[NIGERIA] 2015 POLLS: Leading Opposition Party Raises 27-Man Panel For Presidential Primaries
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday inaugurated a 27-man National Convention C...
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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday inaugurated a 27-man National Convention Committee (NCC).
It will conduct primaries for all its presidential aspirants within 22 days.
He asked the committee to organise primaries which will make APC the pivot of internal democracy and transparency.
Odigie-Oyegun, who inaugurated the committee at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, asked the team to prove critics who say the party is a gathering of strange bedfellows.
He said: “ I have had the benefit of organizing and running a convention before. I am aware that I had more time to accomplish the assignment. You have about 21 or 22 days to do this and that means the challenge before you is enormous. It means that you are leaving this inaugural ceremony to start work.
“I want to say that you have been elected after a long deliberation because the state of our party with its propagation and the need for change, we need to have people who believe in change and who will practise change by the way they organise and conduct the primaries. More so, as the entire nation is holding its breath on behalf or in sympathy for the APC.
Odigie-Oyegun added: “You will recall that at every stage of our existence, there have been prophets of doom, particularly coming from our opponents on the other side.
“ At every stage, they have been saying that we are a collection of strange bedfellows and will not get through. When you go out, the question they ask you is: Who is your candidate? How will you produce your candidate? Let us have it at the back of our mind that this is another challenge and I am sure that we will come out of the challenge in flying colours.”
He gave insights into how the party was meticulous in selecting members of the NCC and why aspirants were asked to nominate representatives on the committee.
He said: “We have given a deep thought to every member of this committee. We find the choice of the chairman particularly difficult. We were even looking for a retired judge at a stage, but with a flash of inspiration, it came to us that we have in our midst a leader who can be described virtually as white.
“The membership is not complete and we are going to have additional names to this list. What we are trying to do is to assist this committee by adding an innovation, which is to ask every aspirant to nominate a representative on this committee. That is to bring out the level of transparency with which this exercise must be executed.
“We want them to be part of the process such that because they are committed, their principals will also be committed to the process. So, the challenge we are passing on to you today is to organise a process that will make us a pivot in this nation for internal democracy and for transparency.
“It has been agreed that Baraje should act as Chairman of the Committee. So, the ball is in your court. The party has put in your hands, the most critical assignment in the process of producing the next President for this nation.
“It is the way you conduct this process and the way you conduct the exercise itself that will finally catapult us from being an opposition party into the incoming government of the Republic of Nigeria.
“We are there to be consulted at every stage and at any point you deem it fit. You are to do the job to match into your own personal integrity as a fearless man of probity and integrity.
“ I thank you for the sacrifice you will be making in the next 21 days. I am sure that at the end of the day. We will all have course to celebrate.”
The nominees of the aspirants are non-voting members. “Their names have been announced and they are there to ensure the transparency of the process,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
Fayemi promised that the APC presidential primaries will be a model.
He said: “It is an exercise that will set us apart from those who are democrats and those who are monarchists. Those who prefer to coronate and those who want to elect. This assignment is not just about the how, but also about who.
“But the how is far more important than the who for us. That is, the process is more important than the end-product because, for us, what Nigerians require most is that we demonstrate to the best of our ability, our commitment to internal democracy.”
Fayemi, who spotted a light blue Babanriga, said Nigerians are waiting for the alternative which will begin with APC presidential primaries.
He pleaded with presidential aspirants and party members to cooperate with the NCC.
He added: “There is no doubt in the mind of Nigerians now that we have been on a journey without map in the last four years and this rudderlessness, the cluelessness must be brought to an end. Actually, the process is important.
“Everywhere I turn to even before before being saddled with this assignment, I am asked, ‘when are you going to give us your candidate and how are you going to give us the candidate?’ because Nigerians are waiting with patience for the alternative we are presenting to the country.
“I want to assure you sir, that seeing the calibre of persons you have put in this committee that we shall deliver on this assignment on time, on course, on integrity, on commitment and on transparency to our party and to Nigerians.
“But we need the cooperation of all our members and not just the presidential aspirants , but also their supporters. For me, it is a very unique addition that you have made as a party by asking all the aspirants to have observers on the committee. At the end of the day, we will turn this into a big celebration and a genuine desire for change.”
Members of the Committee are ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi (Chairman); Alh. Kawu Baraje( Deputy Chairman); Barr. Boss Mustapha; Dr. Garba Abari; Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali(Rtd); Prof. Umar Faruk; Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim; Mr. Olawale Edun; Prof. Mojeed Alabi; and Mr. Edwin Ogunbor.
Others are: Mr. Preye Aganaba; Dr. Kachin Nwoja; Hon. Tony Oneweek Muonagor; Sen. Babafemi Ojudu; Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Dr. Alex Ideh(Alternate Secretary); Alh. Mai Bala Buni( National Secretary /Secretary); Sen. Osita Izunaso(National Organising Secretary); and Alh. Lai Mohammed( National Publicity Secretary).
The representatives of presidential aspirants on the committee are Hon. Greg Eguh; Hon. Faruk Adamu Aliyu; Murtala S. Garo; Yusuf Mai-Anguwa; and Hon. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge.
