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Former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar | credits: File copy

A former Vice-President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday denied a statement made by a Peoples Democratic Partys chieftain that he might return to the PDP before the elections.

The former vice-president said this in response to reports that he was being pressured by elements within the ruling party to stage a comeback.

The PDP had said on Friday that it was wooing former members of the party, including Atiku Abubakar and Kwakwanso, who defected to the All Progressives Congress to return to the party before the next general elections.

According to the PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, who stated this at a press conference in Ile-Ife, Osun State, the party had starting making moves to bring back the former members.

He said, The PDP has begun moves to bring back some of our former chieftains who are now in the APC. The PDP reconciliation committee set up by the National Working Committee will meet with all former members for the purpose of bringing them back before the next general elections.

But when contacted, the Director General of the Atiku Media Office, Mallam Garba Shehu, said there was no plan by Atiku to return to the PDP.

According to him, news linking the APC chieftain to a possible return to the PDP were lies being peddled by mischief makers.

Shehu said, There is no iota of truth in such claims. It is not only false, it is malicious and a product of the futile imaginations of those peddling it.

Similarly, Kwankwaso, who was one of seven PDP governors who walked out of the partys mini convention last year to protest against injustices within the party, has also denied making moves to return to his former party.

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Atiku debunks return move to PDP

South-East zonal spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress, Osita Okechukwu

The All Progressives Congress in the South-East has congratulated Ohanaeze Ndigbo for shooting down a motion for the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the candidate of the Igbo in the 2015 presidential election.

A statement by the spokesman of the APC in the South-East, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, described those that opposed the motion, which was moved by a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, at the Imeobi (inner caucus) meeting of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Saturday, as true Igbo patriots.

Okechukwu expressed happiness that Ndigbo have realised that it doesnt make sense to put all our eggs in one basket, especially when the political scenario in the 2015 presidential election differs remarkably from that of 2011, when Jonathan was endorsed.

He said, Ohanaeze, by refusing to endorse President Jonathan, has taken a cue from Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbakas New Year sermon at the Adoration Ground, that Nigeria needs a change for the better.

As Mbaka said, I love President Jonathan and I used to be his fan, but I want good for my people and thats why I want Nigerians to vote out Jonathan and vote Buhari.

If the Hausa have spread their dragnets in both the PDP and the APC and Yoruba have spread their dragnets in both the PDP and the APC, then Ndigbo should not blame anybody for marginalisation in the event of the APCs victory in the forth coming February 14, 2015 presidential election.

Okechukwu stressed that the APC in the South-East believed that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should remain neutral in the 2015 general elections, as there were Igbo in all the parties.

Igbo are not only in the PDP we have Igbo sons and daughters in the APC, the main opposition party in the country today.

Our son, Chief Chekwas Okorie, is contesting under the UPP. What happens to him if we endorse Jonathan?

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APC praises Ohanaeze for rejecting Jonathans endorsement

The All Progressives Congress in the South East has congratulated Ohanaeze Ndigbo for shooting down a motion for the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the candidate of the Igbos in the 2015 presidential election.

A statement by the spokesman of the APC in the South East, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, described those that opposed the motion, which was moved by a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, at the Imeobi (inner caucus) meeting of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Saturday as true Igbo patriots.

Okechukwu expressed happiness that Ndigbo have realized that it doesnt make sense to put all our eggs in one basket, especially when the political scenario in the 2015 presidential election differs remarkably from that of 2011 when Jonathan was endorsed.

Ohanaeze by refusing to endorse President Jonathan has taken a cue from Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbakas New Year sermon at the Adoration Ground, that Nigeria needs change for the better.

As Mbaka said, I love President Jonathan and I used to be his fan, but I want good for my people and thats why I want Nigerians to vote out Jonathan and vote Buhari, Okechukwu added.

According to him, If the Hausas have spread their dragnets in both PDP and APC and Yorubas have spread their dragnets in both PDP and APC, then Ndigbo should not blame anybody for marginalization in the event of APCs victory in the forth coming 14th February 2015 presidential election.

Okechukwu stressed that the APC in the South East believes that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should remain neutral in the 2015 general elections as there are Igbos in all the parties.

Igbos are not only in PDP we have Igbo sons and daughters in APC, the main opposition party in the country today.

