Some foreign delegates have lamented the ill-treatment they received at the ongoing national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) currently taking place at Eagles Square, Abuja.
In a video in circulation which was sighted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, a foreign delegate from Canada, said they arrived at the venue of the convention as early as 7 am but were not allowed admittance as at 1 pm.
He said they were asked to be in the queue but were beaten while some of them have their phones stolen.
“They sent us an e-mail that we should come by 7’o clock in the morning. We were there at 7 am. Later, they sent another e-mail that we should come at 9 am. They gave us a tag, took us on a bus. We went round all this place for almost one hour. They couldn’t let us in”.
“They finally told us to form a line. We got on the line. They started beating us, stealing our phones. As I am talking to you, we are still standing outside. Just look at what they are doing to foreign delegates. This is very unacceptable and the government has to know this. I came all the way from Canada and this is what we are getting”.
One of the contenders for the national chairmanship position of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Tanko Al-Makura has withdrawn from the race.
He withdrew from the race to support Senator Abdullahi Adamu who is believed to be the consensus candidate of the party for the position and enjoys the support of President Muhammadu Buhari.
This development was confirmed by Al-Makura’s spokesperson Danjuma Joseph and comes just a few hours before the commencement of the APC national convention in Abuja.
Al-Makura has previously declared he would not be withdrawing from the race to become the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Al-Makura, he can’t withdraw from the race simply based on speculations that President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reiterated that it prefers candidates contesting national working committee (NWC) positions to emerge through consensus.
This is at it added that members who feel otherwise about a consensus candidate would be allowed to test their popularity at the polls.
This position was made known on Friday by the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule who is the chairman of the media and publicity sub-committee of the APC national convention.
He submitted that the consensus option ensures the process is faster and rancour-free.
Sule however added that it doesn’t mean the APC would deny aspirants the opportunity to contest or for delegates to vote as anyone who disagrees with the consensus candidate would be allowed to slug it out at the polls.
He stated this during a press conference on Friday ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for Saturday (tomorrow) at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
Presidential hopeful and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has met with a candidate for the party’s chairmanship position, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Naija News reports that the Tinubu met behind closed doors with the former governor of Nasarawa State on Thursday at his residence in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
It is understood that the former Lagos governor met with Adamu to negotiate his emergence as the ruling party’s presidential candidate in 2023 and the party’s national convention slated for Saturday.
As of the time of filing this report, the two leaders have not released a statement regarding the meeting.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday night hosted Tinubu and other founder fathers of the party.
The President continues his consultation with stakeholders of the party ahead of the party’s national convention on the 26th of March.
The first Interim Chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, the lawmaker representing Imo West Senatorial district, Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau and former Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamako were in attendance.
Others at the dinner are Governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); Aminu Masari (Katsina) and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
The Caretaker Chairman of the ruling party, Mai Mala Buni and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha were in attendance also.
The dinner was fixed by President Buhari to appreciate the critical stakeholders for their continued support to his administration.
It is also expected that issues of leadership and crisis in the party were discussed during the dinner.
With the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) less than 48-hours away, the ruling has released its programme for the event.
Naija News reports that the programme for the convention scheduled for March 26th was released by the APC media and publicity sub-committee of the convention.
The APC National Convention would hold at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
The programme of events for the APC convention are as follows:
1. Arrival of Accredited National Delegates 10am-1pm
2. Arrival of the Members of the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) 1:30pm
3. Arrival of the APC State Governors, National Assembly Members, Ministers and Party Leaders 1:30-2:pm
4. Arrival of the Speaker of the House of Representatives 2:10pm
5. Arrival of the Senate President 2:20pm
6. Arrival of the National Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) 2:30pm
7. Arrival of the Vice-President 2:45pm
8. Arrival of the President 3:15pm
9. The National Anthem 3:30pm
10. Opening Prayers 3:35pm
11. Goodwill messages by Youth Wing, Women Wing, People Living with Disability (PLwD) and Diaspora Wing 3:40-4:50pm
12. Remarks by Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum and Representatives of Governors’ from each of the six geo-political zones 4:50-5:20pm
13. Interlude 5:20-5:25pm
14. Remarks by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 5:25-5:30pm
15. Remarks by the Senate President 5:30-5:35pm
16. Remarks by the Vice-President 5:35-5:40pm
17. Special Remarks by the President 5:40-5:55pm
18. Welcome Address by National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee Chairman and presentation of motions 5:55-6:10pm
i.Motion for the approval of constitution as amended
ii. Motion for the ratification of all activities carried out by CECPC
19. Remarks by the Chairman, Election Committee 6:10-6:20pm
20. Elections into Zonal and National Offices of the APC
21. Interlude
22. Counting and Collation of Votes
23. Declaration of Results/Swearing in of the newly elected executives
24. Acceptance Speech by the newly elected National Chairman of the APC
25. Motion for closing of the 2022 Extraordinary National Convention
The former vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, Peter Obi, has declared interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Naija News reports that he declared his ambition while addressing traditional rulers at the Anambra State Government conference hall Agu- Awka, Anambra State.
