Connect with us

Politics

APC UK Seeks Postponement Of Nat’l Convention

Published

on

All Progressives Congress (APC), United Kingdom chapter, has advised the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to postpone the party’s national convention, scheduled for February 26.
The chapter gave the advice in a statement issued on Wednesday by Dr Philip Idaewor, Chairman, APC in UK.
Idaewor stated that the postponement became necessary to enable the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) win more grounds in reconciling aggrieved members.
The APC UK chairman also stated that postponement of the convention, while focusing on the much-needed fence mending, would ensure the party retains power in 2023.
“It is better to shift the national convention to a later date and consolidate on the successes achieved by the convention planning committee in uniting various factions, than to lose all it has achieved.
“The Chapter urged APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to immediately postpone the National Convention from Saturday February 26 to enable pending critical issues to be addressed.
“The postponement is important, especially now that the reconciliation committee, led by Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, has requested for a one-week extension to complete its work.
“APC in UK earlier weighed in on the matter some months ago, where it urged the party to align with best practices in deciding the convention date which should go with election of the party’s presidential flag bearer,” Idaewor said.
The statement also quoted Idaewor as saying that the proposition would ensure the highest participation of members in the diaspora as they would not dissipate logistics in travelling to Nigeria twice for the same event.
He therefore urged the party’s NEC to summon courage and postpone the convention in the overall interest of all stakeholders to promote unity, harmony and cohesion within the party.
According to the diaspora APC group, rushing into a convention within the space of the next three weeks will further fracture the party.
The APC UK chapter regretted that the emergence of multiple factions in many of its state chapters does not project confidence that the party would have a smooth sail in the next year general elections.
“The logical thing is to allow the reconciliation committee to finish its assignment as there is no gain in progressing in error.
“APC stakeholders will simply slave for others to enjoy, if the party holds the convention in February, as it will merely be solidifying the rancorous situation that is present at state levels.
“The Gov. Buni-led committee has performed creditably which has left the APC UK wondering why the committee cannot be allowed more time to complete the good work it is doing.
“The committee has singularly brought reconciliation to several state chapters, and we are confident that it will make factional politics a thing of the past when it is given more time to restore sanity to the party,” the statement quoted Idaewor as saying.
He further stated that the APC government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, had attracted a lot of good things to the country that required continuity.

Continue Reading

Politics

How We Saved N2.3bn From  LG Reforms – Diri 

Published

on

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has revealed that the reforms initiated and implemented by his administration led to the saving of the sum of N2.3 billion for the local government councils.
The governor disclosed this recently at the opening ceremony of an orientation programme organised for newly-elected local government council chairmen, vice chairmen, councilors and principal officers at Perdis Hotel, Akenfa.
Gov Diri stated that on assumption of office in 2020, some local government councils were highly indebted and unable to pay salaries but his administration took measures that resulted in regular payment of salaries, execution of projects and saving of funds.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive restated his call on the Federal Government to create additional local councils in the state, saying it was injustice for some states to have more than 40 councils and receiving monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Commission (FAAC), while the state had only eight.
He charged the newly elected local government officials to make good use of the two-day workshop to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to carry out their responsibilities.
The governor also called on them to work as a team to ensure that development was felt at the grassroots.
“Local governments as at 2020 were unable to pay salaries, particularly Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama. There was some form of dissatisfaction in the system.
“After I went through the recommendations of the Deputy Governor, whom I entrusted with investigating the local government, I wasted no time in approving the recommendations.
“The recommendations included the ban on loans from any source by local government chairmen without approval of the governor; compulsory savings by every council; and the division of balance after payment of salaries into 60 and 40 per cent respectively. One part was for compulsory savings and the other to project implementation and immediate commencement of computerisation of their payroll as well as compulsory quarterly award of projects by each council chairman.
“We found a lot of fraud in the local government system. But as it stands today, our councils have N2.3billion as a result of the combination of the factors of reforms and proper supervision of that tier of government.
“The breakdown is N400million compulsory savings while N1.9 billion for capital projects. This is aside from the one done by caretaker committees in terms of project execution within the short period they stayed”, the governor said.
Gov Diri assured of his administration’s  commitment to support the councils to achieve their goals and expressed  confidence that the new officials would meet the expectations of the people.
“We firmly believe that good governance begins at the grassroots level. That is precisely why we have gathered here to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve our local government administration and  enhance service delivery.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Continue Reading

Politics

Monarch Cautions Against Divisive Politics, Declares Support For Fubara 

Published

on

The Eze Oruamara/Regent of Okwuzi Kingdom in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the State, Eze Victor Afaka, has sued for peace among the political class in the State.
Eze Afaka made the appeal while speaking with The Tide on the sidelines of the governorship victory thanksgiving service by the Ogba Egbema /Ndoni Chapter of the Simplified Movement in Omoku.
He said Governor Fubara should be allowed to display the vision that God has given to him to govern the state.
According to him, since every administration has its term and tenure, the man presently at the helm of affairs in Rivers State must be given the opportunity to complete his own term and tenure.
“I advise politicians to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign. Politics and governance have their terms and tenure. When it is your tenure, you have your vision to display; when you conclude that vision God has given you as a leader of your community or of a state, you step aside and leave the next person to display the vision God has given to him” he said.
The traditional ruler said he and  his people, including the youth, women and the Ogbakor Egbema, decided to attend the service because of the excellent vision of Governor Fubara
“We are happy, Okwuzi people are in full support of the government, the government of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, he added.
He said that the governor’s peaceful disposition to governance has endeared him to His Kingdom, noting that Okwuzi kingdom was already a beneficiary of the present administration’s purposeful governance as the Omoku/Okwuzi road abandoned 10 years ago, was nearing completion.
“ONELGA, Okwuzi are benefitting from his government.The road that was abandoned for ten years is being completed right now and we know that there are so many other things he will do for us”, he said.
While urging the state government to give desired attention to the Okwuzi General Hospital that is in a state of dilapidation, Eze Afaka entreated Governor Fubara not to be distracted, but to continue to promote peace and development across the State.

John Bibor

Continue Reading

Politics

APC Stakeholders Storm Secretariat, Demand Ganduje’s Resignation

Published

on

A group of North Central stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the protesters said their demand followed his recent suspension by a faction of his ward executives and the alleged bribery allegation levelled against him by the Kano State government.
While they chanted solidarity songs and displayed several banners some of which read, “Ganduje must resign” and “Return the APC chairmanship to North Central,” the protesters appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to consider returning the leadership of the party to the North Central.
Only on Tuesday, the Forum of APC State Chairmen had passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje, affirming their unalloyed support to him.
The protesters under the aegis of Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders lamented that the continued stay of Ganduje in office was a clear violation of the zoning principle in the party.
Mohammed Saba, who led the protesters, said unlike the 37 APC state chairmen, his people in the North Central have passed a vote of no confidence on the national chairman and equally demanded his immediate resignation.
Saba reiterated that the people of North Central felt betrayed when the position of APC national chairman was hijacked from them following the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu despite giving Tinubu the third highest votes after North West and South West at the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “We, the North Central APC Concerned Stakeholders, have resolved to unanimously agitate for our right and reclaim our mandate which was handed unto us by the National Convention of our great Party in 2022.
“Various sections of our constitution have established the procedure of replacing an executive member at all levels of the party in the event of death, resignation, incapacitation or expulsion from the party by any executive member.
“It is a fact that the emergence of Dr. Umar Ganduje as national chairman was done against the spirit and soul of the APC which is the constitution of our great party. This singular act has impacted negatively on us as a people in the North Central.

Continue Reading

Trending