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Tag: Oshiomhole

  • …Oshiomhole parleys with Tambuwal, Kwankwaso

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has met with Governor Aminu Tambuwal of  Sokoto State and former Kano State Governor  Rabiu Kwankwaso in his latest round of peace talks with aggrieved members of the party.

    Oshiomhole had earlier met with Senate President Bukola Saraki,House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara  and the APC caucuses in the two chambers of the National Assembly with a view to persuading them from dumping the party.

    More meetings have been scheduled  to resolve the  issues at stake,his chief press secretary,Simon Ebegbulem, told The Nation yesterday.

    Ebegbulem said Oshiomhole has been very busy since his assumption of office to salvage the situation.

    He said: “Since he assumed office, he has not slept well,always meeting with aggrieved members till the early hours of the morning.

    “ He has met with Saraki, Tambuwal and Dogara. He has been pleading that they should all remain in the party so they can build it together.

    “He also has  this regret that the issues were allowed to linger for too long before he came into office.

    “ He met with the APC caucus in the Senate and the House twice seeking for peace. He met with Tambuwal, Kwankwaso individually and Saraki severally pleading for peace.

    “As we speak he is still talking to them. We believe that the kind of implosion that people are envisaging may not happen. So his efforts are yielding results and he is determined to ensure that he brings many of them back to the fold.

    “I want you to also know that he had experienced sleepless nights dealing with the crisis in the party and the Ekiti State election. He has stressed the need for party leaders across board to bury their pride so they can achieve success.”

  • Oshiomhole gets spokesman

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has appointed  Simon Ebegbulem as his Chief Press Secretary.

    A letter by the National Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, announced the appointment.

    Buni said Mr Ebegbulem shall “perform all the functions of a Chief Press Secretary and any such duties as may be assigned to you by the National Chairman”.

  • Those leaving APC are mercenaries, says Oshiomhole

    Those leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are mercenaries who joined the party for personal gains, National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday.

    He however added that those who have genuine complaints will be encouraged to remain and their fears allayed.

    Oshiomhole wrote off the coalition of parties supporting the Peoples Democratic Pary (PDP) and expressed confidence that the APC will carry the day in Saturday’s Ekiti State goverorship election.

    Oshiomhole spoke yesterday while inaugurating the non-Executive National Working Committee (NCW) members.

    He assured party chieftains that members of the PDP still holding sensitive positions as heads of agencies would soon be flushed out.

    He said the formation of the PDP-led Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) was a clear admittance by the main opposition and other political parties that they lack what it takes to unseat the government.

    He said the party was “aware that even as at today, we still have a lot of PDP people occupying very important positions in federal agencies”. “We will do everything possible to purge these elements out of the system because we are a party of change,” he said, adding:

    “They are the conservative right-wing party. We cannot entrust to conservative forces an agenda for change. Government is not in the Villa. Villa is the head of government. Government is in the agencies – what they do, how they do it, the quality of service delivery and the style of that service delivery.

    “That is how the ordinary man interfaces with power and if these agencies are in the hands of those who do not believe in our change agenda, then we cannot expect miracles from them.

    “And for those who are aggrieved as to how certain things are done, those who question that they do not seem to see the difference because substantially, PDP is still managing these agencies, we have a duty to convince the federal executive that this government has no business with any PDP in sensitive federal agencies and using their old tactics in service delivery. That, I believe, is a task that all of us must pursue.

    “I believe that we now must work consciously to ensure that in replacing, we replace sinners with believers. Believers are those who are card-carrying members of our party and before we go outside the party family, we must convince ourselves that the persons we are taking, we are taking him because we do not have that particular expertise within the family.”

    Speaking on the R-APC, the former Edo State Governor said: “We will do everything possible to assuage those who have genuine grievances who simply want fairness and justice. I believe on your behalf, I can give them all the assurance that there will be justice, there will be fairness.

    “However, for the mercenaries, who mistakenly joined the party because of what they can gain personally, not for the good of the country, not for the good of the party; they came in purely for greener pastures and they have found that they have had to work hard to plant the grass, to wet it, nourish it for it to become green and they cannot wait, they want to run, not because we have wronged them but because we just cannot satisfy a mercenary, for those ones, we will not only open the door, we are ready to open even the windows.

    “But I am ready to go to any length to persuade and appeal to genuine people who are aggrieved. But like I have said, I am not intimidated; I am not frightened, I am not impaired and I want to urge everyone of you individually and collectively that we cannot be intimidated.”

