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Tag: Edo PDP

  • Reconciliation fails in Edo PDP

    Supporters of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have rejected the amnesty offered by National chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    The rejection of the amnesty offer indicated a breakdown in any reconciliation attempt in the PDP.

    Last week, a staunch supporter of Sheriff, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, resigned his membership of the PDP.

    Addressing PDP supporters at an enlarged stakeholders meeting, the member representing Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonnayinma, said they would not in any way accept any amnesty proposed by Makarfi.

    Agbonnayinma said amnesty could only be given to militants and not to people who have not committed any crime.

    The lawmaker warned that many other party leaders would have resigned from the PDP if impunity continues to persist in the party.

    He said Makarfi’s leadership has not made any effort to reconcile PDP members but opted to grant amnesty and use derogatory statement.

    “We do not need amnesty. Rather than preaching unification, they decided to engage themselves with derogatory statements and insults to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his followers.

    “I will not remain docile while the democratic norms and values we cherish are being systematically truncated and destroyed,” he said.

  • What future for Edo PDP?

    What future for Edo PDP?

    Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is battling with the shock of a monumental defeat. Party chieftains are asking: if Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu could not win the governorship poll, who else will achieve the feat for the party?

    It is lamentation galore at the party office. When party chieftains converged to appraise the turn of events, they were downcast. The pain of defeat was evident in their demeanour.  Some were trading blames. Others just sat at the meeting, dejected. Party youths were protesting the results. But, generally, there was an ambivalent attitude to the poll results. Few discerning members who could rise above emotion, cautioned the protesters, saying that the preliminary report of observers suggested that the exercise was free and fair.

    Since 2007, the PDP has been struggling for relevance in Edo. After ruling the state for eight years, the people’s verdict came. Generally, voters were not impressed by the performance of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion. They were looking for a liberator. Up came labour leader Adams Oshiomhole, the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who ran on the platform of the defunct Action Congress (AC). He fired salvos at the godfathers, saying that it was wrong for them to convert the state into a fiefdom. At the poll, he challenged the PDP candidate, Prof. Oserheime Osunbor, to a duel. Osunbor is an accomplished scholar. But, to observers, he had joined a bad company.

    Oshiomhole is a crowd puller. Thus, he was the candidate to beat. He was given a democratic mandate by the people. But, victory was allotted to the loser by the biased electoral agency headed by Prof. Maurice Iwu. Therefore, the battle for the soul of Edo shifted from the ballot box to the court room. During the struggle, Osunbor was perceived as an interloper. Eighteen months after, the Court of Appeal restored the stolen mandate to Oshiomhole.

    In the saddle, the veteran labour leader has a success story to tell. In his first term, the state became a huge construction site. Oshiomhole breathed life into the ailing sectors. In 2012, the PDP fielded Gen. Charles Airhiavbere. All the PDP leaders stormed Edo to campaign for him. But, the party was rejected at the poll for the second time.

    However, in last year’s election, the PDP sprung some surprises. It won two senatorial districts and some seats in the House of Representatives and House of Assembly. Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s defection to the party brought a glimmer of hope. Scores of APC chieftains, who were dissatisfied with Oshiomhole’s style of party management, also defected along with him. When he returned to the party, he was able to mend fences with party leaders he had repudiated, including Chief Tony Anenih.

    The PDP flag bearer overcame the initial challenge of factionalisation. His challenger, Matthew Idiorioyenkwen, who emerged as the candidate of the unrecognised Modu Sheriff faction, became a passive candidate. Pastor Ize-Iyamu has a reputation for organisation and mobilisation. He was able to attract support from the PDP governors. As the post-primary crisis rocked the APC, the PDP sought to convert it into a meaningful advantage. But, the reconciliation by Oshiomhole and the support of many stakeholders, including traditional rulers and interest groups, towards the APC truncated the PDP’s ambition to regain the control of the state.

    What future awaits the troubled PDP chapter in Edo. Success has many fathers. Many PDP chieftains may defect to the ruling party, not out of conviction, but in search of bread and butter. A defeated flag bearer is often perceived as a liability. Therefore, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who is now the arrowhead of the opposition in Edo, may be deserted for a season by PDP chieftains who cannot play a politics of principle. Only few politicians can decide to weather the storm in the opposition.

    The pattern of electoral victory and defeat may be sustained at the next local government poll in Edo. Party funding may be a challenge for the opposition party, especially when members are not financially committed. This may affect the structures of the PDP at the grassroots.