The list of three more members of the committee was being awaited last night.
Source: The Nation
It will conduct primaries for all its presidential aspirants within 22 days.
He asked the committee to organise primaries which will make APC the pivot of internal democracy and transparency.
Odigie-Oyegun, who inaugurated the committee at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, asked the team to prove critics who say the party is a gathering of strange bedfellows.
He said: “ I have had the benefit of organizing and running a convention before. I am aware that I had more time to accomplish the assignment. You have about 21 or 22 days to do this and that means the challenge before you is enormous. It means that you are leaving this inaugural ceremony to start work.
“I want to say that you have been elected after a long deliberation because the state of our party with its propagation and the need for change, we need to have people who believe in change and who will practise change by the way they organise and conduct the primaries. More so, as the entire nation is holding its breath on behalf or in sympathy for the APC.
Odigie-Oyegun added: “You will recall that at every stage of our existence, there have been prophets of doom, particularly coming from our opponents on the other side.
“ At every stage, they have been saying that we are a collection of strange bedfellows and will not get through. When you go out, the question they ask you is: Who is your candidate? How will you produce your candidate? Let us have it at the back of our mind that this is another challenge and I am sure that we will come out of the challenge in flying colours.”
He gave insights into how the party was meticulous in selecting members of the NCC and why aspirants were asked to nominate representatives on the committee.
He said: “We have given a deep thought to every member of this committee. We find the choice of the chairman particularly difficult. We were even looking for a retired judge at a stage, but with a flash of inspiration, it came to us that we have in our midst a leader who can be described virtually as white.
“The membership is not complete and we are going to have additional names to this list. What we are trying to do is to assist this committee by adding an innovation, which is to ask every aspirant to nominate a representative on this committee. That is to bring out the level of transparency with which this exercise must be executed.
“We want them to be part of the process such that because they are committed, their principals will also be committed to the process. So, the challenge we are passing on to you today is to organise a process that will make us a pivot in this nation for internal democracy and for transparency.
“It has been agreed that Baraje should act as Chairman of the Committee. So, the ball is in your court. The party has put in your hands, the most critical assignment in the process of producing the next President for this nation.
“It is the way you conduct this process and the way you conduct the exercise itself that will finally catapult us from being an opposition party into the incoming government of the Republic of Nigeria.
“We are there to be consulted at every stage and at any point you deem it fit. You are to do the job to match into your own personal integrity as a fearless man of probity and integrity.
“ I thank you for the sacrifice you will be making in the next 21 days. I am sure that at the end of the day. We will all have course to celebrate.”
The nominees of the aspirants are non-voting members. “Their names have been announced and they are there to ensure the transparency of the process,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
Fayemi promised that the APC presidential primaries will be a model.
He said: “It is an exercise that will set us apart from those who are democrats and those who are monarchists. Those who prefer to coronate and those who want to elect. This assignment is not just about the how, but also about who.
“But the how is far more important than the who for us. That is, the process is more important than the end-product because, for us, what Nigerians require most is that we demonstrate to the best of our ability, our commitment to internal democracy.”
Fayemi, who spotted a light blue Babanriga, said Nigerians are waiting for the alternative which will begin with APC presidential primaries.
He pleaded with presidential aspirants and party members to cooperate with the NCC.
He added: “There is no doubt in the mind of Nigerians now that we have been on a journey without map in the last four years and this rudderlessness, the cluelessness must be brought to an end. Actually, the process is important.
“Everywhere I turn to even before before being saddled with this assignment, I am asked, ‘when are you going to give us your candidate and how are you going to give us the candidate?’ because Nigerians are waiting with patience for the alternative we are presenting to the country.
“I want to assure you sir, that seeing the calibre of persons you have put in this committee that we shall deliver on this assignment on time, on course, on integrity, on commitment and on transparency to our party and to Nigerians.
“But we need the cooperation of all our members and not just the presidential aspirants , but also their supporters. For me, it is a very unique addition that you have made as a party by asking all the aspirants to have observers on the committee. At the end of the day, we will turn this into a big celebration and a genuine desire for change.”
Members of the Committee are ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi (Chairman); Alh. Kawu Baraje( Deputy Chairman); Barr. Boss Mustapha; Dr. Garba Abari; Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali(Rtd); Prof. Umar Faruk; Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim; Mr. Olawale Edun; Prof. Mojeed Alabi; and Mr. Edwin Ogunbor.
Others are: Mr. Preye Aganaba; Dr. Kachin Nwoja; Hon. Tony Oneweek Muonagor; Sen. Babafemi Ojudu; Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Dr. Alex Ideh(Alternate Secretary); Alh. Mai Bala Buni( National Secretary /Secretary); Sen. Osita Izunaso(National Organising Secretary); and Alh. Lai Mohammed( National Publicity Secretary).
The representatives of presidential aspirants on the committee are Hon. Greg Eguh; Hon. Faruk Adamu Aliyu; Murtala S. Garo; Yusuf Mai-Anguwa; and Hon. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge.
The list of three more members of the committee was being awaited last night.
Source: The Nation