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Politics

Kaduna deputy governor loses to PDP in home LGA in Senatorial contest

Loss
By Moses Kolo
Kafanchan (Kaduna State), Feb. 24, 2019 (NAN) INEC on Sunday in Kafanchan said Sen. Danjuma La’ah of the PDP has beaten APC’s Barnabas Bantex, the Kaduna state Deputy Governor, in Kaura, the latter’s Local Government Area.

Mr Luka Maude, the INEC Returning Officer for Kaura LGA, said La’ah beat Bantex after he polled 29,356 votes, with Bantex getting 9,071 votes.

Maude who announced the results at the Jema’a LGA Secretariat said the result was that of the 10 wards in the Kaura LGA.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that results from the other LGAs in the Kaduna South Senatorial District were still being collated. (NAN)
MGK/JEY/OLAL
===============

(Edited by Johnson Eyiangho and Olawale Alabi)

Politics

PDP youth leader in Edo defects to APC

By Monday Ajogun
Defection
Benin, Feb. 8, 2019 (NAN) Mr Frank Izuaige, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South Youth Leader in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Izuagie, on Friday in Benin led some of his members on a courtesy visit to Edo Government House, and assured that they would work to ensure victory of all APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

Izuagie and his supporters were received by Mr Mathias Momoh, the Edo North APC political leader.

He said that he was very happy to receive the defectors into the ruling APC, assuring that Izuagie and his supporters will be given the necessary positions that due them.

Momoh presented defectors to the state Deputy Governor, Mr Philip Shaibu.

Shaibu while speaking said that their coming into APC was a blessing to the party, noting that it is a plus to the APC.

“From today, all APC programmes taking place, you and your supporters shall be part of it, for the fact that you are just joining us today will not make any difference between us.

“We are family now, as soon as you join us, you will enjoy all the benefits, we look forward to seeing you help us win our opponents with a very good margin,” he said.

The deputy governor thanked the leaders of his party in Edo North for working hard to ensure that the APC and all its candidates emerged winners in the upcoming elections. (NAN)
AJOM/BOLA/MST
Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Group says PDP engaging in campaign of misinformation

Group says PDP engaging in campaign of misinformation
By Emmanuel Mogbede
Campaign
Abuja, Jan. 14, 2019 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) Media and Strategic Communication of Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Team has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched campaign of misinformation against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Alhaji Abdulmumini Jibrin, the Director of the team, made the allegation at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
“The Director-General of the opposition PDP campaign in an uninspiring interview attempted to cast aspersion on the present government forgetting he is indeed part of the government,” he said.
He stated that no government in the country’s history had changed the socio-political and economic lives of Nigerians in a more positive way as had been experienced by the sterling performance of the Buhari-led administration.
He recalled that the Buhari administration in 2015 campaigned on three major issues, including the economy, corruption and security.
He said there were so far, positive developments that were difficult to ignore nationwide on the three issues.
“In the fight against corruption, the administration has recorded landmark achievements. They include the strict implementation of TSA, blocking leakages, mutual legal aid assistance and signing up to the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
“In terms of fighting insecurity, the government has made headway in the North-East but the war is far from being over as the Boko Haram sect has been degraded to the fringes of Lake Chad basin,” he said.
On his committee’s strategic plan for polling units ahead to ensure APC’s electoral victory at the polls, Jibrin said: “May I use this opportunity to unveil operation Lashe Akwatuna’’.
He explained that Operation Lashe Akwatuna was a voter mobilisation and awareness project by the team under the chairperson of the wife of President Buhari, Aisha.
According to him, the project is a one-day voter mobilisation and awareness campaign in the 119,937 polling units across the country, concurrently for Buhari and All APC candidates in the coming elections.
“Operation Lashe Akwatuna will cover all segments of voters in a unit which comprises of our supporters, undecided voters and opposition voters.
“The operation will carry its campaign to the doorstep of these three segments of voters in polling units across the country on the same day and at the same time.
“The operation will use the APC structure in the 119,937 units across the country and various campaign committees of Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and States Assemblies candidates who will come together to organise the operation in the units,” he said.
Jibrin added that the committee would mobilise a strong procession that would go round polling units to engage eligible voters on the achievements of the present administration and the need for the re-election of Buhari.
This, he said, they would do, going from door to door, adding that the procession will ensure that it covered every nook and cranny of the units.
He expressed optimism that the operation would take the party’s campaign to the grassroots which was the base of its voting population and polling units.
“This one-day operation can be repeated severally and concurrently across the country before election day,” he further said.
He commended the wife of the president for the revolution she had brought into the political arena by recognising the role of women and youth in political campaigns.
Jibrin said this was unprecedented, adding that the initiative had manifested in the massive turn out of electorate at APC rallies in states visited so far.
He said this had indeed given another level of power to women and youths who were the true determinants of any election. (NAN)
EEM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

2019: Ortom panic as thousands dump PDP – APC

By Emmanuel Antswen
Panic
Makurdi, Oct. 27, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue said Gov. Samuel Ortom was already panicky following the defection of over 3,000 supporters of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to APC in Guma, his Local Government Area.

