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  • APC on a rescue mission in Rivers, others, says Peterside

    APC on a rescue mission in Rivers, others, says Peterside

    The representative of Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State in the House of Representatives, Dakuku Peterside, isthe Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and ex-Rivers State Commissioner for Works. In this interview with Bisi Olaniyi at his coastal Opobo hometown, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    H ow do you feel, coming home to register as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)?

    I feel very elated. Today, we have made yet another history. Some years ago, I was elected to represent the people of Andoni, Opobo and Nkoro, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but a lot has happened since then and I have changed party platform. I am now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Today, I have formalised my membership of the APC. That is why I said history is being made today.

    We are reintegrating our people back to the mainstream of national politics. At the time we fought and agitated for democracy, we did not subscribe to repressive government. We did not subscribe to any government that will take our natural resources. We did not subscribe to corruption. We did not subscribe to repression, intimidation and lawlessness, but that is our lot, under the leadership of the present government in Nigeria. And so, we are on a rescue mission, to ensure that the people do not continue under this style of governance that represents corruption, represents repression and represents the fact that people can take away that which belongs to us. We have since moved on.

    The beauty of democracy is that people must have choices. People must have options. The beauty of democracy is freedom to belong to any political party of your choice. The beauty of democracy is the freedom to express your opinion and to associate with whomever you want to associate with.

    Under the present circumstance, led by the PDP, our people cannot enjoy those constitutionally-guaranteed rights of freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of movement. Those fundamental freedoms that make us, in the first instance, to cherish democracy, cannot be guaranteed under the present arrangement. That is why we have opted for a platform that will guarantee the rights of our people, that will secure our commonwealth, that will restore hope to our people again. A platform that will galvanise the aspirations of our people and a platform that will meet the yearnings of our people. I can assure you that the APC is that platform that will meet the aspirations of our people and can of course, restore hope in our people.

    I believe that the journey of a thousand miles starts with the very first step. Today, we have started the very first step. In 2015, we will elect an APC president for the country and APC governor for Rivers state, but that on its own is not an end. It of course marks the beginning of good governance. It will mark the beginning of prosperity again and the development of all our people and of course our state and nation. We are very optimistic that when the change in government will come, it will signify a new beginning for our people and I believe that APC is the vehicle that will take us to that new beginning.

    How do you react to violence in some parts of Rivers State, during the membership registration of the APC?

    It is most unfortunate. Again, it is the hallmark of the PDP. They have championed violence against the same people, who gave them their mandate, some two, three years ago. They have championed violence against the same people who gave them over two million votes. They have been at the forefront of intimidation of the people. Democracy is a matter of choice. You cannot intimidate us into belonging to a particular political party, especially one that does not protect our interest. Politics is a game of interest. It is clear that the PDP, as it is presently constituted, cannot protect the interest of Rivers people and indeed cannot protect the interest of Nigerians. On the issue of violence, everybody can see clearly the hand of the PDP, wherever you experience violence. They are scared about the fact that the masses have embraced the APC. They are scared of change, but change is inevitable.

    How will you react to the February 6, 2014 redeployment of Mbu Josepn Mbu and how will you advise the incoming Rivers Commissioner of Police, Johnson Tunde Ogunsakin, an indigene of Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State?

    Mbu is only a symptom of an ailment. Mbu is not all about the problem. He is not the fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is to guarantee the rights of Rivers people to associate freely. The rights of Rivers people to gather when they so choose to. To make choices. That is the issue. Mbu is only a vehicle that they have abused.

    The police force is established by our constitution and they have rights. It is funded by tax payers’ money. They have rather abused the institution of the police force. Whether you change Mbu or not, is not the issue. The President is under oath to guarantee the freedom of all Nigerians. He is on oath to protect lives and property. Are lives and property protected? The answer is no.

    For me, when there is breakdown of law and order, when you continue to go on with lawlessness, it is the first sign of a failed state. We are advancing to that point. We must do something drastic to halt the decline that we are currently experiencing.

    We must do something very fundamental to stop the lawlessness that pervades the land. Until we stop the lawlessness, then there is no hope for our people. Our people will take their destinies into their own hands. They will stop this impunity by their votes. Of course, February 2015 is by the corner.

