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Tag: Wammako

  • Ticket: APC leaders adamant as Ganduje, Masari, Wammako intervene for Sani

    As the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State holds Senate primaries today, there are indications that leaders of the party in the state were not keen to give return ticket to Senator Shehu Sani.

    It was learnt that Senator Aliyu Wammako, Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Aminu Masari (Katsina) intervened and pleaded for automatic ticket for Sani.

    Also, the three APC aspirants scrambling for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District with Sani declined to step down for him

    The aspirants are Ibrahim Usman(Sardauna Badarawa); Shamsu Shehu Giwa; Gen. Mohammed Sani Saleh; and Uba Sani, a Special Adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

    The development has caused tension in Sani’s camp. He is one of the aggrieved sebators who declined defect from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    A top source in APC, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have a big challenge in Kaduna State. Some of our governors and leaders have made a strong case for automatic re-election ticket for Comrade Shehu Sani but we have not succeeded.

    “With this development, Sani might have to slug it out with the remaining three aspirants.

    “Going by the tense situation in the state and with the control of party structure by governors, Senator Sani might not get the ticket.

    “We are still making last minute moves to work out a deal which will be acceptable to APC leaders in Kaduna State.”

    But a stalwart of APC in Kaduna State, who spoke with reporters anomymously in Abuja, said the party was not disposed to giving Sani a return ticket.

    The source said: “It will be suicidal for APC to give Senator Sani a second term ticket. If he sails through, it means that disloyalty to a party pays.

    “The problem all the interventions encountered is that Sani had gone too far in burning his bridges in Kaduna. A compendium of his comments since 2015 ridiculing President Muhammadu Buhari himself, the APC and Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been circulated to key leaders.

    “This document showed that Sani does not hold even the President in high esteem. So his recent good-boy posture is being dismissed as just the desperate actions of a man who wants to remain in the Senate.

    ”This is a man who printed posters without the APC logo and boasted that he would defect. He has not even tried to mend fences with the people he offended in Kaduna.

    “The party in Kaduna is said to be in no mood to reward disloyalty, after Sani had treated them with contempt for more than three years.

    “We expect him to grumble and moralize after he loses the primary. We will not be surprised if he even creates some drama.”

  • Wammako, Bindow, Aliero, Goje, 184 Reps shun R-APC

    52 Senators, Reps, others to stand firm

    APC: no faction

    LEADERS WHO MAY GO

    • Bukola Saraki
    • Yakubu Dogara
    • Rabiu Kwankwaso
    • Monsurat Sunmonu
    • Isa Misau
    • Dino Melaye
    • Soji Akanbi
    • Muhammed Shittu
    • Shehu Sani
    • Suleiman Hunkuyi
    • Sha’aba Lafiagi
    • Rafiu Ibrahim
    • Kabiru Marafa
    • Aliyu Abdullahi

    REPS WHO WILL STAY

    • Kebbi 8
    • Sokoto 6
    • Zamfara 6
    • Katsina 13
    • Kano 14
    • Jigawa 10
    • Kaduna 8
    • Niger 10
    • Kwara —
    • Kogi 3
    • Nasarawa 4
    • Plateau 5
    • Bauchi 10
    • Yobe 6
    • Borno 10
    • Adamawa 4
    • Gombe 6
    • Taraba 4
    • Benue 4
    • Lagos 18
    • Osun 8
    • Oyo 13
    • Ondo 5
    • Ogun 7

    The plot to cause a split in the All Progressives Congress(APC) has suffered a major setback, with some  leaders of the party  refusing to join the Reformed All Progressives Congress(R-APC).

    Some bigwigs, who have opted to remain in APC, include former Governor Abdullahi Adamu; former Governor Aliyu Wammako; former Governor Danjuma Goje; former Governor Adamu Aliero; former Governor Kabiru Gaya; Governor Abdullahi Ganduje; Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Jibrilla Bindow. There are  several others.

    Joining some of the APC chieftains, including those who were in new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), are over 184 Representatives and no fewer than 52 senators in the Parliamentary Support Group (PSG).

