The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress has approved a one-year extension of the tenure of all its elected and appointed party officials.
Details later…
Tag: APC
-
Police confirm abduction of pro-APC Leader in Bayelsa
The Police Command in Bayelsa on Tuesday confirmed the kidnapping of Mr Robert Desmond, Chief Executive Officer of a pro-All Progressive Congress (APC) campaign group known as the “New Face.”
The Spokesman of the command, DSP Asimin Butswat, who confirmed the abduction, said in Yenagoa that the police had commenced investigation to arrest the perpetrators of the crime.
A witness, Mike Perekiye, told newsmen that the victim, who was also an APC supporter in the state, was abducted on Saturday after a social event in Nembe Local Government Area.
Mr Victor Isaiah, Caretaker Chairman, Brass Local Council, condemned the act, describing it as wickedness to humanity.
Isaiah called on security operatives to do everything possible to secure the release of the victim unharmed.
He also urged anyone with information that could lead to his release to report to the authorities for prompt action.
-
APC national caucus meets today over crisis, restructuring
The national caucus of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, will meet on Monday and Tuesday at the presidential villa, Abuja ahead of tomorrow’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting, to find solutions to lingering crisis within the party.
According to reports, the meeting would receive interim report from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led committee on “consultation, reconciliation and confidence-building.”
The meeting would also ratify a comprehensive programme with dates on Continuous Nationwide Membership Registration Exercise, Ward Congresses, Local Government Area Congresses, State Congresses and National Convention which was brought to the attention of the National Caucus at the October 31, 2017 meeting.
Last year, the APC secretariat had told the caucus that the tenure of all officers elected into the Ward, Local Government, State and National organs of the party would be expiring in the second quarter of 2018 in line with the provisions of Article 17 (1) of the party’s constitution.
In a memo, the party secretariat told the caucus that it had begun preparations for the conduct of Congresses and National Convention in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.
The APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had said on January 6 this year that the meetings of National Caucus and NEC would hold to endorse the timetable for congresses and national convention.
Oyegun added that the congresses and convention would hold between January and June this year.
The report of Governor Nasir El-Rufai Committee on True Federalism was also expected to be considered at the meeting.
-
Dapchi Abduction: ‘Stop your crocodile tears,’ PDP tells FG, APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop shedding crocodile tears and provide answers to urgent questions surrounding the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, insisted that the Buhari Presidency has a lot of questions to answer regarding the alleged compromising of security around the area as well as the misleading reports that frustrated immediate rescue of the abducted girls.
The statement reads, “Nigerians have been in shock over revelations by the Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, that the abduction was preceded by withdrawal of troops around Dapchi, thereby rendering the area defenceless and paving the way for insurgents to attack and abduct our girls.
“We challenge the Presidency to come out clean on issues surrounding this abduction. Who authorized the said withdrawal of troops from the area and for what purpose? What alternative security measures were put in place to protect the people after the troops were withdrawn? Who controls security intelligence gathering and consequential protection action and what action was taken to guarantee adequate security in the area?
“Furthermore, we charge the Federal Government to open up on who scripted and released the false rescue report which frustrated prompt action that would have led to the recovery of our innocent girls? Why was that misleading report issued and whose interest did it serve?
“Indeed, from all indications, every right thinking Nigerian has deduced that there are more than meet the eyes in this ugly episode for which those in authority have a lot of questions to answer.
“We invite the world to note that after exposing the community to harm and frustrating prompt rescue, the incompetent APC-controlled Federal Government has not taken any concrete step to give the abductors the desired chase to recover our girls.
“Rather, they sent a delegation of persons with no knowledge of security to Dapchi on fact-finding missions.
“The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians are appalled by the crocodile tears being shed by the incompetent and deceptive APC-Federal Government instead of scaling up actions on the matter.
“It is on this note that we call on our security agencies to stand up to the challenge and do their professional best to ensure the safe return of our girls.
