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Tag: National Chairman

  • Labour Party to increase minimum wage to 80,000 – Olorunfemi

    Labour Party to increase minimum wage to 80,000 – Olorunfemi

    Ahead of next year’s general elections in the country, the Labour Party has assured that the minimum wage will be increased from the present 30,000 to a figure ranging between 80,000 to 100,000 should Peter Obi be given the mandate.

    Recall that the Labour Party had, a few days ago, unveiled its manifesto after a long wait with its candidate Peter Obi touting the payment of hourly wages against the current monthly format in the country.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Ayo Olorufemi, stated that LP is looking at implementing a new minimum wage of between N80,000 to N100,000 as against the current N30,000.

    He said, “It depends on the nature of the job that would be given out. For instance, when you take a cursory look at the manual labour out there, a labourer does not take less than N2,500-N3,000 per day, which is still not okay as far as the reward system is concerned.

    “If you divide N3,000 by six hours, you will be talking about N500 per hour.”

    “So, when you benchmark that against what we have now, certainly, you would be talking of something within the range of N500-N1,000 per hour depending on the nature of work, and at the end of the day, someone can effectively say that he can make up to N4,000 in a day.

    “And when you multiply N4,000 in a day by 20 or 25, we are talking about N80,000 or N100,000 in a month.”

  • PDP’s Ayu bows to pressure, brands Wike party’s greatest asset

    PDP’s Ayu bows to pressure, brands Wike party’s greatest asset

    Embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, has eulogized Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike, branding him PDP’s greatest Asset amid the crisis bedeviling the party.

    Ayu confessed that Wike has helped rescue the party since time immemorial.

    The PDP National Chairman disclosed this through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Yusuf Dingyadi, in a chat with journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday.

    He said: “We are trying to see that everyone is giving a fear hearing. As we speak, the local reconciliation committee is meeting with party members at the state level to discuss issues and find solutions to those issues.

    “For example, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is one of the great assets to PDP. He is a leader, governor, and somebody who has helped to rescue PDP since time immemorial.

    “Since Ayu took over as the chairman of the party to date, he has made tremendous progress in building the party in all 36 States including the FCT Abuja.”

    Wike has been aggrieved with PDP over the refusal of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to pick him as his running mate.

    Subsequently, Wike has called for the resignation of Ayu laying claims to internal zoning arrangement of the PDP.

  • Ayu to become hero if he resigns as chairman – PDP Stakeholders

    Ayu to become hero if he resigns as chairman – PDP Stakeholders

    The South-West Forum of PDP Stakeholders for Justice says Dr Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s National Chairman will become a hero if he voluntarily resigns in the interest of peace and electoral victory for the party.

    Reecall that the PDP was hit by crisis after Alhaji Atiku Abubakar emerged the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2023 general elections.

    Some PDP governors and leaders, particularly from southern Nigeria were insistent that for fairness, northern Nigeria should not hold both the party’s presidential ticket and national chairmanship position.

    Leading in the struggle for resignation of Ayu, who is from the North Central, is Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers and other leaders of the party from southern Nigeria.

    Also, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and some South West PDP leaders on Sept. 17, called for Ayu’s resignation at the zone’s stakeholders’ meeting with Abubakar.

    In a statement jointly signed by the Coordinators of the forum, Messrs Banji Okunomo and Gani Taofik in Lagos on Thursday, the group threw its weight behind the calls for the resignation of the party chairman.

    According to it, the resignation of the chairman is the only panacea for peace in the party.

    “We, the above-named forum of the PDP, wishes to affirm our support for the position being canvassed by Makinde, corroborated by the doggedness of the ‘Wikes’ and the wisdom of the ‘Bode Georges’, as a lasting panacea for peace and eventual victory of our party at the 2023 presidential election,” the group said.

    The forum said that Ayu should be able to sacrifice for Atiku to win the next election.

    “It is our take, that Ayu should indeed go further to logically and wisely conclude the process that will guarantee the emergence of Abubakar as the next president of Nigeria, by making other possible sacrifices necessary to achieve that goal.

    “Indeed, this is why and when Ayu himself will be more celebrated as PDP’s hero of democracy rather than clogging the party’s wheel of progress and creating avoidable crisis for the party,” the group said.

    It urged Abubakar to be wary of the ill and reactionary advice of some moles in the party.

    It said that the moles were insistent on offering opinions capable of jeopardising the chance that God had opened for the PDP in the emerging dispensation.

