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Tag: Oyegun

  • Oyegun rallies support for Buhari as Nigeria marks 56

    Oyegun rallies support for Buhari as Nigeria marks 56

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has assured Nigerians that the APC-led Federal Government has taken adequate steps to bring the economy out of the current recession and restore the country on the path of economic growth.

    In a message to mark the nation’s 56th independence anniversary, Oyegun asked Nigerians to be hopeful and sustain its support and prayers for the government as it works to return the country to its deserved heights in the comity of nations.

    While admitting the hard times the nation was passing through, he said: “As a party, we are confident that with ongoing economic recovery efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the continued support of Nigerians, the country will emerge from the current economic recession stronger and better.”

    The APC National Chairman commended the efforts of President Buhari and the military in containing and degrading the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East as well as ongoing efforts to rebuild and rehabilitate affected communities ravaged by the insurgents.

    He was full of praises for the international community for their cooperation and support for the administration’s counter-insurgency efforts.

    “Happily, the insurgents have been deprived of the possibility of ever again holding Nigerian territory.

    “Going forward, the administration is already aggressively pursuing the rebuilding and rehabilitation of the affected communities so that displaced persons can return to their normal, peaceful and productive lives,” he said.

    The APC National Chairman said the vigorous and focused leadership provided by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration overall was yielding very positive results in all facets of our national life.

    Odigie-Oyegun commended the people of Edo State for electing the APC candidate, Godwin Obaseki, as the Edo State governor-elect, describing the election as a national mid-term assessment which expresses the confidence of Nigerians in the ability of the APC-led administration to solve the socio-economic challenges in the country.

     

  • Oyegun expresses satisfaction

    Oyegun expresses satisfaction

    THE National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, expressed satisfaction with conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Oyegun, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 2 in Oredo Local Government Area, at 11: 45, said: “I am impressed with the conduct of the election so far.

    “The atmosphere has been peaceful and the weather has been very friendly to us all. The voters have been wonderful in their conduct.”

    The APC National Chairman also commended the large turnout of voters, saying: “The turnout is wonderful and I am pleasantly surprised. This is the best turnout so far in years. This is the best so far because I have always voted here.

    “I hope, and it’s presumed that something good is about to happen in the state. It is a sign that the people are beginning to express their democratic rights and that democracy has become totally widespread in the state.

    “It’s peaceful so far, because I have been watching events on TV.’’

    He described the security arrangement as “lovely and wonderful”,

    Saying: “As the National Chairman of my party, it was something that was of grave concern to us all. All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will not be a major incident.”

    On the allegation of money inducement in some centres, he said: “I have not seen any here where I have just voted.”

  • Conduct of Edo election satisfactory – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, has expressed satisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s conduct of the Edo State governorship election.

    Oyegun, who voted at Ward 2, Unit 2 in Oredo local government area at 11: 45 a.m., said: “I am impressed with the conduct of the election so far.

    “The atmosphere has been peaceful and the weather has been very friendly to us all. The voters have been wonderful in their conduct.”

    Oyegun also commended the large turnout of voters, saying: “ the turnout is wonderful and I am pleasantly surprised.’’

    “This is the best turnout so far in years. This is the best so far because I have always voted here.

    “I hope, and it’s presumed that something good is about to happen in the state.

    “It is a sign that the people are beginning to express their democratic rights and that democracy has become totally widespread in the state.

    “It’s peaceful so far because I have been watching events on TV.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyegun described the security arrangement as “lovely and wonderful.”

    “As the National Chairman of my party, it was something that was of grave concern to us all.

    “All the security agencies have given us iron clad assurance that there will not be a major incident,’’ he said.

    On the allegation of money inducement in some centres, he responded: “I have not seen any where I have just voted.’’

     

  • More blows for Oyegun

    More blows for Oyegun

    A member of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to speak out on the crisis rocking the party to save it from collapse.

    Some APC youth leaders from Ondo State also took a swipe at APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun  for his role in the crisis rocking the chapter.

    Frank described Odigie-Oyegun as acting incompetently, adding that the call on him to resign by former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu justifies his position “that Oyegun cannot lead the party”.

    Frank said an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting should be summoned to resolve all contending issues.

    He said the President’s silence was not in the party’s interest, pointing out that another one year of Oyegun’s leadership would spell doom for it in the 2019 general elections since more crises will be unresolved.

