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National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the party.

He said that he could not continue to function as spokesman of a party whose expectations of the role was incompatible with his personal principles.

Abdullahi, who announced his exit from the party in a statement in Abuja, also cited recent political development, especially in Kwara, his home state, as part of the reasons for his decision.

“In view of recent political developments in the country and within the APC, I have decided to resign my position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today (Wednesday).

“In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurping of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards.

‘In the same token, I can no longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party which has now made it clear to the world that the political group I belong is no longer wanted,” he said.

He said that he had served the APC honestly and to the best of his ability, adding that he stood for, and won election at the party’s recent national convention.

Abudullahi added that it was his desire to continue to do so, but that his loyalty was constantly brought to question by the party’s leadership.

He said his subordinates had been deployed to subvert his office while his views were constantly second-guessed.

Abdullahi said that on the basis of his political affiliation, it had become imperative for him to review his position.

He explained that since assuming office as the spokesman of the party, he had tried to set a new template for public political communications.

This, he said, was in a way that departed from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past “where cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even celebrated as measures of competence”.

“Unfortunately, those who felt I was not forceful enough, framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a lack of commitment to the party,” he said.

He added that the unlawful dissolution of the validly elected party executive in Kwara earlier in the week by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was only another phase in the unrelenting assault he had had to endure.

Abudullahi noted that as a national officer of the APC and member of the NWC, his views should have been sought, especially since the matter concerned his state and he was directly involved.

He maintained that the dissolution of the Kwara executive of the party was disrespectful, saying

“Quite recently, we all took the oath to do justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with our official responsibilities.

“With this obviously presumptuous action, and the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in my state.

“The NWC has taken sides, violated its oath of office and subverted its own credibility as an impartial arbiter.

“Yet, these are the same people that have continued to insinuate that others are serving interests other than those of the party,” he said.

Abudullahi remarked that politics was local, and that the issue of Kwara made it incongruous for him to continue to sit as part of the APC NWC. (NAN)

Eighteen out of the 30 members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly on Wednesday defected from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Speaker, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, who was among the 18 defecting members, made the announcement at the Assembly plenary on Wednesday.

Maidaji said: “We the undersigned 18 members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly belong and identify with the faction of the APC-led by one of its founders, Alhaji Buba Galadima.

“We are aware that all efforts to bring sanity into the APC and unite the different groups, camps and faction have proved abortive.

“After several attempts and efforts and the election is around the corner and we stand in danger if we remained in a party that is divided against itself.

“As such in accordance with the letters and spirit Section 109 (1) (g) of the constitution, as amended, we  hereby defect to PDP forthwith,” the Speaker said.

Reacting to the resolution by the 18 members, the remains 12 members at a press briefing after the plenary wished them well in their new party.

Alhaji Sani Yakubu (APC-Gudu), who spoke on their behalf, said that the 12 members would continue to remain committed and loyal to the APC-led government under President Muhammadu Buhari. (NAN)

Mr Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo State, says 60.1 per cent of the total number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs)  in the state belong to residents of Ibadan.

Agboke made the disclosure on Wednesday in Ibadan at a  stakeholders forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, 452, 811 out of the 753,450 unclaimed PVCs in the custody of the commission are owned by residents in the 11 local government areas of  Ibadanland.

“The figure represents 60.1 per cent of the total number of uncollected PVCs in Oyo State.

“It is a task that requires the cooperation of all the community heads, traditional rulers, politicians and chairmen of the 11 local government areas.

“They should assist the commission to reach out to owners of the unclaimed PVCs;  let them know the importance of the card in a democratic society.

“Let us sensitise them and that it is their civic responsibility to participate in elections and that PVC is their voting power,’’  he stated.

He reiterated the commitment of the commission to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

Agboke, however, solicited the cooperation of political parties in prevailing on their supporters to abstain from thuggery and hooliganism.

He further admonished politicians and the electorate against vote buying and selling, saying it contravenes the electoral law.

Oba Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, in his remarks, commended INEC over the efforts made so far on voters’  education.

Balogun urged the commission to sustain the tempo of effective electoral processes ahead of the  2019 general elections.

He promised that Ibadan monarchs and other stakeholders would intensify efforts to prevail on owners of unclaimed PVCs to collect them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that the 11 local government areas in Ibadan land are Ido, Egbeda, Akinyele and Ona-Ara.

Others are Lagelu, Oluyole, Ibadan North, Ibadan North East, Ibadan North West, Ibadan South East and Ibadan South West,

NAN also reports that the council chairmen of all the local government areas attended the meeting and expressed their readiness to work with the electoral body in sensitising residents on need to collect their PVCs.(NAN)

An NGO, Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Foundation, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that all tiers of government meet their financial obligations toward boosting the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) account.

