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  • 15 senatorial candidates withdraw for Shettima

    Fifteen candidates of various political parties in Borno Central Senatorial District on Wednesday withdrew for Governor Kashim Shettima to actualise his senatorial ambition.

    They spoke in Maiduguri, the state capital, ahead of tomorrow’s re-scheduled presidential and National Assembly polls.

    The governor is the senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the district.

    Giving reasons for their action, the candidates said: “No one has acquired the kind of experience necessary to represent Borno Central in terms of understanding the demands of the military’s operational efforts, the existing gaps, the humanitarian issues and the next phase of rebuilding as much as APC’s candidate for Borno Central, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.”

    The Chairman of Forum of Candidates for Borno Central, AbdulKadir Fema, of the Action Peoples Party (APP), read a position paper on behalf of the 15 candidates at a media briefing at the Inter-Party Advisory Council’s office in Maiduguri.

    The chairman was supported by 10 other candidates at the briefing.

    They are candidates of Action Peoples Party (PPA), Better Nigeria Progressives Party (BNPP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), New Progressive Movement (NPM), Yes Electorates Solidarity (YES), Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Nigerian Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP), Coalition for Change (C4C), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Independent Democrats (ID) and Democratic Alliance (DA). There are 20 candidates for Borno Central senatorial election.

    “We, the under-signed candidates of 15 political parties for Borno Central senatorial election, have, after consultations with our supporters and amongt ourselves, resolved to withdraw from the February 23, 2019 re-scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections in unanimous support for candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC for Borno central senatorial, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.

    “We took this decision based on our conviction that even though each of us has the capacity and the patriotic zeal to competently representing the people of Borno central in the 9th Senate, we are of the opinion that in the next national assembly, three major issues will largely define the representation of Borno people,” they said.

     

  • Shettima administers oath on 500 hunters with Quran, Bible

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has presided over the administration of oaths of allegiance, using the Quran and Bible, on 500 hunters recruited to strengthen the battle against Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast state.

    The hunters, made up of Muslims and Christians are to join the Civilian Joint Task Force.

    The oath is to bar the hunters from betraying troops and eliminate any form of disloyalty the military personnel deployed in the Multnational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

    The governor explained that the move has become necessary due to the upscale of attacks on communities in the state by the insurgents in the recent times.

    He described the oath taking as a measure to ensure sincerity in the hunters’ new assignment and to avoid the infiltration of the Civilian JTF by terrorists and spies.

    “Even though there was no doubt concerning the sincerity of the traditional hunters selected, the oath was to eliminate any doubt which could arise especially since unlike the Civilian JTF who have worked longer with soldiers, engagement of the traditional hunters was comparatively new,” the governor said.

    The 500 hunters are expected to be sent to the hinter areas to support the military.

    The oath at the multi-purpose hall of the government house in Maiduguri was witnessed by representatives of the military and the state’s Commissioner of Police.

    After allocated operational vehicles to them, the governor promised to pay each of the hunters and their supervisors, monthly allowances of N10, 000 and N20, 000 respectively.

    He donated bags in food items to support their families as takeoff relief for their new jobs.

    Leader of the group, Mai Durma, evoke a summary destruction of any of their member that reveal their strategy to Boko Haram.

    ”May anyone who reveals our strategy to Boko Haram or betrays allegiance to the military and Government in anyway be consumed by this oath,” Durma announced after the oath.

    He urged his colleagues to be mindful of what they swore to and commit themselves to efforts in regain peace in the state.

    Our correspondent learnt that despite the traditional fighting skills of the hunters, they had undergone thorough security background screening for months.

    He assured the governor that the hunters will not betray the confidence reposed in them, promising that their allegiance will be to security of the state and unity of the country.

