Showing posts with label POLITICS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label POLITICS. Show all posts
Sunday, October 21, 2018
APC Moves To Stop Further Defections
Following the disaffection expressed by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who lost out in the just concluded primaries, the party hierarchy may have begun behind-the-scene manoeuvres to stop more party chieftains from quitting the party. This is just at the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Comrade Shehu Sani, yesterday resigned his membership from the ruling APC following the submission of the name of his opponent, Uba Sani, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the APC senatorial candidate in the 2019 polls. The APC, it was learnt, decided on the reconciliatory moves to forestall any more defection plans by its stalwarts, LEADERSHIP Sunday has learnt. The recent primaries held by the party in different states and zones had thrown up several contentious issues with party faithful threatening to dump the party and join forces with the opposition ahead of the 2019. LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that the APC had after the primaries inaugurated its national Appeal Committee headed by former governor of Edo State, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor.
According to a source who was privy to the decisions reached by the Appeal Committee which submitted its report to the National Working Committee (NWC) penultimate Monday, a lot of the party men who lost out in either the gubernatorial, senatorial or House of Representatives primary elections in their states were already poised to ensure that they take their own pound of the flesh on the party as they felt betrayed the process. For instance, the decision of the party to drop Senator Shehu Sani despite the appeal panel’s verdict upholding the choice of his candidacy for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, the candidacy of Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law of the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, against the alleged winner, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and the case in Zamafara had all left a bitter taste in the mouths of party stalwarts.
In its report, the appeal panel held that the primary conducted by the electoral panel for Kaduna was done in contempt of a court order, adding that the only aspirant cleared by the party to contest the election was Senator Shehu Sani. The source was of the opinion that the party leadership would have to move in urgently to avoid its members defecting in their droves to the other various political parties, thereby weakening APC’s chances in the 2019 general elections.
“If they do not make moves to appease some aggrieved party men, what Shehu Sani did is just the beginning of many more to come,” the source added. Another party insider who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that several of the petitions submitted to the Appeal Panel were either not entertained or were dismissed for lacking in substance and this did not go down well with many of those who felt they did not get fair hearing. It was also gathered that a majority of the petitions against the conduct of the Senate and House of Representatives primaries were not upheld for various reasons, ranging from lack of merit, lack of proof to lack of time for fresh primaries. No reasons were adduced for not upholding some others. Similarly, some petitions were upheld and some of the petitioners declared as candidates of the party either because they actually won the primaries and were substituted, or for other reasons, ranging from lack of clearance and others the committee did not explain. Senator Sani, who was reportedly earlier granted an automatic ticket by the leadership of the APC to recontest his seat in the 2019 general election, did not participate in the just concluded primary poll in which Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s political adviser, Uba Sani, defeated other aspirants and emerged winner.
Our correspondent gathered that the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) may field Senator Sani as its candidate for Kaduna Central zone, though political parties had already submitted presidential and National Assembly candidates’ names to INEC to beat the October 1
According to a source who was privy to the decisions reached by the Appeal Committee which submitted its report to the National Working Committee (NWC) penultimate Monday, a lot of the party men who lost out in either the gubernatorial, senatorial or House of Representatives primary elections in their states were already poised to ensure that they take their own pound of the flesh on the party as they felt betrayed the process. For instance, the decision of the party to drop Senator Shehu Sani despite the appeal panel’s verdict upholding the choice of his candidacy for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, the candidacy of Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law of the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, against the alleged winner, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and the case in Zamafara had all left a bitter taste in the mouths of party stalwarts.
In its report, the appeal panel held that the primary conducted by the electoral panel for Kaduna was done in contempt of a court order, adding that the only aspirant cleared by the party to contest the election was Senator Shehu Sani. The source was of the opinion that the party leadership would have to move in urgently to avoid its members defecting in their droves to the other various political parties, thereby weakening APC’s chances in the 2019 general elections.
