The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) held its first New Nigeria Policy Conference and Presidential Primary at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja today, the 29th of September 2018.

The event witnessed a great turn up from all the delegates who came from the various parts of the country to partake in the very first Presidential primaries of the budding party including Mr. Fela Durotoye, the last standing presidential aspirant, after Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim announced his withdrawal from the primaries just a few hours to the event.

The epoch making event began with the accreditation of all the delegates from all the different states represented at the event followed by speeches from principal officers of the party after which Mr. Fela Durotoye presented his pitch as was requested to the delegates of the party on his plans for the actualisation of a New Nigeria.

Mr. Fela Durotoye's pitch was very well received as was evident in the resounding applauses and joyous shouts during and after his speech. Other invited guests were also given the opportunity to share their thoughts on the New Nigeria to expect.

Delegates then proceeded to cast their votes, and for their respective aspirants under a free and fair process with INEC officers who were present to monitor and observe the entire process. After concluding the voting process, the votes were sorted and counted in the presence of the INEC observers, the party delegates, the press and the general public including viewers who connected to the event online.

The results were announced with Mr. Fela Durotoye clinching the victory with a total of 240 votes against 7 votes for Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim. It was a landslide victory.

Amidst shouts of joy and celebration, Mr. Fela Durotoye was announced as the Presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria come the General Elections scheduled for February 2019.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Fela Durotoye reminded everyone of how young people like himself were faced with the impossible task of gaining independence 58years ago.

In his words, "In a few days, we celebrate 58 years of our nations independence. A task once considered impossible, was birthed by the courage and sacrifice of young men & women in their 20s, 30s & 40s, like Anthony Enahoro, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and many others. These everyday Nigerians laid their lives down to birth a New Nigeria; a land of peace, unity and opportunity."

He went on to say in his words that "The New Nigeria will not be built by politicians of old or by the system that has suppressed our greatness. It will be built by everyday, ordinary Nigerians, people like you and me."

He called all Nigerians who were tired of the old Nigeria and the failed way of doing things to join him in the pursuit for the New Nigeria and acknowledged that he couldn't do it alone but with the collaboration of everyone who truly desires a New Nigeria.

He ended by asserting that he is not arrogant to claim to have all the answers. In his words,
"I am not arrogant to claim that i have all the answers, but I am humble enough to say that I am willing to learn and will listen to all your questions. And with such a great team beside me, the hopes and dreams of Nigerians before me and by the Grace of God above me, we will deliver a New Nigeria, starting on May 29th, 2019."

Fela Durotoye knelt down in gratitude to God for his success at the presidential primaries.

Fela Durotoye will be contesting the Presidential elections come 2019 polls under ANN against other emerging presidential candidates from APC and PDP.

Well deserved victory! Congrats FD! RESPECT TO ALL ANN DELEGATES WHO RESPECTED THEMSELVES TOO! WE ARE STILL RUNNING FOR A NEW NIGERIA! TIME TO WORK HARDER! #QJspeaks

he just wants to be called "a presidential candidate". if i hear say him win.

How can only 3 states elect someone a candidate? The remaining states are with Hashim and they are holding the authentic primary on Wednesday.

This boys scout aspirant thinks everyone is as dull

bilms:
How can only 3 states elect someone a candidate? The remaining states are with Hashim and they are holding the authentic primary on Wednesday.

This boys scout aspirant thinks everyone is as dull

On Friday; 28th of September, 2018, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a Presidential Aspirant under the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) announced his withdrawal from the presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday; 29th of September 2018 on the grounds that the party hadn't given him the list of delegates who were going to be a part of the electoral process.

In a letter issued to the National Chairman of ANN, Olawepo-Hashim stated that "The list of delegates has not been provided to me as a Presidential aspirant on the platform of the ANN. This is contrary to the constitution of the ANN and the Electoral Act. This is such a fundamental flaw as to render any exercise purporting to be presidential primaries to be nugatory.”

He further stated that “The absence of guidelines to guide the conduct of the primaries constitute a grave violation of our party’s Constitution and the Electoral Act."

Mr. Olawepo-Hashim went further to say that “The arrangements for the Presidential Primary has not been published so that everyone will know. Who are those to conduct the primaries, including accreditation of delegates, screening of aspirants etc? As a Presidential aspirant, I am yet to know the arrangements put in place for the conduct of the primaries,”

The above claims by Mr. Olawepo-Hashim are all a propaganda to discredit the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), a party that came into the scene to be the difference and provide a platform for credible candidates who truly have a heart for the people to run for office in order to bring about the New Nigeria that we all desperately seek.

First of all, the ANN constitution does not in any way state how it will conduct its primaries neither does it say that aspirants will be given the list of delegates who should partake in the voting process of the primaries. The party deserves and has the right to conduct their primaries however they want in order to accomplish their objectives of providing a level playing field for all aspirants and especially to avoid any form of corruption in its processes.

