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Prominent APC Leaders Absent As Ganduje Tasks Leaders On Forgiveness, Reconciliation

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All may not be well with the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the South-East, as prominent leaders of the party in the zone declined to attend a stakeholders parley held in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, today, April 2nd.

Absent at the stakeholders’ parley were: former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former Labour Minister, Senator Chris Ngige; 2023 Governorship candidate of APC in Abia, Chief Ikechi Emenike; former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; former Ebonyi State Governor and current Works and Housing Minister, and Senator Dave Umahi. Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru was represented by his deputy.

However, ministers from the South-East who attened were the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Nkeiru Onyejeocha; and Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.

Also at the event were former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim; Senator Ifeanyi Uba, Senator Ostia Izunaso; the member representing Okigwe South Federal Constituency, Chike Okafor; former governorship candidate in Imo state, Uche Nwosu; five state chairmen of the APC in the South East region among others.

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Speaking at the event, National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, called on the members of the party in the South-East to forgive themselves and reconcile in the interest of the APC.

He urged them to join hands with the newly appointed coordinator of the South-East APC, and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to archive a result and make APC a united party in the zone.

Ganduje, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, South, Emma Enukwu, said: “We thank God who made this event a success. We are working seriously to continue the success and I want to say this: Hope Uzodimma is a success for the South-East.

“The National Chairman had told me he wanted to congratulate the Imo people for the winning of 27/27 in the last governorship elections and kudos to the people of Imo State.

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The party will soon start e-registration; the last one we did we registered over 80 million. The e-registration will be biometric. The Chairman of the governors and the coordinator of the South-East, will lead the e-registration exercise.

“The party is working towards making sure that each ward and LGA, has functional offices and that is the usual way to make sure that we are at the grassroots. The most important thing is the reconciliation, we need to join the national grid and the only way to do it is to join the national grid.

All we are doing is to make sure that at least the APC produced the President of Nigeria. The chairman has asked me to tell you to reconcile yourselves, forgive yourselves and work together.”

We’re moving round five states to reconcile our members – Uzodimma

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Governor Uzodimma, who is the host, said: “What I have seen in this hall made me drop my written speech so that I can talk to my people heart-to-heart and because of the level of attendance. We thank God. This meeting is strategic and symbolic. I commend the President for understanding the precarious situation in the South-East and also the national chairman who understood the South-East is grossly marginalized and he is working to de-marginalize the zone.

“In today’s South-East the setback caused by the civil war should have provoked a new appetite to promote activities of the South-East. Somehow our people have not recovered from the sentiment of the civil war. Given the current situation we must challenge ourselves and leave lamentations and move forward.

“In APC, our task now is to connect to the national grid. The country was formed on a three tripod the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, the two legs have decided to move forward and expand and the one leg which is the Igbo is shrinking. We must stop pulling ourselves down. Let us forgive ourselves. And let us support President Bola Tinubu in his policies and programmes. The Federal government has supported the state governments with palliatives.

“We are going round the South-East to reconcile all our members in the five states of the region. I have been given this assignment. I will not allow the South-East to languish because someone somewhere is gossiping.”

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Governor of Ebonyi State, Ogbonna Nwifuru, who was represented by his deputy, Patricia Onyemachi, said: “We need brotherhood. We need to put our house together. We need to use our talents, and what we have to move our party and the South-East forward.”

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who was represented by Matins Azubuike, said said the deputy Speaker was happy with the show of solidarity for the South-East to move forward, and “urged us to be patient as the policies of President Tinubu begins to bear fruit. The passage of the South East Development Commission bill is to reposition the South-East. Therefore, let us in the South-East work together for the success of the party. “

Senator Izunaso, who spoke on behalf of over 18 senators and House of Representatives members, who attended the event said: “APC has seven senators, also in the House of Representatives, we have 12 members across the South-East zone. Why we have been able to still talk about the APC was because Hope Uzodimma was supporting them. We thank Uzodimma for making APC strong in Imo State and the five states of the APC.”

On his part, National Vice Chairman of APC, South East zone, Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said: “It is a crucial meeting. After the presidential election, we saw the winning in Imo where we scored 27 over 27, which has given us the bragging rights. We also won at the Ebonyi off-season election. We need structural funding because of the debt we are owing so that we can function well. One of the challenges is that some of our office holders have given appointments to more opposition members. We appeal that our office holders should focus more on the empowerment of our APC members.

