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Tag: NWC

  • Shuaibu, Abdullahi, Moghalu return to NWC

    •Delegates vote out Izunaso, Ramatu
    •Kwankwaso: why I stayed out

    AFTER keenly contested elections, 33 more candidates emerged as members of the new National Working Committee( NWC) of the All Progressives Congress( APC).

    The new officers yesterday joined the new APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and 25 others, who were elected unopposed on Saturday –  the first day of the party’s National Convention.

    With the conclusion of the election, 59 members of the NWC have been duly elected.

    Of the 59 slots, 26 candidates were elected unopposed.

    But the election led to the return of some former NWC members, including the National Secretary, Mallam Mai Mala Buni; Senator Lawal Shuaibu (Deputy National Chairman, North); the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; the National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu and the National Vice Chairman (North-West), Alh. Inuwa Abdulkadir.

    Some former NWC members and APC leaders, rated as bigwigs, were however voted out by delegates including former National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso, ex-National Women Leader Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani and Farouk Adamu Aliyu.

    The outcome of the convention indicated that the consensus option adopted by APC governors and endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders was strictly adhered to by all groups in the party.

    A governor said: “We had a consensus list based on fault lines in the party and we thank God that all governors and party leaders kept faith with our agreement.

    “We accommodated those who have grievances and we dropped some candidates like Izunaso and Ramatu Tijjani as sacrifices for the unity of the party.

    “We will use this benchmark henceforth in reuniting APC and charting a new course for this great party. We want to reconcile as fast as possible because presidential and other primaries for 2019 poll are around the corner.

    “We hope to revisit our coalition and make it to work better for all caucuses in APC.”

    But’ a former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday said he boycotted the convention of APC to avoid causing embarrassment to the party.

    He said his group was unhappy that all the congresses it conducted were not recognised by the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC), which was headed by ex-National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Kwankwaso, who made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja, said his presence and that of his loyalists will not be in the interest of the convention.

    He said: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) group in Kano, which I am opportune to lead will like to congratulate and felicitate with the newly elected Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his newly elected members of the Executive Council.

    “I wish to inform the leadership of the party and the public that we had wanted to be part of the National Convention but regrettably all the congresses that we conducted at the wards, local government councils and at the state level were not recognised by the outgoing National Executive Council of the party.

    “Therefore, I felt that presenting ourselves at such an important event will not be in the overall interest of the entire convention, that is assuming we are allowed access into the convention ground.”

     

  • Ajimobi congratulates NWC, Oke

    OYO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi  has congratulated the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress  (APC) following the successful inauguration of the party’s elected state chairmen.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, the governor described the event as historic.

    He congratulated the state APC Chairman, Chief Akin Oke, who was among those inaugurated yesterday by the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in Abuja.

    By extension, the governor congratulated all elected state party officials at the ward and local government levels for the ratification of their election, as evidenced by the inauguration of Oke by the APC national secretariat.

    Ajimobi said: “I congratulate the NWC of our great party, the APC on the successful inauguration of party executives today. I also rejoice with my state chairman, Chief Akin Oke, for being part of this historic moment.

    “By extension, I also congratulate other duly elected Oyo APC state executive members from the wards to local governments for the ratification of their election, as evidence by the inauguration of Chief Akin Oke today.

    “Let me use this opportunity to say that in Oyo APC, we are all members of one big family. As a result, I want to categorically say that it is a no victor, no vanquished scenario with today’s event. We are all winners.

    “Consequently, a reconciliation committee is being set up with the mandate to reach out to all our aggrieved brothers and sisters in order to move the party forward in the true spirit, norms and practice of democracy.

    “I hereby implore all and sundry to take advantage of this globally accepted platform to resolve our differences. By embracing reconciliation, our party will surely come out much stronger to face our immediate and future obligation of building a more virile nation.”

    Ajimobi stressed that the APC would keep working hard to sustain its dominant position for the continued progress of the country.

  • Oni writes Oyegun, NWC, says system compromised

    Ekiti State governorship aspirant Chief Segun Oni has petitioned All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman  Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee(NWC) on the “flawed governorship primary election”.

