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Tag: Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi

  • World Bank: APC supports Buhari on Northeast

    World Bank: APC supports Buhari on Northeast

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governors on Wednesday backed the request from President Muhammadu Buhari to the World Bank to focus its development attention on the North-Eastern part of the country.

    The party said the President’s request was not meant to give preferential treatment to any section of the country above others.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told newsmen at the end of a meeting between that the President’s request was made in view of the specific attention that the northeast need as a result of the devastation caused by the Boko Haram activities in the area.

    “It was not a statement meant to give special preference to any section of the country against the other. So, the APC throws its weight completely behind Mr. president’s decision and we believe that as long as the north east of Nigeria continue to suffer the devastation that it has suffered, and continue to represent a very dark spot in human development indices for Nigeria, there is a need to direct special attention to that part of the country.”

    Bauchi state governor, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar dismissed claims that the President accused governors of not paying salaries, saying that the President’s statement to the governors at a meeting on Tuesday was part of his usual concern for the plight of workers.

    He said state governors have judiciously utilized the federal government intervention in the payment of salaries and pensions, but was quick to add that the governors were not begging the federal government for money, but demanding what belong to them.

    Governor Abubakar said: “I was at the meeting with the President. Mr President, in his usual faction, has always expressed his concern on the plight of workers and the downtrodden. He did not direct any accusation at the governor’s because the governors have actually utilized mist of the intervention of the federal government for payment of salaries.

    “Take Bauchi state, for example, my salary bill is N5.1 billion, including states and local government. If you count the number of months that I came to FAAC and collect anything above N5 billion, it will not be more than five months in my two and half years in office.

    “But because of the intervention today, I am proud to say that I am not owing single kobo salary or pension. We have in the main, utilize this intervention towards payment. Don’t forget, this is money belong to us. We are not begging for anything, but demanding what belongs to us and that it should be paid to us. I was at that meeting and Mr. President did not level any allegation against anybody.”

    On why most governors of the south-west were absent from the meeting, he said: the Bauchi governor said “there is no communication gap. Two other deputy governors send words that their flights was cancelled because of weather problem. The same thing applied to the governor of Sokoto state who sent words that his flight was cancelled due to difficulty in weather.

    “So, there is no communication gap whatsoever. In the past, the governors have been attending. Governors are very busy people and it is always very difficult for us to have time to be on the field in addition to running our states.”

    On the recent statement credited to former interim Chairman of the party that the 2019 presidential election was open to all members of the party, he said “the meeting has not deliberated on that. The APC has a constitution and in fact. That is one of the items that was discussed, how to amend the constitution of the APC with a view to strengthening the party in line with democratic principles. We will abide with the tenets of the constitution.”

    Speaking at the opening of the meeting, National Chairman of the party said previous editions of the meeting has been extremely useful not only in stabilizing the party, but also contributing immensely towards handling various challenges that have appeared before us as a nation and as a people.

     

    Seven governors and four deputy governors attended the meeting which is the sixth in the series of consultative meetings between the National Working Committee of the party and the governors.

    Apart from the House Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, other leaders of the party in the two chambers of the National Assembly who were supposed to be a party of the meeting stayed away without sending any form of apology.

    The governors include, Nasir el Rufai (Kaduna), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Rochester Okorocha (Imo), Godwin Obaseki (Edo)  and Abdullahi Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa) who was attending the meeting for the first time, as well as the Deputy Governors of Ondo, Kano, Kogi  and Nasarawa states.

  • Deliberate falsehood won’t win you 2019 – APC tells PDP

    Deliberate falsehood won’t win you 2019 – APC tells PDP

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday told the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it should rethink its strategies of returning to power in 2019 as deliberate falsehood will not help it attain its mission.

    The party said that Nigerians are not gullible and can differentiate between a party that  brought the country to where it is today and the Party clearing the rot and rebuilding the country.

    Reacting to a statement credited to the PDP about the President’s request borrow about $5.5 billion loan, the party in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the PDP must wake up to new the realities that the days of borrowing to pay salaries and fund bogus projects are long gone.

    It reminded the PDP that the loan being requested by the President was to fund specific projects that will boast the nation’s infrastructural development, adding that the loan is meant to be used to fund the budget deficit in the 2017 budget.

