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Tag: Saraki

  • Offa robbery: Allegations against Saraki, Governor Ahmed

    The Nigeria Police Force has invited Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki to report at the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer allegations against him by some of the suspects  in the Offa robbery.

    According to the Police, the suspects allegedly confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys”.

    They also allegedly admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    The suspect went for the robbery in Offa with an operational vehicle with a car sticker in shape of number plate that had the inscription; ‘SARAKI’.

    Giving an update of the investigation during their parade in Abuja on Sunday, the Force Spokesman said 22 suspects have so far being arrested for their alleged involvement in the robbery attack which left 33 persons dead, including nine policemen and some pregnant women.

    13 of them were however paraded while the remaining were said to be out with the Police for further investigation.

    • The gang members who allegedly indicted the Senate President are; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.

    Ogunleye confessed to killing two persons, Abraham killed five persons,  Azeez killed two persons,  and Ogundiran killed two persons during the robbery.

     

    Other suspects arrested are; The PA Political to the Governor of Kwara State, Alabi  Olalekan and the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kwara State, Yusuf Abdulwahab.

     

    “Michael Adikwu; Sectional Gang Leader, Killed 22 Persons mostly at the Police Station,   Kabiru Afolabi,    Omoseni Kassim,  Kayode Opadokun, Kazeem Abdulrasheed, Azeez Abdullahi,   Adewale Popoola,  Adetoyese Muftau, Alexander Reuben,  Richard Buba Terry,   Peter Jasper Kuunfa,   Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji, Moses Godwin,    Adeola Omiyale, and  Femi Idowu”

     

     

    Items recovered from them include;  “Two AK47 Rifles, Two Barrette Pistols, One Pump Action Rifle,   One Revolver Pistol – In Police Custody in Ilorin, Lexus RX300 Jeep with Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (Gang Leader) – Used for the Bank Robbery, Mercedes Benz – Compressor with Reg. No. Lagos LT496 KJA belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (Gang Leader) – Used for the Bank Robbery and  One Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH belonging to the PA Political to the Executive Governor, Kwara State – In Police Custody in Ilorin.

     

    Other items are: “One Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Reg. No. LRN 481 FE – In Police Custody in Ilorin, N600,000.00 – In Police Custody in Ilorin, four Phones of victims recovered, One Sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony”

     

    On the invitation of the Saraki, the Force Spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood said: “Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited to report to the Police to answer allegations indicting him from confessions of Five gang leaders arrested for active participation in Offa Bank Robbery and Killings of 33 innocent persons.

     

    “Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited by the Nigeria Police Force to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the five gang leaders.”

     

    On the update into the investigation, Moshood said : “The investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery and gruesome killings of more than 33 Innocent persons in Offa, Kwara State on the 5th April, 2018 directed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has made significant progress, successes and more revelations have been recorded.

     

    “The Gang Leaders and some of the principal suspects arrested for their active participation in the robbery and the killing of innocent persons have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they and their sponsors played in this dastard and heinous crime.

     

    “The Five gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons which includes some pregnant women and nine Police personnel; admitted, confessed and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

     

     

    “The arrests of the suspects were made possible after the arrest of two principal suspects (Kunle Ogunleye aka Arrow 35yrs and Michael Adikwu an Ex-Convict) whose pictures captured by CCTV in one of the Banks during the Banks robbery were circulated to the media and the public.

     

    “The two principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five (5) gang leaders to carry out the Offa Banks Robbery, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killings of 33 innocent persons on the 5th of April, 2018.

     

    “During interrogation, the five gang leaders confessed and volunteered statements that they carried out the Bank Robberies, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Offa and the killings of innocent persons during the robbery of the following six banks.”

     

    The suspects robbed First Bank Offa, Guarantee Trust Bank Offa,  ECOBank Offa,  Zenith Bank Offa, Union Bank Offa,  and Ibolo Micro Finance Bank Offa.

     

     

    During the attack, the suspects were said to have carted millions of Naira from the Banks and 21 AK47 Rifles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force in the Armoury of  the Police Divisional Headquarters, Offa.

