Politics

Adamu Uncovers ‘Ghost Workers’ In APC Secretariat

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has unearthed a can of worms plaguing the party’s secretariat, saying he inherited baggage of corruption, salary arrears and ghost workers.

Adamu made the revelation during a media parley with journalists at the party headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

The clarification is coming on the heels of report that the former Nasarawa State governor had replaced some suspended departmental directors of the secretariat with his relatives and cronies.

The six affected directors namely Elder Anietie Offong (Welfare); Bartholomew Ugwoke (Research); Abubakar Suleiman (Finance); Dr Suleiman Abubakar (Administration); Salisu Dambatta (Publicity) and Dare Oketade, Legal Head, were allegedly accused of mismanaging N7.7bn.

Adamu had on April 22 ordered the directors to proceed on a “compulsory annual leave.”

Although the former Nasarawa governor promised to run a staff audit, the result of the exercise which showed an over-bloated workforce was not implemented.

Instead, the party chairman consequently set up an investigative panel headed by an ex-Governor of Jigawa State, Ali Kudu, to study the handing-over notes of the defunct Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

It was the fallout of the committee’s recommendations that compelled Adamu to place the departmental directors and head of legal services on an indefinite suspension.

In the last one week, the media has been awash with report of new helmsmen replacing four of the six axed directors.

Defending his action in a media parley with newsmen on Thursday, Adamu disclosed that the move was necessitated by the need to sanitise the system.

This was as he denied allegation that the new replacement were his cronies.

He said, “That the report is false. The fact of the matter is, go through the secretariat, there is not one person since we came in here that is my blood relation. Not one, whether primary or part of my extended family.

“It is a fallacy (that I have my people working here). In fact, when we came here, it was to reorganise and reconstitute the party. You don’t see the party in a state of mess and look the other way just because you want to be decent and not offend anybody.”

While claiming that he met a cesspool of corruption, tardy staff and a register containing over 200 names including ghost workers, the APC chairman swore that it was not in his DNA to overlook such anomalies.

He also swore that his action was done out of motivation to right the wrongs and not as prejudice as being speculated in the media.

“We came and found the party where people are fixing all manners of things. We had a bill of N7.5bn to settle on legal matters alone. We came to find that here everybody was like me, on his own. No control, no system and no due process. Everybody doing what he wanted to do. It is just because you don’t want to be accused of anything that you will allow those kinds of people.

“My DNA has a terrible allergy to that. I am sure most, if not all, of my members in the NWC share in this. So we found the necessity to reorganise the centre and only God knows the extent of appreciation we probably have won. Of course, every situation of change has a victim of its own and ours is not an exception. And we didn’t do anything with bias or prejudice. The main thing is the interest of the party.

“I know we will be abused and falsely accused but we are humans. I am not saying we don’t make mistakes. But the fact of the matter is that there is nothing we have done deliberately just to promote our own interests. We don’t do it. There is a lot of falsehood going on.

Ghost workers in APC headquarters
“Recently, we tried to introduce table payment. If you are a member of this chapel, you know we don’t have 200 people working for us here. But if you go through the payroll, we are over 200 people. Who are they? How did they come up on their bill? What are they doing for us? Where are their letters of appointment? What condition of service do they have?

“You don’t, because you are afraid of negative media reviews, ignore this. People went to the market square saying we are arranging salaries but can’t pay. That is very far from the truth. We met and paid some arrears when we came in. I don’t have any qualms about this. We did everything in good faith,” he said.

The PUNCH also reached out to the affected directors to get their reactions.

An unhappy Salisu Dambatta, who was the former Director of Publicity in the APC, told The PUNCH that he doesn’t want to join issues with the party.

According to him, it will not be good for the image of the party, especially at a time when the Presidential Candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has commenced his campaign.

Former Legal Head of the APC, Dare Oketade, also told our reporter that the ex-director of administration was in a better position to relate their plight.

He also believed their predicament was more of a witch-hunt than the flimsy allegation of corruption Adamu was trying to rope them with.

When contacted, the emotional admin director, Abubakar Suleiman, told The PUNCH that the whole drama looked like it was pre-arranged.

Suleiman accused the Adamu-led NWC of failing to narrate their “sin” before plunging them into “compulsory annual leave,” an act that culminated in appointment of their replacements.

“Adamu lied. My brother, nothing went wrong. The secretariat was in good hands. What necessitated his decision was not known to us or anybody. It was an agenda. Nobody was indicted. I am sure you must have heard from others too. Nothing went wrong anywhere.

“As directors, we don’t approve anything. Our job was to implement,” he bemoaned.

Asked where the allegation of N7.7bn was coming from, he dismissed the idea, saying it was non-existent.

