Tag: States

The outcome of the 2019 elections in many of the 36 states of the federation will be determined largely by the raging power play between state governors and senators wishing to return to the Red Chambers, according to an investigation conducted by The Nation.

Be it Akwa Ibom, Benue, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Yobe or Zamfara, the story is the same in various states with its many plots, subversions, conspiracies and disappointments.

The degree of disaffection between the gladiators may differ but no state is spared the bitter political manoeuvrings.

For the gladiators, it is all about battle for political survival.

Nobody wants to be outdone. You either throw everything and anything into the battle to remain relevant or you get swept aside.

The recently concluded primary elections merely brought to the fore what had been going on behind the curtains over the last three years or so.

In some states, the battle ground has shifted to Abuja for the intervention of the party’s national leadership, while in others, it is the courts that are being asked to adjudicate.

ZAMFARA

Take the hostility between Governor Abdulaziz Yari and the Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Garba Marafa, for example. The recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in the state worsened what observers described as a lingering personality clash between Yari and Marafa.

Observers say Marafa’s disagreement with Yari may have been fuelled by the controversial motions he sponsored on the floor of the Senate about the handling of banditry in Zamfara State. The Zamfara Central senator has been ceaseless in his criticism of Yari’s handling of incessant attacks by bandits in the state. For him, Yari failed woefully in dealing decisively with bandits who kill, maim and terrorise the state.

Marafa also opposed a petition by governor Yari to the Senate on President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominee for the position of Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). President Buhari reportedly nominated Ahmad Bello Mahmud, but Yari asked the Senate to turn down the nominee. Yari, in his petition, claimed that the nominee does not hail from Zamfara State.

Marafa on his part was enraged and prayed the Senate to ignore the petition and confirm the nominee, saying that Yari himself did not hail from Zamfara State. The nominee was temporarily rejected, but President Buhari later renominated Mahmud.

In June, the Senate, acting in concert with Marafa’s insistence, confirmed the nominee. The confirmation of Mahmud did not go down well with Governor Yari. No doubt, Yari was waiting patiently for an opportune time to extract a pound of flesh from Marafa.

In May this year, Governor Yari and Marafa held parallel congresses at ward, local government and state levels. The parallel congresses produced two executives in Zamfara chapter of the APC.

And the just concluded primaries did not help matters. While Marafa showed interest for APC governorship ticket, Yari endorsed his commissioner of Finance, Mukhtar Shehu Idris. It was not surprising that Marafa teamed up with eight other governorship aspirants, including Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Wakala, a former Governor of the State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi to battle Yari over his choice of Idris. The development forced the APC not to conduct primaries in the state.

Last week, a protest by Governor Yari’s supporters took place in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital. The protesters who came in their numbers demanded the sack of the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

But Marafa promptly dismissed the protest as the handiwork of Yari. For him, it is Yari who should be expelled from the APC and not Oshiomhole. On Monday, Marafa issued a damning statement listing 10 alleged misdeeds of Governor Yari and why the governor should be immediately sacked from the APC.

Observers are of the belief that the outcome of the 2019 elections in Zamfara State will be determined by Yari and Marafa’s face-off.

 

BENUE

The no love lost between Governor Samuel Ortom and his estranged godfather, Senator George Akume, will surely impact on the 2019 elections in the state. The defection of Ortom from the APC to the PDP is seen by many as the defining moment of politics in the state.

Before his defection, Ortom had claimed that the APC in the state had given him a red card. While it was not clear who actually gave him the red card, observers believed that the governor was referring to Akume.

Akume, a former governor of the state and the senator representing Benue North-West, has already taken sides with Hon. Emmanuel Jime as the governorship candidate of APC in the state.

The two gladiators have been fighting dirty with their supporters applauding them. While Akume accused Ortom of misrule and squandering the resources of the state, Ortom has challenged Akume to showcase his achievements in his 11 years as a senator “instead of castigating me at every opportunity.”

Ortom said: “Akume should showcase his score card. He has been in the Senate for more than 11 years and the constituents want to hear what he has done. He appears obsessed with abusing me every minute. That is not what the people want to hear.”