    He said the system was compromised and accused an unnamed aspirant of hijacking the process.

    He said it was direct evidence of corruption and lack of regard for due process by the party’s  top echelon.

    He asked the party to jettison delegate election system for direct primary system.

    Oni, who made his views known in a letter to the NWC, said he felt ashamed for the party.

    The petition said: “I greet you all as you search for a way out on the aborted May 5, 2018 governorship primary in Ekiti State. Please allow me to avail you of some of my observations and feelings after a very careful and serious consideration.

    “I am making my comments, believing that I am a member of the family who only recently left and who will continue to wish the NWC well as a friend and former colleague.

    “The conduct of the Primary election by the Al-Makura led committee was so fundamentally flawed that it became a major embarrassment to Ekiti State and to our dear Party. It was obvious that one of the aspirants chose or had very strong input into the choice of the umpires, a situation that is against all known rules of natural justice.”

    Oni said the primary election was marred by corruption and neglect of due process.

    He alleged that an unnamed aspirant of ???????

    He added: “Many people saw this as a direct evidence of corruption and lack of regard for due process by the Party top echelon. Personally, I feel ashamed for the Party, that I am a part of the charade that took place on Saturday in which contestants were so blatantly taken for a ride.

    “It was observed that this particular aspirant had scores of his aides allowed into the voting venue as “observers”, “press” and “officials”, a strange privilege that they exploited to make a complete mess of the processs, sparking off the consequential violence that led to the abortion of the whole exercise.

    “Frankly, the NWC owes the people of Ekiti State and Nigeria as a whole an unreserved apology for this embarrassing conduct of the primary. How can we be carrying out a very vital exercise of this nature that we all know will be very crucial to our success in Ekiti and subsequent elections and we allowed the process to be so compromised? Is it that as a Party, we are now unable to assure and deploy a non-porous, above board security to cover such a vital event?

    “Honestly, we owe Nigerians an explanation and an apology on this. If we are serious about fighting corruption, the earlier the Party recognises it has a vital role to play, the better it will be for us all, the Party and the nation.”

    He asked the NWC to abandon the delegate election system for direct primary.

    The ex-governor, who is the former Deputy National Chairman of the party, said: “In view of what transpired on Saturday and after a very careful re?ection on the manipulation and the corruption that manifestly go with delegate election system, I cannot but agree that our Party must no longer touch it even with a long pole.

    “The system as clearly demonstrated is fundamentally ?awed and prone to too much abuse. This was amply demonstrated by an individual who was able to hold the entire process to ransom.

    “We must move immediately to the direct primary system to save us from this type of embarrassment in future primary elections.

    “We clearly have an emergency on our hands as far as our integrity is concerned and we need to move fast to redeem our image and preserve the Party against any further erosion of confidence.

    “Please note that even I am an aspirant, I am making these observations in good faith, as one of you who will not shy away from telling the truth.

    “Meanwhile, please be assured of my continuing high regard and esteem.”

  • APC: Ametuo-led Kogi executive is recognized, says NWC

    APC: Ametuo-led Kogi executive is recognized, says NWC

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday affirmed  the Alhaji Haddy Ametuo-led  Kogi State Working Committee of the party as its recognised executive.

    Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the party, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja, while reacting to a report which alleged that the Ametuo-led executive had been suspended.

    He said the purported  suspension did  not emanate from the NWC of the party or any of its organs empowered to do so.

    While admitting that there were issues within the party´s Kogi Chapter, Abdullahi said the NWC had empowered a committee to investigate the issues and make recommendations.

    He said  the party´s NWC had not been appropriately briefed on the outcome of the committee’s work and therefore, has not taken any decision, and affirmed that whether in Kogi or elsewhere, the NWC would ensure that justice was done to all concerned and would be guided by the party´s constitution in the interest of all.

    He said:”At the moment, we believe this action, purportedly sacking the Kogi executive, is prejudicial and incongruous with the party’s desires for reconciliation.”

