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Tag: #APC

  • As It Stands Now, APC Is Fractured Beyond Redemption; Let Us See How The Annoited Aspirants Will Deliver The Party In Cross River State – Obla

    As It Stands Now, APC Is Fractured Beyond Redemption; Let Us See How The Annoited Aspirants Will Deliver The Party In Cross River State – Obla

    A frontline senatorial aspirant of the All Progressive Congress APC, and founding member who served as Secretary of the merger committee of the party, Chief Okoi Obono Obla Esq, has stated that the APC in Cross River State is fractured beyond redemption due to the imposition of candidates during the selection process.

    Chief Obla reacted to the just concluded APC primaries election held at Ikom Local Government Area, the central senatorial headquarters, on his Facebook page.

    The statement in full “The APC Senatorial Congress for the nomination of the candidate of the Central senatorial district of Cross River State held in Ikom on 28 May 2022, was a charade.

    T”election was marred by voting buying perpetuated by desperate aspirants in front of security agents.

    A” except the anointed one) did not know who would be the electors at the election until they got to the polling station.
    It was not surprising that altered and doctored delegate lists by the powers that be to support the “anointed aspirant“.
    Some of us know before voting that the election would be a sham.

    “Every politically informed person was aware that a particular aspirant was the favorite of the powers that be. The brandishing of the name of one particular as the favored one weeks before the election amounts to intimidation.

    “The potentate makes sure that you must have his endorsement before you can aspire to become a candidate.

    “Aspirants that did not have the endorsement of the potentate, had sorts of obstacles thrown along their paths.

    I”was the target from day one.
    The powers that be were at a crossroads on what to do with me and therefore devised crude and inferior methods to edge me out.
    The APC has completed deviated from the philosophy of its founding fathers.

    “Let us see how the anointed aspirants will deliver the Party in the Cross River State. As it stands the Party, is fractured beyond redemption”.

  • Chris Agara Reacts To Orok Otu Duke’s Threat, Says Governor’s Word Or Preferences Can Not Become Law Unto All

    Chris Agara Reacts To Orok Otu Duke’s Threat, Says Governor’s Word Or Preferences Can Not Become Law Unto All

    PRESS STATEMENT ON THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHIEF (BAR) CHRIS AGARA BY OROK OTU DUKE

    1. The attention of Chief (Bar) Chris Agara Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a comedy strip in which Honourable Orok Otu Duke is the stand up comedian. In the video Duke laboured to ridicule the disclaimer by our team in respect of the phantom consensus Governorship agreement in Abuja. While he succeeded in making his audience laugh he also made a very serious commitment to violence against those who refuse to accept the Consensus Option.

    2. We recognise the obvious threat to the life of Chief Chris Agara and his followers advocated in the video to the loud applause of the men sitting in the room, including the state Governor, and will take very profound measures to protect our Principal and ourselves throughout the period of electioneering. While he humoured Governor Ben Ayade in the same video for making Chief Chris Agara rich during his Governorship, our Principal who God has already generously blessed long before 2015 will make an appropriate response to this matter himself at the right time.

    3. One of the profound tenets of liberal democracy is the right to disagree with a decision that one feels differently about within the framework of the law. That is precisely what Chief ( Bar) Chris Agara has done. Governor Ben Ayade himself recently said openly in his interview with Channels Television that while he wishes that the Governorship returns to the South “I cannot play God and force everyone to agree with me”. We will like to remind the pseudo democrats in the room that Section 84 (9) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that consensus may be used after cleared aspirants have emerged. Also, the written consent of the aspirant must be extracted before any consensus would be said to have been arrived at. Cleared aspirants who must have bought the nomination form and gone through due clearance are the ones who can enter into consensus agreements not pretenders to the Crown at Peregrino Hall.

    4. Democratic civil rule does not confer the status of a monarch or potentate on the Governor or President for that matter, and therefore the Governor’s word or preferences cannot become law unto all. We have chosen to disagree with the Consensus Option and are fully prepared for the Governorship race of Cross River State at this time, no matter the number of comedy strips, threats of violence and all types of intimidation that we may come against in the course of prosecuting our legitimate aspiration.

    SIGNED
    BAR. RICHARD OGBECHE
    DIRECTOR GENERAL.

