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Tag: Abdullahi Adamu

  • Confusion in APC as NWC rejects Adamu’s choice of Lawan as consensus candidate

    Confusion in APC as NWC rejects Adamu’s choice of Lawan as consensus candidate

    There is presently confusion in the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the position of its National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu on the choice of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party ahead of its presidential primary election.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC has debunked news making rounds as announced by Adamu that Lawan has been anointed consensus candidate of the party.

    Shortly after a meeting of the APC NWC, the Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungun made the clarification while addressing journalists at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

    Arugugun acknowledged the fact that the APC National Chairman briefed the committee on the issue, saying, however, that it was not deliberated at the meeting.

    “You can see that we are all just coming out of the NWC meeting and we were fully briefed by our national chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu. And he did brief us that Sen. Ahmad Lawan, President of the Senate is our consensus candidate for the APC national convention.

    “That is the information he gave us, but it is not an issue that was deliberated on the floors of the NWC. It was just information he gave us and all of us are entitled to our opinions as democrats,” Argungu said.

    The APC National Organising Secretary added that the decision was not from the party’s NWC, stressing that it was an individual decision that was never deliberated by the committee.

    Arugugun said that the APC NWC was in agreement with Saturday’s resolution of the 11 Northern governors that the presidency must shift to the South in 2023 after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Recall that the 11 governors from the North had in a statement, announced their support for power shift to the South at the end of the tenure of Buhari.

    The governors while urging APC presidential aspirants from the region to step down from the 2023 presidential race, said, ”the decision to support power shift to the South is in the best interest of the country”.

    The Northern APC governors also commended their Jigawa counterpart, Gov. Abubakar Badaru, for withdrawing from the race ahead of the presidential primaries slated from June 6 to June 8.

    The governors who signed the communique at the end of the meeting included Gov. Aminu  Masari of Katsina State,  Gov. Sani Bello, Niger;  Gov.Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa and Gov. Umara Zulum, Borno.

    Others were Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, Gov. Umar Ganduje, Kano State; Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and former Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna State; Gov. Muhammad Yahaya, Gombe state, and Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.

    Buhari had at a meeting with APC presidential aspirants on Saturday, approved power shift to the South in the 2023 poll.

  • APC inaugurates 18 sub-committees for presidential primary

    APC inaugurates 18 sub-committees for presidential primary

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally inaugurated 18 sub-committees to handle various activities at its presidential primary election special convention slated for June 6 to 8.

    Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s National Chairman inaugurated the committees behind closed doors at its national secretariat on Sunday in Abuja.

    The committees and their members are:

    Finance and Logistics – Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State.

    Accreditation and Decoration – Prince Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun.

    Security and Compliance – Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State.

    Co-Chair: Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd.), former Minister of Interior.

    Election Planning – Abubakar Bagudu, Governor of Kebbi

    Co-Chair: Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo.

    Transportation –Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, Governor of Kano State

    Deputy: Dr Ramatu Aliyu, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory.

    Accommodation – Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno

    Co-Chair: Gboyega Oyetola, Governor of Osun.

    Media and Publicity- Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State

    Medicals – Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment

    Co-Chair: Prof. Isaac Adewole, former Minister of Health

    Legal: Abubakar Malami SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

    Venue and Site Servicing: Bello Matawalle, Governor of Zamfara

    Co-Chair: Mohammed Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

    Election Appeal – Mai Mala Buni, Governor of Yobe State.

    Hospitality and Welfare – Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau.

    Co-Chair: Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

    Protocols – Aminu Masari, Governor of Katsina State.
    Digital Communications – AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara.
    Pre-Convention and Management/ Rapporteur –  Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State.
    Co-Chair: Dame Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs.

    Presidential Screening Appeal – Abubakar Bello, Governor of Niger State.
    Co-Chair: Ahmed Wase, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Accreditation of Diplomats – Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy President of the Senate.
    Co-Chair: Geoffrey  Onyeama, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

    Gov. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe is to chair the party’s  Budget Committee while the Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed will serve as the Committee Co-chair.