    He  enjoined party members at all levels to desist from “taking unilateral actions that are likely to further jeopardise the on-going peace process.”

  • ‘Fresh PDP’ faction sets up parallel NWC

    ‘Fresh PDP’ faction sets up parallel NWC

    A splinter group within the ‘Fresh PDP’ announced yesterday that it has set up a National Working Committee (NWC) to run its affairs.

    The ‘Fresh PDP’ is a recalcitrant group comprising a few individuals in the mainstream Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The group is protesting the outcome of the December 9 national convention of the PDP, where a new set of national officials emerged.

    Another faction of the ‘New PDP’ had, a few days ago, announced a return to the mainstream PDP.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja, the splinter group also announced plans to embark on membership drive nationwide, saying that its membership registration would be done electronically.

    The Interim National Chairman of the splinter group, Obi-Nwosu Emmanuel, said he would organise an elective national convention after its membership registration.

    Obi-Nwosu said his group was ready to work with the Coalition for Nigeria, unveiled by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday.

    He said: “The NWC is expected to liaise with all the 37 state caretaker chairmen to ensure the immediate commencement of electronic membership registration so as to provide an authentic register for the elective national convention.

    “We need a clear cut action that will show us as a rebranded party; devoid of all the negativities which Chief Obasanjo very rightly captured in his last letter.

    “There is no doubt that Nigerians will very much prefer PDP to APC in 2019, but that PDP will certainly not be the same old PDP, which is fraught with impunity and imposition.”

  • ‘How N11b PDP cash was shared by NWC’

    ‘How N11b PDP cash was shared by NWC’

    Ahead of the  December 9 national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), more facts emerged yesterday on how N11billion generated by a former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, was shared by the former National Working Committee(NWC).

    It was also revealed that about N730million was inherited by the sacked National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.

    But the party’s former National Treasurer, Dr. Buhari Bala, yesterday said no party fund was misappropriated or misapplied.

    He advised party members not to make funds appropriation a campaign issue at the National Convention.

    He said the necessary organs of the party, including the National Executive Committee (NEC), Board of Trustees (BoT), forum of governors and National Assembly Caucus were all aware of the financial position of the party.

    According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the Muazu administration generated about N11billion(not N9billion earlier reported)  from nomination forms for the 2015 general elections.

    The document indicated that in line with the constitution of the party, all candidates for the 2015 poll were assisted by the party from the cash haul.

    About 30 per cent of the money was allocated to state and local government chapters of PDP nationwide.

    A top party leader said: “We actually generated over N11billion from the nomination forms for 2015 general elections during the tenure of the former National Chairman of the party, Alh. Adamu Muazu. Since no campaign funds came from either the Presidency or the Presidential Campaign Organization of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, the party only relied on what it realised.

    “About 30 per cent was allocated to state and local government chapters for the 2015 elections. All candidates of the party were also assisted out of the cash by the party.

    “Liabilities arising from the 2015 general elections were also paid by the party because immediately we lost the poll, the Presidency was no longer there for the party. Many leaders and members of the party were paid allowances from the cash.

    “The good thing is that all the payment vouchers were duly signed  by all party leaders, candidates and those who rendered services to PDP in one form or the other.

    “Out of the cash, only about N500million was spent by the party when Prince Uche Secondus was the acting national chairman of PDP.

    “And by the time Sheriff took over as the national chairman,  he inherited about N730million to run the party.

    “The highlights of the expenses are contained in the Audited Report which has been presented to all the organs of the party and relevant caucuses. And they were all satisfied with the report.

    “A team from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also audited the accounts of the party without raising issues.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Many leaders benefited from the cash and the national convention delegates are free to raise issues and we will present the audited report.”

    Former National Treasurer Bala yesterday said no money was missing.

    Bala in a statement in Abuja, asked delegates to the national convention “not to make the N11billion  a campaign issue because it would not fly”.

    The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to the cheap and malicious publication in some media to the effect that members of the former National Working Committee NWC of our party, the PDP squandered  the party’s fund to the tune of N9b said to have been left behind by the former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu.