  • Chris Agara Dissociates From The APC Consensus Candidature, Describes The Meeting As Merely A Talk Shop Amidst Good Food And Vintage Liquor

    Chris Agara Dissociates From The APC Consensus Candidature, Describes The Meeting As Merely A Talk Shop Amidst Good Food And Vintage Liquor

    WE ARE NOT PART OF THE SO – CALLED ‘CONSENSUS’ APC CANDIDATURE

    The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation wishes to state very clearly as follows:

    1. That we are legitimate members of the All Progressives Party (APC), who have always respected and will continue to respect the lawful decisions of the Party and all is organs at all levels.

    2. That we recognise the leadership of the Party in the state by His Excellency, the Governor, Professor Ben Ayade and have been and will continue to be loyal to his leadership.

    3. We wish to state very clearly that such respect and loyalty should however be mutual since the leadership of the Party and the Governor are as important to the members as the members should be important to them.

    4. That our Principal was invited to the meeting which took place on Monday, May 9th at the Transcorp Hotel, in Abuja to discuss the report of the Seven – Man Committee earlier set up by the Party and not to agree on any consensus.

    5. That right there on the floor of the meeting when the matter came up, Chief (Bar) Chris Agara clearly expressed his reservations about the Consensus Option and declined to go along with it.

    6. That Chief (Bar) Chris Agara went further to point out the grave disrespect to some Governorship aspirants that the obvious ambush meeting entailed, by inviting them to a meeting for a specific purpose and then turning around to do something else.

    7. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation will like to point out to His Excellency the Governor and the leadership of our great Party that while the Electoral Act allows the option of Consensus, it also prescribes that such agreements shall be in writing and shall be endorsed by all relevant parties concerned.

    8. To the best of our knowledge the meeting at Transcorp of the May 9th instant was merely a talk shop amidst good food and vintage liquor and should not be accorded any further importance beyond what it truly was.

    9. The Chris Agara Campaign Organisation assures its teeming supporters that Chief ( Bar) Chris Agara remains committed and competitive in the race and is prepared to pursue his Governorship aspiration to its logical conclusion.

    SIGNED
    BAR. RICHARD OGBECHE
    DIRECTOR – GENERAL

  • Ayade’s Chief Of Staff, Hon Martin Orim Obtains APC Northern Senatorial Form

    Ayade’s Chief Of Staff, Hon Martin Orim Obtains APC Northern Senatorial Form

    The Chief of Staff to the Cross River State Governor, Hon Martin Orim has today, May 5th, 2022 obtained the All Progressive Congress APC nomination form to contest the Cross River Northern Senatorial District election.

    Hon Martin Orim becomes the first person to pick the form to challenge the incumbent, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe.

     

  • Chris Agara Campaign Council Urges APC To Conduct The Affairs Of The Party With The Most Excellent Intentions To Ensure Just And Fair Process

    Chris Agara Campaign Council Urges APC To Conduct The Affairs Of The Party With The Most Excellent Intentions To Ensure Just And Fair Process

    05/05/2022

    The Honourable State Chairman
    All Progressives Congress
    Murtala Mohammed Highway
    Calabar

    Dear Honourable Chairman,

    A NECESSARY WORD OF CAUTION AT THIS CRITICAL POINT.

    We at the CHRIS AGARA CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION wish to make our humble contributions to the ongoing conversation about the modalities for electing (or chosing) a Governorship Candidate for our great party in the runnup to the general elections of 2023 as follows.

    1. That we understand that State Executive Committee of the Party as moderated by the State Caucus of the Party is the highest decision making organ of the Party in our dear state.

    2. That we recognise that the powers exercised by these bodies should also be guided at all times by the Electoral Act (as amended) and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    3. Taking due cognisance of all the above therefore, we wish to encourage the Party to take only the decisions that will help in providing a level playing ground for all aspirants to the office of Governor in order to avoid unnecessary disputation as a result of the conduct of its affairs and the Primaries elections at this critical time.

    4. It is our humble view at the CHRIS AGARA CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION that the Party should be cognisant of the fact that whereas the Party and its organs have the legitimate responsibility to conduct the Primaries of the Governorship race without let or hindrance, the participants also reserve the right to protect themselves and their rights within the ambit of the law.

    5. We urge the Party to take serious notice of the fact that our Principal, CHIEF ( BARR.) CHRIS AGARA could not be present at the Aspirants Meeting of April 26th instance as a result of logistics challenges and was not allowed to be represented.

    6. That having not been at that meeting and having been denied representation, CHIEF (BARR.) CHRIS AGARA could not be bound by any decision or agreements thereof and will not subject himself to same.