    But, what may spell doom for the opposition party is the performance of the next governor. Obaseki is a technocrat. He is not going to play politics. He is going to work for Edo. If his government of continuity lives up to expectation, the fate of the PDP will be sealed. People are now wiser. They may not be eager to change a winning team.

  • More PDP members will be arrested if… – Oshiomhole

    More PDP members will be arrested if… – Oshiomhole

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday said more members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be arrested and prosecuted if they continue to run foul of the law.

    Oshiomhole said nobody is exempted from prosecution under his administration.

    The governor was responding to threat by the PDP to carry out mass protest over the arrest of 13 of its members.

    He spoke at a meeting with youths from Ovia North East local government area who stormed the State Government House to endorse the candidacy of Godwin Obaseki as the All Progress Congress (APC) flagbearer in next month’s governorship election in the state.

    Oshiomhole said the PDP members were charged to court to show that the state was not a banana republic.

    He said it was ridiculous for the PDP members to boast that nothing would happen when they break the law and attack a member of his cabinet.

    The governor said, “You need courage to put an end to exemption, as long as I am here, there is no exemption for anyone. Nobody has the right to behave like an emperor. We were carrying poles to extend electricity to some villages, they arranged some boys to block the vehicle. They forced the driver to stop, attacked one of our commissioners and said nothing will happen.

    “Nothing will happen when you break the law, caused obstruction and prevent a community from getting development? That is waging war against a community and we needed to demonstrate that Edo State is not a banana republic. They arrange all manner of people to the highway when they will not send their children to the highway.

    “We have to charge them to court and they have been remanded in prison according to law. I want to see how their pay masters will get them bail. We need to show that Edo is not under one man rule. If they repeat it again, we will charge them again.”

  • Court will decide Edo PDP candidate – INEC chairman

    Court will decide Edo PDP candidate – INEC chairman

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at the weekend said the issue of who flies the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Edo governorship election does not rest with the commission. He said that is for the judiciary to decide.

    The INEC boss, while speaking during a working visit to the headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspapers in Lagos, said given the numerous numbers of cases currently in court over the leadership of the PDP and the party’s governorship ticket in Edo, it is only the court that can have the final say on who the governorship candidate of the party would be.

    While explaining why the commission listed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the PDP candidate when it released the list of candidates for the September 10 election, Yakubu said the decision was based on a subsisting court order. According to the INEC boss, the commission merely obeyed a court order by listing Iyamu as the candidate.

    “They say they have numerous cases in court. I told you earlier that within a period of three days we got five judgments and orders. In fact, one order came with a threat that if we did not do what the court says we should do, we will be committed for contempt. At the moment, on the basis of the judgment of the Port Harcourt High Court, we accepted the nomination from the Makarfi led caretaker committee.

    “We have to submit the name of a candidate by the 11th of this month. But, when we did so, we put in bracket, court order. Again, Ize-Iyamu has dragged INEC to court and was granted an interim injunction by the judge saying that we should maintain status quo. So, apart from the leadership tussle in the state, there is this one about candidacy in Edo State.

    “At the end of the day, it has nothing to do with the political party but who flies the ticket of the party. Our job is to obey court orders. If tomorrow the court says someone else is the candidate, we will obey. And if there is no resolution before the election, we will go into the election with the PDP and if the party wins, let the court resolve who shall be sworn in,” he said.

    The INEC helmsman also lamented the difficulty in conducting credible election in the country and blamed it on the penchant of Nigerian politicians to engage in what he described as “do or die” politics. He then advocated the creation of an electoral offences tribunal to handle cases of electoral malpractices.

    “INEC has no police and cannot arrest offenders, we cannot make arrest, we can work with the police and not arrest. We have to investigate the office so allow successful prosecution. INEC has no power to conduct investigation, it is purely and election management body.

    “So what is the way out? Two committees set up by the federal government in 2008 and 2011, made a very important recommendation that the electoral offences tribunal should be established. But nothing has been done about that recommendation till date. In 2011, the government accepted the recommendation and issued a white paper and directed the Attorney General at the time to establish election offences and tribunal commission, but nothing has been done. Are we waiting for another upheaval to set up another committee and to put the recommendation in the cooler?”

    Yakubu said the commission at best, is discussing with the National Assembly with a view to seeing to the establishment of the much needed tribunal. “We have been discussing this with the National Assembly because only the assembly can amend the electoral act to establish the commission,” he said.

    He confessed that elections in the country have become tougher. According to him, “Something has happened to our democracy that we have probably not realized, with two strong political parties; competition has become fiercer now. The two political parties in most cases have also fielded strong candidates, making the elections highly competitive. The first election, we conducted was Kogi governorship election. It was a contest between two strong candidates; an incumbent governor versus a former governor.

