ANN splits, as 19 states party chairmen fix Wednesday for presidential primary


“I AM STILL IN THE RACE ON ANN TICKET” Olawepo-Hashim

The controversial convention of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) supposedly fixed for today, Saturday, may have failed with the withdrawal of nineteen out of the twenty- six state chapters of the political party, while the majority chairmen have fixed Wednesday October 3 for the convention proper.

The withdrawals announced yesterday followed the statement by frontline presidential aspirant, Mr. Olawepo-Hashim protesting the hurriedly organised convention by a faction of the party.

Olawepo-Hashim however corrected impressions that he has withdrawn from the presidential race, saying he surely has not. “I am in the race. I have only pulled out of the hurried convention of the ANN fixed for today, Saturday, purportedly to elect the presidential candidate.

I am still in the race for 2019 by the special grace of God”

At a crowded press conference on Saturday, the nineteen party chairmen, who are NEC members, were joined by party chieftains like the former Chairman, Dr. Jay Osi-Samuels, Mr. Olawepo-Hashim, National Secretary, Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Tijanni Isa, Alhaji Sahid Umar, National Organising Secretary, Hon. Makanjuola Ogundipe, amongst others.

They reinstated the determination of the party to truly remain a new platform for the revival of Nigeria. They therefore vowed to resist “the infiltration of desperate boy scouts and neophytes benefiting from diverted public funds”

Pursuant to the more proper convention, the state chairmen are to hold a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting Saturday evening in what is said to comply with “procedures and in the interest of laying a good foundation for party processes and programmes”

In another letter to the National Chairman as well, Olawepo-Hashim regretted that the “issues raised in the first letter dated September 28 have not been addressed. As a result, the number of states and their delegates will not be available for the Saturday hurriedly put-together convention.

Nevertheless, it is my belief that the party still has the opportunity to redeem itself”
Some of the issues were listed as Postponement of the Presidential Primaries to Wednesday, 3 October 2018, the adoption of a credible list of delegates to be authenticated by chairmen and secretaries of each state, and the decision on the states who have held congresses and who are still omitted in the list of delegates, such as Kano, Katsina, etc.

The others are decision on the status of women and youths of states who were excluded in the delegates’ lists, and the decision of the states that have not yet conducted their congresses, but are legally constituted, such as Abia, Adamawa, Gombe, etc.


In view of these irregularities, the straight speaking politician concluded: “Because of these very weighty issues, which are constitutional, legal and principled matters. I ask for a postponement so that a proper Presidential Primaries will be conducted”
The state party chairmen at the press conference who obviously boycotted Saturday convention, with their delegates are Hussain Zakari (Jigawa), Charlie Anubob (Anambra), Yahaya Silvanus (Kaduna); Aliyu Idris Zakari (Katsina), Ibrahim Abubakar (FCT), and Nasiru Garba (Zamfara).

The others are Abubakar Chika (Sokoto); Alabi Sunday (Osun); Anthony Akika (Nasarawa), Uzo Ogbonna (Abia), Lawrence Emmanuel (Ondo); Apeh Sunday (Kogi), Elder Obe Ilesanmi (Ekiti), and Adamu Garuba (Gombe).

The rest dignitaries are Alh. Boye Jega (Kebbi), Alh. Ali Haruna (Kano), Chief Onome (Lagos), Deputy National Chairman, Isa Tijjani, National Youth Leader, Akinola Olumide, National Women Leader, Ajoh Torkwase, and Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Akoh Shittu.
Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Yunusa noted, “The party believes in doing things right in light with the party constitution and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In line with that, NEC will hold to determine the date of the convention, adding that NEC members and nineteen state chairmen have already aligned with this decision”
Kogi State Chairman, Hon. Sunday, who spoke on behalf of the nineteen state Chairmen who are NEC members, said: “The chairmen believe in following the constitution of the party. He also said that the guidelines for the convention were yet to be ratified, while logistics issues were also not sorted out. In view of that the chairmen have resolved to hold a NEC meeting late Saturday evening to ratify the guideline and also fix the convention for Wednesday October 3”

END

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