Our son, Chief Chekwas Okorie, is contesting under UPP, what happens to him if we endorse Jonathan?

Ohanaeze is a polygamous father, we must spread our dragnet like our contemporaries in the Nigeria project.

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APC applauds Ohanaeze for rejecting motion to endorse Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress and the Trade Union Congress have called on the Federal Government to reduce the pump prices of petroleum products in view of the crash in the prices of crude oil in the international market.

In a statement signed by the Director of Publicity and Strategy of the party in Oyo State, Mr. Wale Sadare, it said, the APC recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan and his economic management team arrived at N97 per litre of petrol in 2012 following skyrocketing prices of crude oil in the global market.

It said, The oil price has fallen by 49 per cent from 2013 and the Jonathan administration still claimed it spent a whooping N971bn on its subsidy payment in 2014. Does it mean that Nigeria has been buying refined petroleum products at the same rate from nations with functional refineries despite the crash in crude oil prices?

How come Ghana was able to implement a 13 per cent reduction in the prices of same products in its local market?

The TUC also in a statement on Sunday signed by its President, Mr. Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Mr. Musa Lawal, said there was no justification for the government to retain the current pump price of petrol at N97 per litre.

It recalled that the Federal Government had cited the issue of the oil prices in the international market as one of the main reasons for increasing the pump price of petroleum products in 2012.

It urged the relevant agencies to review the prices of petroleum products in order to reduce the hardships imposed on the people as a result of the falling oil prices.

The TUC also said that it had asked the Federal Government to increase the salaries of workers to reduce the adverse effects of the devaluation of the naira on them.

It said, The congress expresses concern that the government has refused to reduce the prices of petroleum products even though the price of crude has collapsed in the international market, which was the reason given when it wanted to increase the price of fuel in 2012.

We urge the government to direct the appropriate agencies to immediately adjust the prices of petroleum products as it will ameliorate the sufferings of the Nigerian masses. We have put the government on notice that following the devaluation (of the naira) we are going to ask for wage increase to cushion its effect on the workers.

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APC, TUC demand reduction in fuel price

FORMER Head of State and All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate in the forthcoming elections, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, has said that the certificate saga against him was meant to ridicule him and his quest to wrest power from President Goodluck Jonathan. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said it would not be drawn into the controversy as it is bent on delivering credible elections for Nigerians.

Buhari, who spoke with The Guardian through his media aide, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, Saturday, explained that the present crop of Army personnel has been politicised, the reason for which an officer would challenge the certificates of his superior just to cast an aspersion on him and also favour his principal who would be vying for the same election.

Fashakin said: "The controversy that is being generated by the certificate issue is something that is not acceptable. They are just looking for something to hold desperately to be able to prevent Buhari.

"What are the facts of this case? Before now, Gen. Buhari had contested elections for three occasions. Are you going to say that he didn't present any certificate for those three times? He also had risen to the position of a Major General in the Army and all his credentials are well documented by the Army in those days. It is not only that he rose to the position of a Major General; he also rose to the position of a military Head of State.

"Now, the Army of that same country claims that he does not have a certificate. It is something that should puzzle us as a people. The Chief of Army Staff said that he does not know what people are talking about, meaning that they do not have records of his certification to have passed certain courses, including academic attainments."

According to Buhari, "These are issues that raise some questions. That we can have a Major General in the army, whose certificates are now being subjected to debate, point to some political ends. What I would say is that this is a no case submission.

" May be, the person talking about General Buhari's certificates today, was just struggling to become a Captain when Buhari was Head of State. Where was he then? So, if they are talking of Buhari's certificates in the Army, the first question we should ask is: who is the person talking?"

He also argued: "If the Army can come out to deny its own, especially someone who became a GOC, and also commanded three of the four divisions of the Nigerian Army as it were, and now to be subjected to this kind of vilification because of some obvious indescribable political ends, then you know that there is something fundamentally wrong with the nation.

"As a matter of fact, General Buhari was even a prefect in his secondary school, so... it is even a shame on all of us that someone who became our Head of State would now have to be ridiculed in this manner because of some terrible political ends that some people are pursuing. It is a collective shame on us as a people."

Meanwhile, INEC has continued to keep mum over the alleged certificate scandal involving the APC presidential candidate.

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Nigeria: Buhari - Army Ridiculing Me With Certificate Scandal