GRPolitics

Oshiomhole guilty as charged- Amosun, Okorocha

Published

6 years ago

November 2, 2018

grassroots

Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Thursday renewed their attacks on Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of their party, the All Progressives Congress.

While Okorocha claimed the fortunes of the APC had witnessed a downturn since Adams Oshiomhole took over as national chairman, Amosun alleged that the party chairman and his cohorts were working towards handing over Ogun to “a gang of expansionists.”

Amosun’s attack is contained in a statement written on his behalf by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Otunba Adedayo Adeneye, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent.

Amosun, who was reacting to Oshiomhole’s defence on the crisis rocking the APC following its recent primaries, noted that Oshiomhole had visited injustice on Ogun State by not allowing the wishes of the people of the state to stand.

The governor had reiterated that the only authentic governorship primary in the state was the one that produced Adekunle Akinlade.

While he accused Oshiomhole of not abiding by the rules and guidelines of the party, he said his attempts to hide under “false claims about conscience and integrity are cheap.”

The statement read partly, “Oshiomhole knows that there were no other gubernatorial primaries held in Ogun State other than the one that produced Adekunle Akinlade as candidate.

“He knows that the primaries into national and legislative offices were won 100 per cent by those declared winners by the panel he sent to Ogun State to oversee the exercise.

“He knows that the shenanigans of unknown court injunctions, unknown appeal panels and all sorts unleashed on the process by him and his cohorts are premeditated schemes executed to deny the members of the APC their true choice of candidates in the elections.”

He added, “Oshiomhole knows, as we know, that in the instance of the last primaries in Ogun State, he has fallen short of the minimum standards of justice, equity and fairness. Our consolation lies in the fact that in the fullness of time, what remains unknown to the public will become bare and everyone will see Oshiomhole and his co-travellers for who they are.

“In his conduct, Oshiomhole has exhibited disdain for the interest of the APC and that of the National Leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari.”

On Oshiomhole’s claim that only three state governors were aggrieved about the conduct of the primaries, Amosun dismissed it as untrue, citing a nationwide outcry that greeted the exercise.

He, however, said that the majority of members of the APC in Ogun State remained unshaken in their rejection of the “gangsterism” that had been visited on them in the conduct of the primaries.

He said, “They remain resolved that the attempt to hand over their state and their patrimony to a rapacious gang of expansionists in the South-West will be resisted, not only by members of the APC but by the entire people of Ogun State who are too enlightened to tolerate such abomination.”

On the other hand, Okorocha expressed his anger while speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He claimed the party was losing about five million voters due to Oshiomhole’s highhandedness.

Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the All Progressives Governors’ Forum, is one of those calling for Oshiomhole’s removal after the party primaries.

He said he had since discovered that the party chairman acted without the backing of the President, adding that investigation had shown that there was no directive from the President for the party chairman to act illegally as witnessed in some states.

Okorocha said he had also discovered that Oshiomhole was not under any instruction to replace candidates who won primary elections with others who did not win.

He urged the party chairman to learn to respect the rule of law and obey court orders where they apply.

“This issue of treating court orders as tissue papers must stop. It doesn’t reflect the image of our party.

“Oshiomhole must act quickly to fix the integrity of this party because his coming in ought to have brought joy into the party and not sadness,” Okorocha said.

Despite his allegations against the party chairman, however, the governor said the party would not disintegrate as long as the President remained the leader of the party.

He added, “APC will not disintegrate for as long as the person, Muhammadu Buhari, is still the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and remains the leader of this party.

“We cannot give that credit to the chairman. He cannot disintegrate this party; the party is still intact, just that many people are hurt.

“Since his inception and after these primaries, we are losing almost five million voters because of anger, protest everywhere and he needs to be cautioned.

He has to respect the rule of law, respect court orders and do the right thing – obey court orders where applicable and not turn himself into INEC.”

Okorocha said it was not possible for the party to replace his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, with Senator Hope Uzodinma as the party’s governorship candidate in the state.

“He cannot be standing on Hope Uzodinma because that man did not win election. You cannot compare somebody who won 265,000 votes with somebody who won 7,000 votes.

“He (Hope Uzodinma) never won election and you cannot impose a candidate who is unacceptable to the people on the people. That is how serious the matter is now.

“So, he (Oshiomhole) should do the right thing and I have advised him many times to do the right thing before he creates more disaffection in our party,” he said.

When told that the National Working Committee of the APC had submitted Uzodinma’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Okorocha said it was not possible.

He said, “He (Oshiomhole) can’t! I don’t think the National Working Committee will do that because in the first place, the National Working Committee sent a 13-man delegation that conducted election and 12 of them signed, proved that Uche Nwosu won the election with 265,000 votes as against Hope Uzodinma who got less than 7,000 votes. So, they can’t do that.

“And there is a letter to that effect from the National Working Committee saying Uche Nwosu won, there is a Certificate of Return given to Uche Nwosu, there is a police report saying Uche Nwosu, there is INEC report saying Uche Nwosu.