The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua, added: “The man (Akume) keeps insulting me at every turn. But while he is raising questions about me, more questions are being raised about whether he has been an asset or a liability to the people.”

The governor also criticised a situation where politicians arrogate divine powers to themselves, saying only God has the power to decide the fate of any man.

“Nobody should boast that he can make someone governor. Only God can do that. Mr Aper Aku became the first civilian governor of Benue without anyone’s support. Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu moved from the church to Government House without a political godfather. So, it is wrong for anyone to claim that he made me governor and could unseat me,” Ortom insisted.

Akume fired back, describing Ortom as a non-performer who was allegedly parading a fake doctoral degree. He also accused the governor of running the Social Investment Programme in the state like his family entity.

For Akume, Ortom needed to be voted out of power in 2019 in the interest of the state.

“Ortom said he has PhD from the Commonwealth University of Berlin, but there is nothing like Commonwealth University. At least, I am a graduate of the University of Ibadan, where I bagged my first and second degrees. I am also a fellow of the Institute of Management and I have honorary PhD from the University of Jos.

“He said I was a protocol officer while he was a local government chairman and that I served him. I never saw Ortom in the Government House that period.

“He is saying I never won an election, but I won an election in 1999, he (Ortom) was in SDP. Also in 2003 when I moved to ACN, I also won elections, but in the last election, Ortom lost in his local government. When I was building PDP, where was Ortom?” Akume asked.

Akume also accused Ortom of always insulting President Muhammadu Buhari at the slightest opportunity. He challenged Ortom to clear the backlog of salaries owed workers and pensioners in the state, who, he said, were dying of hunger.

 

AKWA IBOM

Former Senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio’s defection from the PDP to the APC was like a bolt from the blue. The defection unsettled political calculations in the state and more or less put the PDP in the state in disarray.

While the APC has continued to celebrate the big catch, the PDP went back to the drawing board. Although Governor Emmanuel Udom has dismissed Akpabio’s defection as a non-issue, he knows that the Akwa Ibom North West senator cannot be taken for granted.

Akpabio, a two time governor of Akwa Ibom State, is regarded as a political master strategist. He has pledged to take the people of Akwa Ibom State and the South South to the centre for meaningful visibility.

Akpabio, whoe left the opposition PDP to APC at a mega rally held at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium, told the cheering crowd at the rally that he decided to join APC because he discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari “is a man of integrity and a nationalist.’’

He added that he decided to join a party that would sweep away poverty and impunity.

“The country is at war and all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation and not to aggravate it. As keepers of national emergency, everyone should put heads together. I decided to join to emancipate the people and provide succour for the people,’’ Akpabio told the huge crowd.

For him, the PDP of today has no vision and the leadership is replete with arrogance.

It not clear yet how Akpabio will achieve his promise of delivering Akwa Ibom State to the APC in 2019.

Udom and his supporters are no pushovers either. The 2019 elections will certainly be interesting in the state. Akwa Ibom State, observers say, will be one of the states to watch. Others described the state as one of the battle grounds.

The shape of the 2019 elections has been designed. The signs of mayhem are clear in some states. The race though, may not be for the swiftest.

 

KANO

The story of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is not just about a leader and follower but two close associates, friends and brothers.

But that was before their relationship turned sour not long after Ganduje assumed office. Over the last few years, the situation degenerated further and further until Kwankwaso left the APC for the PDP.

Kwankwaso, who is seeking a return to the Senate from Kano Central on the platform of his new party, will be too glad to stop Ganduje from getting a second term as governor, and he is said to be ready to do everything in his power to make that happen.

Ganduje on his part is determined to demystify Kwankwaso in Kano politics and ensure that the former governor fails at the polls. He has a common ally in another former governor of the state, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who defected from the PDP to APC soon after Kwankwaso came over.

Shekarau, an immensely popular politician in his own right, will be contesting the same Kano Central Senatorial District election with Kwankwaso. Pundits believe that Kwankwaso’s chance of returning to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly looks slim, following Shekarau’s entry into the race.

