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Tag: Enugu PDP

  • Enugu PDP commends NWC, BOT for resolving National Secretary position

    Enugu PDP commends NWC, BOT for resolving National Secretary position

    The Enugu chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lauded the national leadership of the party for standing firm in resolving the crisis that emanated over who occupies the national secretary position.

    The party’s chapter also lauded the Supreme Court for reaffirming that the decision on party leadership positions, including that of the National Secretary of the PDP, is entirely an internal affair of the party requiring only the decision of the party internal mechanism to which the courts have no jurisdiction.

    It described the judgement as victory for democracy.

    In a statement  on Saturday by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Uche Obute, on behalf of the State Working Committee of PDP, led by the Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, Enugu PDP thanked the party’s NWC and BOT for their excellent leadership, doggedness, and their fatherly role in resolving internal issues in the party. 

    The statement reads in part: “The State Working Committee of PDP Enugu State wishes to appreciate and commend the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of the supremacy of the Party in the management of its internal affairs, and this is indeed a victory for democracy in the country. 

    “The National Secretary of our great party Rt. Hon. SKE Ude-Okoye has long resumed his responsibilities and was recently in Enugu to witness the PDP zonal Congress at Okpara Square, Enugu, which the South East PDP National Congress committee and the INEC described as peaceful, transparent and successful.

    “The State Working Committee of the Party, urges all PDP party faithful to remain united as we work together to move our Party to an enviable height”.

    While commending the excellent leadership role played by the PDP Governors Forum, particularly the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, the party thanked all the founding fathers and all the organs of the party for their solidarity and supports. 

  • Enugu PDP thanks voters

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has thanked electorates for their support during last Saturday’s elections.

    The party said its victory was a bold reaffirmation of the electorate belief in its people-friendly policies.

    A statement by the Director of Communication, Nana Ogbodo, said it was “heartwarming that such remarkable victory was attained despite the apparent voter disillusionment following an earlier postponement”.

    Read also: EFCC arraigns 19 for alleged illegal oil deal

    The party urged “the people of our dear state to demonstrate an even greater enthusiasm during the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly elections by voting for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, if only to underscore our collective appreciation for his intense commitment and sacrifices which have impacted the people’s lives”.

    “We further enjoin our supporters and the people to continue to remain law-abiding and shun acts that could negate the peace and security for which Enugu State is reputed. In the same vein, we urge the opposition parties to rein in their supporters and admonish them to refrain from conducts or incendiary comments that could cause a breakdown of law and order.”

  • Enugu PDP laments alleged destruction of billboards by opposition parties

    THE Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, yesterday lamented the alleged destruction of the PDP-led government’s billboards at the entrance of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, by members of the opposition parties while welcoming the Vice President, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the state. Nnamani, who noted that Enugu State under the present administration of His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been peaceful, regretted that a few individuals in the state, who are unsettled by the existing peace and good governance , have returned with their needless antics.

    The PDP chairman added that “this dastardly act was a clear confirmation of our stance that we never destroyed billboards of the opposition political parties in the state or prevented them from mounting their own.” He stressed that contrary to the allegations against the PDP, “from what you have seen now, this is a clear testimony that they are the ones destroying our billboards.The same thing happened to our billboards, few weeks ago, at Abakpa, Enugu East Local Government Area, where about five billboards were destroyed by the opposition political parties.

    “This actually shows that there were few people in Enugu State who do not want the peace which has been entrenched by the present PDP-led state government to continue, because our government is known for its friendliness and penchant for peace. We accommodate everybody, we allow opinions from all sectors of the society, we don’t go against anybody, our campaigns are based on issues.” When asked if the PDP specifically suspects any opposition party, Nnamani explained: “A few days ago, like you all know, the APC, the opposition party in the state accused us of destroying their billboards and I came out openly to say that such a thing never existed. But from what you have just seen, it shows that our own billboards are the ones being destroyed.” He therefore urged the security agencies in the state to fish out the culprits and bring them to book as well as “put adequate measures in place to ensure that this kind of dastardly act does not repeat itself again.”

  • Enugu PDP ward chairmen hail Ugwuanyi on good governance

    Enugu PDP ward chairmen hail Ugwuanyi on good governance

    The 260 ward chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State have praise Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for what they called his outstanding performance and exemplary leadership which have now reinvigorated the machinery of the party in the state.

    In a three-page letter of solidarity to the governor, the party chairmen stated that Governor Ugwuanyi has made PDP proud through his good works in the areas of education, health, security and road construction and many other spheres , affirming that he anchored his “unprecedented style of leadership on the rudder of exemplary goodwill, disarming meekness and stark selflessness.”