“So nobody can do that and if they do that, that must be the worst imposition in the history of Nigeria.”

Okorocha said the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, must have been misinformed before declaring support for Oshiomhole.

“Maybe he (Tinubu) is being misinformed. If he is properly informed, he will not say what Oshiomhole is doing is the right thing,” the governor said.

He also denied reports insinuating that he was planning to defect from the APC to the Social Democratic Party.

“SDP? How can I build a house and leave it for someone else? I am in the APC. I founded the APC. I gave the name APC and so this is our party and we must continue with the party and build the party for victory,” he said.

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the party would not want to take issue with its leaders on the pages of newspapers.

He said, “We will not be engaging our leaders in the open, we won’t be taking issue with our leaders, we have internal mechanisms of dealing with our issues.”

GRPolitics

With Commitment, Resilience We’ll Defeat Banditry and Terrorism – Badaru

…it is time to end it…Reports SANDRA ANI

Published

5 days ago

November 19, 2024

grassroots

The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has called on the Nigerian Airforce to intensify the use of their various platforms to bring an end to banditry and terrorism.

According to the Minister, you are key to this this fight and we must put our acts together on your active component to end this war.

In a statement signed by Henshaw Ogubike, director information and Public Relations, Badaru said this during his operational visit to the Air Component Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA at Katsina state on Monday 18th November 2024.

The Honourable Minister appreciated the heroic Air warriors who has continued to shine as beacons of hope, courage and resilience which is an inspiration to Nigerian people.

Furthermore, “the Minister opined that their efforts are yielding positive results as farmers are gradually returning to their farms, schools are reopening, businesses are picking up and Nigerians can now sleep peacefully.”

According to the Minister, the President and commander in chief of the Armed forces Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has expressed confidence on their unwavering loyalty, perseverance and professionalism. He recognizes the personal sacrifices you make every day to keep our country together.

It is pertinent to know that the President has provided the Nigerian Airforce with state of the art Aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance their attack capabilities. With the induction of these new platforms including the T129 Attack Helicopter, ” I am confident we will make Mr President and Nigerians proud.”

Consequent to this, ‘it is no coincidence that I am here today to flag off this critical phase of the Operations’. “I therefore urge you to synergize with the ground forces and other stakeholders to ensure maximum effect from these combat enablers” Badaru said.

The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON mni continued his operational visit by also going to sokoto to inspect the combat readiness of the platforms and also toured the new site where the permanent base of the newly established Airforce component of military operations against banditry and terrorism and facilities will be built at Sokoto Airport.

In his remarks, the chief of the Air staff , Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, appreciated the Minister’s servant leadership style which is an inspiration to all. For him , the T129 Attack Helicopters will transform our operational capabilities to those who think they can destabilize our nation.

GRPolitics

Jigawa Youth Agenda Refutes Allegations Against Badaru

By, Al-Amin Aliu, a Public Analyst

Published

1 week ago

November 16, 2024

grassroots

Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar

The Jigawa Youth Agenda has vehemently denied the unfounded allegations made by a mysterious group claiming to represent APC youth in Jigawa State against Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar.

After thorough investigations, it was revealed that this group is not officially registered with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa and seems to have been hastily formed to spread misinformation and disrupt party unity.

The Youth Agenda are in solidarity with Minister Badaru Abubakar as they reaffirmed its unwavering support for Minister Badaru Abubakar, acknowledging his exceptional contributions to the APC and Nigeria. His leadership and commitment are indisputable, from his transformative tenure as Governor of Jigawa State to his current role as Minister of Defence.

The them, Minister Badaru has done excellently well and the highlighted his key schievements to include but not limited to the following:

– Strengthening National Security: Minister Badaru Abubakar has enhanced Nigeria’s military capabilities, ensuring protection of lives and property.

– Forging Strategic Partnerships: He has fostered vital alliances with global defence organizations to bolster Nigeria’s security and modernize defence infrastructure.

– Promoting Youth Empowerment: The Minister has launched initiatives focused on education, employment, and entrepreneurship in Jigawa State.

– Advancing APC Unity: Minister Badaru Abubakar promotes unity within the party, fostering collaboration across Jigawa and nationally.

The so-called APC Youth Group’s allegations are an attempt to create division within the united APC family. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges APC members and the public to disregard these unfounded claims and focus on strengthening party unity and ideals.

Minister Badaru Abubakar’s legacy remains a source of pride for Jigawa State and Nigeria. His dedication to national development, APC principles, and the Tinubu administration demonstrates his integrity and effectiveness. The Jigawa Youth Agenda urges Nigerians to recognize his achievements and support his efforts to build a stronger, more secure nation.

The Jigawa Youth Agenda reaffirms its full confidence in Minister Badaru Abubakar’s ability to lead and contribute positively to Nigeria’s development. Together, let us reject misinformation and uphold APC unity and progress at state and national levels.

GRPolitics

Unmasking the Campaign of Calumny against Dr Bello Matawalle

Writer: Habib Usman, writes from Abuja

Published

2 weeks ago

November 13, 2024

grassroots

Recent protests and allegations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle MON, have stirred controversy.