     

     

     

    On the involvement of Saraki, Moshood said : “The Five gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys” admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

     

    “In the course of discreet investigation into the confessions of the suspects,  a Lexus jeep GX-300 (Ash Colour) with a sticker plate number with inscription  “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” used by the gang leader (Ayoade Akinnibosun ‘M’ 37Yrs) during the bank robbery and the killings was taken to Government House, Ilorin  on 16th May, 2018 where the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” was removed before another plate number (Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM) registered in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun the Overall Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery was then attached to the vehicle to cover up the identity of the said vehicle.

     

    “The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of the Min. of Environmental and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara State while the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” removed from the vehicle was recovered from one Adeola Omiyale who drove the said Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin immediately after the Bank Robbery.”

     

    On the involvement of the aides to the Governor, Moshood said : “The Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, who is privy to information that the Police is looking for the lexus Jeep as an exhibit used directed one Adeola Omiyale to relocate the Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin.

     

    “The PA (Political) is currently in Police custody and has made useful statement assisting the Police in further investigation into the case.

     

    “A revolver pistol and pump action gun were recovered by the Police Investigation Team from the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan’s Farm where he directed his brother to hide them after his arrest by the Police.”

     

     

    The statement further reads: “In order to conceal evidence, the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab who has been arrested and taken into Police custody, arranged the removal of the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” from the exhibit vehicle and also registered the exhibit Lexus Jeep used in the name of Ayoade Akinnibosun, the overall Gang Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery while the Ayoade AKinnibosun was already in Police custody for more than six days before the registration of the vehicle.”

    The Police said investigation was ongoing and effort is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large.

     

    The Police also said all suspects involved will be arraigned in court for prosecution on completion of investigation.

    The Police also promised to continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails in every case under Police investigation adding that every offender would be brought to justice.

  • Offa robbery: Police invite Saraki

    The Nigeria Police Force has invited Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki to report to Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer allegations against him by suspects who took part in the recent Offa robbery.

    Some of the suspects linked to Offa robbery allegedly indicted the Senate President and the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatai Ahmed.

    The suspects who were paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Sunday confessed to being political thugs to the Senate President.

    The suspect went for the bank robbery in Offa with an operational vehicle with a car sticker in shape of number plate with an inscription  SARAKI.

    Saraki
    Offa robbery suspects on parade

    On the invitation, the Police Spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood said: “Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited by the Nigeria Police Force to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the five gang leaders.

    “The gang members who indicted the Senate President are; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons which includes some pregnant women and nine Police personnel,” Moshood stated.

     

  • Insecurity: Senate in closed door meeting with NSA

    The Senate on Thursday held over two hour meeting with the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno, over mounting insecurity in the country.

    The closed door meeting was part of the security briefing the upper chamber held with security chiefs last week.

    After the meeting, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki said that Monguno answered questions bothering on security, insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, coordination of the security agencies and the general killings in the country.

    Read Also: Corruption: Senate challenges Jega to mention names

    “Thereafter, we directed that he submits a funding request similar to other heads of security agencies that had come before us and to submit consideration where relevant amendments to existing laws involving security agencies need consideration,”‎ Saraki said.

  • Saraki: my CCT trial not part of nPDP, APC talks

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday said his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal was never part of Monday’s reconciliation talks between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP).

    He said he was prepared to allow his trial to run its full course at the tribunal instead of engaging in any negotiation.

    Also, the chairman of the nPDP,  a bloc within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alh. Abubakar Kawu Baraje, warned against comments and disclosures that could derail the reconciliation talks within the ruling party.

    He said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has asked all parties to the discussions to avoid a media war.

    He also said the discontinuation of Saraki’s trial was not part of the talks by the Presidency, nPDP and APC leaders.

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, faulted the insinuations that the discontinuation of his trial came up at the session with the Vice President.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has been drawn to the front page headline in the May 30, 2018, edition of The Nation newspaper – ‘Ex-nPDP: stop Saraki’s trial’. The body of the story was contained on Page 6 of the newspaper.

    “Ordinarily, Dr. Saraki would have ignored the story as he has done in the cases of other speculative ones concerning the on-going discussions between the new People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government published by the newspaper, but since this story specifically mentioned an issue concerning him and the newspaper is associated both in ownership and viewpoint with a section of the APC leadership, it may be perceived to have some level of authenticity.