    Introducing the hunters to the governor, the Attorney-General & Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawal, recalled: “A couple of months back in one of the state’s security council meetings attended by heads of military, police, DSS and other para-military formations in the state, the council resolved to engage 500 gallant traditional hunters to compliment efforts of our security forces and in furtherance, selection and screening was done through the leadership of the traditional hunters.

    “It is in view of the security council’s resolution that we present to you these set of gallant hunters for inauguration.”

  • Boko Haram: Shettima solicits support to end insurgency

    Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima has called for the support of ex- servicemen to boost the efforts of the military to end the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

    Gov. Kashim, requested the Legion’s support during a courtesy call on him by its Chairman, Col. Williams Mamza (rtd) and Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Abdulmalik Biu on Thursday at Government House, Maiduguri.

    He noted that such support could raise and sustain the morale of troops in the front lines of Sambisa Forests and Lake Chad region and any other place in the country, adding that, “ a collaborative support of boosting troops’ morale could overcome the challenges of Boko Haram resurgence in Borno and Yobe states”.

    Gov. Kashim emphasized that the task of fighting Boko Haram is not the exclusive responsibility of the army but rather a collective commitment of all citizen.

    The visit of the Ex men was to inform the governor of their annual Emblem appeal week slated 15/5/2019.

    Read Also: Insecurity: Shettima in tears as Buhari, Borno elders meet in Abuja

    “The fight against insurgency should not be left in the hands of military, but a collective one to ensure peace in the nation.

    “The recent attacks in northern Borno and communities along Maiduguri-Damaturu road led to the displacement of 58,456 people,” Gov. Shettima explained.

    Col. Mamza assured that the Legion, is ever ready render assistance to complement efforts of military end insurgency that has claimed many lives and property.

    “The association will continue to support the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against Boko Haram to restore normalcy,” he assured.

  • Buhari, Shettima, Borno elders meet in Aso Rock

     

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the leaders and stakeholders from Borno State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The delegation was led by Governor Kashim Shettima.

    While speaking during the open session of the meeting, Shettima could not hold back tears over the current setback in the fight against insurgency in his state.

    He however noted that the leaders have not lost hope in the ability of the President to win the war and restore peace to the state.

    He told the President the leaders came to present a set of observations and specific requests from an extraordinary security meeting held a week ago in Borno State, which will require urgent presidential intervention.

    Shettima said: “Between 2013 and 2014, we witnessed the most daring and most vicious evil of the Boko Haram, losing 20 Local Government Areas.

    “However, we rushed here because of the recent upsurge in the activities of the demented monster called Boko Haram especially in northern Borno senatorial district.

    “We are here because since 2015, Mr. President, you were able to restore our hope.

    “Sir, you have demonstrated empathy for Borno and the overriding commitment to ending the Boko Haram. This is why we rushed here on witnessing some setbacks.

    “We are here because we thought that Allah will use you to fully reclaim Borno traditional glory of being the home of peace. We are here as a people who worked, prayed and waited for your Presidency in the firm and under the belief that with you as the Commander- in -Chief, Boko Haram will become history in Borno.

    “Mr. President, we have not, and Insha Allah, we will not lose hope in you because we have witnessed and survived worse moments before you came. We do not feel hopeless.

    “Our hopes are very much alive and they are very high.

    “We came with some observation and 10 requests for urgent presidential intervention.

    “These observations and requests are products of discussion in the aftermath of our extra-ordinary security meeting held one week ago.

    “We didn’t rush to come after the meeting. We felt the need to travel to northern Borno, interact with displaced persons and the military so as to strengthen public confidence.”

    Among those in the Council chamber were the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; the National security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and Chief of Defense Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin.

  • Shettima: How I funded civilian JTF alone for 6 years

    The Special Adviser to Borno State Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Isa Gusau, has explained that his principal, Governor Kashim Shettima, has consistently and solely funded over 20,000 Civilian JTF fighters in Borno State in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency since 2013.

    According to the governor’s adviser who spoke during an interview with Arise TV in Lagos, the governor is still faced with some political mischief makers under-playing the commitment of the governor to the Boko Haram problem.

