Politics

Fresh Crisis Looms As APC Stakeholders Describe NWC Incompetent

Published

3 years ago

February 5, 2023

Editor

Signs of cracks within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, emerged on Saturday as a pressure group within the party, under the aegis of Concerned APC Stakeholders, described the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, as incompetent, just 20 days before the general election.

The national coordinator of the group, Dominic Alancha, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, stated: “Let me make it clear from the onset that we believe this election is ours to lose. And we will not lose it. We will win, our winning is sacrosanct God willing. But before every victory comes a great test. The last few weeks have been a great test for us as a party.

“The NWC, suffice to say, is perhaps the most incompetent NWC since the creation of this party. Very lacklustre and secretive. At the last count, they had close to N38 billion from sales of forms and yet no accountability as to what they did with the money.

“This is the first time in the history of political campaigns [that] a ruling party failed in her responsibility to mobilise members and critical stakeholders of the party to raise campaign funds for the party; neither has it called for a National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting to look into the wellbeing of the party and the campaign.”

The group stressed that while Progressives Governors Forum, PGF, did well by insisting on a power shift to the South, it lamented that their high-handedness in their states and in the party led to the complete misconfiguration of the growth of the party.

It stated: “Now they are trying to squeeze the candidate to solely finance the campaign, this, in our informed opinion, is not obtainable anywhere in the world. We call on them to show more commitment to the party and the campaign.”

The group, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to show and demonstrate commitment and loyalty to the party that made him by joining the party in the remaining campaign rallies.

The group also urged Buhari to direct ministers, and political appointees to go back to their wards within the next week and hold meetings with a view to canvassing for votes for the party.

It also pointed out that the naira redesign policy was a good policy that was long overdue, but insisted that the timing was absolutely horrible and therefore condemned it.

It added: “We condemn it because the timing is short and very restrictive. It has plunged the country into a serious mess like we are witnessing with some pockets of protest across the country due to the inability of citizens to access the newly redesigned naira note, grounding the economy to a complete halt.

“We fear if this continues, it will lead to a complete and total breakdown of law and order. This is not the philosophy and policy behind the formation of our party, the APC.”

The group, however, aligned with some of the leaders of the party who had spoken of certain sabotage of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The group further urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to extend the withdrawal of the old naira notes by six months as a legal tender to ease the suffering this “anti-people” policy has inflicted on Nigerians.

Politics

Jonathan, Obi Can’t Match APC’s Strength For 2027 – Mustapha Salihu

Published

13 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Editor

The National Vice Chairman (North-East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Mustapha Salihu, has dismissed the chances of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi emerging as strong contenders for the 2027 elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Sunday, Salihu described the PDP as technically non-existent and argued that neither Jonathan nor Obi possessed the political capacity to challenge the APC’s structure and readiness.

“Jonathan is a gentleman and a patriotic Nigerian, but when it comes to performance, the difference between his six years and President Tinubu’s two years is clear,” Salihu said.

“We inherited what seemed like insurmountable security and economic challenges, yet we have stabilised critical sectors, taken courageous decisions, and achieved visible results. Jonathan does not have the political acumen to take the tough decisions required at this time.”

Salihu claimed that those urging Jonathan to return to the PDP were driven by personal interests rather than concern for Nigeria.

“Some of them were part of his government and want to rule the country by proxy. Nigerians will not subscribe to that,” he said, adding that the deep divisions within the PDP make a Jonathan candidacy unrealistic.

On Obi, Salihu criticised his post-2023 political strategy, saying the former governor lost the momentum he had after the last election.

“Obi had a near revolution in 2023 with massive youth support, but after losing, he abandoned his governorship candidates. If he had supported them, he could have had at least seven governors today as a launchpad for the future. Instead, he made alliances that did not benefit him, and now he lacks the structure to contest and win a presidential election in Nigeria,” he stated.

The APC chieftain insisted the ruling party was fully prepared for 2027.