According to Peter Obi, his decision to declare his ambition before traditional rulers was done to get royal blessings.
“I am talking to the traditional rulers because if somebody begins any journey he must first tell his fathers,” he said.
“I am telling you as my fathers that I am coming out to contest the position of the president of Nigeria.
“You know me and you know how Nigeria is today. In 2019, I went with Atiku as the vice-presidential candidate but today I want to come out on my own.
“I just came to seek your blessings as the traditional rulers of the State.”
The former Anambra Governor said Nigeria is at the lowest ebb and needed somebody like him to move it forward.
While stating that he is in the presidential race to move Nigeria forward, Peter Obi insisted that he believes strongly in one united Nigeria
He said: “If I am voted as the president, I will secure Nigeria, create jobs for the teaming youths of the country and pull Nigeria out of poverty.
“Everything I have done regarding resources, I have managed them proudly.
“I want to move this country forward. I’m a Nigerian, I believe in one united Nigeria, I want it secure.
“I am not just aspiring for the political position but to serve and move the country forward.
“I have all it takes to be president and move the country forward.”
Naija News reports that following his declaration, Peter Obi will battle former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki and Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who have all purchased their forms, for the PDP Presidential ticket.
Former Lagos State governor and frontline aspirant for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Bola Tinubu, has absolved President Muhammadu Buhari of any blame for the parlous state of the country saying every Nigerian is to blame.
Tinubu stated this while delivering the 25th convocation lecture of the Lagos State University, LASU, titled ‘Global trends: Nigeria and its place in the world, do we love ourselves enough?’ on Thursday.
Represented by the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, he said, “Let us not fool ourselves. History is patient yet not forever lenient regarding negligent folly.
“There comes a time when there is no time. Our nation approaches such a moment.
“We have boasted of enormous potential for decades, consoling our discomfort by saying that potential will be realised tomorrow.
“But something disappointing seems to happen when tomorrow becomes today.”
He pointed out that after many years, yet greatness remains elusive.
According to him, “If greatness came merely by speaking of it, we would be among the greatest nation in human history.
“Instead, Nigeria remains locked in place. We remain an economy unjustly designed to export raw materials and import increasingly expensive finished products.
“The name of the raw materials might have changed from cocoa and groundnut to oil and gas. The dire effects of this uneven economic arrangement remain the same.
“We must be truthful enough to acknowledge this lapse, bold enough to correct it, and tolerant enough not to endlessly vilify each other for causing it. We are all both cause and hopefully solution. Let us join hands. We must reform this nation,” he said.
On the dichotomy in the country with regards to the population, he opined that, “One, populated by a select few who flourish in the financial, corporate and virtual worlds. This group will be able to buy and do anything they want.
“The other will be the crowded house of the majority who work hard but earn very little given their strenuous effort. They will struggle but not gain. Toil not to triumph but merely survive. This unfairness has gone too long. We must end it,” he noted.
Tinubu lamented that Nigeria had never experienced double-digit growth for any sustained period. Nigeria and South Korea had per capita incomes of roughly $800 in 1950, he said pointing out that by 2008, Nigeria’s per capita incomes doubled.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s ballooned by over 2000 per cent, Tinubu added.
He explained that for many northern states, the percentage of land under attack exceeds 30 per cent.
“We face a harmful dynamic. More people are forced off the land due to deforestation, desertification and low rural incomes. Some of them crowd into other rural areas competing for limited resources with existing inhabitants,” he said.
He said the government should focus on curtailing youth urban unemployment, promote agriculture, engage on real estate reform, invest in education, economy and infrastructure among others critical sectors to better the condition of the country.
The former governor donated a Centre for Leadership and Development worth one billion Naira to the university.
Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reportedly approved a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, as the consensus chairman of the party ahead of its Saturday’s national convention.
According to The Nation, the governors agreed to support Adamu as the party’s next chairman following his endorsement by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was learned that the governors bowed to the President and supported the candidature of Adamu at the end of their meeting on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja.
Also, the President and the 16 governors who were at the meeting picked former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, as Deputy National Chairman (South), while Abubakar Kyari is the consensus candidate for Deputy National Chairman (North).
