APC Raises Alarm Over May 29 Handing Over Date

It appears that the All Progressives Congress, APC is uncomfortable with the May 28 handover date proposed by the out-going administration.

Punch Newspaper is reporting that the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) are set to clash over a proposal by the Jonathan team to hand over the mantle of leadership to Buhari on May the 28th, instead of the 29th.

The Newspaper gathered that the Buhari team was already suspicious over what they considered as an act of ill-will laced with sinister motives.

This is sequel to an announcement by the Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, that President Jonathan would perform the handover ceremony at a dinner on May 28.

Akwashiki made the announcement after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

She told journalists, “By May 28, the President intends to have the formal handover done at a dinner so that we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.”

However, since the return of democracy in 1999, the traditional date for the handover of power has been May 29, which is also observed as Democracy Day.

This tradition has been the vogue for the past 16 years. It also presents an opportunity for the outgoing President to formally present the instrument of authority to his successor in the full glare of members of the public, local and international media, as well as foreign dignitaries.

A top member of the All Progressives Congress, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said, “It is simply not acceptable, we are rejecting it, it is a trap.”

He explained that from a security point of view, it could be considered a trap.

“How can anyone explain a situation where an outgoing president and his team will conveniently excuse themselves from an event where they are supposed to play a role when the President-elect and the Vice-President- elect are supposed to be present?” he queried.

According to the party chieftain, power abhors a vacuum as such, the constitution does not envisage a situation where Nigeria will be without a sitting President even for one hour.

He said, “If Jonathan hands over on the 28th, who accounts for the hours before the morning of the 29th when the Chief Justice of the Federation is to administer the oath of office and the oath of allegiance?

“What if there is even a sinister motive to this whole saga? As the President of the nation; who will still be the Chief Security officer until he hands over, there is no excuse that is strong enough to excuse him from the event.”

When contacted, a member of the Buhari campaign team, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said while he was not privy to any meeting on the subject yet, it was only logical to ask Nigerians not to rest on their oars until total liberation was achieved.

He described the announcement by President Jonathan to hand over a day earlier than was due as a ploy to rubbish the gains made with the historic win by the opposition APC.

Fashakin said, “It (the proposed handover on the 28th) portends ill for the political destiny of this nation.

“That statement is loaded and it shows that the Nigerian people should not rest yet that there is still ominous signs which we should never take for granted. If Jonathan truly said he is handing over on the 28th it presupposes that he will be absent on the 29th.

“Number one, if he hands over on the 28th to the President-elect, does Gen. Muhammadu Buhari start to act effectively on that date? The answer is an emphatic NO.

“GMB does not start to act on that date, if you get what I mean. Handing over to GMB on that date is not only meaningless, it is stupid. It has no meaning in law, or reality. It means that for 24 hours before GMB takes over there will be a vacuum.”

He further argued that on the side of morality, Nigeria borrowed its constitution substantially from the American Constitution, and as such, it should learn a thing or two about how it operates.

He said there was never a time in recorded history where an outgoing American President, who is hale and hearty, will absent himself from the handover ceremony of his successor no matter their political differences.

