Oshiomhole: Osun doesn’t need a dancing governor

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, Tuesday said the people of Osun State do not need a dancing governor, as the state’s governorship election draws close.

While extolling the achievements of the Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, expressed optimism that the party was going to emerged victorious by Saturday.

Apparently referring to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, Oshiomhole said that the people of the state do not need a governor who was dancing “Skelewu” during a recent governorship debate in the state.

He stated this when he spoke in Osogbo, the capital of Osun during the All Progressives Congress (APC) mega rally to canvass support for the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, ahead of this Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Also speaking, President Muhammadu Buhari vowed that his administration would continue to fight corruption until corrupt people are sent out of public offices.

He assured that Nigerians must be free of corrupt leaders and called on the people of Osun State to come out and ensure they cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also speaking at the rally, which had in attendance 13 governors of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu assured President Buhari that the APC candidate was going to emerge victorious during the Saturday governorship election in Osun.

Buhari, Oshiomhole, The Entire APC, Disgraced Before The World, Over Today’s Failed APC Osun State Rally, With Very Small Crowd In Attendance

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The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has attacked the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and President Muhammadu Buhari, over what it described as a failed Osun State Governorship Rally, held in Osogbo, the State capital, today, Tuesday.

The PDP made this known on Wednesday evening, in a Press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, which was sent to Post-Nigeria.

The statement reads in full:

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lampoons the All Progressives Congress (APC), for failing to present any governance blueprint to the people of Osun State, at its poorly attended Governorship election rally in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Tuesday.

The PDP, said the speeches made by President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC Leaders, betrayed the fact that the APC has lost its bearings, and cannot generate new narratives to salvage our economy from the doldrums that they have plunged our nation today.

Furthermore, the emptiness of the speeches and their inability to present any resume or performance record of their candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, is a clear indication that APC Leaders have no confidence in his candidature, and have nothing to offer the people of Osun State.

Moreover, the scanty attendance, in addition to the lackluster attitude of the audience, signpost the imminent defeat that awaits the APC in Osun State, despite their rigging plans.

Nigerians were heavily amused when President Buhari appropriated the rally, abandoned the Governorship candidate, brought out a written script, and attempted to impress the people with his usual false performance claims.

Similarly, the APC Factional National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, could not speak to the values which the candidate will bring to bear on the lives of the people of Osun State. If anything, Oshiomhole turned the campaign ground to a jester’s arena, as he called on school children to vote for APC.

In all, the failed rally was a demonstration of the fact that APC’s days in Osun are numbered, and its rigging machinery cannot save it from a crushing defeat, come September 22, 2018.

Don’t allow PDP take Nigeria backwards – President Buhari tells APC members

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President Muhamnadu Buhari has appealed to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to be complacent but to prepare, strategise and win 2019 elections, to prevent the Peoples Democratic Party from taking Nigeria backwards.

He made the appeal at the APC national Secretariat Wednesday in Abuja while submitting his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the presidency in 2019.

Although Buhari did not mention PDP in his short speech, the reference was unmistakable as he referred to those who ruled Nigeria between 1999 and 2015.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forms were purchased for the president by the Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors’ Network on Sept. 6. at the cost of 45 million.

Buhari had in April declared his intention to seek re-election at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC).

President Buhari while submitting the forms, said; “I m here in person among friends and colleagues to put my name forward to my party, the APC, seeking nomination to contest the presidential election in 2019.

“I am taking this step with all humility, sense of responsibility and unquestionable desire to serve and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

“Let me today, appeal to party members not to be complacent but to pre,strategize and win 2019 elections.

“We must not allow those who brought the country to its kneels from 1999 to 2015 to come and take us back”.

National Co-coordinator Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors’ Network, Sunnsi Musa, said the group paid for the forms because the President is not a multi-millionaire cash wise.

“But he has millions of supporters who are always ready to come together to pay for his nomination form.

He said the group embarked on the project based on the recognition that the President has started laying a foundation for a better Nigeria and deserves a second term in office.

He expressed gratitude to those who contributed towards the purchase of the forms.

