Politics
APC has never been a political party – ex-PDP chairman
Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a former governor of Enugu State and currently, a member of the National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the party, in an interview with newsmen says the All Progressive Congress, APC, has never been a political party. Answering questions on a myriad of issues going on in the country, especially with APC, Nwodo said those who are in PDP are very happy with what is happening in APC. According to him, APC was never really a party. There were various political parties that came together to form APC. “They have never merged into one party. Two, the President has not been a party man because when the President is involved in the party, most of the time when there is a crisis and the president steps in,...
Edo guber: Atiku Abubakar directs support groups to work for Governor Obaseki
The Former Vice President and the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, has directed the activation of his over 150 independent support groups in Edo State in preparation for the state governorship election fixed for September 19. The Deputy Director in charge of Atiku Support Group/Mobilization in the defunct Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation and PDP Presidential Campaign, Hon. Oladimeji Fabiyi, confirmed the directives of the former Vice President to newsmen in Benin City yesterday. According to Fabiyi, Atiku directed that all Independent Atiku Support Groups in Edo State should be activated with immediate effect as part of mobilization for the victory of Godwin Obaseki, the governorship candidate of the PDP. He said the former Vice...
Rivers APC felicitates inaugurated national caretaker committee
The Acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Igo Aguma, on behalf of the party in the state has congratulated the National Caretaker and the extraordinary convention planning committee led by Malam Mai Mala Buni, Governor of Yobe State. Aguma, who made the disclosure in a statement signed by his media adviser, Livingstone Wedgie, on Thursday, expressed confidence that the new caretaker committee under Buni would work assiduously to bring the much-needed peace and harmony within the party. The Rivers APC acting chairman, also congratulated David Lyon, the South-South Coordinator in the Caretaker Committee, and urged him to transfer the same commitment he showed in the Bayelsa governorship election to the repositioning of the party in the zone. Aguma noted that it was ti...
Governor Mohammed: PDP has learnt from past mistakes
Senator Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State and Chairman, Edo governorship Primary Election Committee on Thursday declared in Benin, the Edo state capital that the Peoples Democratic Party has learnt in a hard way from their past mistakes and would not allow history to repeat itself. Speaking at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin while presiding over the party’s governorship primary, Gov. Bala said ‘today, the party wants to prove to the world that the PDP is the only party that they can trust”. He said the primary would be conducted in a free, fair, credible and transparent way to prove a point that the party is the only one that can do that. While describing Governor Obaseki as a role model in Governor’s forum, Bala said Obaseki is one person who is a very resourceful, noting that g...
President Buhari, governor, Victor Giadom, NASS leaders attend APC NEC
The controversial National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has kicked off at the Council chambers of Aso Rock president villa, Abuja. The NEC meeting which is expected to resolve controversies over the leadership of the party is being attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. It was also gathered that at least, 10 governors are already seated for the meeting as at the time of writing this story. Some of the Governors already in for the meeting include Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Atiku Bagudu, the governor of Kebi governor, Yahaya Bello of Kogi and the Governor of Osun State. Also leaders of the National Assembly who are members of APC NEC are also in attendance. Factional Ch...
Police bar APC’s acting national secretary from secretariat
The crisis in the All Progressive Congress (APC) continues to deepen as the Acting National Secretary of the party, Arc Waziri Bulama, was barred by armed policemen from entering the National Secretariat. Bulama while addressing the media on the event said; “I came here this morning to resume work and met policemen who said they have instructions from above to seal the secretariat. “I have called the commissioner of police and he said he is sending a senior Officer to see what is happening. “The workers of the secretariat are servicing over 16 million members of this party across Nigeria. They are like civil servants.” It was gathered that the APC’s Ag. National Secretary arrived the secretariat around 10:50 am in a black Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle with registration number ...
Edo guber: NWC members not tax collectors – PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party has faulted an allegation by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that members of the party’s National Working Committee are tax collectors. The PDP reacted to the governor’s claim in a press statement by its National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, Wednesday. Newsmen had reported that Wike on Tuesday pulled out of the reconciliation of the Edo State chapter of the PDP. He also accused some members of the National Working Committee of the PDP of “being sycophants and tax collectors who would never tell the truth”. Wike made the allegations after a publication accused him of sponsoring disunity among PDP members in Edo. The PUNCH reports that despite efforts by leaders of the party, some aspirants of the PDP have refused to step down for Gov...
Police ‘withdraw’ Ondo deputy governor’s escort – aide
The Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, has raised the alarm that his police escort has been withdrawn on the order of the state Police Commissioner, Mr Bolaji Salami. The deputy governor has been in the centre of the crisis in recent times after his defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party. The CP had on Saturday blocked the deputy governor on his way out of the government house with his official vehicle. In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tope Okeowo, the deputy governor said the withdrawal of the escort had been putting his life, that of his family and staff in danger. He said, “We are not oblivious of their surreptitious move to undermine the security of the deputy governor and strip him of his security appa...
INEC reacts to crisis rocking APC in Edo state
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted after conflicting court orders were issued as a result of internal crisis rocking some political parties across the country. INEC’s national commissioner for information and voter education Festus Okoye said on Tuesday June 23 that they convened a meeting due to the crisis which might impede the smooth conduct of primaries and the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state. Okoye disclosed that they resolved that the conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes should end on June 27, while the submission of the list of candidates the parties propose to present at the election and affidavits of validly nominated candidates will close at 6pm on June 29, 2020. The INEC Commissioner said; “In view of this and as part...
Ondo Assembly denies plot to impeach deputy governor
Ondo State lawmakers on Wednesday denied plot to impeach the state Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over unresolved issues with his boss, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu. The lawmakers who lambasted Ajayi over the bribery allegations against the members of the House of Assembly, saying the claim that the lawmakers were bribed with N10m each by Akeredolu was designed to whip up public emotions. Tension rose in the state early on Tuesday over the planned impeachment of Ajayi by the state House of Assembly while some policemen invaded the State Assembly complex Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gbenga Omole described as reckless and a ploy to drag th...
Group faults community’s plan to disown former Ebonyi commissioner
Edda Professionals’ League (EPL), a body of eminent experts and professionals of Edda extraction, has vowed to resist any plan aimed at humiliating Chief Abia Onyike, former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in Ebonyi. EPL announced its plan to scuttle such humiliation in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mr Ikenna Emewu, on Monday in Abakaliki. The group described the former commissioner as one the community’ most illustrious sons, that had contributed immensely to the development of Edda land, describing those behind the plot as “busy bodies.” The statement noted that some government functionaries, leaders of interest groups and traditional rulers from Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state, were forced to sign a document, where they were plo...
Edo guber: PDP aspirant steps down for Godwin Obaseki
File Photo Ahead of Friday’s governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, a frontline aspirant of the party, Mr Gideon Ikhine, has stepped down from the race for Governor Godwin Obaseki. Ikhine announced his decision to step down for the governor on Monday at a ceremony in Benin. Obaseki, state party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and other party leaders across the state were in attendance. Announcing the decision, the aspirant said there was no progress without a sacrifice, adding that the governor’s defection to the party was God’s great answer to the party and his aspiration. He noted that two persons could have the same vision but the means of approaching them different. Ikhine stressed that he was not actually stepping down, but ” stepping behind the man who woul...
