All Progressives Congress (APC): Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did n...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did n...: Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did not flout party's directive - APC The All Progressives Congress (APC) has...

Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did not flout party's directive - APC

Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did not flout party's directive - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as quite misleading Tuesday's media reports that its Senators flouted the party's directive to its members in the National Assembly to withdraw co-operation with the Executive until the restoration of law and order in Rivers.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the reports were borne out of the gross misunderstanding of filibustering as a veritable democratic tool to impede legislation by obstructive tactics.

It said that the slant of the reports, that the APC Senators' presence and participation at the screening of the military chiefs on Monday represented a rejection of the directive by them, could not have been farther off the mark, as non-cooperation does not mean non-participation.

''We never directed our members in the National Assembly to boycott the chambers' sessions, whether it is screening of appointees or plenary. What we said is that they should block Executive Bills. In any case, a Senator or an Honourable member can only filibuster when he is in attendance. Fillibuster does not equate to boycott or non-attendance,'' APC said.

The party said it was fully aware that its members in the Senate would attend the screening of the military chiefs, ''just

as we are sure they will be part of any debate on the issue, and we have no problems with that. After all they were elected

to attend the National Assembly sessions and fully participate in its activities. But their contributions will help swing things

one way or the other. That is the crux of the matter''.

APC reiterated the propriety of its directive, which it described as pro-people, democratic and aimed at saving Nigeria from

sliding into anarchy, saying the directive has already succeeded in dousing the tension in Rivers where those who have been

subjected to ceaseless harassment by hoodlums aided and abetted by the police can now stage their rallies in peace.

The party also said its directive will not only benefit APC members but indeed all Nigerians as well as national institutions, including the National Assembly itself, which the President has tried to rubbish by totally ignoring its resolutions calling for the redeployment of Rivers Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu.

''It was the National Assembly that passed the resolutions on the redeployment of Mbu. Members of the PDP, APGA, Labour Party, Accord Party, who are now playing to the gallery just to feather their own nest and place personal interest above national interest, were part of the efforts that culminated in passing the resolutions in both chambers. But the Presidency simply ignored the resolutions, a dangerous trend that will make nonsense of the principle of check and balance in our democratic system and also encourage the President to flout future resolutions.

''In this respect, the National Assembly itself should own and commend our directive, instead of a few exhibitionist legislators rushing to the media to make uninformed comments. As far as we are concerned, we acted rightly in issuing our directive, which is meant to end the impunity in Rivers, save our democracy from descending into anarchy and protect national institutions which are being rubbished and manipulated by the Presidency,'' APC said

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

Interim National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress (APC)

Lagos, Jan. 28th 2014

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC slams critics of its directive on blockage of ...

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC slams critics of its directive on blockage of ...: APC slams critics of its directive on blockage of executive bills, says directive yielding results The All Progressives Congress (APC) ...

APC slams critics of its directive on blockage of executive bills, says directive yielding results

APC slams critics of its directive on blockage of executive bills, says directive yielding results

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described critics of its directive to its National Assembly members to block all legislative proposals as those who are either ignorant of the workings of democracy or those who have chosen to play to the gallery for pecuniary gains.

''Ether way, these critics have rushed to judgement without even taking time to study the directive, without understanding that governance is about people, and without caring about the principles of fairness, justice and equity, and they should cover their faces in shame,'' the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

''We hereby reiterate the directive, which is a product of deep thinking and robust debate within our party's NEC to save our democracy, and we commend our members in the National Assembly for their unequivocal support for our stand, and for understanding that filibustering or legislative non-cooperation are veritable tools of democracy,'' it said.

APC said the directive is already yielding result, as members of the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) were able to stage a peaceful rally on Saturday, for the first time in a long time, without being attacked by hired ex-militants, because the Inspector-General of Police directed the police to provide protection for the rally.

''This is exactly what we are saying, that Nigerians, irrespective of their party leaning, who wish to stage a peaceful protest anywhere in the country must be able to do so without the police looking away while hired goons attack them. It is all about justice, fairness and equity, without which democracy will not thrive. We will be watching to see if what happened on Saturday represents a paradigm shift in Rivers or it is just a flash in the pan,'' the party said

APC said there is nothing anti-democratic, anti-people or inciting about the directive, which is aimed at ending the reign of impunity in Rivers state before its spreads to other parts of the country and truncates the nation's democracy, wondering why it is so difficult for the President to act, for almost a year, as a part of the country he was elected to govern goes up in flames.

