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Tag: APC

  • APC reveals members of National Convention Committee [Full list]

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted its National Convention Committee ahead its elective convention which is to hold before June 2018.

    This was made known via a list signed by Osita Izunaso, the National Organising Secretary of the party.

    The committee is chaired by the Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, who would be assisted by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, with Ben Uwajumogwu as Secretary.

    The APC had resolved to hold a convention and congresses to elect new officials after President Muhammadu Buhari withdrew his support for tenure extension of the incumbent officials.

    The president’s decision was to ostensibly to save the party from legal issues ahead of the 2019 general elections. However, the move was seen as being made to pacify the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu, who has had a stormy relationship with the national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, who was the prime beneficiary of the earlier tenure extension.

    Below is the full list of committee members released by the party secretariat on Sunday.

  • Buhari meets Bola Tinubu in London behind closed doors

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday met behind closed doors with chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in London.

    The President’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Alhaji Bashir Ahmad, made this known on his tweeter handle, @BashirAhmad.

    The presidential aide posted: “President Muhammadu Buhari receives National leader of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Jagaba) today in London.’’

    President Buhari, who is on official visit to London had on Wednesday met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London where he explained why he declared his intention to run for another term in office.

    President Buhari had on April 9, 2018, during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019.

    “I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not.

    “So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others.

    “We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction.

    “The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting,’’ President Buhari told the Archbishop.

    While in Britain, the president is billed to hold discussions on Nigeria – British relations with Prime Minister Mrs Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for April 18 to 20.

    A presidential spokesman Garba Shehu had earlier disclosed that: “The President will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr Ben van Beurden in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15b in Nigeria’s oil industry.

    “These investment ventures will lay the foundation for the next 20 years production and domestic gas supply, bringing with it all the attendant benefits both to the economy and the wider society.”

    Shehu, who is the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said that further meetings had also been scheduled for the President to see some prominent British and Nigerians residing in Britain.

     

  • JUST IN: APC announces new official Internet platforms

    Following reports by TheNewsGuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejigging its Internet platforms, the ruling party has announced the launch of a newly-designed website and other official social media handles.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi made this known on Sunday after the party recently acknowledged that it had no official Twitter handle and distanced itself from the @APCNigeria Twitter handle.

    “The newly-designed website features a streamlined and uncluttered design, offering user-friendly functionality and rich content. This website as well as the official social media accounts offer quick and easy access to essential information and features to keep party members, the media and indeed the general public abreast of party activities, the APC-led federal government and APC-governed states.

    “Visitors are encouraged to explore the new website and sign up for APC’s mailing list and newsletter to receive direct emails on the Contact Us page. Also follow the APC on the listed social media accounts,” the APC scribe stated.

    The new APC website and social media accounts are: www.officialapcng.com; Twitter, https://twitter.com/OfficialAPCNg; Facebook, https://web.facebook.com/officialapcng/; Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/officialapcng/; and YouTube; Official APC Nigeria.

    Findings by TheNewsGuru, amongst other information published here, reveals that the newly launched APC website is being managed by one Ololade Otayemi who operates Orbra I.T.C. located in Lokogoma, Abuja.

    The APC said its new website will be regularly updated with news on party accomplishments and events.

     

  • APC Nigeria moving platforms

    From all indications, Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is rejigging its platforms on the Internet, ranging from its websites to its social media handles.

    TheNewsGuru reports Twitter erupted in confusion on Saturday after Spokesman of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi disowned the party’s supposed official account, @APCNigeria.

    This is following reports that the account was ‘sold’ as reported in some quarters in the media or hacked as TheNewsGuru.com verifiably reports.

    Today, Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad further disowned the @APCNigeria Twitter handle and revealed the party “is now officially on Twitter”.

    “Our great party, the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) is now officially on Twitter. Kindly follow @OfficialAPCNg. Also on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube,” he tweeted.

    APC bashir ahmed

    When TheNewsGuru assessed the various Internet platforms of the ruling party, findings reveal that the APC is actually moving platforms, which includes a new domain name registration that has one Ololade Otayemi as registrant.

    TheNewsGuru findings reveal that Mr. Otayemi, who operates Orbra I.T.C. located in Lokogoma, Abuja registered the www.officialapcng.com domain name on Monday 9th April 2018.

    The first tweet on the APC new official Twitter handle dated Tuesday 10 April 2018, and the first post on the party’s new official Facebook page dated Sunday 8 April 2018, confirm the new domain name registration, and efforts the party is putting in to rejig its Internet platforms.

    The APC official website is being hosted on a German server by Softlayer Technologies Inc, and efforts to reach Olalade to confirm the findings repeatedly returned: “The MTN number you are trying to call is currently switched off; please try again later” as at the time of filing this report.

