The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nwosu

  • 2019: Ezeife, Obi, Nwosu, others endorse Atiku

    The Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket received a boost at the weekend when a frontline Igbo political organisation, Igbo Political Stakeholders Assembly,  threw its weight behind it.

    The alliance comprises  former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Ben Obi, Dr ABC Nwosu, S.N Okeke,   wife of the PDP presidential candidate, Mrs Jennifer Douglas Abubakar  and Mrs Margaret Obi,  wife of PDP Vice Presidential candidate.

    In a statement by the group’s Chairman, Chief S N Okeke, a one-time chairman of the Police Service Commission under the Obasanjo Presidency, the group expressed confidence in the capacity of Atiku/Obi ticket to end mass poverty, grow well paying jobs, diversify the  economy and, most importantly, restructure the nation.

    “We find the Atiku policy document progressive in conception, compelling in vision and actionable given its specific details, timelines and implementation schedule”, the group further averred that “apart from the well articulated policy document that has the capacity to radically transform the nation’s economic and social landscape for the better”, the group is “impressed by the track records of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as ‘broad-minded’ Nigerian patriots who will be fair and just to all irrespective of ethnic, regional, gender or class orientation,” it stated.

    Urging the PDP Presidential ticket to regard its policy and programme on restructuring not as a mere campaign mantra but an article of faith and binding social contract with the Nigerian people which should be delivered in a timely, well structured and consensual fashion,  the group declared that “it will deploy its considerable human and material resources, leverage on its extensive network of support across Igboland and the whole nation, and partner with like-minded patriotic women and community based organizations to ensure the victory of the Atiku-Obi ticket in the 2019 Presidential election”.

    Other leading members of the group are AVM C E Umenwaliri, Chief Sam Nkire, Chief Rex Onyeabor, General C R U Ihekire, Chief Coleman Uba,  Prof Uka Ezenwe and many other prominent figures.

  • Imo APC crisis irreconcilable, says Okorocha

    •Uzodinma, Nwosu snub APC peace parley

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday gave a damming verdict on the post-primary election crisis rocking the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC): the situation is irreconcilable.

    Okorocha told the Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje-led APC Reconciliation Committee that everything had been done to resolve the issues but to no avail.

    The governor noted that the development had heightened the fears that the party may not come out of the post-primary crisis before the general elections early next year.

    In his opening remarks at the meeting at the Imo International Convention Centre (IICC), Owerri, the state capital, Okorocha said he honoured the meeting because of his relationship with the Ganduje and former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio.

    He said: “There shouldn’t have been a crisis in the party because of the affinity of the members. We are like one big family. When we came in 2011, it was a miracle. The who-is-who in Imo politics were against us, but we won that election. We moved from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to APC because of the name of President Muhammadu Buhari, which is synonymous with integrity. I am a foundation member of the APC. I suggested the name APC.

    “When we started, we were called names; we were made to look like aliens in our state. This is the only state you have elected office holders that are of the APC extraction. Those Adams Oshiomhole gave the tickets were not APC members. The worst political injustice in the history of Nigeria happened in Imo.”

    Okorocha added: “The only reason these people are here is because of President Buhari, not because they have benefitted. The issue we have is with Adams Oshiomhole. He stole the mandate of the people and gave it away for reasons best known to him. The people here are concerned because the name of the person on APC ticket is not the candidate of their choice.

    Read also: House should recall APC lawmakers, says Eyibo

    “Let me make bold to say that this is not about the people here but across the breadth of the state. The name you hear is Uche Nwosu. But for me, against all the speculations that I am leaving APC is not true. All the state and local government executives are intact. We have done everything to resolve the issue but it appears to have gone beyond repair. The situation at hand has gone beyond what we can manage.”

    Ganduje said the first task of the committee had been achieved as it got the assurances of the governor that he would remain in the party and work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

    He said: “He has done it before and he will do it again.”

    Also, APC governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and his faction of the party, snubbed the peace parley.

    Uche Nwosu, the former Chief of Staff to the Governor and the presumed winner of the October 6 governorship primary, was also absent.

