Vanguard , MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012—15
Ahmed blames salaries' delay on allocation BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI
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LORIN—GOVERNOR AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara State, yesterday, absolved the state government of blame in the delay in payment of local government workers’ salaries. Governor Ahmed said: “There had been a drop in the allocation to the state and local governments since March. Shortfalls were recorded in May, June, July and August.” He advised the local government administrations to check their expenditures
and strategise on how to improve on their internallygenerated revenue, IGR, to enable them meet their financial obligations. Ahmed spoke to newsmen on his return to Ilorin, the state capital, from Saudi Arabia, where he went for the lesser Hajj. On the rumoured rift between him and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, Ahmed said: “The relationship between me and our political leader is very cordial. We have a very robust relationship.”
Delta North PDP chair lauded
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EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and public analyst, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has congratulated Mr. Eric Anigala on his swearing-in as Delta North Chairman of the party. He advised Anigala to remain steadfast, a quality that served him well despite attacks by detractors. Okolugbo said: “We know that with Anigala on board,
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the people of Delta North will get fair treatment and would no longer be marginalised. “I also felicitate with the new party chairmen at the local government level: Mr. Dan Ossai, Ndokwa West; Mr. Kingsley Ashobogwu, Ndokwa East; Deacon Monday Ossai, Ukuani, and Dr. Kingsley Okpako, Ethiope East.”
Minister, PDP boss supremacy battle stalls Benue's ward congresses BY PETER DURU
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AKURDI—AFTER four previous cancellations over disagreement among major stakeholders, the rescheduled Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ward congresses in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, weekend, also ended in a deadlock. Okpokwu is the home town of Mr. Abba Moro, Minister of Interior, and Mr. Agbo Emmanuel, state Chairman of PDP, who had been locked in a supremacy battle with the Minister and other bigwigs of the party in the area. Vanguard investigations revealed that the crisis rocking Okpokwu PDP stemmed from the state chairman of the party’s insistence that only 600 party members from each ward would be allowed to vote at the party’s aborted congresses contrary to PDP guidelines, which allow all card-carrying members of
the party to exercise their franchise in the process. The decision sparked angry reactions from leading members of the party in the area, including Moro, Juliana Obeta, George Okoh, Obande Obeya, Theresa Ikwue, current and past lawmakers and other notable politicians from the area, who resisted the plot and vowed that the party guidelines must be followed to the letter.
The development forced another cancellation of the congresses after several hours of negotiations and persuasions, when it became obvious that the state party chairman was not ready to play by the party's rules and allow a free and fair congress in the area. Meanwhile, when it became obvious that parties were not ready to shift ground, all the materials meant for the conduct of the
exercise were lodged for safekeeping at the Okpoga Police Divisional Headquarters. When contacted on the development, Moro said: “You can see that PDP members in Okpokwu council trooped out in their numbers to exercise their franchise but some persons were determined not to allow them do so. Is that fair? Is that the meaning of democracy?”
... as Plateau North aspirant denies ANPP the handiwork of mischief to get the ticket for the BY AKANINYENE EZEKIEL
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OS—AN aspirant to Plateau North Senatorial seat, which became vacant by death of Senator Gyang Dantong, Mr. Jack Pam, has disowned posters suggesting that he is contesting the election on the platform of All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, describing same as
makers. Reacting, yesterday, to inquiries on the posters linking him with ANPP, he said though he contested the last senatorial election on the platform of ANPP, he had since returned to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He said: “I am a founding member of PDP. I left the party briefly in March 2011, after three attempts
Senate to no avail due to god-fatherism. I took ANPP ticket due to mounting pressure from my supporters. “Unfortunately, the general elections took a different dimension after the April 9, 2011 cancellation of election by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. I had since July 11, 2011 returned to my party, PDP.”