This is contained in a press statement signed by Mr James Ornguga, APC’s acting State Publicity Secretary, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Makurdi.

NAN reports that the Ortom administration had earlier accused the Benue APC of staging a political campaign at one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Daudu where they had deceived the IDPs to gather and collect relief materials.

“We understand that the duo of Akume and Jime lied to the displaced persons that they were visiting the camp to give them relief materials, only for the IDPs to discover that it was a campaign rally,” Akase, Ortom’s spokesperson said.

But the APC in its reaction to the statement said the accusation was “infantile to have emanated from a sitting governor” and described it as not only “shameful but a display of immaturity from a panicky government”.

“We read a comical statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, Mr Terver Akase, wherein he alleged that our party had organized the IDPs for distribution of relief materials and ended up tagging same as a “campaign rally”.

“This accusation is too infantile to have emanated from the spokesperson of a sitting governor but since we are used to the many lies of the Ortom administration in close to four years, the APC can at most describe the action as shameful and a display of immaturity from a panicky government.”

According to the statement, Benue APC on Oct. 26 organized a defection ceremony at Daudu, Guma where a former Speaker of the state, Mr Stephen Tsav, and over 3,000 PDP members from Nyiev, Mbagwen and Mbawa defected to APC.

“Everyone who witnessed that event would be forced to commiserate with the Benue State Governor since it marked the end of PDP in Guma, his home local government.

“Rather than mourn this gross deflation of the PDP in one of its strongholds in Benue, Governor Samuel Ortom’s image maker has opted to ridicule himself with careless words that clearly expose the governor’s insomnia over this gathering.”

Ornguga in the statement said the APC governorship candidate, Mr Emmanuel Jime, has overtime made serious efforts in finding “national” lasting solutions to the farmers/herders crisis, adding that he had also genuinely supported the IDPs.

“The CPS could not even recall Jime’s superlative visit to IDPs early this year where he donated genuine relief materials to the displaced and not just to hold a mere dance session with them as it has become Gov Ortom’s cosmetic displays.

“Well, a government that cannot ascertain its actual wage bill in four years cannot pay attention to activities of the people it claims to govern.

“Both the APC governorship candidate and Senator Dr George Akume have relentlessly invested genuine efforts in ending this crisis overtime without resorting to media propaganda to curry cheap favours.”

The party further challenged the governor to showcase his scorecard, stop blaming past governors for his failures and commission projects if they exist.

“Yes, the APC’s gathering yesterday would not have been complete without a mention of the many failures of the current Benue State Government which by all human parameters is the worst in the history of the state.

“Till today, Benue IDPs are in the worst of conditions despite the huge security vote the state harnesses. We call on the governor and his team not to activate the panic button just yet as more defections will hit his “new-old party” in the weeks ahead,” the statement added. (NAN)
AEB/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Defection of ex-Perm Sect, supporters buries PDP in Nasarawa – Speaker

Defection of ex-Perm Sect, supporters buries PDP in Nasarawa – Speaker
By Awayi Kuje
Defection
Kokona (Nasarawa State), July 24, 2018 (NAN) The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, says the exit of Mr John Mamman, a retired Permanent Secretary in the state, and thousands of his supporters marks the end of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
Reacting to the defection of Mamman to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday at Kokona, Abdullahi made this known described the defector as a renowned politician and a longest serving “general of PDP” in the area.
The speaker said that Mamman’s joining of the APC was a great loss and set back to the PDP and a big fish to the ruling APC which would boost the chances of APC in winning all elective positions in the area and the state at large.
“With the defection of Mamman to APC, it marks the end of PDP not only in Kokona Local Government Area of the state but in the Nasarawa West senatorial district at large.
“We have been waiting for him to join our party, now that God has touched him to join us, PDP is finished,” he said.
According to him, in the forthcoming election, all the 10 members of the state House of Assembly from Nasarawa West, House of Representatives members and Senate will come from the APC by God’s grace.
Abdullahi called on the people of the area to work with Mamman in order to ensure the victory of the party come 2019 and beyond.
He added that President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Tanko Al-Makura led administrations had brought the needed and positive change to the people of the state and Nigeria at large.
The speaker therefore urged Nigerians to continue to support Buhari and Al-Makura to enable them succeed in delivering more dividends of democracy.
Besides, Abdullahi urged the people of the state to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities; live in peace and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
He restated the commitment of the assembly to continue to enact laws and resolutions that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mamman officially defected from PDP to APC in his Dari electoral ward on July 21.
He said at the occasion that he had remained a long standing “general’’ of the PDP in the state.
According to him, he joined PDP in May 1998 and never considered defecting to any political party since then.
Mamman, however, said the time had come for him to dump the PDP, adding that the APC under Buhari is a better option for him.
“I choose to join the APC due to the developmental strides of President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Tanko Al-Makura, which have direct impact on the lives of the people,’’ he said.
The retired permanent secretary also said joining the APC would provide him the chance to contribute his quota to the development of his community, the state particular and the country at large. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Oyegun receives Elechi, 6,000 others into APC in Ebonyi

NAN-H-46
APC
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, Nov 17, 2017 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has received former Governor of Ebonyi, Chief Martin Elechi and his wife Mrs Josephine Elechi into the APC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 6,000 other former members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) including former Deputy National Chairman of the Party, Chief Solomon Onwe joined Elechi in defecting to the APC.

