POLITICS
Group Tasks APC on Better Reward System for Party Loyalists
Renewed Hope Unity Movement, a support group of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised the party to establish a better reward system for its loyalists.
The Initiator and Co-Convener of the group, Iretidola Ojekhoa, gave the advice at an award night organised by the group on Friday in Abuja.
Ojekhoa said that 2014 marked the beginning of a political revolution and a watershed in party politics in Nigeria–when APC, a newly formed party, defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which thought it would rule for at least 60 years.
She, however, said that most of those who worked for the party had yet to be rewarded; even when there were very experienced and professional patriots among them.
“The nation, of course, needs people who not only want to be appointed but who are passionate about the APC government succeeding against all odds, considering the many ulcers plaguing the nation.
“The last ten years have proven one thing–the APC seems not interested in molding and maintaining an organic membership.
“In fact, it has spawned a mercenary mentality among members as the party has been abysmal in recognising and rewarding loyalty.
“The APC of today is so unconcerned or unaware about the neglect of its core supporters; that commitment ebbs so fast among members; even the worst of the PDP days, recognised its loyal members.’’
Ojekhoa said unfortunately many who worked and still working daily were never recognised but watch others who they fought against at one point or another over party matter took up prominent places.
“We see that their resilience is being tested and hope deferred has begun to make the heart weary; and so, we are standing in the gap and doing a little of what the party should have long done as a start in the journey of desired unity of purpose.
“As stated above, we have never promoted the idea of exclusivity in governance.’’
Ojekhoa said that the event was to celebrate 10 years of loyalty of certain groups and individuals in APC who had never been celebrated, recognised or honoured, yet remained unwavering.
She said that some of those to be honoured were foot soldiers who canvassed the nooks and crannies of the nation 10 years ago, dispensing hope and mobilising support for the APC.
“We are here to celebrate those who have labored for the party for these 10 years but never got a pat on the back.
“It is also to remind those who have conveniently forgotten their labour of love that our loyal members are still around though neglected,” she said.
Ojekhoa said that though every members of the party who worked for it victory could not be appointed but they deserved to be recognised and celebrated.
Mr Ateli Emmanuel, the President, Amalgamated Nigerians, and a Chieftain of the party in FCT, commended the group for recognising him as one of those that deserved the award.
Emmanuel, who expressed confidence in the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, advised him to engage more youth and technocrats in his government.
Another awardee, Mr Aja Aja, a lawyer, said it was unfortunate that the party had failed to recognise loyal members, adding that the award ceremony would serve as succour to many.
Aja expressed the willingness of some of the committed party members to partner with government to move the country forward and achieve the Renew Hope Agenda of the present administration.
On one year of the present government in office, Aja urged Tinubu to prioritise people’s welfare and implement his core policies that would make people to begin to see evidence of good governance going forward.
He also advised government to harness all the potential at its disposal and look beyond what he currently has.
“There are so many talents in Nigeria, both political talents and professional talents; get them on board and see that the Renewed Hope agenda is not an aborted dream,” he said.
Dr Adewale Adeogun, Founder/National Coordinator, Asiwaju Progressive Forum, advised Tinubu’s supporters not to lose hope but continue to support him and his administration to succeed.
“Yes, there are people who feel they should be appointed but we should be more concerned about how this country is governed,” Adeogun advised.
Other recipients of the group award in recognition of a decade of service to APC and Nigeria included Taminu Kabir, Edo Bartholomeus, Obi Kenneth, Hussain Badaki and Hawal Kabir.(NAN)
The Abia Chapter of the INEC Staff Welfare Association (ISWA) has warned its members to uphold the integrity of the commission and guard against the culture of manipulating election results.
The Abia Chairman of the association, Mr Collins Eze, gave the advice at the group’s general meeting and end-of-year party in Umuahia.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the ceremony, Eze said that the staff members were adequately aware of their enormous responsibility and should ensure free, fair and credible elections.
He said: “We have also told our colleagues that anywhere they find themselves they should make sure that they do the needful by ensuring transparency in the conduct of elections.
“We have always told them not to allow anybody to induce them with money to manipulate election results.
“I’m happy that they have been building the capacity of our colleagues on election processes.
“So, in the coming years, we won’t have any problem in ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections.”
