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Tag: delegates

  • Delegates reject constitutional amendment on women

    Delegates reject constitutional amendment on women

    Delegates to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention yesterday in Abuja rejected a constitutional amendment which assigned one deputy national chairman position to a female member.

    Of the 2114 registered voters, 1194 voted against the proposal.

    Some other sections of the party’s constitution were amended after a motion by the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    The amendments include the preamble of the PDP Constitution to reflect “current realities”.

    Some of the clauses amended were Section 8 and 50 to ease the process of rejoining the party by former members.

    They were also amended to reduce the minimum period of membership by returnees and new members before they can stand for election on the party’s platform.

    Section 29, 30, 31, 35 and 45 were amended to provide for two deputy national chairmen and make the six national vice chairmen of the party members of its National Working Committee.

  • Anambra poll: Letter to APC delegates

    The primary election to nominate the APC flag-bearer in the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election comes up this Saturday, August 19. This date is of significance because on that date, the fate of APC in this year’s election will be decided. The outcome of the primary election will determine whether APC will contest the November 18 election to win or to lose.

    On August 19, the chances of the party and, indeed, the hopes of Ndi Anambra to effect the desired change in the governance of the state will rest squarely on the shoulders of the delegates to the primaries.

    I, therefore, urge the delegates, as they step out on that day to cast their votes to elect a flag-bearer, to please be reminded that a rare opportunity has been thrust upon them to do that which is right and which will be beneficial, not only to them, but to their own children, all Anambra children and posterity at large.

    I say to you all: You became a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because you became tired of the status quo and wanted a change from failure to success and from stagnation to acceleration. You now have the opportunity to   effect that change by nominating someone who has ability and capacity to defeat the incumbent administration on November 18. History is beckoning you to write your name in gold, as a major catalyst in the change agenda in the state. How will you react? Will you be guided by emotions and sentiments to nominate that friend or relation of yours when, indeed, you know that he does not have what it takes to defeat the incumbent and win the election?

    Will you be guided by earnest desire for the common good to nominate someone who has what it takes to defeat other contestants and win Anambra governorship for the APC and thereby kick-start that overdue change for which you became a member of the APC?

    Dear delegate, it is now up to you to decide whether you want Ndi Anambra to remember you as the hero who effectively empowered change, or the villain who sabotaged the best chance for change we ever had.

    I accept that it is always difficult to strike a fair balance between what is and what ought to be. As an indigene of the state residing in Ghana, I have followed this year’s election with uncommon interest because, however we look at it, the results of all elections impact on us positively or negatively. The last time, I wrote an article and asked the question: Can APC rescue Anambra State? My answer now to that question is:  Yes, APC can rescue Anambra State only if it succeeds in rescuing itself from enemies within.

    I have studied the personal data and pedigree of all the gentlemen aspiring for the APC ticket and for the sake of our common good, I have decided to be more pungent and direct in this open letter. This year’s election is not any aspirant’s personal war. It is a battle between political parties and the best each party can do is to enter the war arena with its best war commander, and the best that each aspirant, truly loyal to his party can do, is to support the person among them who has the best chances to win the election for the party.

    This is the major reason why I am writing this letter. It does not appear that some of the aspirants will allow the best among them to bear the flag because to them, it is not about the party and its members but about their personal ambitions. It is up to the delegates to correct this impression because they are party delegates and not personal delegates of the aspirants and therefore, they must be guided by a good sense of who has the best chance to win the election for the party.

    After due research and studies, the name that effortlessly comes to mind as the most equipped and prepared at this time to win this year’s election for APC is Senator Andy Uba, and this is for six verifiable reasons which I urge the delegates to investigate.

    The first reason is the man’s vast experience. The requisite experience of any leader is a beckoning asset that his administration can always leverage on. Uba was a close presidential aide for nearly eight years and no one can ordinarily dispute the wealth of experience that flowed from the job. He had contested and won Anambra governorship election before and has become familiar with the terrain. He is equally a two-term serving senator, openly acknowledged as having the highest number of bills in the Senate. Having served in the executive and the legislature, he knows how government works and his experience can be trusted and relied on, on this.

