Archive for the ‘Progressives’ Category

Presidential primariesll not divide APC, says Saraki

Dr. Bukola Saraki | credits: File copy

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that presidential primaries will not cause division in the party.

Saraki said the contestants for the partys ticket had given assurance that they would abide by the outcome of the primaries and would work for the overall interest of the party.

In an interview with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Monday, the APC chieftain said it was a mere propaganda that APC would disintegrate after its primaries.

Saraki said, This is the propaganda from the opposition. I want to assure Nigerians that the fact that we are going to have the primaries should not in any way disintegrate the party. I believe that even such primaries will help to unify the party. We saw it during the era of the Social Democratic Party. After the primaries, the SDP did not disintegrate, rather it made the party stronger.

Even in the early days of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Alex Ekwueme had primaries and the party did not disintegrate. I can open up and tell you that I have had the opportunity to sit with General Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso. There are assurances from them that whichever way the primary goes, they will support whoever emerges as the candidate.

When we started to merge with the legacy parties, the opposition said the party would disintegrate with the merger. After that they said that by the time we go for national convention the party would disintegrate, yet none happened.

The party will not disintegrate because we are all making sacrifices every day. It is not easy to come together to take on a government with this level of impunity. We are all doing this because we truly believe that this is the best way for Nigeria. I have utmost confidence that whoever emerges as the presidential flag bearer for APC, we will rally round the person.

Saraki, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, said he would soon inform Nigerians whether he would contest for the 2015 presidential election or not.

He urged the citizens to rise above selfish ambitions and make necessary sacrifices that would uplift the country.

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Presidential primariesll not divide APC, says Saraki

APC commends Adeboye for disowning offensive sermon

The All Progressives Congress has commended the General Overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, for dissociating himself and the church from what the party called offensive and divisive audio Compact Disc that is being circulated by certain political Pastors.

In a statement in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said by his action, the GO had again exhibited his characteristic exceptional leadership and shown what religion should be about, which is love, rather than hate and incendiary statements.

It expressed satisfaction that the GO specifically asked the RCCG Pastors to ignore the contents of the audio CD, especially all the references to political parties, including the APC.

The party said, The GOs statement, in his response to the APC, which had written to protest the divisive and corrosive statements contained in the audio CD, which has been smuggled into some RCCG parishes, made it clear that the RCCG is neutral and apolitical, and that it prays for all irrespective of political persuasion or creed.

We in the APC are delighted at the GOs prompt action and statement that the RCCG did not endorse divisive comments in any form or shape, that it has sons and daughters in all political parties, and that the allegations contained in the audio CD are wickedly false, unsubstantiated, ill-conceived and mischievous.

Equally satisfying is the GOs directive asking everyone in possession of the audio CDs to return them, and the directive to the Churchs Pastors to communicate such to their respective congregations immediately.

On the audio CD, allegedly produced by one Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, the party wondered why a man of God would engage in what it described as outright lies to propagate hatred, incite Christians against Muslims so brazenly, as if the adherents of both religions are not children of the same God.

It faulted the cleric for using the platform of the church to campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party while seeking to destroy the APC.

The party added, In a country where the citizenry, whether Christians or Muslims, have been shortchanged by greedy, selfish and clueless political leadership, a Pastor went on record as saying President Goodluck Jonathan has performed 100%, while at the same time demonizing and denigrating the APC as an Islamic Party without a scintilla of proof. Much as he struggled to couch his inflammatory and discordant message in flowery lies, it is clear that he was sponsored to inseminate lies to shore up the dwindling fortunes of the ruling party.

Where in the world has an Islamic Party been led by a Christian? Where in the world has the membership of an Islamic Party been populated by Christians and Muslims? Why would a Pastor whose primary purpose is to preach the Gospel (good news) now make himself available, for whatever reason, as a tool to disseminate lies and bad news?

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APC commends Adeboye for disowning offensive sermon

Climate Week: Conservatives vs. Progressives – Video


Climate Week: Conservatives vs. Progressives
In New York, 400000 people gathered for the People #39;s Climate March in advance of the UN Climate Summit, and then several thousand for Flood Wall Street the ...

By: The Undercurrent

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Climate Week: Conservatives vs. Progressives - Video

Fayose should submit himself for trial Olatunbosun

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun, in this interview with FEMI MAKINDE,says Governor-elect Ayo Fayose unleashed attack on the judiciary to prevent his trial because he allegedly has things to hide

Were judges truly beaten during the crisis at the court premises in the state?

It was confirmed that the governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, led some people to the court. It is also public knowledge that the governor-elect had an altercation with some judges. Some judges were manhandled in the presence of the governor-elect.

The People Democratic Party has said nobody can stop Fayoses swearing-in. Why is the All Progressives Congress trying to stop Fayose after losing the election?

For somebody to say he cannot be stopped, that statement is a mark of desperation. That is what we are saying. If you get something which you are not qualified for, the law is there to take its course.

The statement shows that the PDP and the governor-elect are desperate to occupy the office but thank God we have the constitution in Nigeria, which is superior to everybody. He has a good opportunity now to be cleared by the court if the court finds him qualified to have contested the election. The tribunal hearing matters arising from the Ekiti State governorship election is on. We have adduced reasons before the panel.

Are you confident that the case will be decided in favour of your party?

We approached the tribunal and presented evidence to support the petition. We would not have gone to the tribunal if we knew we did not have a good case. The fraud they perpetrated will be exposed by the court and that is part of the reason the PDP is jittery.

The APC has been accused of conniving with the E-eleven and some judges to scuttle the swearing-in of Fayose, why is this so?

Our party, the APC, is not conniving with anybody or institution to stop Fayose. Members of the E-eleven are Nigerians and they are indigenes of Ekiti State that have the constitutional right to approach the court if they feel aggrieved.They have the right to be heard and that was what the court was doing, until those who are afraid of their past, those who are afraid of the evil they have done, struck and unleashed terror on the judiciary. If you are not afraid and you dont have anything to hide, why dont you allow justice to take its course? Fayose should submit himself for trial.

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Fayose should submit himself for trial Olatunbosun

Presidential ticket: APC reduces delegates number to 15,000

National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun

The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress is at the verge of reducing the number of delegates for its forthcoming presidential primaries to below 15,000.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Friday that the proposal was the outcome of several meetings held by the Chief John Oyegun-led national executive of the party.

The NEC was mandated to fine-tune modalities for the indirect primaries which were agreed upon.

An initial proposal, which was to include all party officials from the ward up to the federal level, was jettisoned when it was discovered that about 30,000 delegates will be involved.

A highly placed party source, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said It is only logical that we trim down the number from 300,000 to a manageable size of say 10,000 or 15,000 maximum.

Supporters of former Head of State, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari had proposed that, in the event that the party was not disposed to a consensus candidate, it should go for direct primary.

The direct primary will entail all duly registered members of the party at all levels. They will be involved in choosing the flag bearer.

The Director-General of the General Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Umaru Dembo, defended the call for a consensus candidate.

He told SUNDAY PUNCH, If the PDP can go for a consensus candidate and we are the biggest party on the other side, it will be normal, it will be alright if we also have a consensus (candidate) so that there wouldnt be any rancour or worries.

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Presidential ticket: APC reduces delegates number to 15,000