a rejoinder and demands an apology for the unjustifiable aspersions cast on his person by wrongly presenting him to right thinking members of the public as a disloyal saboteur trying to frustrate his party’s campaign and electoral victory. Nothing can be further from the truth. “Governor Ambode has consistently appealed to those who sympathise with him that the best way to express solidarity is to vote for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday March 9, 2019 in order to ensure that his own legacy is preserved and the gains of the past four years are improved upon  “As we move towards next Saturday’s important election, Governor Ambode urges Lagosians and party faithful not to allow fifth columnists pretending to be overzealous crusaders frustrate our onerous efforts to take Lagos State to the next level.

    “The governor says as he did in the run-up to last Saturday’s presidential poll, he will leave no stone unturned and spare no effort in ensuring that the party’s flag-bearer in the governorship election, Mr. SanwoOlu and all the 40 APC candidates in the House of Assembly poll are duly elected on Saturday March 9.

  • Ambode urges electorate to shun violence at polls

    With just two days to the presidential and the National Assembly elections, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged the residents to conduct themselves peacefully, especially at the polling centres and shun any act of violence or misconduct that can threaten the exercise.

    In a statement yesterday in Ikeja, the state capital, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the governor said the nation was on the threshold of history as the outcome of the elections would be a defining moment in Nigeria’s political and economic landscape.

    He said it was important for the residents, especially the electorate, to ensure that they do not sit on the fence but come out en masse to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner.

    Ambode said: “As we prepare for the presidential and National Assembly elections, I appeal to every Lagosian to ensure that the peace we have enjoyed in the last four years in the state is replicated across all the polling units/voting centres on Saturday.

    “Your Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) is your voice and it is what you will need to cast your vote. I urge you to come out, be orderly, take your place in the queue and avoid any form of violence that can mar the process or put the lives of our peace-loving citizens at risk.”

    Stressing that he would cast his vote for All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the presidential election and other candidates in the National Assembly elections, the governor said Lagos in the last four years has benefitted immensely from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

  • LASG resumes work on Lagos-Badagry road

    Lagos State Government has assured commuters that effort to rehabilitate the bad portions of the Lagos-Badagry road has resumed following cessation of the rains.

    The Government promised to keep its maintenance workers and equipment on the road until commuters and other users are relieved of the stress caused by the bad portions.

    Read Also:Lagos-Badagry Expressway in terrible condition, says FRSC

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya stated this on Wednesday while addressing the situation on the road.

    He said that the government has maintained the road regularly in the last three and a half years through rehabilitation even though it is a federal government road,  explaining that discussions with investors willing to upgrade the road under the Private –Public Partnership deal is going on at both the state and federal levels.

    “So far, the Public Works Corporation has carried out palliative works at Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Oko-afo, Magbon, Ibereko, Araromi, Iyana Isashi and Agbara”, Akinsanya said, adding that the government has mobilized other contractors to ensure full coverage of the assignment.

    Emphasising the importance of the route to trade in the West African region, the Akinsanya said the plan to expand the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to a 10-lane highway, which began with the construction of the section from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko, topped discussions between Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Chinese investors on President Buhari’s recent trip to China.

    He said in July, this year, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode responded to the complaints of residents over challenge posed to traffic by bumper to bumper movement by directing that the completed segment of the road with the BRT Corridor from Eric Moore to Trade Fair be opened up to  ease traffic.

    To further alleviate the suffering of the motoring public in the Badagry division, the Commissioner said the present administration has completed the construction of Aradagun-Iworo-Ajido road and Ajara- Agelaso- Poka/ Erekiti with bridge.

    He said the government was also building the Aradagun-Imeke-Ajido-Epeme road, Samuel –Ekundayo/Toga and will soon embark on the construction of Abule Ado road.

    Akinsanya assured peace loving citizens that there would be adequate security on the road to ensure smooth traffic and protect residents from danger.

