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  • Ekiti APC Primary: Tinubu denies anointing any candidate

    As aspirants slugged it out for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the party’s primary election in Ekiti on Saturday, APC National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu said in Lagos that he had no anointed candidate.

    Tinubu spoke with newsmen in Ikeja as the APC held its ward congresses in Lagos.

    The winner of Saturday’s primary election will fly the party’s flag in the July 14 Ekiti governorship election, in which the APC is seeking to oust the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

    ”I believe those in charge of the primary in Ekiti will do the right thing. I have put my own political gear in neutral.

    ”I have no anointed candidate. Everyone there aspiring and contesting are very dear members and they deserve the right to participate.

    ”About 33 of them in all, and we only need one seat for governorship. We have had leadership discussions. I like the fact that they showed up respectfully and committed to the peace and stability of the party in that State,” Tinubu told newsmen.

    He said that feelers from Ekiti showed that things had been going on smoothly.

    “We have responsible leadership around there.

    ”Sincerely, I had wanted to be in Ekiti but when you have this situation where Congress is holding the same time their primary is holding, charity begins at home; I must stay in Lagos to ensure that I help them.

    ” There are capable leaders over there that will see to the smooth exercise of the primaries in Ekiti, ” Tinubu said.

    Speaking on the ward congresses in Lagos, Tinubu urged party members to conduct themselves peacefully to help the country grow and progress democratically.

    He also urged them report any complaint at the party headquarters, rather than take laws into their hands.

    ”Until the various officials conducting the congresses write their reports, my own decision is to continue to appeal to the party to conduct themselves peacefully and comply with the rule of law.

    ”If they have any complaints, they should write to the party headquarters and just don’t take laws into their hands.

    ”I am proud of what is happening. I am very proud of the leadership. The leaders are for everybody; no biases, and they should move on peacefully and help the country to grow and progress democratically,” he said.

    Tinubu said he was impressed with the turnout of members at the ward congresses

    “I am very happy and proud of our party, All Progressives Congress, the APC. We are demonstrating to the people across the country that we are a law abiding political party.

    ”We believe in the tenets of democracy and that we demonstrate the openness in the congresses across the country, particularly.

    ”I can speak emphatically about Lagos that things are going according to plan, very open and transparent. People queued up behind whoever they want, no pre-ordained candidate. The turn-out is very impressive.

    ”The membership of the party is growing in leaps and bounds and open to all democrats who want to be identified with us.

    ”This is one of the best ways to energise the party that is almost remaining dormant at grassroots level and you could see the sense of belonging and the activities of ordinary people. It is a great joy for me,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Ekiti APC primaries stalled as agents clash over alleged irregularities

    The governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State was on Saturday suspended due to alleged irregularities and subsequent outbreak of order by party agents.

    Voting was ongoing and a good number of delegates had cast their votes when suddenly delegates raised the alarm that a candidate, the Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, was breaching the rules without any caution from the organisers.

    The agents of the other aspirants alleged that the process had been compromised due to some practice allegedly introduced by delegates voting for Fayemi, a former governor of the state.

    The agents immediately disrupted the process, forcing security agents to cordon off the voting area to secure the ballot boxes and papers.

    There was sporadic shooting by security personnel to ensure calm.

    Efforts by the Chairman of the organising committee, Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, to call the primaries to order were unsuccessful as at 5.00 p.m.

    However, Fayemi’s representative, Abejide Adewumi, said other agents realised that his candidate was coasting home to victory and decided to disrupt the process.

    He said the other aspirants should have allowed the process to go through even if they had grievances.

    He also added that the organisers should resume the process and allow the remaining delegates to cast their votes.

    In a swift response, the director general of the Babafemi Ojudu campaign, Ranti Adebisi, said the process could not continue because it had been compromised.

    “The process has been compromised. When there was a rule that you can only bring in two people. He brought in 18 observers. He cannot come here and disrupt what is going on in Ekiti State,” he said.

    Other agents complained that the party had no clear guidelines as to how the process should be conducted, changing the rules intermittently without informing those participating in the process.