Mr Amara Nwankpa, Director, Public Policy Initiative of the foundation, made the assertion on Monday after a roundtable on “Savings and Stabilisation Mechanism for Nigeria” in Lagos.

Nwankpa said that was necessary to improve the country’s economic growth.

He said that to achieve a boost in the fund, the Excess Crude Account of 0.5 per cent stabilisation account could be collapsed into the stabilisation account of the SWF.

He said the Federal Government needed to reform its public finance management to translate substantial oil wealth into equitable economic benefits.

Nwankpa said that in spite of earnings over one trillion dollars from oil since 1970, more Nigerians were still living in poverty.

Quoting the Brookings Institute, he said that an approximated 83.6 million people in Nigeria representing 43 per cent live in abject poverty.

He said countries that depended on revenues from natural resources to finance their budgets were characteristically prone to boom-and-bust cycles.

Nwankpa said that over reliance on oil had reduced the capacity of government to provide socio-economic benefits to citizens.

He said that oil was the dominant source of Nigerian export and foreign exchange earnings as well as the largest contributor to government’s revenue.

According to him, the economic reforms established by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration (2003-2007) represented the first attempt to break the pattern through the innovation of a savings mechanism known as the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

He said that attempts had been made to institutionalise the ECA in the fiscal responsibility Act of 2007 but state governors claimed it contradicted the 1999 constitution.

“At current levels of production, reserves are projected to last for another 37 years. This increases the urgency of the need to save for future generations.

“In spite of oil revenue earnings, 60 per cent of the population still live below the poverty line.

“Corruption, mismanagement of oil reserves and lack of diversification in the export sector have slowed economic growth and contributed to high poverty levels.

“In spite of the substantial revenues that have accrued to state and local governments, states are still burdened by debts from outstanding salaries owed to workers and huge contractor debts,” Nwankpa said. (NAN)

Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji has announced the state government plans to immediately rehabilitate villages recently destroyed by bandits in Zurmi local government area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 18 villages in the three districts of Kwashabawa, Birane and Mashema were attacked by bandits last week where scores of people were killed.

NAN further reports that following the attacks, over 12,000 villagers from the affected areas deserted their homes and are now being camped in schools, hospitals and offices in Zurmi, the local government headquarters.

The speakerm who made the announcement at a press briefing in Gusau on Sunday, described the Zurmi attack as the worst in the state since 2012.

“As we are talking now, these districts are no longer under government but bandits control and we are mobilizing with security personnel to go and flush them out, ” Rikiji said.

He said while efforts were being made to rebuild the affected villages, the communities would remain at the local government headquarters where they would be catered for.

” At this moment, even if they go back to their villages, there will be no food or shelter for them because the bandits have burned down most of the houses along with foodstuff and animals, ” he said.

“We are also going to bring doctors so that the victims will be treated out of the trauma they went through especially the women and children,” the speaker further said.

He said, at the moment, both the state and the national emergency agencies were providing services to the victims.

Rik ii said the IDPs would remain in place until the arrival of a federal government delegation which he said was being expected for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

He said another camp in Shinkafi was holding 7,500 IDPs persons.  (NAN

Former First Lady, Hajiya Maryam Abacha, has pledged to collaborate with the State Government in the fight against drug abuse.

Maryam, founder of the ‘Sani and Maryam Abacha Support Foundation’, made the pledge during the launch of the the Foundation on Saturday night in Kano.

She said the collaboration was necessary in order to complement the state government’s effort in tackling the menace of drug abuse and other social vices prevalent among the youths.

The former first lady said the decision to establish the Foundation was informed by her commitment and desire of other members of late Gen. Sani Abacha family to render more services to humanity.

She said the new Foundation would equally collaborate with the Kano Emirate Council in areas of Community self-help, basic education, Islamic education and campaign against drug abuse especially among youths and married women.

The former First Lady said the various awards conferred on her and by extension, her family had not only been a great source of pride and inspiration but a source of encouragement and motivation for her to further render more services to society.

In his remarks, the oldest son of the former First Lady, Alhaji Muhammad Abacha said the idea behind the establishment of the Foundation, was to promote national unity as well as social and economic advancement of communities regardless of ethnic origin.

“The Foundation was also established to promote high moral standards and improvement of the welfare of the most vulnerable in the society.

He said the Foundation would also focus on tackling problems associated with illiteracy, poverty, school drop-out and the age long problem of the girl-child and drug abuse, among others. (NAN)