    “Nigerians are indeed awaiting the PDP as the actual potent alternative government, and God forbids, if this opportunity skips us, Nigerians may never again associate with the PDP.

    “We call for immediate restoration of sanity,confidence, inclusiveness and oneness in the Party as a stitch in time saves nine,” it said.

    The crisis got deeper on Wednesday, when loyalists to Wike’s caucus pulled out of the Abubakar presidential campaign council after a meeting in Portharcourt, Rivers.

    The group said they would not participate in Atiku’s campaign activities unless the party’s national chairman vacated his seat for a southerner to allow ‘balance’ in the party.

  • PDP: Ekiti, Oyo chapters pass vote of confidence on party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu

    PDP: Ekiti, Oyo chapters pass vote of confidence on party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu

    Ogun state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

    Ogun PDP members said they are debunking  a claim by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State that the entire Southwest stakeholders had called for Ayu’s resignation.

    Makinde had clamoured for the removal of  Ayu at the Southwest Stakeholders Interactive Session with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Ibadan on Wednesday.

    In a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, Akinloye Bankole, said “the leaders disassociate Ogun State chapter of the party from the pronouncement of Governor Seyi Makinde and affirm that there was no prior meeting nor agreement relating to such pronouncement.”

    According to Bankole, the call for  Ayu’s resignation “is ill-timed and dangerous for the wellbeing of the party especially as the political mobilization and campaigns for 2023 general elections build up across the nation.”

    He said, “Ogun PDP strongly insists that the sanctity of the party constitution cannot be slaughtered on the altar of narrow individuals’ whims and caprice.”

    Bankole posited that the party, at this crucial stage of its democratic existence, requires full concentration to remain focused on its goal of rescuing and repositioning the country for prosperity and abundance.

    He said any kind of distractions should be done away with at this point in time for the well-being of the party.

     

    The spokesman stated further that the Ogun PDP leadership is fully committed to the presidential aspiration of Atiku and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

    Meanwhile ,the Ekiti State chapter of the  PDP has also given their position on the matter.

    They said that they are giving their unflinching support to Ayu, presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa.

    They singled out party’s National Chairman, Ayu for for providing credible leadership and direction for the PDP.

    This was contained in a statement signed and released by the state’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Raphael Adeyanju, on Friday in Ado-Ekiti

    The statement reads in part “The Ekiti State chapter of the PDP, after a critical review of the interactive session of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Abubakar Atiku with the party leaders and stakeholders of the party in the Southwest , in Ibadan on Tuesday, is convinced that the agitation for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman , Senator Iyorchia Ayu should be suspended in the best interest of the party.”

    The Ekiti State chapter of the opposition party maintained that there is a great wisdom in the former Vice President’s response that Ayu’s resignation must be done in accordance with the party’s constitution, rules, regulations and practice.

    Adeyanju stated that: “Our party believes in the sanctity of our constitution, we must therefore do everything to maintain this sanctity. Any action that undermines the spirit of the party’s constitution at this crucial stage can only be considered as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the next presidential election

    “If we cannot respect our own rules, guidelines and constitution as a party how will Nigerians trust us to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic, if voted into office?

    “We appreciate the real concern of our zonal leaders and their determination to protect the interest of members against any form of marginalization, but we must also consider the fact that we also have very few months to go into the election, with a ruling party as our main opponent.

    “Any hardliner stance at this crucial stance can only lead to a constitutional crisis and unnecessary litigation. These are avoidable distractions that must not be encouraged. We are aware that the next party official that has the constitutional right to succeed Ayu will also come from the Northern section of the country,while major positions will have to be swapped between the Northern and Southern zones of the country.”

    The PDP spokesperson explained that major changes can not be affected within the party structure without another national convention that will involve a lot of planning and money.

    He said, “Do we have the time and the resources to go into another National Convention now? How many party members currently holding executive positions will be ready to sacrifice their positions at this crucial period? Can you trust party members not to go into litigation over issues like these? That is why we wish to appeal to all stakeholders to suspend all agitations till after the election.

    “We are ready to kickstart Atiku’s campaign in Ekiti as soon as possible and we enjoin all our leaders to participate actively as it is obvious that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the only candidate that unites our nation at this critical moment.”

     

     

  • APC debunks plots to remove its party chair, Abdullahi Adamu

    APC debunks plots to remove its party chair, Abdullahi Adamu

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday in Abuja, debunked reports of plots to remove Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, its National Chairman.

