Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, has been handed the membership card of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the Edo state chairman of the party, Mr. Kennedy Odion in Benin.

Presenting him with the party’s card at the party’s secretariat in Benin, Mr. Odion said Oyegun is not new to forming a coalition, adding that, he has done it before and he is doing it again with the view of redeeming the nation from its economic quagmire.

“He has put together what is called a coalition before and he succeeded. So, in mathematics, once you understand the formula, the answer is in view. So, he understands how he did it before so doing it again is not a difficult task.

“So as God may have it, he is not from any other state but from the heartbeat of this nation cum Edo State and we are moving the coalition together.

READ ALSO: Why I Support ADC’s Coalition But Remain In PDP — Lamido

“He was the chairman of the implementation committee that decided that ADC will be the platform”, Odion said.

On the part of Oyegun, he said before they settled for ADC, they had made extensive research and found out that it is the party that has the interest of Nigerians at heart.

“We talked to a lot of parties about seven others. Up till the very last minute. We made a report and we said ADC. And some said, “No, no, no, you must still talk to this, you must still talk to that.” So, we delayed decision for another fortnight.

“At the end of our meeting, we still came back. I said, “Yes, what you ask us to do? We’ve done. We’ve talked to the others, but we have not seen a party as dedicated as the ADC”, Oyegun said.

READ ALSO: ADC Unveiled In Benue, Woo Gov Alia

Oyegun further blamed the ruling APC for the hunger and starvation in the country.

He also blamed the APC led government for its inability to tackle the rising insecurity in the country especially in Benue and other states just as he said that, the nation has never been so divided as it is under the present leadership of Bola Tinubu.

He said those who are peddling the rumour that the ADC is planning to disrupt the government of the day are only trying to dinimish the aims and objectives of the coalition which is to rescue Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Coalition: Why ADC Leaders Stepped Down — Nwosu

While commending the growth of the party, he said the party is growing by the day and that more other notable politicians are still coming to join them soon.

“So, from a month ago, you were just ADC. Today, one can say we are the largest party in this nation. We are growing by the day, we are growing by the week. We are growing by the months. People understand. In all parties, we are not talking, it’s still ADC but ADC is now a mix of the best of PDP.

“Some of the best of APC, a lot of them are still coming on the way. And all the other parties. And the good thing is that, you haven’t seen a lot of the faces yet both professionals, people who never thought of politics, people who just finished from minding heights of the economy, but in whatever service, I don’t want to mention the various services”, Oyegun said.

Former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has said while his support for the Senator David Mark-led adopted party, African Democratic Congress, ADC, remained, his loyalty to Peoples Democratic Party PDP, was unquestionable.

This came on a day African Democratic Congress, ADC, accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the federal government of hypocrisy over their sudden display of grief, following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lamido spoke to a crowd of his loyalists at an empowerment event organised by Senator Mustapha Khabeeb (PDP, Jigawa South West), in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, over the weekend.

The former governor, who is one of the founding fathers of the PDP, said the coalition of opposition parties was put together to salvage Nigerians from the misrule of the ruling All Progressives Congress in order to rebuild Nigeria.

READ ALSO: ADC Unveiled In Benue, Woo Gov Alia

Lamido said: “Yes, I support the coming together of the opposition under the ADC, but let it be known I will never leave the PDP. I built this house with my sweat and soul. My role now is to offer guidance and ensure Nigeria finds her way back.”

He blasted the APC-led administration at both the state and federal levels for failing the people in every sphere of governance.

“The three PDP federal lawmakers from Jigawa are serving the people. APC lawmakers? They’re serving only themselves. Let the people judge.” He declared.

In a symbolic gesture to signal unity among opposition parties in the state, Lamido introduced Kabiru Hussaini, the state ADC chairman to the PDP crowd.

Senator Mustapha Khabeeb, the host of the event, echoed Lamido’s sentiments, reminding the audience of the PDP’s legacy of progress, especially during Lamido’s time as governor.

He said: “From 1999 to 2015, and especially under Sule Lamido, Jigawa knew what development looked like—roads, schools, hospitals, real change. What do we have now? APC has brought nothing but hunger and hopelessness.”

Khabeeb equally showcased his efforts to continue the PDP legacy through massive empowerment drives.

According to him, this year alone, over 3,000 people were lifted by distribution of equipment, including 600 irrigation machines,100 solar-powered irrigation units,100 paddy rice threshers, sewing and grinding machines and 750 sprayers and 3,000 litres of herbicide

“We’re not waiting for miracles, we’re working. Just like we did last year, and in 2023, we’re lifting our people out of poverty one tool, one machine at a time.

“Compare for yourself—under PDP and Lamido, there was progress. Under APC? Na talauci kawai suka kawo (they only brought poverty),’’ the lawmaker said.

The rally ended with chants of PDP solidarity, as supporters vowed to defend the party’s legacy and prepare for what many are calling a grand opposition comeback in 2027.
(VANGUARD)

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has apologised to Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state, for humiliating him over Godwin Obaseki.

INFO DAILY recalls that Wike, who was the chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Council for Edo 2020 gubernatorial election (Obaseki Re-election), had, during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, November 4, 2020, edition said the governor (Obaseki) has “resolved to quash acts of violence by the APC, its sacked National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.”

He added during the show: “Four years ago, the former national chairman of the APC said that Obaseki was his brain box and the person behind everything he achieved; it is clear, he said so. The same man said the PDP candidate in the 2016 election was not electable.

READ ALSO: I Don’t Owe Anybody Explanation On Truce With Fubara – Wike

“Why was he not electable? According to Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu can’t be trusted with money. The same man who you could not give an appointment or entrust with money is the same man you are telling Edo people to now vote for.

“You wake up in the morning and you tell Edo people something, and in the night you call the same Edo people and say, what I said in the morning, I didn’t mean it; how do we now know the one that you meant?” Wike queried.

But Wike, who has been in a political romance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leader in recent time, profuriously apologized to Comrade Oshiomhole in a statement made available to newsmen by his spokesman, Mr Lere Olayinka.

READ ALSO: ‘Peace Has Returned To Rivers’ — Wike, Fubara Speak After Meeting Tinubu

Wike said: “Leader, I know how pained you are and what you passed through; I know it was like a humiliation to you.

“I was part of it because I humiliated you while supporting Obaseki. I apologised to you on national TV and I am still saying sorry for what I did to you.”

Wike was in Edo to inaugurate the newly constructed Edo Line Terminal in Benin, which is the second phase of the Benin Central Bus Terminal.

The event was, however, cancelled following the demise of former President Muhammadu Buhari.