    The statement reads: “In reacting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recent statement on the plan by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to obtain a $5.5 billion foreign loan, the All Progressives Congress (APC) urges the PDP to wake up to new realities that the days of borrowing to pay salaries and fund bogus projects are long gone.

    “In developing economies, governments typically resort to borrowing to finance economic development projects because taxation and other revenue streams may not necessarily provide sufficient funds for economic development.

    “The recent borrowing plans proposed by the President Buhari administration is no different as the President has clearly stated in his request to the National Assembly that the loan will be used to finance the 2017 budget deficit and invest in critical and verifiable infrastructure project which will ultimately grow the economy.

    “The PDP in its statement unapologetically claimed that it “meritoriously” governed the country for 16 years and “handed over a buoyant economy to the APC in 2015’’. Really, what could be further from the truth? The APC considers the claim a new height of PDP’s insensitivity to the populace and has further exposed the PDP as a Party unrepentant for the rot it left the country after its 16 years rule.

    “Even when crude sold above $100, the immediate past PDP-led administration struggled to build savings. In addition, the excess crude account was misspent. Poor capital expenditure meant badly-needed infrastructural development was put on hold. This forced construction companies with government contracts to cut back and sack thousands of workers.

    “Nigerians will sadly recall how in the leadup to President Buhari’s assumption of office, former finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in May 2015, revealed that Nigeria was borrowing to pay government salaries.

    The former Minister had said that “Out of the N882 billion budgetary provision for borrowing, the government has borrowed 473 billion naira to meet up with recurrent expenditure, including salaries and overheads.”

    “On April 2016, Okonjo-Iweala who served as finance minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2003 and 2006 and again under President Goodluck Jonathan between 2011 and 2015 also blamed the country’s present economic situation on the zero political will of the immediate past government to save for the rainy day.

    “Today, successive national budgets of the APC administration has prioritised and increased budgetary allocation for capital projects as one of the strategic ways to stimulate economic growth in the country.

    “The economy has started responding to policy initiatives of the government as evidenced in the improvement and stability of the naira exchange rate; increase in the country’s foreign reserves and the recent announcement by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the country has officially come out of recession.

    “The borrowing plan of the President Buhari-led administration is inevitable in view of the current economic realities in the country. As stated in the president’s loan request to the National Assembly, the loan will be invested in infrastructure projects such as the Mambilla Hydropower Project, Construction of a Second Runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international Airport, counterpart funding for Rail projects and the construction of the Bodo-Bonny Road, with a Bridge across the Opobo Channel.

    “If the PDP thinks that by spewing falsehood and unsubstantiated claims, the party will return to power in 2019, then the PDP needs to seriously rethink its strategies.

    Nigerians are not gullible and can differentiate between a Party who brought the country to where it is today and the Party clearing the rot and rebuilding the country.

    “As the National Assembly considers the proposed borrowing plan submitted by the President, the APC calls on members of the Senate and House of Representatives to rise above sundry sentiments and approve the request which is pro-people and in the overall best interest of the country.”

  • Buhari 2019: Alhassan admits indiscretion, apologises to APC

    Buhari 2019: Alhassan admits indiscretion, apologises to APC

    Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Jummai Alhassan has admitted that her statement that she will not support President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election was made out of indiscretion and has apologized to the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told newsmen after over two hours meeting of the National Working Committee with the Minister that she has accepted her fault and the fact that the timing of her statement was wrong and apologized to the party.

    The Minister who arrived the APC National Secretariat at about 1.50 pm for a meeting with the National Working Committee did not leave the secretariat until 4.05 pm after a lengthy meeting with the leadership.

    She was however tactically decline to speak with the press saying “I can’t talk when the APC spokesman is here with me. I’m not the party’s spokesperson.” 

    Abdullahi who escorted the Minister to her car told newsmen that the Minister fondly called Mama Taraba was at the secretariat on the invitation of the party.

    He said the party recognized the right of the Minister to say what he said, but was of the view that with her position in the government and he party, the timing of her statement was wrong and capable of sending the wrong signal to Nigerians.

