CUPP SETS UP STEERING COMMITTEE (AUDIO)
Friday, 03 August 2018 11:40
The coalition partners involved in the formation of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, have set up a steering committee to drive the group towards realizing its objective of fielding a common candidate for the presidential election next year.
The CUPP coalition led by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and over thirty other political parties, also has the breakaway Reformed APC among the members.
Those who addressed the gathering at the inauguration of the steering committee in Abuja include the leaders of the R-APC, Buba Galadima, Chief Tom Ikimi and former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
There you heard some leaders of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP.
2019 POLLS: Buhari Visits Campaign Headquarters
Thursday, 02 August 2018 09:13
As the 2019 general election gathers momentum, President Muhammadu Buhari has visited the proposed presidential campaign office for next year’s election.
The building located at Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Area, Abuja, had served as campaign headquarters for the 2015 election.
The President was accompanied on the journey by his Chief of Staff, Mallam abba Kyari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and other senior government officials.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who doubles as the Director General of Buhari Campaign Organization was also on hand to receive the President and took him round the newly refurbished structure.
According to a statement issued by the Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina, President Buhari expressed satisfaction with the face lift and thanked all those who worked to give the office a befitting look.
APC CONTINUES TO LOSE MEMBERS TO PDP
Thursday, 02 August 2018 09:12The All Progressives Congress, APC, has now lost three states governors to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, completes the number, as he joins Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
Governor Tambuwal announced his defection to PDP at the Government House in Sokoto metropolis, while addressing hundreds of his supporters who trooped out to show their solidarity with him.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives also took to twitter to shed more light on his decision, which he said was done after wide consultations and the assurance of the people of Sokoto State.
Similarly; the National Public Secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi has ended speculations about his political fate with a formal announcement of his resignation from the National Working Committee of the ruling party and his defection to the opposition PDP.
In a statement released, Abdullahi, who is an ally of the Senate President, said he took the decision in view of recent political development in the country.
Abdullahi noted that in the last few days, he had witnessed what he called flagrant usurpation of his role as spokesman for the ruling party, which he was inconsistent with ethical standards.
He also frowned at the decision by the National Working Committee of the APC to dissolve the Kwara State Executive Committee of the party without seeking his views as a member of that body.
The former Minister of Youth and Sports accused the APC of rejecting that political group he belongs, adding that as such, he no longer feel justified to remain as a member of the party.
Twenty-three of the twenty-four members of the Kwara State House of Assembly are also reported to have dumped the APC for the PDP.
OSHIOMHOLE CALLS FOR SARAKI’S RESIGNATION
Thursday, 02 August 2018 08:58
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has called for the resignation of Senator Bukola SarakI as President of the Nigerian Senate.
OshiomhoLE made the call while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
This followed the defection of Senator SARAKI from the ruling APC to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Oshiomhole said the Senate President should as a matter of honour leave the crown in the house where it belongs.
Reports say some APC Senators, including the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, also attended the meeting with the President Buhari.
In the meantime; the National Working Committee of the APC has appointed Yekini Nabena to replace Bolaji Abdullahi as Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party.
This followed the resignation of Abhullahi and subsequent defection to the PDP, which he announced in a statement yesterday.
Abdullahi, who is an ally of the Senate President, said he took the decision in view of recent political development in the country, adding that in the last few days, he had witnessed flagrant usurpation of his role as spokesman for the ruling party, which he said was inconsistent with ethical standards.
He also frowned at the decision by the National Working Committee of the APC to dissolve the Kwara State Executive Committee of the party without seeking his views as a member of that body.
The former Minister of Youth and Sports accused the APC of rejecting that political group he belongs, adding that as such, he no longer feel justified to remain as a member of the party.
Twenty-three of the twenty-four members of the Kwara State House of Assembly are also reported to have dumped the APC for the PDP.
AIR FORCE DEPLOYS DRONES TO FIGHT BANDITS IN ZAMFARA
Thursday, 02 August 2018 08:53The Nigerian Air Force has begun deploying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to counter the armed bandits terrorizing parts of Zamfara and Katsina states.
The UAV, otherwise known as drones, as well as additional troop, are being deployed in compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the deployment began on 29th July, with the NAF C-130H aircraft airlifting required logistics for Operation Diran Mikiya, which commenced on Tuesday.
OVER THREE HUNDRED PEOPLE KILLED IN ZAMFARA – AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Thursday, 02 August 2018 08:48Amnesty International says a total of three hundred and seventy-one people have been killed in attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara State over the past seven months.
Amnesty also disclosed that dozens of villages have been sacked, with thousands of inhabitants displaced due to escalating insecurity in the north-western state of Nigeria.
In a statement obtained by our correspondent, the United States-based rights group described the situation in Zamfara as Nigeria’s forgotten conflict due to failure by the authorities to act decisively.
The Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, noted that inhabitants of several Zamfara communities have been left at the mercy of armed bandits, who have killed hundreds of people over the course of two bloody years.
Ojigho said when Amnesty officials visited the region, they were told by villagers that they had pleaded with the government to help them after receiving warning letters from the bandits ahead of attacks but had received no protection.
He despite repeated claims by the authorities of tackling the situation, including a recent order by President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of one thousand-strong military force in Zamfara, it has not translated into protection for remote, vulnerable communities.
ATEKE VERSUS APC: Again Judge Adjourns Case
Wednesday, 01 August 2018 11:51Justice Constance Green of the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has withdrawn from the one billion naira defamation lawsuit filed by former Niger Delta militant leader, King Ateke Tom against eight chieftains of the All Progressives Congress for administrative reasons.
The case initiated by the Amayanabo ot Okochiri Kingdom was slated for ruling on all pending motion today, but Justice Green informed the parties about her transfer to another jurisdiction, which also required the transfer of the matter to another judge.
Following the development; Justice Green adjourned the case to the 25th September for mention when a new judge takes over the matter.
Speaking with newsmen outside the court, counsel for claimant, Chief John Kalipa, said in spite of the delay caused by the administrative changes, his client would be patient.
Our correspondent Uchendu Ejiowhor reports heavy presence of armed security personnel at the court complex in Port Harcourt earlier today.
As usual, the group of traditional rulers and young people loyal to King Ateke Tom were also seen at the court in a show of solidarity.
SARAKI’S DEFECTION UPDATE
Wednesday, 01 August 2018 11:46Details are merging on the circumstances surrounding the defection of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Senator Saraki said to leave the APC was not a decision that he made lightly, stressing that he had waited for so long and did all that was humanly possible, even in the face of great provocation, ridicule and flagrant persecution, to give opportunity for peace, reconciliation and harmonious existence.
In a lengthy statement detailing his reasons for leaving, Senator Saraki mentioned that certain elements and forces within the APC had ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist within the party.
Saraki recalled that when he joined other politicians in 2014 to leave the PDP for the newly formed APC at the time, it was in a quest for justice, equity and inclusion; which the PDP then had deviated from.
But looking back four years after, the Kwara State-born politician said it was now evident that the PDP had learnt more from its defeat in the 2015 elections than the APC appeared to have learnt from its victory.
Senator Saraki said while presiding over the Senate as President and Chairman of the National Assembly, he had ensured that the tension between the arms of government did not escalate in such a way as to encumber Executive function or undermine the independence of the legislature.
Senator Saraki defected to the PDP with some of his allies, including the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
However; the fate of the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Bolaji Abdulahi, who was also purported to have joined Senator Saraki to defect to PDP, remains unclear.
Reports’ emerging indicates that the National Working Committee of the APC was considering the expulsion of Senator Bukola Saraki before the Senate President announced his defection to PDP yesterday.
Part of steps already taken by the APC’s NWC to prepare the ground for Senator Saraki’s expulsion was the dissolution of the Kwara State Executive Committee of the party.
It was also gathered that the Senate President had been served a query yesterday over alleged anti-party activities, of which he was required to respond to within forty-eight hours.
According to report citing a resolution signed by the National Secretary of APC, Mai Maila Buni, Saraki was alleged to have breached Article Twenty-One of the APC Constitution and required to explain why disciplinary action should not to be taken against him.
The accusations against Senator Saraki include the delayed screening of nominees for appointments by President Muhammadu Buhari and allegedly sponsoring a public rally where his supporters urged him to decamp to PDP.
RIVERS STATE COMMISSIONER CAUTIONS YOUTHS AGAINST ELECTION VIOLENCE
Wednesday, 01 August 2018 07:38The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, has called on political parties to caution their members, especially the youth, against causing trouble during elections.
C.P Ahmed gave the advised at a stakeholder’s interactive forum convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ahead of the by-election in Port Harcourt State Constituency Three.
The message of the Commissioner Police was delivered by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations Stephen Hasso, while addressing participants during the meeting at INEC Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
He observed that most of the problems witnessed during elections are caused by young members of the various political parties.
Earlier in his remarks; the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, assured that the commission would deliver a free and fair by-election in PHALGA Constituency Three.
On his part, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Oliver Wolugbom, said the forthcoming by-election would serve as a test-run for the 2019 general election.
Our correspondent Chinedu Iwunna reports that about thirty-nine political parties were represented at the stakeholders’ forum.
NIGERIA’S AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH AFRICA RESIGNS
Wednesday, 01 August 2018 07:35
The Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto, has resigned his appointment ahead of the 2019 general elections,
Ibeto also renounced his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and had crossed over to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Ibeto was a deputy governor of Niger State on the platform of PDP.