“The PDP stands in prayers with parents of our girls, the entire Dapchi community and all victims of mindless atrocities against Nigerians under the incompetent and deceptive APC-led Federal Government even as we collectively seek solution at this trying time.”
-
Underage voters: PDP rejects INEC’s 8-man committee
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected in its totality, the composition and scope of the eight-man, in-house committee, set up by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to investigate the existence of underage voters, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.
The PDP also noted that the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) rose in staunch defence of INEC over the existence of the underage voters has further confirmed that the ruling party has more than vested interests in the illegality.
At any rate, who enjoys the company of fleas like one with an open sore, the PDP noted in a statement by its National Publicityr Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday.
According to the party, the panel constituted by INEC lacks credibility as it comprises of members of the same indicted INEC, adding that they have been detailed to arrive at predetermined findings and recommendations aimed at exonerating the Prof. Yakubu-led commission and play down on the electoral implications of the existence of underage voters.
In rejecting the composition of the committee, the PDP also repudiates the scope of the inquest, particularly the exclusion of Katsina state from the probe, despite vast evidence of underage voters in that state.
Nigerians have been wondering why INEC is afraid of looking at its register in Katsina state. Is it because Katsina is the home state of President Muhammodu Buhari and a probe is likely to expose cans of worms?
Is INEC afraid that a sanitized register would lead to a massive drop in the voting population in the state and cripple APC’s rigging plan?
Nigerians are also wondering why INEC has vehemently refused to include other stakeholders, including political parties, credible NGOs and Civil Society Organizations in this important assignment to guarantee its credibility.
We hold that by excluding other stakeholders, INEC is definitely not sincere with the sanitization of INEC voters’ register in Kano, Katsina and other states where, out of intimidation, it is allowing the registration of minors.
INEC under Prof. Yakubu is already manifesting weaknesses and bias, which further confirms why it should not be trusted in the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
Consequently, the PDP and all aligning stakeholders will not accept any findings or recommendations from INEC’s in-house committee, as such will not reflect the reality on the ground regarding the contaminated register.
Furthermore, we insist that INEC must be bold enough to extend the inquest to Katsina state as well as other states where minors were registered unless it wants the world to believe that it had already caved into pressure ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The PDP therefore charges Prof. Yakubu to quickly redeem his name by immediately disbanding the flawed committee and set up a more credible and transparent panel made up of political parties, credible NGOs and CSOs and extend the inquest to Katsina and other states.
Prof. Yakubu must understand that his allegiance is to Nigeria and not the APC. INEC under him must not lose its credibility or be reduced to an annex of the APC and it’s failed Presidency, as such would be resisted.
Indeed, Nigerians would not accept anything short of a credible, free and fair general elections in 2019 and any attempt by any one to pander towards the rejected APC with a view to subvert the determined will of the people will have himself to blame.
-
Dapchi abduction: Stop your crocodile tears, PDP tells FG, APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop shedding crocodile tears and provide answers to urgent questions surrounding the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, insisted that the Buhari Presidency has a lot of questions to answer regarding the alleged compromising of security around the area as well as the misleading reports that frustrated immediate rescue of the abducted girls.
According to the PDP, “Nigerians have been in shock over revelations by the Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, that the abduction was preceded by withdrawal of troops around Dapchi, thereby rendering the area defenceless and paving the way for insurgents to attack and abduct our girls”.
“We challenge the Presidency to come out clean on issues surrounding this abduction. Who authorized the said withdrawal of troops from the area and for what purpose? What alternative security measures were put in place to protect the people after the troops were withdrawn? Who controls security intelligence gathering and consequential protection action and what action was taken to guarantee adequate security in the area?
“Furthermore, we charge the Federal Government to open up on who scripted and released the false rescue report which frustrated prompt action that would have led to the recovery of our innocent girls? Why was that misleading report issued and whose interest did it serve?
“Indeed, from all indications, every right thinking Nigerian has deduced that there are more than meet the eyes in this ugly episode for which those in authority have a lot of questions to answer.
“We invite the world to note that after exposing the community to harm and frustrating prompt rescue, the incompetent APC-controlled Federal Government has not taken any concrete step to give the abductors the desired chase to recover our girls.