2015 Polls: Fayose's Plan To Arrest Ekiti APC Leaders Exposed

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has raised the alarm over alleged plan by Governor Ayodele Fayose to arrest the party leaders before presidential election slated for March 28, 2015.
A statement by Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said the party had discovered that the governor’s plot to use trumped-up charges to incarcerate the leaders to take them out of circulation in order to cripple the party’s mobilization efforts‎ for victory.
He said to achieve the plan, thugs in police uniforms would be unleashed on the opposition to cripple mobilization of voters and create fears in the minds of APC members to enable PDP have a field day during the elections.
“After it became clear that soldiers would no‎t be allowed to be deployed for the polls, PDP leaders in Ekiti State have opted for the police. They have discovered that the fake army uniforms they sewed would be useless and they have started sewing police uniforms for their operation,” Olatubosun explained.
He added that the young men in six 18-seater buses imported into the state at night about three weeks ago with military uniforms in their luggage were still the same personnel PDP wanted to use for the operation, including invading the polling booths to destroy results not favourable to PDP.
Reminding the governor that he does not have monopoly of violence, the APC spokesman said party members would use all legal means, including civil actions, to defen‎d their votes against any invaders on election day.
“We want to send a strong warning to Fayose that it is not going to be business as usual this time around. He did his worst during the last governorship election‎ when the Nigerian Army personnel deployed to Ekiti State helped him to supervise election rigging. Details of the criminal conspiracy are being heard around the world over that despicable act. We have learnt our lessons and he should be told that APC members are prepared for the worst of his plans.
“We will never get ourselves involved in criminalities but we will defend our votes by all means legal and civil. Let Fayose know that as he is planning for his rigging, we are also planning to defend our votes. If he believes he can’t survive without bending the law, we will show him that upholding the law by defending our votes remains the only way to make democracy work,” Olatubosun said.
He urged the police authorities not to be compromised, saying that siding with a party in political contest was a recipe for the break down of law and order.
“The filthy activities of the Nigerian Army in the last election have incensed Nigerians to take their fates in their own hands on matters of electoral contests. If anybody feels he can use the police to manipulate these elections, that person should be prepared to confront the anger of the masses.
“We therefore warn the governor against any plan to‎ rob Ekiti people at the polls. We call on the security agencies to rein in the governor against any nefarious activities while we call on our members to be vigilant and be ready to defend their votes during election.
“We also say in clear terms that APC members will resist illegal arrests being planned by PDP leaders. Ekiti State is not a jungle for all illegal plans by PDP. For the first time since Fayose has been riding rough-shod on the APC members and Ekiti people in general, our people armed with the law of Nigeria will ‎vehemently resist any plan to constrict their voting right to elect leaders of their choice,” Olatubosun said.

Confused Man! Atiku Goes To APC Again, Says PDP Is Beyond Redemption

A former Vice-President, Alhaji  Atiku Abubakar,  on Sunday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Abubakar  said his resignation letter would be delivered to  the PDP  on Monday (today).

He also said, in a statement he personally signed, that he was joining the opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress.

The statement  came after the nationwide consultation that the former Vice-President embarked on in the last few weeks.

The consultation was as a result of the visit  of the  APC leaders to his Abuja residence  on December 18, 2013. The APC leaders had  asked him  to ditch the ruling party.

In the statement, Abubakar  listed some of the grievances he had against  the PDP to  include  the refusal of the leadership of the party  to listen to his numerous complaints.

For example, he said that in 2006, he and his supporters were pushed out of the PDP, a party   they worked tirelessly with other compatriots to build as a vehicle for  restoring democracy to our country.

But he said they later returned to  the PDP  in 2009 when a new leadership of the party promised a new direction.

Abubakar, however, regretted that this was not done.

Abubakar  said, “Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept.  In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises.

“We have, therefore, concluded that that party (PDP) cannot be redeemed. In short the PDP has abandoned Nigerians, the very people who gave it life and many electoral victories.

“It has since lost touch with Nigerians and efforts made by many well-meaning members and stakeholders to bring it back to the vision of  its  founders have been rebuffed.

“To demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges and bring public attention to it,  I and some other leaders and stakeholders,  staged a walkout during the party’s last convention  on August 30.”

Those, who joined in the walkout included Governors  Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto); Sule Lamido(Jigawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Babangida(Niger); Abdulfatai Ahmed(Kwara ); Murtala Nyako(Adamawa) and Rabiu Kwakwanso(Kano).

The seven governors, except Aliyu and Lamido, have joined the APC.

In the statement on Sunday,  Abubakar said it  was also worrisome that PDP’s culture of impunity and arbitrariness posed a great challenge to the continued existence of Nigeria.

He said, “We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists.

“Increasingly, our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains.  Our history and that of many other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous and must stop.”

Abubakar, who in  2007 dumped  the PDP for the defunct Action Congress, said it was against this background that he decided to join the APC.

 He added,  “I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and friends for the past few weeks.  My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and associates.

“In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first.  This country has done so much for me personally and it deserves all that we can do to help rebuild it and serve our people better.

“Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country.  My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow(today).”

Abubakar  defended his decision to join the APC, saying  that the struggle for democracy,  constitutionalism and service to  the country and its people  were paramount in his  mind.

He encouraged his  associates and friends to   join the APC  “so that together, we can change this country for the better.”

He  said he would do all within his God-given powers to help the APC win elections all over Nigeria and bring true change to our country and its long-suffering people.

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party was yet to be informed.

He promised that the PDP would react as soon as it was officially informed.

Expectedly, the APC expressed its happiness within the defection, saying that it was apparent that the PDP would feel the absence of the former vice-president.