He said that the end-of-year party was special as it afforded them the opportunity “to wine and dine together as well as thank God for sustaining them in 2024”.
Eze said that his leadership had introduced various means of assisting members in dire financial needs by providing platforms to solicit suppory for them.
He expressed gratitude to members for their support and cooperation, describing them as the “secret behind the success of this administration”.
He said that 34 of at least 350 staff members of the commission in the state retired from service in 2024.
According to him, the development has placed a huge financial burden on the association, in terms of their welfare and entitlement as members.
Report says that each member received a carton of tomato paste as Christmas gift from the association. (NAN)
A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be thankful to God that its 16-year administration was not probed by the successive APC-led governments.Okechukwu stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, while reacting to a statement by PDP congratulating Ghanaians for the conduct of free, fair and transparent general elections.
Report says that PDP had, in a statement, said that the verdict of the people of Ghana in the presidential election was a signal to the APC that its days were numbered. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, had said in the statement that the power of the people in Nigeria, just like in Ghana, would ‘surely prevail and end the APC’s oppressive rule’.This, he said, would “return Nigeria to the path of good governance, security, political stability and economic prosperity on the platform of the PDP in 2027.”However, in his reactions to Ologunagba’s statement, Okechukwu said that the PDP clan should thank God that former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, out of sheer statesmanship, had refused to probe ‘the 16 locus years of PDP administrations’.Okechukwu, a former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), described the 16 years of PDP administrations as ones full of squandering and lack of plan.He said that Nigeria had yet to recover from the humongous culture of impunity and trust deficit planted by PDP on the Nigerian soil.Okechukwu said corruption was among the culture of impunity, saying it governed the privatisation of Nigeria’s electricity value chain, a key element in the country’s industrialisation drive.“Another is the blatant rigging of the 2007 general elections which the foremost beneficiary, President Umaru Yar’Adua, out of good conscience and noble magnanimity, publicly acknowledged the malfeasance which characterised his victory,” he said.Okechukwu also mentioned what he called conscienceless sale of the legislative and ministerial quarters, the annual rentage of which, he said, was bleeding the country’s treasury.“Another one is the neglect of $23 billion Greenfield Refinery, which could have saved over $70 billion expended on importation of refined petroleum products and which simulated the economic hardship of today,” he said.On why, for nine years, the APC administration could not fix those challenges, he recalled the efforts made by the Buhari administration to reopen talks on the Greenfield Refinery which, according to him, the Chinese regrettably rebuffed.The former VON director-general said that Nigerians were not in a hurry to forget the deliberate breach of the rotational convention of president from the north to the south.He said that the country could not also forget the utter disregard for Section 7 of the PDP’s constitution which expressly mandated zoning.Okechukwu advised the PDP not to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians by assuming that citizens would easily forget how they were put in the harms way.He said that PDP should thank God that Buhari and Tinubu did not want to probe them, adding “that’s why Nigerians cannot decipher the difference between the two political parties.” (NAN)
Sen. Ned Nwoko (PDP-Delta) says that Local Government Administration is central to democracy in Nigeria as it ensures grassroots governance and service delivery at the local level.This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Michael Nwoko, the Chief of Staff to the lawmaker in Abuja on Monday.Nwoko said this on the occasion of the presentation of an award “Icon of Hope” to him by the Association of Local Government Vice Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGOVC).
He was represented by his Chief of Staff. He said that the importance of local government administration in the country could not be overemphasised, as it was the bedrock of democracy.According to him, local governments in Nigeria play key roles in the country’s democracy by promoting participatory democracy, providing services, and representing citizens.“Local Governments help determine local needs and how to meet them. They also act as a link between the centre, state, and local people.“They are created to decentralise power and bring the government closer to the people. They perform both mandatory and concurrent functions.“It is in view of this that I took it upon myself to enhance the viability of local governments through the Paris and London club loan refunds,”he said.Dr Folashade Olabanji-Oba, ALGOVC National Chairman, while presenting the award at its 7th Annual National Conference, said the award was in recognition of the lawmaker’s significant contributions to strengthening local government administration.She highlighted Nwoko’s critical role in ensuring the Paris and London Club loan refunds, a financial breakthrough she said enhanced the capacity of local governments nationwide.(NAN)
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