Politics
APC Congress: Omo-Agege warns members not to treat defectors as second-class citizens
Ahead of ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to elect new executives of the party at that level, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has called on party leaders to elect those domiciled in the units.
This comes as he warned against treating new defectors into the party as second-class citizens.
Speaking when he hosted leaders of the party from Delta North Senatorial District in his Asaba residence on Friday, Senator Omo-Agege stressed that a proper structure emplaced at the ward level would be used to win the next general election in 2023.
He tasked leaders of the party on the need for unity.
According to him, party structure at the ward level of every political party determines its successes or otherwise at elections.
“I am more interested in the leadership at the ward level because that is where we are going to be having the engine room to drive whatever we want to do.
“What we want to do is go to the ward level. And that is where we have the units. My idea is to take the party to the grassroots. And we cannot have only one leader at the ward. We have a lot of leaders at the ward level who can help us in this exercise. I would want us to invite those leaders. I don’t want any leader per ward to draw up a list of any exco. We want about 10 of our leaders per ward to sit down and allocate these slots to the various units comprising that ward.
“After you have allocated one exco slot per unit, ensure that whoever is going to occupy that slot in that unit resides in that unit. Please, do not allow or bring any list that will comprise somebody who lives here in Asaba and he wants to become a ward Chairman or Secretary in Igbuzor. And I want us to insist on this. There is a rationale for this: to help us mobilise for the general election. Because if we have an exco member who resides in that unit, what it means in effect is that we already have one person in that unit. And it is very difficult for you to rig an election where there is someone standing for you in that unit. That one person is going to assist us to put together the unit exco,” he stated.
He commended leaders of the party in Ndokwa nation for their sacrifices which, he said, have witnessed mass defection of PDP members to APC in the area. He urged them to continue with the drive to enlist more people into the party.
He added: “We don’t have joiners and founders in this party. Everybody has equal stake, entitlement and responsibility. We should celebrate the entrance of new members into the party and not treat them like second-class citizens. There is a lot that will go round when we prevail”.
The event which was graced by the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi; Chairman, Caretaker Committee, APC in Delta State, Prophet Jones Erue; Chairman, APC in Delta North Senatorial District, Prince Fred Mordi; former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Doris Udoh; elder statesman, Chief Hyacinth Enuha; former Commissioner of Housing in Delta State, Chief Paulinus Akpeki; Political Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Omene Sobotie; Chief of Staff to the Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Otive Igbuzor; his deputy, Alex Onwudiamu Esq among others.
In his remarks, Senator Nwaoboshi explained why he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This, he attributed, to historical antecedents of his people.
He noted that since the First Republic till date, political leaders from the area play their politicking at the centre and not as opposition.
He said: “As a student of history, I have taken pains to study the history of our people from 1960 to now and I have found out that an Anioma man has always been in the centre”.
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
Barrister Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general election, apprehensive of massive defection to the party urged defectors to go through legitimate route and due process.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokuta, Adebayo when he met with SDP members and executive members led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said the party is open to defectors, but they must do so legitimately.
Flanked by the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, the former presidential candidate allayed fears that defectors may hijack the party, stressing that the National Working Committee of SDP can only issue membership cards through the executive at the state levels.
He said, “People are counterfeiting naira, they are counterfeiting the dollar, they’re bringing counterfeit rice, and NAFDAC is chasing counterfeit drugs. Why are you surprised that there are counterfeit party cards? Especially if the party cards are carried by counterfeit politicians who have a history of doing counterfeiting in their former parties. So, we should forgive everybody, but this counterfeiting will not work in SDP.”
“We are not fighting anybody we are only saying ‘come to our house through the front door not through the ceiling or the window.’ That’s all. Everybody here joined the party legitimately, anybody coming will join legitimately”.
“We have spoken to the National Chairman and the NWC, he said there’s no counterfeiting of anything. Any card that’s not given through the state, LG and executives is not from the SDP. So, if they come, you will tell them to go away. Put your name in our register here and pay us here. We will get the card for you. That’s how it is”.
“They want to run faster than their legs. Secondly, you are hearing rumors that people are coming to our party, Awolowo is coming, Azikiwe is coming, Balewa, Ahmadu Bello is coming. Let’s see them. Nigerians know us and they know them.”
He ruled out any plan that SDP would merge or collaborate with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC or any political party ahead of 2027 general election.
According to him, SDP is committed to the well-being and welfare of Nigerians, while he ruled out insinuations that the party is an appendage of APC.
“Maybe APC has appendicitis; they should go to the hospital to kill it. We are a strong party. We are older than any of the parties available. Our mission is clear: we are not in government with them.
“I led the party in the last election. I’m still standing here. I’m not a minister under Tinubu; all the state chairman and the national chairman are intact, including the national secretary. So, we are standing on our own.
“The reason people look down on us is because we don’t attack people, but we tackle issues because our party is a party of intellect. We are the only party that’s a little to the left. Having been a little to the left since we came in 1989, we remain so.
“The problems of Nigeria can only be found with solutions on the left, which is that chapter two of the Constitution, invest money in education, in housing, in healthcare, good infrastructure, let Nigerians live what chief Obafemi Awolowo called a life more abundant,” he said.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
-
News1 week agoBill to establish National Cashew Production and Research Institute in Kogi passes first reading in Senate
-
News1 week agoReport of attack on Wike’s Port Harcourt residence false, misleading – Police
-
News1 week agoShehu Sani debunks Governor Uba Sani’s alleged diversion of LG funds, challenges El-Rufai to publicly tender evidence
-
News1 week agoPlateau gov’t expresses concern over violence in Shendam LGA, calls for calm
-
Sports1 week agoMerino gives Arsenal win over Chelsea
-
Politics6 days agoOpposition leaders announce coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027
-
Interview1 week agoSenators Natasha-Akpabio saga should have been resolved privately – Rev. Mrs Emeribe
-
News1 week agoNatasha uncovers arrest plot after reported Akpabio to IPU in New York