    The APC leaders prefer to remain in the party to chart their own political path instead of teaming up with Senate President  Bukola Saraki, House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, some senators and members of the House to nurture the R-APC.

    It was also learnt that the PSG leaders in the National Assembly met Wednesday evening to rally against the R-APC’s anti-President Muhammadu Buhari plot.

    “Many APC members do not buy the idea of forming R-APC to “settle scores and promote self-aggrandisement,” a source said yesterday.

    The source, who spoke in confidence, said the political outlook and permutations do not favour R-APC

    The source said: “Unlike the case in 2014, there is a crack in the nPDP (now transformed into R-APC) and it does not have the number to cause any upset in the ruling APC. The factionalisation plot is dead on arrival because of sheer ambition.

    “There was wholesale merger/ defection in 2014 by nPDP to APC but some of these leaders prefer to remain in APC. Ex-Governors Wammako, Goje, Aliero and Abdullahi Adamu, among others have distanced themselves from R-APC which is being promoted only by three leaders.

    “Some APC leaders are also aware of the ultimate goal of R-APC leaders to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the terms of their current negotiation are acceptable. They cannot understand why they will be in R-APC (a transit camp) today and hop to PDP the next day.

    “A few R-APC leaders are confused. They seek refuge in PDP and African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the same time. For instance, while Kwankwaso has been having talks with PDP, there are indications that he is more at home with ADC, already adopted by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s group just for the sake of a presidential ticket.”

    In Sokoto State, Wammako has made it clear that he will not join forces with Governor Tambuwal in R-APC to destabilise APC

    “All the three senators and six out of 11 members of the House of Representatives have shunned the bait from Governor Tambuwal to join R-APC. They have pitched tent with their leader, ex-Governor Aliyu Wammako,” the source said.

    In Kano, two out of the three senators and 14 of the 24 House of Representatives members “have left Kwankwaso to his fate”. They are in alliance with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.”

    A former governor said yesterday: “I do not have an uncertain political future; I remain in APC and not any other group.”

    APC is said not to be threatened by the R-APC. This, said the sources, is because “as some of these leaders are leaving, the APC is also gaining more members, including Sen. Hope Uzodinma and Sen. John Enoh. “Sen. Sunday Ogbuoji from Ebonyi have also defected from PDP to our party,” he said, adding:

    “In fact, there is a prospect of an alliance pact between APC and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as part of looking into the future.”

    The source confirmed that some party leaders, senators and Representatives may leave APC due to political aspirations and other interests.

    Some of those who may go include, Dr. Saraki; Speaker Yakubu Dogara; ex-Governor Murtala Nyako; Sen.  Rabiu Kwankwaso; Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu; Sen. Isa Misau; Sen. Dino Melaye; Sen. Soji Akanbi; Sen. Muhammed Shitu; Sen. Shehu Sani: Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi; Sen. Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi; Sen.  Rafiu Ibrahim; Sen. Kabiru Marafa; and Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.

    Some of these leaders from Bauchi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Oyo and Jigawa have “irreconcilable differences” with their governors. A few others are no longer wanted by their constituents. Some are ambitious; others have been committed to nPDP instead of the APC right from 2015 and others have local peculiarities, The Nation learnt.

    “Ordinarily, Nyako does not have business with R-APC but because of local politics in Adamawa State, he has chosen to leave APC. For example, Sen. Soji Akanbi from Oyo State wants to be a governor and he may adopt another party to realise his ambition.”

    “Speaker Dogara has the same local challenge and also his political fate is tied to his mentor, Governor Tambuwal. Tambuwal is said to have made up his mind to leave APC because of his presidential ambition.

    “There are issues in Kaduna, Jigawa and Kogi states which have forced R-APC leaders to hibernate elsewhere,” the source said.

    Members of the PSG on Wednesday met in Abuja on how to stop R-APC members’ plot against President Buhari in the National Assembly.

    The breakdown of the senators in the Upper Chamber is as follows: APC 65; PDP 39; APGA two; dead senators (two) and senator in prison (one).

