ACN vows to claim victory in A’Ibom

In a reaction to the announcement by the Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Aniekan Akpan, accepting the victory of Governor Godswill Akpabio of the Peoples Democratic Party in the April 16 governorship election, the ACN on Sunday denied being represented by Akpan.
The ACN said it had already suspended Akpan.
The Acting Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Amadu Attai, said Akpan’s acceptance of the result of the poll was aimed at confusing the minds of the electorate who were victims of electoral robbery.
Attai said, “We hardly need to say, but for the avoidance of doubt, we make bold to repeat the obvious that this great party (ACN) completely dissociates itself from the actions of Mr. Aniekan Akpan who is, to say the least, on a frolic of his own. At no point in time did we authorise such outright falsehood as conveyed by Akpan.
Attai said from the resolution of the meeting on Sunday, Akpan had been suspended and replaced by Attai.
He added that in line with article 9 of the ACN constitution, a seven-man disciplinary committee had been set up to investigate and recommend appropriate sanctions against the suspended chairman.
He said Akpan would be judged on the basis of unauthorised congratulatory message and acceptance of election results.
He added that he would also be quizzed on the millions of naira he collected for the purpose of the cancelled April 2 elections which remained unaccounted for. Attai further stated that Akpan would be made to return all party assets in his care.
He said the party was more “focused, poised to reclaim its stolen mandate.”
“To this end, we hereby reiterate our rejection of the fake bogus results announced by INEC, in favour of PDP and demand that they announce the authentic results which clearly establishes that we won in over 22 local government areas. We had the highest number of valid votes cast,” he said.
By Etim Ekpimah, Uyo             Courtesy Of: Punch

Ajimobi alleges illegal withdrawals from Oyo accounts

Senator Abiola Ajimobi Governor Elect Oyo-State

Oyo State Governor-elect, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has alerted banks, civil servants and all stakeholders in the state to an alleged “last-minute looting of treasury” by some officials of the outgoing government.
He said the plan was for the officials to empty the treasury ahead of their May 29 disengagement date, thereby precipitating a cash crisis for the incoming government.
Ajimobi gave the alert in a statement by his campaign organisation’s Director of Publicity, Mr. Yanju Adegbite, in Ibadan, the state capital on Sunday.
“We are by this statement issuing a form of caveat emptor to all banks and other key sectors of the Oyo State economy to be on their guard as attempts are being made to siphon the wealth of the state by agents of the exiting government,” the statement read.
He further alleged that the outgoing state government had perfected plans of organising “phony and unsubstantiated” seminars and training workshops abroad for some of its principals, which it said, was one of the ploys by the outgoing government to launder the wealth of the people.
It alleged that there were organised plans to loot property belonging to the state government in the days ahead, preparatory to the May 29 handover.
He also called on civil servants in the state and other stakeholders to “shine their eyes” and report suspicious withdrawals from the state treasury and attempts to cart away government property to appropriate authorities so that “those who are intent on cleaning the state dry before their exit would have their nefarious intent nipped in the bud.”
The governor-elect appealed to striking doctors to resume work, assuring them that immediately he assumed office, he would look at their situation.
He promised that his administration would be fair to all.
But the Oyo State governor’s spokesman, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, has described the allegation of planned looting as “heartrendingly ridiculous that beggars no comment.”
Oyelade argued that the incoming government might have succeeded in having on their hands “a grandstanding alarmist group.”
He said, “Why can’t the governor-elect come out with a sublime policy mindset seven days after his victory instead of mediocre, weather-beaten unsubstantiated statements? This is a bad sign for Oyo State.”
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan            Courtesy Of: Punch