“Rather, they sent a delegation of persons with no knowledge of security to Dapchi on fact-funding missions.
“The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians are appalled by the crocodile tears being shed by the incompetent and deceptive APC-Federal Government instead of scaling up actions on the matter.
“It is on this note that we call on our security agencies to stand up to the challenge and do their professional best to ensure the safe return of our girls.
“The PDP stands in prayers with parents of our girls, the entire Dapchi community and all victims of mindless atrocities against Nigerians under the incompetent and deceptive APC-led Federal Government even as we collectively seek solution at this trying time,” the statement read.
-
Senate condemns demolition of APC secretariat in Kaduna
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has criticized the action of the Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai who allegedly demolished the Secretariat of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The demolition was reported to have occurred around 4am on Tuesday.
Presiding over plenary, Ekweremadu declared that the Senate condemns the act and that democracy has no place for such “tyranny and impunity” by the Governor El-Rufai.
He said: “Let me just say this is actually condemnable and send my sympathy to Sen. Hunkunyi on the destruction of your house. Democracy has no place for tyranny and this kind of impunity. So if you decide to go on the path of democracy, we must accept some of the things that come with it and one is the rule of law.
“So if you have any form of grievance, it should be centered to the law court and not using force or the weight of the office. This is one of the reason Nigerians are opposed to the issue of immunity especially immunity for executives.
“This is something that we need to watch. As we head into 2019, I would appeal to politicians not to overheat the system and then impede our democracy. There is a limit to the patience of our people. So I just do hope that this is the end to this kind of incidence in any part of the country.
“If people have grievances they have the court there to settle it. And our courts are trusted to ensure that justice is delivered to whoever justice is due. If this is true the governor should make efforts to replace the house or rebuild the house or repay him as compensation.”
-
Drama as newly commissioned Kaduna APC factional office is demolished [Photos]
The recently commissioned factional office of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ) located on 11A Sambo Road, Kaduna State has been demolished.
The office was unveiled last Thursday by both the ‘APC Akida’ and the ‘Restoration APC’. TheNewsGuru.com reports that both factions are not loyal to the Governor Nasir El-Rufai led state government. However, less than 24 hours after the unveiling, the office was defaced with red paint.
Recall that the faction had after the opening of the office issued query to Governor Nasir El-Rufai and suspended three of his allies.
Three days after the query, precisely on Sunday, the Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi led faction suspended Governor El-Rufai for six months, giving El-Rufai’s failure to answer the query issued him as reason.
However, on Monday, the suspension was overturned by the party executives loyal to the governor, claiming that the Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi-led faction had no such powers.
Details later…
-
2019: No intention to defect to APC – Former Niger Governor, Babangida Aliyu
The former Governor of Niger, Dr Babangida Aliyu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says that he has no intention of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aliyu made the remark on Monday in Minna following the defection of 34, 826 politicians from other political parties including Alhaji Aminu Yusuf, deputy chairman of PDP in the state.
Recall that many of the politicians who abandoned their various political parties to defect to the APC were mainly Aliyu’s close allies in the state.
“I have no intention of defecting to the APC because I believe in the PDP. I had the opportunity of decamping to the APC when I led the G-7 Governors but did not do so because of my belief in the PDP.
“What we protested then was to correct some of the abnormality in PDP but not to defect to the APC.
“If I were a selfish politician then I will have defected to the APC then. May be I would have become a minister now,’’ he said.
He noted that the PDP made him a governor, saying that it was a strong political party if not for internal wrangling that made it to lose the 2015 election.
The former governor said that the party had started working toward correcting the wrongs at the various levels.
On the herders/farmers clashes across the country, he said that the Federal Government must tag it a security concern and plan how to stop it.
He advised the government to establish cattle ranches where necessary and carry the stakeholders along in order to avoid misunderstanding that would result in more clashes.
