Category: Politics

 

The All Progressives Congress APC has asked the Senate to ignore what it described as “selective criticism” against the appointment of presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie as a National Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

APC in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena on Friday noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of Onochie as a National Commissioner “has been subject to rash, subjective, misplaced and selective criticism by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some interest groups”.

 

APC said, “perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded that one of its card-carrying members, Dr Johnson Alalibo is the current Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)”.

ALSO READ: INEC: Ignore PDP’s diatribe against Onochie, APC urges Senate

“Alalibo who was also a former Deputy Whip in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly has been an electoral asset to the PDP but that is an issue to be addressed another day”, the ruling party stated.

The statement further urged “the patriotic 9th Senate to stick with the facts and issues by ignoring the PDP’s grandstanding, cheap blackmail, baseless and subjective allegations of partisanship it is sponsoring against Ms Onochie. For the PDP, Ms Onochie’s capacity and effectiveness as a public servant and senior social media professional amount to partisanship.

“Since public service now equates ‘partisanship’ we invite the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to equally fault appointment of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the current INEC Chairman who was the immediate-past Executive Secretary of the government’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), as well as the earlier, stated Dr Johnson Alalibo.

“We equally invite the PDP to query the ‘unquestionable integrity’ of brazen PDP apologists such as Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC; Mike Igini, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Akwa Ibom State, among others.

“We challenge the PDP to point to any of its defunct 16-year administrations that defended and guaranteed the Executive arm of government’s non-interference in INEC’s operation and the true independence of the electoral commission as President Buhari’s government has done”.

 

 

EndSARS, EndSWAT protesters in Warri.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, says the National Assembly will ensure that the five demands made to the Executive by #EndSARS protesters are implemented.

Lawan gave the assurance on Thursday at plenary after the Senate was briefed by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC – Kebbi North) on the intervention by the leadership to wade into the matter.

 

Giving details into the meeting between the Senate delegation and the protesters yesterday, Abdullahi said, “We met with a view to pacifying the protesters and also extending our commiseration with them over what happened.

READ ALSO: APC State Chairmen free to express themselves within party’s constitution — Buni

“They explained that in the course of their peaceful demonstration, they were accosted by some hoodlums, who they alleged were directed by the police to attack them; and how they were able to weather the storm and assemble at the National Assembly to inform us of their travails.

“We sympathised with them and received the oral complaints that they wanted to present to the National Assembly.

“They complained of damages to their vehicles and some physical injuries that some of them sustained. Fortunately, there were no major injuries or even violent death.

“We implored them to submit a catalogue of their complaints and the damages or injuries that were inflicted upon them so that these can be conveyed to the appropriate authorities for interventions.

“Today, the minority leader, as we arranged yesterday, was there on the ground to receive the catalogue of complaints.

“Unfortunately those complaints are not ready, so whenever they are ready, the leadership is going to compile and submit them to the appropriate authority for attention.

“I just wanted to inform my colleagues, so that we put this particular issue on the record.”

In his remarks, Lawan, who described the demands by the protesters as legitimate, said the National Assembly would prevail on the Executive arm of government to ensure expeditious implementation.

He, however, urged the protesters to go back home so as to give the Federal Government the chance to see to the implementation of their demands.

“We took a motion sponsored by Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu on the challenges that we face, especially with respect to the SARS activities across the country and, of course, we took far-reaching resolutions.

“Nigerians, let me say, have the right to peaceful demonstration. When they feel very strongly about issues, they can do so to call the attention of the leaders of this country for appropriate action to be taken.

“I believe that the government has responded, SARS has been disbanded and all the five demands of the protesters have been accepted.

“What I’ll urge here is if such demands have been accepted, then we should expedite taking action to actualize them.

“I believe that when protesters demands are met, their goal should have been achieved. Therefore, there is need for our compatriots to go back home and give the government the chance to quickly and expeditiously implement those demands.

“Both chambers of the National Assembly have identified with the protests that they are legitimate protests and demands.