    Mr Felix Morka, APC National Publicity Secretary in a statement, said the report was being sponsored by opposition political parties.

    “The attention of the APC has been drawn to opposition-sponsored media reports on plots to remove the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu.

    “The reports are based on the imagination of its sponsors ostensibly unnerved by the remarkable achievements of Sen. Adamu since assuming office as the national chairman,” he said..

    Morka said the APC and its leaders were currently focused on the important task of building a strong and vibrant electoral campaign ahead and would not be distracted by ‘boring chirps of idle speculators.’

    He said, ”the opposition PDP was quite welcomed to continue to dissipate its energies on innuendos and chasing after phantom plots in APC rather than concentrate on mending its broken and acrimonious house.

    ”The APC National Working Committee (NWC) remained united under Adamu’s leadership as the party’s national chairman, with the singular commitment to winNing 2023 General Elections.”

  • Only national chairman, national secretary can authenticate membership cards- PDP

    Only national chairman, national secretary can authenticate membership cards- PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says only its national chairman and the national secretary that are vested with power to authenticate party membership cards.

    The party made the clarification in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba in Abuja on Saturday.

    The party stated this while making clarification on the membership eligibility to participate in congresses to elect the three-man ad hoc delegates who shall in turn elect party candidates for the 2023 general elections.

    It stated that the clarification became necessary following reports of misinterpretation in some chapters, particularly in Lagos State, where some party stakeholders are reportedly demanding that membership cards have to be authenticated.

    It stated that the stakeholders were reportedly demanding that membership cards had to be authenticated by ward chairmen before the holders were eligible to participate in the three-man ad hoc congresses schedule for Saturday, April 30.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the only authority vested with the power to authenticate party membership cards for eligibility to participate in congresses, including the three-man ad hoc delegate congresses, are the national chairman and the national secretary through their signatures on the cards.

    “The PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended) in Chapter 2, Part 1, Article 8(7) is clear in providing that “the nembership card shall be produced by the National Headquarters and authenticated by the National Chairman and the National Secretary.”

    The party said that PDP members holding membership cards duly authenticated by the national chairman and national secretary did not require any further authentication.

    “No further authentication is required by ward chairmen or any other officer of the party at any level whatsoever before they can participate in the three-man ad hoc delegate congresses and party primaries.

    “A member with a duly authenticated membership card by the national chairman and national secretary and who is up to date in his financial obligation to the party shall be eligible to participate and vote in the three-man ad hoc delegate congress.”

    The party advised all party leaders, critical stakeholders and members to note accordingly.

  • Governors jeopardizing party’s progress-APC National Chairman, Adamu

    Governors jeopardizing party’s progress-APC National Chairman, Adamu

    The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu has alleged that some current and past governors of the party are bent on jeopardising the party’s progress with their actions and inactions.

    Adamu made his position known when giving his opening speech at the 11th National Executive committee (NEC) meeting held at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja

    The meeting is being attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and other critical stakeholders who are members of the NEC.

    He declared that state governors are leaders of the party in their states, saying the APC constitution does not have provision for dual leadership in the states.

    Adamu then acknowledged the position of serving governors as leaders in the respective states but begged them to accord the party all necessary respect that is due to it for progress to be made.

     

  • Buhari meets new APC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu

    Buhari meets new APC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu

    Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and immediate past interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally presented the new National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Adamu, who emerged as the new Chairman of the APC at the 2022 National Convention of the party, was officially introduced to the president since his election on March 26.

    Adamu emerged as the consensus candidate of the party after six other aspirants stepped down.

    Buhari had on March 27 congratulated the Abdullahi Adamu-led 79-member National Executive Committee of the APC that emerged at the March 26 national convention of the party.

    According to the president, the unity of members at the convention puts the party on a firmer footing for victory at the 2023 general elections.

  • APC National chairman urges party members, aspirants to show maturity, sportsmanship

    APC National chairman urges party members, aspirants to show maturity, sportsmanship

    Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on party members, especially aspirants, at the just concluded National Convention to show maturity and sportsmanship.

    Adamu, current Senator representing Nasarawa West in the Senate, said this in his acceptance speech on Sunday, at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the convention.

    He charged aspirants who lost at the convention and party members generally, to accept the outcome of the convention with grace.

    He congratulated those who aspired to occupy the party’s national offices, saying that although they did not succeed this time, they could succeed some other times.

    “They did not succeed this time, but in God’s time, many of them would yet realise their ambitions to serve our party and country in many other positions.