    He added: “If you harness the energy of one million snails and transform it into one snail to run, it cannot catch up with an Antelope. So, when we were told 50 political parties had merged to confront us towards 2019, I was excited because first, that is a clear admission that as things stand today, neither the one we defeated before, the PDP, nor the new one that they claim to have formed has what it takes.

    “They are now saying to Nigerians that ‘we want to capture power even though we are different, but for the purpose of capturing power, we will unite’, and I do not think Nigerians need any further explanation that enough of this opportunistic politicking”.\On Ekiti election, he said: ‘That point was made yesterday (Tuesday’s rally) and I am sure it will be proven by the special grace of God on Saturday.”

  • Buhari committed to new minimum wage for workers, says Oshiomhole

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole has assured  workers that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to the implementation of a new national minimum wage.

    He asked workers to disregard anyone, who says the President would not implement the new minimum wage.

    Oshiomhole, a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, also said the President would not be part of any act that tends to undermine the gains that workers have achieved over the years.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke while receiving a delegation of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) led by its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, at the APC National secretariat, said he was proud of his labour background since the trade union prepared him for the position he is occupying today.

    He added that he would, therefore, consider the trade union movement as his first and primary constituency.

    He told them to ignore any voice within the APC family that tends to suggest that the Buhari administration would superintend over abolition of the National Minimum Wage, saying that would be the wishful thinking of such individual.

    Accompanied on the visit by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the TUC delegation include Olusoji Salako (1st Deputy President), Francis Olabode Johnson (2nd Deputy President), Oyinkan Olasanoye (Chairman of TUC Women Commission), Quadri Olaleye (National Treasurer), Musa Lawal (Secretary-General) and Salihu Anka (Asst. Secretary-General).

    Oshiomhole said: “The trade union movement and the working class represent part of the constituency that President Buhari believes in. That is why on occasions like this, I can safely assure the TUC and NLC that if you hear any voice within the APC family talking in a way as to suggest that President Buhari’s government will superintend over abolition of the National Minimum Wage that will be the individual’s wishful thinking. President Muhammadu Buhari will not dismantle any of the gains that the working class has achieved over the years.

    “One of which is the idea of a National Minimum Wage to provide a social club below which no Nigerian workers should be engaged. I think there is no better evidence of this than the fact that even at a time many people were calling for the abolition of the National Minimum Wage, President Buhari decided to set up a panel to review upward the existing National Minimum Wage. As they say, action speaks louder than words.”

    The APC National Chairman expressed his resolve to use his position to influence government policies in a way that it will benefit the Nigerian worker.

    Oshiomhole also said Buhari remained committed to worker’s welfare, the fight against corruption and the unity of the country, despite resistance from a section of the political elite.

    He said: “My understanding of the Nigerian condition is deepened by the fact that I had the opportunity as a factory worker and an industrial union leader and later as President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). I am very proud when people acknowledge that what qualifies me for the present position is the rich trade union background, where I was able to manage a pan-Nigeria institution and mobilise the people for a good course without recourse to ethnic, religious and primordial sentiments.

    “That is the challenge of the political class today because many are still afflicted by these primordial sentiments. I am very proud of those values that I had to imbibe as a union leader. I know the struggles that we waged together.”

     

  • Edo rigging template won’t work here, Fayose tells Oshiomhole

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has rejected the claim of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, that the election which brought him to office in 2014 was rigged.

    Fayose said his 2014 victory was certified as credible by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the international community, local and foreign election observers.

    He claimed that local and foreign observers rejected the election which brought Oshiomhole’s successor, Godwin Obaseki, to power as Edo State Governor.

    Fayose said the alleged “rigging template” used by Oshiomhole and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State will not work in next Saturday’s governorship poll in Ekiti State.

    Oshiomhole had on Friday accused Fayose of resorting to “panicky measures” including alleged illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of civil servants and teachers in a bid to ensure victory for his anointed successor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Fayose in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said the APC, led by Oshiomhole will meet its waterloo at the poll, adding that the people will retain People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in power with their votes.

    He said: “Oshiomole’s secret plan to use his fraudulent Edo template in Ekiti will never work and it will attract injurious consequences.

    This is because Ekiti people are resolutely determined to resist rigging right on the spot.

    “Contrary to Adams’ diatribe, rumour peddling and rabble rousing unbecoming of an ex- governor and national chairman of the ruling party,  Fayose and PDP are only interested in credible election.

