The National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for April 24 and 25, 2017 respectively have been postponed.
This was disclosed in a statement signed on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
According to Abdullahi in the statement, ‘”he postponement is due to unexpected developments.”
“New dates for the meetings will be communicated in due course,” he summed.
There are uncertainties whether the mid-term national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for April 29, 2017, will still go ahead as scheduled as the party is yet to put machinery in place for the hosting of the convention barely 26 days away from the scheduled date.
After its consultative meeting with governors of these party in early March, the party had announced that the mid-term non-elective convention will take place on April 29 to review the activities of the party and the government.
The party had also assured that it will set up a convention planning committee before the end of March, but there are no indication that the Party was planning the convention as the planning committee was yet to be in place.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malls Bolaji Abdullahi said plans for the convention was still in progress as the party has not taken any decisions. To either cancel or postpone the convention.
The Nation gathered on Monday that the constitution review committee set up by the National Working Committee to recommend amendments to the party constitution has abandoned the work apparently due to lack of resources to finance its activities.
The committee which has representatives of the governor and national Assembly was yet to begin its work on the document that is supposed to be ratified at the convention.
The party, after been criticised for not holding a national convention as stipulated in its constitution, declared in a statement that it will hold a national convention not later than April this year.
Sources close to the party told The Nation that one of the governors of the party had told the leadership of the party during their meeting in March that the NWC cannot fix a convention for the National Executive Committee.
The party, through the National Publicity Secretary, had announced that it will hold the convention to review activities of the part and fill positions in the leadership that were vacated by former national officers, saying “the vacancies to be filled occurred principally from political appointments, deaths and resignations.
The Congress to fill the vacancies would be followed closely by another Congress to nominate delegates into the mid-term non-elective Convention of the Party.
“The Congresses will be followed by the National Caucus meeting, and finalised with the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Party, which will consider and set the dates for the National Convention, which is expected to hold not later than April of 2017.”
According to Article 25 (A)(i) of the APC constitution which state that the National Convention of the Party shall be held once in Two (2) years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least fourteen (14) days notice given to members eligible to attend.
It also says that the constitution provides that the National Executive Committee may summon an emergency National Convention at any time provided at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all members eligible to attend.
It was gathered that the some APC governors and the Presidency has decided not to fund the party, asking the leadership to source its own funds, while dues from political appointees have not been forthcoming.
Recently, Kano state governor was quoted as saying that the governors will not take state resources to fund the party, saying what the party was going through in terms of financing was part of the change going on in the country.
The governor was quoted as “It is still part of the change mantra. People were used to getting cheap money, some people struggle to be part of the APC officials in order to make money but the Buhari here is not like that, so if the party has programmes on the ground; the government have no problem to see how the party can be funded but let me tell you the issue of taking government money to fund the party does not arise now.”
When contacted on phone, the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told newsmen that the National Working Committee has not taken any decision to cancel or suspend the convention, pointing out that plans were still ongoing to host the convention.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) reminded the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that even though Nigerians have forgiven the years of misrule and mismanagement of the nation’s resources, they have not forgotten how they party left the country in ruin, leaving the people in a state of insecurity.
Reacting to a statement credited to spokesman of the party saying Nigerians have been worse off in the last two years under the APC led government, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said Nigerians have not forgotten how corruption was practically legalized under the PDP government.
Abdullahi said the APC decided not to dwell on the plethora of PDP sins, but to pick up the pieces and build a country that every Nigerians will be proud of, pointing out that while Nigerians are always ready to forgive the PDP for what they did to the nation, they will never forget.
Abdullahi said: “All Progressives Congress (APC) finds Wednesday’s statement attributed to Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, the purported spokesperson of a rump of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) quite regrettable.
“As a Party that was formerly in the opposition, the APC is aware of the role a thriving opposition can play in sustaining democracy. However, it appears that the marginal group that Adeyeye belongs believes that it is only by attacking the APC that it can find its relevance or gains the upper hand in the PDP’s internecine war.
“We need to remind Adeyeye’s group however that although Nigerians may have forgiven the PDP, two years after the Party left the country in ruins, but we have not forgotten.
“Nigerians have not forgotten that it was under the PDP-led administration that the terrorist group, Boko Haram seized a sizable portion of Nigeria’s territory, created a Caliphate and hoisted its own flags.
“It took the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari to reclaim our territory and pride. Today, Boko Haram insurgents are virtually defeated and are on the run, and no millimetre of Nigerian territory is currently held by the insurgents. We have forgiven, but we have not forgotten.
“Under the PDP, a Party that does not consider corruption to be stealing, corruption enjoyed an unprecedented prosperity. Nigeria recorded some of the most unimaginable, shocking and astounding cases of corruption ever experienced in our history, or in the history of any country.
“Funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition required to fight the Boko Haram insurgency were stolen by agents of government and shared among themselves. It was a classic case of kleptocracy.
“The PDP-led administration was sending soldiers to battle without weapons and sharing the money. Worse still, when soldiers protested the lack of weaponry, the PDP-led administration added wickedness to weakness and court-martialed them, sentencing some of them to death, and others to long terms of imprisonment.
“If Nigerians have gracious enough to forgive the PDP for the wanton corruption, we will not forget.
“Nigerians also remember that it was under the nose and watchful eyes of the PDP that over 250 Nigerian girls were abducted. It took the Party more than a month to even make a statement. PDP went about bandying conspiracy theories while innocent Nigerian girls were being held in captivity.