    He said: “Since the issue of the comment she made came up, the party has not said anything regardless of what individuals may have told you because we are a party that recognized the right of her members to express their opinions or views. 

    “We also had an opportunity to discuss with the minister to understand what she said and in what context she said so before we know how to respond. So, when she came, we asked her to explain to us what truly transpired and in what context she said what she said and she did offer these explanations. 

    “Now, having offered her explanations, we acknowledged that as a member of this party, she is entitled to her opinion and she is entitled to her choice. However, as a senior member of this party, her statements represent an act of indiscretion because with the kind of position she occupies even within the party, she is a party leader in her own right, what she said was not what she was supposed to say at the time that she said it.

    “She ought to have exercised greater judgement than she did and she acknowledged that yes, maybe she ought not to have. Maybe the timing was wrong and she apologised that if she had put the party in any difficult position, she apologised.

    “I want you to take note of the fact that nobody is questioning her right to take the position she has taken. We have not come out to say, ‘why are you saying you are supporting this person?’ 

    “She has a right to her choice and to support whoever she wants to support. Afterall, she is not saying she supports a member of another party. But what we are saying is that with the position she occupies, she ought to have exercised greater sense of discretion and better judgment knowing that making that kind of statement would definitely create some other situations for the party, if not for the government.

    The APC spokesman said the party never discussed the option of resigning with the Minister saying “that did not come up. What we just said was that we understand the context in which she said what she said, but it was an act of indiscretion for someone occupying the position she is occupying in the party to make that kind of statement. 

    “If this was 2018 and the people have filed their applications to say they are contesting and she now comes out and says she is supporting this person, how can that be an issue? But we are still in 2017. We are still far away. 

    “Atiku has not said he is contesting. He has not collected any form. He has not announced to anybody that he is contesting. So, that is what we mean by the timing. It is not that she had no right to say what she had said”.

  • Don’t yield to drumbeat of war, APC to Nigerians

    Don’t yield to drumbeat of war, APC to Nigerians

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians not to yield to elements bearing the drumbeat of war in the country, saying Nigerians must instead stand up and speak with one voice for peaceful coexistence and in the interest of the present generation of Nigerians and those yet unborn.

    Reacting to the recent clash between members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the military, the party, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and made available to newsmen in Abuja ask the military must adhere with globally-stipulated rules of engagements and laws governing their operations.

    It condemned the attack on the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalist in Umuahia, the Abia state capital and applauded the quick response of the army high command in tendering an apology to the affected Journalists.

    The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) calls for calm and restraint following recent reports of violent clashes linked to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia and Rivers State.

    “The Party also regrets the incident at the National Union of Journalist (NUJ) Secretariat in Umuahia, Abia State capital, where some journalists were assaulted. Commendably, the Nigerian Army has tendered its apology and is investigating the matter.

    “While the Party insist that security agencies must adhere with globally-stipulated rules of engagements and laws governing their operations, we must allow our security agencies to conduct their constitutional roles of securing lives and property without hindrance and provocation.

    “We also call on citizens, social commentators, media influencers and other stakeholders to be careful and mindful of their utterances on the clashes. Stoking tensions by inciting utterances, hate speech and all other forms of awful propaganda will only push the country to the precipice.

    “When we see the devastation of the Country’s North East by Boko Haram, the 1966 Nigerian civil war and similar conflicts in other countries, we are reminded of the effects of internal strife.

    “We must not yield to elements beating the drumbeats of war. We owe the peace and unity of our dear country to the present and unborn generations. We must speak and stand up for peaceful coexistence on our social media platforms, places of worship and all other public spaces we belong.

    “On the backdrop of recent agitations and actions which have the potential of undermining the unity of our country and our relationship across religious and ethnic divides, the Party cautions that we must ensure that such agitations are peaceful and lawful. The Party reiterates its belief that it is in our collective interest to support and remain steadfast to the cause of a united Nigeria.”

  • Recession: There is more to be done – APC

    Recession: There is more to be done – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Wednesday that the country’s exit from recession was in tandem with the campaign promises of President Muhammadu Buhari that the nation will experience economic growth in 2017, but said however that a lot of work still need too be done.