    They also alleged that some security operatives close to the voting area were telling the delegates how to vote and to vote for Mr Fayemi.

    They want the process stopped and all their observations considered before the primaries could continued.

    Meanwhile, the organising committee has called for more security reinforcements to ensure that the situation does not degenerate further.

    Two former governors and three former senators are among the 33 governorship aspirants testing their popularity in Saturday’s primaries.

    Fayemi could not, however, be immediately reached for comments as at the time of filing this report.

  • Special Report: Violence, irregularities mar APC ward congress across Nigeria

    Special Report: Violence, irregularities mar APC ward congress across Nigeria

    …as some states conclude exercise successfully

    …police deploy officers to troubled states

    The ward congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to elect new executives of the party at ward level took place nationwide on Saturday (today).

    However, reports from some states monitored by TheNewsGuru.com showed massive irregularities and break of law and order.

    The heavy downpour across the country also contributed to hitches in some states.

    TheNewsGuru.com presents state by state account of the Congress.

     

    Delta State

    The ward congress across the state started late, owing to the late arrival of materials to different local government areas across the state.

    The state APC leader, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who voted at his Evwreni country home, described the exercise as “generally peaceful.”

    However, a chairmanship aspirant in Jeremi Ward 10 (III), Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta, was reportedly stabbed to death.

    Oghoveta, in his late 30s, was stabbed on the neck on Saturday, ahead of the commencement of the ward congress of the near God’s Grace Ministry at Okwagbe Town.

    It was gathered that the deceased was stabbed by a younger brother of one the leaders of the party in the area before the arrival of materials for the exercise.

    Sources in the community said it was not clear why the suspect had to stab the deceased after members of the party had reached agreement on how the exercise should be organised.

     

    Oyo State

    Violence erupted at the party’s secretariat in Oke-Ado before the commencement of the ward congress.

    It is not clear what caused the issue, but the incident got everyone scampering for safety as weapons were involved.

    Police orderlies, however, had to shoot into the air to safeguard their principals.

    However, Governor Abiola Ajimobi was quick to arrive at the secretariat to ensure peace while the aggrieved members are at the police headquarters in Eleyele holding a press conference.

    Before the violence stakeholders were seen meeting with the monitoring team.

     

    Imo State

    Imo State also experienced some chaos over alleged hijack of Congress committee members.

    Members of various factions in the state stormed the Police state headquarters to resolve the issues with heavy security presence at the police premises.

    It’s alleged that there was a swap between Anambra and Imo congress committee members sent from Abuja.

    Earlier in the day, there was no congress activity in all the wards as the APC Chairman in the state Hilary Eke called for an emergency stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold before the congress began.

     

    Akwa Ibom State

    Materials for the ward congress of the party in Akwa Ibom State which arrived earlier in the day were hijacked and diverted to a hotel in Osongama, a housing estate within the State capital.

    Prior to this moment, there has been disagreement on the modalities to use for the exercise.

    Obong Nsima Ekere, a chieftain of the party and former deputy governor of the State had insisted that the current executives of the party should be retained.

    One report has it that Ekere paid about N100million to the national leadership of the party to get their support for this scheme.

    Earlier, members of the party kicked against a “strange” proposal to upturn the procedures for the congress put forward by Atuekong Don Etiebet.

    Etiebet who is the State caucus chairman of the party had proposed what is called “guided congress”.

    Within the last few days, members of the APC in Akwa Ibom State have been in disarray over plot by Obong Nsima Ekere and a few others to hijack the congresses.

     

    Rivers State

    In Rivers State, the election of the ward officials of the party was conducted through option A4.

    The Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Davies Ikanya, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the exercise had nothing to do with distribution of materials.

    “The only material the officials are with, is the result sheet. Members are expected to go to their various Wards and queue behind their choice aspirants.

    “So, the tension created based on eagerness to monitor the distribution of materials was totally unnecessary, and this happened because they are uninformed,” Ikanya said.

    However, one person was reported died in Port-Harcourt on Friday as unidentified persons, suspected to be political thugs vandalised the Secretariat of the party located at the Old Government Residential Area in Port Harcourt.