 

ONDO

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is on record as saying that he was not aware that the Senator representing Ondo North, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, was a member of the APC. And that position seems to have informed his opposition to, and rejection of Boroffice’s bid for a return to the Senate.

Their quarrel is a fallout of the 2016 governorship primary of their party which favoured Governor Akeredolu among other numerous aspirants, including Senator Boroffice.

Soon after the APC primary, Chief Olusola Oke, who was one of those who contested the party’s ticket, switched to the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Akeredolu’s supporters accused Boroffice of working for Oke in the election.

The accusation has refused to go away with the APC leadership in the state alienating the senator from the affairs of the party. The party soon got factionalised in the state ahead of just concluded primaries.

The faction loyal to the governor, in picking its senatorial candidates, settled for Dr. Tunji Abayomi (Ondo North), Chief Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central) and Lucky Ayedatiwa (Ondo South).

The list was, however, thrown out by the National Working Committee (NWC) which then proceeded to give the three sitting senators—Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North), Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central) and Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South)—the nod to re-contest.

The list from the NWC shocked the APC State EXCO, particularly the emergence of Boroffice, who they regard as a non-member of the party.

 

OYO

Governor Abiola Ajimobi wants to return to the Senate from Oyo Central District at the expense of the incumbent, Adesoji Akanbi. Ajimobi represented the zone between 2003 and 2007. He was elected governor in 2011 and 2015.

Akanbi defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to African Democratic Congress (ADC) last month soon after Ajimobi picked the APC ticket during the primary.

The two contenders are neighbours in Oluyole Estate, Ibadan. While Ajimobi hails from Ibadan South West Local Government, Akanbi is from Ibadan North West Local Government. The two had enjoyed a cordial relationship until the governor signified his intention to take over Akanbi’s seat last year. Akanbi had dropped his governorship ambition earlier in the year to concentrate on returning to the Senate.

The district comprises the six inner city local governments in Ibadan and the three local governments in Ibarapa.

As the electorate await February 16, 2019 to cast their votes, whoever wins between the two major candidates will celebrate an endorsement of his leadership. The result will be a judgment of Ajimobi’s eight-year administration and four years of Akanbi’s representation.

If the governor wins, based on the strength of his party, his achievements and popularity, it will amount to positive signals for the APC governorship candidate, Bayo Adelabu, in the governorship election coming afterwards. If Ajimobi loses, it will be interpreted as a rejection of his leadership and his party, APC. This may also have a negative effect on the governorship election.

Oyo South Senatorial district has the highest population among the three districts in the state. This is due to the huge voting population of the Ibadan inner city councils. For this reason, those councils will be the battleground for the two major candidates and others jostling for the seat.

Ajimobi won in most of the nine local governments in his 2015 election. Akanbi also defeated his closest contender in the election, Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, in most of the councils in the same election. He defeated Lanlehin with over 50,000 votes to win the race. But whether the popularity is of the party or the individual contenders will be determined in the 2019 election.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Adebayo Lawal, will also have his popularity and that of his party tested in the race.

 

RIVERS

Governor Nyesom Wike is currently practically without a voice in the Senate. His party, PDP, had two senators at the outset of the 8th Senate, but one, George Thompson Sekibo (Rivers East), was sacked by the court, paving way for Andrew Uchedu of the APC, while the other, Osinakachukwu Ideozu (Rivers West), defected to the APC on account of differences with the governor.

This time around, Wike will want to throw everything at his disposal into the election to sweep all the three senatorial seats.

His predecessor in office and current Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and his party, APC, are leaving nothing to chance either. They want to win all the elections in the state.

Both gladiators –Wike and Amaechi – are bitter rivals.

The APC believes Wike is using Senator Magnus Abe who wants the party’s governorship ticket to destabilise the party. Abe’s faction got the Supreme Court to invalidate the list of candidates submitted to INEC by the Amaechi faction.

The APC has said that it will conduct fresh primaries to pick its candidates, but it remains to be seen how the damage can be mended between now and the commencement of the elections next year.

 

KWARA

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) and Architect Lola Ashiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be slugging it out in Kwara South. The current occupant of the seat, Dr Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim of the PDP, whose tenure expires next year, only had a shot at the seat.