    Gusau noted that the contributions of the more than 20,000 volunteers of the civilian JTF has been  overwhelming  in the fight against Boko Haram which he said is widely  “acknowledged by the military, all other security stakeholders, past and incumbent federal administrations as well as residents of Borno State.”

    He added that, “Civilian JTF play crucial roles in intelligence gathering,  easy identification and arrest of suspected insurgents and supporting the military in the war fronts.”

    Gusau dismissed as an irony that in recent days some; “mischief makers are doing everything possible to smear Governor Shettima over the Boko Haram crisis, whereas the same mischief makers regularly acknowledge the roles played by patriotic members of the civilian JTF.

    “They deliberately ignore the fact that in the last six years, Governor Shettima has been the sole person giving approval for the operational vehicles and logistics, recruitment, training, payment of allowances, kitting and surveillance equipment to these over 20,000 heroes, under the Civilian JTF that have given everything to the fight against Boko Haram. The mischief makers ignore that back in 2013, it was Governor Shettima who drove the process of getting the office of the National Security Adviser to approve the operational activities of the Civilian JTF and he has remained the only one funding all their operations including the coordination of their recruitment and deployments after clearance by the DSS. The same Governor approves funds to support gallant members of the Civilian JTF including allocation of lands to own houses so as to encourage them and guarantee their future,” Gusau noted.

    He also disclosed that  “the sole financiers of the CJTF, Governor Shettima has from 2011 to date, been consistently according extraordinary support to the military, the police, DSS and all para-military organisations. He said the military has consistently and publicly acknowledged the extreme support they get from Shettima.

    “Only last month, the Chief of Army Staff at the closing of his annual conference in Maiduguri and before the media, described as “overwhelming”, the commitment of Governor Kashim Shettima to the Nigerian Army in the fight against Boko Haram.

    “Similarly, I remember that in 2014, then Director of Operations at the Defence headquarters, Major General Lawrence Ndugbane (now retired) said before the media, that Kashim Shettima is one of the Governors who helps the military to generate actionable intelligence through the Governor’s regular interactions with community leaders in Borno State. These are all on record. So, attempts by anyone to change these public records will, like previous other attempts, become futile exercises,” he said.

     

  • Shettima rallies support for military

    BORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima has called for a collective support to the military for a successful campaign against Boko Haram insurgents.

    Shettima made the appeal during the extraordinary security meeting of stakeholders on New Year Eve in Maiduguri, the state capital.

    The governor, with the stakeholders met all night to proffer a lasting solution to the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in some parts of the state.

    Shettima called on the people to unite, irrespective of their differences, rally round the military, police and other security agencies, to effectively end Boko Haram insurgency and restore peace.

    He said: “The realities are that while so much was achieved by our gallant military; we are today faced with serious challenges in Borno State, these challenges should strengthen our abiding faith and resolve to continually do whatever we could in support of our military, the police, the Department of the State Security Service (DSS), Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), paramilitary agencies and political authorities at the federal level, to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “I have met the President a number of times, including few weeks ago. I have led our national assembly members to the President and in all our discussions, we all saw on the face, in words and actions of the President, absolute sincerity in terms of his deep concern, his empathy and his compassion towards our plight in the northeast, particularly in Borno.

    “The President is without the slightest doubt, devoted to the fight against Boko Haram insurgency. I believe that service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the DSS and other heads of paramilitary agencies share the commitments of the President.

    “Most importantly, troops on the frontlines have laid down their lives, proved their commitment in the service of our country and in obedience to the President.

    “This fight is a collective one that affects all of us, we all have a stake in the peace and stability of Borno and this is why we chose to hold an extraordinary security meeting with carefully chosen participants”.

    The governor noted that the participants would deliberate on the situations and come up with recommendations to be presented to the president.