    Frank said: “I want to use this medium to appeal to Mr. President because it has got to a situation where he can no longer be silent on the party’s internal issues.

    “The President must speak out and save our party. He is the leader of the party and must not leave the party in the hands of these people that cannot resolve any crisis.

    “Every party member is loyal to the President and he should see the need to immediately call an emergency NEC meeting to enable us come together and look at these allegations. They are not just mere allegations, but very critical ones which must be looked into by the party and position taken.

    “If we don’t do something, even APC supporters in Ondo State will sabotage the process for us because they are not happy. We must do everything possible to bring all aggrieved persons together. If we don’t take emergency steps to resolve these issues, we will have ourselves to blame.”

    Arguing that he had been vindicated by Tinubu’s position, Frank said: “Today, we have seen one of the founding fathers of our party, a national leader, agreeing with my earlier call that Oyegun should resign as national chairman. That should let you know that I forsaw what they didn’t see. I knew from the outset that he could not take the party anywhere.

    “The truth is coming our today and it has shown that Oyegun cannot take this party to where the party wants to get to. Are we still going to deny that there is a crisis now that the national leader and founding father of the party has come up to make his position clear that Oyegun should resign? Is it not clear that there is crisis in the party?

    “Tell me one problem that the APC under Oyegun has been able to resolve since we started having issues. As far as I am aware, APC under Oyegun has not been able to resolve one crisis in this party. There is crisis everywhere in this party which we cannot hide any longer.

    “What has happened has shown clearly that Oyegun cannot do the job. A few days ago, Mr. President launched Change begins with me campaign. But for us, the change has to start from within the party so that Nigerians can follow.

    “Based on this weighty allegation from our national leader and founding father of the party, I want to restate my earlier position that we must call an emergency NEC meeting.

    “If Oyegun knows that he has nothing to hide and that whatever Tinubu has said about him is not true, I am challenging him to immediately call an emergency NEC meeting to enable us come together and look ourselves in the face and tell ourselves the truth and see how we can resolve this internal crisis.

    “If we cannot resolve this crisis now, we may never be able to resolve it. Since the last meeting we held six months ago, none of the decisions reached at the NEC meeting has been implemented. That has shown incompetence on Oyegun’s leadership.

    “We agreed at that meeting that there should be a mini convention to fill vacant positions among others such as downsizing the BOT and having an Elders Council. Today, if I have issues, where will I go to?”

    The youth leaders from 18 local government areas of Ondo State queried  why Odigie-Oyegun overruled the verdict of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) that a fresh governorship primary should be conducted.

    At a news conference attended by the APC leaders, their deputy chairman, Saheed Lateef, urged the party’s national leadership to as a matter of principle and ethos of the APC uphold the recommendations of the appeal panel.

    The panel had affirmed that the election was compromised with fake names in the delegates’ list. It consequently called for fresh election.

    Six of the 11-member committee of the NWC had recommended nullification of the primary election and conduct of a fresh  one.

    But Odigie-Oyegun reportedly suppressed the majority decision and upheld the “disputed” poll in favour of Mr. Olurotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

    “Since we believe in the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, this must reflect and should be extended to the internal arrangement of the progressives party.

    “Our position is not against any individual, but the process that characterised the primaries,” Lateef said.

    The youth leader said the position was reinforced by their commitment to the principle of democracy that emphasised that “minority cannot overrule the majority decision”.

    Lateef noted that the struggle to ensure the formation of progressive government in the Sunshine State should not be defeated because of selfish interest of some individuals.

     

  • How Oyegun overruled NWC on Ondo Primary Appeal Panel report

    How Oyegun overruled NWC on Ondo Primary Appeal Panel report

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie Oyegun, overruled the majority decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) for a fresh primary to pick the party’s governorship candidate for the November 26 election in Ondo State, it was learnt yesterday.

    The party’s Appeal Committee, headed by Mrs Helen Bendega, recommended the cancellation of the disputed primary which produced Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and a fresh primary.

    After meeting for three days, sources said the 12-member NWC failed to reach a consensus. It decided to vote on the outcome. The 13th member of the body elected not to participate.

    The two motions voted on are: •Adoption of the recommendation of the Appeal Panel to cancel the primaries that allegedly produced Akeredolu and conduct a fresh one; and •to submission of the Vice Chairman (South-west zone) Akinyelure’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to beat the deadline, pending the resolution of the logjam.