    “The trial of Dr. Saraki over asset declaration issues which is now before both the Supreme Court and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was never part of the discussions over the grievances of the nPDP leaders and all those who attended the meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo can attest to this.

    “The issues being discussed between the nPDP and the APC leaderships are beyond personal matters.”

    The Senate President said he was not interested in any out of court settlement of the case before the CCT.

    The statement added: “Saraki will want it known that he is not interested in any settlement of the asset declaration case outside the judicial process.

    “ He is confident that the court will give him justice and he will be exonerated of all charges as can be seen by the verdicts of the CCT and the Court of Appeal. In fact, he maintains his earlier position that the trial was politically and maliciously motivated.

    “The Senate President’s only concern is that all interested parties should allow the judiciary to freely and fairly decide on the issues before it.

    “Saraki believes in the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and ability of the court to adjudicate on all matters.

    “The Senate President has consistently exhibited a strong belief that nobody should compromise national interest with personal issues.

    “And this has guided his actions, conduct and utterances in the performance of his official duties in the last three years, despite the persistent persecution and intimidation directed at him.

    “While urging Nigerians to ignore the speculations contained in The Nation’s story, Dr. Saraki maintains that there is no reason for him to depart from his avowed principle that the nation is greater than any individual, including himself.”

    In a statement  from his media office in Ilorin , the Kwara State capital, Baraje said there was no mention of anybody’s case at the said meeting .

    The statement said: “I want to warn that if this is the way we want to handle the issue by creating bad blood against our group, through the media, it will not augur well for them and we are therefore warning that blasphemy and arrant lies cannot resolve the matter  at hand.

    “I want to also disclose that at the last meeting, the vice president requested and appealed to us that we should all keep our mouth shut until we reach the final stuck, that’s why we are  not talking  to the press. “

    According to him, if the media houses concerned did not stop this blasphemy, particularly, The Nation newspaper , the issue will be very difficult to solve.

    Baraje threatened that he or the group will take any news media to court for what he called blasphemy .

    Baraje also said that he read in an online publication where they quoted an individual that he (Baraje) was occupying a juicy position of a parastatal and vehemently declared that he had never occupied any position in any board under the present administration or paved the way for any position for that matter as the thinking of the man in question is an assumption from his own end.

    “I have been existing and living in accordance with my own legal means for the past three years and I’m not complaining. The complaint we are raising is that all the issues we raised when we left PDP  are now resurfacing, particularly lack of rule of law , and that there is total anarchy that the government does things as it likes against anybody which was happening in PDP when we left.”

    Baraje said that the group was “not fighting for themselves or for the selfish interest of some individuals among them but rather for members of the public.

    “Some people should not turn it to be a personal fight but that of the Nigerian masses and for good governance, against anarchy, arrogance.

    “We are also fighting against poor economy where an average Nigerian is hungry and government seems to be doing nothing and we are also fighting against insecurity where lives and property of Nigerians are in jeopardy.

    “If a section of the media is trying to make it personal and want to see it as if we are fighting for our own sake, it will not augur well for the peace of the APC.”

  • Saraki to Nigerians: don’t be complacent

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki has advised the citizens not to take for granted the country’s democratic dispensation they have been enjoying for the past 19 years.

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Yusuph Olaniyonu, urged Nigerians to guard against actions, statements and moves which can truncate the political process.

    Congratulating Nigerians on the 19th anniversary of unbroken elected government, the Senate President advised the people to always be vigilant and speak against anti-democratic policies and actions, which were capable of subverting rule of law.

    He canvassed strict adherence to the principles of rule of law, separation of powers, sovereignty of parliament, independence of the judiciary, and freedom of the press.

    “Our constitutional institutions must be preserved and protected,” he said.

    The statement reads: “As we celebrate democracy today, I congratulate our people and express my conviction that this system of government is the best so far invented.

    “However, it goes beyond the conduct of elections to put leaders in office. Democracy involves strict adherence to rule of law as against the rule of men.”

    political and opinion leaders, who decided to veil their sight as if they are not seeing these infractions on democracy and choose to keep quiet, should know that they equally pose danger to the survival of our country.

