Politics

Shettima: APC PCC Reacts To N’East Youth Group Threat

Published

1 year ago

January 12, 2023

The Presidential Campaign Council PCC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC has reacted to allegation of abandonment leveled against its vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima by the North East APC Youth Stakeholders Forum.

According to the PCC, Shettima has been working with all the groups and will not favoue anyone above the other.

Minister of State, Labour and Employment and Chief Spokesperson of the APC PCC, Mr Festus Keyamo SAN disclosed this in a chat with Vanguard Thursday night.

He said; “There are many groups in the North East working for the success of our party. Our Vice-Presidential candidate appreciates all the groups, including this one, and we need all the groups. We will sort it out internally. But the H.E Kashim Shettima will not treat one of these groups as more important than others, nor would he be blackmailed by any such group.

“It is also obvious that they are exaggerating the numbers here and may be overstating their influence. Glad to read that they still love the APC and remain within the Party”, said Keyamo.

The North East All Progressives Congress APC Youth Stakeholders Forum had on Thursday withdrawn its support for the vice presidential candidate of the party, Senator Kashim Shettima over what it described as the nonchalance of the former Borno state governor to issues afflicting the party in the zone.

The forum which prides itself as among those who advocated that Shettima be made the APC vice presidential candidate, lamented that his lackadaisical attitude has made it lose three out of eight million potential votes its members had galvanized for the party.

Acting Chairman of the Forum, Hon. Shaibu Baffa Tilde in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, however said they will continue to support the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“We are saddened to be in the news for what others will interpret as a negative reason at this time, but we are also obligated by our love for our great party, the All Progressive Congress APC, to make this timely intervention before our party’s fortunes in the region sink”, said Tilde.

He expressed “deep regret and concern” about the fortunes of the party in the Northeast, adding that APC is on the verge of collapsing “due to the obstinate, careless, and exclusive leadership style of our Vice Presidential Candidate, Hon. Kashim Shettima”.

3m votes lost

“The Northeast APC Youth Forum has watched with tears as its many supporters continue to defect to the PDP. Unfortunately, the trend in the Northeast zone is worsening by the day, with Sen. Kashim seemingly turning a blind eye to these heinous developments in our party in the region.

“We the Youths in the Northeast have lost our Zonal Treasurer from his home state of Borno, Hon. Yusuf Shariff Banki, due to his failure to support youth in the region to launch massive mobilization. It is worth noting, gentlemen, that Sheriff led over 500,000 youth to the PDP. As if that wasn’t enough, our Zonal Organizing Secretary, Hon. Murtala Gamji of Taraba, led over 200,000 youth to the NNPP, and our Zonal Women Leader, Hon. Amina Manga of Bauchi, led one million women to the PDP.

“Of the 8 million youth votes we have already mobilized for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our Presidential Candidate for the Presidential Polls, Sen. Kashim Shettima has already plundered over 3 million through his actions with the wave of defections from our party. This is simply unacceptable!

“In light of this, we urge our party’s Vice Presidential Candidate, Hon. Kashim Shettima, to immediately reverse his steps and correct his error for the sake of the party, the region, and the teeming youth.

“It is on record that this group, then led by its Current Acting Chairman, Hon. Shaibu Baffa Tilde, threw their support behind Sen. Kashim Shettima and committed massive resources, both human and financial, to ensure he emerged as the APC’s Vice Presidential Candidate.

“We do not seek compensation from Sen. Shettima, but our resentment stems from Sen. Kashim’s failure to recognize a formidable Youth force of the party that stood by him through thick and thin after realizing his ambition to become reality as Vice Presidential Candidate from the northeast region.

“As a result, the Northeast APC Youth Forum wishes to withdraw its unequivocal support for Sen. Shettima. Our actions should not be misinterpreted, but rather judged by our affection for our dear party.

“While we intend to take our next steps regarding his candidacy in the coming days, we would like to express our unwavering support for our Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahemd Tinubu, and the APC. We will continue to work for the advancement and victory of our beloved party in the upcoming general elections”.

Earlier, Deputy Spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Barr. Hannatu Musawa, who said she had not been briefed on such development, however added that there was no crisis in the APC.

She said it was normal for people to make their grievances known and that in a democracy, some could even decide to switch support.

Musawa said it is not true that APC has lost millions of followers, saying the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP has continued to lose more members daily, unlike the APC.

“If we are talking about movement from here to there, I think the one that has been affected most by this type of movement is the PDP which has invariably lost five state governors on the eve of a major election. So I think APC has not had anything of that magnitude. So, I think, with 42 days to the election, I think we are in good stead”, she stated.
VANGUARD

Politics

PDP Crisis: Drama As Dino Melaye, Ortom Exchange Words During Meeting [VIDEO]

Published

13 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Editor

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, was involved in a hot exchange with ex-governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

Melaye accused Ortom of anti-party activities during the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking at a North Central zonal leadership meeting of PDP in Abuja on Wednesday, Melaye said Ortom’s anti-party activities led to PDP losing both the presidential and governorship elections in Benue.

He expressed surprise that the former governor could attend a PDP meeting despite his previous disloyalty to the party.

This led to a hot exchange between both PDP chieftains.