He assured them and Nigerians generally that if nominated, and re-elected in 2019, hr would continue to serve the people to the best of his abilities.

Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman used the opportunity to present to President Buhari his new party membership card.

He also told the president that the APC under his leadership, took advantage of modern technology to come up with a new membership data base, saying that the party currently has 15.6 million registered members.

“Today to talk about the size of our party, the largest party in the world and in Africa, we need to have evidence that can be verified by a third party or by members.

“We have taken advantage of technology to produce what I believed is the best or the first in Nigeria.

“We now have as at last week when they started printing of membership register, about 15.6 million registered APC members across the country “he said.

The APC national chairman added that the party membership data base was designed to ensure that the membership status of anyone could easily be verified at the touch of a bottom.

Oshiomhole further added that with the development, the party had credible and verifiable persons to conduct direct primaries on the basis of its membership register.

However, he said the party would not in any way nullify or change the decisions of its National Executive Committee (NEC) at its sixth meeting, which allowed for indirect primaries, for logistics reasons

He said the APC will strive to give practical expression to its decision as transparently as possible.

This, he added, would ensure that the APC would not only be the largest, but the smartest, most democratic and most cohesive party in the country.

APC extends processes for primaries in Kwara

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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday approved the extension of processes leading to primaries in all elections in Kwara.

The National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, announced this at the inauguration of the Executive Committee of the party in the state at its National Secretariat, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the extension of the processes was at the request of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture and APC Leader in the state.

The minister led the APC delegation to the national secretariat.

Oshiomole said, “because of the peculiarity of the situation in your state, I agree you need more time to sort out operational issues to be well prepared for electing candidates for elections.

“It is within the power of the National Working Committee (NWC) to grant the request based on the exigencies.

“It is therefore approved in principle. The new date for the collection of forms, screening of aspirants, appeals and primaries will be approved by the NWC and thereafter made available to you”.

He, however, drew the attention of the delegation to the fact that the NWC did not have the liberty to grant the extension beyond Oct. 7.

He charged the members from the state to ensure that all necessary things were concluded before the date as statutorily stipulated.

The chairman said that the party should also continue and expedite action on the process for a credible voter register for primaries in the state.

He disclosed that the presidential primaries would hold nationwide on Sept. 20 and that the state should endeavour to conclude the registration for participation in the exercise.

Before inaugurating the new executive for the state, Oshiomole commended the members for conducting the election with the spirit of brotherliness and without external intervention.

“In line with the provision of the party’s Constitution, we can elect candidates on consensus for wards, local government and state executives.

“Consensus may be difficult to achieve, but it is the best at this particular instance for the much-desired unity needed in the party in the state.

“With the success of your election, we can boldly say that you are one. I therefore congratulate you on the successful outing in this regard,” he said.

Oshiomole reiterated the need for the state to fast-track the process for membership registration, saying it was crucial to electing “able and committed governor that will make up for lost time and reposition the state”.

The new executive committee of the party in the state is headed by Bashir Bolarinwa as Chairman while Mustapha Ishowo is the Secretary.

Jonathan drags Oshiomhole to the dirty gutter, says APC chairman is suffering from multiple personality syndrome

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Adams Oshiomhole is suffering from multiple personality syndrome.

Jonathan said this in a statement issued by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze.

Oshiomhole had earlier blamed the former President for introducing vote-buying into Nigerian politics during the 2015 general elections.

In his response, Jonathan said the APC chairman might be going through too much pressure as a result of his new office.

According to Daily Post, he said “We really do not know the real reason for this misleading falsehood, at this point in time. However, we can only guess that Mr Oshiomhole who is currently operating under tremendous stress in the bid to steady the already floundering ship of his administration as the new leader of his party, may have got himself entangled in a voyage of tactless desperation.

“His recent flip-flops where he praised Governor Samuel Ortom and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso one day only to denounce them the very next day, is enough evidence of his fragile psychological state.