    Though the APC presidential primary election is slated for June 6 to 8, delegates will vote for their preferred aspirants on June 7.

    Meanwhile, delegates have started arriving Abuja ahead of the exercise as the party’s national secretariat, located on Blantyre Street in Wuse 2, has become a beehive of activities.

    Finishing touches are also being put together at the Eagle Square, venue of the convention, as decorations are currently ongoing, both at the presidential stage and the various bleachers.

    Works on the podium are also ongoing at the time of this report.

    An investigation revealed that most hotels in Abuja had been fully booked ahead of time, while security operatives were seen around the Eagle Square keeping surveillance.

    No fewer than 2,340 delegates from the 774 Local Government Areas in the country and Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to cast thier votes to elect the APC’s 2023 presidential candidate.

    Though, 23 presidential aspirants bought the party’s presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the presidency, 13 were cleared by the John Odigie-Oyegun presidential screening committee.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, at a dinner with the party’s presidential aspirants on Saturday, backed the rotation of power to the Southern part of the country in 2023.

    This limited the numbers of aspirants that would be contesting the party’s 2023 presidential ticket at the primary to those from the South.

    Meanwhile, 11 governors from the North had in a statement on Saturday, announced their decision to support power shift to the South after the end of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The governors, while urging presidential aspirants from the northern part to step down from the 2023 presidential race, said, ”the decision to support power shift to the South is in the best interest of the country”.

    As political pamutations and calculations continued ahead of the primary election, it is expected that the number of the party’s presidential aspirants would be further brought down.

  • UPDATE: We will bring Tinubu to book – APC National Chairman insists

    UPDATE: We will bring Tinubu to book – APC National Chairman insists

    The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu has said former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu and any party member who disrespects the President, Muhammadu Buhari would be brought to book.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Adamu issued the warning on Saturday in Abuja at a news conference while reacting to the recent outburst of Tinubu on President Buhari in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    The APC National Chairman warned that the party would penalise any member that disrespects its leadership, irrespective of the person’s position.

    “Within the last three days, the country, and the world of the social media have been inundaunted with the report of one of our leaders, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, when he went for his campaign in Abeokuta, Ogun.

    “In the course of his address, he went as far as to mention what happened between him and President Muhamadu Buhari.

    “He went as far as saying how Gen. Muhammadu Buhari went to him, citing instances of even prostrating in tears begging him to endorse him and to support him for the presidency.

    “He claimed Buhari went to him, his utterances are very insulting.

    “It’s very very unbecoming for a person of that standing to do what he did to the sitting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “It is amazing how a fellow APC person would make that kind of comment in that kind of circumstances about the president.

    “We take exception to this, it has shown that he does not show any appreciable level of respect for the office of Mr President.

    “Therefore, we want to make it public that we are saddened by what we saw in the video in that reportage and we condemn it in the strongest of terms.

    “We do hope that he would never say that kind of thing again,” the APC national chairman said.

    Adamu noted that although there was a retraction of the comment by Tinubu, the effort was not adequate.

    He said at the time Tinubu made the comments, the party’s presidential screening committee led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had not presented its report to the party’s leadership.

    He said there was therefore no justification for the outburst of the former Lagos State governor at the time he spoke.

    On whether there would be punitive measures against Tinubu, Adamu said: “You see in Hausa there is a proverb that once you take hold of any amount of grass from a thatched house and you pulled it off from the roof, you can’t replace the same number of grass.

    “What is out is out, what he did say was not an apology, it is just like trying to retract and you say, I didn’t mean this. It’s a problem of misinterpretation. It is not a regret.

    “If there is the need to penalise any member of the party, not just Bola Tinubu, anybody, we will bring him to the party’s book, anybody as we watch events as they unfold.”

    TNG reports Tinubu, a former two-term governor of Lagos State, is a frontline presidential aspirant of the APC and also one of the party’s leaders.

    Meanwhile, Adamu during the news conference dismissed speculations that 10 out of the party’s 23 presidential aspirants had been disqualified.

