Politics

JUST IN: APC Committee Bars Sanwo-Olu’s Challenger From Primary Venue

Published

2 years ago

May 26, 2022

Editor

The Lagos State Governorship Primary Election Committee of the All Progressives Congress, on Thursday, barred one of the aspirants from the venue of the primary at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island, The PUNCH authoritatively reports.

The PUNCH learnt that the committee prevented one of the contenders of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha, from the venue.

Mustapha, a former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Minerals Resources in Lagos, resigned 14 months ago and had picked up the N50m governorship form of the party.

It was gathered that the committee chaired by a former deputy governor of Borno State, Shettima Yuguda, claimed that Mustapha was not cleared by the screening committee of the party.

However, the aspirant told The PUNCH that he was in Abuja two weeks ago for the screening though the result was not announced.

He said the Secretary of the primary election committee, Bashir Mohammed, turned him back on Thursday, saying that he was not cleared and as such cannot be given accreditation access to the venue.

Mustapha said, “We were told that we were not cleared by the leadership of the party and as such, they only gave accreditation tags to those that were cleared.

“We went to Abuja for clearance two weeks ago. The results of the clearance were not communicated to us.

“We went to the APC state secretariat at Acme Road yesterday (Wednesday), we tried to get our accreditation tags but we were not given. We were there till 7am this morning before going to the venue of the primary.”

Efforts to reach Yuguda, Mohammed and another member of the committee, Tilewa Sijuade, proved abortive as of press time as calls to their lines rang out.

Also, APC chairman for Lagos, Cornelius Ojelabi, did not take his calls as of press time.

Sanwo-Olu, the anointed aspirant of APC leader, Bola Tinubu, is seeking re-election. He is in the race with Mustapha; and Wale Oluwo, a former Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources in Lagos who is also an ally of ex-governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

‘Nobody should be compelled into a consensus arrangement’
Mustapha had, in an interview with The PUNCH, said Lagosians deserve better than they get under Sanwo-Olu.

“After the End SARS riot, that incident broke something in me; something that was very personal and there were two ways I could go: it is either I go to the present government and told there is nothing that can be done or I say, ‘Let’s do what can be salvaged’. How can this over 70 per cent population that is alienated, angry, disconnected and that doesn’t have any stake in the economy or the way the country is being governed, how can we do something to attract them.”

He had insisted on going to the polls and noted that he won’t agree with any consensus arrangement. “Let’s go to the field and test our popularity. Nobody should be compelled into a consensus arrangement,” he said.

On why he was challenging his former boss, he said, “Because we strongly believe we have a better model that will help further accelerate the development of the state. There is a Master Plan put in place by Asiwaju (Tinubu), built on by BRF (Babatunde Raji Fashola), and built on by (Akinwunmi) Ambode. If other states are going at 3%, Lagos should be going at 9% to account for the mirage challenges in healthcare, education, energy and other sectors.

“We believe passionately that we have a better model and it that belief that is propelling us. I have some experience working for the City of New York, and understanding how the city was put together. Such model is really transmittable and we can accelerate the development of Lagos State.”

Related Topics:#Lagos APC Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Up Next

Utilise Internal Mechanism To Resolve Dispute, Edo APC Urges Members

Don't Miss

Supreme Court Reserves Judgment In Electoral Amendment Act Suit

Comments

Politics

Rivers Crisis: Clark Asks PDP, APC Chairmen To Caution Wike

Published

17 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Elder statesman and national leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, has asked the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdulahi Ganduje, to dissociate themselves from the alleged attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to bring down the government of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Clark made the call in a letter dated May 20, 2024 and addressed to both party chairmen.

The letter was made available to The PUNCH on Monday

According to him, the letter was in the interest of peace and stability in the country, adding that the support given to Wike by both men resulted in the attempt to topple the Fubara-led administration.

“I am therefore appealing to you, in the interest of peace and stability in Nigeria to disassociate yourselves from plan by Wike for no just cause to bring down the government of his successor, Governor Fubara.

“I strongly advise both of you to retrace your steps and take charge of your political parties in Rivers State and not leave it for Wike who is neither PDP nor APC.

“The support given to Nyesom Wike by both party’s chairmen has made him courageous enough to intimidate and anger the Rivers State Governor and government and this is seen as an act to overthrow the duly elected Governor, which is criminal”, the letter read.

He faulted the Chairman of the APC for relating with the Caretaker Committee in the state, whom he alleged Wike appointed under the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, after the legitimate Chairman, Emeka Beke, was suspended.

“One may be tempted to ask the National Chairman of the APC why he chose to deal with a caretaker committee of APC which the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, had earlier presented the committee to him in the APC secretariat in Abuja, before constituting it as a caretaker committee.

“But curiously, you now deal with a caretaker committee instead of the elected Chairman. I hope you are aware of the court action filed against you and APC by the elected Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Emeka Beke. The old APC members by law are the APC leaders because they were never removed before the illegal caretaker committee was imposed on Rivers State, who are loyalists to Wike.”

