Politics

2023: Campaign Publicly For Tinubu Or resign, APC NWC Member Challenges Ngige, Others

Published

2 years ago

October 9, 2022

Editor

A member of the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC and Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, has cautioned political appointees on the platform of the APC not to play hide and seek about their political standing, saying they either campaign publicly in support of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ticket or immediately resign their appointments from the party-led administration.

The APC chieftain was reacting to comments made on a national television programme (Politics today) on Friday evening by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, where he failed to publicly affirm his choice of presidential candidate between Tinubu and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), when he was asked to do so by the presenter.

According to Ngige, such question is difficult to answer because both Tinubu and Peter Obi are his friends.

“My choice will be in the ballot box. On the day of ballot I will make my choice. I won’t tell Nigerians what I will do secretly”.

Recall that the Rivers state governor, Nysome Wike, had earlier alleged that some appointees of APC were working for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Reacting to the comments made by Ngige, Saturday through a statement, the APC deputy spokesperson described such comments from a sitting Minister in a government of the ruling party as “uncalled for.”

While describing Senator Ngige’s comments on a national TV programme as anti-party, Ajaka said; “presidential primary election had long ended and the party had settled for the choice of Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hence all the party leaders should put their ambitions behind them for now to deliver the party’s presidential ticket.

“It is expected of a serving Minister in an APC government to be a trusted apostle of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency in 2023, who along other party leaders laboured to ensure the enthroment of the same government in 2015 which they are now serving in.

“Chief Ngige and other APC appointees, especially in the federal cabinet should not forget in a hurry that they are holding onto the party’s mandate, hence the need to protect it with whatever it requires, but if they can no longer protect the interest of the APC in public and that of our presidential candidate (Tinubu), I think the honourable thing to do is to step aside from the government formed by the APC.”

According to Ajaka, if such trend is allowed to continue among the appointees and party leaders, it is capable of generating bad blood among APC rank and file.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to call his cabinet members to order and obtain their commitments to delivering APC in 2023, Ajaka wondered that “with this type of public comments from a sitting minister in a ruling party who cannot declare on national television his choice of presidential candidate, how on earth is the party expected to fare in the forthcoming presidential election?”
VANGUARD

Politics

Edo Labour Party Suspends Youth Leader

Published

41 mins ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Leadership of the Edo State chapter of Labour Party says it has suspended Youth Leader of the party, Ken Omusi, over an alleged invasion of the party secretariat in Benin City on Thursday.

Omosi, alongside other youths were said to have invaded the party secretariat, sacked the the Kelly Ogbaloi-led State Working Committee and declared himself (Omosi) as the acting chairman of the party.

He further claimed that over the last three months, not less than 350 members had been suspended on the WhatsApp platform of the party by the state chairman without the backing of the party.

While announcing the dissolution of the executives of the party, Omusi called on the national leadership of the party in Abuja to ratify their actions and resolutions.

But addressing newsmen in Benin, chairman of the party, Ogbaloi, while condemning the invasion by the Youth Leader, noted that Omusi has since been suspended for anti-party activities.

Ogbaloi added that the State Working Committee, in the spirit of brotherhood ahead of the governorship election, has lifted the suspension earlier slammed on some members.

According to him, a reconciliation committee would be set up by the state executive to make peace with any of the aggrieved members before the election.

He, however, appealed to members of the party to leverage on the forthcoming new voter registration exercise to expand the voters base as well as ensure broader participation in the electoral process.

“A robust membership drive shall be launched to attract new members and reconcile with the disenchanted individuals who have legitimate grievances”, he added.

He equally urged all members of the party, as well eligible voters in the state, to rally behind the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Olumide Akpata and his running mate, Prince Yusuf Asamah Kadiri, in the election

Politics

Rivers Crisis: Why Gov Fubura Got Into ‘Trouble’ – Secondus

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said Rivers State Governor, Similaye Fubura, was being haunded by his political opponents for daring to prevent the looting of the state.

He explained that the political crisis in the state was orchestrated by those who demand unfettered access to the finances of the state a demand the governor has refused to accept.

Secondus who spoke in Abuja, on Saturday, also accused the immediate past Governor of the state and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of being the brain behind Fubura’s political troubles.

He explained that Wike’s conduct, utterances and unrelenting fued with the governor, has cast the state in bad light.

Secondus said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT. As Minister, what, has he (Wike) attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office? Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As Governor he had supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.

“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State.

“Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead what we get is disrespect and insults.

“ I can attest to Dr. Odili’s performance as Governor being the State PDP chairman then. I hasten to say without any fear of contradiction that he is the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation.

“Wike claims that our revered Dr. Odili made him but in his characteristic manner, he publicly ridiculed the Odili’s without any justification. He owes them an unreserved apology and he should do so publicly.

“These media attacks against the political leaders of Rivers State are unwarranted and diversionary.

“For the records you should account for the three hundred million dollars($300m) you collected from the NNPC for the Ogoni Oil well and the cash refund made by the Saipem oil and gas company and subsequently account for your eight-year tenure of over N4Trillion realized, mismanaged and squandered. Rather than trying to cover your inadequacies through media attacks.”

These attacks, he stressed, might dovetail into a national crisis if not properly checked.

While appealing to President Bola Tinubu to reign in the FCT minister, Secondus added, “I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevail on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to stop overheating the Rivers State political atmosphere and allow Fubara to work. Whatever Wike thinks he is It must be stressed that Rivers people made him.”

Politics

Edo Guber: Labour Party Names Campaign Council

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

The Edo State chapter of Labour Party, LP, has named the party’s campaign council ahead of the governorship election slated for September 21st, 2024.

The state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi, disclosed this after a stakeholders’ meeting comprising members of the State Working Committee, senatorial, local government leaders and executives across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The meeting which was held at the party’s secretariat in Benin City on Saturday was also attended by governorship candidate of the party, Barrister Olumide Akpata and his running mate, Prince Yusuf Asamah Kadiri.

Ogbaloi said members of the campaign council would be inaugurated on Monday, May 13, 2024.

He said the campaign council would be led by Reverend Sam Omede as the Director-General, with Dr Ehikioya Agboga as Deputy Director as well as deputy director general for Edo central senatorial district.

Other members of the council are Senator Ned Imasuen, representing Edo South senatorial district in the Senate, Hon Esosa Iyawe and Hon Murphy Osaro Omoruyi, representing Oredo and Egor/Ikpoba Okha federal constituencies, respectively, in the National Assembly.

“In preparation for the upcoming election, we have meticulously selected individuals of impeccable character to lead the State Campaign Council and local government campaign committees,” he said.