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APC Chairmanship: Oyegun to be Eased Out, Oshiomhole to Emerge by Consensus

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There are strong indications that the next National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress will emerge by consensus.

According to Sunday Punch, Highly-placed party sources revealed that the ongoing ward, local government and state congresses were “dress rehearsals” for what would happen in June during the national convention.

A member of the outgoing National Working Committee of the party, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the party had considered the consensus option to produce party executives at all levels.

He said, “We have had a precedence; even our outgoing National Chairman and most of us emerged by consensus. According to our party constitution, it is when the consensus option fails that you go into elections.

“Yes, it is true that Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari) and the National Executive Committee agreed to grant waivers to those of us who are still interested in seeking reelection, the position of National Chairman is one that, this time around, the incumbent is taking a dignified exit.

“The man loves this party and is prepared to make the sacrifice required to ensure we go into the 2019 elections as one united family.”

Another party official revealed that the incumbent National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had started preparing his handover notes.

“He (Odigie-Oyegun) is just waiting for the report of the congresses in order to complete his handover notes,” the party official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated.

“His decision to keep people guessing about whether or not he will seek reelection is  strategic and as things stand, he is stepping aside because even some governors, who wanted him to stay on, have withdrawn (their support) in the interest of the party.”

It was gathered that a former Cross River State Governor, Chief Clement Ebri, who is the only other person who has indicated interest in the position, is to be prevailed upon to step down for a former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

Doubts about where most APC state governors stand on the issue of the party leadership were cleared last Thursday when Oshiomhole made a formal declaration of his bid to contest the top party post.

He remains the only aspirant who has made known his intention to vie for the chairmanship seat.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who was at the event, announced that Oshiomhole’s quest for the party’s top job was “the project of governors.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed the likelihood of a consensus.

He said, “It (consensus) is likely because the step is the agreement by the National Executive Committee that party positions should remain in the zones they currently are.

“And when a position remains in the zone and states in the zone agree and that the state the position is zoned to picks a candidate, we don’t expect that that position will be keenly contested as it were.

“Like the position of the National Chairman is to remain in the South-South and Edo is currently occupying it, we don’t expect anyone outside there to contest the post, and so on.”

Abdullahi expressed confidence that the party’s national convention would go on smoothly as planned.

The Punch

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Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

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By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party  state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

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Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

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The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

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Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

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The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”

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