    The Rivers Command of the Nigerian Police quickly intervened by deploying tear-gas to stop further destruction of the party’s secretariat.

     

    Edo State

    In Edo the APC described the event across the state as “participatory democracy at play”.

    The Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Anselm Ojezua, said members of the party through the casting of their votes were allowed freedom and right to take decision.

    Ojezua said the party did not adopt the popular consensus style because it would have brought about acrimony and crisis in the party, “but the method the party adopted showed the collective wishes of members.”

    He said the constitution of the party was sacrosanct, hence the party in state had been able to manage its affairs without internal or external wranglings.

    He said that members were obedient and adhered strictly to the rules of the party during the exercise.

    Lagos State

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has commended the peaceful process members of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) conducted its ward congresses across the state.

    The governor, who participated in the exercise at his Ward A6 in Epe Local Government Area, said the party had displayed high level of maturity in the conduct of party activities.

    He added that members of the party who turned out in large number to exercise their civil responsibility had shown that the APC is a cohesive party.

    He said: “All our great party members in Ward A6, you have done well for turning out in this number to be part of the APC ward congresses. I want to use this medium to thank you all for the orderliness and peaceful way you conducted yourself.

    “We are members of the same family and that is why we are doing it in line with our constitution.

    The party agreed that it is either we do election or we vote by way of consensus. And that what we have done peacefully today.

    “I want to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our members across the state that performed this electoral process across the 337wards in the state .

    We know that the APC can get stronger if there is always peace and consensus among all our members. Like in Epe division, elections have been conducted peacefully in all other divisions. This is the most beautiful ward in Lagos State presently.

    I commend all our newly elected officials. We are very lucky to have observers from INEC who have just witnessed the process of the ward congress here.

    Chief Lanre Razak speaking on the ward congress, said APC was a disciplined party, where rules are followed.

    “Some people expect that we would have crisis riddled congress but you can see for yourself that the whole process is peaceful.

    ‘The APC has showed that it is the party to emulate. Again there is no party that is devoid of crisis. We have a good crisis management mechanism in place.

    “Our national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been given an assignment to reconcile the party, I have every confidence that he will achieve the task given to him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

     

    Ondo State

    In Ondo, the newly-elected Ward 9 executives in Akure North Local Government Area commended the peaceful conduct of the congress.

    Mr Kunle Olapade, the Ward Chairman, told newsmen at Oba-Ile area of Akure that the exercise was peaceful.

    Similarly, the newly-elected Ward Woman Leader, Mrs Remi Adebowale, commended the party members for their commitment and loyalty to the party.

    Adebowale also lauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

    Mr Saka Yusuf, the state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, said the party strictly followed the guidelines of INEC in the conduct of the congress.

    Yusuf said there might be grievances from some people, but noted that the congress was welcomed by majority of party members.

     

    Nassarawa State

    In Lafia, a downpour delayed the take-off of the ward congresses.

    The Chairman of the Makama Ward, Lafia, Malam Ahmed Ibrahim-Arari, assured that the exercise would commnce when the rains subsided.

    “I assure you that there is no cause for alarm. Before you came, many delegates were here but had left because of the rain. Once the rain subsides, we will commence the congress,” Ibrahim-Arari said.

     

    Zamfara State

    Hundreds of travellers were on Saturdays denied passage through Zamfara by armed security personnel following the conduct of the ward congresses in the state.

    The fierce looking police, army and civil defense personnel had blocked all exits out of Gusau, the state capital, leaving motorists travelling out of the state stranded.

    Some of the motorists especially commercial vehicles leaving the state capital as early as 7.00 am could not go beyond the outskirts of the town as they were stopped by the security personnel.

    Many of the vehicle owners and passengers were seen wearing long faces unsure of what to do.

    Some of them lamented that no announcement was made to the effect, and that the development had affected their business schedules.

    Sale Moriki, a commercial driver going to Kano from Gusau, expressed disappointment over the development.

    “If the government is serious, it would have reached out to our union leaders who would have prepared us before we came out, so, that drivers and passengers would plan ahead, ’’ he said.

    When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu, he said the restriction of movement was to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.