The Acting Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told  our correspondent   that Abubakar would be an asset to the opposition party.

He said, “He is welcome into the progressive fold. It is apparent now that the sinking ship of the PDP is gone. Very soon, those managing the affairs of the party would know that they are alone.

“I want to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to also borrow a leaf from those that have escaped from the sinking ship and move  to the APC.”

Meanwhile,  the  Coalition of Progressive Democrats, has hailed  Abubakar’s decision  to join the APC.

Addressing  journalists  in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesperson  for  the CPD,Chief Oladimeji Fabiy,  said the former vice-president had “nothing doing is such a dead political party like the PDP.”

Fabiyi,  who is also the National Coordinator of Turaki Vanguard, added that  the  PDP   lacked  ideas as a party that was prepared to take the nation to the next level.

He  said that the new  National Chairman of the PDP,Alhaji Adamu Muazu, was not in the position to bring any meaningful change to the troubled party.

Fabiyi said,  “Muazu is not going to be the solution to all the crises in  the PDP. The PDP  is several  miles back.”

APC Set To Woo Obasanjo

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress is to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to explain the reason behind the formation of the party.

A former Head of State and a leader of the party, Maj.-Gen.  Muhammadu Buhari (retd.),  stated this in an interview with journalists at the residence of a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the leadership of the party had been visiting other notable Nigerians and that the time had come for it to also pay a visit to Obasanjo.

He said,  ”We have been visiting others like the G-7 governors; we have all visited former heads of state, and we intend to visit former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, any time he is available to ask for understanding and brief him on why we formed the APC.”

He said he was happy with the discussion the leadership of the party had with Atiku, who he said had promised to discuss with his supporters and political associates before taking a decision on whether to defect from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the APC or not.

“I think Atiku has spoken to you about what we discussed with him now, but he said he will get back to us later,” Buhari added.

At a meeting with the former Vice President, Atiku told his guests that he would consult with his stakeholders and consider the invitation by the leaders of the party to join the party, just as he threw his weight behind two party systems in the country.

“I have given them an indication that I will call a meeting of all my stakeholders across the country and we will take a decision and tell the press,” he said

The leaders  of the APC, led by its Interim National Chairman,  Chief Bisi Akande, had visited the Abuja residence of the Turakin Adamawa and asked him to defect to the opposition party.

APC Leaders In Secret Meeting With Atiku

Prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday met with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at his Abuja private residence.
The APC leaders, who met with Atiku behind closed doors for over an hour, described the meeting as a continuation of the party’s consultations with past leaders and stakeholders across the nation.
Those that met with the former vice president included the former head of state; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the National Leader of the APC; Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s interim National Chairman; Chief Bisi Akande.
The meeting is coming on the heels of the defection of 37 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives to the APC.
Atiku, who spoke with journalists shortly after the meeting, said the discussions were very fruitful, stressing that he had always espoused the two party system.
He said that he welcomed the formation of the APC, adding that he would meet with his friends and political associates with the view to taking a decision on the next line of action.
The former Vice President stated further that the formation of the APC was healthy for the nation’s democracy, stressing that it would give the Nigerian people a credible alternative in the 2015 general elections.
Atiku said: “We want to let you know that we had very fruitful discussions and you know I have always believed in a two party structure.
“So I welcome the formation of APC. We have discussed extensively and I will meet with my political associates and friends.
“Most of us have been friends and political associates for over two decades. I will call my stakeholders across the country. We will take a decision and address the press and let you know our decision.
“I congratulated them (APC leaders) and welcomed them because it will improve competition and governance. It is healthy for our democracy.
“Once you have one very strong party and weak ones, there is no way the opposition can check the government in power.
“If the South Africans faced apartheid in the past, Nigeria is facing colonialism. The struggle has been long for the enthronement of democracy in our country.
“It is time we realised we have responsibility to our generation and those yet unborn. I think it (APC) will give Nigerians an alternative during elections. So I told them I will consult with my associates and brief the press later.”
Chief Akande, who led the parry’s delegation, said the visit was to cement a long standing political relationship with Atiku spanning more than two decades.
“We feel that it is necessary to meet people of like minds to rise up and salvage the country. All of us that met here were comrades in politics.
“We only met today to cement that comradeship and all is well cemented. We are moving together to work for this country,” Akande said.