    “It’s very clear from the story that the author is acting on ignorance or may have set out for a deliberate mischief as no such money of the party was left by Muazu nor misappropriated  by anybody.

    “If the media house was not in a hurry to achieve a purpose it would have tried to ask the appropriate channel for explanation as the party’s audited report during the period under review was available.

    “An accounting audit firm audited the accounts of the party and expressed their opinion on the accounts.

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) also sent in their own appointed auditors to inspect the books of the accounts of the party. They all gave clean bill of health to the books of accounts of the party. Same was reported to all relevant organs of the party.

    “I believe that the ongoing politics in the party towards electing a new NWC may have informed the  inaccurate publications but I want to state unequivocally that it is based on false ground and cannot influence members of the party because leaders are privy to the correct situation.

    “I therefore advise party members not to make the issue of funds and its appropriation a campaign issue in the forthcoming National Convention because it would not fly since no party fund was misappropriated.

    “The necessary organs of the party, including the NEC, BOT, forum of Governors and National Assembly caucus of our great party sitting in an enlarged caucus of the party, are all aware of the financial position of the party.

    “It would not be in the interest of the reconciliation and peace being engendered and midwifed by the Ahmed Markarfi-led National Caretaker Committee for members to embark on malicious campaign at this time.

    “I want to therefore reiterate for the umpteenth time that as National Treasurer, and as dictated by the ethics of my noble profession of accountancy and who was the custodian of the party funds at the time, no party fund was misappropriated or misapplied and therefore should not be an issue at this time when the party is moving towards rebuilding itself for the great challenges ahead.

    “Rather the former NWC should be commended for the judicious handling of the party funds and other affairs at the most difficult moment. During this period in question no money, apart from money that was internally generated, got into the coffers of the party.

    “It is as a result of this that the party has not been mentioned in the misappropriation of campaign funds.

    “The party was completely sidelined during the presidential and gubernatorial campaigns , therefore had no access to any funds apart from the one that was internally generated. Today we have a party to be proud of because the previous NWC had protected the sanctity of the party by not allowing it to get involved in activities that will put it in the bad light.

    “The party has  not been mentioned since the commencement of the investigation into financial misappropriation and misapplication of the last administration. This we should all be proud of and credit goes to the previous NWC.”

  • Anambra Guber poll: APC submits Nwoye’s name

    Anambra Guber poll: APC submits Nwoye’s name

    After several days of speculations and political horse trading, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has submitted the name of Hon. Tony Nwoye to the Independent National Electoral (INEC) as its candidate for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra state.

    The party also issued a certificate of return to Nwoye as the party’s candidate against the recommendation of the Appeal panel, calling for the outright cancelation of the primary election.

    The appeals panel had told the National Working Committee that most of the aspirants who contested the primary led by Sen Andy Uba, questioned Nwoye’s emergence, demanding a repeat of the exercise.

    However, the Chairman of the Committee that conducted the primary and Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima on his part told the party that non of the aspirants questioned the integrity of the primary through out the exercise.

    On his part, Senator Andy Uba who wanted an outright cancelation of the primary and declaring him winner, Sen Uba wrote: “I complained to some members of the Primary Election Committee sent from the headquarters of the party. To be frank, I continued with the exercise in protest after observing all these irregularities. Most of the disgruntled delegates of the primary election have gone to various courts to depose to an affidavit of events that transpired.”

    The Nation was informed that the Appeal panel recommended a repeat of the governorship poll.

     However, rising from a crucial meeting at the party national secretariat on Monday, decided to forward Nwoye’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in order to meet the deadline for submission of names of candidates for the election.

    National Organising Secretary Osita Izunazo, who confirmed the development told newsmen that the NWC threw out Sen. Uba’s petition against Nwoye and also overruled the recommendation of the Appeal panel for total concelation of the primary poll.

    “I can confirm to you that the NWC has issued certificate of return to Tony Nwoye as APC governorship candidate for November 18, Anambra election.”