The practice in other parties is to give out the list of delegates to their handpicked aspirant who then goes ahead to bribe the delegates one by one in order to turn the primaries to their favour. Unfortunately, ANN will not practice such and being one of the founding fathers of PDP, it is expected that Mr. Olawepo-Hashim will not find that funny.

On the other hand, it was discovered that on Mr. Olawepo-Hashim's visit to the State chairmen of the party that he was busy trying to bribe them to influence the delegates from the states to vote for him in the primaries. This action is one of the many things that ANN stands against and will not allow him that opportunity.

It's very likely that Mr. Olawepo-Hashim has had first hand experience that indeed ANN is not like other parties and has seen that he stands no chance at winning the primaries and therefore decided to withdraw from the primaries using propaganda to aid his decision.

Besides, if there was anything wrong with the guidelines or conduct of ANN in its preparation for the primaries, it is unlikely that Fela Durotoye who is well known for his die-hard integrity would have objected and probably withdrawn a long time before the eve of the primaries, but this is not the case.

Just this morning, on inquiring about what really happened, a reliable source from the party who asked to be anonymous stated that Mr. Olawepo-Hashim pulled out from the primaries because he wanted to change the date of the primaries and when ANN stood their grounds, he wanted to proceed to the court to get a court injunction but unfortunately for him, the court was closed because of the NLC strike.

The reliable source further stated that ANN intended for the two candidates to have a debate to help the electorates decide who was a better candidate and Mr. Olawepo-Hashim didn't want to debate with Fela Durotoye for obvious reasons—he will lose as he doesn't stand a chance.

Again, Mr. Olawepo-Hashim went to see if INEC could stop the primaries from happening and INEC informed him that they can not get involved in what is happening at the party level.

Therefore the truth of Mr. Olawepo Hashim's withdrawal just few hours to the primaries which is slated for today is mainly because he wasn't allowed to know all the delegates and have some uncommon familiarization with them as this is tantamount to inducement of the delegates, which the ANN party will not have anything to do with.

He probably wanted to push the primaries, get the names of the delegates so he can influence them to give him their votes. Unfortunately, this didn't happen like he thought, and so why bother with showing up at the primaries to witness a landslide defeat?

His withdrawal is also due to the fact that he has discovered that he cannot push ANN around like other parties who are used to taking money from politicians and doing their bids to the disadvantage of Nigeria and to the slavery of her people.

This is nothing but the truth.

Truly the ANN is THE DIFFERENCE and today's primaries will hold as scheduled at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja by 10am prompt.

bilms:
How can only 3 states elect someone a candidate? The remaining states are with Hashim and they are holding the authentic primary on Wednesday.

This boys scout aspirant thinks everyone is as dull

You are very wrong for saying only 3 states participated. We had like 24 states during the primaries who voted for Fela Durotoye.

So actually APC truly bought the process.

Who knows Fela Durotoye except in business circle?

Congratulations uncle Fela Durotoye. I initially had my fears about how someone like you can survive the kind of politics we play in Nigeria but looking at how you emerged as the consensus candidate of PACT and now defeating the Olawepo noisemaker to pick the presidential ticket of your party, I am convinced you truly have a role to play in the political future of the country. I wish you the very best in the general election.

ashewoboy:
he just wants to be called "a presidential candidate". if i hear say him win.

And what will u do when he wins

bilms:
How can only 3 states elect someone a candidate? The remaining states are with Hashim and they are holding the authentic primary on Wednesday.

This boys scout aspirant thinks everyone is as dull

You have come here again so who told you that only 3 states was there

seunmsg:
Congratulations uncle Fela Durotoye. I initially had my fears about how someone like you can survive the kind of politics we play in Nigeria but looking at how you emerged as the consensus candidate of PACT and now defeating the Olawepo noisemaker to pick the presidential ticket of your party, I am convinced you truly have a role to play in the political future of the country. I wish you the very best in the general election.

Thank you Egbon.

Awol1:
So actually APC truly bought the process.

Who knows Fela Durotoye except in business circle?

What is the use of your education if you believe that crap by bills or whatever he calls himself. If it was true why didn't they have the boldness to call a press conference and say it

bilms:
How can only 3 states elect someone a candidate? The remaining states are with Hashim and they are holding the authentic primary on Wednesday.

This boys scout aspirant thinks everyone is as dull

I hope you never complain about how bad Nigeria is. Were you at the presidential primaries yesterday? Any talk is cheap. Keep talking. But I would advice that you choose to be part of the solution rather than be a part of Nigeria's problem.

UTILITYMAY:


You are very wrong for saying only 3 states participated. We had like 24 states during the primaries who voted for Fela Durotoye.

Thank you for clearing that up. Some of this people are obviously paid to do what they do.

Time will convince them...