    “As politicians we are not strangers to gains, losses and disappointments, of the outcome of every political contest.

    “Let us show maturity and good sportsmanship and accept the outcome of this convention with grace.

    “Our party needs all hands on the steering wheel, so that together we can steer the ship of state through the inclement weather of our divisive national politics to the promised land,“ he said.

    Adamu, while thanking the aspirants and party members for their spirit of sportsmanship, said the new party leadership would continue to count on their co-operation as loyal party members and patriots.

    He expressed gratitude to the chairman and members of the APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, (CECPC), delegates to the convention and the party’s leadership at various levels.

    Adamu lauded members of the party across the country for electing him and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) into various positions, adding that he would work hard to meet their expectations.

    “On behalf of my colleagues, the newly elected members of the NWC of our great party, the APC.

    “I would like to express our gratitude to Almighty God, our very sincere thanks to our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Governors, in our party.

    “We accept the onerous responsibility that you have placed on our shoulders and we would work hard to ensure that we fulfilled your expectations for the greater good of our great party and of our dear country.

    “As we conclude this very successful convention of our great party, I know that our opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties are now sulking, wearing long faces of sadness, bewilderment and dismay,’’ he said.

    According to Adamu, the opposition PDP had been hoping and praying to make a fortune out of APC`s misfortunes.

    They were also hoping and praying to capitalise on assumed failures of the APC to reap political benefits, he added.

    Adamu stated that for almost seven years now, the APC administrations at the Federal, State and local levels had been battling to enhance the livelihood of Nigerians through various policies, programmes and projects.

    He, therefore, said there was need for APC members and Nigerians generally to renew their faith in the party and its leadership at all levels in order to herald a new dawn.

    “We need to commit to the resolution of our crisis within the confines of our party constitution, we must resist the temptation to blow every minor personal disagreement into a major party crisis.

    “It is time for us to do things differently, when we quarrel, we open our flanks to our rival political parties that are only too eager to exploit them for their own benefit.

    “I promise you here and now that we shall heal any wounds in our party; we shall effect lasting reconciliation among our members, and we shall go into the next general elections as a strong and united party.

    “I offer my hands of friendship to all our members. I want to assure you that my colleagues and I, will run an open door policy for all members of the party,’’ Adamu said.

    He further added that no administration in the country`s history had performed as much as the APC did in building key infrastructure and in uplifting the living conditions of Nigerians.

    Projects that once existed only in the imaginations of Nigerians were now becoming a reality, he said.

    He listed some of such projects to include: the Second Niger Bridge, complete rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan dual carriage way, the Lagos-Ibadan express rail and the Abuja-Kaduna express light rail, among others.

    He said although most of the projects were inherited by the President Buhari-led administration, they were being worked on, adding that the APC had fulfilled its covenant with Nigerians.

    He said that the party was set to do more, adding that all it needed from Nigerians was their continuous support and confidence in the 2023 general elections.

    “My dear compatriots, the eyes of the nation are on us; the eyes of Africa are on us; the eyes of the world are on us.

    “This is a historic moment, there is no room for false steps, our first step is to make our party the bastion of internal democracy.

    `If a party is not internally democratic, it cannot offer the country true democracy.

    Together, let us rise and march towards the sunrise in our party and in our country.

    “The time has come for us to show statesmanship to arrive at the new dawn, The time has come for us to be patriotic in words and deeds.

    “The time has come for us to affirm our being the party of the people, for the people and by the people“ the APC National Chairman said.

  • Adamu will be a great chairman – Amaechi

    Adamu will be a great chairman – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has said the consensus National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu would be a great chairman.

    Amaechi made this known on Sunday in Abuja, while expressing satisfaction with the emergence of Adamu as the national chairman of the APC, describing him as a bridge builder.

    “He will be a great chairman because he is a bridge builder. We are satisfied with his emergence as National Chairman because he will bring his wealth of experience to the party’s advancement,” he said.

    Amaechi added that Adamu’s chairmanship is a roadmap to the party’s unity and harmony. According to him, his chairmanship will be an all-inclusive one because of his love for the party.

    Amaechi, however, solicited support of all for the new national leadership of the party to properly position the party for giant strides.

    Senator Adamu from Nasarawa (North Central) emerged as the consensus National Chairman of the APC at the party’s convention in Abuja.

    However, the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has mocked the APC over the choice of Adamu as the party’s National Chairman.