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Tag: Felix Morka

  • APC yet to zone 10th NASS leadership positions – Party scribe

    APC yet to zone 10th NASS leadership positions – Party scribe

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has yet to zone the leadership positions of the incoming 10th National Assembly (NASS) as speculated in some quarters.

    Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, advising that such reports should be disregarded.

    “The attention of the APC has been drawn to versions of zoning arrangements for the 10th National Assembly leadership positions in circulation in sections of social media.

    “The information did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded. To be clear, the party has yet to zone positions of leadership of the 10th National Assembly,” he said.

    The APC scribe however assured any decision made in that regard by the party would be duly communicated to the public via its official information channels.

  • APC reacts to postponement of governorship elections

    APC reacts to postponement of governorship elections

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it respected the decision of INEC to postpone the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections from March 11 to 18.

    Mr Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the postponement of the election followed the ruling by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on the reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used for the presidential election by INEC.

    The party said it noted INEC’s reassurance that data from the Presidential and National Assembly elections will be properly backed up on its cloud facilities.

    “We urge INEC to do everything within its power to preserve and protect the integrity of the extracted data from BVAS as it has committed to do before court,” he said.

    He enjoined INEC to use the opportunity presented by the election postponement to address any gaps or hitches identified in the Presidential and National Assembly election of Feb. 25.

    This, the APC scribe said, was critical to avoid a reoccurrence of such hitches in the now March 18, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

    He said this was necessary as presidential candidates and their political parties explored and exercised their constitutional liberty to challenge or defend the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “We must remind ourselves of the overriding duty that we bear to eschew conducts and actions capable of undermining the peace of our country.

    He re-emphasised that the APC candidate, now President-elect, Bola Tinubu, emerged as the overwhelming choice of Nigerians in the presidential election which was free and fair.

    According to Morka, the Feb. 25 presidential election was in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines for the 2023 general elections.

    “We are thankful for our renewed presidential mandate and urge our supporters and indeed Nigerians to double down on their support for our party, and its candidates in the upcoming governorship and State Assembly elections,” he said.

  • 2023 Elections: APC clears air on Yahya Bello’s ‘withdrawal of support’ for Tinubu

    2023 Elections: APC clears air on Yahya Bello’s ‘withdrawal of support’ for Tinubu

    The All Progressives Congress, (APC) has reacted to speculations flying around that Kogi State governor, Yahya Bello has withdrawn support for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

    Bello has been a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC since inauguration.

    Bello also contested and lost the APC presidential presidential primary in the party in June 2022  but lost the ticket to Tinubu.

    A statement on Sunday by the APC said there are “imagined political permutations” on the Kogi governorship election scheduled for November.

    National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka labelled the speculations “maliciously false and a figment of the imagination of its author and sponsors.”

    Morka said Bello, who serves as the National Youth Coordinator of the PCC is a solid, resourceful and committed campaigner” for Tinubu.

    The spokesman noted that “the fake news” seeks to float a rift between Bello and Hon. James Faleke, secretary of the APC PCC.

    “It is the desperate and disgraceful conjecture of opposition elements unsettled by our Party’s giant campaign strides.

    “Both loyal party men are unquestionably committed and working tirelessly for the resounding victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in next month’s presidential election,” Morka added.

    Faleke is reportedly Tinubu’s choice for the Kogi APC ticket, while Bello reportedly favours incumbent deputy Edward Onoja.

  • 2023: What Tinubu’s visit to Jonathan means for Nigeria – APC

    2023: What Tinubu’s visit to Jonathan means for Nigeria – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday said the recent visit of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, its 2023 Presidential Candidate to former President Goodluck Jonathan was a strategic move for national unity and cohesion.

    Mr Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary gave the explanation in a statement on Monday in Abuja, adding that the move was worthy of commendation and emulation.

    He said the alleged outburst against the visit by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) betrayed its extreme hypocrisy and folly.

    “Rattled by the recent statesmanly visit of our Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The opposition PDP has hit the panic button in false alarm, saying the move won’t help our candidate and party.

    “Again, the PDP proves itself as a party afflicted with chronic myopia, lacking in vision and incapable of recognising the imperative of elevating the common good of our country above partisan quibbles,” Morka said.

    According to him, PDP’s obsession with puerile partisanship blinds it to existential and strategic opportunities to heal old wounds, mend fences and build bridges of national unity and harmony.

    The APC spokesperson said it was sad that the PDP would rather fan the embers of hate and division.

    “The PDP’s track record of 16 years of misrule, corruption and squandermania, remains indelible in the consciousness of Nigerians.

    “Contrary to PDP’s laughable claim that the duo of Asiwaju Tinubu and Sen. Shettima are distancing themselves from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    “It is on record that this government deftly managed two economic recessions, and pulled the nation back from the precipice where PDP’s years of atrocious rule left it hanging precariously,” he said.

    Morka said the APC and its presidential candidate were seeking the mandate of Nigerians to consolidate on the foundation of restoration and greatness that had been laid across all sectors by the Buhari administration.

    He added that the PDP and its co-peddlers of hate and disunity could not stop this noble aspiration.

  • Our National Legal Adviser did not resign – APC

    Our National Legal Adviser did not resign – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday in Abuja, said Mr Ahmad El-Marzuq remained its National Legal Adviser, contrary to reports that he had resigned.

    Mr Felix Morka, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement while reacting to the purpoted reports which he described as false and misleading.

    “Barr. Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq is, and remains the National Legal Adviser of APC. Barr. Daniel Bwala was not the National Legal Adviser of the party as erroneously reported,” he said.

