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APGA, Bianca Ojukwu settle differences ahead of Anambra elections

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Peace, Reconciliation and Outreach Committee on Saturday in Enugu held a closed door meeting with Mrs Bianca Ojukwu.

Mrs Ojukwu is the wife of late national leader of the party, Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu and former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain.

The delegation which included the Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Okafor was led by a former chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting that lasted for over four hours, Umeh said that the essence of the visit was for the party to reconcile with the wife and their late leader.

He said that it had become necessary to bring members of the party in Anambra together as one family in order to successfully confront the various tasks ahead.

“For sometime now, APGA has been operating with a missing rib. Bianca has contributed to the wellbeing of APGA starting from the time her late husband was the leader of the party,” he said.

The former national chairman of the party said that it was necessary to bring every member on board and to forget the past, especially, with the forthcoming Nov. 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra.

However, the important thing is that the ideals for which this party was established must be protected no matter the interest anybody is pursuing in this party.

“This visit is a turning point in the journey of this party to the gubernatorial election. We are satisfied that as a mother in this party, she has listened to our prayers and pleas.

“She should avail herself fully towards the pursuit of victory for APGA in order to deepen the hold of the party in the state and to ensure that the legacy left for us will remain intact,” he said.

In her remarks, Mrs Ojukwu said that it was sad that the party found itself in such dilemma which could have been averted.

The former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain regretted that previous efforts made to assuage aggrieved members of the party hit the rock.

“There have been to date at least two other committees that have been set up by the governor to advance the grievances of very great number of APGA members who are dissatisfied with the party.

“The first and second reconciliation committees made recommendations but they never saw the light of day,” she said.

She, however, pledged to put behind the incidences of the past and contribute to the progress of the party.

Postponement of 2019 elections, my most painful decision ― Professor Yakubu

November 26, 2020 No Comments

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and nominee for a fresh term of five years, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has said the postponement of the 2019 general elections by one week was the most painful decision in his first tenure at the commission.

Professor Yakubu made the disclosure on Thursday while appearing before the Senate Committee on INEC led by Senator Kabiru Gaya for screening ahead of his confirmation.

The February 16 Presidential and National Assembly elections were postponed by a week in 2019, courting national outrage.

Speaking with newsmen at the commission’s headquarter on the eve of the election, Professor Yakubu said the conduct of the election was not feasible after his review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan.

Asked by members of the Senate Committee for his most difficult challenge, the nominee said “it was having to postpone the 2019 general elections for a week. It was the most painful decision.”

He, however, told the lawmakers that INEC has since surmounted its logistics challenges, citing the seamless conduct of Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.

“But learning from that, we are working very fast to ensure that it doesn’t happen again as we approach 2023. We have learnt a lot and elections are getting better.”

Professor Yakubu said he was determined to ensure that the electoral process was transparent and credible in Nigeria to earn the trust of the electorate.

He tasked both chambers of the National Assembly to ensure speedy amendment of the Electoral Act.

“We have to be open and transparent in the way we manage public trust. My hope and commitment is for Nigerians to believe that their votes will count. I want to see how the electoral process will benefit from the use of technology.

“We can’t continue to work in an environment of uncertainty. So, I urge the National Assembly to expedite action on amendment to the electoral act and I am confident that the House of Representatives and Senate will do it expeditiously. I hope you will give us a brand new Electoral Act by the first quarter of next year.”

Responding to Senator Opeyemi Bamidele’s request for diaspora voting, Professor Yakubu said it has been a recurring decimal but maintained that INEC could only operate within the confines of the Electoral Act and the Constitution and noted that both documents have no provisions for Diaspora voting.

“We can’t run faster than what the law provides. We have identified the areas of the amendment to enable Nigerians to vote outside the country.

“So we need to amend the Electoral Act. On our own, we have contacted the National Intelligence Agency, the Ministry of Defence and the Diaspora Commission. But we must amend the electoral act to put smile on the faces of Nigerians outside the country. I think Nigerians living temporarily outside the country who are working in Embassies should be allowed to vote, including the media and Civil Society Organizations. The ball, like I said is in the court of the National Assembly.”

Also answering questions from lawmakers, nominees for the position of North West National Commissioner, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru said he has no affiliation with any of the registered political parties.

“I haven’t been a card-carrying member of any political party and I haven’t contested any election.”

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