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Tag: atiku

  • We’re ready for any APC challenge, says Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is prepared for any challenge as regards the 2019 elections.

    He was responding to allegations that a plan was afoot by the All Progressives Congress-led (APC) Federal Government to rig the 2019 elections, including the presidential poll.

    Atiku, accompanied by his campaign director general, Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, and other supporters, was in Taraba State to solicit support for his presidential campaign.

    Governor Darius Ishaku and his deputy Haruna Manu; Speaker of the House of Assembly Abel Peter Diah; chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Victor Bala and other executives, received Atiku at the Government House in Jalingo.

    He said: “I have come to formally seek your support so I can become the candidate of our party and become the president of this country in 2019.

    “You know if I become the president, it is as good as a Taraban being the president. I believe you will oblige to my request.

    “Taraba has maintained the party’s continuity, handing over from PDP to PDP. I urge you to continue to do PDP and support PDP.”

    The ex-vice president promised to restructure Nigeria if elected president.

    Daniel urged Tarabans to support Atiku because he is their son. According to him, whenever a presidential candidate comes from the north, the candidate always comes from Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna States, forgetting other states in the region.

    “This time the president should come from the northeast,” he said, and asked Governor Ishaku and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State to lead the campaign for Atiku.

  • Atiku to announce bid for president July 21

    •Ex-VP begins nationwide tour

    Former vice-president and leading presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar has begun tour of the country ahead of the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The former number two citizen visited Gombe State on Monday, and was expected in Borno State yesterday, Taraba today and Adamawa tommorrow.

    A schedule released by the the Director-General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, said the former Vice President will commence the Southwest visitation on Monday, July 30 in Lagos, while that of Northeast will start from Jigawa on August 6, with Northwest, Southeast and Northcentral scheduled for August 7, August 13 and August 15 respectively.

    An official reception in respect of his presidential ambition has been slated for Saturday July 21 in Yola by the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), tagged “Mega Rally”.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable released in January mandates all political parties to conduct party primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries between August 18 and October 7, 2018.

    Atiku is expected to battle the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo; former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Chairman of PDP National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi; former governors of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso for the ticket of the PDP.

     

  • I will end Boko Haram insurgency in short time – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency in the country if elected president in 2019.

    He said his government would end the nine years insurgency in the North East within a short time.

    Atiku, who is touring some parts of the country for his presidential bid, stated this while addressing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters at the Forshams Hall, Maiduguri, Borno State.

    The ex- Vice President said while the civil war lasted only two years the Boko Haram has not ended nine years after.

    He said: “Nigeria ended her civil war in only two- and- half years despite the thick forests in the South East. I wonder why the war against insurgency took us nine years.  There must be something wrong somewhere.

    “If elected I will not allow any commander to tell me stories. We must end insurgency within the shortest possible time because the insurgency has crippled everything in the North East.”

     

     

     

     

  • Katsina PDP rejects Atiku, others, backs Lamido

    The Katsina state branch of the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP, on Saturday in Katsina threw its weight behind the Presidential ambition of former Jigawa Governor and Minister of Foreign Affairs ,Dr Sule Lamido in the forth coming party primaries slated for early August this year, thus effectively shutting the door for other aspirants including former vice President ,Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

    The State Chairman of the Party Alhaji Salisu Yusuf Majigiri who made the above declaration during a reception organized for the visiting Presidential aspirant said Lamido has towered above other aspirants especially with his progressive agenda and commitment to a united and peaceful Nigeria

    He said ‘’Lamido has remained a committed and enduring progressive in the last 5o years, who had fought for a strong and united Nigeria, he identified with other progressive minds like Abubakar Rimi, Solomon Lar, Bola Ige, Alex Ekwueme, Iyorchia Ayu and several others in the struggle to liberate Nigeria from ethnic cleavages’’

    ‘’He has equally identified with the common man and ensured their improved standard of living as demonstrated while he was the governor of Jigawa state, we have no choice than to throw our weight behind and assure him of our goodwill and support, hoping that when he comes to power he will remember the state

    Earlier in his address at the occasion, Dr. Lamido said he was in the state to solicit the support of delegates from the state branch of the party for the forthcoming party primaries for Presidential aspirants.

     He further decried the anti corruption campaign of the present administration which he described as one sided and partisan and has turned  President Buhari to see everyone, including opposition parties beside himself as thieves

    Lamido further wondered why President Buhari had to visit former governor of Gombe state, Danjuma Goje who is presently hunted by the EFCC for fraud related cases to solicit for his political support

    He said ’’if Buhari is pure as he claimed why did he court the support of Danjuma Goje who is on trial for corruption, am sure if Barrister Ibrahim Shema, former governor of Katsina dumps PDP today and join APC, his corruption cases in the courts will be dropped .APC is now turning out a haven for everyone with corruptions cases’’

    The reception was attended by party stalwarts from the 34 local government areas of the state, including all the delegates to the forth coming national convention of the party

  • Devolution of powers, restructuring ‘ll resolve Biafra agitation –Atiku

    FORMER Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has stated that true federalism and restructuring would address the grievances by different ethnic groups in the country, adding that the adoption would also address secession threat by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Atiku stated this in a chat with journalists at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Finbarrs Road, Umuahia, the Abia State capital after a closed door meeting with national delegates of the PDP during his visit to the state.