“Not only is he content on squabbling with members of the opposition, we note the self-destructive tendencies of Oshiomhole who is locked in a feud with members of his own party including the minister of labour, Chris Ngige, and a host of APC Governors. It appears that Mr Oshiomhole’s psychological strain may have reached boiling point.

“On the vexatious issue of ‘vote-buying’, which has unfortunately found its way into our election lexicon, this is what we know: It is obvious that the shameful development in our democratic experience became very glaring during the 2016 gubernatorial elections in Edo State; an exercise that took place more than one year after President Jonathan had left office.

“It is therefore disingenuous for any politician or group to link the former President with the anomaly, no matter how they want to stretch the now-failing blame game.

“While in Office as President between 2010 and 2015, Jonathan conducted many elections including the 2011 and 2015 general elections, and many off-season gubernatorial and parliamentary elections in some States like Anambra, Ekiti, Ondo and Edo; and not for once did the issue of vote buying come up in the assessment of those elections.

“It is instructive that in each case, the former President was given a clean bill, with both local and international observers commending him for having supervised a credible and transparent process.

“One of those who gave the former President a clean bill of health, was Mr Oshiomhole himself who on July 16, 2012, said: ‘What the Edo election has confirmed is that when the President and Commander-in-Chief puts the country first and he conducts himself as a statesman not just as a party leader, credible elections are possible.’

“When you juxtapose the above statement with Mr Oshiomhole’s current statement, it becomes obvious that the APC Chairman is suffering from multiple personality syndrome and has a Jekyll and Hyde schizophrenia.”

The issue of vote buying was brought to the fore during the recently concluded Ekiti Governorship election where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling APC were reportedly offering money to voters.

If Saraki doesn’t choose the path of honour he will be democratically removed – Oshiomole

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has continued in his insistence that Dr Bukola Saraki must leave his position as the Senate President.

In an interview on Channels Televison’s Road map 2019, Oshiomhole said the Senate President had to step down from his seat as a matter of honour. He further threatened that if Senator Saraki does not step down he will be impeached.

“Saraki must vacate the position of senate president as a matter of honour,” the APC chairman said.

“If he does not choose the path of honour he will be democratically removed as the president of the Senate. I am emphasing logic and political morality plus law.”

Oshiomhole claimed that it was unacceptable in any democracy for a minority party to provide leadership to govern the majority.

His latest comments echo his assertion in a meeting with National assembly lawmakers of the APC in August, where he said Saraki had to be removed.

Saraki defected from the ruling APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in July stating that the decision was caused “by certain elements and forces within the APC” that their actions left he and his associates “disaffected and disenchanted”. Although Saraki lauded the unsuccessful efforts by Oshiomole to reconcile him back to the party, the Senate President and the APC party chairman have been at loggerheads after the defection with Oshiomole insisting he vacates his position as senate president.

Oshiomole noted in the interview that the extant provision in the constitution to impeach the Senate president involves “two-thirds of members” unlike the provision for the impeachment of Presidents, Vice presidents, Governors and Deputy Governors, which involves two-thirds of all the members”.

The APC national chairman said that since the wording of the provision in the constitution regarding impeachment didn’t include the word ‘all’ compared to that regarding the impeachment of the Presidents, Vice presidents, Governors and Deputy Governors, the 57 APC senators, less than two-thirds of the senate, were enough to impeach the senate president.

“When I say Saraki will be democratically removed, he will be lawfully removed. People say how? They choose to detain themselves with the assumption of the fact that we have 57 members means we cannot impeach the Senate President.”

“The issue before us is to allow a competent court to sit down and see whether it would have been the intention of the Constitution when it chooses to use the word ALL, all members for the purpose of presidents and others and use members for another purpose. Now, if the intention was the same, the wording will be the same.”

The former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress harped on democracy being a superior law to any other law.

“It says that in a genuine democracy, the minority can continue to have their say, however loud, however militant. However, the majority must have their way. This is a law far more superior to whatever some lawmakers may put; that universal law which does not vary between nation-states.”

Oshiomole concluded that Senator Saraki had already defined his political grave to which he must be politically buried.