    “Fayose and PDP are raising the alarm because of tell-tale signs that APC and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi are plotting to rig the election.

    “The statements by top APC leaders including its former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun that they must capture Ekiti by all means are very instructive in this regard.

    “Nigerians witnessed the blatant rigging of Ondo and Edo governorship elections by the APC.  In Ondo, it was shameless vote buying. In Edo they stopped vote counting when it was clear PDP was winning and changed the results overnight. Seeing these, who will ask us to stay stupid?

    “Adams Oshiomhole was the mastermind of Edo rigging. He is only calling Fayose the name that rightly belongs to him (Oshiomhole).”

    He added: “If Adams Oshiomhole still has problems with that (2014) election, he should address his misgivings to the US and international community.

    “Besides, APC challenged the election up to the Supreme Court but lost. Is Adams Oshiomhole disputing and despising the highest court of the land?  It must be noted that he himself became governor by the same court judgment.”

     

  • Buhari will not undermine Nigerian workers – Oshiomhole

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Saturday assured Nigerian workers that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to the implementation of a new national minimum wage in the country.

    He said the President would not undermine Nigerian workers.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke while receiving a delegation of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) led by its president, Bobboi Kaigama, at the APC National secretariat, added that President Buhari would not in any way dismantle the gains the working class had achieved over the years.

    Kaigama was accompanied to the APC secretariat by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, Olusoji Salako (1st Deputy President), Francis Olabode Johnson (2nd Deputy President), Oyinkan Olasanoye (Chairman of TUC Women Commissioner), Quadri Olaleye (National Treasurer), Musa Lawal (Secretary-General) and Salihu Anka (Assistant Secretary-General).

    Oshiomhole said he was proud of his Labour background, adding that organized labour would always remain his primary constituency.

    He said: “The trade union movement and the working class represent part of the constituency that President Buhari believes in. That is why on occasions like this, I can safely assure the TUC and NLC that if you hear any voice within the APC family saying President Buhari’s government would superintend over abolition of the National Minimum Wage, that would be the individual’s wishful thinking. President Muhammadu Buhari would not dismantle any of the gains that the working class had achieved over the years.

    “One of which is the idea of a National Minimum Wage to provide a social club below which no Nigerian workers should be engaged. I think there is no better evidence of this than the fact that even at a time many people were calling for the abolition of the National Minimum Wage, President Buhari decided to set up a panel to review upward the existing National Minimum Wage. As they say, action speaks louder than words.”

     

  • Ekiti poll: PDP, Fayose haunted by past misdeeds, says Oshiomhole

    NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, are being haunted by their past misdeeds and have resorted to panicky measures in their desperation to win the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    Addressing newsmen ain his maiden news briefing at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Oshiomhole said that both Fayose and his party were afraid that the rigging machinery they deployed against former Governor Kayode Fayemi during the election that brought Fayose into office would also be deployed against them by the APC.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said: “We all know that Fayose was rigged into office. And this is no secret because the military officers involved have since confessed to the roles they played as well as those involved in the dollars that were withdrawn from the NNPC. These are no secrets anymore.

    “I think that Fayose thinks that the very instrument he used to come to power will be used against him. This is a party of change and so, we are not about to copy the darkest side of the PDP.

    “If he is afraid of being rigged out, why is he collecting PVC from registered voters and giving queries to people for refusing to surrender their PVC? Why is he harassing heads of institutions and directing lecturers to award 20 per cent free marks to any student that votes for his candidate? “While I have respect for anybody who occupies the office of the governor, I think honestly that Fayose enjoys lying. But the truth is that he is haunted by the ghost of the forces he used to capture power because he didn’t win the last election.”

    The APC National Chairman also accused Governor Fayose and his party of intimidating workers in the state to surrender their voter cards.

    He said the governor had ordered civil servants, teachers and other categories of workers in the state to surrender their permanent voter cards (PVCs), adding that those who refused to surrender their cards had been queried by the government.

    He also alleged that the governor had directed lecturers in institutions of higher learning in the state to award free 20 marks to students who vote for his candidate, adding that since Fayose has never won a free and fair election, he thinks that the process that brought him to office would be used against him.

    Oshiomhole said: “I believe that the people of Ekiti State are very much aware of what the issues are. There is no better evidence of how prepared we are than the fact that the PDP is panicking.