    The second is that his belief in the core values of Anambra State is not in doubt. As a close presidential aide, he was instrumental to the appointment of the three most cerebral indigenes of the state ever to work at the same time for one administration. Charles Soludo, Dora Akunyili and Oby Ezekwesili were some of the finest gifts of Anambra State to Nigeria and Senator Andy Uba’s contributions to these appointments cannot be denied. His commitment to the completion of the 2nd Niger Bridge, the dredging of the River Niger and a sincere Anambra Airport are proofs that the best for the state will always remain his priority.

    Thirdly, no one wins more elections than a politician who is on ground and close to the people. This is Andy Uba’s greatest advantage. In 2007, he established the structures with which he won that year’s governorship election. In 2011, he used the same structures to win his senatorial election and used the same structures to win his senatorial re-election in 2015. He has been using the same structures to campaign for this year’s election because unlike many politicians, he never dismantled his structures. They have kept him very close to the people for 10 years and as the D-Day approaches in this year’s election, there is really no time for experiments.  What APC needs to win this year’s Anambra guber is for its delegates to nominate him because he has existing and well-serviced structures to win the election.

    The fourth reason is that the Senator has no godfather. He is his own boss and will be in charge of his own decisions and responsible for his own actions. From 1999 till date, we are all aware of the destruction godfatherism engendered in the state and how much it slowed our wheel of progress. Anambra State is tired of following someone who is following someone else.  Uba has a personal vision of what he wants to achieve in the state and this vision will not be impaired by the control of any godfather.

    The fifth reason that urges the choice of this man is his extensive connections in high places that the state can leverage on for negotiations and concessions. The senator is well respected in and outside the state and as an astute strategist, he has become our established bridge across diverse national interests.

    Finally, he sees leadership as service to the people and not an avenue to enrich self or acquire houses abroad. He seeks to use the office of the governor to continue doing good which he has been doing in his private capacity. If he could touch so many lives as an individual, he can only do much more as governor.

     

    • Dr. Offodeme writes from Takoradi, Ghana.

  • Vote for Abraham, Akintelure, Akinola urge delegates

    The former deputy governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the last governorship poll, Dr Paul Akintelure, and Akinyinka Akinola have urged delegates to vote for Dr. Olusegun Abraham.

    Abrahama, a businessman from the North Senatorial District, has been endorsed by many top leaders of the party.

    The strong backing for Abraham has generated a lot of ripples among the aspirants, culminating in the purported removal of the chairman of the party, Chief Isaac Kekemeke.

    But, the national leadership has have settled the rift.

    At a joint meeting that lasted for hours at Segun Abraham’s house in Akure, Akintelure, who was the running mate Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, reiterated his belief in the ability of Abraham to deliver the state from ruin.

    He said the realignment was a fallout of the swift intervention of the National Executive Council of the party to resolve the seemingly intractable crisis in the party among the contending forces to douse the tension and buoy the party’s strength to win the poll.

    Akintelure, who hails from Okitipupa, Ondo South Senatorial District, said every staunch member of the party must make sacrifice for the APC to emerge victorious in the election.

    He said: “This is a sacrifice every reliable member of the party must make for us to win this election. We must be cohesive and formidable enough to confront the PDP. No reasonable politician and opposition party will go into a poll with a polarized house, this is illogical and it doesn’t appeal to commonsense.

    “Aside from that, Mr Abraham is a man of impeccable character. He has remained steadfast in the progressive fold since 1999, when the Alliance for Democracy was formed. And in 2012, he stepped down for ACN Candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, so the time has come for him to reap the fruit of his labour.

    “Abraham served in the government of the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati. He understands the terrain and Ondo Economic strength and weaknesses, so I have no doubt that he has the capacity to rejuvenate Ondo’s economy and make it the economic hub in southwest Nigeria unlike what we are witnessing now under Governor Mimiko”, he said.

    Also, Akinola, from Ondo town, Ondo Central Senatorial district, said he took the action in the spirit of sportsmanship and reconciliation in APC and to further exhibit his avowed commitment to the course of the party.