    Our people are tired of this lawlessness. They are tired of this impunity. They will use their votes and stop this madness. Whether Mbu comes or Mbu goes is immaterial. The Nigeria police should keep themselves to their constitutionally-guaranteed duty of enforcement of law and order. Whether it is Mr. White or Mr. John, we are not excited.

    What we want to see is the fact that the police force must be impartial, must be fair to all manner of people, protect lives and property and ensure the maintenance of law and order. That will be our ultimate joy and will be the ultimate joy of our people.

    How do you react to the Friday, February 7, 2014 Supreme Court’s judgment, in the suit involving Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Sir Celestine Omehia?

    We have always known that Omehia has no business trying to join a case for which he is not a party to, ab initio, and for which he has no stake.  The Supreme Court said he simply could not have his cake and eat it and that he is a pretender. Justices of the Supreme Court reprimanded him.

    We have always had confidence in the judiciary. That is why we have never resorted to violence or self-help. We have absolute confidence, first in God and secondly, that the institution of the Supreme Court would be able to do justice according to law and that it is not about emotions. It is not about sentiments. And so, we are glad that the Supreme Court did not disappoint the people of Nigeria.

    That the Justices of the Supreme Court, by their action, have deepened democracy and our people, once more, are very hopeful, very optimistic and they look to a glorious and very bright future and all of us will have the opportunities to enjoy the good things that constitutional democracy guarantees all over the world. Ours cannot be an exception. So, we are actually elated.

     

  • APC Lagos deputy chair donates books to school

    The Lagos State Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Safiriyu Abiodun Sunmola, has distributed exercise books to 18 schools in Somolu local government, Lagos.

    Abiodun was represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Primary Education Mrs. Abosede Ottun.

    Also in attendance were the Somolu educational secretary Michael Steven Oikeh, and the supervisor for education in Kosofe Aremo Adewale Abdul.

    Five 40 leaves exercise books were distributed to each student in primary Three, Four, Five and Six of the 18 schools.

    Speaking with The Nation, Oikeh said: “The essence of this is to distribute books, big notes, free of charge to the pupils in primary 3, 4, 5, and 6 to promote our primary education.”

    The headteacher of Baptist Academy Primary School Mrs Osatuyi Janet, described the book distribution as good, urging parents to appreciate the gesture.

    “The initiative is good. Like one teacher said this morning that the books of some pupils in her class has finished. As they have done this, it is a good innovation which the parents will really appreciate.” she said.

    The beneficiary schools include: Agunbiade Primary School, Olaolu Primary School, Jehovah Shalom Primary School, National Autopedic Special Primary School, Igbobi Primary School, and Adebule Primary School.

    Others were: St. Paul Primary School, St. Peter Primary School, Odunlade Primary School, Savior Primary School, Baptist Primary School, and Ijebutedo primary school among others.

     

  • Ex-deputy governor, Kaduna lawmaker join APC

    Ex-deputy governor, Kaduna lawmaker join APC

    Former Kaduna State Deputy Governor James Bawa Magaji and a member of the House of Representatives, Isah Ashiru, have joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Magaji registered with the party at Fadan-Kaje, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area; Ashiru registered in Kudan ward, Kudan Local Government Area.

    The former deputy governor said the APC has left no one in doubt that its emergence in the political space is to bring change to Nigeria and Africa through progressive, people-oriented and purposeful leadership.

    He said: “Our people have suffered untold hardship in the last 15 years of very corrupt, indolent, incompetent and sophomoric leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “This has made our people to become disillusioned, disoriented and disgruntled, which is responsible for the militancy in the Niger Delta, kidnappings, Boko Haram and all the insecurity tendencies that were not known to us prior to PDP’s assumption of office in 1999.

    Ashiru, who represents Makarfi/Kudan, urged supporters to rally round the party to ensure victory in 2015.

  • Adamawa PDP lawmakers to join APC

    Barring last minute changes, elected Adamawa members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives may defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The lawmakers are angry that theywere sidelined by stakeholders in the state.

    They alleged that the stakeholders, who are loyal to ex-PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, held a meeting with the new National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu without inviting them.