    While debunking insinuations that the Northerners were averse to restructuring, he stated that all that was needed is for all the sections of the country to come to a roundtable to redefine how best to move the country forward.

    Atiku, who was earlier received at the exec chamber of the state by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the watch of President Buhari of destroying the achievements of the 16years of PDP leadership in the country within three years of being in power.

    He informed his host that he was in the state to woo the national delegates ahead of the party’s national convention and presidential primary coming up later this year.

    He used the opportunity to commend the efforts of the Ikpeazu’s led administration in the state which he (Atiku) noted has brought transformation and development to the state.

    This is as he described Aba, the commercial hub of the state as a city with great economic potential which any serious government cannot overlook. “I believe that when you restructure this country and give more resources and powers to component units of this country, you will not have the problem of IPOB. IPOB is looking for self determination and when you devolve more powers and resources that will take care of the agitation. “Our great party is at crossroads as well as the country.

    We have never been so divided all my life in this country the way that we are divided today between the north,south and east and Christians and Muslims. It is a very serious issue.

    “We have the issue of insecurity. You are not secure in any part of the country. Of course, we have one of the greatest economic declines in the history of this country.

    There had never been a time we recorded 11 million people out of their jobs in this country. This is the first time that we are witnessing that. In every aspect of the country, we have gone back. While other countries are forging ahead, we are declining.

    There is no unity, no security and the economy is bad as well. “Therefore, it has become imperative that we put our heads together and unite and make sure that we elect a leader that can reverse all these negative development this party (APC) has brought to this country.

    It is on record that 16 years of PDP administration in this country improved the standard of living of this country.

    “During the PDP era, Nigeria was declared a debt free country but within three years, all the 16 years achievements of the PDP have been reversed completely by the APC led administration.

    So, there is need for us to elect a leadership that can reverse all these negative growths that we have witnesed in the last three years. “I have been an advocate of either local or community policing to deal with local issues. I do not know of a federation that has a centralised policing.”

    In his response, Dr. Ikpeazu described Atiku as a man that has great administrative and leadership experience who has been able to make his marks in both public and private sectors and expressed hope that he (Atiku) would use his experience to bring transformation to all sectors of the country. According to Ikpeazu: “It is important that Nigerians should take the right decision in choosing who leads them if the country must move forward from its precarious state.”

  • Secondus, Atiku deplore ‘police attack’

    The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar have deplored Wednesday’s police attack on the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.

    The duo also deplored the invasion of the Ekiti State Government House by police and other security personnel, where Fayose was allegedly tear gassed.

    At a media briefing in Abuja, Secondus accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of making a self-succession cruise to turn the country into a fascist state.

    He recalled a recent statement by the national chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, saying that the ruling party was going to crush the opposition.

    Secondus said the situation in Ekiti had reinforced the signpost of a manifest desire by the APC and its leaders to subdue the resilient spirit of Nigerians and set up a totalitarian regime in the country.

    The party said, “This morning, in its desperation to forcefully take over Ekiti State, the APC-led Federal Government deployed armed police personnel led by one Compol Mopol Echel Echel, who blocked the Ekiti State Government House, attacked and placed the democratically elected governor of Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, under house arrest. At the moment, no one goes in or out of the government house.

    “The invading police squad sacked the official security at the Government House, fired sporadically into the premises during which Governor Fayose was beaten up by policemen and brought down by volleys of teargas while several others were injured.

    “This, we have been informed, is part of the ‘order from above’, in line with the earlier boast by the Buhari-led APC, to ‘cage’ Governor Fayose ahead of the July 14, 2018 Ekiti governorship election, so as to grant their agents a field day to rig the election.

    “In fact, we have been made aware that the invasion was a plot to assassinate Governor Fayose and blame it on accidental discharge by one of the policemen”.

    The party chairman described the development as an assault on the governor and a siege to the government house, saying it constituted a recipe for violence.

    “It’s a complete attack on our democratic order and direct assault on the corporate existence of Ekiti and her people as a federating part of our nation.

    “We know that this is part of the desperate effort by the APC-led Federal Government to intimidate, subjugate, frighten and overawe the people and unleash a rigging mechanism for the election.”

    Atiku described the development in Ekiti as appealing. In a statement in Abuja, Atiku said it was an uncivil assault on democracy and fell short of democratic best practices.