Ahmed emerged through a consensus arrangement. He was affirmed by all delegates from the seven local government areas of Kwara South Senatorial district at the zonal primaries held in Omu Aran.

Before his affirmation as the party’s candidate, others who aspired alongside the governor were the incumbent Senator Ibrahim and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Gbenga Makanjuola.

Both Hon. Makanjuola and the governor are of Igbomina extraction of Irepodun and Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, while Senator Ibrahim hails from Ojoku, Oyun Local Government Area.

The governor attributed his emergence to the inclusiveness championed by the Saraki political family in the state.

But the governor’s Igbomina ethnic stock are not comfortable with his emergence as the party’s candidate for Kwara South. Their grouse with him stems from alleged lackluster performance while in office.

An observer of Kwara politics who hails from Kwara South said: “We are waiting for him. This is payback time. Since he has been in office, Kwara Southerners have not felt his impact. Even the governor will be humiliated in Ifelodun Local Government Area where he hails from.

“Maybe he wants to be the senator of Share where he was born. I am confident that we will not vote for him. We will embarrass him at the polls. He has not proved to be our worthy ambassador.”

The APC candidate has been a grassroots politician. He once aspired to be governor of the state. In 2015, he was the Kwara South senatorial candidate of the PDP. He lost to the then Hon. Ibrahim.

Lola Ashiru, according to pundits, stands in good stead to cling the slot. Offa where he hails from is predominantly APC. His political clout in other local government areas of the state is legendary. Besides, given the general disenchantment of Kwara South people with Governor Ahmed’s administration, the odds seem to be in his favour.

 

IMO

What would have been an epic battle between Governor Rochas Okorocha and the serving Senator for Imo West Senatorial zone, Hope Uzodinma, has been averted as the Senator will be contesting the governorship seat on the platform of the APC.

He got the nod over Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, after he was dropped by the National Working Committee of the party.

Senator Uzodinma, who defected to the APC a few months ago, foreclosed his bid for a return ticket to the National Assembly after the Imo governor indicated interest to go to the Senate after serving out his tenure as governor.

 

The process to pick All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearers for the 2019 general elections has started. Three options – direct, indirect and consensus – are open to the local chapters of the ruling party. DUKU JOEL, JUSTINA ASISHANA, DONATUS NADI, ADAMU SULEIMAN and ERNEST NWOKOLO report the method adopted in some states.

AHEAD of its primaries scheduled for September 20, 25, 27, 29 and October 2, All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled states, have been taking positions on which mode to apply in picking candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

At its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last Thursday, the ruling party adopted direct primaries to pick its presidential candidate.

It gave the local chapters of the party the liberty to adopt either direct, indirect or consensus methods as suitable for the peculiarity of each state to pick their flagbearers.

It cautioned that any model that will be adopted in any state must be jointly agreed to by the governor, state executive committee and critical stakeholders to have seamless primaries across board.

In the guidelines for the primaries as released by the party’s Abuja headquarters on Tuesday, the presidential primary will hold on September 20; governorship (September 25); Senatorial (September 27); House of Representatives (September (29) and House of Assembly (October 2).

The local chapters of the party yesterday swung into action to come up with suitable model agreeable to members to forestall post-primary crisis.

The Lagos, Kano and Niger chapters of the party have settled for direct primary option to select flagbearers. Kebbi and Ogun State chose to adopt consensus method but promised to switch if the option failed. The direct option will be the alternative for Kebbi and the indirect for Ogun.

The party in Plateau, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states settled for indirect primaries.

 

Kano

 

The Kano State chapter of the party said it has endorsed direct primaries to select candidates for the 2019 elections.

Its decision was contained in a statement signed by the state Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.

“Rising from a meeting on Tuesday, the state executive committee of the party said the decision stands to improve the stock of the APC in the coming 2019 election as well as other elections.” Abbas said in the statement.

According to him, the APC in the state will adopt direct primaries in selecting its candidates for the presidency, governor, National and state assemblies.

