Archive for the ‘Progressives’ Category

APC laments attacks against supporters in Rivers

National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed | credits: File copy

The All Progressives Congress has raised the alarm over the rising cases of killing and maiming of its members in Rivers State, in the run up to next Saturdays governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.

He said the APC was worried that the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike, aided by the security agencies, had continued to kill and maim its members and supporters.

Mohammed said that last week, nine members of the APC were killed in cold blood, while many others were injured, when suspected armed PDP thugs invaded Obrikom and Obor communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government of Rivers state.

The APC also alleged that these same thugs set ablaze the residence of Vincent Ogbagu, a candidate for the House of Assembly elections.

The statement read, APC members have been subjected to persistent harassment and intimidation across the state, using the police in Rivers and the Zone 6 in Calabar. Over 150 prominent members have been victims of this unprovoked persecution.

Just today (Monday), we received sad news from Rivers. An APC chieftain, Christopher Adube, was reportedly shot dead over the weekend. Adube, who hails from the Egbema Local Government Area, was said to have been shot dead at his residence

These are just some of the instances of what APC members and supporters in Rivers State have been subjected to in recent days.

However, Wike denied the allegations.

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APC laments attacks against supporters in Rivers

Delta cant afford to be in opposition

The All Progressives Congress has stepped up campaign in Delta State, wooing political leaders and the electorate with their message on the need for the state to remain in alignment with the Federal Government.

Since 1999, Delta State has been under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party, which has been in charge of the Federal Government in the past 16 years.

Following the defeat of the PDP at the presidential election by the APC, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Delta, Prof. Isaac Adakpo, told our correspondent that it was also time for change in the state.

Adakpo said the partys campaign in the past one week had focused on the need for the state not to in opposition with the centre and the need for change.

He said, We have been moving into the communities speaking to the people, giving them the reasons why Delta State should not be in opposition with the centre and the need to have a change.

Since the centre has given us the impetus for change, we need the change too because the 16 years of the PDP administration in Delta State has not paid off. We are trying our best to sell all our candidates, particularly the governorship candidate. We hope the people will respond positively to us.

Adakpo added that the APC in Delta had not received politicians defecting openly from the PDP in large numbers because of the political complexity of the state.

He said, We havent received such defections openly. Delta is a very complex state. People have been with the PDP administration all these years. A few PDP leaders in the Ndokwa nation and parts of Urhobo are making overtures. We are welcoming them with open arms. Nobody wants to come out in the open but of course they will be good moles for us on April 11.

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Delta cant afford to be in opposition

Nigeria: The Battle of the States

analysis

The governorship candidates of the major political parties are squaring up for the battle of the states on April 11, 2015. Except in few states, the contest is expected to be fierce between the newly elected governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has been leading the government since 1999.

In view of the outcome of the presidential elections which saw retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC emerging winner in an election contested by 14 candidates, including the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, we have decided to look at the likely "Winners and Losers" at the forthcoming Governorship Election in 29 states of the federation.

LAGOS: A ding-dong battle of wills

The Lagos State gubernatorial election is already throwing up signs of a close contest between the two main political parties- the PDP and the APC.

Political pundits who have been keen on the development in the state are finding it difficult to place a bet on any of the candidates, Mr Jimi Agbaje, the PDP gubernatorial candidate and Mr Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC. Indeed, the two candidates, through their campaigns, have thrown up a number of issues, many of which might eventually become the determining factors on who either wins or loses.

Before the election, both Agbaje and Ambode made it a habit to campaign vigorously for their respective parties' presidential candidates. During Ambode's political campaigns across the 20 local governments in the state, his campaign and those of his party leaders, including a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current Governor, Babatunde Fashola, the slogan had always been: "Vote Buhari, vote Ambode". While looking at the state incumbency machinery that has been deployed in mobilizing supporters and Lagosians alike, not a few disagree that the victory of Gen. Buhari might positively affect the chances of Ambode.

Agbaje has also not done badly in this regard. Against all odds and the perceived lethargy that first rocked his efforts at selling the candidacy of Mr President at the early stage of the campaign, Agbaje, backed with funds from the supporters of President Jonathan, succeeded in using "Vote Jonathan, vote Agbaje" to win the hearts of many people from the South South and South East living in Lagos. But this political calculation may change since President Jonathan has lost his election to the APC candidate.

KANO: Buhari's victory weighs down Takai, raises Ganduje

Out of all the 22 candidates contesting the seat of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Mallam Sagir Saliu Takai are viewed as the most likely occupiers of the Kano Government House on May 29.

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Nigeria: The Battle of the States

How new govt can drive business

Examining the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress, IFE ADEDAPO looks at how it will enhance business opportunities

Up and coming entrepreneurs are often uncertain about a good business venture to go into especially when they have failed in other types of business in the past.

Among other indicators of a good business environment, experts note that the state of the economy can form a basis for starting a new business.

According to them, the just concluded presidential election was an opportunity for businesses and individuals who had aligned themselves with the political parties to make money during the campaign.

Although people were involved in illegal acquisition during this period, legal ways of making money from political activities abound.

During this period, experts say political office aspirants are known to pour money into the economy while firms and individuals gather to catch as much of this money as they can.

Examples of the business opportunities that the campaign and election processes offer are in the areas of billboard printing, handbills, advert placement, designing customised T-shits, bulk SMS for political office aspirants, social media marketing among others. But beyond all these, what is more important is how the newly elected government and its officials will, through good policies, impact on businesses.

The election of a new president

With the election of a new president, business managers can begin to monitor initiatives of the Federal Government in order to discover where they can fit in.

A business consultant, Mr. Niyi Ayodele, notes that these initiatives can be likened to good spots where sales are easier to make.

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How new govt can drive business

Voting for PDP disastrous Osun APC

The All Progressives Congress has appealed to the people of Osun State not to allow any candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to win the election into the 26 seats in the State House of Assembly.

The Director of Publicity of the APC in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said this in a statement he made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday.

He claimed that the Federal Government led by President Goodluck Jonathan starved Osun State of funds, stating that if any member of the PDP was voted into the Assembly, such would be out to frustrate the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The statement read,The state will be at risk of halting the remarkable development it has experienced in the last four years, if it allowed any candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to become a member of the State House of Assembly.

Any PDP candidate in the House of Assembly therefore will have only one mission to frustrate and stall whatever project Ogbeni plans to implement for the benefit of the people of the state.

PDP had been boasting that it would reverse all the gains the people of this state have made within the last four years under APC governance, if it won the governorship election.

Then they resorted to Federal might to starve the state of funds, to frustrate a lot of projects which were on-going. But God, in His absolute mercy, used the Nigerian people to vote out the Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP government.

Now, with Buhari and the APC set to take power in Abuja, Osuns fortune will definitely change for the better. To then become careless and allow any PDP candidate into the state House of Assembly will amount to ingratitude to God, and inadvertent choice to jeopardise the future of the state, the APC declared.

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Voting for PDP disastrous Osun APC