    Hundreds of APC faithful loyal to the governor’s camp attended the meeting.

    Tempers rose at the beginning of the meeting when a clip of the Ahmed Gulak Committee meeting with party’s stakeholders when he cancelled the governorship primary before absconding the following morning to Abuja where he announced Uzodinma as the winner of the primary was shown.

     

     

  • Imo APC ticket: I won’t succumb to threat, Nwosu tells NWC

    Former Chief of Staff to Imo State Governor, Mr Uche Nwosu, has said the threat by the National Working Committee (NWC) to aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to withdraw their suits or face sanctions amounts to arm-twisting.

    The APC NWC had threatened to sanction members who took the party to court over the fallout of the just-concluded primaries, if they refused to withdraw the suits.

    But Nwosu, who said he won the October 6 governorship primary, insisted that the threat of sanction would not stop him from pursuing the matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim his mandate.

    The APC chieftain insisted that before heading to court as the authentic APC governorship candidate in Imo State, he had made efforts to resolve the crisis with the party’s leadership through internal mechanism to no avail.

    Nwosu said he wrote several letters to National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole with the hope of bringing him to resolve the matter at the early stage but was rebuffed.

    The APC chieftain said he discovered that the Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Ahmed Gulak, was allegedly assigned to deliver a certain aspirant.

    According to him, he raised the alarm through a letter to Oshiomhole but was ignored.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the National Chairman of our party is just waking up now after causing the trouble. He had all the time to resolve the issue before now but refused to do so. In line with the constitution of the party, I exhausted all avenues to have my matter resolved, using internal mechanism, but nobody came to my aid.

    “I personally wrote three letters to the National Chairman and I have the acknowledgment, but he never responded to any of the letters.

    “My first letter was to inform that Ahmed Gulak was not coming to conduct a primary in Imo State, that he was coming to impose a certain aspirant. But he snubbed me. The second was to complain about how Gulak absconded to Abuja to announce a fake result; still, he didn’t respond. The last one was to tell him not to substitute my name as the winner of the governorship primary.

    “All the letters were never considered by the National Chairman, who substituted my name. He had a lot of time to resolve the issue, but he did nothing. Now that I am in court, I will pursue my matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim my stolen mandate. No amount of threat will make me abandon my mandate.”

     

  • 2019: Forget Enugu summit, Igbo support for Buhari still intact –Nwosu

    FORMER Chief of Staff to the Imo State governor, Uche Nwosu, yesterday dismissed the reported endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, by a section of Igbo leaders as a ploy to create erroneous impression that the Igbo are backing the PDP.

    He said that the support for Buhari by the Igbo is still intact. Nwosu stated that the endorsement by the selected leaders at the Enugu summit does not reflect the position of Ndigbo and would not affect the chances of President Muhammadu Buhari in the South East. According to him, the South East had nothing tangible to show for its support for the PDP during its 16 years in power to warrant the endorsement of its presidential candidate or any other. The former Chief of Staff, assured that despite the post primary crisis rocking the party (APC) in the zone, Buhari will still record landslide victory.

    He said: “We are not losing sleep over the recent endorsement of Atiku by some Igbo leaders. The action will not change the reality on ground. The South East will deliver Buhari in 2019 because it is our best option. We cannot be distracted with the PDP’s Greek gift of vice president. Our focus as a people should be Igbo presidency in 2023.

    “One important question we should be asking ourselves as Ndigbo is what did we benefit from the PDP throughout the 16 years the party was in power to warrant the endorsement of its candidate, as against what we have recorded within the three years that President Buhari is in power.” Nwosu further noted that most of the political decisions of “some of our leaders are self-serving and not in the overall interest of the Igbo but this time we are committed to pursuing the best political option for the Igbo, which is supporting President Buhari’s second term.

    “The fact that majority of our party members are not happy with the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole over the manner he handled the party primaries across the zone does not affect our support for President Buhari. “In fact, it is beyond personal considerations. It is about the interest of Ndigbo and we will deliver President Buhari in 2019. The support for President Buhari is borne out his unequalled integrity and uprightness, which is what the country needs most now.