    “History will not be fair to us if we allow our complacency to jeopardise democracy. We all must be able to speak out with strong voice on issues that constitute a danger to democracy. Eternal vigilance, they say, is the price of liberty.

    “At this point, let us remember and salute our heroes of democracy, those who toiled and paid different prices for us to have elected government, particularly, those who paid the ultimate price with their lives. Their labour shall definitely not be in vain.”

     

     

  • nPDP members’ marginalization claim false – Ganduje

    Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Monday dismissed claim of marginalization by some members of the nPDP in the All Progressive Congress (APC), saying all of them have benefited tremendously from the present administration.

    Ganduje, who is also a member of the nPDP caucus that dissolved into the APC, said he was astonished by such claims.

    He insisted that all of them are being carried along by the present administration.

    Ganduje, who stated these during a media parley at Government House in Kano, said people like the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have no reason to complain about anything.

    He said: “Some few members of the nPDP  (which is not even a group in that nomenclature, because now we are one in the APC) went to the party’s national secretariat and presented a paper that they were marginalized.

    “The majority of the defunct nPDP (which I am a member) also went to the national secretariat to mention that those that were there earlier in the name of nPDP were not the true representatives of the nPDP. Also, we indicated that we are not part of those who are being marginalized.

    “I will give you an analysis that will show that they are not being marginalized. First of all, the Senate President is from the defunct nPDP, he is now the Senate President. He controls very important Committees in which he singlehandedly approved chairmen of 30 committees. That is not marginalization.

    “You have the governor of Kwara State who is also a member of the nPDP. He has a whole government. How can he say he is marginalized?

    “You have the Speaker of House of Representatives who is a member of the nPDP and a Speaker under the banner of APC. How can he say he is being marginalized? He controls lucrative committees. He appoints the chairmen and membership of the Committees singlehandedly without interference from the executive. How can he say he is being marginalized?

    “So, if you take this issue one by one, you can see that the issue of marginalization is not there. Therefore, we the majority of the nPDP are disclaiming the allegation and we believe that we are not being marginalized.

    “The Governor of Adamawa state is nPDP and he is now a governor. I am from nPDP and I am now a governor. We have most of  us from the nPDP who are Senators and House of Representative members.

    “So, I believe that there must be something underground. You know Mr. President is facing a difficult moment, corruption is fighting back. So, you will soon see why marginalization is coming out now. This is not the issue of marginalization, this is the issue of corruption fighting back. So, you will see what will happen.”

  • National Assembly ‘ll ensure you return home, Saraki tells Benue IDPs

    SENATE President Bukola Saraki has assured the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that the National Assembly will do everything possible within its power to ensure that they return to their homes.

    Saraki spoke in Makurdi, where he and other senators celebrated the Children’s Day with children in IDPs camps from across the state.

    There are 80,450 children in eight IDPs camp across the state as a result of Fulani herdsmen attacks and killings of Benue farmers since January.

    The Senate President, who donated makeshift classrooms and health facilities, assured the IDPs that very soon, they would return back to their homes .

    He said during interaction with the security chiefs, the Senate asked them to go back and return with what they needed to tackle security challenges facing the country .

    The Chairman of Senate Service Commission stated that he celebrated  Children’s Day with the children in IDPs camp to draw the attention of the world, nation and the National Assembly to their plights.

    Governor Samuel Ortom accused Meyitti Allah Kuatal Hore for the shedding of blood in the state and called for their arrest as well as prosecution.

  • FG loses $30b FDI to absence of PIB –Saraki

    •Says 2019 politics won’t affect passage

    Senate President Bukola Saraki at the weekend said that the federal government loses $30 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to absence of the Petroleum Industry Bill  (PIB) yearly.

    He said the National Assembly will not play politics with the passage of the remaining components of the bills despite the pressure of the 2019 election politicking.

    He noted that the enactment of the law will create jobs for those that have been unemployed.

    He was represented by the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Gershowl Bassey at the Oil &Gas Public Lecture Series “Abuja 2018” of the Institute of Oil and Gas Research and Hydrocarbon Studies.

    The theme of the lecture was “Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Governance Law & Global Investment opening in the sector.”