    “You must have read reports that in clear violation of the electoral act, Governor Fayose has instructed civil servants, principals of schools, headmasters to retrieve PVC from civil servants because he is afraid that the civil servants and the people of Ekiti State will not vote for him and in demonstration of that, they are helping to educate the people on why they should not vote for his candidate.

    “He has not paid salaries for one year in spite of the fact that the federal government gave him bailout which he chose to divert to other uses. So, they are panicking, and while we are encouraging people to collect PVC, he is retrieving PVC.

    “We heard that they have started issuing query to workers, including teachers, for refusing to surrender their PVC.

    “I don’t think you need any other evidence that the Governor is panicking, and we can’t wait to have him swept away in a free and fair election on the basis of one man, one vote, one woman, one vote.

    “Secondly, you are all witnesses to the fact that we have conducted elections in the Southwest. In Osun State, we went for the senatorial election and our party lost and they won. We didn’t complain about rigging, because we felt that the people preferred Adeleke.

    “We also went for election in Anambra, and when the governor complained that his security were  withdrawn, the President ordered that they be reinstated immediately. We lost that election to APGA.

    “We went for an election in Bayelsa State and one of the President’s loyalist was a candidate and he lost.

    “For us, PDP rigging machine is not what we want to copy. What we have done is to dismantle it. What Fayose can complain about is that he was never used to winning an election on the basis of merit.

    “His first time, he hid under the then President’s do or die election approach to win and, of course, the same President supervised his impeachment. Now, he must learn to win election by persuading the people. Why should a ruling party hold its rally by the roadside so that you can manipulate the crowd?”

    Reacting to the claims by Governor Fayose that the federal government closed the Akure Airport to deny their leaders the opportunity to attend the rally, Oshiomhole said the governor was crying wolf as nothing of such happened as governors and leaders of the PDP freely landed and took off from the Akure airport with their private jets.

    He also dismissed the claims that APC was trying to manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission to rig the election in their favour.

    He said: “Fayose said people were not allowed to fly into Akure airport, but our people have been there to produce a tape of how PDP governors and non-governors littered Akure airport with private jets.

    “He has gone ahead to say that INEC wants to rig him out. Every armed robber thinks that every other person is an armed robber. If there is any political party that is on record as having consistently colluded with INEC, it is the PDP. I am an apostle of one man, one vote.

    “I rely on my sole power of persuasion and mobilization and dismantled PDP machinery in Edo State within firing a bullet. We came from the background of people winning election without relying on federal instrument and so don’t need any reinforcement to do what we know best.

    “We will ensure that the rules of the game are obeyed. We have no apology for the fact that this time, Fayose will run on its records and will not be able to use those instruments he used before.

    “If that is what he called rigging, too bad. We have seen a consistent pattern by the PDP that when elections are approaching, they will be shouting rigging, rigging while they are perfecting the act of rigging themselves. “What we have brought on board as the new NWC of the APC is how to monitor and ensure that the rigging machine of the PDP is completely dismantled.”

    On the call that a vote for Fayemi is a vote for herdsmen, he said “Fayemi was Governor in Ekiti State and there were herdsmen when he was governor and he was able to bring leadership to bear and involved the stakeholders. The truth is that we all need each other.

    “So, when people resort to bringing in those divisive messages, it tells you how bereft of ideas they are. And with that coming from a man who called himself a professor, then I said no wonder that most professors are not successful in politics. “I thought that as a Professor, you will have a much richer message. When I watch him saying that a vote for Kayode is a vote for herdsmen, I said poor professor.

    “The message I want to pass across is that Kayode Fayemi is not a stranger to Ekiti Government House, and when he was there, he knew how to manage everyone. Why is Fayose not able to manage that?”

  • Give Oshiomhole chance to re-unite APC –Party chieftain

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Emokpaire Ibrahim, has urged party faithful to support the new national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as “he attempts to reposition, reconcile and reclaim the trust of all party members.” Emokpaire told journalists that this period in the life of the party calls for total commitment, endurance, loyalty and unity in order to raise the bar of the new democratic process under the new national chairman. “Barely two weeks ago, members of our great party decided to hand over the baton of leadership to Comrade Adams Oshiomole.

    I sincerely believe in the ability and capacity of our national chairman to move the party forward. My decision to withdraw my nomination papers from contesting the national chairmanship position at the national convention also stemmed from this fact. “We are in a period when all hands must be on the deck to once again support the good work of President Muhammadu Buhari as we approach the 2019 general elections. “I appeal to all who are disgruntled about some of the issues raised about the outcome of the national convention to sheathe their sword and channel their grievances through the right process.