    It was learnt that six members voted to uphold the recommendation of the Appeal Panel, which is a fresh primary. Five members voted to upturn the report of the panel and retain Akeredolu as candidate.

    But, contrary to the normal procedure that the chairman could only cast a deciding vote in the event of a tie, Oyegun decided to overrule the majority decision already reached by six members.

    He reportedly forwarded Akeredolu’s name to INEC as the party’s candidate.

    “A majority of the NWC members had taken a decision with their votes. What the chairman did was to overrule the majority and force his opinion on the majority,” one of the NWC members, who pleaded not be named, said.

    The appeal panel, which examined the petitions against the governorship primary, recommended its cancellation.

    Panel Chairman and Secretary signed the recommendations while the third member did not authenticate it.

    The Appeal panel made its recommendation based on the corruption of the delegates list. It also observed that there was evidence that non-party members were recruited to vote.

    National Organising Secretary Osita Izunaso, was accused of “colluding to manipulate the delegates’ list. He was also alleged to have provided extra tags to non-delegates to vote.”

  • Ondo Governorship race: APC won’t impose candidate, says Oyegun

    Ondo Governorship race: APC won’t impose candidate, says Oyegun

    •Party members free to endorse any aspirant

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun yesterday pledged that the party will not impose any candidate on the members at the governorship primaries scheduled for weekend in Akure, the state capital.

    He also declared that the party leadership has no preferred candidate for the forthcoming election.

    Oyegun, emerging from a meeting between the National Working Committee of the party and all the 24 governorship aspirants at the national secretariat in Abuja, however said that there is nothing wrong in a party member endorsing an aspirant of his choice ahead of the primaries.

    Such endorsement, which he said is allowed in any democracy, does not necessarily translate into imposition.

    He dismissed rumours that the list of delegates to be used for the primaries had been doctored, saying the list would be made available to the aspirants by Wednesday.

    The party chair described the governorship election as an opportunity for the APC to sweep into power in the state with a view to correcting the mistakes that have robbed Ondo of a virile government over the years.

    He said:”We have had extensive and frank discussions that were occasionally passionate and strong, but at the end of the day, we have reached some basic and fundamental decisions that will guide the process in Ondo State.

    “We have all accepted that there is nothing wrong in anybody being a member of the party or non member endorsing any of the aspirants. We have also accepted unanimously that there will be no attempt on the part of the party to impose any aspirant on the party and on the electorate.

    “We have drawn the very clear distinction between endorsement and imposition. I want to state in very clear terms and assure all the aspirants that the party at the national level has no preferred aspirant and is not going to endorse any aspirant. They are all equal members of the party who have entrusted us with the management of the affairs of their party. So, we have the responsibility to be as impartial as is humanly possible.

    “By the same token the state chapter of the party must not also be seen to be attempting to impose any candidate and cannot endorse an aspirant because they have that secret trust to be even handed to all the aspirants because we are a party that is brazing a new trail in internal democracy.”

    Addressing the aspirants before the closed door meeting which lasted for about three hours, Odigie-Oyegun told them that “as far we are concerned in this party, our objective today is to ensure that the next governor of Ondo State will come from among you. So, everything we are going to talk about will be how to ensure that it is the real person, how to ensure that whatever obstacle that is beginning to rear its head amongst you and in the political environment in Akure and the state generally is removed.”

    Some of the aspirants who spoke after the meeting expressed satisfaction with the outcome if the meeting.

    One of the aspirants who alleged attempt to impose a candidate on the party, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, said his intention was to ensure that the right thing is done and that the party practises true internal democracy.

     

  • Oyegun, Odubu, Osunbor, Ogiemwonyi et al

    Oyegun, Odubu, Osunbor, Ogiemwonyi et al

    I owe a duty to them – the above named icons – among others, who shamed our political detractors – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State Chapter, that we are not as divided as they seem – truth and unity.

    Those soothing words that flowed freely from the National Chairman of the ruling party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and healed all broken hearts resulting from the primary elections that sprang Mr. Godwin Obaseki up as the party’s standard-bearer for the Edo 2016 governorship election is worth the while – Balm.