    Speaking on the importance of the bills, Saraki said: “This is not politics. It is about our country.

    “All the parties are interested in getting this thing done because of the lack of the passage of the PIB, we are losing $30 billion  Foreign Direct Investment every year.

    “The effects in terms of job creation are massive so we are losing jobs.”

    The Senate President insisted that it is about time for Nigerians to revolutionalise the sector for optimal service and delivery.

    The chairman of Council of the Institute, Prof. Akin Akindoyemi, noted the bills have failed to address the issue of ownership in the sector.

    According to him, the bill concentrates on the decentralisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and leaves out the critical issues of ownership.

    He called for the privatisation of the sector to give stakes to individuals and communities.

    He urged that the bills should address the issue of exploitation of communities by government and oil companies.

     

  • Saraki, Mohammed bicker over congress

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) held two parallel congresses, which have now become a bone of contention between Senate President Bukola Saraki and Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed. Correspondent ADEKUNLE JIMOH examines the source of discord.

    The parallel congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that took place in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, were rancour-free.

    Party chieftains loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari adopted the affirmation procedure, while the camp of Senate President Bukola Saraki hand-picked its executives through consensus.

    Earlier in the year, there were signs of cracks in the party.

    Some members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of unfair treatment.

    The defunct ACN, ANPP, CPC and nPDP were the legacy parties that formed the ruling APC.

    But, the spokesperson of APC  Sulyman Buhari, dismissed that the allegations are false.

    The aggrieved members under the Caucus for Progressive Change (CPC) said APC appointments and positions in the state had been tilted towards the nPDP.

    The leader of the group, Samari Abdullahi said: “It is regrettable that the PDP family in our marriage has not only behaved as a superior partner but had done so with impunity.”

    Abdulahi, who is the former caretaker secretary of ACN, said: “The party leadership in Kwara State and nay government, are allergic to alternative advice and constructive criticisms and has deployed everything within its powers to stifle (mostly legacy) party members that did so.”

    He added: “We are concerned about the injustice, inequality within the party and lack of purposeful leadership.  We therefore demand that the party leadership be restructured. The present arrangement where the state party chairman, women leader, youth leader and publicity secretary are from the same senatorial district is unacceptable for fair play and equity. It is even unheard that both women leader and youth leader are from the same local government of Ilorin West.

    “We thought the party will make use of the last year congresses to correct the injustices when it filled up other vacant positions within the party.

    “Most of the APC (legacy) aspirants for the last local government election in the state were technically suppressed because of the way the party has been deliberately structured down to the wards, to fence away presumed distrusted members.

    “So far, appointments to the state from the federal are lopsided. 95 percent of federal appointment including the recently released board memberships only went to the nPDP members within the APC in Kwara State.

    “Replacement created by natural exit of (legacy) party membership from the state executive was deliberately filled with nPDP members e.g state organising secretary, state treasurer and ex-officials.

    “While we await response from the relevant authorities, we are constrained to announce men and women of proven characters to lead this reformation group to warm the party back into the hearts of the electorates and cause justice to reign in the party.

    Loyalists of President Buhari  held their congress at Arca Santa Event Hall and that of Senator Saraki held at the Kwara State Government Banquet Hall in Ilorin.

    The former executive members of the Bukola Saraki-led APC were returned unopposed.

    The exercise was witnessed by Senate President Saraki, all members of the National Assembly from the state, Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed, the deputy governors and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad.

    Also in attendance was the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and representatives of the INEC from Abuja and Kwara.

    The new executive committee members had been picked through a consensus.

    The Chairman congress committee of the party, Senator Saliu Hussein, who supervised the exercise, expressed delight over the arrangement, saying it had made his  job easy.

    “We received return forms from 34 candidates with no opposition but we will still go ahead with voting for affirmation” he said.

    Hussein disclosed that the committee was not aware of any faction of the party in the state as he described the APC as one big family in Kwara.

    Speaking at the event, Saraki, commended party members, saying politicians have a lot to learn from the Kwara model of politicking.

    He said: “This is the third stage of the journey that started with ward Congress which was adjudged as the best in Nigeria. In Kwara we don’t have problems of people fighting themselves and that is while you can see two former governors sitting together to participate in an electoral process with the incumbent.”