    The party’s Instagram handle, created today, is presently having 29 followers; and while the new Twitter handle is having 22 followers, the new Facebook page is having 106 page likes.

    In a phone conversation with TheNewsGuru.com, the manager of the APC former Twitter handle, Phillip Obin, confirmed the account was hacked and not sold.

    “The account was hacked, but I am currently engaging Twitter to help restore it… we have gotten an assurance that the challenge will be sorted out soonest” he said.

    According to a tweet from the hacker, the account was reportedly sold for ‘$2k’. The hacker also went ahead to post tweets relating to the sale and purchase of bitcoins.

    A Twitter user who goes by the name Justin Sun on his Twitter handle is alleged to have claimed that someone he identified as “Nigerian president” sold the official @APCNigeria Twitter handle to him.

    A rapidly circulating tweet with suspicious verified Twitter handle, “Justin Sun @APCNigeria,” shows one Mr. Justin Sun threatening to reveal all the correspondences between him and a supposed president of Nigeria if his demands were not met.

    In the Tweet allegedly posted at 7.52pm on Saturday, April 14, 2018, Justin Sun, who resides in San Francisco, state of California, USA, asked to be paid $100,000 for him to shut up about how APC’s Twitter handle became his personal possession.

    The trending tweet supposedly by Justin Sun reads: “If the president of Nigeria does not pay me $100K, I’ll post all the correspondence here, and the whole world will see it.”

    According to information available on Mr Justin Sun’s verified Twitter handle, he is the founder of Tron Foundation and he is one of Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs and the First Millennial Graduate of Hupan University Founded By Jack Ma of the Alibaba Group.

    “Justin Sun graduated from Hupan University as the program’s first millennial graduate. Sun received his diploma from Principal Jack Ma and updated him on the latest developments at #TRON. Sun also expressed his gratitude towards Principal Jack Ma for his unwavering support. #TRX,” another information on Justin Sun’s Twitter handle read.

    Suffice to say, a perusal of Mr. Justin Sun’s official Twitter handle showed that his last post was seven hours ago, and he seemed to be unaware of the controversies surrounding his Twitter handle.

    Meanwhile, the @APCNigeria Twitter handle has undergone several metamorphic processes since it was taken over, whether hacked or sold.

     

  • ‘Nigeria’s ruling party, APC’s Twitter is either sold or hacked’

    The internet was abuzz on Saturday over the news that The All Progressives Congress (APC) Twitter account, @apcnigeria has been taken over by hackers.

    Recall that the ruling APC campaigned, won the 2015 presidential election and communicated with over 700,000 Nigerians via this same handle.

    According to a tweet from the hacker, the account was reportedly sold for ‘$2k’.

    The hacker also went ahead to post tweets relating to the sale and purchase of bitcoins.

    The account shared tweets around 3 PM promising to give followers 1,000 Bitcoin and 5,000 Ethereum.

    The Twitter handle, @APCNigeria which was however taken over today by an alleged hacker was immediately disowned by the party’s spokeman.

    Reacting to the takeover, the party’s spokesman,Bolaji Abdullahi wrote on his official page, “For the upteenth time, IS NOT the official Twitter handle of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In several official statements, we have disclaimed that handle. We view this latest development as a case of criminal impersonation.”

    Notwithstanding, in a phone conversation with TheNewsGuru.com, the manager of the APC twitter handle, Phillip Obin, confirmed the account was hacked and not sold.

    “The account was hacked, but I am currently engaging Twitter to help restore it…we have gotten an assurance that the challenge will be sorted out soonest” Obin said.

    Obin is an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, and the party’s chairmanship candidate, Biase LGA in Cross River state.

  • Ekiti 2018: APC will use federal, state, local powers to defeat Fayose – Fayemi declares

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development and governorship hopeful in Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will deploy all resources at its disposal to wrestle power from incumbent, Governor Ayodele Fayose in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

    He also threatened that once the PDP was roundly defeated, Governor Fayose would be prosecuted for mismanaging the economy of the state.

    Fayemi, a former governor of the state, spoke on Saturday at a rally in Ado Ekiti, where he declared his ambition to seek the APC ticket for the July 14 governorship election.

    He however assured that whoever emerged from the party’s primaries would be supported by other aspirants to ensure victory at the polls.

    Fayemi was governor between October 16, 2010 and October 15, 2014, after he was defeated by the incumbent.

    “They said the June 21, 2014 governorship poll was free, fair and credible, so that of July 14, 2018 too will be free, fair and transparent,” Fayemi said.

    “They will accuse us of so many things. They will accuse us of using federal might, but we will not care.

    “We will use local, state and federal powers to take over Ekiti from a rapacious and government being run by a brigand in Ekiti.”

