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With Saraki’s Defection, APC Can Now Breath Fresh Air – Lai Mohammed

Alhaji Lai Muhammed

Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that with the defection of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can now breath fresh air.
Speaking to news men at the presidential villa, Abuja, Lai Mohammed said that Sarak had all along playing opposition in the leadership of the Senate, working against the APC.
“He (Saraki) has been behaving like an opposition and his action has been slowing down government.”
The minister, who hails from Kwara state, said that APC will continue to grow stronger in the state, saying that on paper or in the minds of people, it would look like losing Saraki was a big deal but in actual fact, the party has lost nothing.
On the dissolution of the state executive of the APC by the Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC), the minister said the continued existence of the state executive was “like having enemies in your midst.”
He said that the people of Kwara state were excited that the true APC are emerging following the defection.
“No one no matter how big cannot make a forest.”

 

We’ll Win Election Wherever We Are, Saraki Vows

Senate president, Bukola Saraki has made it clear that he and those in his political camp will always win election in whichever party they find themselves.
Saraki, who spoke to news men today, Wednesday in Ilorin, a day after defecting from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), assured his supporters in the state that there was no cause for worry, adding that his decision to quit the APC was in the interest of his people who he alleged have been marginalised in terms of appointments by the APC government.
during a chat with journalists in Ilorin.
“The Federal Government appointed over 200 persons into juicy offices without allotting any slot to me or (Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu) Dogara. Everything went to Katsina, Katsina, Lagos, Lagos. If not for the love I have for Nigeria, we would have scattered everything. They don’t want us in their party. They don’t like us in Kwara.
“What I am after is for my people to enjoy dividend of democracy. I want us to be in the party that will love my people. Wherever we are, we will win elections. The governor told me he’s tired of the APC.
“We discussed this issue last week when I came home. You told me that you were tired of the APC, but I asked you to exercise patience. I told you that I will seek God’s guidance and feed you back on my return to Ilorin.
“Those we are talking to in the Peoples Democratic Party have understood that we need to move Nigeria forward. There is no cause for alarm. We should forget about personal ambition as we move to a new party. What should be paramount in our minds is Nigeria’s progress.
“We will set up our committee which will be meeting with the PDP committee. I’ve met with great stakeholders in the PDP such as Prof. Sulaiman, Ajibola Simon and Yekini Alabi and we have all agreed to work together. We should cooperate with the PDP people who we are joining.”

 

President Buhari Has No Hand In Press Council Amendment Bill – Presidency

Shehu Garba

Nigerian Presidency has corrected a notion being floated by goups and individuals that President Muhammadu Buhari is the brain behind  the Nigerian Press Council Amendment Bill, saying that such notion is not true.
Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke to newsmen today, Wednesday on the controversy surrounding the proposed amendment of the law sponsored as a Private Member’s Bill, said that all the attacks against the government as a result of the bill were misdirected, since it has nothing at all to do with the Executive.
“This is a privately-sponsored bill. President Muhammadu Buhari is not involved. President Buhari should not be blamed for the actions of the legislators whom we voted to represent us in the National Assembly.
“At the same time, the Presidency would like to assure everyone that, however the process ends, President Buhari will not compromise his impeccable and untainted democratic credentials by signing into law, any bill that violates the letter or the spirit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

 

Governor Aminu Tambuwal Defects From APC To PDP

Governor Tambuwal addressing supporters at the Government House in Sokoto

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor announced his defection on Wednesday at the Government House, Sokoto, North-West Nigeria.

He made the announcement amid hundreds of supporters who stormed the Government House to declare their support for him.

Governor Tambuwal explained on his Twitter handle that he took the decision after a wide consultation with the people of the state who assured him of their support for his next political move.

The announcement comes after weeks of speculation that the governor was planning to leave the ruling party and one day after he called on Nigerians to reject what he described as “prison-yard democracy”.

Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, is the third APC governor to exit the party after his Benue and Kwara state counterparts, Samuel Ortom and Abdulfatah Ahmed joined the PDP.

APC Spokesman, Bolaji Resigns, Complains Of Usurpation Of His Job

Bolaji-Abdullahi

The National publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),  Bolaji Abdullahi, has resigned from the party, complaining that his job is being usurped by those he didn’t name.

In a statement today, Wednesday, Bolaji said that in view of recent political developments in the country and within the APC), he had decided to resign his position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today, August 1.

“In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards.

“I have served the APC honestly and to the best of my ability and when I stood for and won my election at the last convention, it was a keen desire to continue to do so.

“However, in a situation whereby my loyalty is constantly brought into question; my subordinates deployed to subvert my office; and my views constantly second-guessed on the basis of my political affiliation, it has become imperative for me to review my position.”

Bolaji said that since assuming office as the spokesman of the party, he had tried to set a new template for public political communications in a way that departs from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past, where cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even celebrated as measures of competence. “Unfortunately, those who felt I was not “forceful enough” framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a lack of commitment to the party.

“The unlawful dissolution of the validly elected party executive in Kwara State earlier in the week was only another phase in the unrelenting assault I have had to endure.

“As a national officer of the party, who sit in that Committee, courtesy should demand that my views be sought on a matter that concerns my State and in which I am directly involved.

“That action was, to say the least, disrespectful.”

The APC Spokesman recalled that recently, the party leaders took the oath to do justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with their official responsibilities, adding that with this obviously presumptuous action, and the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in Kwara State, the NWC has taken sides, violated its oath office and subverted its own credibility as an impartial arbiter.

“Yet, these are the same people that have continued to insinuate that others are serving interests other than those of the party.

“Politics is local, and my personal stake in the issue of Kwara makes it incongruous for me to continue to sit as part of the working committee of the party.