Odigie-Oyegun while receiving the decampees applauded them for choosing to leave their former party to join the APC, saying that APC was known for its adherence to internal democracy and discipline.

He said that APC was in control of 24 States out of the 36 States of the federation and expressed optimism that Anambara would be won by thr APC after the Nov 18 gubernatorial elections.

He said that APC was set to take over the Ebonyi Government House in 2019 and expressed confidence in the ability of the party to wrestle power from the ruling PDP due to the quality and calibre of personalities in the party.

He described Elechi and Onwe as men with great political clout and sagacity, stressing that their entry into the APC would boost the chances of the party in 2019.

“They have not only come; they have not only joined but they have come with a retinue of quality supporters.

“It is my view that with the quality of men and women we are having that Ebonyi APC is finally ready to chase out the PDP from the Government House.

“You are now part of the APC family, we welcome all of you and together we shall match to victory come 2019,” Odigie-Oyegun said.

Elechi in his address said that he defected to the party along side thousands of his supporters due to alleged injustices and lack of internal party democracy in his former party.

He applauded the National chairman of APC for upholding justice and internal party democracy in APC, pledging support and commitment of the decampees to ensure landslide victory for APC in the 2019 general elections.

Elechi, who accused the Gov. Dave Umahi’s PDP led government of insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Ebonyi citizens, said that APC government would right the wrongs and restore value to governance in the state.

He critised the Umahi administration for its intolerance to credible opposition views, attack on press freedom, crippling the economy with needless loans and penchant for abandoning existing projects in preference for unrealizable elephant projects.

“The change we all clamour for is finally here with us; we are heralding the dawn of a new era in the Ebonyi body polity.

“The APC has come to salvage the decaying political values caused by the mis-governance of one man who has lost focus of what political leadership and governance entails.

“A man who prefers to embark on unrealizable elephant projects that have no direct bearing on the lives of the people.

“We built an international market with about 8,000 lock-up shops which is still not given out to the market men and women who need these shops and our Governor embarked on construction of shopping mall.

“The Governor abandoned Oferekpe gigantic water scheme and we hear that he is now embarking on construction of tunnel while our children are out of school due to the inability of parents to pay their school fees and pensioners being owed months of arrears, ” Elechi said.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration’s fight against armed insurgency, corruption and driving the country out of economic recession.

In his address, the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, described the defection of Elechi and his supporters as historic.

Onu, while congratulating the decampees for their decision explained that the party members were happy to welcome them into the fold.

He said: “You deserve the best, the best is for you. We welcome you into the family where you rightly belonged.

“Nigeria is on a journey to greatness to assert her importance among the comity of nations.

“I urge all Nigerians and Ebonyi people to continue to support the administration of President Buhari.

“I commend you for choosing not only to identify with the change revolution but also to participate through your defection in causing the change to happen,” Onu said.

Earlier, the APC Acting chairman in the state, Mr Eze Nwachukwu, welcomed the party’s National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee (NWC), saying that the visit would strengthen the party ahead of 2019 elections.

He said that the State chapter had laid to rest the crisis that engulfed the party and was united as one indivisible family now.

He described the defection of Elechi and his supporters into APC as further confirmation that Ebonyi is an APC state, adding that the party had become more strengthened and repositioned.

Nwachukwu reaffirmed the support of the APC in Ebonyi to the second term reelection of Buhari, maintaining that members would throw their weight behind the project.

“We are happy to receive your Excellency, our indifaguable National chairman and your team to Ebonyi.

“The galaxy of people including the former Governor of the state you are receiving and welcoming into our great party is clear testimony that Ebonyi is APC and that we are ready to take over the Ebonyi sit of power.

“We support your leadership of our great party and are pledging our unalloyed loyalty to your leadership.

“We also reaffirm our support to the 2019 reelection of Mr President, the leader of our party and we appeal to him to present himself for reelection,” Nwachukwu said.

NAN reports that decampees included Chief Edward Nkwoagu, Labour Party 2015 governorship candidate, some former Senators, former House of Representatives members, Commissioners, Special Assistants, Permanent Secretaries and local government chairmen who served under Elechi. (NAN)
ODO/IS
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz