Showing posts with label All Progressives Congress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label All Progressives Congress. Show all posts

Saturday 26 July 2014

One killed in PDP, APC Clash in Osun State

One person reportedly lost his life on Friday in a fracas between supporters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State .
Fighting broke out shortly before the door- to -door rally organised by the PDP ’s gubernatorial candidate , Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Saturday Independent learnt that people suspected to be political thugs , around 8am at Irojo area of Ilesa , went on rampage, destroying billboards and posters of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The hoodlums numbered about five and were allegedly led by Ibukun Fadipe, former local government chairman of Ilesa - West, according to eyewitness accounts . They went wild and stormed the house of one Tolu , believed to be supporter of the APC in the area , and unleashed terror on him.

It was further learnt that one of the hoodlums shot sporadically into the air to scare onlookers away and a stray bullet hit Tolu in the chest. He died on the spot.

The thugs left the vicinity and escaped through Osun Ankara Road and Express Road before the arrival of policemen from Ayeso police station.
A neighbour who declined to be named said Tolu, though an avowed supporter of Aregbesola and the APC was not politician.

The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs . Folasade Odoro , a deputy superintendent of police , confirmed the incident and said that the police have commenced investigation on the
matter.

Daily Independent

Sunday 13 July 2014

British Government Probes Nigeria's Opposition Party- APC’s Alleged Link with Boko Haram

Opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) may have come under the spotlight of the British government over allegations that it has links with the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group. Feelers from the British parliament gave this indication at the weekend.

Reports had it that the United Kingdom (UK)’s Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (otherwise known as foreign secretary), Mr William Hague, was, last week, questioned by an influential member of the British parliament, Mr Andrew Rosindell, on the UK’s engagement with the APC over the Boko Haram problem confronting Nigeria.

Information pieced together by Sunday Tribune from the website of the British parliament, www.parliament.uk, indicated that Rosindell, a conservative representing Romford, listed numerous questions regarding terrorism in Nigeria and some other affected countries of the Commonwealth for the foreign sectary, under “notices for written answers” section of the House of Commons Business Paper.

Some of the questions Rosindell, who is also a member of Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, want Hague to answer, according to the Business Paper, are: “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the rise of Islamic terrorism in Northern Iraq. 

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the rise in Islamic terrorism in Nigeria. (204387)

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department plans to offer to Nigeria in tackling the threat of Boko Haram. 

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of links between Boko Haram and other Islamic extremist groups in Africa.

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his counterpart in Cameroon the need for constructive dialogue between that country and Nigeria in tackling Boko Haram; and if he will make a statement.

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on tackling the threat from Islamic extremism in Northern Africa.

“To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had with leading members of the Nigerian opposition party, the All Progressives Congress; and if he will make a statement.

“ To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will commission an inquiry into the international support network for Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon; and if he will make a statement.”

Reports added that the development came after a debate in the parliament in which a Labour member, Sandra Osborne asked the House to examine allegations of links between APC and the insurgents.

It was also noted that increasing questioning of the government of the UK by legislators over the issue may force an enquiry into the allegations.

Sunday Tribune also learnt that at a recent meeting of the parliamentarians, led by Henry Jackson Society and chaired by John Glen, who is a close adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron, similar allegations were raised that key APC members were supporters and financiers of Boko Haram “for ideological and political means.”

The UK is now said to be showing more interest in the Boko Haram menace, especially after the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in April.

Hague, at an international summit on rape in warzones held in London in June, was said to have reaffirmed the UK’s “strong and united commitment to defeat Boko Haram and to end the scourge of terrorism in Nigeria.”

When Sunday Tribune contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for reaction, he said the party was still studying the development, adding that it would react to the allegations appropriately in due course.

Courtesy:
Tribune Newspaper