    “Bayelsa governorship election was also a contest between a sitting governor and a former governor. The Rivers election, even though is a constituency election, was ultimately a contest between a former governor and the incumbent governor. Though they are not candidates in the election, they virtually call the shots. So, it has become very competitive and the vote can now count more than before,” he explained.

     

  • PDP crisis: Sheriff sacks Edo PDP, names caretakers

    PDP crisis: Sheriff sacks Edo PDP, names caretakers

    •Ignore him, Makarfi faction tells party chiefs

    Last week’s election of Pastor OsagieIze-Iyamu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September election in Edo State has set the Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi’s factions of the party on a fresh collision course.

    Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who, until recently was the PDP acting national chairman, yesterday suspended the state executive committee of the party “sequel to various petitions deriving from allegations of irregularities arising from the last state congresses that sought to elect State Executive Committee for the chapter.”

    He had earlier nullified the Plateau State congress of the party and promised to set machinery in motion for the emergence of a fresh executive committee for the state PDP.

    Sheriff and the National Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said the suspension of the Edo PDP exco was part of the decision taken at the NWC meeting of June 21, 2016.

    They said the suspension would enable the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party investigate the allegations contained in the petitions and come out with a fair and just decision.

    Sheriff proceeded to appoint an eight-member caretaker committee to run the affairs of the state chapter for a period of three months.

    The members are: Chief Ebenezer Alabi (chairman); Barr. Zealiwe Edmund (secretary); EhimekpenOkharedia, Mrs. Melody EkunneOsagie, Blessing Agbabaku, Negerese Berry, Hon Daniel OhioleAsekhame and Mr.DanOmozokpai as members.

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, in a swift reaction, asked the Edo state chapter of the party to ignore the suspension order.

    It said: “Procedures for taking such far reaching decisions are prescribed in the constitution of the party, so it’s the organ so empowered to take it.

    “It is no longer news that the Ali Modu Sheriff led National Working Committee and indeed all national officers were removed by the party’s convention, which is the highest decision making organ of the party,” it added in a statement by spokesman for the committee, Prince AdedayoAdeyeye.

    Continuing, he said: “This purported suspension is clearly part of the desperation of Senator Sheriff and his paymasters to orchestrate confusion that would lead to the failure of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State; an election that the party is otherwise very well placed to win.

    “The Caretaker Committee recognises and would continue to relate with the leadership of the party in Edo State that was validly elected at the recent congresses, even as it calls on the members and teeming supporters of the party in the state to remain steadfast and vigilant in the face of the mischief being perpetrated by Sheriff in order to destroy the party.

    “The Caretaker Committee also appeals to the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services and indeed all security agencies to call Sheriff to order as well as keep more than an eye on him so that he doesn’t precipitate crisis in any part of the country for which he is well known, since we, as Nigerians already have enough on our hands to contend with.”

    Also reacting to the purported suspension, the chairman of the Edo PDP, Chief Dan Orbih said Sheriff lacked powers to suspend any state chapter.

    He said: “For us in Edo State PDP, we will ignore the ranting of Sheriff and face the business of defeating Adams Oshiomhole and his surrogate, that is, their APC candidate.”

    Orbih said Sheriff’s action was a clear indication that he is not a true member of the PDP.

    He added: “Let me quickly remind Sheriff that we, members of the National Executive, were the ones that appointed him as an acting chairman.

    “He was never elected as chairman of the party and he should atop arrogating powers that he doesn’t possess to himself.

    “The only body that is constitutionally empowered by the party to carry out the functions of the national executives of the party today is that of the Makarfi-led national executive, which by law is the national executives in place.

    “At the time we appointed Sheriff to act as the national chairman, we gave him a mandate that should last for three months and at the end of the three months, we never renewed his mandate.

    “I advise him to stay clear of Edo PDP and face his political integration in Borno where since he left office as governor has been a hotbed of political crisis.”

    In nullifying the Plateau PDP congress earlier, Sheriff also dismissed claim by the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee that he was working for the APC.

    He said: “Makarfi should shut up” and threatened to expose the committee chairman and Ben Obi, its national secretary.

    At the meeting with the Plateau delegation, which pledged support for him, the factional leader of the opposition party said he would soon inaugurate a committee to organise a fresh congress in the state.

    Sheriff alleged that Makarfi and Obi had been paying secret visits to an APC chieftain.

    He challenged them to dare him and see how he would expose them.