Why APC may reject Ogun, Zamfara consensus candidates

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) may have cut short the joy of consensus governorship candidates announced by some of its states’ chapters, as it says such consensus candidacy can only work where no other person signifies interest by buying or obtaining the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.

The party’s acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, saying the clarification became necessary following the announcement of consensus candidates for elective positions for the 2019 general elections in some of the party’s state chapters.

It will be recalled that the choice of some aspirants as consensus candidates, especially for the governorship election, has been causing crisis in some state chapters.

Notably, the Ogun State chapter is currently embroiled in crisis as the governor’s favourite aspirant from Ogun West senatorial district was chosen as the consensus candidate, while in Zamfara State, the state deputy governor is insisting on picking the nomination form despite the choice of the governor’s favourite as the consensus candidate.

But Nabena said, “The attention of the APC has been drawn to announcements of consensus candidates for elective positions in some states, it is therefore, pertinent to make some clarifications to enlighten party faithful on the procedure for nominating candidates.

“While consensus is provided for by the party’s constitution, the option is conditional.

“Consensus does not foreclose Direct or Indirect Primaries for all elective positions as contained in the resolution of the 6th Meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“Again, consensus will apply when no other aspirant signify interest through purchase of nomination forms for the position in question,” Nabena said in a statement.

NATIONAL DISGRACE!!! APC set to collapse over 2019 governorship tickets, may not Survive the election year

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There are indications that the scramble for the Governorship tickets of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2019 elections is tearing many State Chapters of the party apart.

Investigation showed that the struggle for the Governorship tickets in the coming elections was the main cause of the disagreements over direct and indirect primaries in many States.

In States such as Ogun, Delta, Enugu and Imo State, the APC is still battling with crisis relating to its Governorship tickets.

In Ogun State, the party has adopted an Aspirant from the Ogun West Senatorial District, Adekunle Akinlade, as its consensus candidate.

It was, however, learnt that many members of the party from Ogun East have rejected Akinlade’s candidature.

Members of the party from the zone, at a meeting with Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Saturday, were reported to have endorsed Akinlade.

However, Some of the Chieftains of the party including Tunde Oladunjoye, dissociated themselves from the endorsement.

Oladunjoye, who has resigned his membership of the APC, stated that he was forced to move the motion for Akinlade’s endorsement at a meeting of the Ogun East stakeholders of the party with the Governor.

A Chieftain of the party in the State revealed: “What exists in the Ogun APC now is the peace of the graveyard. In the next few weeks, you will know what is going on.”

The State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chief Wole Elegbede, denied Oladunjoye’s allegation.

He said: “The allegation question is total falsehood. He was not forced or put under duress by our chairman to move the said motion. Rather, he voluntarily indicated his interest to move a motion for the endorsement of the APC consensus governorship candidate Hon. Adekunle Akinlade.”

The crisis in the Imo State Chapter of the APC on Sunday deepened as the impeached Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, two Senators, Hope Uzodinma and Benjamin Uwajumogu, a member of the House of representatives, Goodluck Opiah, five members of the State House of Assembly and others disagreed with Governor Rochas Okorocha over the mode of primaries adopted for the choice of the party’s Governorship candidate.

The State Working Committee of the party had on Thursday adopted indirect primaries, citing security risk as reason, but Madumere, the Federal and State Lawmakers who were not on the same page with the governor insisted on direct primaries.

Addressing party members in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, during a “crucial meeting” of the members of the party opposed to the Governor’s succession plan, on Sunday, Madumere said the Governor could not decide for the party.

The impeached Deputy Governor said that with the peculiarities of the State, direct primaries option was the best for the State.

He urged party members not to allow the Governor to intimidate them.

Madumere stated:“We stand for direct primaries and by God grace, we will succeed. All the important members of the Imo APC are for direct primaries. That is the best for our party. It is the best for Imo and for our democracy.We will work together to restore the dignity of Imo State, no one man is bigger than Imo State.”

Uzodinma urged the members of the party to resist the Governor and his plan to hijack the party and impose his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as his successor.

Also, Senator Uwajumogu said the Imo APC did not belong to one person.

