Politics

Elections: Again, NLC Declares Support For Obi

Published

1 year ago

February 22, 2023

The Nigeria Labour Congress has declared its support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, ahead of Saturday’s presidential election.

The declaration is coming after an inaugural meeting held on Wednesday by the congress’ National Administrative Council.

The PUNCH on June 22, 2022, reported that the organised labour, comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress, declared its support in separate speeches made by their presidents at the 10th-anniversary lecture in honour of the labour veteran, the late Comrade Pascal Bayau in Abuja.

Delivering his speech, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said that Mr Obi is among the finest Nigerian and the first presidential candidate of LP to be recognised by the Labour Centre.

He said that the NLC will fully mobilise to ensure the victory of the party in the 2023 general elections.

Also, on Monday, the African Democratic Congress collapsed its structures to endorse Obi for president.

Meanwhile, in another statement to endorse Obi’s candidacy dated Wednesday, February 22, 2023 and titled, ‘The elections are here – support the Labour Party’ signed by the National Secretary, National Political Commission of the congress, Chris Uyot.

It partly read, “We wish to refer to the resolution of the inaugural meeting of the NAC of the NLC directing workers and indeed all Nigerians to come out en masse to perform their civic duties by voting in the forthcoming elections and taking decisive steps to safeguard their votes.

“The NLC had also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that the electoral processes are not only transparent and fair but reflect the wishes of the Nigerian people.

“This is a clarion call to all workers and working people that as we approach the final push towards the forthcoming presidential election come February 25, 2023, we should ensure a massive turnout of votes for the success of the Labour Party in line with an earlier resolution of the National Executive Council.”

NLC added that all Labour Political Committee members in the states are to intensify their work in mobilising workers and the Nigerian people both at the local, ward and polling units to vote for Obi and all candidates of LP in the National Assembly.

However, NLC maintained that the political committees are also enjoined to work with their allies in civil society organisations and students to take all necessary steps to safeguard the people’s votes by ensuring that the electoral process is transparent, free and fair.

“To accomplish these significant tasks to save our democracy, all affiliate unions and state Councils of Congress are to give maximum cooperation and support to the political committees to strengthen their work at the state, local government, wards and polling unit levels by ensuring that they provide at least 10 ward coordinators and canvassers to not only mobilise but defend the people’s votes.

“History beckons. This election promises to be the most decisive in our country.

“It offers an opportunity to transform our political, social and economic policy direction to be people’s-oriented as espoused in the Workers Charter of Demands,” the statement added.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.