The Ijaw leader similarly questioned the PDP Chairman’s knowledge of the FCT Minister’s anti-party activities, by seeking court injunctions against certain party chieftains, to prevent them from attending the National Executive Council meeting of April 18, 2024.

“Ambassador Damagum cannot honestly claim to be unaware of the grave anti-party activities being executed by Wike when he (Wike) secretly took court injunction against founding and senior members of PDP and senior officials from Rivers State like the former National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus, His Excellency Celestine Omehia, former Governor of Rivers State, Austin Okpara who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja, Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Minister of Transportation, Sen Lee Maeba, etc to prevent them from attending the PDP NEC meeting of 18th April 2024.”

Clark therefore asked the party chairmen to caution Wike and to withdraw from what he described as the “madness of politics” of Rivers State while alleging that both men were equally involved in the crisis.

“As a patriotic old statesman, I strongly believe that I should address this letter to you to call to order FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike because he is dancing naked in the open market in the politics of madness in Rivers State with one leg each in the two parties.

“I know both of you are fully aware of and involved in the political crisis in Rivers State, which is caused by Wike, who is controlling the two parties in Rivers State, particularly the PDP. I strongly advise both of you to withdraw from the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers State, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country,” he added.

Politics

Edo Guber: Obaseki Inaugurates PDP Gov’ship Campaign C’ttee For Oredo, Boasts ‘We Play Politics Of Evidence, Achievement’

Published

19 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

…targets 40,000 new votes

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has boasted that his government plays politics of evidence amd achievement, not lies or propaganda.

The Governor boasted at the inauguration of over 200 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Committee for Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) for the September 21 2024 Governorship Election in the state.

The governor, while inaugurating the Campaign Committee at the Party’s Secretariat along Airport Road in Benin City on Monday, noted that his administration’s performance over the last seven and a half years will guarantee the party’s victory in the forthcoming guber poll.

He described Oredo as the barometer of politics in the State, noting that the party was presenting the best and most qualified candidate with the know-how to sustain the State’s growth trajectory.

He said, “We are changing the politics in Oredo to ensure the voters’ turnout is high as against the low turnout recorded before. Our pensioners will not vote for people that will eat their money.

“Our campaign is based on what we have done and achieved in the last seven and half years. We have done well in terms of infrastructure, schools, health, sports, and other areas.

“We have the best candidate in this election and will support him as he is not new. He knows what to do to continue from where we will stop. We all must participate in this election as it’s for the future of our youths.”

Obaseki continued: “The Committee that we are inaugurating today is to manage the election, and we must focus on the units. In the last election, INEC created new units and people can’t find their new units. We should help people find their new units.

“Help and make sure all those young people that don’t have PVCs register and get their own. This election is for the youth and our future. It’s to show the young people and assure them that hope is not lost as we have brought the right candidates in this election to support what we have done and to ensure it continues.

“We have a 30-year development plan that will guide Edo State and Asue Ighodalo knows what to do. He is an experienced manager of men and materials. He will not go through what I went through.”

The governor added, “I have laid the foundation and he will build on it. I worked to build the foundation and system and we have achieved that today. I will not leave you but will give you all the support you need to succeed in your assignment.

“I am here to launch the campaign team and support you. We will give you all the list of roads we have done and our achievements. We know we will win but are concerned about the landslide victory in this election. I formally inaugurate the Oredo Campaign Committee for the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for the 21st of September, 2024.”

The Director General (DG) of Oredo Federal Constituency, Raymond Enogieru said politics is all about results, noting that “this is not a time to experiment.”

A party leader in the Council area, Edose Ebonwonyi said Oredo is special in the political landscape of the State, adding, “We will not make excuses but deliver our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.”

Politics

Edo Guber: Ex-Speaker Rejoins APC With Over 2000 Followers

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

A Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, rejoined the All Progressives Congress.

The former Speaker had resigned his membership of the People Democratic Party on May 10, assuring that he would announce his next political move in the coming days.

Speaking at a rally in Edo Central, he said that about 2500 people moved to APC in Esan West, Esan Central, Esan North East, Esan South East and Igueben.

He said, “About 2500 people from Labour, PDP joined the APC on Sunday. Prior to today (Sunday), we had met, discussed and asked Governor Godwin Obaseki led PDP government to address the issue of alienation, disillusionment and high handedness and despotic tendencies.

“Nothing has been done to address the issue, so we the “aborigine” PDP, have just given the Obaseki led PDP a red card.

When asked how his return to APC will help the party, he said, “My movement to APC will help the party and I will be simple with my analysis.

“In a democracy, votes matter. So my exit from PDP is a minus to the party whether anybody likes to interpret other wise. If they are Democrats, they will know that at least they have lost my vote not to talk of many others that moved with me to APC.

“With what happened today, they have lost a minimum of 500 votes and these 500 people also have people they can convince to work for APC.

“We will begin the house to house campaign soon and let people know why they must leave PDP and join in the APC. They musy vote a candidate that is humane and not business people who are in the state to make profit,” he added.