Organized demonstrations outside the Department of State Security (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, filled with hired crowds by APC AKIDA sponsored by Tijjani Ramallan and the Zamfara state government with unsubstantiated accusations, reveal a calculated attempt by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to discredit Dr. Matawalle.

This orchestrated campaign, fueled by political motives and a desire to undermine Matawalle’s position, demands closer scrutiny.

Reports indicate that these so-called protests are not spontaneous outcries from Zamfara’s citizens but rather an agenda-driven spectacle designed to tarnish Matawalle’s reputation.

According to sources, the protestors arrived in approximately 12 long buses, clearly organized and funded to create an image of discontent aimed at the minister.

The protestors, reportedly waving placards accusing Matawalle of colluding with criminals, are part of a broader strategy to mislead the public and manipulate the narrative around Zamfara’s complex security situation.

This orchestrated misinformation aligns with the ongoing media offensive spearheaded by Governor Lawal who has now recruited Tijjani Ramallan and his cohorts. Despite lacking concrete evidence, the governor has been on a persistent media campaign, linking Matawalle with criminal elements and falsely alleging his complicity in the state’s banditry crisis.

However, these accusations have repeatedly failed to withstand scrutiny, as underscored by a recent ruling from the Kano High Court.

The court issued an interim injunction barring Governor Lawal and his associates from continuing their smear campaign against Matawalle, stating that any further defamatory actions would be illegal until a substantive hearing on the matter.

The court order highlights the groundlessness of the governor’s claims and serves as a reminder that accusations against public officials must be substantiated by evidence, not driven by political vendettas.

By pursuing a smear campaign against a fellow public servant, Governor Lawal risks destabilizing not only his state but also the critical national security efforts in which Matawalle is involved.

Such actions could divert attention and resources from urgent security issues, ultimately harming the very citizens the governor purports to defend.

The governor’s tactic of repeatedly visiting media houses to disseminate misleading information about Dr. Matawalle has sparked concern among political observers and security experts alike.

His attempts to block Matawalle’s reappointment appear to be rooted more in political rivalry than in any genuine concerns about Zamfara’s security. It’s no coincidence that this intensified campaign began just as discussions about a potential cabinet reshuffle surfaced.

Dr. Matawalle’s growing influence, coupled with his steadfast loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has evidently made him a target for those who feel threatened by his rise.

For Nigerians, it is crucial to separate truth from politically motivated propaganda. The allegations against Dr. Matawalle are part of a coordinated campaign to undermine a dedicated public servant who has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s defence apparatus.

As the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle plays an essential role in shaping security policy, a responsibility he takes seriously and executes with distinction.

The public is advised to view the recent protests and media blitz with caution. It is imperative to consider the context: Governor Lawal’s relentless pursuit to discredit Matawalle, despite the court’s injunction against these defamatory efforts. Rather than yield to such divisive tactics, Nigerians should remain vigilant, prioritizing the integrity of national discourse over political maneuvering.

In conclusion, let us reject efforts to smear individuals serving in crucial roles, particularly when these efforts lack factual foundation and threaten to undermine national security. The Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, deserves due process and an unbiased evaluation, free from political interference.nmasking the Campaign of Calumny Against Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle

Recent protests and allegations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle MON, have stirred controversy. Organized demonstrations outside the Department of State Security (DSS) headquarters in Abuja, filled with hired crowds and unsubstantiated accusations, reveal a calculated attempt by Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to discredit Dr. Matawalle. This orchestrated campaign, fueled by political motives and a desire to undermine Matawalle’s position, demands closer scrutiny.

Reports indicate that these so-called protests are not spontaneous outcries from Zamfara’s citizens but rather an agenda-driven spectacle designed to tarnish Matawalle’s reputation. According to sources, the protestors arrived in approximately 12 long buses, clearly organized and funded to create an image of discontent aimed at the minister. The protestors, reportedly waving placards accusing Matawalle of colluding with criminals, are part of a broader strategy to mislead the public and manipulate the narrative around Zamfara’s complex security situation.

This orchestrated misinformation aligns with the ongoing media offensive spearheaded by Governor Lawal.

Despite lacking concrete evidence, the governor has been on a persistent media campaign, linking Matawalle with criminal elements and falsely alleging his complicity in the state’s banditry crisis.

However, these accusations have repeatedly failed to withstand scrutiny, as underscored by a recent ruling from the Kano High Court.

By pursuing a smear campaign against a fellow public servant, Governor Lawal risks destabilizing not only his state but also the critical national security efforts in which Matawalle is involved.

Such actions could divert attention and resources from urgent security issues, ultimately harming the very citizens the governor purports to defend.

The governor’s tactic of repeatedly visiting media houses to disseminate misleading information about Dr. Matawalle has sparked concern among political observers and security experts alike.

Dr. Matawalle’s growing influence, coupled with his steadfast loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has evidently made him a target for those who feel threatened by his rise.

As the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle plays an essential role in shaping security policy, a responsibility he takes seriously and executes with distinction.