PDP govt selling public vehicles illegally – Ogun ACN

The Action Congress of Nigeria has accused the outgoing Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel of the illegal auction of government vehicles.
In a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sola Lawal, the ACN accused the Daniel administration of issuing a directive for the sale of government vehicles to some government officials.
The statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday reads in part, “The unlawful machination would see each official car in government pool being sold for a paltry N300,000. Payments would be made into the government treasury.”
The party warned government officials to be wary of what it described as “the Greek gift”, adding that the in-coming administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun might not honour such deals.
The party also condemned what it described as the mass recruitment of staff into the Ogun State civil service by the Daniel administration.
“Is this not the same government that has inflicted untold hardship on its workers, particularly through its epileptic attitude to payment of salaries and emoluments as well as refusal to remit the deductions made from teacher’s salaries into the cooperative fund? Is this not the same government that the doctors in its employment recently protested its insensitivity to their pitiable plight,” it queried.
But the state governor in its reaction chided the ACN and accused the party of playing politics of bitterness and propaganda.
Daniel, who reacted through his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, appealed to the ACN to desist from the “politics of bitterness and propaganda,” which he stated, might divide the people.
He said, “Let it be on record that the on going recruitment into the public service is purely routine and the process was kick-started more than six months ago and was meant to fill existing vacancies.
“Therefore a process that actually began about six months ago and that has gone through the due process for the engagement of staff to fill existing vacancies cannot be described as last-minute gambit meant to destabilise the incoming administration.
“Again the sale of official cars to individuals who have used them in the past four years is in line with extant rules and the process is completely in tandem with what obtains in the private and public sector including governments at different levels and other states of the federation.”
Daniel added, “Those who have used such vehicles for four years are told to show through writing their intention to purchase the vehicle, the letters are sent to the permanent secretary in charge of political administration, after which such vehicles are sent to the ministry of works for valuation and assessment before the amount to be paid by those concerned are now determined.
“Indeed the process has just started and no single official car has been sold to any individual. It is therefore an attempt to continue with the dark politics of the past that has made the ACN to fault such a transparent process for purely political reasons.”
By Francis Falola, Abeokuta            Courtesy Of: Punch

Jonathan to governors-elect: Don’t fight your predecessors

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday cautioned all the winners of the 2011 general elections, particularly the newly elected governors, to avoid unnecessary quarrels with their predecessors.
Jonathan, who is currently on a working retreat at the Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State, noted that most times, squabbles between newly elected officials and their predecessors ended up being counter-productive.
The warning by the President is contained in a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro.
Already, some of the governors-elect have publicly stated their intention to investigate the administrations of their predecessors.
Jonathan, who also congratulated all winners of the general elections, said rather than seeking to settle scores, they (winners) should be magnanimous in victory.
He equally advised the losers to take their defeat in good faith by conceding defeat and congratulating the winners.
The President advised those who genuinely believe that malpractices were committed by their opponents during the polls to seek legal redress rather than taking the law into their hands.
The statement by Niboro reads in part, “President Jonathan urges winners in the elections to be magnanimous in victory and to commit themselves to good governance for all their constituents without discrimination.
“He urges them not to engage their predecessors in unnecessary battles, which may turn out as counterproductive.
“The President sympathises with those who lost. He calls on them to gallantly concede defeat and congratulate the victors. He urges them to refrain from taking laws into their own hands and take the legal route where they feel dissatisfied with the outcome of the process.”
However, Jonathan in the same breath said the 2011 general elections were the freest and most credible since 1999.
“President Jonathan believes that in spite of untoward incidents such as the violence witnessed in parts of the country, all Nigerians can be justifiably proud of the 2011 general elections which have been acclaimed locally and internationally as the freest and most credible elections held in the country in the current democratic dispensation,” the statement added.
According to the statement, the President will work with all stakeholders to address outstanding challenges in the country’s electoral system in order to consolidate on the gains of the 2011 elections.
“The President is determined to move Nigeria further along the path of democratic consolidation in the next four years to build on the gains of the 2011 general elections. In this regard, he is committed to working with all stakeholders to address any observed weaknesses which persist in the country’s electoral system,” it said.
The statement also disclosed that Jonathan had directed all the country’s security agencies to remain on full alert to check any case of post-election violence.
“The President has directed all national security agencies to remain on full alert, especially in identified flashpoints across the country, to thwart any further attempt to breach the peace and deny patriotic Nigerians the huge gains they have made to consolidate democratic governance in the country through the 2011 general elections,” the statement said.
Jonathan, according to Niboro, looks forward to working with all winners of the general elections to transform the country in the next four years.
He thanked all Nigerians for their roles in the electoral process, singling out the Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Youth Service Corps members, for special mention.
Niboro said, “President Jonathan congratulates all re-elected and newly-elected state governors, all re-elected and incoming members of the National Assembly, as well as re-elected and newly elected members of state Houses of Assembly across the country.
“ The President looks forward to working harmoniously with them all in the next four years on the implementation of his agenda for national transformation.
“With the 2011 general elections all but concluded, except for the supplementary elections scheduled to hold in parts of Imo State on Friday, the President wishes, once again, to thank all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, who have contributed to the delivery of the free, fair and credible elections promised by this administration.
“He expresses appreciation to the chairman, commissioners, permanent and ad-hoc staff of INEC, especially members of the NYSC some of whom sadly lost their lives in patriotic service to the country, the national security services, local and international observer groups as well as millions of Nigerians who trooped out thrice in the month of April to peacefully vote for leaders of their choice.”
By Ihuoma Chiedozie, Abuja               Courtesy Of: Punch