    “I want to say very clearly that no aspirant has been disqualified. It’s like sitting in an examination.

    “Even if you pass, there is grading from first-class to ordinary pass, so no aspirant was disqualified, incidentally, the president has invited all of them to a dinner today (Saturday),” he said.

  • Buhari to Presidential Aspirants: Choose one of you as consensus consensus candidate

    President Muhammadu Buhari has told presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to consult amongst themselves and choose a formidable candidate before the party’s presidential primary elections.

    He stated this on Saturday night in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

    Buhari spoke during a meeting with all the APC presidential aspirants at State House, Abuja.

    The President said his advise was based on his commitment to ensuring reduction in the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members.

    ALSO READ: BREAKING: Buhari backs Southern presidential candidate for APC

    ALSO READ: Why I stopped Tinubu from being Buharis running mate -Saraki

    He said, “Without prejudice to your qualifications, I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and with the party, with a view to building a consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members.

    The document was; ‘President Buhari to APC presidential aspirants: consult, build consensus, and come up with a formidable candidate,’ with a copy made available to TheNewsGuru.com.

    The statement quoted the President to have said the meeting is the second of a series of consultations with party stakeholders to ensure the unity and cohesion of the party are sustained and to provide direction.

    The president stated that his interface would help the electoral fortunes of the APC beginning with the State Governors.

    “This is the second in the series and I still look forward to meeting with party stakeholders. These steps are being taken to ensure that the unity and cohesion of the party are sustained and to provide direction.

    Noting the forthcoming presidential primary that would midwife the emergence of one candidate to fly the party’s flag in next year’s Presidential Election, Buhari said he was aware that there is anxiety among party members about the outcome of the process.

    “Given these circumstances,” he said, “I charge you to recognize the importance of the stability and unity of the party, which cannot be overemphasized.

    “Similarly, I wish to remind you that our choice of flag bearer must be formidable, appealing to the electorate across the board and should command such ability to unify the country and capacity to address our critical challenges.

    “Ahead of the Convention, the party machinery has screened and found all aspirants eminently qualified. Recognizing this fact, the Screening Committee has, amongst others, recommended that consensus building through consultation, be intensified.

    “Without prejudice to your qualifications, I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and with the party, with a view to building a consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members.”

    The President assured attendees that in the interest of the nation and the party, he would continue to provide effective leadership during the transition processes and on-going consultations, “until we successfully make the choice on the candidate that will fly the flag of our party for the presidential elections and make the party stronger. I seek your support in this all-important responsibility.”

    The National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu had earlier promised that all stakeholders of the party would be reached in the consultation process.

    A former Governor of old Abia State and immediate past Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, and Vice President, ‘Yemi Osinbajo, who responded on behalf of the aspirants, thanked the President for his leadership and guidance, pledging that they would hold the consultations as counseled “for the unity and strength of our party, the APC.”

    Those in attendance include Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, Former Zamfara State Governor, Ahmad Yarima, Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Fayemi Kayode (Ekiti), Ben Ayade (Cross River), former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio, Former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, Former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, Former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Jack-Rich amongst others.

    Others include Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the APC Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Party Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

  • BREAKING: We will sanction Bola Tinubu – APC National Chairman

    BREAKING: We will sanction Bola Tinubu – APC National Chairman

    The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu has said former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu would be sanctioned by the party.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Adamu made this known while speaking with journalists on Saturday at the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT).

    According to the APC National Chairman, Tinubu insulted President Muhammadu Buhari in his outburst in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital while meeting with delegates.

    Recall that the former Lagos State Governor had in Abeokuta said without him Buhari would not have fulfilled his dream of becoming the president of Nigeria.

    Adamu described the action as unbecoming and insulting. However, he did not elaborate on the nature of the sanction awaiting Tinubu.

    “We may punish him (Tinubu) for his utterances against the President,” Adamu said.