    “If there are people in the PDP working for the APC, it’s Makarfi and Obi. Makarfi should not force me to reveal details that I should not reveal under normal circumstances,” he said.

    “Makarfi and Obi have gone to visit one APC chieftain in his house twice and this particular individual is still in the APC. It would have been better if the man had left the APC to join the PDP.

    “They are reserving the 2019 presidential ticket of the PDP for this individual who has been funding their activities.

    “If Makarfi continues to attack my person, I will be forced to reveal further details of their alliance. So, Makarfi should just shut up.”

  • Who gets Edo PDP ticket?

    Who gets Edo PDP ticket?

    The governorship election in Edo State is a contest between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Many aspirants have indicated their intention to contest on the platforms of the two major political parties. In this analysis, Correspondent BEN OGBEMUDIA examines the PDP aspirants and their chances of getting the party’s ticket for the September 10 poll.

    IF the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) intends to stage a comeback to the Edo Government House, as it has boastes in the past, it must do a lot of work to upstage the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In this regard, the party is expected to resolve the crisis of credibility that marred its chances during the last general elections. But the, indications are that not much has changed in the party. The Edo chapter is still a divided house because of the effects of a court case against the tenure of the chairman, Chief Dan Orbih. But, efforts are ongoing to reconcile the factions.

    Stakeholders are doing everything possible to pacify the warring factions. Indeed, the ward congress held recently was rancour-free, but a meeting of leaders held at a popular hotel on Sapele Road, Benin City, the Edo State capital, was truncated by supporters of some of the aspirants.

    According to party insiders, the disturbances were caused by supporters of the aspirants, who were not favourably disposed to retaining Orbih as their chairman.

    Nevertheless, many aspirants believe that they stand a good chance of dislodging the ruling party. Aspirants who have indicated interest in the governorship ticket include Chief Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen and Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu.

     

    Edebiri

     

    Edebiri, who has been described as a core professional, is the President of the Nigeria Institute of Welding and West Africa Institute of Welding. He cannot be described as a ‘politician’. His popularity and support base are mainly from outside the party.

    His supporters describe him as credible and accessible. He is believed to enjoy the support of some of the leaders of the party. Some PDP stakeholders and even beyond the PDP see in him as a man who has an impeccable character. He has been described as an astute businessman who has excelled in his chosen career.

    He loves to give to the down-trodden, particularly widows, through his foundation, the Solomon Edebiri Centre for Change.

    Among his co-contestants, Edebiri remains the only one who has not served in any capacity as a political appointee. Edebiri is believed to be popular at the grassroots because of the positive impact he has made on their lives.

    He has keen interest in sports development and talent hunt.

    However, Edebiri, nicknamed ISE, is new in the PDP and does not have a strong political structure. Critics say he does not understand the inter-party conflicts and intrigues within the hierarchy.

    He is rated high among those who have chances of getting the PDP’s nomination.

     

    Iduoriyekemwen

     

    Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, popularly referred to as ‘Major’ by his associates and admirers, is a two-time member representing Ikpoba-Okha Constituency at the Edo State House of Assembly. He has been in the PDP from its inception in 1998.

    He was also the Edo State Commissioner on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and boasts of a substantial followership.

    One thing that cannot be taken from him is that he is a grassroots mobiliser and he connects easily with youths. He loves sports and understands the local politics of the PDP.  Iduoriyekemwen has been described as a true loyal member of the party and deserves to be given the ticket.

    His popularity has been in contention within the rank and file of the party and even beyond party lines. A political analyst described him as “local champion”, whose popularity does not go beyond Ikpoba Okha where he hails from. He also said Iduoriyekemwen is not very eloquent.

    He has a chance of getting the ticket.

     

    Ize-Iyamu

     

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu, popularly described as ‘Don Kpelebe Muyoyo’, is a pioneer member of the party in 1998. He is the former Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Government under the Chief Lucky Igbinedion administration.

    He has a vast and deep understanding of Edo politics, a good mobiliser and strategist. He has a way of driving home his point and speaks with so much of conviction, even if his reasons are not germane.

    Ize -Iyamu is popular with the chairman of the party, Chief Orbih and those who defected with him to the PDP.

    But, he is not known to have any working experience, aside politics. His exit from the PDP in 2007 or thereabout through the formation of Grace Group, whose slogan was “No man is God” and whose members largely formed the defunct Action Congress (AC), which eventually won the governorship election in 2007, may have a negative impact on him.

    He is not generally accepted by a cross section of the party; many see the manner he dumped the party in the past as a betrayed of trust.