It was also agreed at the meeting that all chairmanship aspirants who lost out would get a refund of their N20million nomination fee.
Before the President’s meeting with the governors, seven chairmanship aspirants were screened by Governor Aminu Masari-led screening committee.
Seven aspirants screened included Saliu Mustapha, Sani Musa, Tanko Al-Makura, Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Abdulaziz Yari and Mohammed Etsu.
Also screened for the position of Deputy Chair North were Sunny S. Moniedafe, Abubakar Girei, Yakubu Dogara, Isa Yuguda and Abubakar Kyari.
Nnamani and Emmanuel Joseph were screened for the Deputy Chair South post, while Iyiola Omisore, Adebayo Shittu and Ifeolu Oyedele were screened for the National Secretary position.
Naija News recalls that the President had endorsed the former Nasarawa governor as the APC chairman during his meeting with the governors in February.
Following the development, Adamu and some aspirants denied the reported endorsement, saying that the President has not endorsed the Nasarawa Central Senator.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday officially declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidency in Nigeria.
As earlier reported by Naija News, the official declaration was done at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
According to Atiku, he has all the qualities that Nigeria needs in a leader and he is offering himself to serve as the next President of the country.
He boasted that he has the idea of what is needed to fix Nigeria and is ready to be a President who understands and inspires.
Below is the full speech read by Atiku during his declaration.
AS ONE PEOPLE WITH ONE FUTURE WE WILL BE ONE COUNTRY – ATIKU ABUBAKAR’S MISSION TO RESCUE NIGERIA
1. Introduction.
First, I want to thank you all for being here today and for all your enduring support. I know there are over twelve million Nigerians out there, who may not be here with us today, but they have been with us since the 2019 election. I know these numbers are growing every day. I want to thank you all for believing in our vision.
I want to thank you all for your bravery. Despite the disappointment in the last election, you still believe that this time around, it is possible. For me, I could say there was never a break. Since our last fight in the court, challenging the 2019 election results, I have received several calls and encouragements from you to contest again.
I have listened to your brave voices. Beyond the words coming out of your mouths, I could imagine your frustrations, yet you are hopeful. I admire you greatly for choosing hope over despair.
I know why you are doing this. You are doing this because deeply you believe something good is possible and is coming to Nigeria.
In the face of the worst division, you believe this country can still unite. In the face of economic hardship, you believe prosperity is coming. In the face of the worst insecurity, you believe peace is possible. I also share in your optimism; that is why I am here today to give you an answer.
2. The 2023 Election.
The 2023 election is not just like the usual elections; it is a referendum to decide whether we want greatness or continuous destruction. It is a choice between two paths: the path of unity and progress or the path of division and backwardness.
We need a new kind of leadership that will steer us to a positive path. In 2023, we want a President who has ideas on how to fix Nigeria. We want a president who understands, who inspires and is empathetic.
As the election is fast approaching, we should not be distracted from the devastating conditions we are in now. The ruling party wants to divide us; they want to divide us along the political, ethnic, and religious lines so that we forget to blame them for the rising inflation.
They want to distract us from holding them responsible for the insecurity and rising poverty. They want us to be facing each other and hating one another. We should focus on the issues, not our differences. Let us unite and fight our common enemies: the lack of unity, insecurity, poverty, inflation, and unemployment.
That is what this election is about. I have no doubt in my mind that we as Nigerians can do it. We have done it in 1993. We can do it in 2023. We must stand firm, get our PVCs, come out en-masse, cast our votes, and protect it against any manipulation.
I have contested for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a couple of times in the past. My enduring persistence is borne out of my passion to rekindle the Nigerian dream that I was privileged to live.
Nigeria is a land of possibility. There is no challenging background that will make any Nigerian give up. I am a living witness to what is possible in Nigeria.
3. My Story
Who could have ever imagined, an eleven-year-old village orphan, who had to rear other people’s cattle to raise money to feed his family, would have the opportunity to go to school for free, rise through the cadre of a decent profession, establish successful businesses, and become the Vice President of this country?
That is the Nigerian dream and that is my story. That is the possibility I want to pass to you and your children. No matter your current circumstances, that should not limit your success in life. There should not be any limit to what you want to achieve if you are willing to work for it.
That is my dream for Nigeria. However, that is not possible without credible and visionary leadership, and that is what I want to offer to Nigerians.