    Oyegun knew the PDP is petrified but to slay the ‘dragon’ completely, he called on all aspirants, party leaders, stakeholders and teeming members of “our great Party to close ranks and unite as a strong political fighting force behind the candidature of Mr. Godwin Obaseki for a landslide victory at the forthcoming Edo State governorship election”.

    “The request by the aspirants”, according to Oyegun, was that the Edo State APC governorship election primaries should be transparent, free, fair and credible. This, the Party achieved creditably during the primaries. Going forward, we should avoid triumphalist actions and avoid creating new stresses within the party. We should all seek to reunify the Party to face the September 10, 2016, governorship election – this is leadership.

    As if that was all, one man who displayed the calm courage borne of faith in the party that I pray every day to have, if I ever found myself in trying times is Dr. Pius Odubu – the Deputy Governor in the State of Edo. I recommend that all persons of goodwill, regardless of religion and party lining, will have him as a book and learn from his grace – it’s not easy – his action, for the opposition PDP is thumb-biting.

    For example, hear this quotable quote, “Yesterday belongs to the past, and we have decided to put the past behind us. Today is another day” – Isn’t this food for thought from a great mind? In other climes, this quotation is hurriedly documented, perhaps, tweeted across the globe – gone viral – as the philosophy of an African great mind – not around here!

    He wouldn’t stop there – not until he bounded himself and his die-hard followers to the Godwin Obaseki project by reaffirming his commitment to this party (APC) and to its victory at all elections and this was in the presence of “my father here and everybody here present”. Only a devout Christian, who knows that portion of the Holy writ will go to this length – “in the presence of two or three witnesses, every words shall be established” – sorry, I forgot he is also a lawyer!

    Bluntly and helpfully committed to the success of the election – hear Odubu, “We will work even harder than we have ever worked, because anybody who has occupied any office like a proud father will want to leave a successor behind. We want to leave with our party (APC) remaining in government.” Isn’t this blind hatred against the PDP exhibited by the Okakuo of the Universe?

    But what remaineth of me to say now, than to agree, “It’s over for PDP”! However, there is an icing on the cake – wait. Listen to this – and guess who? Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi just entered. You know him?

    He took his own to the world – the marketplace – a man assembled journalists, in the form of a World Press Conference, with his supporters at his campaign office – without an empty seat said, “as a man who believes in the unity of the party, he has told his supporters that they should not leave the party because it was a house they jointly built”.

    He pledged himself, after taking a short holidays, to join the Godwin Obaseki Campaign team because, his vision for Edo State is that “we should take advantage to be in alignment with the party with the government at the centre, we should, therefore, remain to have the benefit of the party at the centre and the party at the state level.” Isn’t this the spirit?

    Thank you, “most-accomplished-Engineer”, for being a party man. I know APC will make it because of experience men like the former Minister – including all the party aspirants – Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Comrade Peter Esele, Chief Blessing Aigbomhere, Prof. Amadasun Ebegue, Mr. Austin Emuan among others who have, out of great commitment shown to the world, the meaning of perseverance, character, hope and unity.

    Added, you would notice, that when the fire raged-on, these men never flinched and did not react recklessly – they showed incredible restraint because it wasn’t about Comrade Adams Oshiomhole or Mr. Godwin Obaseki but, it was about the party.

    Now, the party can say, that aftermath of the primaries and as we go into the campaigns and elections, we’ve seen Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Dr. Pius Odubu, Godwin Obaseki, Anselm Ojesua, the state party executives, the aspirants – with different backgrounds, working not just to restore order and support to strengthen the party, but working together to unify a party with strength and grace and wisdom.

    These men, the APC-led State government – this is the party I know. And for Oshiomhole who re-called all those whose appointments were terminated for one reason or the other, I commend your spirit of leadership. And today, I see in the APC audience, men who have a mind of their own and who protested on behalf of their belief and yet, accommodated by a Governor who doubles as a Comrade with a big-heart. In this party therefore, I see impossibility’s possibility.

    The task ahead, among others, is that we must keep the opposition in continual check and at all costs and do so without causing any political blow-back or inconvenience to ourselves; don’t make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind and then, we feign surprise when periodically the tension boils over.

    The opposition knows the truth – about the APC-led government’s achievements – they’ve been true for a long time. We know it just as the PDP. The electorates, you know it. We know what Oshiomhole met on ground in 2007 and what it is today but some pretend as if there’s no context – these things we know to be true.

