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Audu’s death, a tragic anti-climax- APC govs
By Muideen Olaniyi
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has described the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kogi State election as one of the most tragic anti-climax in contemporary Nigerian politics.
The PGF Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, in a statement issued yesterday, expressed shock over the death but recognized his consistency in pursuing the greater good for the people of Kogi State.
The Forum for the APC governors said Prince Audu’s role in the campaign for the creation of Kogi State was recognized in November 1991 when electorate elected him as the first civilian Governor of the State but had his tenure cut short by military intervention in 1993.
The statement said his efforts were, however, rewarded again at the return of democratic rule in 1999 as Kogi people returned him with a fresh mandate.
“At every opportunity to serve his people, Prince Audu had always put his hands to the plough. A few of Prince Audu’s landmark legacies include the Kogi State Government House, Kogi State University, Kogi State Polytechnic, Kogi State Television, Radio and Newspaper outfits, Kogi State Stadium, hundreds of rural electrification and water projects, Beach Confluence Hotel, 3 major housing estates, attraction of major industrial concerns to Kogi State and the transformation of Lokoja into a modern state capital,” the statement added.
The governors condoled with his family, the good people of Kogi State, the leaders and the members of the APC all over the world and all lovers of democracy.
“In death, we celebrate a great son of Kogi State and Nigeria. As Progressive Governors, we remain resolute and shall stand by the family of Prince Audu, the defiantly progressive people of Kogi State and Nigeria and our reliant leaders of APC at all levels to consummate the electoral victory of APC in Kogi State, the statement released by acting PGF Communication Officer, Esohe Eboigbe, also read in part.
We are stunned by Audu’s death-Tinubu
By Muideen Olaniyi
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday said the death of Prince Abubakar Audu stunned his friends, political associate and particularly the family he left behind.
In a condolence message he issued through his media office, Tinubu stated that his death was painful, sorrowful and shocking, saying Prince Audu’s demise reminds us of our mortality.
“None of us are on this earth forever. While here, we must make positive impact. We must strive toward good. I knew Prince Audu roughly 30 years. He was a good friend. A good man. Some may not have known this but Prince Audu was a renown financial expert well known in banking circles before his entry into politics.
“From banking to politics Prince Audu became a dominant feature of our national landscape. He was an industrious man and a determined, hardworking leader with few equals. He was consummate in the art of politics. Yet, Audu was also dedicated to the betterment of his people. He was an Honorary title holder of Lagos, honored by the late Oba of Lagos, Oba Oyekan.
“Very kind, generous and at ease with his friends and with the people, Audu wanted to make his state a better place. That was his driving concern. His people loved him because of this and he loved them in return. He was a man of great vision, committed to the Nigerian project and committed to the well-being of his people. He loved Kogi passionately. As was his character, Prince Audu gave his all during this election because he wanted to move Kogi to a better place,” he added.
He prayed God to comfort his loved ones, stressed the need to preserve his memory by continuing to serve people and sympathized with the people of Kogi on the passing of their illustrious son who he described as a colorful and progressive politician.
Okorocha denies accusing Tinubu of killing Audu
From Johnkennedy Uzoma, Owerri
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has denied a statement credited to him in the social media (Facebook) report with the caption “Tinubu, others, kill Kogi Guber candidate – Okorocha”.
The report was published on Sunday evening few hours after the news of the death of Prince Abubakar Audu.
A statement, issued in Owerri yesterday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwiemeodo, said that the author failed to mention or tell his audience whether Governor Okorocha had made that claim at a press conference or in a press release.
Describing the report as totally false, he said that it could not pass any test of logic.
The statement added that Governor Okorocha neither dragged his sentences nor spoke disjointed grammar, noting that on the day (Sunday) Prince Audu was reported to have died, the governor was presiding over the meeting of the South-East Governors’ with Ohaneze leaders, traditional rulers and National Assembly members at Enugu state Government House on the issue of pro-Biafra protests and agitations.
He said, “I am not quarrelling with Senator Tinubu. The envisaged rift between us only exists in the imaginations of those who have chosen the path of dishonor, because only dishonourable people could have authored such an inglorious write-up. Decent people do not do such”.
The governor, on behalf of his family and the people of Imo state, extended condolences to President President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, the people of Kogi state, and those left behind.
Chairmanship crisis: N/East threatens to pull out of PDP
By Abbas Jimoh
Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Barrister Ahmed Ali Gulak, has threatened that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North-Eastgeo-political zone may pull out of the party if the acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus did not organise bye-elections to fill the vacant position of the party’s National Chairmanship.
Gulak, who is a national chairmanship aspirant, said it was wrong for some leaders of the party to exclude a whole region of the country from the leadership position since it was validly zoned to the region.
He argued that the party’s quest to redefine itself ahead of the 2019 general elections might fail if the party refused to follow the constitution.
He said after the party lost the March 28 presidential election, its chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, resigned his position on May 29, adding that the party’s constitution made it clear that somebody from the North-East, where Mu’azu hails from, should be appointed to replace him.
“Why is he (Secondus) acting contrary to the party’s constitution. The entire North-East, which is being denied its rightful place, may reconsider our membership of the PDP over this exclusion.
“The other regions of the country have their representatives in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party but not North-East. Even the North-West, that does not have a single governor, has the National Treasurer and the National Organising Secretary. How then can the North-East that has many PDP elected officials be excluded from the NWC?,” Gulak asked.
We want self determination not seccession – Annkio Briggs
From Femi Akinola, Lagos
Human right activist and convener of Niger – Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM), Mrs Annkio Briggs has sought the support of the United Nations towards self determination that will allow her people control all the resources in their land and pay tax to the central government.
Briggs, who spoke in Lagos, urged the world body to assist Niger-Delta to conduct a credible referendum in order to enable his people determine their future.
Briggs, who was a member of the last National Conference during the era of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, lamented the imbalance in the country, especially the sharing of oil and gas revenues from the Niger-Delta.
Answering question on whether she was not championing secession like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), she said, “I believe Nigeria is better off as one country. Our call is not for secession but self- determination.”
She also said that every state had the duty under the United Nations to refrain from any forcible action which could deprive indigenous people their right to self-determination and freedom.