During the 2023 election, Ortom had teamed up with the G-5 governors led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to work against PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

While other members of the group worked for President Bola Tinubu’s victory, Ortom backed the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Video:

Dino Vs Ortom at PDP North Central Zone leadership meeting.
Melaye expressed surprise at Former Governor Ortom ease in attending a PDP meeting despite his previous disloyalty to the party. The two engaged in a heated exchange during the encounter. pic.twitter.com/Y8WTycJ88q
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) April 18, 2024

Politics

NNPP Faction Suspends Kano Governor For Six Months

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

A faction of New Nigeria Peoples Party under the leadership of Major Agbo on Tuesday suspended the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, for six months over his failure to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend an alleged Infraction against the party’s constitution.

Yusuf’s suspension was announced by the National Secretary of the faction, Ogini Olaposi, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat, Olaposi disclosed that the Board of Trustees took the decision to suspend the governor in the interest of the party.

The factional secretary said they have yet to come to terms with what the governor, a national figure who was elected on the platform of the NNPP, was doing at an ‘illegal national convention’ of the Kwankwasiya group led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in Abuja on April 6.

He said, “We called this media conference to brief you on developments resulting from the recent invitation to Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano to appear before a disciplinary committee to explain infractions on the party constitution.

“Nigerians need to know the position of the New Nigeria People’s Party following the failure of the governor to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to explain the reason(s) His Excellency, who was elected on the party’s platform and a national figure of NNPP participated in an illegal/ factional national convention of NNPP held by the Kwankwasiya group at Wuse 2 in Abuja on Saturday, 6th April.

“The leadership of the NNPP to strengthen our internal disciplinary and democratic measures, most especially in the area of party supremacy without prejudice, is left with no other options than to decisively take necessary action according to the letters of NNPP Constitution 2022 as amended.

“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of New Nigeria Peoples Party and the unanimous decision of the National Working Committee of our great Party, His Excellency, Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State is hereby suspended for six months with immediate effect.

Reacting via a phone chat, the National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, described the purported suspension as a joke taken too far by ‘a bunch of clowns’ who he claimed had long been expelled from the party.

“Gov Abba Yusuf was suspended in what capacity? These people are not members of the NNPP. They only want to make news. We don’t know them because they are not members of our party. After all, they have all been suspended, and there is a court order banning them from parading themselves as party members.

“So, how can non-members of NNPP suspend a governor? They are just clowns having fun because you can only suspend someone if you have a party. They don’t have a party and INEC has a record of members of the party. They are just out there making people laugh,” he stated.

Politics

Edo Guber: Trouble Looms As Imansuangbon Seeks Disqualification Of Akpata As LP Candidate

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Editor

…files suits in Benin, Abuja in pursuance of Akpata’s disqualification

An ex-governorship aspirant of the Labour Party (LP) Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, has asked the court to prevent the “alleged governorship candidate” of the party in Edo State from the September 21 election.

In a suit No. FHC B/CS/26/2024, filed at the Benin division of the Federal High Court by his counsel A.A. Malik & Co, Imansuangbon said that Labour Party erred by declaring Olumide Akpata as the winner of the party’s primary conducted on February 23, 2024.

In the suit filed in Benin, Akpata served as the first defendant, LP second defendant while INEC stands as third defendant.

In the suit, Imansuangbon said Akpata was not qualified to have contested the primary having violated the provisions of the section 222(c) of the Nigeria constitution as well as Article 28 of the party’s guidelines for the conduct of the primary.

Imansuangbon further averred that votes garnered by the first defendant in the primary be declared invalid and wasted.

The plaintiff who listed nine issues for determination and 18 others for declaration by the court, asked the court to set aside the LP February 23 governorship primary in the Edo state.

He asked the court to determine if Akpata is qualified to have contested the primary having failed to sign or endorse the indemnity form issued to him by the second defendant.

He also asked the court to determine if the votes garnered in the purported primary should not be voided and wasted in the face of “outright disregard” to the constitutional provisions of the country and that of the party.

Similarly, Imansuangbon asked the court to determine if he that scored the second highest votes in the said primary should not be declared the winner and validly nominated to be the governorship candidate of the LP.

Alternatively, the court was asked to determine if the party conducted the February 23 governorship primary in a manner outlined, prescribed or otherwise circumscribed by section 84 of the electoral Act, 2022.

That the court should also determine if the primary did not run foul of the provisions of section 84(2), (3), (4) & (5) of the electoral Act, 2022.

In his declaration, the plaintiff told the court to bar the INEC or any other agent, from recognizing Akpata as the governorship candidate of the LP for the September 21 Edo governorship poll.

He also called for the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued by the second defendant to the first defendant as the purported winner of the said primary.

While asking for the sum of N20 million as the cost of the suit, Imansuangbon asked that a fresh primary should be conducted not later than 30 days of the judgement of the court.

In a similar suit filed in the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata and his running mate to have lied under oat and supplied false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the Abuja suit filed on April 12, 2024, Akpata is the first defendant; his running mate, Alufohai Faith, second defendant; LP third defendant, while INEC is the fourth defendant.

In the suit filed in Abuja division, Imansuangbon alleged Akpata supplied false information to the INEC according to information provided in their form EC9.

He said where Akpata claimed to have been Akpata Olumide Anthony, but filled his name to be Akpata Olumide Osaigbovo.

Similarly, his running mate who said that she was born in 1981, claimed to have had her first school leaving certificate ysame year she was born.

She was also alleged to have gotten three certificates, OND, HND and PGD in the same year in 2005.

According to Imansuangbon, their actions contravene the provisions of section 29(5) of the 2022 electoral Act and also section 182(i),(a) &(j) of the 1999 constitution of the federal government of Nigeria as amended.

He thus sought for their disqualification and restrained from participating in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Imansuangbon Abuja suit was accompanied with the affidavits in support of the originating summon.