Politics
APGA Inaugurates Soludo’s Campaign Council
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has inaugurated a 2021 Campaign Committee for Professor Charles Soludo.
Soludo is the flagbearer of APGA for the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria will slug it out at the polls with Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party’s Dr. Godwin Maduka and the All Progressive Congress flagbearer, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
However, speaking while inaugurating the campaign committee at an event attended by thousands of APGA supporters held at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, Governor Willie Obiano, who doubles as the chairman of the event and the APGA Board of Trustees (BoT), applauded the Kano court judges on the right decision they reached and also expressed joy on the position the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finally took by returning Professor Soludo and Dr Ibezim as the gubernatorial and deputy candidate respectively.
Obiano further thanked the mammoth crowd for turning out en masse within a very short notice, assuring them that he was handing them over to a capable and competent hand who will improve on his legacies.
Speaking at the event, Senator Victor Umeh, who is the chairman APGA reconciliation committee, assured that the masses that have been the modus operandi of APGA traducers but in all circumstances at the end, the party triumphs.
Umeh pleaded with the aggrieved members to come to the committee and lay their grievances and promised that it will be addressed as he has been doing since the inception of the committee.
He reaffirmed that APGA was handed over by Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu and it will not die in their hands and advised those threatening to come and conquer Anambra state to face their states and solve the numerous crisis engulfing their states and leave Anambra state for Anambrarians.
The former federal lawmaker told them that every member of APGA is a member of the campaign committee in their own rights and advised them to work hard for the election and never to compromise, because, “victory for APGA is victory for all, and that it is only when APGA is on throne that they can lay their grievances”.
On his part, the National Chairman of APGA, Ozomkpu Victor Ike Oye, praised the judiciary generally for doing justice in all the courts the APGA traducers took him and the party to.
He appreciated the APGA faithful for keeping faith with the leadership of the party during those trying times and assured them of an overwhelming victory at the polls in November 6 election.
Also, the state Chairman of the Party, Sir Nobert Obi, thanked and encouraged members to continue to be faithful that there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
Assuring of a robust campaign ahead the November election, the chairman of the campaign committee, Hon Chinedu Obidigwe eulogized the judiciary particularly Kano appeal court judges for asserting boldly the true position of the law without equivocation.
Obidigwe also eulogized INEC for doing the needful by removing the name of Chukwuma Umeoji and replacing it with that of Professor Charles Soludo and his deputy, Dr Ibezim.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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