    The party dismiss the statement credited to the main opposition party, the PDP that it’s wrong policies were responsible for the country going into recession and assure Nigerians that the administration remains focused on its effort to sustain the economy on the path of growth.

    In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the party said the Buhari administration was determined to pull the country out of the current hardship.

    The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) rejoices over latest disclosures by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) respectively that the country has exited recession after five consecutive quarters of contraction and the country’s foreign reserve has hit $32 billion, the highest mark since January 2015.

    “Nigerians will recall that during the 2015 elections, the APC promised to curb corruption, restore the economy and ensure security of the nation. We commend the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on the economic recovery efforts which has evidently started to yield fruits. 

    “The APC also commends the National Assembly as it continues to work with the executive on improving the economy and other areas of national life.

    “Commendably, the country’s exit from recession was in tandem with the current administration’s forecast that the country will experience economic growth in 2017. This is another demonstration that the President Buhari APC-led administration is one that keeps its promises.

    “The APC thanks Nigerians for their patience, understanding and support for the President Buhari administration while the economy was in recession. Although there remains much more work to be done, we assure Nigerians that the administration remains focused on its effort to sustain the economy on the path of growth.

    “As the President Buhari administration works assiduously to build a new solid foundation, credible image and pull the country out of the present hardships, we appeal for continued patience and the cooperation from Nigerians. While these are difficult times for many Nigerians, we must sustain the hope that brighter days are ahead of us.”

  • We are ready to fulfil campaign promises – APC

    We are ready to fulfil campaign promises – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended Nigerians for keeping fate with the Buhari government through out his medical vacation and assured that the government was poised now, more than ever before to fulfil its electoral promises to the people.

    In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the party was full of praise for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for his leadership quality and efforts to unite the country and drive it towards economic recovery.

    The statement reads: “All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes the President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari back home to the country after his medical vacation to the United Kingdom.

    “The Party also thanks the Vice President, His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osinbajo for his competent leadership in the absence of President Buhari and especially commends him for his effort to unite the country and drive the recovery of the national economy.

    “The APC also thanks, all Nigerians who had prayed ceaselessly for the speedy recovery and safe return of the President, assuring them that the APC-led Federal Government is poised to fulfil all the electoral promises the Party made to Nigerians.”

  • Judge us by our promises, but be fair, APC tells Nigerians

    Judge us by our promises, but be fair, APC tells Nigerians

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked Nigerians to hold it accountable for every promise contained in its manifesto, but appealed for fairness in assessing the party.

    In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the party condemn what it described as the penchant of members of the Peoples Democratic Party to mock President Muhammadu Buhari with his health situation. 

    The APC said while it admits that the health of a president is every citizen’s business, it is un-African, if not ungodly, to continue to taunt a man and even challenge him to a fight at his moment of weakness. 

    Reacting to alleged plan by the PDP to take back power from the APC in 2019 and to hold it accountable, Abdullahi said it was obvious that If the PDP had fully implemented its manifesto in the 16 years that it was in power, Nigerians would not have been attracted to the APC promise of change in 2015, because there would have been little left to promise.

    The statement reads: “In the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgement that favoured the Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Makarfi himself announced rather exuberantly that his victory at the court meant that PDP was ready to return to power. We had dismissed Makarfi’s statement as part of the excitement that follows a favourable court ruling.  

    “However, since that Wednesday verdict, we noticed that several of his supporters and party members have expressed similar sentiment. We therefore feel the need to respond appropriately.

    “In recent past, the PDP brand of opposition politics had been characterized mainly by allegation mongering and open incitements of separatist agitations across the country. It appears however that the outcome of Wednesday ruling is beginning to set them on a different course. We are therefore delighted that the PDP is beginning to talk about holding the APC accountable for the promises in our manifesto.

    “We want Nigerians, not just the PDP, to hold us accountable for every promise contained in our manifesto. We only urge them to be fair. A manifesto is not a four-year programme. If PDP had fully implemented its manifesto in the 16 years that it was in power, Nigerians would not have been attracted to the APC promise of change in 2015, because there would have been little left to promise.”