“Again, it took the APC-led administration to rescue some of the girls, while efforts are ongoing to free the rest. Yet, PDP had the audacity to counter the globally acclaimed hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls with their terribly insensitive #BringBackJonathan. We are willing to forgive even this; but we cannot forget.
“Nigerians will not forget that under the PDP, over 20 Nigerian youths died and thousands were seriously injured while looking for jobs. the PDP-led administration organised a fraudulent Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise and lured young people desperate for jobs to various stadiums across the country after extorting them.
“In the end, the exercise ended in tears, sorrows and blood. None of those who survived got the job and, worse still; the officials responsible for the calamity were protected by the PDP. We cannot forget.
“Nigerians remember that under the PDP, whistle-blowing was a crime. When a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor exposed the stealing of $20 billion from the national treasury, he was suspended and hounded out of the government. We have not forgotten.
“If we have not been talking about this plethora of PDP iniquities, it is not because we have forgotten. Instead, we have chosen to pick up the pieces of the PDP wreckage and move the country forward. This, we have endeavoured to do in the last two years since Nigerians unanimously rejected the PDP for their wanton profligacy and misrule.
“Nigerians are a forgiving people, and that is why a self-appointed spokesman of what is left of the PDP could have the effrontery to make the kind of statements attributed to Adeyeye. But Nigerians will not forget in a hurry, the years of the locust.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday said it would intervene in the face-off between the Senate and Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd).
The party made this known in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja.
The party said that it took the decision after observing the controversy that had trailed the invitation extended to Ali by the Senate and his appearance at the chamber on Thursday.
“We have watched the issues with growing concern and the expectations that they would be resolved in a manner that would be agreeable to all the parties involved.
“However, we wish to state that at this point, we have found it necessary to intervene.
“Accordingly, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun will lead the party’s peace mission to the leadership of the National Assembly and the concerned party member,’’ the statement said.
It expressed confidence that its effort to broker peace would resolve the matter amicably.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Senate had been embroiled in a face-off with the Customs boss over his refusal to appear before it the service’s uniform
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has prayed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resolved its leadership crisis soon to enable it to take up responsibility as a viable opposition.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja on Tuesday, the party said there was the need for PDP to be vibrant to provide the critical opposition.
It said, “we pray for them to put their house in order soon because we believe that democracy is better served when the opposition is alive.
“However, we also know the PDP can only begin to take steps towards recovery if they stop peddling conspiracy theories and blaming imaginary enemies.’’
It recalled that Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party had alleged that the APC instructed the Police to prevent its members from meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
Makarfi, according to it, had also alleged that the APC had somehow influenced the Appeal Court decision which ruled against him as the PDP National Caretaker Committee Chairman.
“Neither of these allegations is true in any respect, the Police does not take instructions from the APC.
“The police have explained why they stopped the Makarfi group from meeting at the ICC.
“If the factional PDP is dissatisfied with the police explanation, they could seek further clarifications from the police or pursue alternative means of redress,’’ the APC said.
It added that so far, the Makarfi faction of the PDP had not faulted the police or provided any proof for its allegations against the APC, a development that was surprising.
It said that this was “especially so considering that Makarfi and his group had in their ranks, individuals who are experienced to know that without evidence, such allegations can easily be dismissed as baseless.
“Such allegation without evidence can, therefore, be ignored by all right-thinking members of the public, including the APC.’’
The APC added that Nigerians should be worried by the behaviour of PDP factions which was capable of eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary.
It added that even as the PDP battled for survival, Nigerians should observe restraint in the interest of the country`s democracy, saying that APC had no interest in the internal crisis of PDP.
THESE are definitely the best of the moments for Nigeria Fashion Designer of the year 2005,Tessy Oliseh as she is set to wed her heartthrob,Ohimai Godwin Amaize come April 26th.
The baby sister of former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh and the Special Assistant on advocacy to the Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi popularly known as Mr Fix Nigeria have been an item for a while.
From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja
The newly elected President of the Nigeria Shooting Federation,
Wole Madariola Olumide has vowed to take the game to its rightful place in Africa and world with the assistance of his eminent members of his Board.
The Nigeria Shooting Federation was among the Federations the Honourable Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi inaugurated at the Abuja National Stadium last Thursday and the Boards has commenced programmes that would see it be a popular game in Nigeria very soon.
According to the NSF boss, “we want to take our rightful place in World Shooting and we need to establish our capabilities and always make sure that in any competition we take part in we leave an indelible mark.
“We are preparing big for the Commonwealth Games taking place in Scotland next year but before then we will participate in the African Championship slated for Egypt next year February. The African tournament will serve as trial for the shooters that will go to the Commonwealth Games. We have been given an order by President Goodluck Jonathan through the National Sports Commission to make this country proud and we are duty bound to achieve that”, Madariola told Sportinglife in Abuja at the weekend.
Madariola who is also a Security Adviser and Defense Consultant also revealed that his Board has plans to storm Cross River next year for the National Sports Festival to scout for talents in Shooting while two foreign tours would be embarked on to further give exposure to the shooters.
According to him “we are mindful of the medals that could be won for Nigeria in shooting in both the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics so we want to make an impact in the game and we are ready to work very hard to achieve this.
Madariola who as a member and former Vice President of the Federation has personally sponsored 20 Championships said this time around as the President of Shooting Federation he and his Boards would redouble their efforts to take the game to the rightful place it belongs. He said that winning medals is also paramount in the Board’s aspirations and programmes and as a result of this he has set up seven different committees that would help in meeting with the objectives and targets of the NSF.