The party said already, copy cat attacks and intimidation of APC members have been launched by the government and the police in Gombe, because they have been watching the impunity being committed in Rivers.

''All over Gombe, our party flags, billboards and posters are being vandalized by hoodlums aided and abetted by the police. Our youth supporters are being arrested while our members are being threatened by the police and the state government officials.

''From Rivers, this reign of impunity has spread to Gombe. Who knows where the train of impunity is heading to next. Yet, some so-called fickle analysts, some chameleonic activists who willingly pit their tents with the highest bidder, some increasingly irrelevant organisations and some political parties who are content with the crumbs that fall off the table of the ruling party have the temerity to condemn a directive they do not understand.

''They say the non-approval of the 2014 budget will pauperize Nigerians, as if the yearly ritual of budget passing since 1999 has benefitted anyone but the fat cats. In any case, of what use is a budget when the lives of citizens are at stake? Are budgets not made for the people? Do they understand that even the budgets are based largely on earnings from oil, which we cannot even produce if the violence in Rivers escalates and spreads to other oil-producing states?

''They say our directive is anti-people without understanding that those who are being daily intimidated, beaten and shot in Rivers are also Nigerians. They say we are anti-democratic without understanding that democracy cannot thrive in an atmosphere of impunity, the like of which we have in Rivers.

''Where were these same critics when the impudent police commissioner in Rivers, egged on by a conniving presidency, thumbed his nose at the Constitution by turning himself to the de facto Governor of the state and refusing to subordinate himself to the elected Governor who is the chief security officer of his state? Where were these critics when a serving Senator was shot perhaps by the police? Where were these critics when women and children were teargassed and innocent civilians beaten black and blue? Did they raise any voice against the attack on journalists whose offence was that they went to cover a rally?

''The APC, as a party, cannot be intimidated by the antics of those who will have no qualms elevating self interest above public interest, by those who believe their cheap criticism will help insert their snouts into the nectar of filthy lucre.

''Therefore, while we acknowledge the so-called critics' right to express their opinions on our directive, we disagree with them, in the exercise of our own rights, and here reiterate the directive, which goes thus: 'In view of the joint resolutions of the National Assembly on Rivers State, and other constitutional breaches by the Presidency, the APC hereby directs its members in the National Assembly to block all legislative proposals, including the 2014 budget and confirmation of all nominees to military and civilian positions to public office, until the rule of law and constitutionalism is restored in Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria in general','' the party said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC slams PSC, Presidency over Mbu

All Progressives Congress (APC): APC slams PSC, Presidency over Mbu: APC slams PSC, Presidency over Mbu The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned the tacit defence of the Rivers State Po...

APC slams PSC, Presidency over Mbu

APC slams PSC, Presidency over Mbu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned the tacit defence of the Rivers State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu by the Police Service Commission (PSC), saying the commission, by its unimaginative action, was only pandering to the Presidency which is the sponsor of the impunity in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party wondered if the PSC understands the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as far as the role of a police commissioner is concerned.

''For the avoidance of doubt, we quote Section 215 (4) of the Constitution, which stipulates: 'Subject to the provisions of this section, the Governor of a State or such Commissioner of the Government of the State as he may authorize in that behalf, may give to Commissioner of Police of that State such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the State as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with'.''

APC said if the PSC clearly understood the stipulation, it would not only be talking of Mbu being redeployed but should by now be justifying the dismissal of the impudent police boss, who has continuously violated the Constitution not only by refusing to take lawful orders but by also constituting himself into the opposition, the de facto chairman of the PDP, in Rivers.

''If the PSC wants to be truthful, it will admit that no one but the police commissioner has politicized his own office. It will also admit that no one has asked the police commissioner to be the Governor's errand boy, as claimed by the PSC, but to simply carry out his duties as stipulated by the Constitution. If the PSC still does not understand, it should tell Nigerians in which other state of the federation is a police commissioner usurping the role of the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state,'' the party said.

It described as disingenuous the decision of the PSC to hing its shameful inaction in the face of the madness being perpetrated by the Rivers police boss on a suit against the commission and the commissioner, saying no court case has prevented the commission from carrying out its statutory duties

''The truth is that the embarrassing situation in Rivers has persisted because the Presidency is the sole sponsor and it does not want peace to reign. The moment President Goodluck Jonathan decides to uphold the Constitution in accordance with his oath of office, Mbu will not last one day on the job.