    A ranking senator said: “The PSG can mobilize at least 52 senators and over 184 members of the House of Representatives to curtail the political rampage of the R-APC leaders.

    “We have done our homework to put the President in good stead and be able to concentrate on his job. We will not take things for granted.

    “This was why we met on Wednesday to take stock and put counter-measures in place against R-APC members.”

    In an interview yesterday, a respected member of the APC in the Northeast said R-APC leader Buba Galadima fell out with Buhari when the President decided to expand his political base out of the old CPC conclave in 2015.

    Now Kwankwaso’s acolyte, Galadima was among those whose sectional antics ensured Buhari lost three times before 2015. People like him lost relevance the moment Buhari opted to reach out outside the old Northwest base.

    *In Benin yesterday, the report of the involvement of Kassim Afegbua, erstwhile media aide to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was dismissed as “comic relief”.

    An APC leader from Edo North said: “I am not surprised at all that Afegbua would seek relevance by joining them (R-APC).

    “He was rehabilitated by Oshiomhole with an appointment in Edo State between 2012 and 2016.

    “In the APC primary in 2016, whereas his boss was backing Godwin Obaseki, he betrayed him by working for another aspirant who lost woefully.

    “Rather than sack him, Oshiomhole was magnanimous enough to retain him as Information Commissioner. Well, you could explain his working for a different candidate as his democratic right. But guess what, when Obaseki became a candidate in 2016, he decided to work for opposition PDP.

    “Just imagine the lack of honour and principle. How do you place such a person? So, for us in Edo, we are just laughing. Edo APC is 100 per cent for and behind Oshiomhole. “

     

  • Wammako, Bindow, Aliero, Goje, others fate uncertain

    There were strong indications yesterday that some leaders of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) might not leave the All Progressives Congress (APC), contrary to expectations.

    It was also learnt that the formation of the Reformed All Progressives Congress(R-APC) was the first stage of plans by the nPDP leaders to leave APC.

    It was gathered that the R-APC might be the new template for an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Sources said the Presidency might persuade the APC leadership to foreclose talks with nPDP leaders.

    According to some sources, who spoke yesterday with our correspondent, not all nPDP leaders are committed to leaving the APC.

    A source said: “Following certain indices in their states, some nPDP leaders like Governor Jibrilla Bindow, Senators Aliyu Wammako, senator Adamu Aliero, Danjuma Goje, Yahaya Abdullahi, Jibrin Barau, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah and many members of the House of Representatives may not join the fray. Their fate is uncertain.

    “Do not forget that there are members of the Parliamentary Support Group, who defected mostly from PDP to APC, but still with the ruling party.

    “While some of our leaders are free to leave the APC, the scenario is different from the situation in 2014, especially for nPDP leaders and members from the North.”

    The source, who pleaded not to be named, said the plot to destabilise APC by some nPDP leaders was already picked up  through intelligence network by the Presidency and APC leaders.

    The peak of the plot was allegedly hatched at meetings in the Middle East.

    The  intelligence gathering was said to have informed the election of an all-inclusive National Working Committee (NWC) at the APC convention

    The source added: “In the last three months, we were aware of subtle manoeuvres by some nPDP leaders to leave our party. Some of them even met recently in some countries in the Middle East. We have all the intelligence reports.

    “In fact, one of the nPDP leaders, who bankrolled the R-APC briefing, was with a PDP governor in the Southsouth 24 hours before the conference in Abuja.

    To the source, it has been “an open secret” that Senate President Bukola Saraki, House  Speaker Yakubu Dogara; Governor Aminu Tambuwal; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, some senators and members of the House of Representatives might quit APC.

    “They have just hatched the first phase of their plans to present to the whole world that there is crisis in APC”, he said.

    “The objective of forming R-APC, which is unknown to law, is to set the stage for the destabilisation of APC.

    “This was why, we were careful in managing the National Convention of the party. We decided not to create gaps which can cause a split in the party.”