    It was gathered that when Mu’azu directed that senators and lawmakers be invited to the meeting, the stakeholders ignored them.

    The neglect accounted for the defection of one of the senators , Ahmed Barata.

    They also claimed that some top aides of President Goodluck Jonathan from Adamawa State had been misleading Mu’azu.

    According to findings, preparatory to the defection of the PDP lawmakers, 17 of the 24 members of the House of Assembly signed a ‘secret pact’ with ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to join the APC.

    The House of Assembly members blamed the stakeholders loyal to Tukur for running politics of exclusion in the state.

    Two senators from the state have technically pitched tent with APC.

    A source said: “It is getting obvious that APC might have a clean sweep of Adamawa State going by the attitude of the so-called PDP stakeholders in the state.

    “All PDP members in the House of Representatives are likely to joinAPC because of the politics of alienation of the stakeholders, who are loyal to Tukur.

    “For instance, last week, the stakeholders called for a meeting with Mu’azu and they deliberately refused to invite members of the House of Representatives because they alleged that they belonged to the remnants of Governor Murtala Nyako’s camp left in PDP.

    “Yet, some of these stakeholders have never won election in their polling units.”

    Another aggrieved lawmaker said: “PDP is crashing in Adamawa State and APC will gain.

    “We are only giving them a long rope to pull before we defect to APC.

    “Instead of harmonising the Bamanga Tukur faction and those who refused to leave the party with Nyako, a faction is assuming control and shutting out the others.

    “It is unfortunate that some top aides of the President, who are sympathetic to the Bamanga Tukur group are misleading both the President and Mu’azu .”

    A third source added: “The signs are there that we may leave PDP for APC because APC is offering a level-playing field to all. It is politics of exclusion that will make us quit PDP.

    “Already, 17 of 24 members of the House of Assembly have signed a secret pact with ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar to defect to APC because of the attitude of the so-called stakeholders.

    “If Mu’azu does not put things in order, we are gone for good from PDP to APC.”

  • Reps to investigate cash- for – defection allegation

    Reps to investigate cash- for – defection allegation

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday commenced investigation into the allegation of cash- for- defection leveled against the Presidency and five members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that defected to the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday.

    The APC through its interim spokesman, Lai Mohammed, has alleged that members of the House of Representatives were offered millions of dollars to defect to the PDP.

    The APC lawmakers that defected to PDP are – Lawan Shehu Bichi ( Kano), Sani Ibrahim Doruwa ( Zamfara), Ibrahim Shehu ( Zamfara), Umar Bature (Sokoto) and Abdusalam Adamu (Kano).

    The House has referred the matter to its committee on Ethics and Privileges to establish the veracity of the allegation.

    The committee is to report back to the House within two weeks.

    The decision of the House was sequel to a motion brought before it by a member, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers).

    According to the lawmaker, the allegation was not only a breach of his privilege, but also against the integrity and image of Rep members before their constituencies.

    His motion was met with loud shouts from both members of APC and PDP. While the APC members lauded the move to investigate the allegations, the PDP members shouted, “they should provide proof, they must prove it!”

     

  • PDP denies inducing federal lawmakers

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied allegation of financially inducing federal lawmakers, with the view to wooing those that had defected back to the ruling party.

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) had accused the PDP of shelling out millions of dollars to the affected lawmakers to stave off the tide of defection that has hit the party in recent times.

    But in a statement issued on Wednesday by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party dismissed the report, saying the all allegation sought to cast doubt in the minds of Nigerians regarding the integrity of the affected lawmakers.

    “All well meaning Nigerians are indeed worried by the statements and actions of the APC which are clearly aimed at destroying our democracy and plunging the nation into chaos.

    “There is no doubting the fact that the PDP under its new National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, is reaching out to all its members including those that defected in a reconciliation drive that is already yielding dividends.

    “At a point, in the mind of some sections of the public, the PDP got to its lowest level, but we remained focused. Despite the defections of lawmakers from our fold, the PDP never assaulted their integrity.

    “We are expecting more defections to the PDP. We have consistently told Nigerians that the PDP would emerge from its challenges a stronger party and this is what we are witnessing.