''The PSC that has now taken it upon itself to defend Mbu and even remind Nigerians how some people have been praising him for doing a good job - all in a bid by the pliant commission to impress the presidency - knows that this President is never hindered by a suit when he decides to pursue his own agenda, as he is doing in Rivers. In case the PSC has forgotten, President Jonathan suspended former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, from office even when his case was in court.

''In any case, one million PSCs will not have been able to save Mbu if his partisanship in Rivers has been in favour of Gov.Chibuike Amaechi. The PSC should therefore spare Nigerians its annoying sophistry and stop hiding behind one finger. The truth is that nothing can justify the police-backed lawlessness, harassment of innocent citizens, disrespect for constituted authority and outright thuggery being perpetrated in Rivers.

''Nigerians know the puppeteer in the Rivers crisis. Nigerians know why the PSC has been 'handicapped' in Rivers despite the unprecedented misconduct of the state's police boss. Therefore, any attempt by anyone, including the spokesperson of the PSC, to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians will fall flat!,'' APC said.

All Progressives Congress (APC): Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in...: Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in National Assembly is abuse of court process - APC The All Progressives Congress (A...

All Progressives Congress (APC): Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in...

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Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in National Assembly is abuse of court process - APC

Plan to use judiciary to stop leadership change in National Assembly is abuse of court process - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as an act of desperation and an abuse of court process the plan by the PDP to use the judiciary to stop the impending leadership change in the National Assembly, following the defection of 37 members of the ruling party in the House of Representatives to the APC.

''Apart from the fact that the sole plaintiff in the case, the PDP, is incompetent and an interloper, the action itself is an abuse of court process, since there is a pending and subsisting order of the same Federal High Court in Abuja between the two parties,'' the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

''This attempt to use the judiciary, which is one arm of government, to stop another arm of government from performing its constitutional duty, is patently illegal as it is a known fact that the principle of separation of powers as upheld by the Supreme Court forbids an arm of government from stopping, suspending or otherwise interfering with the functions of another arm,'' it added.

The party said what the PDP is attempting to do with its misguided case is akin to the APC seeking to use the judiciary to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from reshuffling his cabinet or firing a cabinet minister.

APC said PDP should have waited until an action has been taken and then go to court to nullify it rather than stopping such action from taking place, adding: ''Any order of a lower court purporting to stop members of the National Assembly from attending the House or conducting any proceedings or voting is incompetent, illegal and contrary to the well-established jurisprudence enunciated by the Supreme Court.'' 

The party recalled that it has, in an earlier statement, alerted the nation to the plan by the PDP and the presidency to use pliant judges to obtain illegal court orders to achieve their diabolical aims, and warned politicians not to drag the judiciary into the murky waters of politics, saying such action will be a throwback to the better-forgotten days of Abacha.

''As for the judiciary, we are confident that our judicial officers will not allow themselves to be used for selfish, political end as
they have judicial aspirations to pursue and their good names to protect,'' APC said.

APC cautions PDP against using religion as trump card

APC cautions PDP against using religion as trump card

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it is gravely alarmed and totally disgusted at the PDP's decision to use religion as a trump card in the run-up to 2015, warning that even in its desperation to cling to power at all cost, the ruling party must desist from fanning the embers of religion

''This irresponsible accusation by the PDP that the APC is dividing Nigerians along religious line is a new low even for a party that stands for nothing but incompetence, looting and election rigging. It is an indication that the desperadoes in the PDP will throw everything, including the kitchen sink, into their campaign to stop the wave of change blowing across Nigeria,'' the party said in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

It said the reason it has refrained from joining issues with the PDP, despite its sponsored campaign to portray the APC as an ''Islamic'' party, is because it (APC) knows the dangers that religious politics
portends for any nation that brings religion into politics, and that no nation which has descended into religious warfare has survived intact.

''No party wishing to lead Nigeria aright can do so on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Therefore, we are compelled to warn the PDP not to play what it believes to be its trump card, the religious card,
against the APC, because whatever politicians do, they must refrain from ethnic or religious politics and put their country above selfish considerations. Only an irresponsible party will play the religious
card for any reason,'' APC said.

The party said even when the PDP's top leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, decided to wear religion on his sleeve, kneeling down before respectable religious leaders and pushing the pictures into the media in an apparent ploy to score political gains, the APC refrained from making any comments on it.

It said when President Jonathan also decided to lead a bloated delegation of his cabinet to an extended pilgrimage in Israel and ferret to the media back home the pictures of the delegation members at the Wailing Wall and other religious landmarks, the APC did not make an issue of the glaring exhibitionism.