    7. We urge the leaders of our great Party to strive always to conduct the affairs of the Party with the most excellent intentions to ensure just and fair processes that would allow the legitimate emergence of a capable, popular and responsible Candidate for our dear Party even as we prepare to face up to the expected bullish challenge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    8. While we remain loyal to and respectful of all legitimate authorities appertaining to the forthcoming exercise, we are also fully prepared to protect ourselves against any decisions or acts that may appear calculated to subvert the rules of the contest in favour of one or the other Candidate.

    Respectfully Yours,

    Richard Ogbeche Esq.
    DG, CHRIS AGARA CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION.

  • Owan Enoh Insists That The One Form For APC Governorship Must Be Purchased In His Name

    Owan Enoh Insists That The One Form For APC Governorship Must Be Purchased In His Name

  • 2023: APC Delegates Should Seek Victory First Before Cash: BVAS Will Be Used BY JUSTIN OBONGHA

    2023: APC Delegates Should Seek Victory First Before Cash: BVAS Will Be Used BY JUSTIN OBONGHA

     

    Glorious greetings from God Most High and Happy Sunday to All Progressives Congress members and our dear DELEGATES. We are edging closer to our party’s primaries and I think it’s imperative we get to understand better, how the general elections especially Governorship in Cross River State may look like.

    As we begin to assemble delegates and entreat for support for our different aspirants, please do well to always let them know a few things that should guides their decision, thoughts and choice. Do well to tell them that, if they supports and eventually vote a wrong aspirant, our party will fail woefully in the GENERAL ELECTIONS.

    Tell the delegates that no bad candidate can win elections even by rigging. There’s a new technic that makes it impossible for rigging. It’s called BVAS. Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) is a device that replaced the smart card reader, which was used in 2015, with the dual capacity for fingerprint and facial authentication. BVAS is a technology solution based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and is only as good as both the age of the data and the training that the algorithms receive.

    The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, is designed to inject technological impetus into our electoral system which makes it almost impossible to rig elections and had further reduced the power of incumbency.

    BVAS is designed to give our electoral system credibility and given the voters hope that their votes will begin to matter. As a DELEGATES, we should be careful with who we VOTE as CANDIDATE.

    2023 Governorship elections will be keenly contested. Our only advantage, will be fully dependent on the charisma, and likeliness of our candidate and not even the cash some aspirants are banking on.

    Electoral corruption, cutting corners in the electoral process, snatching ballot boxes and ballot papers would never easily be done in 2023 elections. The by-election in Ogoja, Yala and Akpabuyo LGAs should be like a litmus test and the results I think wasn’t to our party’s favor. If not for the NAME, JUDE NGAJI, APC would have failed woefully.

    So, let me say it very clearly that the BVAS as a form and mode of accreditation has come to stay, and the Commission isn’t ready to compromise it standard. And jettisoning of results will not be possible anymore. If the party gives ticket to someone whose victory will be dependent on rigging, or money, then we should be prepare for the worst.

    Secondly, tell the DELEGATES that the strength of the opposition, is almost the as the same both in popularity, cash and otherwise. And the personalities PDP are parading as aspirants can’t be easily defeated except the APC present a candidate who is loved and extremely outstanding in popularity and likeliness.

    We all know that Cross River State has for more than 20 years been ruled by the PDP and our people are deeply drunk with the name. So APC needs a candidate that is as old as PDP and more popular than the PDP as a party. Anything less, will be catastrophic to our victory.

    Aspirants will come with money; some 200k, 300k, 500k and others may tempt you with even a million naira as a DELEGATES just to vote him to become CANDIDATE of our GREAT party, but be guided with the fact that the general elections has changed and we won’t enjoy the power of incumbency and therefore, we cannot rig elections.

    Be it your brother, friend, master, boss, father or whatever relationship you share with any of the aspirants, be true to yourself, to them and to the party. Out collective interest as a party, is to win elections and continue to be the RULING party in the State.

    This is my wise counsel to the DELEGATES and PARTY members.

    Justin Obongha.

  • Local Government Councilors In Cross River State Threatens To Return To PDP Over Poor Remuneration, None Release Of Funds

    Local Government Councilors In Cross River State Threatens To Return To PDP Over Poor Remuneration, None Release Of Funds

     

    BY George Prints

    Councilors in Cross River State have threatened to dump the APC to the PDP over what they described as “poor funding and none release of funds for their legislative activities” by the Cross River State Government.

    The lawmakers, after a meeting held in Ikom local government area, also agreed that they were going to commence the immediate impeachment of all the Local Government Chairmen in the state.