“If they do not make moves to appease some aggrieved party men, what Shehu Sani did is just the beginning of many more to come,” the source added. Another party insider who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated that several of the petitions submitted to the Appeal Panel were either not entertained or were dismissed for lacking in substance and this did not go down well with many of those who felt they did not get fair hearing. It was also gathered that a majority of the petitions against the conduct of the Senate and House of Representatives primaries were not upheld for various reasons, ranging from lack of merit, lack of proof to lack of time for fresh primaries. No reasons were adduced for not upholding some others. Similarly, some petitions were upheld and some of the petitioners declared as candidates of the party either because they actually won the primaries and were substituted, or for other reasons, ranging from lack of clearance and others the committee did not explain. Senator Sani, who was reportedly earlier granted an automatic ticket by the leadership of the APC to recontest his seat in the 2019 general election, did not participate in the just concluded primary poll in which Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s political adviser, Uba Sani, defeated other aspirants and emerged winner.
Our correspondent gathered that the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) may field Senator Sani as its candidate for Kaduna Central zone, though political parties had already submitted presidential and National Assembly candidates’ names to INEC to beat the October 1
Shehu Sani reveals next plan, speaks on contesting in 2019
Sani stated this in a statement he posted on his official Facebook age on Sunday morning.
He, however, did not disclose his next choice of party, promising to reveal that in the next two days.
Sani said: “This is to thank all my supporters and friends for the show of solidarity and assurances of support over my decision to exit the APC.
“I assure you that in the next two days, you will be informed of my new party. And be rest assured I will contest in the upcoming elections Insha Allah.”
According to INEC 2019 timetable, all political parties, however, have up till November 2 to submit lists of their candidates for governorship and state houses of assembly positions.
The parties also have till November 17 to withdraw or replace candidates for president and National Assembly elections, and up till December 1 for governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
PDP guber candidate, Seyi Makinde threatens Ajimobi with legal action over State’s finances
Makinde in statement signed by Prince Dotun Oyelade, his media aide, said that he had “made repeated public demands from the present administration to publish and itemise what it had done with the N157bn debt incurred in the past seven years and particularly, the borrowing of N70bn between 2016 and 2017.”
The PDP stalwart said that he had “waited for seven months for an explanation from the state government to no avail and has, therefore, taken the decision to go to court and invoke the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) in order to get a public response from the government.”
Makinde in the statement made available to DAILY POST also said he intended through the legal action, to compel the government to explain its statement that it did not owe those whose properties it destroyed to pave way for some road projects in the metropolis.
He said “it was puzzling that the same government also stated that the roads in Oke Ogun were neglected because they are Trunk A roads thus, the responsibility of the federal government”.
Makinde while speaking on the increment of the school fees of students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, added that “the increase of school fees paid by LAUTECH students from N65,000 to N250,000 is both insensitive and cruel at a period when their parents enjoy little or nothing from government and the economic climate has made them even more vulnerable.”
He concluded by asking the two state governors, Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) “to rescind that order immediately and apologise to the traumatised parents and students”.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
2019 Presidency: Buhari will lose, even his wife, Aisha is not supporting him – Agbakoba
POLITICS
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, has opined that President Muhammadu Buhari will lose his re-election bid in 2019.
Agbakoba anchored his claim on the fact that under Buhari’s
leadership, Nigeria was now “broken politically, strategically, morally,
and completely bankrupt.”
Speaking with Daily Independent, the former NBA President insisted that Buhari will become history come 2019.
The former NBA President, while insisting that Buhari had lost the
goodwill with which he was elected in 2015, stated that Aisha Buhari,
wife of the President was also critical of the current administration.
He said, “Completely, President Buhari has no goodwill left. All the euphoria that was felt, I didn’t feel it, because I have always known his background.
“There was a huge euphoria of change that former President Goodluck Jonathan had not done well; that he presided over a highly corrupt government, and Buhari was the Mr. Clean, Mr. Integrity, and he will fix things. But that has not happened.