     

    Niger State

    Governor Abubakar Bello called on members of the party and stakeholders in the state to work for peace, progress and unity of the party.

    Bello made the called when he received members of the APC wards and Local Government Congress Committee on Saturday in Minna.

    He called on the members of the party to be united and ensure fairness, justice and accountability in building enduring foundation for the party.

    “We are building a structure that will outlive us, and the only way to do that is to build foundation of fairness, justice, equity and transparency,” he said.

    He urged stakeholders at the state, local government and ward levels to remain steadfast in promoting the ideals that would ensure the consolidation of the gains of the party.

    Earlier, Chief Ray Murphy, Chairman, APC Ward and Local Government Congress Committee, urged stakeholders to support the policies and programmes of the party.

    He said that the support would move the party to greater height at all levels.

    “We are not in Niger state to create division but rather to ensure consensus building,” he said.

    He advised stakeholders to see the congress as an opportunity to further strengthen the party.

     

    Gombe State

    The Gombe State Police Command said it had deployed enough policemen to ensure hitch-free congress.
    Mary Malum, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) told newsmen in Gombe on Saturday that the measure would check any attempt at breaching the peace during the exercise.
    She advised party officials and members to play the game according to the rules and refrain from taking the law into their hands.
    “All measures have been put in place and currently, our men had been deployed to ensure a hitch free exercise.
    “I am advising members of the public to be law-abiding and good citizens; the politicians should also play the game according to the rules so that there will be a hitch free exercise”, she said.
    She further called on the delegates to understand that the exercise was not a ‘do or die’ affair.
    Malum called on people in the state to always give useful information that would help in ensuring security of lives and property.

     

    Kaduna State

    The ward congress in Kaduna held successfully in most local governments except Zaria and Sobongari Local Government Areas where officials arrived late.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as at the time of filing this report officials expected to conduct the exercise were yet to arrive as at about 12 noon.

    As at 12noon in Limancin-Kona, Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Kaura, Gyallesu, Kufena, Muchia, Chikaji, Jama’a, Samaru and Bomo wards among others reports that many party members were gathered at designated areas waiting for take-off of the exercise.

    The party members who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the delay and appealed for justice in the entire exercise.

    One of the members said: “I am disappointed, I was here since 7:00a.m. thinking that they will start the election on time, so that we can finish and go about our normal daily businesses.

    “APC should endeavour to prove that it is a party for positive change that will contemplate imposing party leadership on members.”

    Another party member, noted that the ward congress “is scheduled to start at most by 9:00a.m. but the time now is after 11:00a.m. there is no news of the officials assigned to conduct the election.”

    When contacted on telephone, the APC Zonal Chairman, Kaduna North Senatorial District, Alhaji Abubakar Rilwanu said they were still expecting the officials that would conduct the election.

    Rilwanu who did not make further comment, however, called on all party members to exercise patience, assuring that the congress would hold.

     

    Ebonyi State

    Chief Eze Nwachukwu, the Ebonyi Acting Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday assured party faithful that conduct of the party’s wards congresses in the state would be open, peaceful and credible.

    The chairman spoke on Saturday morning in Abakaliki at a meeting with party faithful, stakeholders and the electoral committee team from the APC national secretariat, Abuja.

    Nwachukwu promised that the exercise would be open, peaceful and devoid of manipulation.

    He called for support and cooperation of members to make the exercise hitch – free, noting that the success of the local government and state congresses were largely dependant on the outcome of the wards congresses.

    “We assure you of commitment of the party to conduct transparent, peaceful wards congresses devoid of manipulation or imposition.

    “We must put aside all differences and collectively work for overall success of the exercise because our victory in 2019 begins with the party congresses, ” Nwachukwu said.

    The chairman charged party leaders and stakeholders to ensure that the outcome and integrity of the exercise was not compromised in their various wards.

    He told the committee members that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to ensure their safety and the safety of other party faithful during the exercise.

    He said: “Mr chairman, we want to assure you that the congress in Ebonyi will be the most peaceful and transparent, and that we are prepared for the exercise.