  • Ex APC Chairman explains why only 13 aspirants were cleared

    Ex APC Chairman explains why only 13 aspirants were cleared

    Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 Presidential Screening Committee has explained why only 13 out of 23 presidential aspirants that appeared before it were cleared.

    Oyegun, who was a former National Chairman of the APC, said while submitting the 7-man committee report to the party`s National Chairman  Sen. Abdullahi Adamu that

    “All the aspirants were engaged on the issue of consensus and it was a pleasant surprise that 98 to 99 per cent of them agreed that the party is supreme, that whatever it finally decides with proper consultations, would likely be accepted.

    “Though one aspirant said that; yes I will accept consensus so long as it is settled on me.

    “First, we had 23 presidential aspirants that we interacted with and my first comment is that we are indeed a very luck party,” Odigie-Oyegun said.

    He added that though 23 presidential aspirants presented themselves for screening, there were other prominent Nigerians within and outside the country that applied but could not proceed with their applications.

    He said the quality of the aspirants were unquestionable, adding that the committee was surprised at the active participation of youthful members of the party.

    He added that the committee was particularly surprised by the life accomplishment of the youths in the race, their understanding of the country`s situations and why they wanted to have the privilege of governing her.

    “What was important was that they so believed in the country and the party that they were able to pay the sums they paid for its Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to participate in the process.

    “So, I think the party ought to part itself on the back for that,’’ Odigie-Oyegun who was a former national chairman of the APC and a former Edo governor, said.

    He explained that the committee`s report was in two aspects; the basic constitutional qualification to aspire to be a president of the country, and the ability to lead and background of the aspirant.

    He said all the aspirants had the constitutional basic requirements and were qualified in that regard, because it was basic and simple.

    “But we are a governing party, and we are keying on continuing the process and replacing at the proper time, our president with yet another member of the party,” he said.

    He said for this reason, the ability of the aspirants to lead, their background, experience and understanding of the Nigerian situation became critical.

    He said their ideas on how difficult issues and problems could be addressed and how they could move the country forward also became a critical consideration at the screening.

    “It is on that bases, that who you are, what are you and what have you achieved.

    “And the understanding of your mission and what you think you can do to move the country forward made our final list.

    “I don’t want to read the names, I think we will leave that to you, but we have a short list which brought the number severely down to 13.

    “We could have cut it a little shorter, but we wanted deliberately all the younger elements to surface,” Odigie-Oyegun said.

    He said the idea was for the younger aspirants to be seen and noticed and handed over to the party’s leadership to decide who their preferred candidate would be for 2023 presidential election.

    He said it was also an opportunity to showcase the kind of people that existed in the APC and within it, their youthfulness and the kind of experience they had.

    This, he added, was for the world to know that the APC cared for the young and when it said the young shall aspire, it really meant it.

    “This had been showcased in the report we have written.

    “We only drew a word of caution that there is this cleavage that is gradually becoming centre stage in national discourse, between the North and the South and the presidency.

    “And we just want to advise strongly that the party should please think of it in making its decision, address it and let it influence their thoughts because it has its own implications,” he stressed.

    Odigie-Oyegun thanked the party`s leadership for the opportunity to serve in the committee, saying that though it was a sensitive and challenging assignment, it was an interesting one.

    “We all profited from the assignment immensely and think the party will also profit,” he said.

    He said the committee members were happy to take on the responsibility to do as much as they could do to make the work of the party lighter.

    Adamu while receiving the report, said the party’s leadership would look into it.

  • APC National Chairman reacts over disqualification of 10 presidential aspirants

    APC National Chairman reacts over disqualification of 10 presidential aspirants

    National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu has reacted over the presidential screening committee report that disqualified 10 presidential aspirants from the party’s presidential primary election.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Chairman of the seven-man 2023 APC Presidential Screening Committee had said only 13 aspirants out of 23 were cleared to contest for the party’s ticket in the upcoming Presidential Primary Election.

    Oyegun made the announcement on Friday in Abuja, while submitting the report of the committee to the party’s leadership. He, however, did not mention the names of the aspirants that were cleared or those that were not cleared by the committee.