He added: “It is very wrong that one man will appropriate to himself all the 42 positions meant for the state to himself. We are going to organise ourselves properly and we will meet them anywhere. The governor is a coward.

“The party has declared that in any state where there is litigation that the state will conduct direct primaries. We have pieces of litigation in Imo APC. We are ready and I want to tell you that in life we only die once.”

Also, the Kaduna State APC Stakeholders Aspirants’ Forum has rejected the adoption of the indirect mode of election by the State chapter of the party for the choice of its governorship and other candidates for elective offices in the state.

An APC Governorship Aspirant in the State, Jalal Falal, spoke to journalists during a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday.

Speaking on behalf of other Aspirants, Falal noted that the APC members from the State should emulate President Muhammadu Buhari who backed “direct primaries.”

Specifically, he urged Governor Nasir El-Rufai to follow the President’s example, if his claim of being a Buhari disciple was true.

The Governorship aspirant disclosed: “We object to the indirect primaries because it is prone to manipulation and vote-buying. We urge our governor to be on the same page with the incorruptible Buhari on this.”

Also, the crisis rocking the Delta State Chapter of the APC has compounded political permutations ahead of the governorship primary.

Over 10 persons have indicated interest to fly the party’s flag to challenge the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Among the top contenders is a four-time Governorship candidate in the State, Chief Great Ogboru, a renowned Political Economist, Prof Pat Utomi, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei; a former PDP National Vice-Chairman (South-South), Chief Cairo Ojougboh, and a Netherland-based Environmental Activist, Mr Sunny Ofehe.

There are indications from the APC National headquarters in Abuja that the party is in a dilemma over the choice of its Governorship candidate. Four of the major aspirants have been pencilled up by the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee.

It was reliably gathered that the four Aspirants the party was giving serious consideration are Ogboru, Ochei, Utomi and Ojougboh.

The zoning formula currently favours Ochei, Utomi and Ojougboh ahead of Ogboru. However, Ogboru has strong followership particularly in Delta Central where he hails from.

Delta Central and South have produced the State Governor for 16 years – James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who recently defected to the APC – and many Deltans believe it is the turn of the Delta North to rule for eight years out of which Okowa has spent over three years.

In Enugu State, it was learnt that some ‘elders’ of the APC had commenced moves to broker peace between the two warring camps in the State Chapter of the party ahead of the Governorship primaries.

The APC in Enugu has been split into two camps with one being led by the State Chairman, Ben Nwoye, and Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, while the other group is championed by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and Deacon Okey Ogbodo, the ‘factional Chairman.’

The supremacy battle between the two camps led to parallel congresses in the State, although the APC National Working Committee eventually recognised Nwoye as the State Chairman.

Ogbodo, who was elected Chairman in the parallel primary, had gone to Court to stop Nwoye.

However, findings revealed that plans were underway to unite the two camps in a bid to ensure that the APC present a ‘united front’ in Enugu for the Governorship election.

It was gathered that the major stakeholders in the two camps were invited to a peace meeting on Saturday night. It was gathered that the meeting was deadlocked.

A source in the Enugu APC, who spoke on Sunday, maintained that the party would have ‘serious problems’ during the primary, if the rival camps did not mend their fences.

“We want to avoid what happened during the congresses – there is a need for a common and united front if we are to have a successful, peaceful governorship primary. We don’t want parallel primaries when we are to elect our candidate,” the source, who did not wish to be named, said.

Apart from Eze, other APC members that are in the Governorship race include Augustine Akubue, Ifeanyi Nwoga and Ben Eche.

However, emerging developments in Katsina State Chapter of the APC are pointing at the possible intervention of the party’s National Leadership in resolving who would become the party’s Governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections.

The party’s national body may also be involved in the choice of the party’s candidates for other elective posts.

This followed the emergence of 47 Aspirants into various elective positions from the state, who are insisting that they would be flying the party’s flag at the general elections.

The 47 Aspirants include two Governorship Aspirants – Mallam Ismaila Isa and Alhaji Garba Dankani.