    While eulogizing his all-inclusive administrative style, the group said the governor has, “Crafted an unprecedented atmosphere of peace and harmony in the relationship among yourself, the executive arm of your administration, its legislature and judiciary.

    “Yet this existing tranquillity which has landed our dear party on the pedestal of true greatness is only another eloquent testimony of your dynamic and visionary leadership,” they said in the letter signed by the Co-ordinating Chairman, Ozo Ejike Okpe, and the Secretary, Chief Ibe Nnamani.

    According to the party chairmen,   Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration has fulfilled his campaign promises, the economic hardship notwithstanding, by paying workers’ salaries and pensioners their pensions and as well delivering massive infrastructure projects to the delight of the people of the state.

    “The infrastructural transformation you machinated in all the zones of Enugu State has become way beyond what many believed was possible in this generation, a gesture that has engraved your name in indelible strokes that will last forever.

    ” The consistency with which you pay salaries and pensions in the face of the prevailing economic recession is marvellous, amazing and miraculous.

    “Your Excellency, your administration has become the most all-inclusive one in our recent history as there hardly exists a community that is left out in the bounty of your appointments.

    “Therefore, since your administration has become an administration of many firsts, we the Ward Chairmen of our great party in our dear state have, for the first time in our history, decided to come together in one unbreakable and impregnable bunch to promote, protect and preserve your legacies.

    ” We have elected to break all bounds and carry your footprints to every nook and every cranny of our dear clime. Hence, we urge you to remain calm and focused for God who gave you

    this first tenure will give you a second. This we have unwaveringly determined to work for, no matter what the stakes are” they vowed in the letter.

    The ward chairmen said the 2019 governorship election in the state would be an acid test that would announce Governor Ugwuanyi’s popularity among the people of the state who are witness to the novel kind of governance he has brought to the state’s political environment.

    The ward chairmen believed to be front line foot soldiers at the grassroots also pledged to ensure that come 2019 election, the opposition parties would do nothing even to give the faintest scare to their governor. End.

  • LG elections: Enugu PDP holds peaceful primaries across 260 wards

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State yesterday held a peaceful ward primaries across the 260 electoral wards of the state, which elected councillorship candidates for the November 4 Local Government elections and three-man ad hoc delegates for the party’s local government primary election billed to hold on September 16.

    The party leadership had, prior to the primaries, engaged its members in a wider consultation with a view to arriving at consensus candidates towards achieving a peaceful and rancor- free exercise.

    The Chairman of the Electoral Committee from the national secretariat of the party, Hon. Kingsley Wosu-Ezi, on behalf of other committee members, described the exercise as “peaceful, transparent, free and fair and strictly in compliance with the electoral guidelines for conduct of local government council elections”.

    The committee chairman commended the state leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Hon. Augustine Nnamani and the party’s state leader, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for providing effective and inclusive leadership that ensured a smooth exercise.

    Earlier, the State Chairman of PDP, Hon. Nnamani, informed members of the electoral committee that the party was set for the ward primaries.

     

  • Enugu PDP denies rigging

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has described as false, baseless and diversionary, a call by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the cancellation of last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections’ results in the state.

    APC called for the cancellation on the alleged grounds that “the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and security agents connived with the PDP to rig the elections in favour of the PDP.”

    The Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, said in a statement that it was a common knowledge that Enugu had been the home base of the PDP in the Southeast since  1998 and its popularity in the state was formidable and had grown  over the years.

    He noted that the landslide the party recorded in Enugu State was never a surprise to any unbiased political adherent, but a true reflection of its stronghold in the state.

    Eze said the accusation by the state leadership of the APC was not only an attempt to give their masters flimsy excuses for the well-deserved failure, but another senseless move to divert the attention of their masters from the money that was handed over to them to execute the elections, which disintegrated the party rather than unite it, following the reported case of the inability of their leaders to account for the money.

    The PDP spokesman condemned “the brazen act of insensitivity and crass desperation” by the leadership of the APC in the state in spreading false allegations against the PDP, the state leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents over an election that was transparent, peaceful, free and fair to the satisfaction of  stakeholders.

    He said the failure suffered by the APC was an indication of its  unpopularity in the state, occasioned by the inability of the party to convince the people of a defined and realistic development agenda that could outweigh the laudable policies and people-oriented programmes of the PDP government.

    Eze said no amount of smear campaign, blatant lies and unfounded accusations against the PDP by the opposition APC would affect the swelling popularity and acceptability the party enjoyed in the state and its chances of winning the remaining elections.

    The party urged the electoral umpire and the public to disregard the allegations by the APC, as they were meant to mislead, blackmail and discredit the peaceful exercise in the state.