    According to them, over N150million have been released to each Local Government Chairman as capital projects, yet no Councilor have been carried along or given any project.

    They lamented that out of the 22 months they have been in office, they have only received Legislative Votes for six months, a situation they described as “painful and worrisome”.

    Other issues deliberated at the meeting include;

    1. Refusal of CRS government to accommodate councilors on the LGA capital projects

    2. None release of councilors Furniture/Wardrobe allowances.

    3. None payment of councilors monthly legislative votes. (6 LV in 22 months in government)

    4. Lack of legislative training to enhanced legislative proceedings

     

     

  • Gov Ayade Impact While In The Private Sector Is My Motivation To Serve My People – Agbor

    Gov Ayade Impact While In The Private Sector Is My Motivation To Serve My People – Agbor

    A front line contender for the Obudu State Constituency election comes 2023, Dr Godwin Agbor has stated that look up to Sen Prof Ben Ayade then when he was in the private sector. He started by giving scholarship where some of my close relations benefited. He became my role model looking at the trajectory of what he has achieved and done for our people.

    Dr Agbor disclosed to TheLumineNews in an interview:

    TLN: Can we meet you please?

    Dr Agbor: I am Dr Godwin Agbor, Medical Director, Omega Agbor Clinic and Maternity, Okundi-Boki LGA. Currently, I am the General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Cross River State chapter. Businessman and politician.

    I hail from Utugwang South, Obudu LGA of Cross River State. I am a member of the All Progressive Congress APC and was the party flag bearer for the December 2020 bye-election for Obudu State Constituency.

    I served as the Supervisor, APC membership revalidation/registration exercise for Obudu, 2021. I also served in the reconciliatory committee that harmonized the previous factions in the party in Obudu.
    I was the poineer ward Secretary of the defunct All People’s Party APP in 1999, during which time I donated an apartment for the ward secretariat, opposite St Paul’s Primary School, Ukpada. I am a Knight of St Molumba Nigeria, as the Sub Council Physician for St Patrick’s Parish Kakwagom, Boki Local Government Area.

    TLN: What is your motivation to serve?

    Dr Agbor: I have a strong passion to serving humanity. That is why I chose medical profession whose motive is ‘service to humanity’ This I have been quitely doing for more than a decade now. Quite a number of our constituents used to receive assistance by way of the health needs and empowerment. I feel fulfilled at providing such services.

    Secondly, when I was still in the primary school, in 1989, I took first in a gifted scholarship exams, Organised by the then Minister of Education, Prof Jubril. Then our late Elderstatesman , Denis Akwaji, addressed and gave me support to be kind to our people after completion of my studies. He used to attract a lot of infrastructural and manpower development to Obudu and Nigeria at large. So he became my role model and I got inspired to aspire into position which I can serve my constituency to the best of my ability with God on my side.

    Thirdly, l look up to Sen Prof Ben Ayade then when he was in the private sector. He started by giving scholarship where some of my close relations benefited. He became my role model looking at the trajectory of what he has achieved and done for our people. He has raised the bar beyond what any of us can think of as far as Obudu is concerned.

    TLN: What is your plans for youth inclusiveness in your policy formulation and implementation?

    Dr Agbor: I am a youth to start with. I don’t think my policy trust will be fair without the very strata I belong. The youths deserve to be fully involved in all level of governance because they constitute more than 60 percent of the entire population. The youth have the energy, the mental alertness and the proficiency to drive any process. Just as my leader, mentor and role model, Prof Ben Ayade has shown that 80 percent of his administrative drive constitutes the youths. I shall ensure that if voted into office to represent the good people of Obudu, sponsor bills that are youths centered in areas of Information and Communication Technology ICT, agriculture, entertainment and sports development.

    TLN: How do you intend to harness the vast potentials in the youths to solving the myriads of challenges confronting us using the Tech Solution?

    Dr Agbor: You have said it all that the youths are energetic, full of wisdom and they explore a lot as seen in ICT. It is unfortunate that some bad elements among us indulged in cyber Yahoo Yahoo activities, which is a criminal cyber security issue. I think this trend can be reversed. Those boys can be engaged, retrained by psychologists as to use same knowledge and ideas to provide modern security in technology, by government at all levels, private organizations or individuals instead of allowing them idle. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”

    TLN: How do you intend to advance the course of empowerment in your constituency?