  • Imo APC: Nwosu urges Oshiomhole to ignore ‘Abuja politicians’

    A former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Uche Nwosu, has urged the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomole, to ignore those he called Abuja politicians and take decisions that are in consonance with the will of the people.

    Nwosu, who addressed reporters at the weekend in Owerri, the state capital, noted that undermining the masses to please a crop of politicians, who he said are not in touch with the people, would mar the chances of the party in next year’s general elections.

    Nwosu, who was declared winner of the state APC governorship primary, urged the party’s leadership to avoid basing their decisions on sentiments and propaganda perpetrated by the “Abuja-based politicians”.

    The APC chieftain said such politicians “cannot even win their polling booths in an election”.

    Nwosu said he has the best chances of winning the governorship election for the party.

    The APC chieftain noted that elections are not won on television or pages of newspapers.

    He urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to conduct popularity test in the state to find out those who can win the election for the party.

    Nwosu said: “The question our party should be asking is: do we want to win this election? And how do you win a general election? Of course, you must have the people with you and you must make sure that the people believe in you. Yout must not just stay in Abuja and make all the noise while you are not on the ground.

    “One challenge I have thrown to these people is that they should come home and let us put our popularity to test. Let them organise a rally and let me organise one too and let us judge by the turnout who is truly on the ground and who is more popular, who won’t win elections on the television or on the pages of newspapers.”

  • Nwosu beats Uzodinma, Madumere to clinch Imo APC guber ticket

    Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Uche Nwosu, on Saturday, defeated Senator Hope Uzodinma and the state Deputy Governor, Eze  Madumere to emerge the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship
    candidate for the 2019 general election.
    Nwosu garnered a total of 269,428 votes to beat his closest rival, Engr. Chucks Ololo, who polled 6,428 votes in the rescheduled governorship primary.
    Uzodinma had 2,729, while Madumere polled 2,646 votes to take the 4th and 5th positions respectively.
    A total of nine aspirants contested for the party’s ticket, they include Sir George Eche, Chucks Ololo, Peter Gbujie, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Uche Nwosu, Chris Nlemoha, Jude Ejiogu, Eze Madumere and  Chima Anozie.
    Nwosu was returned as the governorship candidate yesterday at about 3:20am, by the Governorship Primary Election Committee headed by Ibrahim Agbabiaka alongside 11 others.
    There were reports that some of the aspirants boycotted the exercise but, Agbabiaka while declaring the results said that all the nine governorship aspirants participated in the primary election.
    Nwosu in his speech shortly after being declared winner, dedicated the victory to all the aspirants, adding that it was victory for the party and the state.
    He enjoined the other aspirants to work with the party to ensure victory at the general election, stating that, “we are all winners and we should come together and prepare for the main election. I will soon commence consultations with my brothers that contested with me to see ways we can work together to give our party victory”.
    Meanwhile the state governor, Rochas Okorocha, clinched the Senatorial ticket for Imo West, polling a total of 141,127 votes  to defeat a serving Senator,  Hope Uzodimma, who scored 1,359 votes  and  former APC National Organizing Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso who got 24 votes.
    In the other Senatorial seats, Imo North, Nnamdi Obiaraeri pulled 67,438 to win the Senator currently representing the zone, Benjamin Uwajumogu, with 5,743 votes.
    In Imo East Senatorial district, Emma Ojinere floored the other two contestants with 41,562 votes who are Chima Anthony and Maxwell Igwe.

  • Nwosu in early lead as Madumere, Uzodinma boycott exercise

    There was massive turnout of card- carrying members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the 305 Wards of Imo State yesterday during the governorship primary.

    Voting commenced across the Wards as early as 10 am.

    The exercise followed cancellation of the results of the Ahmed Gulak- led Committee, which produced two candidates after the chairman absconded.

    The new Committee is led by Ibrahim Agbabiaka.

    There was tight security at the venues of the congresses all over the state.