He said: “The decision was unanimously endorsed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, the two senators (Kabiru Gaya and Barau Jibrin), 13 members of the House of Representatives led by Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

“Others are 33 members of the House of Assembly led by Speaker Kabiru Al Hassan Rurum, 53 state Executive Committee members of the party, 44 elected local councils’ chairmen and 44 local government chairmen and secretaries of the party.”

According to him, the adoption of direct primary for selection of candidates would imbue greater confidence among members, guarantee openness and ensure free and fair election.

Besides, he said the system would ensure more transparency in the political process and avoid the secrecy that hitherto shrouded the selection of candidates.

 

Niger

 

The party settled for direct primaries for all elective offices, including the governorship position.

It took the decision during its State Executive Council meeting and stakeholders meeting both held at the party’s secretariat in Minna.

Party Secretary Mohammed Liman confirmed the decision to reporters while briefing them on the outcome of the meeting.

He explained that the idea of direct primaries was for every member of the party to have a say on who will fly the party’s flag at different levels, adding that it was in line with the NEC directive that states should make their choice for the conduct of their primaries.

Liman said that the party was ready for all the primaries as it had ensured an accurate and up-to-date membership record.

 

Zamfara

 

The Zamfara chapter of the party has adopted indirect primaries, its chairman Lawal M-Liman disclosed after a meeting of stakeholders at the Government House in Gusau yesterday.

M-Liman said: “We met today with all stakeholders of our great party in this state on the mode of primaries to be adopted ahead of the upcoming party primary elections. We unanimously resolved to adopt the indirect primaries.

“The NEC of our party, asked us to come back and contact our people on which mode of primaries to adopt. In the interest of our members and stakeholders in the state, we are going to adopt indirect primaries or consensus where necessary.”

He urged members of the party to be more united to achieve victory in the next general elections and retain power.

According to a report by the The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), four of the governorship aspirants in the state on Tuesday met with some stakeholders to ensure that the party remained united and indivisible.

Among the stakeholders are: Deputy Governor Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, House of Assembly Speaker Sanusi Rikiji and Commissioner for Education Muttaka Rini and House of Representatives member Aminu Sani-Jaji (Kaura-Namoda/Birnin-Magaji) Federal Constituency.

 

Sokoto

 

In Sokoto, the state chapter of the party unanimously opted for the indirect primary and endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole candidate for the presidency.

The party also passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, affirming him as its only leader in the state.

The decisions were part of the resolutions reached at the end of the party’s routine stakeholders’ meeting in Sokoto on Tuesday. In attendance were party executives at the state and local government levels as well as other key stakeholders.

The meeting, which held behind closed doors, was chaired by the Deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, who described Senator Wamakko as an “iconic leader of the party in the state”.

Sokoto told reporters “The meeting also expressed happiness with the exemplary and unparalleled way and manner Senator Wamakko is manning the affairs of the great party.

“Accordingly, we endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the forthcoming polls. We have unanimously adopted indirect primary election and consensus as the process to select candidates for all positions in the state.”

He said members of the party meet periodically in the state to brainstorm on the way forward, as well as to appraise the party’s strength and areas of weakness.

In attendance were: seven House of Representatives members; 12 House of Assembly members; former deputy governor Chiso Dattijo Abdullahi, former Culture Minister Bello Jibril Gada, party chieftains Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal, Ambassador Abubakar Shehu Wurno and Farouk Malami Yabo.

Others were former House of Assembly speakers Lawalli Labbo Marghai and Shehu Goronyo and 14 out of the 23 immediate past local government council chairmen, among others.

 

Nasarawa

 

The Nasarawa chapter of the party adopted indirect primaries. It took the decision during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Lafia.

At the meeting were members of the state executive, those occupying elective positions on APC tickets, governorship, senatorial aspirants and House of Representative aspirants.

Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura lauded the stakeholders for their sense of followership and loyalty to the party and appreciated the peace prevailing peace within the party.

The commended the stakeholders for unanimously opting for indirect primaries to select the flag bearers for the 2019 elections.

He admonished the governorship aspirants not to have doubt in the indirect mode of the primaries, saying as believers in the spirit of oneness, justice and fairness, there would be a level playing ground for all and sundry.