''The basis of our circumspection is that in the first instance, we believe that all Nigerians are constitutionally guaranteed their right to any faith of their own choosing, and that playing their religious card should be avoided at all cost in the larger national interest,'' APC said.

The party said it is neither logical nor rational to accuse a party whose 35 interim officials are almost equally split between the adherents of the two major religions (18 Muslims and 17 Christians)
and cuts across all ethnic lines; a party whose elected officials - Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members etc - profess various faith and a party that has never expressed any preference for one religion over another as an ''Islamic'' party.

''We are therefore warning the PDP to stop this dangerous campaign forthwith, unless of course it has decided that its interest supersedes that of the nation. If the PDP fails to stop this campaign, we will be compelled to conclude that the party (PDP) is trying to plug in to the global stereotype against adherents of a certain religion just to spread fear and garner support in certain circles,'' it said.

APC appealed to Nigerians to ignore the dangerous game that the PDP is playing by labelling the APC an ''Islamic'' party as a scaremongering tactic that the comatose ruling party hopes will revive it.

''Nigerians have a history of religious tolerance that has served the country so well. We urge our compatriots to continue along this path, irrespective of the antics of a party that has finally drowned due to its own internal failings and contradictions,'' the party said.

It called for a clean electioneering campaign that focuses on issues that are relevant to the well-being of the long-suffering people of Nigeria and issues that are edifying for the country, saying Nigerians
want to know, for example, how the present situation of hopelessly can be turned around, how corruption can be stamped out; how a 24-hour electricity supply will be achieved just like in most countries of the world; how our teeming unemployed youths will be gainfully employed and how our dilapidated infrastructure will be rebuilt.

''On our part, we are focused on issues that will lift the living standard of Nigerians and make our country great again, and these we have enunciated in our manifesto which is accessible on our website. And once the green-light is given for electioneering campaign, we will be ready to unveil our strategies for achieving the stated objectives.

''For now, we ask anyone who needs to be convinced of our capability to visit any of the states under our control and see how we are utilizing the scarce resources at our disposal for quality-of-life
initiatives that are serving the people well,'' APC said

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APC hails Yobe Governor over successful LG polls, says election shames bumbling INEC

APC hails Yobe Governor over successful LG polls, says election shames bumbling INEC

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has hailed Yobe State Gov. Ibrahim Geidam as well as the entire people of the state for the peaceful and hitch-free conduct of the state's local government election on Dec. 28th 2013.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party called on INEC to borrow a leaf from the Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission on how to organize elections, having bungled the two elections conducted by it in Delta and Anambra recently

The party said it was not only delighted that the APC swept the polls, but that the election, which was observed by many NGOs and the chairmen of 15 State Independent Electoral Commissions, among others, was widely adjudged to have been free, fair and credible, in addition to witnessing a huge turnout of voters.

It said coming at a time that INEC and its paymasters have started flying their kite of shame of a possible non-conduct of general elections in the state as well as the two others under a state of emergency in 2015, the successful local government polls have shown that the only impediment to the conduct of elections in the states is a federal government that has ulterior motives and one that is mortally afraid of its own shadows, as well as a conniving INEC that is independent only in name.

The party said it was particularly remarkable that the people of the state turned out in large numbers, without a single report of election-related or any other violence during, immediately before and after the election, because of the significance of local government election as the number one barometer to measure grassroots' participation in democratic governance.

''With what has happened in the Yobe local government election, it stands to reason and logic that any other election in the state will attract an equally-massive turnout, if not more, and that the people of the state are determined to ensure the survival of democracy and to seize the initiative from a few die-hard insurgents prancing the state.

''This is why we in the APC believe that Gov. Geidam deserves every possible accolade he can get for his courage, strong belief in democracy and a determined effort to ensure that a few renegades cannot hijack a whole state. We therefore commend this quintessential democrat and urge him to continue with his good works in the state.

''We have no doubt that this trail-blazing effort by Gov. Geidam will be a source of inspiration to other states that are under a state of emergency, as well as to an INEC that could not even successfully organize an election in one Senatorial District in Delta.

''We therefore call on the blundering and floundering INEC to immediately dispatch some of its top officials to Yobe State to understudy the art of election conduct, even in an environment that poses a great challenge. After all, Yobe has shown that the main reason INEC cannot organize successful polls is that it sabotages its own elections,'' APC said.