    He said that his administration had executed viable projects to fast track reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons; enhance peace restoration and return of civil authorities in the war ravaged communities.

    According to him, over 30,000 residential homes, schools, clinics, palaces, water points, markets, security posts and religious places of worships, were reconstructed to complement Federal Government’s efforts to restore peace and address the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency.

    At the meeting were: heads of the military and security agencies, leadership of the CJTF, traditional rulers, elders, senators, members of House of Representatives and State House of Assembly.

    Other participants were selected local council chairmen, commissioners; leadership of the University of Maiduguri and selected tertiary institutions, representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), National Council of Women Societies and the Nigerian Legion.

  • Boko Haram attacks: Shettima, military meet today

    BORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima will today chair an extra-ordinary security meeting to discuss the rising wave of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in the past few weeks in the Northwest State.

    The meeting is coming in the wake of plans by troops of the Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with the state government to relocate residents of Baga to safe locations because of the on-going military operations in the area.

    It is also coming on the heels of a warning by the military against insinuations capable of causing panic and displacement in resettled communities in Borno State, the epicentre of the insurgency.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, issued the warning in a statement issued in Maiduguri yesterday.

    The colonel said that the army had received reports indicating that some unscrupulous elements were instigating residents of Bama, Dikwa and Monguno to abandon their homes and relocate to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state.

    According to him, inhabitants of the affected communities have no reason to abandon their homes as such insinuations are instigated for undisclosed reasons.

    He said the army and other security agencies would shed more light on the situation at the extraordinary security meeting to be  conveyed by Governor Shettima.

    He said: “We will like to further state that there is no basis for the people of Bama, Dikwa and Monguno to vacate their respective communities.

    “However, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with Borno State government are working toward relocating residents of Baga to safer locations in view of the ongoing military operations in the area.

    “Members of the public are advised to remain calm as the military is in firm control to guarantee their safety and security. We will like to warn that any attempt to cause further panic through false alarm would be viewed very seriously,’’ Nwachukwu said.

    Governor Shettima had called for a security meeting scheduled for Monday  (today)  to address the resurgence of Boko Haram insurgents’ attacks in the past few weeks in the state.

    Statistics by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) showed that 2, 046 displaced persons were profiled at IDPs camp in Maiduguri in the past few days due to insurgents’ attack in Baga, northern Borno.

     

    Air Force strikes insurgents in Baga

    The Nigerian Air Force yesterday said scores of Boko Haram terrorists have been neutralised at their hideouts near Baga, in the northern part of Borno State.

    A statement by Air Force spokesperson Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said the insurgents were attacked with Alpha jets, following an intelligence reports confirming their presence in the area.

    Air Commodore Daramola said: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralised several Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters at their hideout near Baga in Northern Borno State.

    “The attack was conducted yesterday, 29 December 2018, after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform spotted the terrorists assembled under some trees around the Fish Dam near Baga.

    “The ATF therefore dispatched an Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the location.

    “The aircraft multiple attacks pass, killing several of the terrorists and causing serious injuries to others. The surviving terrorists were mopped-up in subsequent follow on strikes.”

  • Shettima, Ambode to aggrieved Southwest APC members: submit to party’s supremacy

    Borno and Lagos States’ Governors Kashim Shettima and Akinwunmi Ambode have urged aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Lagos and Ogun states to abide by the party’s decision on the last primaries.

    They stressed that the party’s decision was superior to any other.

    Shettima is the Chairman of APC National Peace and Reconciliation Committee for the Southwest while Ambode is a member.

    They urged the aggrieved members to unite for the party to remain strong, united and formidable to win next year’s general elections.

    The governors and other members of the committee had met aggrieved aspirants in Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo states.

    They said it was important for party members in the Southwest to accept the outcome of the primaries and the party’s supremacy in order to approach the general elections with a united front.

    The governors noted that aggrieved members should consider making necessary sacrifices in the overall interest of the party.