Isa has even collected both the nomination and expression of interest forms from Abuja to contest the Governorship primary.

Isa and Dankani are said to be at loggerheads with Governor Aminu Masari who is going for a second term.

In Yobe State, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has been warned against manipulating the primaries of the APC to favour his preferred candidates.

The Governor, at a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in the State announced the National Secretary of the party, Maimala Buni, as his preferred successor.

The action of the Governor although was accepted by some members of the party, it was opposed by many APC bigwigs in the State, saying it was against the democratic ideals of the APC.

One of the Chieftains of the party in the State, Alhaji Yakubu Jacob, called on the governor to fulfil his promise by allowing the primary to determine the party’s governorship candidate.

Jacob, in a statement at Sunday, warned that any attempt to impose candidates or manipulate the primary could adversely affect the fortunes of the APC in the state.

He said: “The endorsement of some aspirants by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam does not in any way mean there will not be primaries in the state.”

He said though the Governor should not have anointed candidates, he was wise to have come out to state that there would still be primaries.

Jacob, however, advised the Governor to ensure that the primaries were not manipulated.

A former Director in the Federal Civil Service, Ibrahim Bomoi, who recently purchased the APC Governorship form, inaugurated his campaign office in Damaturu on Sunday.

Bomoi noted that he was undeterred by Gaidam’s anointing Buni as his preferred successor.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the method for the forthcoming primaries of the APC in Ondo State has continued to divide the party as a group within the party has insisted that the State will adopt the direct primaries option instead of the indirect method.

The State Chapter of the party at a stakeholders’ meeting held last week unanimously chose indirect primary for the National and State Assembly election but the group and some chieftains of the party, including Senator Ajayi Boroffice and a former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, kicked against the choice of the indirect primaries option.

The group, under the auspices of the APC Unity Group, said on Saturday that the position of the stakeholders’ meeting was not the position of the entire members of the party, adding that the meeting did not comprise all the stakeholders of the party.

The Chairman of the group, Mr. Idowu Otetubi, alleged that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the State Chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, opposed direct primaries option because they feared electoral defeat.

However, Adetimehin said the group was not known to the party, noting that the party was not factionalised and there was no plan to impose anybody as a candidate.

“We don’t know them, they are a faceless group, if they want to say anything, they should come to the party secretariat, we are not fighting anybody and there is no crisis or division in the party.

“On the primaries, we stand by the decision of the stakeholders that indirect primary system would be used for the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly’s primaries and we are going to conduct free and fair primaries,” Adetimehin stated.

In Anambra State, the APC on Sunday said it had adopted consensus option to pick its Governorship and other elective positions’ candidates for the 2019 general elections.

The decision was taken by statutory members of the Anambra State Caucus of the APC led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.

The decision, it was gathered, could trigger legal actions in the party any moment from now.

The Publicity Secretary of the party in the State, Mr Okelo Madukaife, in a statement he issued in Awka on Sunday after the APC stakeholders’ meeting.

He stated:“The meeting also resolved that in areas where for any reason, consensus fails, the direct primaries option will be used to produce candidates.

However, Senatorial Aspirant on the party’s platform who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity described the decision as self-serving and undemocratic.

He said: “This is undemocratic. On Monday, I will proceed to Court to stop this perfidy. Our national office had directed for direct or indirect primaries, but some selfish people in this state have changed the goalpost at the middle of the game. This cannot stand. It’s unjust, unfair and undemocratic.”

Shouts Of Joy As APC Anoints Kwankwaso’s Successor, Blesses The New APC Member With Endless Other Juicy Offers

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, has offered a former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Senatorial ticket for Kano State Central District, in next year’s general elections.

At present, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, also a former Governor of the State, and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, member, is the occupier of the seat.

Recall, that Kwankwaso won the seat as a member of the APC, in 2015.

The offer was part of the terms reached by both sides which culminated in Shekarau formally parting ways with the PDP on Friday.

The embattled PDP Senator, is also believed to be eyeing a return to the Senate, in the event that he loses at the PDP Presidential primaries.