  • Adeniran urges delegates to vote for credible candidates

    Adeniran urges delegates to vote for credible candidates

    As members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) converge on Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Wednesday to elect a new national executive, a chairmanship aspirant and former Minister of Education, Prof.  Tunde Adeniran, has urged delegates to the convention to consider his unblemished record of public service and unbroken years of worthy service to the party in making their decision about who occupies the exalted seat of the National Chairman of the party.

    He said the PDP requires a leader who has no personal baggage at this point in time to be able to function effectively in opposition and upstage the ruling party in the various elections leading to the 2019 general poll.

    The former Ambassador to Germany, who is a founding member of the PDP, said: “Our party has gone through various crises since the 2015 general election. For us to be able to challenge the party-in-power, we must have a leadership that will not be bogged down and distracted by issues unrelated to the party, which will not enable us put the government on its toes and win converts to our party.”

    In a statement by his media aide, Yemi Akinbode, Adeniran reiterated his determination to work towards forging unity among the various groups within the party, promising to utilise his requisite qualification to achieve a united front, given the mutual respect he enjoyed across the membership of the party, including its current and past leaders.

    The chairmanship aspirant called on delegates to choose wisely and put their trust in the most credible aspirants. He said: “We‘re set again to make history and posterity will judge whatever we do today. I believe in democratic ideals where equal opportunity is given to everyone at all times. I therefore enjoin our delegates to shun any act that can put the unity of our party in jeopardy. We should vote for the most credible person and reject any consensus candidate.”

    Prof Adeniran who has received the endorsement of several party leaders across the six geo-political zones said that he was determined to tackle the major malaise with the party, which he identified as lack of internal democracy, disorientation and the ugly image acquired as a result of commission and omission on the part of the leadership.

  • 520 delegates to participate in Sheriff’s PDP primary

    520 delegates to participate in Sheriff’s PDP primary

    No fewer than 520 delegates are billed to participate in the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary to be conducted by the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction.

    Two aspirants, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, are to contest at the primary, which is scheduled to take place at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, the state capital.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu had earlier emerged as the candidate of the party at the primary conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi committee.

    A visit to the stadium showed that arrangements were being put in place by party officials.

    The spokesman for the Edo PDP caretaker committee, Okharedia Ihimekpen, said officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would monitor the exercise.

    He said other statutory delegates that are elected members of the party would participate in the primary.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC Sam Olumekun said it was only the Party Monitoring Department of INEC that could confirm if the commission would be at the Sheriff primary or not.

  • Edo 2016: 520 delegates to participate in PDP primaries

    Edo 2016: 520 delegates to participate in PDP primaries

    No fewer than 520 delegates are to participate in the fresh Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries to be conducted by the committee set up Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff.

    The primaries will hold at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.

    Two aspirants, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, are to contest at the primaries.

    Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu had earlier emerged candidate of the PDP at the primaries conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi’s committee.

    A visit to the stadium showed that arrangements were being put in place by party officials.

    Spokesman for the Edo PDP caretaker committee, Okharedia Ihimekpen, told our reporter that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission would monitor the conduct of the primaries.

    He said other statutory delegates that are elected members of the party would participate in the primaries.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Sam Olumekun, said it was only the Party Monitoring Department of INEC that could confirm if the commission would be at the Sheriff primaries.

    He directed our reporter to get confirmation from INEC headquarters.

  • 2,873 delegates for Edo APC governorship primary

    2,873 delegates for Edo APC governorship primary

    2,873 delegates are expected to converge at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin city Saturday  to elect the governorship candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the September governorship election in the state.

    National Organising Secretary of the Party, Senator Osita Izunaso told The Nation in Abuja that the list was made of 2304 ward executive from the 192 wards, 468 local government executive from 18 local government areas of the state, 35 members of the state executive council of the party and 66 statutory delegates.

    However Chairman of the Edo primary Elections Appeals Committee, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele told The Nation that he will hold the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole to his words that there will be a level playing field for all the aspirants in today’s primary.

    Bamidele said even though there has been allegation the governor was supporting one of the aspirants, Governor Oshiomhole has consistently assured that there will be a level playing field for everybody, adding that if the governor can insist on a repeat of the Bayelsa primary because he felt things were not done properly, there was no reason to believe that the primary in Edo will not be free and fair.