    While makeing reference to media reports quoting an unmanned Minister who is currently facing prosecution by the anti graft agency, Abdullahi said “there are only a few people left in that party whose faces do not represent the face of corruption. 

    “These few good men and women left in the PDP would do well to listen to ex-stalwarts of the party like the former Akwa Ibom governor, Obong Victor Attah who has advised that the party needs an urgent change of name because the PDP brand is already damaged beyond repair. 

    “But Nigerians know that even with a change of name, it is not the cowl that makes the monk. Therefore, like Attah asked, “Now that they have resolved their crisis, what is left of the PDP?”  Senator Makarfi and his supporters should take a break from their victory dance to attend to this question.”

    He also said the media report quoted the un-namable minister as comparing the PDP and the APC to a tale of two wives, saying that Nigerians have tried the two and had seen who was better. 

    He said: “We find this metaphor quite interesting. We need to point out however that APC is the new wife that is busy working at the kitchen that has been looted empty by the former wife who had made away with the entire foodstuff and even the kitchen utensils. Nigerians know this. 

    “If the food is a little late in coming, they understand the circumstance. But if that other thieving wife now begins to argue that she was a better cook and should be brought back into the kitchen because the new wife is a slow cook, then that should pass for hypocrisy. 

    “No matter the temporary hardship that we may be experiencing, Nigerians know better than to bring PDP back to power so soon for fear that this time, they might disappear with the kitchen itself.

    “We also note with regret, PDP’s penchant to mock President Muhammadu Buhari with his health situation. We admit that the health of a president is every citizen’s business. However, it is un-African, if not ungodly, to continue to taunt a man and even challenge him to a fight at his moment of weakness. 

    “We have seen in the last few days, some members of the PDP who have boasted to defeat President Buhari in 2019. We urge Nigerians to Google the names of these individuals and see what comes up. It is however understandable, even if not acceptable, that when the lion is enfeebled, even a rabbit would grow the temerity to tweak its tail.

    “We urge Nigerians to remain resolute in support of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.  We are confident that whatever difficulty we are going through at the moment is only a passing phase.”

  • APC commends senate over passage of PIB

    APC commends senate over passage of PIB

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Thursday said the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill by the Senate was a clear testimony of the determination of the APC led government to meet the aspiration of the Nigerian people.

    The party urged the House of Representatives to follow suit and pass the bill into law as it will bring about reforms that would ensure greater transparency and accountability in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

    In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party,  Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the Party notes that the bill had languished in the various chambers of the National Assembly for about 12 years but it took the purposeful and dedicated APC-led Senate to pass the bill

    “We are very excited that the bill was passed today after about 12 years delay.  We specially commend the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki for his focused leadership of the 8th Senate, which has produced several legislative actions that have positively affected the lives of Nigerians, promoted good governance and advanced on-going efforts by the APC-led administration to rebuild the Country

    “The passage of the bill is an indication that our federal legislators are diligent and reform-minded, and are committed to fulfilling the promises our Party made to Nigerians.

    “We call on the House of Representatives under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara to follow the example of the Senate by also promptly passing the PIB.

    “The APC calls on Nigerians to continue to support and cooperate with the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration and the National Assembly as they continue to make laws and execute projects to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians.”

     

  • We must begin to prepare for 2019 – Oyegun

    We must begin to prepare for 2019 – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said on Friday that the party must begin now to articulate its achievement no at the federal and state levels and not wait for the 2019 general elections before doing so.

    Addressing Party’s Publicity Secretaries from the 36 states and the FCT at a two-day workshop sponsored by the International Republican Institute (IRI), Chief Oyegun said the party must begin now to prepare for the next election by constantly and effectively communicating the achievements and plans our state governments to the people.

    According to him, it is the responsibility of the publicity Secretaries to convince the people to continue to support the policies and programmes of the Government both at the states and federal levels, while selling the party vision to the people.

    He told the, that as “spokespersons, you are the face and voice of the Party. You are the ones that the media and the public deal with most frequently. This has serious implication for the Party, our success or failure to a large extent depends on how well you are able to do your job.