“On the contrary, Nigeria is broken politically, strategically,
morally, and a completely bankrupt country. Poverty level has grown, 85
million Nigerians are extremely poor, we have now become the poverty
capital of the world.
“So, the euphoria of 2015 is certainly not the euphoria of 2019, and that is why, personally, I am unable to support his campaign to remain in office.”
“To support the campaign to remain in office for me is to look back at what he has done, the campaign promises on corruption, security, and the economy. These are the three big campaign issues, nothing has been fulfilled.
“In spite of all the monies borrowed, we are now pushing to over $30 billion borrowed money unaccountable, infrastructures all in pieces, corruption is rife.
“You remember the case of his SGF, Babachir Lawal; you also remember the case of Abdulrasheed Maina, and so on. So, there is nothing that stands him out as qualified to continue.
“Even Buhari’s wife has criticised the primary election that the APC held, so that will tell you that even in the other room in his house, he doesn’t have support.
“Why would I be supporting a man whose own wife does not even support him? For me, he is history. I just hope that we can have a new president.”
POLITIC
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, has opined that President Muhammadu Buhari will lose his re-election bid in 2019.
Speaking with Daily Independent, the former NBA President insisted that Buhari will become history come 2019.
He said, “Completely, President Buhari has no goodwill left. All the euphoria that was felt, I didn’t feel it, because I have always known his background.
“There was a huge euphoria of change that former President Goodluck Jonathan had not done well; that he presided over a highly corrupt government, and Buhari was the Mr. Clean, Mr. Integrity, and he will fix things. But that has not happened.
“So, the euphoria of 2015 is certainly not the euphoria of 2019, and that is why, personally, I am unable to support his campaign to remain in office.”
“To support the campaign to remain in office for me is to look back at what he has done, the campaign promises on corruption, security, and the economy. These are the three big campaign issues, nothing has been fulfilled.
“In spite of all the monies borrowed, we are now pushing to over $30 billion borrowed money unaccountable, infrastructures all in pieces, corruption is rife.
“You remember the case of his SGF, Babachir Lawal; you also remember the case of Abdulrasheed Maina, and so on. So, there is nothing that stands him out as qualified to continue.
“Even Buhari’s wife has criticised the primary election that the APC held, so that will tell you that even in the other room in his house, he doesn’t have support.
“Why would I be supporting a man whose own wife does not even support him? For me, he is history. I just hope that we can have a new president.”
Thursday, October 11, 2018
#BuhariChallenge: 14 questions Atiku wants Buhari to answer
Politics
Buhari vs Atiku
The Presidential Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar has thrown 14 questions at President Muhammadu Buhari and challenged him to provide answers to them.
The campaign organisation said the questions became necessary following attacks from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency against the former Vice President ever since he (Atiku) emerged candidate of the PDP.
In a statement by the spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, Segun Sowunmi, Atiku said, “It has come to our attention that the Buhari government and the All Progressives Congress have been very idle of late, which explains their abandonment of the vital duties of running the government in order to focus on hurling insults and false accusations on the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar.”
He then proceeded to say, “In order to give Nigerians the answers they want, we urge the Buhari Campaign Organisation to take the #BuhariChallenge and answer the following questions:
1. Name one project initiated, started and completed in the last three years by the Buhari administration.
2. Name one youth in President Buhari’s cabinet.
3. Name one campaign promise President Buhari has kept.
4. Name one Southerner heading a National Intelligence Agency under Buhari.
5. Name one terrorist arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned by the Buhari administration.
6. Name one Buhari government official arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned by the Buhari administration over their many budget padding scandals.
7. Name one member of the Buhari administration fingered in corruption that was fired, arrested and currently facing trial.
8. Name one former President or Head of State that has not been blamed by President Buhari for the precarious state of the economy he led us into.
9. Name one year that Nigeria’s GDP grew faster than her population under Buhari (for 16 years of PDP administrations, Nigeria’s GDP always grew faster than population growth).