    They spoke yesterday at a meeting at the Lagos House in Marina.

    Other members of the committee at the meeting were former Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adelabu and Saida Sa’ad-Bugaje.

    Also at the meeting were Lagos State APC governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Lagos and Ogun APC State chairmen, Alhaji Tunde Balogun and Chief Derin Adebiyi; Senator Anthony Adefuye, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Prince Biodun Ogunleye, Cardinal James Odumbaku, Hon Wasiu Eshinlokun, Chief Suraj Adekunbi, Chief Bode Mustapha and Mr. Patrick Ogunde.

    Shettima said the meeting in Lagos was the committee’s last in the Southwest after similar meetings were held in Ekiti and Oyo states earlier in the week.

    The committee chairman said the recommendations and solutions gathered from the interactions with the aggrieved aspirants would be collated and sent to the National Working Committee (NWC) for further actions.

    He reiterated his appeal to aggrieved aspirants to take a cue from Ambode: forget the past and begin to canvass support for the party to be victorious at the polls.

    The governor assured the people that everyone would be better for it at the end of the day.

    Ambode said: “More significantly, we can see from the reflection of those here and I can declare that we do not have any issue in Lagos State. We are one family. But again, that is not to say that there is no platform for reconciliation. We do not know if there are some aspirants in the crowd who are aggrieved, but we can say affirmatively as a party that we are one family in Lagos State.

    “This is not, however, to create any prejudice to whatever is happening in Ogun State. Without the setting up of this committee, it is very clear that things are not the same in Ogun State, like we have in Lagos State, and we do recognise that. That is why this committee is more or less anxious to see if it is that we can use as ingredients in creating peace in Ogun State.

    “Whatever happens in Ogun is a reflection of what is happening in the whole of the Southwest and we are ready to make sure that our committee brings everybody back into the one family fold.

    “So, we have come with an open mind; even when closures have been made, the feelings and input here is what we are taking to Abuja tomorrow (today) and making sure that the National Working Committee (NWC) gets a very clear picture of how you feel. Ultimately, if there is a need to let the highest organ of the party intervene in a way that everything that is happening in Ogun State reflects what is happening in Lagos State, we would be very happy to do it. We are committed to making sure that every representation is taken to the party headquarters for redress and whatever it is that can be done.

    “This is a peace and reconciliation session. Like the Chairman (Shettima) has said, there is no clearer example of how peace can be attained than the steps that I have taken personally to make sure that the APC family is united in Lagos. You can just imagine if we were having the same reflection of what is happening in Ogun in Lagos. It would be totally unmanageable. So, it takes a lot of sacrifice and selflessness for us to attain what we want and the ultimate, which is to win the 2019 elections.”

  • Southwest: Buhari and lessons from Tinubu, Ambode by Shettima

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, who heads the All Progressives Congress (APC) reconciliation committee in the Southwest, has hailed party stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for their selflessness. He said Tinubu and Ambode were more interested in the party than in personal gains, urging others to emulate them.

    The deadline for both submission and substitution of party candidates has elapsed. So as I said to our other party members in previous hearings, some people may therefore wonder, of what use is the APC national peace and reconciliation committee for the Southwest?

    Fellow party men and women from Ogun and Lagos, some, if not many of you are aggrieved with the outcome of the APC primaries. But as we know, party politics is sometimes unpredictable. However, we must summon the courage to fight our instincts by looking into the wider picture. As I cited in Ekiti on Monday, if we are to go  back to the formation of the APC, I think the first victim of the party’s negotiations and compromises is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We all know what Asiwaju had put into the APC but when it was time to determine the running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari he had to painfully compromise his interest for overall interest of the party.

    Again as I said in Ekiti and Ibadan yesterday, the Governor of Lagos, His Excellency, Akinwunmi Ambode who is our host and member of our committee, is for me, the natural winner of Nigeria’s politician of the year award. He has acted very un-Nigerian.