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“The mantra of our president is renewed hope and the name of our governor, Hope Uzodimma is resounding to the name renewed hope. We know where we are coming from, we have to endure the pains and have hope we are coming out. We will soon come out of it.”

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Politics

Ondo poll: Sensitive materials to arrive Tuesday – INEC

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BY Francesca Hangeior

Ahead of the November 16 Ondo governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed on Thursday that sensitive election materials will arrive in Akure by Tuesday, November 12.

Addressing stakeholders at a pre-election meeting held in Akure, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu announced that all sensitive materials, including ballots and result sheets, would be delivered to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Akure branch by early next week.

According to Yakubu, the election materials will be inspected by political party representatives and other stakeholders to ensure transparency before being distributed to local governments and wards across the state.

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Yakubu stressed that INEC is committed to a well-organised and credible election process, noting that all logistical arrangements for the safe delivery and distribution of materials have been completed.

“We have arranged for the delivery of sensitive materials for the election to arrive as early as Tuesday next week.

“We will invite political parties and other stakeholders for the usual inspection of the materials at the Central Bank here in Akure, and throughout the movement of sensitive materials to the local governments and the ward centres,” he stated.

To support the timely deployment of these materials, Yakubu highlighted that INEC has arranged for both land and maritime transportation to reach all areas of Ondo State, ensuring access to polling units across the region.

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“We have made arrangements for land and maritime transportation of personnel and materials,” he noted.

INEC has also engaged security agencies to protect the sensitive materials and personnel involved in the election process.

With the countdown to election day in full swing, INEC has been conducting final preparations, including a mock accreditation of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in select locations across Ondo State.

Yakubu assured the public that INEC is ready to conduct a fair, secure, and transparent election.

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Obi To Speak At Atiku’s AUN

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The American University of Nigeria (AUN) has announced former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, as keynote speaker at its forthcoming Founder’s Day ceremony on November 30, 2024.

The annual Founder’s Day honors the Founder of the University and former Nigeria’s Vice President, His Excellency AtikuAbubakar, GCON, Wazirin Adamawa, for his numerous contributions to society and especially his advancement of education and human development.

a statement by Interim Registrar/VP, Admin, Daniel Okereke, the 16th Founders Day lecture will be the highlight of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of the American-style Development University where students are educated to direct their learning and research outcomes towards addressing the socioeconomic challenges of the African Continent.

In the 20 years since its establishment, the numerous community service and outreach projects executed by students, alums, faculty and staff have earned the Development University a spot among the top three Nigerian universities in Times Higher Education (THE’s) 2024 global impact ranking.

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Since its establishment in 2003, AUN has significantly expanded its academic programs and affiliations with foreign institutions. AUN presently hosts the American Window in the northeast region where students and members of the public can access relevant information about scholarship and research opportunities in the United States.

President of AUN, Professor DeWayne Preston Frazier, heartily welcomes Mr. Peter Obi as Keynote Speaker and conveys to him the appreciation of the AUN Community for his acceptance of the invitation.

“I am highly pleased and honored to announce that the former Executive Governor of Anambra state, His Excellency Mr. Peter Obi, CON, will be our Keynote Speaker. Mr. Obi is an accomplished public servant and politician who has spent most of his life providing quality leadership and service to Nigerians. He is a champion of education and will be an excellent speaker to celebrate our 20 years”, Dr. Frazier said in a message to the Community.

Other activities lined up for the special event commemorating the birthday of His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, WazirinAdamawa, include a Special 20th Anniversary Community Service/Outreach, a leadership mentoring session for students by the Founder and inspection of AUNs renewable energy projects in the library, students’ residences and data center.

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Mr. Peter Obi joins an elite cast of global personalities who have delivered the AUN Founders Day lecture, which includes Dr. Paul Vita (2019), Professor Ibrahim Gambari (2009), Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah (2011), former Ugandan Vice President Dr. Gilbert Bukenya (2013), Professor Charles Soludo (2012), Tulane University Professor Dr. William Bertrand (2014), and President Emeritus of Iowa Wesleyan University, Professor Steven Titus (2023).

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Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ignores Kwankwaso’s Calls 34 Times

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, reportedly snubbed 34 phone calls from his political godfather, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The development has sparked speculation about a growing rift between the two, despite their longstanding political ties.

Sources suggest that the governor’s decision to ignore Kwankwaso’s calls may signal tensions within their political alliance.

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