    “We want to assure you that all hands will be on deck to achieve a resounding success in the exercise and put enemies of the party to shame.

    “We welcome you on behalf of the party to Ebonyi, Salt of the Nation, and we assure you of adequate security.”

    The chairman of the electoral committee, Chief Nicolas Adekunle – Ajayi, who spoke commended the unity and peace existing in the Ebonyi chapter of APC.

    He assured that the congresses in the state would be peaceful, transparent and credible.

    He said that participation in the exercise was open only to APC card-carrying members, adding that every aspirant was entitled to his or her aspiration.

    Adekunle-Ajayi said that he would ensure that every eligible aspirant who had met the guidelines, paid nomination fee would collect his or her nomination form.

    “The nomination forms are with the party chairman, we have extra forms and we assure you that we will ensure that every eligible aspirant who has paid for the nomination form will be given form.

    “We are going to make the exercise so fair and transparent, so that at the end of the day everybody will be happy, we demand that you make the exercise easy for us.

    “If we get it right between this morning and the next one week, be sure we are winning Ebonyi by 70 per cent of declared votes.

    “But we must get it right, we must do what is right on this assignment, we call for your cooperation and we will do it to the satisfaction of the majority of the party faithful”, he said.

     

    NB: Reports from other states will be updated as soon as we have them…

     

  • BREAKING: APC ward chairmanship aspirant stabbed to death in Delta

    A chairmanship aspirant for the All Progressives Congress in Jeremi Ward 10 (III), Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta, has been reportedly stabbed to death.

    Oghoveta, in his late 30s, was stabbed on the neck on Saturday, ahead of the nationwide ward congress of the APC near God’s Grace Ministry at Okwagbe Town.

    It was gathered that the deceased was stabbed by a younger brother of one the leaders of the party in the area before the arrival of materials for the exercise.

    Sources in the community said it was not clear why the suspect had to stab the deceased after members of the party had reached agreement on how the exercise should be organised.

    Meanwhile, the ward congress across the state started late, owing to the late arrival of materials to different local government areas across the state.

    The state APC leader, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who voted at his Evwreni country home, described the exercise as “generally peaceful.”

    Details later…

  • Buhari urges elected APC ward executives to be diligent

    President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the party executives elected in his Sarkin Yara A electoral ward to discharge their responsibilities with fear of God and in accordance with the party constitution.

    Buhari made the call in Daura on Saturday after participating in the APC Ward Congress in his constituency

    He said throughout his political career he had been a loyal party member who respected the rules and the regulations of his political party.

    “I call on you to fear God in whatever you do as we would transit to the next world and account for our deeds before our creator.”

    He said his administration was determined to uphold the provisions of the constitution and the rule of law, stressing the need to play politics with decency and decorum.

    Earlier in his remarks Gov Aminu Masari,commended the president for finding time to attend the congress in spite of his tight schedule.

    He described the presence of the president as a clear demonstration of his commitment to party rules and the regulations.

    He called on Nigerians to continue to pray for peace and stability of the nation as well as respect the constituted athourities for socioeconomic progress of the nation.

    Alhaji Ahmad El-Marzuq, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney -General of the state, who organised the ward congress said the election of officials was done through consensus, which is in line with the party’s constitution.

    Marzuq commended the president for ensuring strict adherence to party rules,.

    News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) reports that Malam Aliyu Mani, the incumbent ward Chairman, was returned as the Chairman, Ibrahim Halilu as Deputy chairman, and Rufa’i Aliyu as Secretary, among others.

    NAN also reports that the congress was conducted under the supervision of INEC officials.

  • Amaechi, Abe trade words over violence at Rivers APC secretariat

    The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, and the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, are in heated blame game over the violence at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the eve of the party’s ward congresses in Rivers State.

    While Amaechi blames Abe’s supporters, the later has stated that the minister was responsible as the party faithful were peaceful until the police invited by the former governor harassed them.

    This is as the confusion over a supposedly court order stopping the congresses marred the exercise in the state.

    Persons suspected to be members of the youth wing of the party on Friday invaded the state party secretariat at Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt and destroyed the building over what they described as the partisanship of the state executive of the party.