     

     

  • Lawyers explain court’s ruling on Enugu PDP ward congress

    Lawyers explain court’s ruling on Enugu PDP ward congress

    •Party appeals ruling

    Lawyers to Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  have faulted the interpretation being given to last Monday’s ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja on the party’s ward congress.

    They insisted that Justice Ademola Adeniyi turned down the plea by the plaintiffs to mandate the party’s national leadership to accept the November 1 ward congress results.

    But they expressed “grave reservations and dissatisfaction” with the ruling, which upheld the purported ward congresses in Enugu State, saying that the verdict was fraught with many errors.

    The lawyers, however, said they have already filed an appeal against the ruling on behalf of the party.

    The Chief Judge of Enugu State Justice Innocent Umezulike had in an earlier ruling asked the party not to accept any result purported to emerge from any congress because the congresses were not conducted in the state.

    A member of the state PDP legal team, M. Vin Ene, said Justice Adeniyi “turned down the prayer by the plaintiffs that the PDP should accept the results from the purported congress, and this is quite instructive.

    “Like we pointed out, the ruling was merely declaratory and did not command Elder Ajah to hold himself out as the Acting Chairman while that of Justice Umezulike commanded him not to hold himself out as the Acting Chairman.”

    Ene also noted that Justice Adeniyi erred by refusing the application of some aggrieved candidates in the purported ward congresses to be joined as parties in the suit, which outcome directly affected their rights.

    Also yesterday, a group, the Enugu Professionals Forum (EPF), condemned the reported threats to the life of an Enugu High Court judge, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, which forced him to decline further hearing in a suit relating to the same matter.

    The group, in a statement by its Interim President Nebechi Ugo, said the threats by undisclosed persons to Justice Ozoemena were “the handwork of political desperadoes who are hell bent on subverting justice and the rule of law in Enugu State.”

    It said the development undermined the integrity of the judiciary and also heralded the efforts of unscrupulous persons to introduce terror as a weapon of actualising political ambitions in the state.

     

     

  • Disrespect for party structure, bane of Enugu PDP

    Disrespect for party structure, bane of Enugu PDP

    All over the world, even in Countries where Nigeria had borrowed its model of democracy, the sanctity and place of party formation and control, remain one sacred powerhouse in the deliverables of democratic system of government.

    It can be likened to the real engine room, a typical labour room in a hospital that berths all the political actors.  It follows therefore that all party national headquarters are domiciled and run by elected seasoned and proficient administrators, already tested and gone through the furnace of political blacksmith.

    Since such Party Octopuses are the party vehicles upon which members mount into and should be piloted by highly principled executive officers as in Nigeria termed National Working Committee with its members drawn from all the zones of the Country, it therefore infers that its decisions cannot be rubbished by any party official be you high or low.

    Resolutions of such arm as National Working Committee, (NWC) of any party are in the true sense representative of the views and standpoint of the Party as the composition of the NWC, bears the true voice and a spread representation of the elected party officials from National Chairman, Secretary, to the lowest in the rung Ex-Officio members, all coming from the six zones of the nation – North East, North West, North Central, South East, South West and South-South.

    So when such a Party hierarchy National Working Committee meets, deliberates on anyknotty issue, and arrives at any decision, its position on any issue and policy statement as guaranteed by its statutory functions cannot be disobeyed.

    To flout such an order, would be deemed anti-party and calls for severe party sanctions.  The Credo or blue print as the Constitution of the Party envisions, gives the NWC such powers to make pronouncements and proclamations that are binding by all Party faithful, irrespective of status.

    The present flexing of muscles in Enugu State chapter of the PDP, is really uncalled for.  The hype was not necessary as what the Party ought to have done with the resignation of the Party Chairman Chief Vita Abah who suddenly took ill was the next in command to take over albeit in acting capacity.

    The Deputy Chairman Elder David Aja, statutorily ought to have moved into that cozy office to chair the affairs even if momentarily.  This was not the case.  Instead, the State Governor cause to supplant one of his surrogates IkejeAsogwa who is manning the State Housing Corporation as the Acting Chairman.

    Of course this move boomeranged as top Party Stakeholders from the State rejected Mr. Asogwa, the Governor’s nominee, leading to the present hullabaloo, confusion and worsening the already charged political situation in the State.

    Having been rejected, the Governor was alleged to have made spirited attempts to get the ears of the National Headquarters to authenticate the ‘kangaroo’ appointment said to have been made at an extraordinary PDP State meeting in Enugu, but met a brick wall at Wadala Plaza in Abuja.

    The NWC insisted that the right action ought to be taken which confers on Elder David Aja the current Deputy Chairman as the authentic acting Chairman.  The order from Abuja which was also passed on to the two-State Chapters Enugu and Delta that had similar problem, was that the two Deputy Chairmen should act for a period of two weeks, and thereafter organize a Congress where authentic Chairmen would be elected.