“We are not panicking or shaking. We have the structure, leadership ability, achievements, and organisational capacity to prosecute an election any day, any time. No party in Nigeria today can match the APC,” he added.

Politics

Alleged ₦3.51bn Travel Expenditure: Ignore PDP’s Claim On Okpebholo, Edo APC Tells Residents

Published

17 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Editor

Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged residents of the state to ignore PDP’s allegation that governor of the state, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has spent a whopping ₦3.51bn on travels in the last eight months.

In a statement signed by
Emperor Jarrett Tenebe,
State Chairman of the party, and made available to INFO DAILY in Benin on Monday, the APC said such claims were imagination of the PDP, adding that it “exposed their poor and lack of understanding of broader key economic indicators—which reflected in their negative impact on Edo State people throughout their disastrous eight years administration.”

Tenebe, who said the state governor has not embarked on any foreign trip since he assumed office on November 12, 2024, stressed that Okpebholo has demonstrated prudence since taking over from the opposition party.

He said: “For the records, the APC administration led by His Excellency Senator Monday Okpebholo has demonstrated financial prudence since taking over from the PDP abstracted-MOU ‘419’ government on November 12, 2024.

“Accusing the present administration of wasting ₦3.51bn on imaginable ‘travels’ when the governor has not embarked on any foreign trip since November 12, 2024, shows that the half a dozen PDP renegades are obviously suffering from an acute form of hallucination which is associated with neurological disorders, due to the effects of overdose of substances and post election defeat syndrome.

“Our party, the APC wishes to place on record that Senator Okpebholo is a grassroots leader who is interested in finding home grown solutions to reposition the various sectors for measurable growth in the shortest possible time.”

The APC State Chairman, who noted that the current admission is interested in development across the state and nothing else, Okpebholo will never siphon resources meant for the development of the state.

He added: “The APC government in Edo State is only interested in all round development of the 18 local government areas in line with global best practices.

“Governor Okpebholo will not continue in the habit of siphoning the state’s resources through fictitious globe trotting as witnessed in the last PDP administration.”

Politics

Ovia By-election, Litmus Test To APC Success In 2027, Says Edo Deputy Gov

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2025

Editor

The deputy governor of Edo state, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has described next Saturday’s Ovia federal constituency by-election as a litmus test for the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections.

He, therefore, said that the leadership and members of the party must do all that is necessary in terms of mobilisation and canvassing for votes to secure victory for the APC.

The deputy governor stated this at the party’s flag off campaign for the bye-election in Ovia South West on Saturday.

He noted that on the part of the government, Governor Monday Okpebholo has embarked on infrastructural transformation of the federal constituency to make life more meaningful for the people.

At Siluko Ward, Idahosa told the electorates that aside having a high population, the community is one of the gateways into the state and therefore need to open up the area for development.

He said that the only support needed for the governor to do more is to work for the success of the APC on Saturday.

“Saturday’s by-election is to show our preparedness for the 2027 general elections. I want it to be a 100 perxent win for the APC.”

He said: “Be reminded that all the good things that have come to Siluko ward were facilitated by the APC government.

“We are not taking this election for granted. When you get home, tell your family and neighbours that APC is one way, vote for Omosede Igbinedion, the only female candidate for the National Assembly from Edo state.”

On her part, the party’s candidate foe the poll, Igbinedion, while describing the deputy governor as a grassroot politician who has worked for the transformation of the federal constituency.

She appealed to the people not to relent on their support for the deputy governor, as well as the APC for more infrastructural development.

“Even in the cause of this campaigns, he (Idahosa) has brought some more projects to our communities.

“With you votes on Saturday, I am going to complement his efforts in Abuja for the total transformation of our constituency,” she promised.

Similarly, Senator Neda Imasuen asserted that as a second term member of the house, Igbinedion would be able to identify lapses she made in her first term and correct them and influence projects for the betterment of her constituents.

The council Chairman Hon. Nosakhare Edobo, said that the governor has shown commitment to the people to deserve their support.