    “The PDP is the only political party with a consistent structure, vision and achievements in the transformation of Nigeria since 1998. The APC is a cacophonous amalgam of tribal and religious irredentists with no known vision or achievements in its earlier metamorphosis,” Metuh said.

     

  • Senate: Attempt to declare Saraki, Abe’s seats vacant fails

    Senate: Attempt to declare Saraki, Abe’s seats vacant fails

    Attempts to declare the seats of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) vacant failed on Wednesday in the Senate.

    Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom North East) through a Point of Order, asked the Senate President to declare the seats of 11 PDP Senators who wrote the Senate to announce their defection to the APC vacant.

    Enang, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, laboured to convince the Senate President, David Mark, about the need to declare the seats of the affected Senators vacant.

    Senators Enang wanted to vacate their seats in the upper chamber included Abubakar Bukola Saraki, (Kwara Central), Magnus Abe, (Rivers South East), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), and Aisha Jumai Al-Hassan.

    The five Senators openly declared for the APC on the floor of the upper chamber on Tuesday.

    Like a rehearsed motion, Enang urged Mark to invoke the powers conferred on him as the Senate President to declare the seats of the defectors vacant.

    A competent source told our correspondent that the resolution to ask Mark to declare the seats of the defectors vacant was taken at the PDP Senators caucus meeting on Tuesday.

    The caucus meeting was summoned after five Senators of the ruling party openly announced their defection to the APC on Tuesday.

    The source who pleaded not to be named said that the threat to declare the seat of the affected Senators vacant was a ploy to intimidate them into dropping their defection bid.

    Enang said, “Yesterday (Tuesday) Senators Abubakar Saraki, Abdullahi Adamu, Aisha Alhassan, Magnus Abe and Wilson Ake declared on the floor of the Senate that they are no more in the PDP.

    “This is the party that sponsored them to the Senate. This is the party that owns the seats that they are sitting on.

    Mr. President I have two judgments of the court to present before this distinguished Senate to show that the seats of Senators Saraki, Aisha Alhassan, Abdullahi Adamu, Magnus Abe and Wilson Ake are vacant on the floor of the Senate and they are strangers on the floor of the Senate.”

    Before Enang could conclude his argument there was uproar in the chamber.

    When the uproar subsided, Mark gave Enang the floor once again.

    Enang continued, “I have the judgment of Justice E.S. Chukwu delivered on the 18th of October, 2013 between the PDP versus INEC, Abubakar Baraje, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and others which had declared that there is no division in the Peoples Democratic Party.”

    Another session of uproar by Senators ensued but Enang was unperturbed.

     

     

  • PDP woos defectors with money, automatic tickets

    PDP woos defectors with money, automatic tickets

    Saraki, Abe, Adamu, Ake, others to Mark: we’re now for APC

    SCRAMBLING to stave off more defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been making mouth-watering offers to senators and members of the House of Representatives.

    The offers may have accounted for the defection of some members of the House to the PDP yesterday, The Nation learnt.

    The PDP is said to be targeting senators and members of the House from Zamfara, Sokoto, Nasarawa and Kaduna states.

    Some PDP stalwarts in the Northwest have mounted a “one-on-one lobbying“of senators and members of the House who defected to the APC.

    It was gathered that in some instances, the spouses and other relations of some of the lawmakers are being urged to prevail on them to dump the APC.

    Some of the affected members of the National Assembly have confided in their colleagues that they have been under tremendous pressure to defect to the PDP.

    Some of the lawmakers found the baits irresistible and had to bow to the pressure, sources said.

    Some of the offers are:

    •governorship tickets;

    •automatic tickets to the National Assembly in 2015;

    •input into the emergence of PDP executives at the ward, local government, constituency/senatorial district – as may be applicable;

    •employment and constituency projects;

    •protection from harassment by their godfathers;

    •prospect of wielding contacts in a PDP government to earn more money.

    There were allegations of monetary inducements of between $20,000 and N50million, but these could not be immediately ascertained last night.

    Neither the affected lawmakers nor those levelling the allegation were prepared to comment on the allegations as at the time of filing this report.