    The rally, which was well attended by party supporters, created a traffic snarl that left motorists stranded for several hours.

    The minister who used the declaration to highlight his achievements during his tenure as governor, said he would want to bring back the “good days” and ensure the state was rescued from the “misrule” the current government had brought the state to.

    He, however, stressed the need for members of the APC to be united during and after the primaries.

    “Let me say this, I am a loyal party man and I am ready to support whoever the party fields as the candidate,” he assured.

    “Yes, I am holding an important position in this government through the grace of God and by the magnanimity of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, and I am satisfied with it if politics that I play is for me and my family alone.

    “But there is an unfinished business in our State. We have to complete and bring back those projects we initiated when we were in the saddle.

    “Again, politics to me, is not about title but about service and sacrifice”.

    On the rising acrimony among the APC aspirants, the Mr. Fayemi urged the State Working Committee to set out a code of ethics to regulate the conducts of every contestant, describing the tirades against his person as unacceptable.

    “It is absolutely unacceptable for aspirants to indulge in abuses, use intemperate languages against one another. If we do this, we will be damaging the brand the APC is known for,” he said.

    “Each contestant should sell his brand to the party delegates who will decide our fates.

    “We should be ready to support whoever the party picks as the candidate, provided the process is free, fair and transparent if truly we are loyal party men. I will see whoever fights after the primary as a mole who was sent to destroy our party.”

    The APC acting chairman, Kemi Olaleye, said the party would do its best to be transparent in the primary.

    “We are in a sensitive time and we need ourselves. No one can win election alone, so I beg of you to not use your writeups on our platforms to destroy our party,” she said.

    “Let us be united and know that we have only one enemy, which is Fayose for us to be able to win.

    “Our minister has been supportive of the party. We are proud of him for using his Ministerial position to help Ekiti and APC members.”

  • Electoral Act: Why Gov. Wike wants NASS to override Buhari

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on Nigerians to prevail on the National Assembly to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the 2010 Electoral Act Amendment Bill to guarantee free, fair and credible electoral system in the country.

    Addressing the 2018 Annual Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice Conference in Port Harcourt on Thursday , Governor Wike urged Nigerian legal practitioners to rise up and insist on the relevance of the amended Electoral Act 2010.

    “We must all stand up against the devilish efforts by some anti-democratic forces to kill the ongoing process to amend the 2010 Electoral Act on the whimsical excuse that the order of elections proposed in the Amendment Bill contravenes the discretionary powers of INEC, which, in any case, has not complained of any mischief occasioned by the new order.

    “Let me remind us that a defining feature of the legal profession is the commitment to promote both the substantive rules and the processes of the law, as well as, to defend the democratic values of our society,” he said.

    Governor Wike said though the 2010 Electoral Act was enacted to promote credible elections, the All Progressive Congress (APC) working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police manipulated the Act to rig the rerun elections in Rivers State.

    He said in view of the fraudulent activities of INEC, APC and the Police, the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal upheld results concocted by the Police for the Rivers Rerun Elections

    “We all saw how results sheets were duplicated with identical serial numbers and handed over to the police to entre fake results and returns in favour of the candidates of the APC in the said elections.

    “In spite of this law, we all saw how both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal anchored their verdicts on results that were generated and certified from the custody of the Nigerian Police, while the results from INEC, which conducted the elections, were branded irrelevant and accordingly rejected.

    “What all these mean is that a thousand Electoral Laws may amount to nothing for as long as the Federal Government, the INEC, the Police and other government agencies that may legally or illegally be brought into the election process, continue to disrespect the law and trample on our democratic rights to free and fair elections with impunity and without suffering any legal pains or punishment for their criminal conduct,” Wike said.

    Governor Wike urged the legal profession to constantly reinvent and reposition itself in response to existing and new challenges both in the theory and practice of the law.

    The governor also said lawyers must also rethink the way they practice to remain relevant in the profession and meet the needs of their clients and society in the most professional, diligent and efficient manner.

    Declaring the conference open, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onoghen represented by Justice AB Gumel said the timing of the conference is right as it will allow the bench and bar the opportunity to appraise emerging issues of justice delivery.

    He urged judges to adhere to the tenets of the law in their delivery of judgments.

    President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) said the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Law Practice is a vehicle for deepening professional practice in the bar.

    Chairman of NBA Section on Legal Practice, Mainnaya Essien (SAN) said recent ethical issues require an appraisal of practice and challenges.

    Highpoint of the conference was the presentation of a recognition plaque to Governor Wike by the NBA President for the outstanding contributions of the Rivers State Governor to the legal profession.