-
That PDP snoopiness in APC’s internal affairs, By Ehichioya Ezomon
By Ehichioya Ezomon
Jesus, in Matt 7:1-2, teaches: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
And in Luke 6:41-42 (and Matt 7:3-5), Jesus warns: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? How can you say, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while you yourself fail to see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
We are having recourse to these biblical injunctions because of the antics of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, which fails to remove the log in its eye, and yet sees the speck in the eye of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Since its loss of power in 2015, the PDP has been prying into the internal workings of the APC – a situation akin to “taking panadol for another man’s headache.”
First, the party criticized the APC for not constituting its National Working Committee (NWC); lampooned it for failure to hold its National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings regularly; and slammed it for its inability to convoke a national convention since assuming the party in government in 2015.
Second, the PDP claimed that the APC was factionalized due to its alleged marginalization of its general members, and the relegation to the background of many of the stalwarts that propelled the party to victory in the 2015 general elections.
Third, it mocked the states controlled by the APC for failing to conduct local government council elections, alleging that the party was afraid of losing out because it had “lost its popularity” and the “goodwill of the people” since 2015.
And now this: The APC, which the PDP said was in turmoil, has set up a reconciliation committee, headed by its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resolve the issues at play, and the PDP has ironically predicted that the committee would meet with failure, as aggrieved APC leaders were “irreconcilable.”
The PDP leaders also amused themselves with a supposed marginalization of Chief Tinubu and his members in the legacy movement that formed the APC. They cited an alleged quarrel that Tinubu had with the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, in regard to the governorship elections in Kogi and Ondo States, where Tinubu’s surrogates lost out to a so-called President Muhammadu Buhari/Odigie-Oyegun bloc of the party.
They attributed this Tinubu “humiliation” to his reported boycott of the APC national secretariat in Abuja, and his non-participation in many of the party activities, querying, “why should the same APC ask Tinubu to reconcile aggrieved members and groups in the party?”
The begging question is: Why should the disparate voices and tendencies in the APC, and efforts at bringing them together, become the concerns of the PDP? Why should the party approbate and reprobate at the same time?
Aren’t polarization, fictionalization, division, and “irreconcilable differences” what the PDP has prayed for and hoped should befall the APC since it (PDP) lost power in 2015, and especially ahead of the 2019 elections it has boasted it would use to stage a comeback to Aso Rock?
It seems to me that the PDP is missing the point. Has it been able to take care of the intra-party schism, which resulted from its manipulated Abuja national convention that threw up hand-picked candidates for all the posts in the contest?
After the “reggae blues” dance by its new hierarchy was over, didn’t the PDP, realizing that the aggrieved national chairmanship aspirants and other contestants it shortchanged could sink its fortunes in 2019, set up the Governor Seriake Dickson’s National Reconciliation Committee to return “sanity” to the party?
The fallout from the PDP convention was a tip of the icebergs; there are more fundamental and intractable divisions in the party’s state chapters, especially the daggers-drawn tussles between and among party heavyweights over elective positions in 2019.
Similar auguries are affecting the APC, which prompted President Buhari to establish the Tinubu “Consultation, Reconciliation and Confidence Building Committee,” whose mandate was relayed by presidential spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu.
“As part of on-going efforts to improve cohesion within the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari has designated Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lead the consultation, reconciliation and confidence building efforts,” Shehu said in a statement, adding, “The assignment will involve resolving disagreements among party members, party leadership and political office holders in some states of the federation.”
The committee has taken off. Tinubu has visited President Buhari, whom he promised to do a good job of his assignment; and also led the committee members to the APC national secretariat, to confer with the Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and members of the NWC.
At that parley, he said: “I came for consultations… and I am all ears to listen to the various challenges that we have. My mission is to seek opinions and advice on the various conflicts we have in some states, or if there is any national one to reconcile, move the party in a cohesive manner, and reposition it .”
So, why should this assignment the president gave to the Tinubu committee be a burden to the opposition PDP if not that, in legal parlance, the party has become a “busybody,” a “meddlesome interloper” or, to use a local lingo, an “amebo”?
* Mr. Ehichioya Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.