The Nation Newspaper

Tag: United Progressive Party (UPP)

  • UPP governorship candidate pledges 17,000 jobs in Enugu annually

    Mr Ekele Uzodinma, the governorship candidate of United Progressive Party (UPP) in Enugu State, says he intends to create 17,000 jobs via agriculture in the state every year.

    “I have plans to kick-start agricultural revolution by cultivating 3,400 acres of farmland yearly, if elected,’’ Uzodinma said in an interview  in Enugu on Monday.

    Uzodinma said that this innovative thought-out plan, among others, had particularly propelled his ambition to serve the people of the state as their governor come 2019.

    The governorship candidate said that when was elected and inaugurated; his administration would acquire 200 acres of arable land in each of the 17 council areas in the state for the agriculture-based job creation scheme.

    “The 3,400 acres acquired from the 17 council acres would be given to 3,400 persons, mostly youths, at the ratio of one person per one acre of farmland for a period of a year.

    “Each of the beneficiary farmers is, in turn, expected to employ at least four persons to work with him in the farm. Thus, this will make them employers of labour as well.

    “At the end, we would have created employment for 17,000 persons for a start,’’ he added.

    Uzodinma, who is also a large-scale farmer in the state, said that the state government would facilitate the provision of soft loans to the beneficiary farmers as start-up funds.

    “We are also going to partner with the Federal Government, commercial banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies as well as international organisations in the implementation of the agricultural project.

    “Financial institutions and other government agencies would be mobilized to stand as off-takers, so as to assure the beneficiary farmers that their produce would be bought at good market prices.

    Read Also: Teenager kidnapped in Enugu found in Niger

    “The off-takers would ensure that the farmers continue with the project; while a new set of 17,000 persons would be enrolled for the programme in the coming year,’’ he said.

    Uzodinma said that the farmers would not only grow crops for the local market, they would also be mobilised to engage in the cultivation of export crops, while the state government and off-takers would be involved in crop processing and packaging.

    “The state government and the off-takers will arrange for foreign markets and freight for the processed and packaged produce,’’ he said.

    He stressed that after four years of the project implementation, the issues of joblessness and people roaming the streets aimlessly would have been tackled to a large extent.

    “In the end, foodstuffs will become cheaper and more affordable for all the people of the state, regardless of their level of income,’’ he added.

     

    NAN

  • LASIEC clears 12 parties for July 22 council polls

    LASIEC clears 12 parties for July 22 council polls

    Ahead of the July 22 council polls, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) says it has cleared 12 political parties out of the 23 registered for the elections.

    Mr Dapo Olatunde, LASIEC’s Director of Publicity, said in a statement that the cleared parties had met the commission’s requirements for the polls and also presented candidates for validation.

    Olatunde listed the parties as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party.

    Others are Kowa Party, National Action Council (NAC) , People’s Democratic Movements (PDM) ,United Democratic Party (UDP)
    and United Progressive Party (UPP).

    He said the names of the validated candidates had been displayed at the commission’s headquarters for observation by party members and members of the public.

    Meanwhile, the commission has begun a three-day “Train -the-Trainer”course for its electoral officers across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas.

    According to Olatunde, the training, facilitated by the International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), was to equip ad-hoc staff engaged for the July 22 elections.

    IFES is a United States-based organisation committed to the deepening of democracy and international best standards in election management.

    The organization operates in more than 100 countries and is supported by USAID.

  • Chidoka dumps PDP for UPP

    Chidoka dumps PDP for UPP

    A chieftain of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Osita Chidoka, said he would defect to another political party to enable him to realise his governorship aspiration in Anambra.

    Chidoka, a former Minister of Aviation, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday and said that he would dump PDP for United Progressive Party (UPP) on Wednesday.

    The statement by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Mr Bright Nebedum, said Chidoka would declare for the UPP in his hometown, Obosi.

    It explained that Chidoka’s decision to move to another political party was in furtherance of his political aspiration.

    It said that the declaration, the former minister would unveil his plans and vision “towards redirecting the fortunes of Anambra and restoring its lost political and economic glory’’.

    The statement added that Chidoka stood out with his reputation as a forthright administrator and manager of resources and had never failed in any assignment.

    It noted that before becoming minister in 2014, he showed his mettle as the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

    It said that the Chidoka already commanded overwhelming support from various segments of Anambra citizenry.

    “Chidoka already commands overwhelming support from various segments of Anambra citizenry on which we will leverage to run a robust, all-inclusive and broad-based governorship election campaign,” the statement said.

    The governorship in Anambra has been fixed for Nov. 18 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

     

  • Stop promoting corrupt politicians, party urges journalists

    Stop promoting corrupt politicians, party urges journalists

    A chieftain of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, has called on journalists to desist from promoting corrupt politicians.

    Okonkwo said on Thursday during the inauguration of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel new secretariat in Enugu.

    In a speech entitled: “The Power of the Media Journalism, is Not for Public Relations,” Okonkwo said that journalists must differentiate between journalism and public relations.

    “Obviously, the problem the press (journalists) is having with the society and the politicians stem from when the journalist abandons his job description and assumes that of a public relations practitioner,’’ he said.

    According to him, a journalist is responsible for gathering and selecting information in order to educate the public.

    “This news is not meant to sway the public opinion to a certain direction.

    “Because of this, journalists write for a mass audience and publish their work through only one medium depending on where they work,’’ he said.

    The UPP chieftain said that the job of journalists had now been expanded to fight corruption in the political parties, adding that the parties are the foundation of corruption in Nigeria’s leadership.

    “I enjoin the journalist to take a look at our electoral laws and the Nigerian Constitution to challenge our party managers for them to shun corruption and pursue excellence.