“Clearly, I cannot continue to function as the spokesman of a party whose expectations of that role is incompatible with my personal principles. In the same token, I can no longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party which has now made it clear to the world that the political group that I belong is no longer wanted, and which has hung my membership of that group as an albatross around my neck.”

Saraki Acknowledges Reconciliatory Efforts Of Oshiomhole, Osinbajo, But…

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has acknowledged the efforts of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and national chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole to reconcile aggrieved members of the party with its leadership but that it was too late.
Saraki who announced his defection to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday after months of speculations amid a protracted battle with a power bloc in APC, said that the peace efforts made by Osinbajo, Oshiomhole and governors would have made him “to reconsider the situation” if such efforts were allowed to yield intended results.
“The emergence of a new national party executive a few weeks ago held out some hopes, however slender,” Sarki said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The new party chairman has swung into action and did his best alongside some of the Governors of APC and His Excellency, the Vice President.”
The Senate President said that the. defections might not have been if a powerful bloc in the party had allowed for a genuine dialogue to take place.
“As I have realized all along, there are some others in the party leadership hierarchy, who did not think dialogue was the way forward and therefore chose to play the fifth columnists,.
“These individuals went to work and ensured that they scuttled the great efforts and the good intentions of these aforementioned leaders of the party.” [myad]

Buhari Becomes ECOWAS Chairperson

Fifteen West African leaders under the umbrella of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have elected President Muhammadu Buhari Of Nigeria to lead them.

The election of President Buhari was the high point of the 53 ECOWAS Summit which ended today, Tuesday, in Lome, Togo. Buhari took over from the Togolese President, Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe.

Responding to his election before he took over the mantle, President Buhari said that he did not bargain for the position but his colleagues heads of government would not listen.

“I did not ask for the position but you would not take my no for an answer,” Buhari complained even as he told his fellow leaders that, “I am truly humbled and pledge to serve and work with all of you to deliver on peace, security, good governance and socio-economic development” of the sub-region, and “take our organisation to greater heights.”

President Buhari also commended his immediate predecessor and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe for successfully hosting two important meetings of the Joint Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and ECOWAS as well as the 53rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

The new Chairman had earlier been presented with the Emblem of ECOWAS by the outgoing Chairman, while the next meeting of the organisation will take place in Abuja on December 21, 2018.

 

Saraki, Governor Ahmed Quit APC For PDP

Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki has finally decamped from the All Progressives Congress to the opposition PDP on Tuesday, after weeks of speculations and expectations.

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfattah Ahmed, also declared his exit from the APC, simultaneously, with his boss.

He made the announcing via his twitter handle: “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Saraki’s exit from the party was an anti-climax as he had openly romanced with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, of which he was a member until 2014.

The resignation also came amidst expectations that the APC would formally expel him and Speaker Yakubu Dogara from the party.

Both senior members of the ruling party had been accused of disloyalty and anti-party activities, the latest of which was the joint statement issued by the duo accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of masterminding the political crisis in Benue state.

On Monday, the National Working Committee of the APC stripped Saraki and Governor Ahmed of the control of the party’s structure in the state, by dissolving the executives from the ward to the state level, an indication that the party was finished with them.

The party appointed a caretaker committee to take control of the party affairs. The party hinged its action on the party’s constitution.

Those Who Ruptured Peace In Nigeria Won’t Have Last Laugh, Presidency Vows

Femi Adesina

The Presidency has vowed that those who ruptured the peace in different parts of the country will not have the last laugh.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who made the vow today, Tuesday, when he hosted members of the Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ikoyi, and Orji Kalu Foundation, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of a Peace Rally, said: “for those working against peace in our country, I have news for them.
“They will never win. Nigeria will have peace, and if the evildoers don’t settle for peace, that peace will be attained without them. Whether they like it or not, peace will return to Nigeria, despite the difficult times we are passing through now.”
The media adviser commended the peace marchers for their initiative, noting that the quest for peace was very dear to the heart of the President, “and no matter what the people say, we will get to that peaceful shore in this country.”
“Diversity should be a source of strength, rather than a centrifugal force, Adesina added, submitting that ethnicity, religion, language, and political differences need not lead to animosities and shedding of innocent blood.”
During the visit, Hon. Demian Igbokwe read a speech on behalf of Chief Orji Kalu, former governor of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was one of the brains behind the Peace Walk.
Under the title ‘Peace is Possible in Nigeria,’ Kalu lamented that the country had over the years been in the grips of ethno-religious crises, agitations, hatred, distress, insecurity, disunity, violence, hardship and general failure.
“Peace is not just a word, it is an act. It is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it. And it is not enough to believe in it, one must act on it.”
He said that if peace would be possible in Nigeria, Nigerians must see themselves as brothers and sisters, there must be massive enlightenment on the values of peaceful co-existence, everyone must be involved in security, and there must be synergy among the security agencies.

Buhari To Honour 83-Year Old Islamic Cleric

Mallam Abdullahi Abubakar,

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to honour an 83-year-old Islamic Cleric, Abdullahi Abubakar, who recently shielded and saved about 300 Christians from attackers in Nghar Yelwa village of Barikin Ladi Local Government of Plateau state.
The State Governor, Simon Lalong, who dropped this hint in Jos, the state capital, at the opening of a three-day peace and security conference organized by the State Peace Building Agency, said that President Buhari had asked him to bring the Cleric to Abuja for a national honour and presidential handshake.
“It was only God who knows why he (Imam) did it at that age, it is now for us to study what he did and to also see how we would do to maintain peace.
“Let’s us use his example to maintain peace not only in Plateau, but in Nigeria, because what he did that time not only saved the people of Barikin Ladi, not only of Plateau state but the whole of this country.”

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