4. The Declaration
You and I know that Nigeria is in dire need of visionary leadership. Our fundamental principles and purpose as a nation have never been challenged as it is today. Presently, Nigeria is a sinking ship; it must be rescued urgently. That is why I am happy to announce my candidacy for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
I offer myself to rescue the sinking ship. Under my captainship, this ship will sail to a brighter course by the grace of God.However, this journey is not mine alone. It is a journey I am taking for all Nigerians. It is also a journey to a destination I planned with my late great mentor, Major General Shehu Musa Yar’adua, and with my beloved compatriot, the late, and great, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. May their souls rest in peace.
These two gentlemen helped me find my path in politics, and as a group we had a vision to run Nigeria in a businesslike manner, where, as one nation, we would bid farewell to poverty, by understanding our differences, and harnessing them to do together what we would not be able to do separately.
5. My Plan
Under my presidency, I want to focus on five key areas: Unity of Nigeria, Security, Economy, Education and devolving more resources and powers to the federating units.
Since the civil war, the unity of Nigeria has never been threatened as it is today. Nigerians are losing hope in the oneness of this country. My fellow Nigerians, I am the unifier that is coming to bond the broken union.
We will open doors for dialogue to hear the grieving voices of all Nigerians. Under my presidency, there will be a new Nigeria, where everybody has an equal voice and is heard.
Throughout my life, I have never looked at Nigerians as divided people. In my eyes, all Nigerians are the same. When I see you, I don’t see Yoruba or Hausa or Igbo or Fulani or a northerner or southerner; when I see you, I only see a Nigerian, and I expect the best from you.
All Nigerians are equal and should be seen and treated equally. There is no unity without justice and fairness. That is why I will deliver leadership of justice and fairness.
Why is unity a priority? Well, we must work to strengthen our unity as my dear friend and brother, Chief Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, once said. National integration, he continued, will not come as a gift. It is the role of government to work very hard and promote it.
The APC administration has failed in its fundamental responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians. The most significant human right is the right to life, which has not been protected under the APC administration.
Our military forces are fighting on the front lines without equipment and morale. That is not fair. If we get into power, we will increase the welfare of all security forces. We will use modern technology and intelligence to combat insecurity. We will also increase the number of personnel for our security agencies.
Why security? Because national security is the first sign of a functional government, and where it does not exist, we must not blame those who threaten it. We can only blame a government that allows it to be threatened. And if I am elected as your President, insecurity is one thing I will not tolerate.
All the macro-economic indicators are not favorable under the APC administration. APC inherited single-digit inflation; they now increased it to about 16%. When APC came into power, unemployment was around 9%; now, unemployment is more than 33%.
The Exchange Rate was N197 to a Dollar in 2015, but in the hand of APC, Naira suffered the worst devaluation ever. As we speak, the exchange rate is more than N400 to a dollar, the official rate.
That was not the change we wanted. If we get elected, we will create alternative sources of foreign exchange supply to Nigeria and reduce importation to increase the value of the Naira.
They said we should go back to the farmlands. How can you ask people to go to the farms while you have not secured the farms? People cannot go back to the farm because they are afraid, they could be kidnapped or killed.
Under my leadership, we will ensure absolute security because that is the number one condition for economic prosperity. We will provide access to mechanized farming systems and develop the agricultural value chain. We must diversify our foreign exchange sources through exports of processed agricultural products.
When APC came into power, Nigeria’s debt was N12 trillion, and now they increased it to N32 trillion. They still want to borrow more. Under my leadership, we will reduce government borrowing. Too much borrowing comes at the detriment of future growth.
We will operate a liberal economy that allows small businesses to grow through lower taxes and charges for small businesses and low-income earners. We will encourage the expansion of the private sector to spur economic growth.
For our population to have a positive impact, we must equip our people with modern competitive skills and provide the right environment for them to thrive. As Chief Abiola once said, “we in Nigeria must not allow ourselves to be left behind.” If you look at our present state, you will agree with me that the world, and sadly, even the rest of Africa have left us behind.
More than 100 million Nigerians are either unemployed, underemployed, or unemployable. How could our ever-increasing population be of added value if we do not create opportunities for our people?
I know how to create jobs. I built several successful businesses and companies within Nigeria, and as a result of which thousands of people are gainfully employed. If I can manage my businesses well, I can manage the Nigerian economy well.
Education should be given free to every Nigerian, at least up to the secondary school level. I know the value of education; if not because of education, what kind of value would someone like me, a poor child from a small village would have added to Nigeria?
That is why I established an educational community in my hometown, where I built schools from Kindergarten to University all in one place to provide education to the promising younger generation.
The success of any educational policy is not measured based on the number of bodies in classrooms or schools alone but also the quality and relevance of the education. That is why we will invest in improving access and quality of education.
Nelson Mandela once said, “No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated.”