    And if we cannot even talk about these things, if we cannot talk honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own circles, with those who have the “Simple Agenda” and bring a different perspective because they are in the dark-opposition, then we will never break this dangerous circle of under-development they are wont to plunge us.

    Without taking too much of your time – let me say once more, that the actions of the above icons have left the PDP and its chieftains in a zombie-like haze, the one I normally describe as ‘political anxiety disorder’ – paranoia, and hallucinations, fainting and overtime – political damage.

  • Amosun, Bello congratulate Oyegun at 77

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his Niger State counterpart, Sani Bello have congratulated national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) John Odigie- Oyegun for clocking 77 last Friday.

    Paying tributes to Oyegun, Amosun said: “Your life has been an eventful one with innumerable achievements in many spheres, especially, in the public sector, where you have made significant impact.

    “In addition to this, the nation’s political landscape has benefitted immensely from your active participation, especially, when you served as the first executive governor of Edo State and in the build-up to the formation of our great party, APC.”

    Amosun continued: “On this occasion of your birthday, we join you in celebrating the abundant grace of God on you and your family.

    “It is my prayer that the Almighty God will preserve you for many more years, in good health and sound mind so that you can continue to make significant contributions to the overall development of our party, in particular and Nigeria in general.”

    Bello described Odigie-Oyegun as a humble and perfect gentleman whose fatherly role has impacted positively on the party and its governors.

    The governor said Oyegun’s leadership has impacted positively on the party and given it a sense of direction.

    According to him: “He is like a father to most of us and he is a gentleman, perfect gentleman; I think that is what I want to say about him”.

  • Buhari is building productive nation, says Oyegun

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is building a country that will be productive and offer its people lots of opportunities to grow.

    Odigie-Oyegun who acknowledged that Nigerians are passing through difficult times said President Buhari wants to ensure that the country is no longer a fragile economy relying on a single crop as its foreign exchange earner.

    Speaking at a birthday reception organised in his honour by staff of the APC national secretariat, Odigie-Oyegun said even though the APC was aware of the state of the economy during the presidential campaign, it never envisaged that the economy was as bad as things eventually turned out.

    He said that the bad nature of the economy, coupled with the collapse of the price of crude oil in the international market has contributed largely to the hardship the nation is currently going through, but expressed optimism that the APC and President Buhari will turn around the fortuns of the nation for good.

    He said: “It has been a tough time for the nation. When we were campaigning, we did not know that things were as bad as we eventually met them even though we knew that things were bad. The revelations that come out everyday continue to buttress that fact.

    “Secondly, nobody ever expected the price of crude to collapse the way it has done. One can only repeat what Mr. President said a few days ago that from being a nation that had an excess crude account, today, because of the collapse of the price of crude, a lot of states do not even have enough resources to meet their very basic responsibilities to their citizens.

    “But God, in His wisdom, has provided the nation with APC at these critical times. Even more important, God, in his wisdom has given us a President of the status of Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The truth is that if we did not at this crucial time have a man of strong will and iron determination, a man of courage to take charge of this nation at a time when its economy has collapsed due partly to mismanagement of a long period of 16 years and the unexpected crash of the price of oil.

    “If God, in His infinite mercies did not give us a President of that stature, of that determination, a man who is ready to take challenge, who is ready to take decision head on and who has pledged to ensure that this is the last economic crisis that this nation will go through.

    “We are going through hard times temporarily, but it is quite clear that the silver lining is there in the cloud because the President and the APC are determined that this nation will no longer be a mono culture economy, that we will never again depend on a single crop, whether it is oil, solid mineral or agriculture will no longer be relied upon for sustenance.

    “The President is laying a very solid foundation for the take off of this nation such that all the resources that God has endowed this nation with whether in solid mineral or agriculture because this nation is blessed.”

  • Buhari greets Oyegun at 77

    President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, who marked his 77th birthday on Friday.

    Buhari joined the Oyegun family, friends and admirers in celebrating another year of good health and strength for a man who has shown uncommon dedication to the peace, progress, stability and development of Nigeria.

    The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, commended Oyegun’s patriotism, hardwork and leadership in managing the affairs of the governing party throughout the period and in the aftermath of the historic 2015 elections.

    He affirmed that the APC chief’s dedication to noble causes and democratic ideals has endeared him to many Nigerians who will continue to draw inspiration from his legacies to offer their best for the country.