• Donate N200m to Yobe, Borno for emergency reliefOPPOSITION governors Thursday restated their determination to take over the Presidency in 2015 through their new party, All Progressive Congress (APC).
The 11 governors of Borno, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Yobe, Zamfara and Oyo states yesterday reiterated their “irrevocable commitment” to the emergence of the new APC .
The commitment was declared yesterday in a one-page statement of the third meeting of the 11 governors held at the Government House, Maiduguri.
Rauf Aregbesola, the governor of Osun State, who read the statement, said that yesterday’s meeting in the Borno State capital was also to sympathise with the governments and people of Borno and Yobe states over the Boko Haram insurgency.
While commending the Central Merger Committee (CMC) of the APC on the progress so far made in the establishment of the new party, Aregbesola said: “The three major committees on constitution, manifesto and legal/INEC compliance have already been inaugurated by the 11 progressive governors in the country.”
Aregbesola also disclosed that “we wish to inform Nigerians that we shall soon embark on a national outreach and sensitization activities,” calling on all Nigerians to fully support the efforts of the progressive governors on rescuing the country from a “visionless leadership.”
The statement also reads in part: “In solidarity with the government and people of Borno and Yobe states, we are pleased to witness an upsurge of tranquility and happy that the situation has calmed down considerably in Maiduguri.
“Contrary to the image of rampant violence that has been painted to the whole world, we have discovered that the people are going about their businesses without let or hindrance. We wish to commend the efforts of our brother-governors in the two states and the security agencies for the restoration of peace and stability.
“We also sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives and property and wish to donate the sum of N200 million to the two state governments for emergency relief and support.”
The governors who attended the Maiduguri meeting included Adams Oshiomole of Edo State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Raji Fashola of Lagos State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Kashim Shettima of Borno, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa and the deputy governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Abubakar D. Aliyu. The governors of Zamfara and Oyo expressed their apologies for their absence.
And from former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), a leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), came approval for the merging of opposition parties.
Noting that the merger is good for political development in the country, Babangida said that he had been vindicated for his initiative to introduce a two-party system for Nigeria during his administration between August 27, 1985 and August 27, 1993.
Babangida who spoke while answering questions from reporters on Wednesday at his residence shortly after hosting members of the new Governing Council of the National Examinations Council (NECO) led by its chairman, Dr. Paddy Kemdi Njoku, maintained that the emergence of APC was a welcome development and good for democracy.
“In fact, I was a very good advocate of a two- party system and when I said the nation should operate a two-party system during my tenure as military president, you said no and that I am a soldier and an idiot. But now you are seeing reasons why I advocated that and I think now you are seeing reasons why I said so. I think I am happy at the new development because it is working for the nation’s political development,” he stated
Babangida’s government established the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which ushered in a partial and short-lived civilian administration 1992.
He condemned the existing political class for not making concerted efforts at enlightening the ordinary Nigerians who form the bulk of the nation’s eligible voters and whose overwhelming votes determine the clear winners in a free and fair general election in the country.
According to him, “things are getting better because we are now talking about it, though we can continue to dissipate our energies on talking about appointment portfolio…”
Besides, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday night said he supported the merger of opposition political parties to rescue the people of the South-East geo-political zone from alleged woes of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
During a press briefing at Government House, Owerri, Okorocha who spoke on varied issues, said people of the zone were also tired of the PDP, adding that it no longer enjoyed grass-root support.
He said: “I support the merger of the APC and I don’t intend to turn back from APC. I believe that APC has come to replace PDP in the South-East.”
Denying the insinuation that the Igbo could not work with the Yoruba in the merger arrangement, Okorocha said that the Yoruba were not at war with Igbo.
He also used the forum to deny that he was not friendly with the Presidency.
Okorocha said the concept and execution of the Community Government Council (CGC) in Imo State under him had come to stay, urging the people and the country to embrace it for grass-root
0 comments :
Post a Comment