    The former lawmaker said: “My expectation is that we have a primary election that is free, fair and transparent for all to see. This has become necessary due to the nature of our own democratic experience so far. We cannot really talk about democracy without internal party democracy.

    “The process of selecting a candidate for the party must be really transparent and must be such that at the end of the day, when a winner emerges, it will be easier to manage because everybody would have seen that there was fair play. It is always a very difficult situation to manage when aspirants are aggrieved.

    “Unfortunately in our own clime, hardly will people want to concede defeat. But if you make the process as transparent as possible, the generality of the people would have seen that the leadership of the party would do its best in ensuring that there was a fair process.

    “The setting up of the Appeals Committee was not done because of the expectations that there will be problem. It is better to go into this assuming that everything will be ok, but that will not be enough to stop the party from fulfilling electoral guideline and to meet the expectations of INEC and the courts. By tour expectations is that we have a primary that is free and fair.”

    He said further that “a number of aspirants have alleged that Oshiomhole has endorsed a particular aspirant. The leadership of the party has been in touch with him and up till this moment, he has continued to assure members of the party in Edo and the leadership of the party in Edo state that he was doing everything possible to ensure a level playing field for all the aspirants.

    “In any case, it goes beyond that because it is not going to be his words against the aspirants because he has nothing to do with the primary. The leadership of the party, through the National Working Committee is accepting responsibility for the primary and has set up the relevant committees to conduct the election. Another governor is going to conduct the election.

    “One thing that is important is that Governor Masari himself had been a victim if lack of transparency and I wouldn’t expect anything less from him. Governor Oshiomhole was in Bayelsa state handling a similar thing as the Chairman the Bayelsa state primary committee and he had to insist in a repeat of the primary after a winner was supposed to have emerged because he didn’t think the process was fair enough.

    “If he could do that in Bayelsa, I don’t see what will hinder the process in Edo stage because it is always easier to manage the fall out when you do the right thing and It is easier to talk to people and for the people to talk to their supporters. It is always complicated when the process is manipulated.

    “No matter what anybody think, I still believe that Governor Oshiomhole will not be in a position to negatively influence the primary election. Speaking from personal experience, I can tell how destructive and how bitter people can feel when they feel that you have manipulated the process of selecting a candidate in some cases.

    “The manipulation so could have been done long ago even before the primary itself. It could have happened at the level of selection of delegates or ward executives or state executive. That is why you see some congresses of the parties are characterized by so much violence.

    “The APC has learnt from the mistakes of the past, not mistakes as APC, but the component units that formed the party. Everybody is concerned about the situation in Edo, but we are all working at our best to ensure that at the end of the day, we are able to deliver the promises of the leadership of the party that there will be a level playing ground in the selection of the candidate of the party.

    “In a state where you have at least twelve aspirants, you should expect that there will be misgivings. But what will be most important will be how the leadership of the party respond to the situation as well as how party stakeholders from other parts of the country drafted to go and conduct the election conduct themselves and that is where the issue of appeal also comes in.

    “Every petition written by an aspirant ought to be accorded its priority and the petitioner given fair hearing. Anything short of this can only lead to political calamity.

    “You will be on the highway t nowhere if the human and materials resources are invested in an election and at the end of the day, you have people within the party engaging in anti party activities just because the leadership mismanaged the fall out. I want to hold the governor to his word and his promises that everybody will be have a level playing field.

    “The national working committee has released to us the list of delegates and so, no new delegates will be brought in by any of the parties. So, it is a process that is also standardized and all the committee members need to do is to stick to the rules and ensure that no one come to change the rules at the middle of the game. That will be easier to explain and defend.

    “Even if you are under pressure, you can only create more crisis by yielding to such pressure. But if you are able to stand your ground, you would not only have maintained the integrity of the process, but everyone involved will be known by their principled stand.”

  • ‘PDP crisis should serve as a lesson to Edo delegates’

    ‘PDP crisis should serve as a lesson to Edo delegates’

    A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, Chief Nosa Ekhoe, has said the crisis in the party should serve a as lesson to Edo delegates as to who to trust with their ticket.

    Ekhoe said those causing problems in the party are men with selfish ambition, adding that many of them are only loyal to their causes and not of interest of the PDP.