    Addressing journalists on the incident, Amaechi accused Abe of being behind the destruction at the party secretariat on Friday.

    He also said there was as no court injunction stopping the Ward congresses from holding in the 344 wards across the state.

    He insisted the ward congress went on successfully with the adoption of Option A-4 as the voting process.

    He further said that Abe wants to run for the governorship of the state on the platform of APC in 2019 without passing through the governorship primaries, saying he never hijacked electoral materials for the ward congress, as alleged by the senator and his supporters.

    Amaechi, who is the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, also denied moving about in Port Harcourt with over a platoon of soldiers and more than 200 personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), as alleged by his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike.

    The minister said, “I have not left this house since morning. A lot of people are complaining about internal democracy in the APC. So, why are they running away from internal democracy? Let’s go and queue up behind the candidates we want. As early as 6:00am, saturday, I gathered that thugs had taken over the Rivers State secretariat of APC

    “In view of the noise, policemen found it difficult to take action, in spite of their being invited to protect the property by the leadership of Rivers APC.

    “The party needed to sell forms to anybody who was interested. What the governorship aspirant (Abe) wanted to do was that there should be no congress. He (Abe) took over the entire secretariat (of Rivers APC) with thugs.

    “At 3:00pm, policemen had to force themselves in, to be able to sell forms and for people to be able to purchase forms for saturday’s ward congress.

    “If that candidate (Abe) is popular, why didn’t he ask his supporters to buy forms, go and compete at the wards? I am grateful that people bought forms and I hope that his (Abe) supporters also bought forms. By saturday), there will be congress. I do not carry thugs about.

    But Abe blamed Amaechi for the sacking of the party secretariat, accusing the minister of steps that are not in accordance with the interest of the party.

    His words: “I am amused by some of these allegations and stories that are making the headlines. For the records the disagreement between me and the Minister is political. He is the leader of the party but he has said publicly on several occasions that he can never support me, that means the entire country knows that he cannot pretend to be neutral in any matter in which my interest and the interests of those interested in me are concerned. But as the leader it is his responsibility to provide a level playing field for all of us.

    “We are politicians, tomorrow when we need voters, who will those people branded as thugs be? People paid for forms, they had their tellers and no one was telling them what was going on, they besieged the state secretariat for explanations. Rather than the leader to come and address them they brought armed policemen to open fire on innocent party men and women. That is what led to damage at the secretariat. They were there from morning and there was no violence until the police came and opened fire on APC members who were totally peaceful.Who authourised the shooting and why?”

  • Ward congress: One dead as hoodlums invade, vandalise Rivers APC secretariat

    One person died in Port- Harcourt on Friday as unidentified persons, suspected to be political thugs vandalised the Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) located at the Old Government Residential Area in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    The Rivers Command of the Nigerian Police quickly intervened by deploying tear-gas to stop further destruction of the party’s secretariat.

    Gun shots were fired into the air to scare riotous members and in the process one death was recorded.

    The APC members aspiring for various positions at the Ward levels had come to the party secretariat to pick their forms before the incident.

    A Ward Chairmanship aspirant told said that he was unable to pick the form after paying the required amount through the bank.

    He said that trouble occurred after a long wait by the aspirants.

    “As you can see, most of us that are vying for different positions in our wards are here to pick the form but nobody is here to address us.

    “We were told that sales of forms will commence by 3 pm but up till 5:30pm we didn’t see anybody attending to us,” he alleged.

    According to witnesses, violence broke out following the long wait. The party’s secretariat was vandalised.

    Mr Chris Finebone, Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers via a text message said that what happened at the Secretariat was an act of wanton destruction that should be condemned by all.

    “We regret that party leaders who have been canvassing for elections turned around to demand for consensus arrangement only to turn around to prevent the process of election through violence.

    “We know them and time will prove them wrong,” Finebone alleged.

    There are 319 wards across the 23 local government areas of the state.

  • Rivers APC Congress: Gov. Wike laments illegal use of SARS

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the illegal use of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and military personnel to cause rancour ahead of the APC Congress in the state has vindicated him.