  • APC govts have done well, say governors, NWC

    APC govts have done well, say governors, NWC

    Governor selected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) rose from a meeting yesterday witha pass markfor President Muhammadu Buhari’sadministration and those being led by the party at state levels.

    At the end of the meeting, which was attended by nine governors and six deputy governors, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong briefedreporters.

    He said the problem facing the APCwould soon be a thing of the past and the party has reasons to smile.

    The APC has been facing serious financial crisis in recent times and it has not been able to meet its obligation to creditors.

    But Lalong said the meeting of the governors with the NWC reviewed situations and resolved to take issue concerning the party more seriously henceforth.

    Lalong, who was accompanied by the Niger Stage Governor Sani Bello and National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “The purpose of this meeting was to review our party’s activities and to talk about preparations for our second year anniversary.

    “The meeting took a total review of the activities and the performance of partyso far in the various states, where we have APC government and came to the conclusion that so far so good, we are doing very well.

    “That was essentially the purpose of this meeting. We also agreed that this meeting will be on a monthly basis. We started last month;today is another meeting and next month will be another meeting.

    “The issue of National Convention was raised and it was part of the decisions we took at the last meeting. Unfortunately, like you already know, the President is not around and he is the party’s leader.

    “So, what we have done is that since we have an acting president, the team that was supposed to meet with the President with a convenient suggested date, the same team should meet with the acting President.

    “We are going to organise a convention, which is constitutional and the leader of the party must also be at the convention. The time we agreed to meet with the President, he had to travel out of the country and now, the acting President is around.

    “The first approach was to the President and now, we all agreed that if the President is not there, there is an acting president and so, we are going to meet with him to agree on a date for the convention.

    APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, during the meeting, hailed the governors for delivering on their promises to their people, saying most of their achievementswere being down played.

    He expressed happiness that the party’s leadership and the governors are meeting regularly now.

    He said: “I want to say that I am so happy that we have met twice and we are seeing the effects. Very positive and salutary effects are beginning to manifest in the party.

    “The numbers, with which we turned out alone, is an encouragement to members of the NWC and I thank you for your commitment. Since we started meeting, a lot of things are happening. I have invitations all over now to come for commissioning of projects.”

    Hesaid he was in Zamfara State, where he inaugurated two water projects with facilities “to reticulate and redistribute water to over 6,000 km of pipelines.

    “It made me to see that our governors are, in fact, embarking on projects that touch the ordinary man and woman, and made them feel that they have benefited from the APC government.

    “Already, we decided that we are going to do these projects of showcasing in the various states. In fact, it is sad that we are full of issues at the central level, which the social media has tended to concentrate on.”

  • APC governors, NWC to meet on funding

    APC governors, NWC to meet on funding

    Governor selected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today meet with the party’s national leadership.

    Although the agenda of the meeting was not known as at the time of filing the report, it was gathered that the second anniversary of the APC-led government and efforts to get the party out of its financial mess will top discussions.

    This is the second time the governors will be meeting with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) this year.

    At the last meeting, which took place in April, the governors promised to hold regular consultative meeting with the leadership and help it source for funds to finance its activities.

    The party has been facing acute shortage of funds, which made it impossible for members to hold constitutionally mandated meetings such as the National Executive Committee meeting and the mid-term convention.

    It was also not clear as at press time whether the governors have fulfilled their promise to help the party source for funds from within.

    But the party was said to have installed a software that will automatically deduct N100 from the phone of members monthly as membership due.

    The meeting, which will be presided over by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is expected to be attended by the governors.

  • PDP shifts date of National Caucus meeting, others

    PDP shifts date of National Caucus meeting, others

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has shifted the meetings of key statutory organs of the party by one week.

    The shift according to a statement signed by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Monday in Abuja, was in view of requests by critical, stakeholders and leaders of the party.

    “In the new schedule, the meeting of the National Caucus of the party has been shifted from Feb. 9 to Feb. 15, at 7p.m.

    “In the same vein, the meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) will now hold in the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 16.”

    It added that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting would also hold on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m.

    “The NWC deeply regrets any inconveniences that may be caused by this shift in dates.”