    “I charge the press (journalists) to educate the citizens to defend democracy and reject corrupt tendencies,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel Enugu, Mr Petrus Obi, commended the support of the state government towards the operations of the journalists in the state.

    Obi said that his executive had achieved its campaign promises of renting an office, buying a bus and uplifting the welfare of members of the chapel in general.

    The chapel honoured Prince Lawrence Eze, an industrialist from Mburubu community in Nkanu East Local Government Area for his philanthropic gestures and community development efforts.

    Responding after receiving the “Award of Excellence for Community Service’’, Eze urged journalists to continue to hold leaders accountable for the growth, development, and welfare of the people.

    “As the chairman of the chapel had kept his election promises; so likewise each politician must strive to keep their promises and bond with the people,’’ he said.

  • ‘Stop blackmailing Buhari with threats of impeachment’

    ‘Stop blackmailing Buhari with threats of impeachment’

    The United Progressive Party (UPP) Friday asked the Senate to blackmailing the Executive arm of government in order to obtain some form of soft landing for its principal officers over their current trial for alleged forgery of the Senate standing rules.

    In a statement signed by the National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, the party said that the leaders of the Senate should subject themselves to the judicial process with regard to the on-going trial of some top Officers of the Senate on forgery accusation.

    The party describes as satanic, subversive and dangerous, the threats by the lawmakers to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari for unspecified impeachable offences, asking them to completely erasing such thoughts from their mind.

    He said: “Our attention has been drawn to some threats emanating from some persons in the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari for unspecified impeachable offences.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that such thoughts at this point in time are satanic, subversive and dangerous. It should be erased completely from the minds of those contemplating such move.

    “Any such act of vengeance will be most unpopular, unpatriotic and condemnable. All hands must be on deck to salvage our country from its present state of economic downturn, excruciating poverty and security challenges.

    “In the spirit of separation of powers as clearly defined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, it behoves the National Assembly and its leadership to submit themselves to the judicial process with regard to the on-going trial of some top Officers of the Senate on forgery accusation.

    “It must not be seen that the National Assembly is resorting to the blackmail of the Executive arm of government in order to achieve any form of soft-landing for its Officers who are already facing trial.”

    Okorie also condemned calls for immunity for principal officers of the National Assembly, pointing out that such ad fate, especially at a time when Nigerians are canvassing the removal of immunity clause from the constitution.

    He said: “We hold the view that it is absolutely in bad fate for some of our legislators to propose to seek to include in the on-going amendment of the Constitution of the country, provision for the immunity of principal officers of the National Assembly.

    “It is the general position of majority of Nigerians that the immunity provision as currently stated in the 1999 Constitution as amended, should be amended to remove criminal proceedings in the immunity clause, such that the President, the Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors will not be immuned from criminal proceedings when such offences are committed by any of them.

    “This feeling of most Nigerians is as a result of the impunity, recklessness, corruption and the insensitive conduct of majority of those who are protected by the immunity clause.

    “It is therefore disturbing that some of our elected legislators wish to add the principal officers of the National Assembly to the long list of those acting with impunity and polluting our democracy.

    “More disturbing is the fact that each time there is effort to amend the Nigerian Constitution a proposed obnoxious provision rears its head to scuttle the entire exercise especially after huge scarce public resources had been expended in the process of constitutional amendment.

    “We remember with sadness how the attempt to include a provision for a third term under President Olusegun Obasanjo administration completely scuttled all the efforts put in to amend the constitution at that time.

    “In the same manner another effort for constitutional amendment ended up in the archives after President Goodluck Jonathan refused to promulgate the already concluded exercise because of an innocuous provision that was interpreted by the Presidency to reduce in a very minimal way the powers of the President.

    “Again, the public resources expended in that exercise went down the drain. And now President Jonathan is not anywhere to exercise the powers of President.

    “This time the much expected constitutional amendment which Nigerians anticipate that will address most of the fears and misgivings of many sections of Nigeria appears doomed as a result of this mischievous and self-serving plot to include in the constitution an immunity provision for Principal Officers of the National Assembly.”

    Okorie however expressed concern over what he called “the lopsided nature of the appointments into key and strategic Public Offices by President Muhammadu Buhari” saying such lopsidedness was unsettling.

    He urge the President “to review these appointments to reflect the spirit and letters of the Federal Character provision of the Nigerian Constitution which he swore an oath to uphold and defend at his inauguration as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We believe that he will stand out as a man of honour, consideration and integrity if he shows sensitivity to public concern over the exceeding lopsidedness of his appointment to public office.We make this recommendation for the review of these appointments out of genuine patriotic disposition as a friendly opposition political party.”

  • Edo 2016: Popular Edo musician emerges UPP candidate 

    A social critic and popular musician, Adviser Shedrack Nowamagbe, has emerged the candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) for the September 10 governorship election in Edo State.
    Adviser Nowamagbe garnered 327 votes to clinch the party’s ticket.
    He was the sole aspirant for the election after two other aspirants stepped down from the race.
    Members of the party however voted after accreditation that was witnessed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
    Out of the 339 party members the were accredited to vote, four voted no to Nowamagbe aspiration while eight declined to vote.
    Chairman of the UPP electoral committee, Oguehi Dike, urged the party members to be steadfast and resolute in their bid to form the new government in Edo State
    In his acceptance speech, Nowamagbe said he has shamed his critic who described him as an illiterate.
    Nowamagbe promised to lead the campaign that would ensure victory for the party during the polls.
    He said he does not have money to share but that he would provide real democratic dividends.
    His words, “I am overwhelmed. You can now see that musicians are illiterates as people believed.
    “When I told people about my dream, they asked me whether I was going to pla music in government house. I have the name and we will be victorious.”