    I will be right to say that from 1999 to date, I do not think any Nigerian politician has demonstrated his level of courage in the way he has handled the outcome of the governorship primaries in Lagos. Ambode is a Governor who has worked very well in Lagos but as I said, politics sometimes comes with unpredictable outcomes. Our courage in reacting to situations like Governor Ambode has displayed, is what separates boys from men.

    I think anyone of us who is unhappy with the outcome of the APC primaries should draw inspiration from Governor Ambode.

    So, fellow APC members, we are here to make all of you recognize that each and everyone of you is very important to the APC. You can’t be disregarded as if your feelings do not matter.

    If we are to go by Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, majority of persons who aspire for public offices have gone beyond their basic needs of safety, food security and companionship . Yes, people aspire for public offices to serve their people but that aspiration comes with what falls under Maslow’s human need for recognition, self esteem and self actualization.

    We are here not only here to respect your individual self esteem and console you but also to look into possible ways we can recommend for the party to placate aggrieved members through immediate windows or future opportunities.

    Ladies and gentlemen, it is possible to take everything from a human being and get away with it. But one thing you should never attempt doing is to deny a human being his or her self esteem. We do recognize and respect that you are all men and women of honour. Men and women who, with dignity, have mass followers  in your respective constituencies.

    The dangerous thing any political party will do is to completely ignore any of you in the believe that you either do not matter or that you will always remain in the APC out of loyalty.

    We are of the opinion that the worst politics on earth is to take the loyalty or tolerance of anyone for granted. Loyalty begets loyalty. Loyalty begets compensation.

    We are here to share your individual feelings. We are here to listen to you, console you  and know how best to make recommendations to the party headquarters. There are rooms for a party in government to create opportunities through which members can serve their people.

    I know this is not an academic hearing but I am former University lecturer, I had escape academics. Besides, of all our six geo-political zones in Nigeria, none is as educated as the southwest. So, permit me to draw inspiration from a  writer, who once said that “everyone of us can be smart but none of us is smarter than all of us”. Another writer said and I quote that “the difference between success and failure is a great team”.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the implication of what these two writers are saying is that none of us can deliver APC alone at any level of the general election.

    Nigeria currently has about one hundred and twenty thousand polling units and for a Presidential candidate of any party to succeed, he or she will have to depend on good team work from 120,000 polling agents of his party and these are people he mostly doesn’t know and may never know. To work with these 120,000 polling agents, the president will have to rely on party executives at the state, LGs and wards (level). He has to principally rely on serving and former governors, deputy governors, serving and former national and state assembly members, aspirants amongst other key stakeholders in each of the 36 states and the FCT.

    Governorship candidates themselves will have to rely on party executives and stakeholders in local government areas. These local government stakeholders will also have to rely on others at the ward levels. The ward stakeholders will have to rely (on) polling agents and those in charge of clusters of polling units. Importantly also, all steps would require one form of mobilisation or the other.

    Fellow party men and women, in politics, everyone is dependent on the other. No one is independent. To succeed in politics, there is no alternative to genuine unity and inclusiveness.

    Let me also add that in politics, we do not necessarily have to be liked. It is not a must that everyone must like our beautiful, handsome or perhaps very ugly faces like mine. What we need are genuine commitment and readiness to deliver results. Politics requires pragmatism. We must be able to dance to the changing beats. Yes, politics requires loyalty. But it equally demands tolerance and compromises. At all times, those of us who exert influence must never forget that none of us is God. Only God has absolute control of who gets power.

    Let me share my own experience.  Ahead of the APC primaries in Borno, there were some people I didn’t support but they won the primaries. If one is to argue that those people may have spent money on delegates, the truth is that they certainly can’t be richer than the collective. The truth is that while I did not like them, they were more popular with delegates and they won the primaries. I accepted the outcome and I refused to make the slightest attempt of substituting any of those I didn’t support.