    He added that the report was either borne out of mischief or extreme negligence and should therefore be disregarded by the general public.

  • APC accuses PDP of peddling of falsehood over N6.5trn allegedly raised for 2023 election rigging

    The APC has accused the opposition PDP of being the brain behind the rumour that the ruling party has earmarked N6.5 trillion to rig the 2023 general election.

    In a leaked document tagged, “Leaked: APC 2023 Election Document,” which had been circulating on social media.

    The document claimed that APC planned the whopping sum that is almost half of the entire country’s 2022 budget for vote-buying and bribing of security agents at polling units, judiciary and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a reaction, described the document as a figment of the opposition’s imagination.

    Morka stated this in a statement issued at the party’s secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

    The statement reads, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to a document in circulation described as “leaked APC 2023 Election Document.”

    Related Story: 

    “Mischievously, the document alleged that our party has voted a whopping N6.5 trillion to fund schemes aimed at swaying the Nigerian electorate to support and vote for the party and its presidential candidate in 2023. Ridiculously, too, the document alleged that obscene amounts of money have been voted for outright vote-buying; compromising INEC staff; security operatives; judicial officers and other officials.

    “The APC wishes to place firmly on record that the document is not of the party. We neither authored nor own any such document, and it certainly did not emanate from our party.

    “Indubitably, the document is the handiwork of very sick elements of the opposition PDP in a desperate quest for unmerited electoral advantage by attempting to smear our party with wrongdoing.”

    Morka disclosed that in their authors’ ‘senseless’ attempt to mudsling the APC, they alleged that the party proposes to apply nearly half of the country’s entire 2022 budget to buy votes.

    He said the document clearly betrays the authors’ extreme ignorance of the complexity of the systems and processes for the appropriation and utilization of state funds.

    “How in the world does a government operating a national budget of N17 trillion dole out N6.5 trillion to rig elections? Our party is focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to Nigerians in hope that they will reciprocate by supporting and voting for our candidates come 2023 elections.

    “We are a law-abiding party and have no need to engage in any fraud and electoral malpractice suggested in that worthless document. Only a party that is a masterful looter of the national treasury such as the PDP can even imagine another capable of engaging in the kinds of atrocious acts the document suggests.

    “We urge Nigerians to disregard the document as sleazy propaganda for which the PDP has gained notoriety. The APC remains committed to building an innovative system of free and credible elections as witnessed in the recently concluded Governorship elections in Ekiti state,” he stated.

  • APC extends sale of nomination form to May 10

    APC extends sale of nomination form to May 10

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has extended the sale of its Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to aspirants seeking for elective positions in 2023 general elections from May 6 to May 10.

    Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “In a revised timetable issued by the APC National Organising Secretary, Mr Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now set for Wednesday, May 11,” he said.

    Morka said that the APC Congresses for election of local government, state and national delegates would hold from Thursday, May 12 to Saturday, May 14.

    The sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination to aspirants began on April 23.

  • Confusion as N43m vanishes from APC Headquarters

    Confusion as N43m vanishes from APC Headquarters

    There was slight confusion at the main entrance to the National Secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Party, Abuja, as $75,000 dropped and went missing in a flash.

     

    The incident happened on Wednesday at the entrance gate of the APC’s Secretariat that was blocked by crowded supporters and aspirants of the party during the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms.

     

    Due to the ongoing renovation/refurbishment works being carried out in the Secretariat main building, the party resorted to the use of canopies.

     

    The canopy under which the sale of forms took place was suddenly dismantled without explanation.

     

    Party sources, however, disclosed that the missing money was in no way connected to the monies from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms as aspirants are expected to make deposits in the designated account numbers before picking up their forms at Buhari House.

     

    “It’s actually $75,000. You know there was a struggle at the gate when aspirants and supporters were trying to get in.

     

    “When the parcel of money dropped, it went missing in a flash. By the time security operatives were alerted, the thief had vanished with the envelope,” the party source said.

     

    Earlier, the Secretariat had been a beehive of activities as aspirants trooped in to obtain forms for various electoral offices.

     

    On the outside of Buhari House were hundreds of supporters lined up to cheer their respective aspirants as they made their way into the premises.

     

    Wednesday’s sale of forms had made it clear that the party premises may not accommodate the nearly two-week exercise.

     

    Therefore, talks are underway to relocate to a different venue altogether.

     

    It was gathered that officials of the party were heard deliberating to move the exercise to International Conference Centre, Abuja.

     

    The APC last Wednesday pegged its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at N100 million.

     

    The party’s national publicity secretary, Felix Morka, disclosed this shortly after the 11th National Executive Meeting in Abuja last week.

     

    The nomination form would go for N70 million while expression of interest forms would go for N30 million.

    Morka said the nomination and expression of interest forms for those seeking the party’s ticket to contest the governorship election in their respective states will cost N50 million.

     

    The other ratified prices for other elective positions include N20 million for senatorial aspirants, N10 million for aspirants seeking to be members of the House of Representatives and N2 million for State Houses of Assembly aspirants.

  • 2023: APC to hold NEC meeting on April 20

    2023: APC to hold NEC meeting on April 20

    The National Executive Committee (NEC) of All Progressives Congress (APC) will meet on Wednesday to consider the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election.

    Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    He said the meeting billed for the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, would also consider nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections as well as other relevant business of the party.

    “In pursuant to Article 25.2.ii of the Constitution of the APC, the National Working Committee (NWC) has called the maiden post National Convention meeting of the NEC to be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2022,” Morka said.