    Personal agenda should not supersede that of the party and as a family, there are certain internal problems that must be managed within the party without resorting to making public statements or deviating from the progressive agenda of our great party which is the unifying factor.” He urged leaders of the new group to revisit their decisions and come to a roundtable discussion with the leadership of the party so that their protest would be looked into by the appropriate authority.

  • PDP, Fayose taking panicky measures – Oshiomhole

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of resorting to panicky measure in their desperation to win the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    He accused the PDP of intimidating workers in the state to surrender their voter’s cards.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke at his maiden news briefing at the party national secretariat in Abuja, said the governor has ordered civil servants, teachers and other categories of workers in the state to surrender their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), adding that those who refused to surrender their cards had been queried by the government.

    He also alleged that the governor has directed lecturers in institutions of higher learning in the state to award free 20 marks to students who vote for his candidate.

    The ex-Edo State governor said since Fayose has never won a free and fair election, he thinks the same process that brought him to office would be used against him.

    Oshiomhole said: “I believe that the people of Ekiti State are very much aware of what the issues are. There is no better evidence of how prepared we are than the fact that the PDP is panicking.

    “You must have read reports that in clear violation of the electoral act, the Governor Fayose has instructed the civil servants, principals of schools and headmasters to retrieve PVCs from civil servants because he is afraid that the civil servants and the people of Ekiti State will not vote for him and in demonstration of that, they are helping to educate the people on why they should not vote for his candidate.

    “He has not paid salaries for one year despite the fact that the federal government gave him bailout which he chose to divert to other uses. So, they are panicking and while we are encouraging people to collect PVC, he is retrieving PVCs.

    “We heard that they have started issuing query to workers, including teachers for refusing to surrender their PVCs. I don’t think you need any other evidence that the governor is panicking and we can’t wait to have him swept away in a free and fair election on the basis of one man, one vote, one woman, one vote.

    “We all know that Fayose was rigged into office and this is no secret because the military officers involved has since confessed to the role they played as well as those involved in the dollars that were withdrawn from the NNPC. These are no secrets anymore.

    “I think that Fayose thinks that the very instrument he used to come to power will be used against him. This is a party of change and so, we are not about to copy the darkest side of the PDP. “

  • Oshiomhole decries use of ethnicity, religion for political choices

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole yesterday faulted the use of ethnicity and religion as basis for friendship and political choices.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke at a book presentation in honour of old Kaduna State Governor Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, said the former governor sacrificed his office for what he believe in because he was not prepared to negotiate away his belief.

    The former Edo State governor, who was chairman of the book presentation, dismissed claims by several Nigerians that the country was not worth dying for.

    He said Nigerians must understand that they have no other country and must strive to make it a better place.

    Oshiomhole noted how Balarabe Musa, as governor, gave him his first political appointment by appointing him into the board of one of the state owned companies.

    He added that the Second Republic politician was not bothered about his religion or where he came from.

    He said: “Today in Nigeria, several years later when we are supposed to have known better, ethnicity and religion have become the basis for friendship, sometimes, the basis for political choice and national discourse. These are the type of things that Balarabe Musa will not be part of. For him, people should be defined in terms of who they are and who they believe in.

    “The second thing Balarabe Musa taught us that we should try to internalise is that if you can’t beat them, kept fighting them because they can be defeated, and that even when they have beaten you, in the long run, your conscience will remain standing.

    “Those of us who knew why Balarabe Musa was impeached and the forces that impeached him, will know that most governors today would want to negotiate.

    “He was not impeached in any allegation of stealing, corruption or abuse of office, but that he refused to bend, open the state treasury for people to help themselves, to pursue policies that in his judgment would be inimical to the welfare and wellbeing of the masses of the people of Kaduna State.

    “For that, the forces that wanted things to remain the way they are were predetermined to check him out. I am aware that there were all manner of forces to make him negotiate.

    Also speaking, Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani, lamented that present day political parties did not even know the direction they were heading, but were merely fighting to occupy political power without any form of ideology.

    He said it was unfortunate that many members of the executive of political parties did not even know the manifesto or constitution of the parties they lead.

    Eulogising the former Kaduna State governor for his leadership qualities, Sani said “What has been lacking in our politics is that conviction and principle. Take your time to check the manifestos and constitution of the political parties in Nigeria.