  • Ambode expresses readiness for Saturday primaries 

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has declared readiness to participate in the primary election for governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, slated for Saturday across the state.

    The party has adopted direct primaries in the state and Ambode is to slug it out with two other contestants namely: Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat.

    In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, the Governor said he is restating his readiness in line with the choice of the party in Lagos State and the validation given to the direct primary preference by the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC).

    Read Also:Ambode, Ganduje, Abubakar, Bello, others to face direct primaries

    “As our great party approaches Saturday, September 29th, 2018, earmarked for the direct primary election to choose the candidate to fly our party’s gubernatorial flag at the next general election, I am happy to restate my commitment to participate in that process having procured and submitted my nomination form and having formally declared my intention to seek a second term to continue on the path of unprecedented growth and development that our State has witnessed since 2015”.

    The Governor expressed profound gratitude to the National Leader of the Party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; party elders and executives; GAC members; all APC members and every Lagosian “whose support, understanding and prayers have assisted me in no small measure in being used as an instrument through which our State has redefined the concept of greatness”.

    The statement added that the Governor in seeking re-election is approaching the founding fathers and teeming members of the party with a “grateful heart, open arms and a pledge to open and deeper attention to the concerns of this one, big family”.

    It added that a return of the party’s ticket to Ambode will guarantee the stability of the State’s growing economy; ensure the continuation of the growth and development it has witnessed over time and ensure that the opposition does not take root in the State.

    The statement congratulates the Governor’s co-contestants for the courage and commitment to the party and urges party faithful to come out en masse and vote peacefully in all the 20 Local Governments and 245 wards where the election will take place.

     

  • APC constitution supports direct, indirect primaries – Ambode 

    …I’m in APC to assist Buhari create jobs – Akpabio

     

     

    The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday night said that the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) supports the adoption of direct or indirect primaries.

    Some of the party stakeholders have been divided over which of the methods to adopt.

    No matter what the party settles for, Ambode said that what is important is that party members are allowed to elect their leaders.

    Ambode spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the APC national caucus meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Read Also:Obas to meet Ambode over Lagos-Badagry Expressway

    Asked if the issue of direct or indirect primaries was resolved, he said, “The fact remains that the constitution of our party allows us to carry out our primaries and elections using direct or indirect primaries.

    “We cannot disagree with the constitution so either direct or indirect primaries, you are at liberty to justify the choice you want to pick, once it suits your purpose and in line with constitution as the state determines.

    “The whole essence is for us to deepen democracy and also allow our members to participate in this whole process. The idea is once you have party members that are able to take decisions on who should represent them, I think we would have gone a step higher and better than other parties, that makes us a better party.” he said

    On his part, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who attended the caucus meeting for the first time, said the resolutions will benefit both the party and the nation at large.

    He said, “The meeting went very well and a lot of topical issues were discussed bothering on the interests of the nation. The resolutions are fantastic and I believe that the resolutions will not only move the party forward but will help to alleviate the situation in the country today and Nigerians will be happy for it.”

    On what is uncommon about APC, he said, “Well, you want me to talk from the position of an opposition leader before? Let me say that the first thing you need to know about the APC, from the point of view of leadership, I am quite impressed; the President has kept his integrity intact.

    “He has been able to improve the image of Nigeria and restore a lot of respect to Nigeria from the international community.

    “I can assure you that he alone can attract millions of people, he is that infectious. Of course his stance on corruption and that Nigerians have food on their table is something that is applauded all over the world.

    “I have also advocated that he also fights the twin brother of corruption that is poverty.

    “I am joining the APC as a government to stabilize the government and to assist the government to create employment opportunities for Nigerians so that we can fight the twin brother to corruption, which is poverty.

    “Poverty creates corruption and corruption deepens poverty, so we need to fight the two together. And that is one of the things I find attractive with the APC and believe me with my people in Akwa Ibom State, with my presence in the APC my people in South South have now seen the light and they say APC is the party to vote for come 2019,” he added.