    It is even rumoured that because of his role in the formation of the Grace Group, which was anti-Chief Anthony Anenih, the Uromi-born “leader”, has not forgiven him and he may be contemplating leaving the PDP again for a yet to be disclosed party.

    Chances are that he might get below 80 per cent

     

    Osaro Onaiwu

     

    Onaiwu, describes himself as the “solution”. Not much really is known about him other than the fact that he was the Director-General of the Governors Forum and later, the PDP Governors’ Forum.

    He is not so popular within the party, even at the ward level.

    But, he has a good marketing strategy as can be seen through the method deployed in the pasting of his campaign posters at strategic places.

    However, his chances are slim because he is seen to be disconnected from the party’s hierarchy at all levels.

     

  • Edo PDP holds peaceful ward congresses

    Edo State chapter of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party yesterday held its Ward congresses across the 192 Wards in the state.

    The congress was peaceful as in many of the wards, the members agreed on consensus.

    In many of the wards, the elections were concluded before 1pm.

    Chairman of PDP in Ward 8, Ikpoba Okha local government, Scot Osagiede, said elections were held for positions in which the aspirants refused to step down.

    In Ward two, Oredo Local Government, materials for the congresses arrived early and the incumbent chairman of the Ward, Austin Nehizena, was reelected.

  • Edo PDP denies selling ‘Jonathan’s rice’

    The leadership of Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the alleged diversion of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s rice by one of its governorship aspirants as Christmas gift was a rumour.

    A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said the alleged diversion was not only fabricated and false but was also sponsored by those it called agents of darkness.

    Nehikhare led reporters on a visit to where the bags of rice were repackaged to two kilogrammes with the sticker of the aspirant on the packs.

    The spokesman said the rice allotted to the state by Jonathan’s former campaign organisation was sent to the party’s state secretariat and not to the governorship aspirant’s home.

    “We would like to confirm that we have investigated it and are pleased to tell our party members that the story is not only false, it is sponsored and fabricated.

    “…We wish to tell those who thrive on lies, deceit and petty rumours that there is no room for them in our party. We advise our party members to be wary of paid agents who are bent on destabilising our cohesive party.”

  • Edo PDP vows to reject Uromehe results

    Edo PDP vows to reject Uromehe results

    • They are not INEC, Edo Dep. governor

    Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has vowed to reject results from Uromehe Ward, Urhonigbe South in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State.

    Uromehe is the hometown of the state deputy governor, Dr. Pius Odubu.

    It said its party agents led by one Barr. Sylvester Ogbe were attacked on Friday night and driven away from the community by thugs of the All Progressives Congress.

    Chieftain of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in a chat with newsmen, said the PDP agents were shot and had to escape to Delta State to seek medical treatment.

    According to him, “Yesterday at about 2am, our agents in Uromehe called me to inform me that some thugs led by a younger brother to the deputy governor attacked them and they were shot.”

    The deputy governor, however, denied the allegations and insisted that no shootings occurred in his community.

    He said, “There are policemen there and is nothing like that happened. Is he now INEC?. If he chooses to keep his agents away, that is his problem.”

  • Over 1,650 Edo PDP members defect to APC

    Over 1,650 Edo PDP members defect to APC

    Exactly a month to the February 14 general elections, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost more of its members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Over 1,650 PDP members in Uhunmwode Local Government Area yesterday dumped the party for the APC.

    Receiving the defectors, led by Justin Omoruyi, Edo Sate Deputy Governor Pius Egberanmwen Odubu described their decision as “quite gratifying”.

    The deputy governor noted that the defection had also increased the APC chances of winning next month’s general elections in the state.

    He said the APC was an all-inclusive, participatory party, irrespective of whether or not the members were new or old.

    Dr. Odubu said the party would continue to ensure equal opportunities for the people to have a sense of belonging in the party’s activities.

    He said: “The people I saw coming into the APC are those we have always worked with since 1980s. What happened today is very reassuring: Uhunmwode is 99.9 per cent APC.

    “I thank the leader of the local government, Charles Idahosa, for bringing them (the defectors) back.   Their defection has further lightened the burden of APC in winning next month’s elections.”

    On the candidates for the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections, Odubu said they were tested on their wealth of experience and competence to deliver the people from the shackles of poverty.

    Idahosa hoped that APC would sweep the February elections in the local government, with the defection of the former PDP members.

    He said: “Over 500 PDP leaders from across the local government have just joined the APC. This is even without their followers. With this, it is over for the PDP in the local government.”