    The former Vice President the administration that it came into being because the past administration of the PDP ensured free and fair elections at all levels in 2015.

    The statement said, “Having been a beneficiary of such propriety, it is incumbent on the Federal Government not to deprive others of the ladder it was provided by its predecessors.

    “Free, fair and credible elections are not a privilege. They are a right! The peaceful congregating of the good people of Ekiti State, be they members of the All Progressive Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party or of any other party, must be allowed by the Federal Government”.

  • Atiku rallies PDP supporters against Buhari

    Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has described the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch as the most corrupt since the return of democracy in 1999.

    Atiku spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital yesterday. He was addressing supporters of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), at the state secretariat of the party. He was in the state to seek support for his presidential ambition.

    Pointing out the anti-corruption fight as the only achievement recorded by the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government, the former vice president  argued that fighting corruption is not the only responsibility of government.

    He said: “What is happening today in our country is in contravention with all the provisions of our constitution. In our federation, we are supposed to have an inclusive government but you know that this federal government is not inclusive.

    “You know that this Federal Government is not united, you know that this federal government is incompetent, you know that this federal government is more corrupt than any government we have come through since 1999.

    “So, let nobody come and deceive you on corruption. They are more corrupt than any government that I know since 1999 and we shall be revealing their level of corruption. Fighting corruption alone is not the only responsibility of government.

    “Our unemployment is accelerated high and there have never a time we had more than 11 million people, young people, young women thrown  out of job. Today, we have more than 11 million unemployed people. Today, we have witnessed much insecurity in this country. Today, we are witnessing high inflation the APC government has brought to us in this country.”

    Atiku told the crowd that he was in the state to seek their support to battle Buhari from Aso Rock.

    He said the coalition formed by PDP and about 40 other parties is the first step in voting out the president in next year’s general election.

    “Yesterday, 40 political parties came together to meet themselves to present one candidate for presidential election. The coalition is going to have one candidate for presidential election, one candidate for governor, one candidate for senator, one candidate for House of Reps, one candidate for House of Assembly, one candidate for party chairman.

    “We need this alliance because what I have seen in the last three years is what I have not seen in the last 35 years in this country. Therefore, we are determined, we are united and we are ready to make sure that in the next election whether state or national or federal, we will kick out APC in every state in this country.”

     

     

     

  • R-APC: PDP summons Atiku, Makarfi, others

    Governors, senators to discuss Imoke Panel’s report

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman  Uche Secondus has invited  presidential aspirants, governors, senators and other leaders to a meeting today in Abuja. The meeting is coming amid plans by leaders of the Reformed-All Progressives Congress(R-APC) to defect to the PDP.

    The presidential aspirants  invited are:  ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Governor Ahmed Makarfi; ex-Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Kabiru Turaki(SAN); ex-Governors Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Shekarau, as well as others.

    The session will discuss terms for accepting R-APC leaders, such as Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and others into the party.

    Top on the agenda is the report of the ex-Governor Liyel Imoke Contact and Mobilisation Committee, which has been negotiating with R-APC and about 30 “minor” parties.

    Ahead of today’s meeting, tension is building up in the PDP over alleged plot by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose to “influence” defection terms in favour of Saraki, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who are interested in the presidential ticket.

    Wike is accused of hatching a script for Tambuwal as the anointed candidate.

    Some governors and leaders of the party, including those on the Board of Trustees (BOT) are opposed to a “work-to-the-answer” method for any aspirant.

    PDP leaders from the North have also queried why the two Southern governors will dictate to the North the choice of a presidential candidate.

    The Northern leaders may meet next week depending on the decision of today’s talks.

    The notice of the meeting was conveyed to the critical stakeholders by National Secretary Umaru Tsauri.

    The notice reads: “The National Chairman of our great party, the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, hereby invites all PDP presidential aspirants, all PDP governors and former governors, PDP members of the National Assembly and former members, all members of the BOT, members of PDP former ministers forum and all state chairmen to a crucial meeting on Monday, 9th July, 2018 at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.”

    Although the notice was silent on the agenda, a source in the National Working Committee (NWC) said the “meeting will discuss the proposed defection of R-APC leaders and other bigwigs to PDP; alliance talks from other parties and the way forward for PDP in 2019.

    “We will specifically look into the report and recommendations of ex-Governor Liyel Imoke Contact and Mobilisation Committee which had been holding talks with likely defectors and our leaders in some affected states.

    “Certainly, we will also consider the offers from Saraki, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso and others who are interested in returning to PDP with a desire to contest for the presidential ticket.

    “Do not forget that there are some knotty issues in the report which have not been clearly defined. This is what is delaying the expected mass defection to PDP.”

    The source added: “The outcome of our meeting on Monday (today) will determine how our party structure will now look like; the limits we can accommodate for the defectors and whatever R-APC and others have in stock.”