He noted, “Nothing like that. Nobody is aware of the N7.7bn you said he talked about. No money was missing. There were also no ghost workers anywhere. Every staff you see at the secretariat there was duly engaged with letters of employment. At the time we left, the staff strength was about 211 workers.

“All these talks of corruption and others must have been an after-thought, I am sure. All the suspension letter told us was that it was based on the recommendation of the committee set up.”

A copy of the letter written to them by the party’s national secretary and made available to our correspondent indicated that they were removed as a result of the recommendations contained in the report of the Transition Committee Adamu appointed.

The director of administration lamented that at the bottom of the letter, “each of us was wished well in his future endeavours.”

Despite writing President Muhammadu Buhari and copying Tinubu, members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, National Executive Committee and party chieftains, no action was taken, according to the director.

A pensive Suleiman, however, concluded that they might consider litigation if all entreaties to reinstate them fail.

This was as he reiterated that Adamu and the NWC lacked the power to recruit or disengage staff without the approval of the National Executive Committee of the Party.

He said, “The power given to them by NEC then was only to organise primaries and national convention. They have acted beyond their remit by sending us on compulsory annual leave which is strange to the APC staff condition of service and breached the APC constitution by saying that they have removed us.

“An Establishment Committee is the only body that can make recommendation to engage or remove staff of the APC secretariat. And even then, it can only become effective when or if the NEC approves. There must be genuine reasons for either recruitment or disengagement.

“Our dismissal has not followed any due process. It is unfair. You just don’t go about tarnishing people’s image. You were about the only journalist that called to verify the truth.

“I have put 22 years of service into this party through the whole transition and merger process from the AD. But what Adamu just did was to bring in his cronies and people to run things at the secretariat.

“If he tells you his people are not working at the secretariat, he lied. Quote me anywhere. He has his people in positions of leadership including those he brought in as aides and personal assistants. We need to call a spade a spade.”
PUNCH

Politics

JUST-IN: PDP Clears All 33 LGA Chairmanship Seats In Oyo

Published

17 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has declared all the 33 candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners in the local government areas elections conducted across the state on Saturday.

The declaration on Sunday came amid controversy of irregularities as echoed by the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which alleged irregularities in the voting process.

The APC in the state while the exercise was ongoing on Saturday had described the election as a sham which it noted was capable of causing the Pacesetter state untold disrepute if allowed to stand.

The opposition party then sought the rescheduling of the election for another day when OYSEIC “is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.”

Oyo State APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, in a statement regretted that “another opportunity to deepen democracy and return power to the people at the grassroots has had to be missed due to the insensitivity and insincerity on the part of the ruling class in the state.

“With what is happening at the moment in most Polling Units across the state, Gov. Seyi Makinde has again disappointed the whole world. He promised the people that their votes would count today but the opposite is the case. The good people of the state desired to participate in an election to elect a new set of council officials but what they are experiencing is nothing but a sham.

“Even if OYSIEC comes out later to declare all the candidates of the APC, we would not rate this election as credible and acceptable as it falls below the minimum global standard of election conduct. The best thing is for the Commission to suspend the exercise and choose another date for a proper conduct rather continue to connive with a few anti-democratic elements in the ruling PDP to perpetrate electoral fraud and desecration of democracy in the land,” the statement read in part.

The Oyo state government however disagreed, insisting that the victory of all PDP candidates in the Saturday’s elections was predictable.

The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, after the announcement of the results, attributed the victories of the PDP candidates to outstanding performance of Governor Makinde in the last five years.

The Commissioner also attributed the election result to the quality of the candidates which the ruling party presented.

“This is a glowing tribute to the governor and his government as this is the last election under his watch till 2027 when he and the just elected LG chairmen and councillors will end their tenures.”

He lashed out at the opposition for starting to rehearse their complaints barely 30 minutes to the commencement of the elections as early as Saturday morning.

Oyelade charged them to behave like sportsmen and stop mixing fantasy with democracy.

The Commissioner hailed the commitments of the security team, the OYSIEC chairman and his team for daring to make a difference after the challenges of the past two local government elections.

Politics

Ondo 2024: lT Expert Emerges As SDP Candidate

Published

20 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

An Information Technology expert, Dr. Segun Oyebolu, weekend emerged the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic party, in Ondo state.

Oyebolu, will be the party’s flagbearear in the November 16, governorship election in the state.

He emerged during the party’s governorship primary held in Akure, Ondo state capital.

The election, was supervised by the officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.

Speaking at the end of the exercise, the Chairman of the partys primary committee in the state, Joseph Abu, declared Oyebolu as winner

of the exercise having polled 59 votes of the 60 votes cast by the party’s delegates.