    Results at most of the Wards visited by our correspondent, who monitored the exercise, showed UcheNwosu, who is Governor RochasOkorocha’s preferred aspirant, was in comfortable lead.

    Deputy Governor Eze Madumere and Senator Hope Uzodinma reportedly boycotted the exercise.

    Madumere, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Uche Onwuchekwa, said he will not be part of the exercise because it has been concluded.

     

  • Nwosu to Uzodinma, others; let’s test our popularity at the primary

    A frontline All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has challenged Senator Hope Uzodinma and  other APC aspirants to come out and test their popularity at the primary election.
    Nwosu who was declared winner of the primary election before it was cancelled by the APC  National Working Committee, stated that he will defeat the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial zone, in a popularity test any day.
    Nwosu who spoke with journalists ahead of the rescheduled governorship primary election, said that he is sure of clinching the party’s ticket in a free and fair primary.
    Reacting to insinuations that some of the aspirants, including the former Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, Jude Ejiogu and George Etch have stepped down their ambition for Uzodinma, Nwosu noted that, “they stepped down for the same man that bought their nomination forms”.
    He said, “Madumere, Ejiogu and Eche have stepped down for Uzodinma, the same man that bought their forms, but I am challenging him to meet me at the primary and let us test our popularity. I am challenging their master to an open contest, let’s know who is more acceptable to the people”.
    Nwosu continued that, “I without sounding immodest, remain the most popular aspirant and the beat bet for our party. Instead of working hard to earn the people’s support, some of the aspirants are only interested in compromising the process and looking for how to manipulate the exercise. But I am confident that I will defeat them at the primary.
    “Anybody can decide to sponsor people to step down for him but it is the card carrying members of the party that will decide who will be the party’s candidate. But I am confident that I will defeat all of them and their paymaster inclusive because I have taken time to sell myself and my manifesto to members of our great party they have bought into the project and willing to do everything possible within the ambit of the constitution of party to ensure that I clich the ticket”.

  • Nwosu sets to emerge as ‘Owerri aspirants’ fail to reach consensus

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha’s preferred successor, Uche Nwosu, appears destined to emerge the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate barring unforeseen circumstances.

    The coast became clearer for the former Chief of Staff after discussions on possible consensus among the aspirants from Owerri zone collapsed Friday night.

    Out of the nine aspirants jostling for the APC ticket, seven are from Owerri zone.

    A reliable source, who attended the meeting, told our correspondent the aspirants had planned to adopt one person to contest against the governor’s choice, Nwosu.

    But according to the source who pleaded anonymity, the aspirants could not reach an agreement as each queried the criteria to choose the consensus aspirant.

    The deputy governor, Eze Madumere, was said to have pleaded with the other aspirants to step down for him.

    But his plea was rejected on the grounds that he has been in government for about eight years and should allow others to step in.

    The aspirants, who attended the meeting summoned by APC leaders from Owerri zone, include immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Sir George Eche; Madumere; Retired Air Commodore Peter Gbujie; Jude Ejiogu; Chucks Ololo; Chris Nlemoha and Chima Anozie.

  • Okorocha canvasses for Nwosu, Buhari

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to vote Uche Nwosu as the governor.

    The governor, who addressed APC faithful during a stakeholders’ meeting ahead of today’s primary, noted that Nwosu stands out among other aspirants as he is the only one who can win the governorship for the party.

    Okorocha admonished the people to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari to enable him “continue the good work he is doing for the country and her people”.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “Uche Nwosu is the only aspirant who can easily win the governorship election for our party. And that is the reason aspirants in other parties are not only fighting him, but also assisting other aspirants in the APC to fight him.”

    The governor warned “professional politicians”, who want to disturb peace not to take his peaceful disposition for granted, saying those who wanted to create bad blood were the same people who called him and the party derogatory names when he brought the party to the  state.

    He also cautioned “those who do not believe in voting or victory through the ballot box, but believe in carrying ballot boxes”, that such acts have become old fashioned and must not be allowed in APC”.

    Okorocha advised members  to be peaceful during the primaries and avoid actions that could disrupt the exercises.