APC governors now 23, set to take over Aso Rock in 2015 — Okorocha

By News Express on 01/11/2013



Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday said in Kano that the victory of All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015 ‘has been signed, sealed and delivered’ considering the calibre of people in it, and that the number of APC governors has risen to 23.

Speaking on behalf of the APC governors who were on the party’s delegation to woo Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to the party, Okorocha described APC as a movement that is unstoppable.

“APC is not a political party. It is a movement; movement for the liberation of our people, movement to rescue Nigeria from its ugly present situation. If you go to APC states, you see government and democracy in action. We have chosen direction. We are carefully selected by God at this critical time to bring about positive change in Nigeria. So we are here my brother (Kwankwaso) to invite you.

“Lest you get worried because coming to a place, a new party, and leaving your old party, you may want to know what is in there for you. And it is proper we assure you as colleagues that governors have their due respect in APC. We are the chief security officers of our states; we are the leaders of the party in our states and we do accord leadership to the leaders of the leaders.

“So I want to stand here to tell you that already, with three people if we succeed in this arrangement we shall be having 19 governors, but actually (you shouldn’t tell anyone), we are 23 in number.

“The entire governors in APC are 23 in number. Four have begged us that they will not join now because of the fear of victimization by EFCC and some other arms used to harass some governors. So they have pleaded with us to give them a little time. Before next year all of them will come and there are two big political juggernauts of the PDP that will join us at the apex. But they say they won’t join now until that boat (PDP) finally crumbles.

“We started with Kano today because we know what it represents in Nigerian politics and we came to you (Kwankwaso) because you are doing well. If you are a governor that is not doing well, we will not come to you. APC does not go for people who do not do well. From the airport to this venue we have seen a lot of changes. Kano is working better and more efficient. So you should get up and go with us,” Governor Okorocha said.

•Credit (text only): Daily Trust. Photo shows a cross section of APC Governors.

Source News Express

“So I want to stand here to tell you that already, with three people if we succeed in this arrangement we shall be having 19 governors, but actually (you shouldn’t tell anyone), we are 23 in number.

“The entire governors in APC are 23 in number. Four have begged us that they will not join now because of the fear of victimization by EFCC and some other arms used to harass some governors. So they have pleaded with us to give them a little time. Before next year all of them will come and there are two big political juggernauts of the PDP that will join us at the apex. But they say they won’t join now until that boat (PDP) finally crumbles.

“APC is not a political party. It is a movement; movement for the liberation of our people, movement to rescue Nigeria from its ugly present situation. If you go to APC states, you see government and democracy in action. We have chosen direction. We are carefully selected by God at this critical time to bring about positive change in Nigeria. So we are here my brother (Kwankwaso) to invite you.

Professor Peter: Joining APC is not a problem

Buhari, Tinubu, others in Jigawa, Kano, woo Lamido, Kwankwaso to APC



The leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, stormed Kano and Jigawa States, on Thursday, where they formally invited the governors of the two states, Musa Kwankwaso and Sule Lamido, to join the opposition party.

The opposition leaders met with the two governors behind closed doors for several hours during which they assured them a good deal if they decided to join their rank.

The leaders who held talks with the governors include former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, interim National Chairman of the APC, Bisi Akande, Interim Deputy National Chairman, Aminu Masari, and a former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.

The governors on the delegation were Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)
Former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff; former Labour Minister, Musa Gwadabe; a former National Chairman of the defunct All Peoples Party, APP, Yusuf Garba Ali; former Borno State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate, Kashim Imam; and some serving and former legislators, were also part of the delegation during the one day visit to the two states.

Some of the opposition leaders were in Sokoto State on Wednesday, where they witnessed the foundation laying ceremony of the Sokoto State University. They reportedly held a close-door meeting with Governor Aliyu Wamakko.

Although, details of their discussion were not made public, there were strong indications that they invited the governor to join the APC.
The trio of Kwankwaso, Lamido and Wamakko are among the seven aggrieved governors of the PDP, who have been canvassing the overhaul of the leadership of the ruling party, especially the sack of its National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur.

The other governors are Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

They had all joined a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former acting National Chairman of the PDP, Kawu Baraje and former National Secretary of the party, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, last August 31, to float the New PDP, which has met with President Goodluck Jonathan on two occasions to resolve the differences between them and the Tukur-led PDP.

Although, the APC had set up a committee headed by Mr. Fashola to enter negotiations with the aggrieved governors and their supporters with a view to bringing them into the opposition party, the opposition leaders were said to have been encouraged by the difficulty in achieving breakthrough in their meetings with Mr Jonathan and other PDP leaders.

At the meeting with Mr. Kwankwaso, which held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Mr. Buhari told the governor said the delegation was in the ancient city as part of a “recruitment drive” for their party, to ensure that Kano joins the progressive fold.

He stressed that the APC was concerned about the socio-economic development and the security of the citizens, even as he lamented that the Boko Haram crisis was a deliberate attempt by some people to clog the wheel of the country’s progress.

Messrs Akande and Okorocha, who also spoke praised the governor for his efforts in moving the state forward and enjoined him to join the APC in view of his progressive stance.

Responding, Mr. Kwankwaso said he would consult stakeholders of the PDP in the state before deciding on whether to defect to the APC.
“I will sit down with all stakeholders because there is no decision I can take as governor without consulting the stakeholders of the party. Kwankwasiyya movement is a disciplined movement. We are working as a group and a team,’’ he said.

“Certainly we will sit down all of us and look at all the challenges and the consequences if any, and together we will take decision on what to do and communicate to you.”

The governor, from whom the PDP state structure was taken away last month, described Kwankwasiyya Movement as a `powerful movement’ which he claimed had the capacity and strength to win election in 2015.

“We are stronger now than when we had no government”, he said.

The governor, who had severally hinted that the aggrieved governors of PDP might join the APC if talks with Mr Jonathan broke down, also said that he was happy that the leadership of the opposition party, which comprised highly respected Nigerians, found him worthy of the visit, pointing out that he had associated in one way or the other with most leaders of the party in the past 20 years.

In Dutse, Jigawa State, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr. Lamido did not make any commitment on joining the APC.

The governor was said to have expressed gratitude to the opposition leaders, adding that their initiative went beyond politics because it was about the future of the country.

Mr. Lamido said he owed Nigeria a duty to make it progress because the country had been good to him. He added that he had achieved much more than his imagination and therefore would support anything being done to rescue the country.

After the meeting with the Jigawa State governor, the APC delegation reportedly returned to Abuja from where they will move to Yola, Adamawa State to meet with the state governor, Murtala Nyako, who has repeatedly described the PDP as a dead party.

waternogetenemy: GEJ will show all of u the power of incumbency.




The handwriting is clearly on the wall for all those who can read.






An incumbent have never lost election in Nigeria before and GEJ will not be the first.








PDP/GEJ till 2019, Fresh Air.

waternogetenemy: GEJ will show all of u the power of incumbency.




The handwriting is clearly on the wall for all those who can read.






An incumbent have never lost election in Nigeria before and GEJ will not be the first.








PDP/GEJ till 2019, Fresh Air.

waternogetenemy: An incumbent have never lost election in Nigeria before and GEJ will not be the first.

asha 80: ohakim would disagree with you.

eGuerrilla:

Source

waternogetenemy:


Governorship and Presidency are two different ball game.







Go and ask Soludo, Timi Preye and even the all powerful Amaechi.






To be the ruler of a nation no be small thing. Nigeria presidents are little gods. Even Buhari said GEJ is planing to hand over in 2019. The guy don't fancy his chances.





Besides, GEJ is a performing President, just look at the airports and roads, and all new Universities for all the states of the federation.




Nigeria now has a GDP that is the envy of Africa, before GEJ, wat was the state of things? Abeg give credit where credit is due.



GEJ TILL 2019. fRESH aIR

Alikaxon: 2015: okorocha for president

payless:


One of the few Igbos I am ready to vote for if nominated for President. There is no bone of tribalism in his body. Many of his kinsmen hate him for not hating on other region. Rochas is a great man.

Danhumprey: He said APC is not a party. Then,it is what? A 'movement'? Do INEC register 'movement'?