    Another source in government thinks the nPDP leaders have crossed the red line, adding that the Presidency may prevail on the party’s leadership to foreclose talks with them.

    According to him, pro-Buhari elements and some leaders of APC prefer state-by-state negotiation with some aggrieved leaders of the party instead of group talks because of political peculiarities in some states.

    “Some nPDP leaders are actually paper weight in their states and APC can do without them. Of what use is holding talks with a senator or a member of the House of Representatives whose constituents had been stoning him in the past two years?” the source said, adding:

    “I think we are left with no alternative than to allow those who want to defect like Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso and others to go.”

    There were indications yesterday that some nPDP leaders in Kebbi State have opted to stay in APC, following a promise to address their grievances.

    “We are excited that nPDP leaders in Kebbi State have offered to remain in the party based on agreeable terms.

    “This negotiation model is what has encouraged strategists of Buhari to insist on state-by-state talks with aggrieved leaders,” the source said.

  • ‘N18.08b fraud’: EFCC raises team to probe Kwankwaso, Wammako

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has raised a team to probe two key leaders of the All Progressives Congress, ex-governors Rabiu Kwankwaso and Aliyu Wammako over alleged theft of N18.08billion during their tenure.

    The team will soon invite the two former governors for interrogation on the issues raised against them.

    Ex-Governor Wammako will be quizzed for alleged theft and laundering of state funds amounting to N15billion.

    On his part, Kwankwaso is to account for how the 44 Local Government Areas in Kano State were allegedly forced to contribute the N3.08billion to his presidential bid in 2014.

    Each of the LGAs allegedly paid N70million to the campaign for the presidential primaries of APC by Kwankwaso.

    These details are contained in the fact-sheet which was obtained from the anti-graft commission.

    The fact-sheet said: “Several petitions were received against Wammako for alleged theft and laundering of state funds amounting to N15billion.

    “One of the petitions came from the Movement for the Liberation and Emancipation of Sokoto State signed by the Chairman of the group, M. D. Sirajo Saidu and Secretary, Mudasiru Umar Alasan. The petition was dated August 10, 2015.

    “The EFCC in the last three years took time to look into some of the petitions and verified a few facts. Investigation so far has traced N1.5billion to the personal account of Wammako which was deposited by individuals (suspected to be staff of the Government House, Sokoto) who are yet to be traced.

    “The cash deposit was made between 2012 and 2015. The ex-governor will be invited any moment from now for interaction.”

    Regarding Kwankwaso, the EFCC said he is being investigated for alleged N3.08billion.

    The document said: “Several petitions were received alleging that Kwankwaso diverted state funds to personal use. One of the petitions, against Kwankwaso was received from Barrister Mustapha Danjuma and Co and it was dated May 27, 2015.

    “The complainants are Engr. Abubakar Ali Maishani and Alh. Najume Garba Kabo. Through their counsel, the petitioners sought from EFCC a “proper and in-depth investigation into the financial impropriety of funds belonging to the 44 Local Government Council of Kano State by the outgoing (former) Governor of Kano State, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

    “The EFCC stopped action initially because Kano State Government went to court but this commission later got a judgment to continue with the investigation of the case.

    “Although Kano State Government went on appeal but the appellate court did not issue any order for a stay of execution of the judgment.

    “In the course of investigation, some vouchers were recovered from some Local Government Councils showing that each of the 44 local governments contributed N70million towards the presidential primaries of ex-governor Kwankwaso totaling N3.08billion.

    “One of the vouchers was retrieved from Tofa Local Government Council with PV No. 288, Head 2004A and dated  December 11, 2014.

    “The said voucher said: “being payment to contribute to the presidential aspirant

    “Investigation is ongoing in order to trace where these funds were deposited during the campaign.”

  • Wammako’s bill on child destitution passes first reading

    The bill to establish a national commission on child destitution in Nigeria, sponsored by Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, yesterday, passed first reading.