Abu who explained that one of the votes was voided, described the election as free and fair and devoid of any rancour or any trouble.

He said that “We have a single candidate and all the delegates voted for the candidate.

” I want to assure you that SDP will win the next governorship election in the state come November by the grace of God.

“I want to thank the people of Ondo state for embracing our party and I am assuring them that SDP will deliver dividend of democracy at their doorsteps.

In his acceptance speech, Oyebolu, assured that his government will focus in freeing the state from the vested interest that had contributed to the underdevelopment in the state.

Oyebolu said that “enough is enough, we are taking our state back”.

“This is therefore a notice to Governor Ayedatiwa to start parking his bags and baggages as our dear Ondo State prepares to replace him with SDP.

“We are duly set to uproot the APC from Ondo State Government House. This is therefore your quit notice served in advance.

“For many of our people yearning for a new day and a new hope – My administration will bring back the good, old days.

“The many destructions wrought on us as a people shall end and in November 2024, SDP shall indeed begin the emancipation of the South West.

” I want to reassure you that the days ahead will witness challenges which collectively we shall overcome as we prepare to return power and comfort to our people”

According to him, SDP is a better alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He said the ruling party in the state had not changed the lives of the people for better but said the SDP was ready to find solution to the problems of Ondo State if voted to power in the November governorship election.

He noted the current economic crisis facing the people of the state was as a result of the maladministration and ineffective leadership on the part of the party in power in the state.

“We are here today to signal a completely new path, new way and new mindset. What you may call a shift from the unrealisable transformation programme of the APC.

“Our party seeks new way and better alternative entrenched in integrity of managing people, infrastructure and economy for people’s empowerment and emancipation,” he said.

He expressed assurance that the party would defeat the APC and PDP to win the governorship election, said the party is ready to work for the people of the state to rebuild and reposition the state.

The National Secretary of SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, while reacting to the primary exercise said “the issue at stake in Ondo State is about ensuring a breakthrough to take the State from its present moribund state to become a prosperous model state.

“This is by leveraging on its abundant human and natural resources, not about the despicable struggle for the purse strings of the State to perpetuate further underdevelopment because of personal interests and unethical agenda.

“In our great Party, the Social Democratic Party we are focused on efforts to move the State forward to social justice, peace, progress, and prosperity”

Politics

Edo Poll: AAC Guber Candidate Unveils ‘Humanity First Manifesto’, As Thousands Of LP Members Defect To Party

Published

21 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

Thousands of Labour Party, LP, members in Edo State on Sunday defected to the African Action Congress (AAC) at the official flag-off of the campaign of the governorship candidate of the party, Dr Udoh Oberaifo.

INFO DAILY reports that Edo State governorship election holds September 21st, 2024.

The defectors drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, formally defected to the AAC alongside the running mate to Oberaifo, Lord Osunde, who was said to have been a staunch member of the LP and a pioneer Edo Obidient Movement leader.

The running mate who told newsmen that he had defected to the AAC two months ago before the official unveiling, was the organiser of the first Two Millions Obidient Movement Walk in the state in the build up to the 2023 general election.

Speaking at the event, the gubernatorial candidate, Oberaifo, said he decided to make Edo people first in his agenda if elected, hence christening his manifesto ‘Humanity First’, meaning the people (Edo people) first.

A cross section of party members at the event on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

“By God’s grace, my leadership, if elected, will stand for true leadership; will stand for a new perspective; will stand for vibrancy. My government will stand for innovation, and it will answer all the questions of Edo people especially the youth and the women and Edo people in general.

“Humanity first at this time means Edo people first. The People before politics; the people before power mongering; the people before godfatherism; the people before profits. You must put the people first as a good leader, and you will get it right. That means that when you see people through the eyes of God or the way God sees them, you will definitely get it right. I repeat, humanity first,” he declared.

The governorship candidate who said the AAC was an alternative to rescue the state and its people from political, social and economics quagmire it has found itself, lamented that the state had experienced the era of PDP and APC without tangible results.

Speaking on how he intends to develop the state, Oberaifo said being a young businessman, he intends to invest hugely in small businesses in the state, adding that this will boost the state’s IGR and also reduce unemployment.

He said: “We must empower our small businesses. It is the sure way and the easiest way the government can raise IGR. An IGR is what we need to develop our state. it is the only way the government can solve the problem of unemployment.

“When you empower MSMEs, they are better, they create jobs. And when they create jobs, the unemployment rate reduces. The people will have more jobs because if I empower you now, I support you by giving you all you need for you to run your business, one year time, you might employ ten, and five years time, you might employ 20, and the chain continues.”