He, however, warned members against listening to speculations concerning their aspirations.

One of the governorship aspirants, Aliyu Ahmed Wadada, told reporters that the adoption of indirect primaries was the best option for the state, saying that it was okay by him.

Two other aspirants Dauda Kigbu and Zakari Idde threw their weight behind the decision.

 

Borno

 

The Borno State chapter of the APC also opted for the indirect primaries to pick its candidates for the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

The decison was taken yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’ state Secretariat in Maiduguri, the state capital. Governor Kashim Shettima and members of state executive of the party attended the meeting.

State Chairman Ali Bukar Dalori announced the adoption of indirect primaries in line of the window of opportunities given to state chapters to decide on which selection systems will suit the.

Dalori noted that Borno APC opted for indirect primary as the best option to ensure fairness and peaceful coexistence among members.

He said: “Borno APC would not allow a situation where some individual (s) in Borno who were based in Abuja and claimed to be working for President Muhammad Buhari, would come into our fold and dictate politics for us.

“We have unanimously adopted the indirect primaries in Borno, and nobody should come to tell us that we are for direct primaries.”

Speaking for the governor, Deputy Governor Mamman Durkwa thanked all the stakeholders for attending the important meeting.

He said: “I want to thank you on behalf of our governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Kashim Shettima, who is unavoidably absent.

“We want to say that all the decisions unanimously taken for endorsement of indirect primaries is a good omen to our democracy.

“We assure all and sundry that the present administration will join teaming supporters of APC to ensure unprecedented victory in free and fair elections come 2019.”

At the meeting were: the three senators Abubakar Kyari Borno (North); Baba Kaka Garbai (Central) and Mohammed Ndume (South).

Also there were: House of Representatives members Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Kadiri Rahis, Aliyu Betara, Asabe Vilita Bashir and state lawmakers.

The three senators and House of Assembly Speaker Abdulkareem Lawal spoke for their colleagues. They  said that after due consultations, they have all endorsed and agreed to go for “indirect primaries” for all elective positions on the platform of the ruling APC in the state.

Senator Kyari said that all governorship aspirants agreed to endorse indirect primaries.

State Secretary of the party Bello Ayuba called on the members to raise a motion for adoption of the endorsement document.

Senator Ndume moved a motion and he was seconded by Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, representing Damboa/Chibok/Gwoza Federal Constituency.

 

Plateau

 

In Plateau State, the party settled for indirect primaries. It unanimously adopted the option yesterday at an expanded stakeholders’ parley in Jos.

Former House of Assembly Speaker Johnclerk Dabwan moved the motion for the adoption of the indirect primaries. The motion was seconded by the local chairman of the party in Jos East Local Government Area Azi Pate.

Making a case for indirect primaries, Dabwan cited security challenge in the state as his major reason.

He said: “Having gone through the provisions of our party’s constitution and the resolution of its NEC where it suggested direct, indirect or consensus method in conducting our primaries, I want to move that Plateau should adopt indirect primaries.

“The security challenges currently bedeviling us will make direct primaries very difficult and cumbersome.”

Stakeholders at the meeting, through a voice vote, adopted the motion after state party chairman Latep Dabang put the question to vote.

Among senior party members at the meeting were: Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Tyoden, his immediate predecessor Ignatius Longjan, serving and former lawmakers in the state.

 

Kebbi

 

According to Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, the Kebbi State chapter of the APC has unanimously adopted consensus selection of candidates for the 2019 elections.

Na’Allah made this known after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Birnin Kebbi.

He said: “Sequel to the directive by the national secretariat of the APC that we should go back to our state and hold a state Executive Committee meeting to decide on the fate of our party primaries on either consensus or primaries, we have decided to do consensus.

“Where the consensus fails, we will do indirect primary election. But the seat of the President and state governor, we unanimously endorse President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Atiku Bagudu; that is our decision.”

Chairman of the party Bala Kangiwa described APC members in the state as one big family living in peace and unity.

“We are committed to safeguarding the peace and unity in our family,” he said.

Party spokesman Sani Dododo said rice farmers nationwide have resolved to purchase APC nomination form for Buhari “while the people of Kebbi will procure nomination form for governor Bagudu.”

