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APC May Hold National Convention, Dec

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Barring last minutes change in the arrangements, the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would hold in the first weekend of December.
A source close to the party said that, according to the arrangements, after the State Congresses in October and the Anambra governorship election in November, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) would meet to rectify the timetable and schedule of activities for the National Convention.
“I can confirm to you that the APC National Convention will hold on the first Saturday of December this year which may likely be December 4. After the State Congresses in October, the party will set up Appeals Committee same month and concentrate on the Anambra State governorship election coming up in November.
“After the Anambra guber, according to the plan, the party’s NEC will meet to rectify and approve the timetable and schedule of activities for the Convention within the one month statutory stipulation.
“The meeting is just formalities because NEC has already given the committee the powers to conduct the convention. However, if they are to amend the party constitution, it requires the approval of NEC.”
“Before then, the party is also looking at setting up Zoning Committee that may be a 13-man membership to be drawn two members from each geopolitical zone and a chairman.
“I can confirm to you that convention is most likely to hold first weekend of December because the national leadership knows that shifting the event beyond December will deepen the crisis within the party,” our source said.
Meanwhile, unless urgent intervention comes from the presidency, there are strong indications that the ruling party may be enmeshed in a fresh crisis as the national leadership and hitherto loyal state caretaker committee chairmen have declared war on each other over the recently concluded Congresses and date for conduct of National Convention.
The love lost is hinged on what some of the state caretaker committee chairmen described as renege by the national leadership on the agreements reached with the forum.
They had specifically frowned at the situation where the national leadership endorsed the charade Congresses conducted in some states, lamenting that the national leadership ignored many of them that complained about the unfair treatment melted on them during the Congresses.
Confirming the situation, the Enugu State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ben Nwoye, had stated that he has personally declared war against the national leadership, threatening fire and brimstone over their lukewarm attitude to the injustice melted on him by their member, Senator Ken Nnamani.
“You will recall that the national leadership recently ordered the state caretaker committee chairmen to conduct the swearing-in of the newly elected ward and local government executives, yet they could not address various complaints we took to them about certain party chieftains shutting us out of the Congresses. If we are not relevant during the Congresses how can we swear-in the exco we petitioned the leadership against their emergence?
“We had an agreement with the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee before the Congresses, but I was surprised that they endorsed the charade Nnamani did in Enugu.
“They allowed us to be in charge of our states during the membership registration but handed over the party structure to those they considered superstars during the Congresses. For instance in Enugu, they allowed Nnamani to take charge and even gave the result sheet to him to write whoever he wants to emerge as executive.
“After sidelining me, I am waiting and watching to see how they will run the party in Enugu State after giving the party structure to Nnamani. We are just starting the fight because the baby who said its mother will not sleep will not also sleep. If they think that somebody like me will back down, they must be dreaming.
“Let me tell you that what happened in Zamfara and Rivers states during the 2019 elections will be a child’s play to what will happen in Enugu in 2023.
“Whether they like it or not, they must hold Convention by December and hand over power to a new national leadership. We don’t have party again, what is keeping APC is President Muhammadu Buhari and by next year, all these stories of Buhari said this, Buhari did not say that will be over. And once Buhari story is over, people will do whatever they want to do,” he said.
Asked if the Forum of State Chairmen is no longer functional, he said, “They have killed the Forum. Many of the forum members are no longer interested due to the manner the National Caretaker Committee has endorsed some illegality in their states.”

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Tinubu Congratulates Ghana’s President-Elect, John Mahama