    He added: “For the future of our party in Edo State… delegate should choose a candidate who will serve the interest of the good people of Edo State and of our party.

    “It is a known fact that Matthew Iduoriyekemwen is the most loyal party man seeking the nomination for Edo gubernatorial election.

    “Supporting Iduoriyekemwen  with your nominations is a step closer to Greater Edo of our collective dreams. Do it for the next generations. Together we will get there.”

  • 3,000 delegates ’ll pick Ondo APC flagbearer, says Kekemeke

    Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Isaacs Kekemeke has assured the party’s governorship aspirants and members that its primary will be determined by over 3,000 delegates.

    Kekemeke, who said this at the weekend, urged the aspirants to devote their time and energies to solicit for votes.

    He added that the primary will ensure a level-playing field for the aspirants.

    The APC chairman noted that even though the responsibility of organising primary elections rests on the National Executive Council (NEC) members, he assured party members that the election will be free, fair and transparent.

    He added that whoever “will emerge victorious, will win fairly and those who will lose, will also lose fairly”.

    This, he said, would make the election credible.

    Kekemeke, who noted that it was within the right of any member to support any aspirant of his/her choice, said no individual has the power to impose any candidate on the party.

    He said: “Party leaders have preferences. The only thing they can do is to use goodwill or influence. But the election will still be decided by the delegates and will be free and fair and the electorate will see their votes clearly as everything will be done in the open.”

    The party chairman sought the support of APC members to ensure that the primary is transmitted live on television.

    He prayed that anyone, who would not benefit the party and the state, should not get the APC ticket.

    According to him, “the hardship Ondo people arewitnessing is a reflection of bad leadership in the state”.

    Kekemeke received some gifts donated by Isaac Olemija, member in the House of Representatives representing Akoko North East/North West Local Government Areas, for the use of the party secretariat.

    He thanked the lawmaker for the good gesture and assured him that the gifts would be judiciously used.

    The APC chairman hailed the party’s five members of House of Representatives for their monthly donations.

    He noted that the money has been of tremendous help in running the party’s affairs in the last seven months.

    He also acknowledged the legislators’ supports to their constituencies.

    Kekemeke described Olemija as a party man, who has been of great support to the APC.

     

     

  • Kogi 2015: 3, 600 delegates, 28 aspirants for APC gov primary

    Kogi 2015: 3, 600 delegates, 28 aspirants for APC gov primary

    The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary and Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, yesterday said about 3, 600 delegates will vote in today’s election to decide who will be the party’s candidate in the November 21 governorship election.

    Addressing pressmen in Lokoja at the end of a closed door meeting with the 28 aspirants vying for the Kogi APC governorship ticket, the chairman, who heads a seven-man Kogi APC governorship primary said all the close to 4, 000 ballot papers to be used during the exercise will be personally signed by him.

    He said that the exercise, which will take place at the new Confluence Stadium Lokoja, will be “security tight” as no unauthorised person will be allowed into the venue.

    Each delegate, he said, will be expected to leave the venue immediately after casting their votes.

    The governor who aside from other members of the committee will be assisted by seven of his personal staff as well as serving state and federal legislators and other top appointees from Kaduna State, said the process will be a replica of the APC presidential primary that produced President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He warned that no politicking will be allowed anywhere near the venue.

    He stated that ballot papers will only be validated via three means: aspirants’ names, popular acronyms or by number tabulation.

    El-Rufai warned that any aspirant wishing to step down from the race must indicate so in writing before commencement of secret balloting.

    Meanwhile, delegates from the nine local government areas of the state have reportedly endorsed Prince Abubakar Audu as the party’s sole candidate.

    The delegates who are from Kogi East were reportedly monitored filing into the Lokoja residence of the former governor, where they entered into a closed door meeting.

    A source who was at the meeting told our correspondent that the delegates decided to back Audu after long hours of consultation.

    Audu’s endorsement, said the source, might not be unconnected with the realization by the over 15 APC aspirants from Audu’s senatorial district (East) that they had little chance against him.

    The Kogi residence of Audu was a beehive of activities, even as rumours of gang-up by some of the other aspirants made the rounds.