    While receiving the presidential screening committee report, Sen. Adamu, the APC National Chairman said the report would be looked into by the party’s leadership.

    Recall that 23 presidential aspirants appeared before the Oyegun-led committee that sat for two days.

    Some of the aspirants include; Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the party, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Mr Rotimi Amaechi, who until recently was the Minister of Transportation.

    Others are; ex-governor of Akwa Ibom and former Minister of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sen. Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

    Former Imo governor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, former Ogun governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Cross River’s Gov. Ben Ayade, and his Ebonyi counterpart, Gov. Dave Umahi, are also in the race.

    Also in the race are former President of the Senate, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Jigawa’s Gov. Badaru Abubakar and President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan.

    Others are; former Zamfara governor, Sen. Ahmed Yerima, Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole ,and the only female contender, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.

    The cleared aspirants are to contest the party’s 2023 presidential ticket at its presidential primary scheduled to hold between June 6 and June 8, at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

  • 2023: 145 guber, 351 Senatorial, 1197 House of Reps aspirants jostle for APC tickets

    2023: 145 guber, 351 Senatorial, 1197 House of Reps aspirants jostle for APC tickets

    One hundred and forty-five persons are aspiring to become governorship candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s general election.

    TheNewsGuru.com can report that 351 aspirants are also fighting to clinch the party’s tickets for the Senatorial polls, with 1197 persons hoping to fly the House of Representatives APC tickets.

    TheNewsGuru.com has also learnt from sources inside the party’s secretariat that although reports of the screening exercise of the governorship and National Assembly aspirants are still being collated as of Monday night, the party has begun consultation with stakeholders before a final list of qualified aspirants for the primaries is released.

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party is said to have embarked on wide consultations with some stakeholders ahead of the various party primaries that will produce its flag bearers at the 2023 general elections.

    The consultations, TheNewsGuru.com further learnt were primarily designed to reach out to some critical leaders to produce a formidable and generally acceptable winning unity of contestants for some elective offices in the 2023 general elections across the 36 States.

    Sources within the party however said the leadership may have resolved not to disqualify any of the screened governorship and National Assembly aspirants.

    A former Gombe Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje is said to have held a closed-door meeting with the National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and some NWC members on the matter with the hope that solid plans are in place to have stakeholders’ buy-in.

    READ ALSO: APC aspirants petition Adamu over screening denial

    Similarly, crucial meetings were held Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen and Senator Bala Ibn Na’alla from Kebbi State to discuss how the matter can be handled among the aspirants with those that would possibly serve as stumbling blocks identified.

    It was also learnt that the visit of Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma to the party secretariat was not unconnected with a move to reconcile the two contending tendencies in the State with a view to winning all the federal and state legislative seats next year. A highly placed party source, who spoke in confidence confirmed the development.

    According to the source: “The Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC is poised to ensure victory at the polls next year and has embarked on wide consultations with some critical leaders at the state level. Today alone, two serving Senators, a sitting governor and a former minister were at various times in closed-door meetings to fine-tune and ensure a winning unity list ahead of the general elections.

    “Though the party recognizes the role and positions of the governors, the leadership has decided to also reach out to some other leaders in some states that are critical to the party ahead of the primaries and the elections proper.”

    There are indications that many who purchased the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms have become disillusioned and may dump the ruling APC when the screening result is released, a situation the leadership wants to avoid.

    One of the aspirants from one of APC’s stronghold states in the North exclusively told TheNewsGuru.com that he is ready to dump the party if he is disqualified and would not listen to any pleas to remain.

    In his words: “Look at the cost of the ticket and the expenses that come with only declaring interest to run for the office of Governor of your state or National Assembly. Is it right to now disqualify me after such huge investment? I know all the Governors are trying to exert their influence on the party from the National Secretariat, but it would not be possible for me to remain in the party when I have an alternative platform courting me.

    “The fact is my support base is solid and we are not going to be intimidated into backing down,” he firmly noted.