     

  • 2019: ‘Nigerians love Buhari, he’ll be re-elected,’ APC boasts

    2019: ‘Nigerians love Buhari, he’ll be re-elected,’ APC boasts

    All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu State has expressed hopes that President Muhammadu Buhari will be re-elected in 2019 as Nigerians love him. Buhari had on Monday declared to run for a second term in 2019 and the APC Enugu described the move as a new dawn in the country’s history.

    Chairman of the APC in the state Ben Nwoye told reporters on Tuesday that “One thing you cannot dispute is that Nigerians love Buhari except the oppositions who are even the minority.

    “They will always have their say, while the majority of Nigerians will have their way. It is actually a new dawn in the political history of the country. “Before the declaration, there tended to be lack of clarity as to where we were going.

    But having come out to inform his core followers in a personal capacity one year ahead, we are elated.” He added that, “There was an eruption of applause and cheering among NEC members when he declared.

    He has done well in turning the country around. “He has pursued programmes of growth and made the country better. He has shown there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

  • 2019: We’ll pay for Buhari’s nomination form – APC UK

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom chapter, said it would pay for Expression of Interest and Nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in 2019.

    The chapter made the promise in a statement by its Spokesman, Mr Jacob Ogunseye, on Tuesday in Abuja, following Buhari’s declaration on Monday that he would seek a second term.

    It said that the president’s declaration was reasonable and satisfactory, adding that his second term would make Nigeria stronger as well as preserve the tenets of democracy in the country.

    It stated that the chapter`s expectations had been met by Buhari`s declaration, and assured that it would work assiduously for the electoral success of the APC at all levels.

    President Buhari needs to consolidate on the achievements his administration has recorded in over three years, especially in economic growth, anti-graft war, security and youth development.

    “He deserves a second term and we are proud that he has yielded and declared his readiness to re-contest the election as Nigeria’s President in 2019 in earnest.

    “His administration’s achievements in the areas of security, economic growth, anti-corruption war and social development and other areas are visible to Nigerians,’’ the chapter said.

    It added that Nigerians should consider the re-election bid as a major step to consolidate and re-invent the country into an emerging economic and democratic world power.

    It called on Nigerians across the world, irrespective of religion and geographical location, to see the re-election bid of the president as a major step that would help Nigeria to stabilise.

     

  • Second term: Buhari’s remarks at APC NEC meeting

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja declared his intention to seek re-election for second term in the 2019 general elections.

    President Buhari made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The President said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to recontest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give NEC the honour of notifying them first.

    Shortly before making the declaration, the President presented a speech on the report submitted by the APC National Executive Technical Committee.

    His remarks:

    REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS NATIONAL EXECUTIVE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE 9TH APRIL, 2018

    I am delighted to welcome you all to this very important meeting in the affairs of our party and our country. I want to specifically thank members of the Technical Committee for a job well done within the limited time frame.

    2. It shows a great sense of commitment to the ideals of our party with a view to consolidating and positioning the party to continue delivering good governance in the overall interest of Nigerians.

    3. With the present state of the party and based on the report submitted by the Technical Committee, it is important to focus on how to move the party forward by avoiding actions detrimental to the interest of the party. Considering that politics is a game of numbers, we must not be a house divided against itself and must try to note, appreciate and accommodate our differences as far as the law permits.

    4. Upon my review of the Report, my position is to ensure that the party tows the path of unity, legality and cohesion and not that of division.

    5. Therefore, I am stressing that we should strengthen our internal democracy by organising the Party’s Congresses and Convention where election of National Executive Committee members would be held. This will automatically end the cases filed by members seeking orders of Court compelling the party to hold its Congresses.

    6. I also believe that the current executives should be free to vie for elective positions in the party if they so wish as permitted by our Party constitution.

    7. However, considering the provision of Article 31(1)(iii) of the APC Constitution which requires any serving officer desirous of seeking re-election to resign from office 30 days before election, I am not sure of the practicality of present serving officers’ ability to meet this condition.

    8. Accordingly, the party may consider granting waivers to party executives at all levels so that they are not disenfranchised from participating in the elections should they wish to do so, provided this does not violate our rules.

    9. Necessary waiver(s) should also be extended to executives at the Ward level whose tenures may have elapsed, and indeed to anyone knocking at our doors from other political parties. This is in the spirit of the Right to Freedom of Association guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    10. In this circumstance, the party should officially issue a statement on the above Waivers so that our house may be full. We all must not be ignorant of the times, and the journey that is ahead of us.

    11. Just like our party symbol; “the Broom,” which typifies strength in unity, let us strive to remain united in our purpose. Victory is sure by the Grace of God, and together we must continue to sanitize Nigeria’s political environment.

    12. Once again, I welcome you all to this meeting with the hope that we will, in our deliberations today, conduct ourselves without rancour and promote the highest interest of the party and the nation.