It was learnt that Shekarau rebuffed last-minute efforts by the PDP, to stop his switch to the APC.

Sources said that he shut his doors against the PDP and its National Leader, Senator Bukola Saraki, who doubles as Senate President.

It was learnt also, that the PDP and Saraki, had made spirited efforts in the last 72-hours, to reach out to Shekarau, with a view to averting his defection to the APC.

The only concession made to Shekarau by the PDP, was said to be a slot in the seven-man Caretaker Committee of the party in Kano State.

The PDP’s face-saving concession came after the legally elected PDP State Executive Committee, was unilaterally dissolved by the National Secretariat of the party, despite a court order.

Elsewhere, the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday, led a high power delegation of the party to Kano State, to woo Shekarau.

The APC was said to have tabled its offers to Shekarau, as a sign of its readiness to welcome him into its fold.

The terms include: an automatic integration of Shekarau’s group into the APC structure in the State; automatic Senatorial ticket for Kano Central, Commissioner slots in the Kano State Executive Council, many seats in the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, Federal appointments, among others.

It was gathered that there will also be Ministerial slot(s) if the APC government is re-elected in 2019.

A top source said: “APC delegation went to Kano, in order to beg Shekarau to join our party, where he has like minds with progressive inclination.

“Do not forget that he was a long-standing Associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP.

“We considered him a prized Politician, who can make an electoral impact in any political party. What PDP does not value, we went for it.

“After preliminary engagements in Abuja, we decided to formally invite him into a party he deservedly belongs.”

The Stage Is Set, As Shekarau Leads Pack Of Top Kano State PDP Politicians To APC Today – SEE LIST

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All is now set for a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, to formally announce his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, today, Saturday.

However, Observers have wondered whether Shekarau is leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with or without his support base and political associates.

It was gathered that Shekarau had told his supporters that he had decided to join the APC, after his efforts to fight the alleged injustice done to him in the PDP, failed.

“The National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, neither picked my calls, nor Aminu Wali’s, nor Bello Hayatu’s. We have done our best to challenge the injustice, but the party Headquarters seemed indifferent.

“Politics is all about interest. I summon this meeting ostensibly to reveal to you my next political plan, but not to seek advice. I will never begrudge any one of you who decided not to join me in APC.

“Politics is all about interest and choice, and I chose to return to APC”, Shekarau said.

It was learnt that Shekarau’s emotional speech reduced many of those present to tears, as they lamented the injustice meted out on him by the PDP.

Sources said that most of those present at the meeting, declared interest to follow the former Governor to the APC, except his former Commissioner and top Political Associate, Salihu Sagir Takai.

Farouq Iya, a former Chairman of the PDP, in Kano State, and Mr. Takai’s Campaign Director in the last election, also opted to remain in the PDP.

Being one of the earliest Presidential Aspirants in the PDP, who purchased the nomination form, sources said that Takai chose to dump Shekarau for the first time, to continue pursuing his Governorship ambition in the PDP.

“Takai aspired for Governorship for three consecutive times, and he realised that he is losing relevance in Shekarau’s camp.

“It is obvious Shekarau is more comfortable with Umar Maimansaleta as Governorship candidate, than Takai”, said a source familiar with the political activities in Shekarau’s camp.

Notable among those who chose to follow Shekarau to the APC, include Senator Mohammed Bello, former Commissioners, Garba Yusuf, Sarki Labaran, and Musa Shanono.

Others are: Umar Mustapha Maimansaleta, Bello Sani Gwarzo, Nasir Sorondinki, Bashir Ishaq Bashir, Ahmed Aruwa, Mamuda Sani Madakingini, Nasiru Madana Fagge, and Shehu Isa Direba.

In the party’s hierarchy, Ibrahim Mai Atampa (Vice Chairman Kano South), Shehu Na’Allah Kura (Vice Chairman Kano Central), Ibrahim KT (Deputy Chairman), Auwal Danzabuwa (State Secretary of the PDP), Usman KK (State Youth Leader), Riga Yakasai (Women Leader), and three others, all chose to defect to the APC with Shekarau.