Those in attendance were: Governor Bagudu; Senator Adamu Aliero; former state governor Sa’idu Dakingari; Deputy Governor Sama’ila Yombe; former deputy governors Ibrahim Aliyu and Sulaiman Argungu; senators Na’Allah and Yahaya Abdullahi, as well as members of the House of Representatives and State Assembly, among others.

 

Ogun

 

The party in Ogun State yesterday adopted consensus method as its mode of primary for selecting candidates for the 2019 elections.

The party said it has resolved to go by consensus method in recognition of the decision of the party’s NEC.

The decision was reached at stakeholders’ meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, which was attended by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, party chair Derin Adebiyi, State Executive Committee members, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, House of Assembly and House of Representatives members, former legislators, former deputy governors as well as party and council chairmen of the party in the 20 local governments areas and the 37 Local council development areas.

Amosun, who hitherto, had kept political opponents in a protracted game of guessing his next move using subterfuges, used the occasion to declare ambition to run for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat in 2019.

Amosun, who served as a senator between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced his intention to run again at the expiration of his tenure as Governor on May 2019.

He said would soon pick the party’s Senate form and then “test” his popularity in 2019 on the field again with others eyeing the Ogun Central seat.

Amosun reiterated that the party had zoned the governorship ticket to Ogun West, saying the candidate would be unveiled within 24 hours.

He promised to meet stakeholders from the zone and urged them to present a consensus candidate from the pool of aspirants from Ogun West.

Assured that there would be level playing field for everybody, the governor said that the party will shift to direct primary if the consensus method failed in determining the flagbearers.

He also warned aspirants for the governorship slot other positions against rushing to obtain nomination forms, saying there would be no refunds as it happened in 2015.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the party’s publicity secretary Wole Elegbede said: “The APC in Ogun State shall have a consensus primary for all elective positions in the 2019 elections. That where consensus fails, a direct primary will be used to choose a candidate for such a position.”

 

Yobe

 

The Yobe State chapter adopted indirect primaries to select the party’s candidates for the forthcoming elections.

The decision was contained in a statement in Damaturu. It was signed by Chairman Adamu Chilariye and the Secretary Abubakar Bakabe.

The party said it adopted the indirect option following the party’s State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting on Tuesday in Damaturu, which deliberated extensively on the needs and peculiarities of the state.

It said: “The SEC also consulted widely with critical stakeholders of the party to adopt a unified position among options provided by the constitution of our great party.”

The party attributed lack of updated membership register, owing to security challenges in the state, as an impediment to the adoption of direct elections for the party’s primaries.

The party also claimed that it lacked resources and time to conduct direct elections to meet the dateline provided by the national secretariat of the party.

“Therefore, in view of the aforementioned factors, the SEC and the stakeholders have unanimously resolved to adopt the indirect election option for the primary.

“The SEC and stakeholders, therefore, resolved to forward these resolutions to the National Working Committee for approval.”

 

States are owing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) N41 billion in Value Added Tax (VAT) remmitances, it was disclosed yesterday after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting

Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru told State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting that the council was hopeful that the indebted states would pay up, adding that there was an improvement in tax remission from states in comparison with that of last year.

“We had briefing from the chairman of the FIRS and it dwelt on two aspects of tax issues; one is on the Value Added Tax (VAT) that is being collected by states.

“He informed the states what their positions are and the outstanding due to the states of about N41billion.

“He believes the states have to pay; he came up also with new technique and system that will help automatic collection of taxes–both VAT and withholding tax; I think the states take and are willing to pay their outstanding.

“This is very important; when we are talking of zero oil, taxes become very important in the future prospects of this country.

“So far, he mentioned that from January to date, about N40 billion was remitted from the states, which has a significant increase compared to the what happened last year,’’ he said.

He said that the governors and the finance commissioners were fully notified on how to boost revenue.

Badaru said audit was going on in many states on how to reconcile figures between what the states had and what the FIRS had.

According to him, with the initiative, automatically tax will be transmitted to FIRS from the states without delay and without many problems.