    Enugu seemed not to have obeyed such directives and of course the just concluded Ward Party Congress in the State, created further division.  Whereas the State Government is saying that no Congress in the true sense took place, a good section of the Stakeholders from the State, those perceived as the Oracle of the Peoples’ voice are happy with the peaceful conclusion of the Congresses that elected three Delegates per Ward, in all the Wards throughout the State. And that is why the outcome must not be tampered with or used as any form of political bargain. To bargain with the Governor’s camp is to cheapen the party and make nonsense of its constitution and internal democracy. No one man or group is above the party. If the Governor and his camp do not like it, they can pursue their political fortunes elsewhere. In Enugu, Jonathan is a son of the soil.

    There is no gain-saying that the state government with its unfortunate autocratic tendencies has boxed itself to a sordid corner.  It had allegedly planned to foist another Congress and even a well publicized meeting with the Governor, was called off at the eleventh hour.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the State Party branch has no such powers to call, organize or hold another Ward Delegate Congress, unless authorized by the National Headquarters.

    The Ward Congress, have been concluded throughout the State and comments from some of the influential leaders of Enugu State have spoken in favour of the just concluded Congresses and the Party should proceed with the remaining Congresses as lined up in the Party’s long list of scheduled primary elections.

    When Party officials deliberately flout orders, they are not only sanctioned but they pay dearly for their folly by being punished and left in the lurk to lick their wounds.

    It might be proper here to recall that a lingering Party anomaly in the State where one of the executives at the local level had suspended some Party officials and cabinet members of the Government Executive, but was compelled to rescind the suspension since April last year, which he did, but the said Executive has remained shut out of the running of Party affairs in the State.

    One recalls with nostalgia, the days of Chief M. Adisa Akinloye National Chairman of defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and even Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, National Chairman of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), when Party supremacy was treasured and a joy of all and sundry.

    The stature of these two personalities begot respectability and they were no push-over.  The then President Shehu Shagari accorded both the NPN the respect and reverenced Chief Adisa Akinloye at all times, till the Military struck in 1983, marking the demise of the Second Republic.

    Politicians of all shades must learn to respect their Party hierarchy and Kowtow to decisions reached.  To ensure Party vibrancy at all levels, every Party official no matter how esteemed must be whipped into line and shape so that there will be no hara-kiri.

    Enugu is no exception; so, to continue to disrespect Party structure will be its bane and doom.IkejeAsogwa, Governor Chime, and all who masterminded this total disregard for the party should be punished. A Suspension or ban from holding or seeking elective office for a given period would not be too much punishment for this level of rascality and impunity.

  • Enugu PDP appoints new state chairman

    Enugu PDP appoints new state chairman

    N compliance to the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Enugu state chapter of the party has appointed a new state chairman. He is Chief Ikeje Asogwa who was earlier appointed before the NEC directive.

    The meeting appointing Asogwa, which held yesterday, followed the request by 86 members out of the 109 members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the PDP in Enugu State. The number, which represents more than two-third of the SEC membership in the state, is empowered to hold an Extra-Ordinary meeting in line with Article 24(4) of the PDP constitution.

    The section stipulates that: ‘an extra-ordinary meeting of the State Executive Committee shall be held if requested for, by two-third of the members of the State Executive Committee’. In a communique signed by the Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, said it deliberated on urgent and fundamental issues affecting the party in the state and took the following decisions: “Noted the resignation of Engr. Vita Abba from office as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, which enables him stand for election in the forthcoming party primaries in the state.

    “In line with Article 47 (6) of the PDP Constitution, which states that “where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the executive committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy”, appointed Chief Ikeje Asogwa who is from the same zone with the former state party chairman as the new chairman of the party in the state, with immediate effect, pending the election of another chairman at a state congress to be convened for that purpose.

    “Charged the new state chairman of the party, Chief Ikeje Asogwa to take all necessary measures in his capacity as the chairman to oversee and ensure smooth and successful Congresses and party primaries and victory for the party at all levels in the 2015 general elections.”

    Those that attended the Extra-Ordinary SEC meeting included the state governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, the deputy governor, Rev. Ralph Nwoye, the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo, former Senate President and member of PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Ken Nnamani, members of House of Representatives, a member of Board of Trustees, Rex Onyeabo, National and Zonal Officers of the party from the state, council chairmen and their deputies , local government party chairmen and state executives members of the party among others. Meanwhile, the Wadata Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja was turned to a war zone yesterday, as some federal lawmakers from Enugu State failed in their bids to hijack the materials to be used for the election of the threeman delegates slated for today.