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President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, have congratulated Ghanaian President-elect, John Mahama, on his victory in the country’s December 7, 2024 general election.
This came after Mahama’s rival, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat, yesterday, saying this was to ease tensions after reported fights in several local constituencies.
Ghana’s ex-president, John Mahama won the country’s presidential election held on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Although Ghana’s Electoral Commission is yet to announce the results, Bawumia’s ruling National Democratic Congress said its internal review showed Mahama leading with 56.3 per cent of the vote against its 41.3 per cent.
The official results were likely to be announced by the election commission, tomorrow.
A statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, yesterday, said, “In a telephone call to Mahama, President Tinubu hoped that Mahama’s ascension to power for the second time would further bring stability to the Economic Community of West African States, of which President Tinubu is the chairman.”
The statement is titled, ‘Ghana: President Tinubu congratulates President-Elect John Mahama in a telephone call.’
Tinubu commended the people of Ghana for their commitment to democracy, which was demonstrated through the peaceful and successful conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
“He applauded Ghanaians for demonstrating again to the world that democracy is the preferred path to achieving political stability, economic development, social justice and transparent governance in Africa.
“He affirmed that Nigeria’s and the region’s belief in the principles of the people’s right to choose their leaders freely will remain a source of pride.
“The Nigerian leader applauded the candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party, the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for conceding defeat before the official announcement by Ghana’s Electoral Commission,” Onanuga revealed.
Tinubu said Bawumia’s stance reinforced Ghana’s democratic ethos.
He noted that Mahama’s return to Jubilee House, having served as President from 2012 to 2017, reflects the Ghanaian people’s trust in his stewardship and vision to take the country to greater heights.
Mahama served as Ghana’s Vice President from 2009 to 2012, Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009, and held deputy and ministerial roles between 1998 and 2001.
Tinubu renewed his steadfast support for deepening the fraternal bonds between Nigeria and Ghana, underpinned by shared history, cultural ties, mutual support and cooperation, Pan-African goals, democracy, the rule of law, and economic integration.
The Nigerian leader thanked President Nana Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership and numerous contributions to Ghana’s progress and regional peace and stability.
He said he looks forward to working with Mahama’s incoming administration to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors and build a brighter future in the West Africa region.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, also yesterday, commended Ghana’s electoral process, highlighting its innovations and political stability as key factors in the smooth conduct of its 2024 presidential election.
Yakubu, who monitored the election and spoke in a short video obtained by The Tide, observed the political stability inherent in Ghana’s democracy, noting the consistency of its political party structures and voter loyalty.
Yakubu cited the perseverance of the main opposition candidate, a former vice president and the current President, Nana Akufo-Addo who contested multiple elections before achieving success.
“Rarely in Ghana do you see people moving from one party to another with every general election. So, that is important.
“It provides stability. It also provides their supporters (with) stability. So, there are people who have supported political parties for many years. So, whether the party is in power or opposition, they stick to the political party,” he added.
The INEC boss also noted that Ghana’s approach to managing results at the constituency level, inspired by Nigeria, has improved the efficiency of the electoral process.
Previously, all parliamentary and presidential results were sent to the headquarters of the Electoral Commission in Accra for announcement.
However, Ghana has adopted a decentralised system, allowing constituency-level officers to announce parliamentary results locally while only presidential results are sent to Accra.
“The second thing for me is the lesson that Ghana also learnt from Nigeria in the area of managing constituency election results. Until the last election in Ghana, all results come to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra; which is parliamentary and presidential.
“Although Ghana is not a federal system, they learnt from Nigeria where you have returning officers who announce results for parliamentary elections in the various constituencies around the country. Only the presidential election results come to Accra.
“In Nigeria, this is what we have done and they borrowed a leave from us, and this is the second time they are implementing that. That is why, as you can see, the declaration of the presidential election result was a lot faster than it used to be in the past,” he explained.
Expressing satisfaction with the process, Yakubu stated, “We are grateful that the election has gone very well. The process and its outcome so far have been commendable, and we continue to support our colleagues in Ghana’s Electoral Commission.”
The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing New Patriotic Party under Akufo-Addo, marked by Ghana’s worst economic crisis in years, involving high inflation and a debt default.

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Rivers State Flood Committee Inspects Ongoing Desilting Of Major Cannals

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The Rivers State Government has reassured people in the NIMET-predicted flood-prone Local Government Areas that the Government will continue to provide succor to them.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu gave this reassurance at the Central Medical Stores in Port Harcourt, shortly after members of the Rivers State Flood Prevention and Management Committee undertook a facility tour of the ongoing desilting of major canals in the Obio Akpor axis of Port Harcourt, as well as the inspection of the remaining relief materials procured for those affected by the flood, last Thursday.
According to Prof. Odu, “The distilling is in progress, and we saw the areas that have been cleared. The areas that are yet to be removed, we have noted. The contractor will get back to work and finish the work. Even the little that we did helped when there was so much flooding,” Prof. Odu quipped.
The Deputy Governor said Palliatives were earlier, sent to the high flood-prone areas in parts of ONELGA, Abua Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West as well as Oyigbo Local Government Areas, noting that the remaining palliatives would be distributed equally amongst the 18 Flood Prone Local Government Areas NIMET had predicted.
“Everybody would be part of it, whether they were directly impacted or not, we will share it to everybody that is why we wanted you to come today, to see some of these things, and be able to let people know that the Flood Committee of 2024 has been on their toes working and we will continue to work until these things all shared out” The Deputy Governor further stressed.

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RSG Set To Demolish Shanties, Gives Seven-Day Ultimatum

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The Rivers State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to residents of shanties in Port Harcourt to evacuate as it is set to begin demolition of shanties.
Rivers State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Evans Bipi, issued the notice on Saturday in Port Harcourt.
Bipi expressed concern about the activities of scavengers at the Trans-Amadi industrial area who currently occupy large hectares of private lands using them for sorting and assemblage of solid waste.
He condemned the act of proliferation of illegal dumpsites as well as shanties in business areas and advised occupants to vacate affected properties which had already been marked for demolition.
“Scavengers here are contributing to environmental hazards, their operation is highly unacceptable. This administration will no longer continue to allow them to deface our residential and industrial areas.
“We have given occupants seven days to vacate affected properties as we shall commence waste clearing and demolition of shanties in the area.
“Property owners should refrain from leasing their properties to operators of unapproved and hazardous businesses or face the full weight of the law,” the commissioner warned.
Chairman, Special Committee on Development Control of the ministry, Mr David Ogbanga, also assured of efforts towards sustainable urban development in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
According to Ogbanga, apart from defacing the city outlook, slums impede urbanization, and they constitute a breeding ground for miscreants as well as hideouts for criminals and perpetrators of all forms of social vices.
“We will put an end to this in the coming days, our enforcement team will begin demolition to restore serenity to our city as well as protect residents,” he said.

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