    “Accordingly, if for any reason the people are not happy with the party, the spokesperson is often the one who bears the brunt. He is criticised and railed against as a liar or even worse, called unprintable names.But in spite of this, he still has to do his job

    But in spite of this, he still has to do his job which is that of effectively communicating the Party’s vision and plans in a way that it is acceptable to the public.

    As you are aware, our Party is the first in the history of Nigeria to unseat a ruling party. We achieved that feat because of what you did and because of the effectiveness of our communication system across the states. We were able to sell the Change agenda to Nigerians, a message of hope and true transformation built on efficient management of government resources.

    “Now that we are no longer in the opposition, but have formed the government at the federal level and in 24 states, there is more work to be done.

    We need to sell our programmes and vision to our people even with greater vigour. We need to convince them to support the policies and programmes of the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We need to properly articulate the achievements of our respective state governments and sell the programmes of our Party to the people. We do not have to wait until the next election cycle to do this. This
    > is the time to prepare for the next election by constantly and effectively communicating the achievements and plans our state governments to the people.

    “In this digital age, there has been an explosion of the mass media channels. In fact, it is very difficult to catch up with the information in the media these days, not to talk of the challenge of fake news that abounds everywhere.

    “This has made the job of the Publicity Secretary even more complex. You have to be wary of what you respond to, and how you respond. The world is changing fast and we must also change the way we do things to continue to be relevant and effective.”

    Country Director of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Sentell Barnes said an assessment conducted by the institute after the 2015 general election revealed that while only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APC clearly separated the responsibilities for internal and external communication, none of the parties has a written communication plan and strategy.

    He said further that though the report observed that political parties are resorting to the use of new media platforms over and above the traditional media channels, it is interesting to note that none of the party reviews the content of its website to reflect it ideology, aims or address strategic party issues.

    He stressed that a strong party-based communications provide vital avenues for public participation and connecting leaders and elected officials around common programs.

    According to him, “Nigeria witnessed a remarkable political change nearly two years ago when for the first time in its political history, an opposition political party defeated a government whose party has held power for over 16 years. Many factors may have been considered as responsible for the feat but one which I consider prominent among them was the practical effort at communicating the party manifesto to the public.”

    He disclosed that the workshop is expected to explore the communication channels that the party can use to strengthen their links with citizens by developing communication policies that will promote dissemination of party-based information through effective coordination of internal and external of the party.

    In his remarks, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the it was important for the party and its spokesperson to recognise the critical challenge in making transiting between how to handled party communication in the time of war, which election more or less is and how we handle party communication when you form government.

    According to him, the party at the national level has benefitted from this transition by changing communication leadership at the national level from wartime to peace time, adding that people will now hold us to account for those promises that we made, People will recall that we were a party in opposition and there were things that we said as a party in opposition that presumed that we were operating on higher moral grounds.

    “Now that we are in government, people will want to hold us to the same, if not higher standards. People will ask questions. Some will ask nicely, some will not. If they ask nicely, how do we respond? If they don’t ask nicely, how do we respond?

    “For me, these are questions that I have struggled with. But one thing that is clear to me is that my job will be easier if I don’t see anyone who criticises the party as the enemy of the party. It is to presume that the criticism that I receive are well-intentioned, even if they are not.

    “Treat them as well intentioned and therefore stick to the facts available to you. I know how much I have struggled to do this and I know that the aggregate of the party’s performance at the national level is the performance of all of you across the country.”

  • May Day: FG will improve Nigerians’ living condition – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday in Abuja assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to work hard to improve the livelihood of every citizen.

    The party gave the assurance in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

    It particularly congratulated Nigerian workers in the formal and informal sectors on the 2017 Workers’ Day celebration.

    The party commended workers for their support in the ongoing task to build a new Nigeria and bring the much-desired change to the citizenry.

    It acknowledged that without doubts, the economic recession had impacted negatively on the livelihoods of many working families and businesses in the country.

    It, however, expressed happiness that the country’s economy was gradually coming out of recession.

    The APC said the task of improving workers’ welfare, creating conducive business environment to attract investments and grow existing businesses was a tripartite effort among labour unions, private sector and government.

    It said the federal government had formulated and implemented policies that supported business growth and ensured rewarding jobs for all.

    NAN