    The Nation on Saturday reported that the R-APC leaders have made tough demands PDP. There are four knotty issues yet to be settled.

    The four pegs of negotiation are:

    • conceding state party structure to R-APC on 60 to 40 per cent basis or 40-60 per cent ratio;
    • automatic ticket to re-contest for elective posts by Senators, Representatives, House of Assembly members;
    • a change of name by PDP;
    • and governorship tickets for some R-APC aspirants in states like Kaduna, Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno states.

    A BOT member said: “We are aware that Wike favours Tambuwal and Fayose is insisting he must play a major role on who gets the presidential mandate of the party. We won’t allow anyone to dictate to us.

    “Some of us from the North cannot understand why the two Southern governors are interested in the choice of a presidential candidate from our region than Northerners themselves.

    “If they allow democracy to prevail at today’s meeting, we will abide by the will of the majority. Otherwise, we will convene a meeting of Northern PDP leaders next week.”

    “This meeting is an acid test for Secondus. He should place the interest of the party above any other consideration.”

    A PDP governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “Some of our colleagues are behaving as if they have the presidential ticket of PDP in their pockets; we have had enough of this nonsense.

    “We will be frank with ourselves at the meeting. The Liyel Imoke Committee only recommended a level-playing field for all. No anointing, no adoption and no emperor style of bullying stakeholders into submission on any candidate. Those defectors must play by our rules and nothing else.”

  • Bayelsa Ohaneze: We didn’t endorse Atiku

    The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo in Bayelsa State at the weekend said there was no time it endorsed the presidential ambition of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who was recently in the state to seek support.

    The socio-cultural group said it was against its objectives to delve into partisan politics and described the alleged endorsement as disgraceful and unfortunate.

    The Caretaker Chairman of the group in Bayelsa, Chief Nlem Mark, who spoke during a reconciliatory meeting with local chapters of Ohaneze in Ogbia Local Government Area, said those within their group who purportedly received Abubakar during his visit were impostors and political jobbers.

    He said they went to see Abubakar for money adding that the political outing was organised by suspended and discredited members led by Chief Chinedu Amaku.

    In a communiqué issued after the meeting signed by Mark and Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Leader of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in Bayelsa, the group appealed to the Bayelsa Government to severe links with the impostors.

    The group said the suspended members were boasting that they were enjoying the protection of the Secretary to Bayelsa Government (SSG) and were working to sabotage the efforts of Ohanaeze national executive.

    The communique read in part:  “The claim that the secretary to Bayelsa Government was the force behind their actions is regrettable; if it is true, it leaves us to assume that they were behind the disunity which our elders are working to end.

    “The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo had urged the state government to work in harmony with the caretaker committee pending elections.

    “We therefore wonder why some appointees of the governor chose to align with suspended members to sabotage the Nwodo-led leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    “We therefore urge the Bayelsa government to intervene by cautioning their appointees before their actions would lead to breach of the existing peace.”

    The group lamented that the lingering leadership crisis was retarding the progress of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa and delaying the release of a bus donated to the group by the state government.

    It declared its support for the Bayelsa government in making the state a safer and better place to live.

     

  • We didn’t endorse Atiku, says Bayelsa Ohaneze

    The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo in Bayelsa State at the weekend said there was no time it endorsed the presidential ambition of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who was recently in the state to seek support.

    The socio-cultural group said it was against its objectives to delve into partisan politics and described the alleged endorsement as disgraceful and unfortunate.

    The Caretaker Chairman of the group in Bayelsa, Chief Nlem Mark, who spoke during a reconciliatory meeting with local chapters of Ohaneze in Ogbia Local Government Area, said those within their group who purportedly received Abubakar during his visit were impostors and political jobbers.

     He said they went to see Abubakar for money adding that the political outing was organised by suspended and discredited members led by Chief Chinedu Amaku.

    In a communiqué issued after the meeting signed by Mark and Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Leader of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in Bayelsa, the group appealed to the Bayelsa Government to severe links with the impostors.

    The group said the suspended members were boasting that they were enjoying the protection of the Secretary to Bayelsa Government (SSG) and were working to sabotage the efforts of Ohanaeze national executive.

     The communique read in part:  “The claim that the secretary to Bayelsa Government was the force behind their actions is regrettable; if it is true, it leaves us to assume that they were behind the disunity which our elders are working to end.

    “The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo had urged the state government to work in harmony with the caretaker committee pending elections.

    “We therefore wonder why some appointees of the governor chose to align with suspended members to sabotage the Nwodo-led leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

     “We therefore urge the Bayelsa government to intervene by cautioning their appointees before their actions would lead to breach of the existing peace.”

     The group lamented that the lingering leadership crisis was retarding the progress of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Bayelsa and delaying the release of a bus donated to the group by the state government.

     It declared its support for the Bayelsa government in making the state a safer and better place to live.