    He stated that the series of statements released by APC stakeholders on the illegal activities of SARs Personnel in the course of their forthcoming congress should draw the attention of all well-meaning lovers of democracy.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit by the retired military and para-military officers of Ogoni extraction at the Government House Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike said if security agencies can be negatively used during a party congress, Nigerians should expect electoral mischief, masterminded by security agencies in 2019.

    “In an ordinary party congress, over a platoon of soldiers and more than 200 SARs personnel have been handed over to one man. If these operatives protect just one man, why are other communities left without protection?

    “Even the notorious election rigger, SARS Commander Akin Fakorede is operating without check because he has the support of the Police High Command,” Wike said.

    He said that conflicts during elections are generated by overzealous security agents, detailed to manipulate the process.

    The governor urged the retired military and paramilitary senior officers to use their contacts in the military to prevail on them to respect the rule of law in a democracy.

    He stated that his administration will continue to invest in the promotion of security of lives and property across the state.

    Governor Wike thanked the retired military and paramilitary senior officers of Ogoni extraction for their desire to contribute to the development of the state. He urged other leaders to emulate the Ogoni retired officers.

    Leader of the Retired Military and Paramilitary Officers of Ogoni Extraction, Rear Admiral John Nicholas Bakpo thanked Governor Wike for infrastructural development of Ogoni communities.

    He said that as retired military and paramilitary senior officers, they are willing to offer their services for the security of Ogoni land.

     

  • APC alludes plot by Gov. Wike to destabilize congresses

    The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) said it has uncovered plan by a group allegedly sponsored by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to destabilize the APC’s Saturday Congresses in the State.

    According to a statement made available to TheNewsGuru, the State Chairman of the APC, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said the group is suspected to have some members of APC in their fold, and that they have already gone to work.

    “Information unearthed by the APC confirm that the group collected huge sum of money from the governor with the sole purpose of discrediting the congresses through wild allegations against leaders of the party especially the leader of the party in Rivers State and Honourable Minister for Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya amongst others.

    “Details of the plan seem to have been rolled out already as the group has gone on air to accuse the Minister of hijacking materials for the congresses, an accusation that exposes the ignorance of the group and makes absolutely no sense at all,” the statement read.

    According to the statement, “Whereas the APC is working hard to fully expose the full dimension of the plot and the evil people that are hell-bent on destabilizing our party congresses, we urge party faithful and the general public to ignore the well-known antics of Gov. Wike, the PDP and their collaborators within and outside the APC who have sold their souls to blood money.

    “The party re-assures all members of strict adherence to the guidelines of the party congresses and not to be distracted by anyone or group under any guise. The party would like our members and the general public to refuse to be deceived by these agents of doom who are likely to employ diverse means to destabilize the party in fulfilment of the agreement between them and their sponsors”.

     

  • Peaceful Congress: Rivers APC expresses displeasure with Gov. Wike

    The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed displeasure with the State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike over his statement wishing the State’s opposition party a peaceful congress outing.

    This is contained in a statement by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, which finds it disgustingly hypocritical for Gov. Nyesom Wike to extend an advice on peaceful conduct of congresses to the APC.

    “We believe that the unsolicited advice by governor Wike is a script from his dubious and irresponsible politics to divert attention from the massive criticism of the unbridled violence, killing and destruction of property during the PDP primaries by well-meaning Rivers people and Nigerians.

    “It would have been far more important if Gov. Wike had preached peaceful primaries to his party men and women. It would have been quite needful if the governor walked the talk by not planting the seed of imposition, discord and deceit in his party which eventually led to the kind of unprecedented violence that marred their primaries. That surely would have been a more practical means of preaching peaceful congresses,” the statement read.

    According to the statement, the APC believes that Gov. Wike is jittery that at the end of its congresses, peace-loving Rivers people will have the opportunity to compare the activities of PDP and APC.

    “The governor fears that Rivers people will so easily confirm that PDP members as those responsible for the political violence in Rivers State against the peaceful disposition of the APC.

    “It is this fear that has propelled Gov. Wike to embark on offering his tainted advice. We say to him, “Physician, heal thyself,” it stated.