    Dr Agbor: Giving of motorcycles, sewing machines and grinding machines is not a bad idea. But I will go a step further to include giving scholarship to intellectually sound constituents, skills acquisition, craftsmanship and business training to enhance small and medium enterprise as well as partner with organizations that provide credit facility for my constituents.

    TLN: Bearing in mind that your constituents are predominantly peasant farmers, what is your plan to advance their livelihood?

    Dr Agbor: The APC led government already have in place programmes like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, which have seen a lots of our people cultivate more rice and cereal crops. I will facilitate more of my constituents to benefit from such programmes by working very closely with my leaders at the centre. This can improve their means of livelihood in poultry, fisheries, cassava farming etc.

    TLN: How do you intend to change the narrative of poor stakeholder’s engagement in your constituency?

    Dr Agbor: I wouldn’t agree with you completely on this, but I think more robust contributions from stakeholder’s engagement is the way to go. Yes our leaders need to be properly engaged, carry along with the policies of government to avoid friction in the politics. I will hold meetings regularly so that what the people want, government can provide with the limited available resources. Don’t forget, Cross River State has been denied her God given resources in the political lost of her 76 Oil wells to our sister state, Akwa Ibom. In the same vein, Bakassi was ceded to Cameroon. This by extension has drastically reduced our revenue base. I use to wonder what this present administration of Sen Prof Ben Ayade is doing that he has achieved so much with limited resources.

    TLN: Your party, the All Progressive Congress APC, in recent times is known for consensus, do you have the confidence that the party will provide a level playing ground for you to advance your aspiration?

    Dr Agbor: Yes I am very confident that my party, APC leaders, critical stakeholders and members will give us the level playing ground for all of us who want to aspire to achieve it. I am qualified by training, by political experiences, and what I have done as a private medical practitioner to my people.
    I have no doubt in my mind that which ever modalities my party adopts for the primaries election, I will be supported again. And don’t forget, the last bye-election, for Obudu State Constituency, 2020, I emerged party flag bearer via a consensus.
    More importantly, the APC led Chairman in the state, Barr Alphonsus Ogar Eba have shown tremendous capacity. He is a man who is simple and accessable who have galvanized the party and will want the popular person to emerge through a transparent, fair and level playing process, so that the APC can win the general election.

    TLN: How have you impacted your people previously?

    Dr Agbor: My dear, I think that question will have rather being for my people to answer, knowing what I have done for them so far. However, don’t forget I told you that I have been reaching out to numerous persons in my medical practice at Omega Agbor Clinic and Maternity Okundi-Boki, through free medical outreaches, organised sporting activities and graded 5km road from Eshankpe to Mbube in my community, just to mention but a few. I have a penchant to do more for not only my constituency Obudu, but for mankind at large, if given the opportunity to serve. This service will not be about me, but the people.

    TLN: What is your campaign ideology and your advice to your supporters?

    Dr Agbor: It is simply the ideology of my party which together we can do for Obudu “Yes we can”
    I want to appeal to them to remain committed to this aspiration which is a collective decision for the good people of Obudu. They should continue to propagate our aspiration to all nooks and crannies of Obudu. I count on their prayers to ensure that collectively, we will achieve our aspiration.
    Thank you and God bless you.

     

  • APC Convention: PMB, Aisha Buhari Endorses Mary Ekpere For National Women Leader

    APC Convention: PMB, Aisha Buhari Endorses Mary Ekpere For National Women Leader

     

    The wife of Nigerian President, Dr. Aisha Buhari has endorsed a frontline aspirant for National Women Leader, Barr Mary Ekpere for the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the National Convention.

    The news broke out after President Muhammadu Buhari had a close door meeting last night, 23rd March, 2022, with party stakeholders at the Presidential Villa.

    A source at the villa disclosed that the President wife had always expressed her readiness to work with the past immediate Director General of the National Center for Women Development.

    The meeting which had in attendance some Governors of the All Progressives Congress who are said to be loyal to the President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Transportation, Rt.Hon Chibuike Rotimi, adopted Sen. Adamu as the consensus National Chairman and also Mary Ekpere who is the president’s wife interest as the consensus Women Leader.

    However, according to LeadershipNg, the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, had picked Dr. Betta Edu for the National Women Leader against the interest of the general APC members in the state, raising tension amongst party faithfuls as many threatened to defect if Betta is imposed on them.

    While news filtered in that the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and other South-South leaders met yesterday night, the aforementioned names have debunked the news to be fake, noting that there was no meeting of such to project a unity list from the region.