10. Name the initiatives the Buhari government has put in place to address Nigeria being named the world headquarters for extreme poverty under Buhari.
11. Name one initiative the Buhari government has put in place to address Nigeria having the world’s highest number of out of school children (13.2 million according to the United Nations Children Fund).
12. Name the date the Ogoni cleanup will begin.
13. Name what President Buhari has done with the ₦13 trillion loans he has taken in 3 years (compared to the ₦6 trillion borrowed by the PDP in 16 years).
14. Name the real owners of the Ikoyi Apartment billions.
“These are the issues the Nigerian people want to hear about, not insults from a Presidency and a party that have spent three years in office only to preside over Nigeria’s first ever recession in 25 years.
“We urge the Buhari administration to remember that it is this disinterest in real governance and focus on trivia that caused Bill Gates to look President Buhari in the eye and tell him that ‘your economic blueprint does not address Nigerians’ needs’.
“The Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation runs an issue based campaign where refined language and cerebral arguments founded on facts are used to disseminate the vision of our candidate which is why we call on the Buhari Campaign Organisation to waste no time in taking the #BuhariChallenge in clearing the air on these knotty issues bothering the minds of Nigerians.”
2019 presidency: Atiku asks Buhari 14 questions
The Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, has hit at President Muhammadu Buhari again raising 14 questions for the President and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Atiku’s camp said the government and the ruling party had abandoned governance and taken up the full duty of hurling insults at the former Vice President.
In a statement by the spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, Segun Sowunmi, on Wednesday, the former Vice President charged the government and the APC to name one project started and completed by Buhari, one youth in the cabinet or one terrorist arrested and convicted by the government, among other things.
“It has come to our attention that the Buhari government and the All Progressives Congress have been very idle of late, which explains their abandonment of the vital duties of running the government in order to focus on hurling insults and false accusations on the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar,” he said.
The statement added, “In order to give Nigerians the answers they want, we urge the Buhari Campaign Organisation to take the #BuhariChallenge and answer the following questions.
“Name one project initiated, started and completed in the last three years by the Buhari administration.
“Name one youth in President Buhari’s cabinet.
“Name one campaign promise President Buhari has kept.
“Name one Southerner heading a National Intelligence Agency under Buhari.
“Name one terrorist arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned by the Buhari administration.
“Name one Buhari government official arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned by the Buhari administration over their many budget padding scandals.
“Name one member of the Buhari administration fingered in corruption that was fired, arrested and currently facing trial.
“Name one former President or Head of State that has not been blamed by President Buhari for the precarious state of the economy he led us into.
“Name one year that Nigeria’s GDP grew faster than her population under Buhari (for 16 years of PDP administrations, Nigeria’s GDP always grew faster than population growth).
“Name the initiatives the Buhari government has put in place to address Nigeria being named the world headquarters for extreme poverty under Buhari.
“Name one initiative the Buhari government has put in place to address Nigeria having the world’s highest number of out of school children (13.2 million according to the United Nations Children Fund).
“Name the date the Ogoni cleanup will begin. · Name what President Buhari has done with the ₦13 trillion loans he has taken in 3 years (compared to the ₦6 trillion borrowed by the PDP in 16 years).
“Name the real owners of the Ikoyi Apartment billions.
“These are the issues the Nigerian people want to hear about, not insults from a Presidency and a party that have spent three years in office only to preside over Nigeria’s first ever recession in 25 years.
“We urge the Buhari administration to remember that it is this disinterest in real governance and focus on trivia that caused Bill Gates to look President Buhari in the eye and tell him that ‘your economic blueprint does not address Nigerians’ needs’.
“The Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation runs an issue based campaign where refined language and cerebral arguments founded on facts are used to disseminate the vision of our candidate which is why we call on the Buhari Campaign Organisation to waste no time in taking the #BuhariChallenge in clearing the air on these knotty issues bothering the minds of Nigerians.”