    He challenged the youths, who have been elected into executive offices at the ward level, to prove their mettle in the general elections.

    “In Kwara we have started a new trend where we have youths in leadership positions and I know that soon many States  will begin to emulate us,” he said.

    The elected officers are Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani (chairman), Christopher Tunji Ayeni (secretary), Sulyman Buhari (spokesperson) and others.

    At the Arca Santa Hall, the faction loyal to the president elected former House of Representatives member, Basir Bolarinwa as its chairman and 2015 Kwara state House of Assembly aspirant, Kayode Oyin-Zubir as its spokesperson.

    Dignitaries are the event included former Special Adviser on the Inter-parliamentary Matters, Protocols and Special Duties to Senate President Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha, a member of the House of Assembly, Prince Saheed Popoola, former Secretary to Government Alhaji Abdulganiyu Cook-Olododo and ex-Information Commissioner  Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin.

    Bolarinwa said the event was a watershed in the history of the state, adding: “Kwarans have decided to rewrite the history of our state thereby restoring lost hope and pride to the good people of the state.”

    He added: “As you are aware party politics occupies a central position in democracy and the promotion of good governance. This is the springboard for the desired growth and development the good people of our dear state are yearning for, which can only come when we get it right at party level through active participation of members, credible primaries and consolidating internal democracy.

    “Our great party, the APC came into existence in 2014 with different interest groups coming together with the sole aim of ending maladministration and high handedness in the corridor of power.

    “We gave the merger and new party every life needed to grow but some came in with a different agenda. Some members have done more to suffocate the merger bringing in antics inimical to the growth of democracy. The time to change the narrative is now. We have resolved that never shall we watch a few clique fondling with our destiny.”

    Bolarinwa accused some members of the party of connivane with members of its National Working Committee (NWC) to cause parallel state congresses in about 21 states.

    He said the predetermined attempt was aimed at frustrating congresses and eventually making the coming national convention joke.

    The factional chairman also said that the target of the purported plan is President Buhari, who, he said, had done more to expose those that had pilfered the common wealth, adding that, “President Buhari will not be forgiven by the “chop I chop” politicians.

    Bolarinwa stressed: “We have watched and carefully studied every inch of members of the PDP, particularly those from Kwara state, they have resolved to destroy the party and remain aloft until their new found homes in Peoples Democratic Party PDP and/or Social Democratic Party SDP are ready.

    “Until the decayed tooth is removed from the mouth, the mouth will not have peace. The earlier we send those that have changed the slogan of APC in Kwara state from “Change” to “Progress” packing, the better. It is clear that they are set to seek asylum elsewhere but must destroy our party before anything is done.”

    The APC Congress Appeal Committee in Kwara State has said that there is no petition or appeal against the state congress conducted by the national secretariat of the party at the Banquet hall, Ilorin.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit to the state governor at the Government House, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Osita Egwuatu, who said they were in the state for hearing of election petition that might have arisen from the congress confirmed that the committee had not received any complaint against the congress.

    Governor Ahmed said the state would continue to strengthen the party to give it the much desired support that would ensure victory and sustenance in power at the national level.

    The governor said the congress was a reflection of what happened at the ward and local government congresses in the state, which he said, was largely due to the inclusive process that allows input into the selection and election processes.

    He said: “The successful ward, local government and state congresses was largely due to the peaceful environment and most importantly the inclusive process that the state party system allows”.

    He said the inclusive style of the party allows for ventilation of grievances and amicable resolution of conflict, adding that the appeal committee is not unlikely to receive petitions, but the petition may not be a genuine one.

  • NASS will send 2018 Budget to Buhari Friday – Saraki

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said on Thursday the National Assembly would send the harmonised 2018 Budget to President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.

    Saraki spoke with State House correspondents after breaking fast with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The two chambers of the National Assembly passed different figures on the budget last week.

    Saraki said: “I think that should have been done, we had to harmonise. It is just a slight difference, it was passed yesterday (Wednesday).

    “It was in the rules and proceedings of today (Thursday), so I am sure by tomorrow (Friday), we will transmit it to the Presidency.”