Every Nigerian must have access to affordable and decent healthcare. No Nigerian should be afraid of falling sick just because they cannot pay for the hospital bill. We will strengthen our health care programs so that every Nigerian can have access to the required minimum healthcare quality.
Nigerians cannot afford to pay high petrol prices. That is why we must ensure sufficient refining capacities within Nigeria. If we do that, petrol will be cheaper because it is locally produced. In the meantime, we will protect Nigerians from higher petrol prices through a new comprehensive Energy Policy.
To provide an adequate and affordable electricity supply for every Nigerian, we will ensure sufficient investment in the sector. We will leverage renewable energies to power homes and commercial centers.
And that is why we must provide opportunity for our people. When the citizens of any nation have the opportunity to progress at their own pace, they themselves will help make insecurity a thing of the past. We must remember that terror only thrives where there is local support and crime flourishes where it is profitable.
If we introduce opportunities for Nigerians to express and progress themselves, we would have depressed the insecurity.
6. My Policy Document
As you are aware, I am a man of policy. I will never be that kind of a president operating based on impulse. My administration will be guided by a consolidated and timely policy document.
You and I will be working together to update and review my existing policy document. We should consolidate our ideas into a unified people’s policy that will reflect the realities and possibilities of the current time. The consolidated and reviewed people’s policy document will be announced in due course. It will also serve as an input into the PDP manifesto.
7. Style of governance
I am confident in my ability to deliver inclusive governance. I invite every well-meaning Nigerian to join me in rescuing Nigeria. I don’t have to be the most qualified Nigerian, but I should be wise enough to bring together the most qualified Nigerians to work with them even if I don’t know them previously. I will summon the best brains and work with them.
I would like to work more with young people. Young people are more agile, creative, and conversant with contemporary opportunities and challenges. I too, I feel like I am a 25-year-old. So, you can call me a youth too.
Our administration is going to be a transition of power from the senior generation to a younger generation.
We will cut down the cost of governance because leaders must sacrifice first for the benefit of the people. We will set our fiscal budget within a realizable and realistic level so that we can reduce government debts. We will support and actively engage the private sector in building infrastructure and creating more job opportunities.
8. Conclusion
In the end, this campaign is not about me; it is about you; it is about the future of this country. Let our stories be told for generations to come that we are the ones that rescued Nigeria when it was on the verge of fatal destruction. This is our last opportunity to write our names with the golden ink of history. It must be now or never.
This time around is different; our journey will not end at the poll; we will get to work and rescue Nigeria. I invite every Nigerian to join me in this mission to save our dear country. I believe together we can do it. This is what we owe to Nigeria and the future generation. I have never been this optimistic, and with your support and God’s grace, we will get to the promised land.
The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, did say that “after rain comes sunshine. After darkness comes the glorious dawn.” We have experienced rain, and darkness has enveloped us for too long. Now is the time for sunshine. The hour of our glorious dawn is finally here.
Let me take this opportunity to specially thank the executives and members of the North-East Business Community for not only encouraging me to contest once again, but also for going ahead to purchase the Expression of Interest and the Nomination Forms for me.
My appreciation also goes to all the members of TEECOM chaired by the High Chief Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to this project. I pray that God will crown our efforts with success.
AS ONE WE CAN GET IT DONE.
Thank you
God bless you
And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Governor of Ebonyi State David Umahi and his deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, are now banking on the Court of Appeal after the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday struck out their stay of execution application filed against their sacking by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
THE WHISTLER reported that the trial court had on March 8 ordered the removal of the duo over their defection to the All Progressive Congress despite winning the governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party platform.
Based on that, Umahi’s lawyers had filed an appeal before the appellate court while asking the same trial court to stay execution of its judgment.
Having filed an appeal, Umahi’s lawyers sought withdrawal of their application before the trial court.
The judge agreed with Umahi’s counsel by striking out the suit.
Recall that the governor had been ordered by a High court sitting in Ebonyi state to remain in office despite his sacking.
All parties are looking forward to the decision of the Appeal Court regarding his defection.
Former Governor of Borno state, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has withdrawn from the national chairmanship race of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naija News reports that this is coming days before the national convention of the ruling APC, scheduled for 26 March, 2022.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman said he decided to step down due to the zoning arrangement in the party which has ceded the office to North Central.
According to him, he would only rejoin the race should the ruling party change its mind between now and Friday.
Recall that the APC had zoned its chairmanship position to the North-Central with Senator Adamu Abdullahi, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, George Akume amongst others all from the zone gunning for the top position.
However, former Zamfara Governor, Abdulaziz Yari has insisted on carrying on with his ambition despite coming from the North-West.