  • APC aspirants petition Adamu over screening denial

    APC aspirants petition Adamu over screening denial

    Aggrieved House of Assembly aspirants in Ebonyi on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of the party over alleged screening denial.

    Mr. Chukwuoji Igodo, leader of the group said at a press briefing on Sunday in Abakaliki that no fewer than 25 aspirants were allegedly denied screening by the screening committee.

    He added that every effort made by the aspirants to draw the attention of the state chairman of APC, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha to their plights proved unsuccessful.

    He further alleged that there was an orchestrated ploy by the state leadership of the party to deny some members opportunity to participate in the 2023 general elections.

    He explained that their ordeal started when the party announced sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for the House of Assembly.

    He alleged that the party denied selling nomination and expression of interest forms to them forcing them to purchase their forms in Abuja.

    He said: “The problem started when the party announced sales of forms for the House of Assembly and we approached the party to purchase our forms here in the state and they didn’t sell any form to us.

    “So, we approached Abuja and bought our forms from there which is allowed by the party rules, we filled our forms there and submitted.

    “We presented ourselves for the screening which was held on Saturday but nobody from the screening committee attended to us nor addressed us; till now we have not been screened and nobody is telling us anything.”

    He maintained that the party was not fair to the affected aspirants.

    “We have been told that they will only respond to the 24 aspirants the party sold the forms to which is very unfair to us.

    “We are saying that the chairman is allowing himself to a particular set of people in the party instead of being the chairman for everybody.

    “We also want the world to know that the party in Ebonyi is sabotaging the efforts of the national leadership and it’s a great betrayal to some of us that have protected and promoted the government.

    “We, therefore appeal to the national secretariat to listen to us and send a special screening panel to screen us; send screening panel for the primaries and also send a special panel for the local government congresses that will soon hold.”

    The aspirants condemned the outrageous fees demanded for the screening of aspirants in the state which they noted were not part of the party’s requirements for the screening exercise.

    “For some of us, we are told that we have to pay N200, 000 as internally generated revenue; N200, 000 for local government clearance, and another N500, 000 for state clearance; this is aside from the N2million the party charges for her form.

    “And we are saying that these fees are not part of the checklists the party gave to us at the purchase of our forms; we are saying that the national leadership should look into what is happening in Ebonyi,” Igodo said.

    The aspirants said the development could lead to crisis that might affect the party’s chances in the 2023 general elections.

    The group, therefore, called on the national leadership to urgently intervene to stave off the looming crisis in Ebonyi APC.

    Meanwhile, Okoro-Emegha in a swift reaction, said that the screening committee was yet to be inaugurated by the national secretariat.

    “The screening committee is yet to be inaugurated hence the screening exercise could not commence in Ebonyi as scheduled,” Okoro-Emegha said.

    He added that the party believed in equity, fairness, and justice saying that the party would not deny genuine aspirants from being screened.

    He urged the aspirants to work with the party in unity to achieve victory in the coming elections.

    “Instead of creating problems and causing disunity in the party, they should rather become agents of unity and work to make our party achieve victory in 2023.

    NAN

  • APC Primaries: Don’t dump the party after primaries – Adamu

    APC Primaries: Don’t dump the party after primaries – Adamu

     

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Abdullahi Adamu has appealed to aspirants not to leave the ruling party after its primary election would have been completed.

    Adamu said every aspirant would be given a level playing field at the primaries.

    TheNewsGuru.com gathered that the APC National Chairman made the plea in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Sunday, when stakeholders of the ruling party in the Western Senatorial Zone of the State organized a valedictory session in his honour.

    Adamu, was represented at the event by the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Abdullahi.

    He urged aspirants to accept the outcome of the forthcoming primary elections in good faith.

    He said, “I want to assure everyone of you that the party will provide a level playing field for all aspirants vying for various positions during the forthcoming APC primaries.

    “I also want to appeal to all aspirants to accept the results of the primary elections in good faith and not to leave the party.

    “I assure you all that there would be a reward for every loyal party member.”