    Wamakko represents Sokoto North Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    This is contained in a statement made available to reporters in Sokoto, Thursday, by Bashir Rabe Mani, his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

    The statement said the bill, when finally passed, would provide the legal and constitutional framework for the eradication of child destitution, as well as result in taking formidable steps to mitigate the effects of the recurring cases of child destitution in the country.

    In the same vein, the proposed commission would serve as an intervention programme and measure for eradicating, rehabilitating and prohibiting the menace of child destitution in Nigeria.

    This is in addition to two other bills that had earlier passed second reading at the Senate, which include the bill for an act to amend the Universal Basic Education Act 2003, to enforce quality, compulsory, mandatory and free education up to secondary three or its equivalent and for other purposes.

    Accordingly, the statement said that the second bill is for an act to further amend the Pension Act 2014, to provide for definite percentage a retiree can withdraw from his/her retirement savings account and for other matters related thereto.

  • Wammako: Buhari has no hand in Saraki’s ordeal

    Wammako: Buhari has no hand in Saraki’s ordeal

    President Muhammadu Buhari has nothing to do with Senate President Bukola Saraki’s ordeal, especially his case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Senator Aliyu Wamako (APC, Sokoto), said at the weekend.

    Wamako, a former Sokoto State governor, was among the group of senators, who accompanied Saraki when he appeared before the CCT last Tuesday.

    He said: “I see Mr. President, Saraki and senators holding a meeting very soon on how to salvage democracy, which certain elements have been trying to subvert. They will find time to meet to stop our opponents from progressing with acts to sabotage our democracy.

    “Once the President and the Senate leadership sit on a round-table with a resolve to re-oil the wheels of democracy for national progress, the cynics, the political rabble-rousers and those who never mean well for the APC government will go to sleep.”

    He noted that Saraki, having submitted himself to the law by appearing before the CCT, has helped the case preferred against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    He urged Nigerians to stop pre-empting the course of justice.

    He noted that those hoping to promote discord between Buhari and the Senate President, banking on excuses, would soon realise that democracy has advanced with more senators anxious to make it work.

    Wammako said Saraki’s removal as being canvassed by those he described as “faceless groups outside the National Assembly” would end up as “an ill-wind that will blow no good for the Senate, democracy and Nigeria”.

    He said: “Majority of senators weeks ago passed a vote of confidence in Saraki because they were convinced that his style of leadership has been broad and progress-inclined. Nothing has changed. Majority of our colleagues still believe that Saraki remains a stabilising factor in the Senate for now.

    “A change of leadership, at this point in time and as being canvassed, will certainly spark some endless sessions of rancour, suspicion, crises and uncertainty among members. When such begin to happen, no one will be able to predict the end.”

    According to the former governor, Saraki shares the same ideology of “change” with President Buhari.

    He added that every step so far taken by the Senate had been inclined towards promoting the change mantra, with national progress at the core of all considerations by senators.

    Wamakko noted that contrary to reports, there was no plot to replace Saraki on the strength of his case before the CCT.

    He noted that the reality on the Senate issues never tallied with the reports of a search for   Saraki’s replacement.

    He insisted that senators were rather meeting to strengthen the Senate under Saraki with a view to recovering the lost grounds on the legislative business under the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

  • Wammako warns Lamido over APC governors

    Wammako warns Lamido over APC governors

    SOKOTO State Governor Alhaji Aliyu Wammako has warned Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido against disparaging the characters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.

    The governor spoke on Tuesday in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital during the APC presidential campaign.

    Wammako cautioned his Jigawa counterpart on making unguarded comments against personalities that who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a better party.

    He said: “Abusing leaders of prudent integrity will not make the Jonathan led PDP government to trust him and it cannot auger well for democracy in Nigeria.

    “Sule Lamido should respect himself by stopping the unguarded statements against our leaders because his age is above that level. He is not a small boy; as such we did not expect him to be abusing us. He should avoid such comments to be made by small children.”

    Wammako, who is also the campaign coordinator of the Buhari/Osinbajo presidential ticket in the Northwest, explained that Nigerians were fed up with the untold hardship the PDP-led government has thrown them into.