“I think the next vital step is for the protests to stop because the initial reasons for the protests have been accepted as facts and the government is trying to do everything possible.

“I urge the government, and that includes us, that we should push to ensure that those demands of the protesters that the executive side has accepted to implement are implemented as quickly as possible,” Lawan said.

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Gov. Mai Mala Buni, Chairman, All Progressives Congress(APC) Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Special National Convention Planning Committee, has said that the party’s state chairmen are free to express themselves freely within its constitution.

 

He said this on Wednesday in Abuja while meeting with chairmen of the party from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the party’s national secretariat.

“I finally submit that your freedom to express yourself within the ambit of our party laws and regulations in the interest of the party cannot be more guaranteed than it is now,” he said.

Buni who is also the governor of Yobe appreciated the chairmen for their commitment and contributions to the continued successes of the party’s chapters across the federation.

READ ALSO: PDP govs urge Buhari, NASS to repeal Police Trust Fund Act

He added that the chairmen were now allowed to run affairs of the party in their domains” without unnecessary and destructive interference from external interests”.

This, he said, was as long as the laws and regulations of the party were duly abided by.

He added that the committee, which he heads, was poised to ensure internal democracy within the party.

According to him, this is obvious in the handling of the various primary elections coordinated in the last few months in the lead up to the recently held Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.

He further said that the committee had embarked on massive conflict resolution in the party’s chapters across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

He said it had also been able to reach a compromise that demanded the withdrawal of all internal litigations against the party, to allow for internal resolutions and settlement of disputes.

“This alone is a huge positive that would not have been possible without your full support and collaboration as party chairmen across the states of the federation,” Buni said.

He, however, pleaded with the chairmen to use their offices to ensure the full withdrawal of such litigations that might still remain within their domain before the next National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party.

“You may, however, reach out to my office, in writing if need be, for assistance on such matters that may be beyond your powers,” he said.

He added that this should be seen as part of the consensus-building process to restore the party to the path of glory.

Buni stressed that the party and its management belonged to its members, adding that the doors of its national secretariat and his office were always open to the state chairmen and all members.

He said there was a need for the party to undertake a national membership register, adding that this was critical to its strength and preparation for future electioneering outings.

He added that the committee was already strategising on the national membership registration exercise.

“The responsibility is on you as able state chairmen to begin the procedure for full sensitisation and needed awareness for a successful membership registration exercise in your various states as we wait for the final briefing,” he said.

Buni reiterated the committee’s unreserved commitment to the party’s development, adding that the support of the chairmen was needed for the party to achieve its desires.

He told the chairmen that the committee since it took over the management of the party’s affairs had taken and implemented a number of open-door policies.

He said the policies were aimed at revamping and improving the party’s lots both internally and with respect to its integrity and acceptance nationally.

He added that the committee had recorded a number of positive results, which included the resolution of several internal disputes in some of its state chapters.

He said the committee had also created a level playing ground for members of the party across the federation.

Borno APC Chairman and chairman of the Forum of APC State Chairmen, Alhaji Bukar Dalori, while responding, passed a vote of confidence in the Buni-led caretaker committee.

“Our attention has been drawn to social media stories allegedly giving an ultimatum to the APC Caretaker Committee by a group, calling themselves Concerned APC Members.

“This is an unknown group in the APC, and we wonder if they are actually concerned as their name suggests.

“The APC Chairmen unanimously condemn any attempt to distract efforts of the APC caretaker committee from the commendable work it has been doing,” he said

He added that the APC had recognised process through which members could lodge any legitimate grievance.

Dalori maintained that shadowy groups with questionable agenda could not claim any concern for the party.

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of his Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, and three others as commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday read the letter from Buhari on the floor of the Senate.
Others are Prof Mohammed Sani Katsina), Prof Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), and Seidu Ahmed (Jigawa).

“Appointment for commissioners for INEC. Pursuant to paragraph 14 of part 11 of the first schedule of the 1999 constitution,” Buhari said.

Onochie is famous for making controversial posts on social media.

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