    The development was said to have been brought to the notice of the House leadership, which was trying to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the allegation.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The PDP has been desperate to woo back those who defected to the APC.

    “A member of the House from Kano State has been promised the party’s governorship ticket if he dumps the APC. The influential member refused to defect to the PDP with ex-Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.

    “The offers keep on increasing as part of the bid by PDP to retain its hold on the National Assembly.”

    A lawmaker said: “The PDP has been targeting members of the National Assembly from Zamfara, Sokoto, Nasarawa and Kaduna states. The party is concerned that it is virtually losing the Northwest to the opposition.

    “We have heard of cases of alleged monetary inducement, but we are looking for an opportunity to get a proof to present to the public. We heard that some members of the House had been promised between N100million and N150million. This is why anti-corruption agencies should come in. Let them put all of us on surveillance; they should monitor our financial transactions.

    “You know even a governor in North-Central cried out about a week ago that some members of the National Assembly had been induced. I know the lid will soon be blown open.”

    A principal officer in the House, who pleaded not to be named, said: “If any infraction on the part of a lawmaker is proven beyond reasonable doubt, we will apply appropriate sanctions.”

     

  • PDP dangles dollars to lure back defected federal lawmakers, says APC

    PDP dangles dollars to lure back defected federal lawmakers, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the PDP of using public funds to lure back some of the federal lawmakers who have defected from the ruling party to the APC, condemning what it called political horse trading carried too far.

    In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the PDP, in an unprecedented show of desperation, has rolled out a mouth-watering enticement package that promises $2 million to each Senator who returns to the PDP; $1 million to each member of the House of Representatives, and $10 million to each “leader” who abandons the APC for the PDP.

    It said the price tag for the federal legislators from Rivers State is even higher, at $5 million each.

    But the APC said there was no cause for alarm, as no inducements will stop the change that is in the horizon, because the long-suffering people of Nigeria are ready and eager to vote out the PDP next year.

    The party said the five House of Representatives members who have taken the PDP’s killer bait and returned to the party are nothing but dirty traitors, adding that when they defected to the APC, they were neither forced to do so nor given any incentive beyond the rare opportunity offered them to be a part of the looming change.

    It expressed the hope that the double defectors will declare the blood money they have collected from the PDP to those who voted them into office, and also pretend to be democratic by sharing the money with them.

    “Nigerians can now see why their country has gone broke; why the allocation to states from the Federation Account has continued to dwindle, and why infrastructures have either remained decrepit or non-existent. It is not difficult to imagine the number of boreholes that $10 million can sink, or how far such a huge amount will go in building cottage hospitals and health clinics.

    “Things are bound to get worse in the days ahead because the desperate PDP will, more and more, use public funds to try to change the course of history. We, therefore, urge Nigerians to remain resolute in the face of what will be a wave of inducements never before seen in these climes, because there is no going back on the plan to vote out the PDP next year and save Nigeria from a rapacious and inept leadership,” APC said.

     

  • Representatives in defection drama

    Representatives in defection drama

    The drama of defection of members in the House of Representatives was re-enacted yesterday as five members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    However, the PDP also lost one member to the APC.

    The letters of defection were read out at plenary by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

    The APC members who defected to the PDP are: Lawan Shehu Bichi (Kano), Sani Ibrahim Doruwa (Zamfara), Ibrahim Shehu (Zamfara), Umar Bature (Sokoto) and Abdusalam Adamu (Kano).

    A member, Isah Mohammed Ashiru, PDP (Kaduna) defected to the APC.

    Following the defections, the PDP now has 178 members to APC’s 168.

    Tambuwal, who announced the names of the defectors said: “I will read the letters communicated to me by my colleagues”.

    Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila through a point of Order, protested that the Speaker was spending too much time reading the list of defectors.

    Tambuwal also received the report of the six-man ad-hoc advisory committee he set up last week on how to proceed with the budget debate after the previous session ran into a hitch.

    He urged members to be reasonable and level-headed, in the pursuit of their interest saying: “our nascent democracy is at a precarious stage as jockeying for political offices has made some people desperate.

    “Many have allowed their interest to stand in the way of national interest”, he said.