Ngige swears to another ‘oath’

Chris Ngige Senator Elect

Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Sunday stunned his supporters and guests when he stepped out of his shoes, stood barefooted and made declaration to do something in the Senate that Nigerians would never forget.
The occasion was a reception he hosted at the Tourist Garden Hotel, Awka to celebrate his election as a senator to represent Anambra Central Senatorial Zone.
He said as he stepped out of his shoes, “One promise to Nigerians is that Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige from Anambra Central Senatorial District will champion a bill that Nigerians will never forget in their lives.
“The Senate will know that some people passed through there. Even if it is for one day, or two days or for four years, Nigerians will feel the presence of Ngige and other progressive senators. It is a promise.”
He stepped back into his shoes and continued his speech, after making the promise.
A witness said it amounted to a traditional oath.
In 2003, Ngige was taken to a shrine at Okija, where he was made to swear to an oath of loyalty to his former political godfather, Chief Chris Uba.
That secret was blown open after Ngige reneged on his loyalty to Uba
He thanked the people of Anambra Central for reposing confidence in him, and promised to recover the other mandates stolen from the Action Congress of Nigeria in the last elections.
He expressed disappointment with some of his opponents, who supported former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when he engaged the former president and his supporters in the battle to free Anambra State.
“Today, they have come to Anambra State to say that they are more patriotic than Ngige. They are just behaving like the ostrich,” he said.
By Emmanuel Obe, Awka           Courtesy Of: Punch

Senate: Group supports Mark

Senator David Mark

An Abuja-based pro-democracy group, Move Nigeria Project, has urged all senators-elect in the just concluded general polls and Nigerians at large to throw their weight behind Senator David Mark as the next President Senate President.
In a statement by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Godwin Dabo’Adzuana, the group stated that Mark deserved to be re-elected as the Senate President, saying he had been able to put an end to instability in the leadership of the Senate.
MNP said, Mark who has been the president of the Senate since 2007, had been “prudent, consistent, and exhibited patriotic leadership of the National Assembly; indeed he has avoided taking actions that could create mistrust and political turbulence which the National Assembly was historically notorious for prior his assumption of its leadership.”
By Agency Reporter                 Courtesy Of: Punch

Why Ogun ACN floored PDP, PPN – Akinlade

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, Mr. Biodun Akinlade, has explained the victory of the Ogun State Action Congress of Nigeria in the just concluded elections in the state.
Akinlade, who gave the explanation in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja, said the electorate in the state voted for the ACN because of the poor performance of the Peoples Democratic Party government in the state.
The committee chairman, who won the April 26 rescheduled House of Representatives poll on the ACN platform, said his constituency recognised his contributions to the area.
Akinlade, who contested the state Deputy Governor, Alhaja Salmot Badru of the Peoples Party of Nigeria and four other candidadates, stated that he would focus on employment generation and development of Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency.
The House of Representatives member said the defeat of the PDP in the South-West was a reflection of the desire of the people for a change.
He stated, “The ACN won because of the performance of the PDP in the South-West. The people of the zone are very sophisticated people. They are dissatisfied with the performance of the PDP, hence their desire for change, which the ACN represents.”
By Niyi Odebode              Courtesy Of: Punch