    Read also: Court okays nullified Rivers APC congresses

    Fellow party men and women, one of the things we must never forget is that in politics, no one person gets his way all the time. Even a President doesn’t have his way sometimes. Politics requires tolerance and compromises.

    I am very proud to say that regardless of whether anyone emerged with or without my support at the primaries, I am 100 percent  in support of all APC candidates in Borno State and I will support every one of them. I will also count on their support. After spending good time having frank conversations with Governor Ambode, I am more than confident that he is 100 percent in support of all APC candidates in Lagos, particularly His Excellency, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

    I will like to once again thank each and everyone here who are aggrieved for not leaving the APC. Our committee thank and commend you for keeping faith.

    Perhaps, I should also tell that you have applied political wisdom by not leaving the APC.

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, from the ground realities of ongoing political permutations, President Muhammadu Buhari will insha’Allah win his reelection come February, 2019.

    The APC started working on President Buhari’s reelection six months earlier than the PDP.

    On 9th of April, 2018, President Buhari declared intention to seek re-election and by that, the APC already had its potential candidate. We all began underground work for the President’s reelection. There is a difference of about 180 days between when the APC had a potential candidate and the 7th of October when the PDP got its Presidential candidate.

    There is a Yoruba proverb that says Atete sun, ni Atete ji. If you sleep early, you will wake up early.

    So, no one should deceive you with a fake analysis and prediction. Remain in APC and let’s solve our in-house problems, work for the APC, win the election and move Nigeria to the next level.

    Shettima, Governor of Borno State addressed APC stake-holder and aggrieved members  from Lagos and Ogun State at the opening of an interactive hearing in Lagos, organized by the party’s national peace and reconciliation committee for the Southwest, which the Governor chairs.

  • Southwest APC: Shettima, Ambode meet Omisore at Ibadan parley

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Peace and Reconciliation Committee for the Southwest met yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, with a Social Democratic Party (SDP) group from Osun State, led by its 2018 governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

    The chairman of the committee and Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was accompanied by his Kaduna and Lagos State counterparts, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai (Vice Chairman) and Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as other members of the committee.

    The meeting was part of the committee’s engagements with strategic allies of the party and aggrieved APC members in the six states of the Southwest.

    The committee was in Ibadan for interactive hearing with APC members from Osun and Oyo states.

    Other members are: Ambode, former Ekiti Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adelabu, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside and Sa’ida Sa’ad Bugaje.

    Last week, the committee held a consultative meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his capacity as the most senior public office holder in the Southwest.

    The committee was in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, where it held an interactive hearing with aggrieved members of the APC from Ondo and Ekiti states.

    In Ibadan, the committee held a strategic engagement meeting with Omisore and three others who accompanied him on issues relating to the politics of Osun State.

    The meeting, which held behind closed-doors, was on the invitation of the committee, which is expected to meet with House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Yusuph Lasun, also from Osun, as well as the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, from Oyo.

    The committee received six aggrieved members, comprising three from Oyo and three from Osun, without a written petition submitted to it.

    Shettima and his members were excited about the development.

    Read also: Bye-election: LASIEC releases candidates’ names

    “We have received the least number of aggrieved members here in Ibadan, from Oyo and Osun states. This bears testimony to the fact that Oyo and Osun governors have made significant reconciliation efforts. We were told of how Oyo State Governor, in particular, invited, hosted and met with aggrieved members and came up with measures of managing grievances.

    “We have confirmed that the governor is already fulfilling his promises of carrying aggrieved members along, and this is very encouraging,” Shettima said.

    Ambode urged aggrieved members to borrow from him by helping to build peace in the interest of the APC ahead of next year’s general elections.

    He said: “We should all recognise that when there is life, there is always a hope for a better future. You can’t win all the time in politics. So, we should put our fate in God that the future will be bright. We should work together for our party, no matter the extent of our bitterness.”