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Why APC will Rule Beyond 2023 – Oshiomhole

Published

6 years ago

August 23, 2019

Eric

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the ruling party will govern Nigeria beyond 2023.

He says this is because the ruling party has “demonstrated purposeful leadership to win the hearts of Nigerians.”

Oshiomhole said this in Abuja on Friday at the meeting of National Working Committee with governors elected on the platform of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Governors Forum Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, led the APC governors’ delegation.

On the delegation were governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) Abdulrazaq Abdurrahman (Kwara) Idi Gubana (Deputy Governor of Yobe) who represented Governor Mai Mala Buni, and Ahmed Mohammed (Deputy Governor Niger), who represented Governor Abubakar Bello.

Oshiomhole, who expressed confidence that the party would rule Nigeria beyond 2023 based on merit, stressed the importance of cooperation between the NWC and the governors.

“We believe our party has made a lot of progress in the three key areas that were reflected in our manifesto but there is a lot to be done.

“I am sure working together at both the executive, state and federal levels by the special grace of God, we will do better in this second term.

“As to merit, our party will continue to govern the country post-2023,” he said.

Oshiomhole, who said the task of leading the party had been challenging, said the party had gained grounds and would achieve better in the second term of President Buhari.

“It is quite a challenging experience for me. I try to compare myself as a governor and now as chairman of a party. And coming in at the eve of primaries and dealing with fall out of the previous congresses.

“And then proceeding to conduct elections. Then conduct primaries and campaigns across the 36 states and the FCT. And working hard to ensure that we secure as many votes as we can for our president.

“As well as support our states, particularly where we didn’t have state governors to ensure that we are able to lend a helping hand. I am happy to say that at the end of the day even though we lost some states we also gained some states.

”We gained Kwara, which for us is extremely important. And, we also gained Gombe state which is also very strategic among others.

“Of course, we have a clear majority in the National Assembly. We have more Senators elected on our platform, we also have more House of Representatives members elected on our platform,” he said.

Oshiomhole expressed confidence that the party would win its cases in court.

“Because we believe that a lot of our cases in court have merit. We hope that there will be justice and they would be resolved in our favour,’ he said.

Responding, Bagudu said the governors appreciate the vibrant relationship among different organs of the party.

“We are happy to cooperate and participate in whatever way we can to strengthen our party.

“Mr President led Nigeria to recover from recession at the quickest time. He funded states to pay salary deficits, he paid retirees and established different social reinvestment programme. This is despite the drop in income.

”We also want to congratulate you for having been reelected. Sometimes it is easier to be elected the first time. But, to be reelected implies a huge vote of confidence by the people of your respective states.

“Looking at things from here I know a lot went into trying to seize the deliberate attempt by opposition to discredit the good ones,” Bagudu said.

He added that budget performance under President Buhari had reached 80 per cent compared with 20 per cent in 2013 under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, this is a great credit to visionary leadership of the president.

(NAN)

Featured

Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

Published

2 hours ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

By Gite Igiehon

In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.

Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.

At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.

I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”

On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.

At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.

Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.

As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

Featured

A Glorious 65th Birthday Tribute to Bashorun Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2025

Eric

By Azuh Arinze

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the world will celebrate not just a man, but a living legend – Bashorun Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Abayomi Ajani Momodu – a visionary journalist, media titan, political thinker, cultural ambassador, and an unrelenting force for truth, excellence, and the African dream.

Happy 65th birthday, Bob Dee!

Your life’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional. From the newsroom to all the rooms that matter, from political corridors to international stages, you have remained a beacon of hope, courage, and intellectual brilliance – just like your astounding mentors, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Otunba Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Adenuga. Through Ovation International magazine, you ingeniously gave Africa a mirror to see its own beauty, elegance, and potential. You equally created a platform that elevated our celebrity stories and interviews with pride, power and possibilities.

Your voice has echoed across continents – not just reporting history, but shaping it. Your words have inspired millions, your boldness has challenged systems, and your generosity has uplifted countless lives. Even in adversity, especially while in exile, you carried your convictions with grace, proving that truth is not only worth telling, but also worth living for.

At 65, you effortlessly embody the wisdom of a sage and the vigour of a man still on a mission. May this new chapter bring you deeper joy, divine health, and even greater impact. The world may change, but your legacies – your light and your life – will continue to grow brighter and brighter.

On behalf of all those you have touched, mentored, empowered, and inspired – like my good self – I say thank you and thank you and thank you. You are indeed a national treasure and a global gift that will continue to be cherished and adored.

Happy birthday, Sir, and long may you reign.

With deepest admiration and warmest wishes to one of the best things that ever happened to the journalism profession in Nigeria and Africa.

Azuh Arinze, KSM is the
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and Odenigbo I of Azia

Featured

A Tribute to Chief Dele Momodu at 65: The Man Who Wears the World Like a Cap

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

It is as if Paul Coelho knew Dele Momodu when he said “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple”, for it is quite visible to the blind and audible to the deaf, Momodu has carved a niche for himself as an altruistic, enthusiastic, passionate leader and a big name in all that he does with sterling records of multidimensional success.

How does one describe the essence of Chief Dele Momodu?

To some, he is a journalist who tells truth to power, a role he has been playing for over four decades.
To others, he is the publisher of Ovation International Magazine, the CEO of Ovation Media Group, pan Africanist, and the ink behind many untold stories.
To the politically inclined, he is a fearless voice, a candidate of conscience, a mirror held up to Nigeria’s democracy.
To the culture custodians, he is a walking archive, every handshake, every smile, every frame a testimony to history.
And to those who know him beyond the headlines, he is simply “Bob Dee”, a brother, mentor, bridge-builder, and friend.

Chief Dele Momodu is the embodiment of the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Each man touches a part of the animal and draws a different conclusion, so vast is its form, so layered its truth. So it is with Dele Momodu. You may think you know him, but you have only touched a tusk, or a trunk, or a tail. The whole of him? It is too expensive for one perspective.

This is a man who has worn many caps, not as decoration, but as duty: journalist, activist, publisher, publicist, diplomat, politician, peace promoter and above all, a global citizen. Each role he has worn with authenticity and audacity.

He has stood in exile and yet spoken louder than those at home.
He has been in rooms where power whispers, yet he chooses to shout truth on behalf of the voiceless.
He has witnessed the worst of Nigeria’s turmoil, yet he continues to believe in its best tomorrow.
He is not just an observer of history, he is a participant, a provocateur, a preserver.

At 65, Chief Momodu does not merely carry years, he carries stories, nations, and generations. His journey is not a straight line but a vibrant tapestry: woven with faith, resilience, reinvention, and love. It is a story that tells us that greatness is not a destination, but a life lived fully, courageously, and selflessly.

Sir, today we do not just celebrate your birthday. We celebrate the light you carry. The platforms you’ve built. The battles you’ve fought. The people you’ve inspired. And the generations you continue to prepare.

May your cap never fall. May your pen never dry.
And may history forever remember you, not just as one who told stories,
but as one who became a story worth telling.

Happy 65th Birthday, my dearest mentor…