The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ike Abonyi

  • Breaking: PDP rejects postponement of election

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has said that shoddy arrangement for this election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is a deliberate predetermined agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to cling on to power even when it’s obvious to him that Nigerians want him out.

    He was reacting to the postponement of the election by INEC.

    Prince Secondus said that the postponement which is part of a grand design by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to thwart the will of Nigerians at all cost, clearly exposes INEC as a failure and calls on the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to resign immediately.

    The PDP leader warns that the party will not accept anything short of a well organized electoral process devoid of manipulation, harassment and intimidation of voters and the opposition particularly members of the PDP.

    “Having failed in all their nefarious options to enable them cling on to power, the APC and the INEC came up with the idea of shifting election an action that is dangerous to our democracy and unacceptable”, he said.

    The National Chairman said that the APC in connivance with the INEC have been trying all options including but not limited to burning down INEC offices in some states and destroying of electoral materials to create artificial problems upon which to stand for their dubious act.

    According to a statement from the National Chairman’s media office signed by Ike Abonyi, Prince Secondus said that the party is privy to all the pressures from the APC and the federal government to arm-twist the INEC, to dance to their new strategy after their earlier ones failed.

    “With several of their rigging options failing, they have to force INEC to agree to a shift in the election or a staggered election with flimsy excuses pre-manufactured for the purpose.

    “For the avoidance of doubt the PDP sees this action as wicked and we are also aware of other dubious designs like the deployment of hooded security operatives who would be ruthless on the people ostensibly to scare them away.

    He said that by the action of the President has further demonstrated his insensitivity costing the huge cost after Nigerians including those who came home from abroad have all mobilized to their various constituencies.

    The National Chairman recalls that the PDP had earlier alerted Nigerians that the APC was coming up with lined up rigging strategies including burning down of INEC offices and engineering crisis in PDP stronghold areas to scare away the people.

    Prince Secondus said that the wicked killing of over 60 persons mostly women and children in Southern Kaduna on the eve of the election is a copious ploy by the APC to frighten the people away from voting knowing too well that they were not going to record any vote from the area.

    “Recall that the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir el-rufai had earlier threatened international election observers of going to their country in body bags and with the fatal violence in the state on the eve of  election, it’s clear what the motives are, to frighten the observers from the state so that he can carry out his nefarious acts.

    The National Chairman also drew the attention of all lovers of democracy to the statement of President Buhari on the international media that nobody can unseat him from office as an indication of what he wants to do.

    Prince Secondus also regretted that President Buhari who made a promise at the signing of peace accord that the election will be conducted in a fair and transparent atmosphere  has gone ahead in breach of the peace agreements to send soldiers and other security agencies to arrest, harass and intimidate opponents in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, Kaduna states.

  • Onnoghen: Buhari destroying democracy – Secondus

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has accused the Federal Government of orchestrating the destruction of the nation’s democracy.

    This, according to the party chair, was part of the “nefarious” agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the February presidential election.

    Secondus, who was reacting to the arraignment of the Justice Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, said the President and his team were arm twisting the Tribunal to force the CJN out of office.

    In a statement Wednesday by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, the PDP chair said the APC was afraid an independent judiciary will obstruct its rigging plan.

    He described calls by the government on the CJN to vacate his seat as provocative, saying it has left no one, including the global democracies, in doubt that indeed democratic rule has been suspended in Nigeria to pave way for dictatorship.

    “The blackmail, the frame up and the orchestration of fictitious figures in the CJN’s bank accounts by the government and their agents are all deliberate ploy to destroy the envious career of a man because of desperation for power

    “What they are trying to do is not only illegal but a recipe for anarchy and breakdown of rule of law and must be vehemently resisted,” the party chair said.

    Read Also: PDP, Secondus knock Buhari

    Secondus said it was very glaring that President Buhari and his ruling APC have concluded plans to plunge the country into a major crisis in frustration for their apparent inevitable rejection by Nigerians.

    He noted trying to force the head of an arm of government out of office without following the clearly laid down procedures amounted to breach of rules and an invitation to major national crisis.

    The party chair urged the CJN to disregard calls for his resignation and remain in office as the constitution guiding the operations of government is very clear on how he can be removed.

    “President Buhari’s inclination to non-democratic behavour is now apparent as he moves to muscle all other arms of government as well as ingredients of democracy”, he added.

    The main opposition party chairman directed all lovers of democracy and rule of law in the country to stand up to be countered, saying it’s now obvious that the APC administration is determined to wreck the nation’s democracy all because it’s being rejected by Nigerians.

    “The agenda is not hidden, which is to truncate democracy rather than face the Nigerian electorate,” Secondus said.

    “After the 2016 bizarre arrest and harassment of some Judges and Justices of the Supreme Court and the August 8, 2018 failed coup d’état on the National Assembly, including the sponsored theft of the Senate mace, added to the list, it’s now very clear that democratic norms have taken flight in the country under President Buhari,” he added.

    He regretted Buhari could bare his fangs on the judiciary as part of the intimidation agenda of the regime preparatory to the rigging of the 2019 presidential election.

  • PDP will put food on Nigerians’ tables, says Secondus

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has said that the party would tackle hunger and put food on the table for Nigerians if the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar is elected President.

    Speaking at the party’s presidential rally in Dutse, Jigawa State on Monday, the party chair described Atiku as energetic, competent and with experience in tackling poverty.

    Prince Secondus told the jubilant crowd that their massive turn out at the rally was a clear indication that power is returning to the PDP and that the state has already joined the train to rescue Nigeria.

    In a statement issued shortly after the rally by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, the party chair assured the people that Atiku was fully equipped for the challenges of governance.

    Secondus said that the APC has failed Nigeria and should be thrown out, as the ruling party has not been able to fulfill any of the promises it made to Nigerians in 2015.

    Read Also: PDP, Secondus knock Buhari

    The party chair was quoted as saying, “The choice before us is between competence and incompetence, between broken promises and a man ready and equipped for the job”.

    Reminding the people that Atiku’s late mother hailed from Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, Secondus assured them that they would not regret voting the PDP candidate. He stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has done incalculable damage to the country.

    The former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido who also spoke at the rally, berated the APC administration, saying the ruling party has destroyed the country as a result of incompetence and lack of direction.

    Atiku was reported to have led the PDP campaign train to the  palace of the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi, who prayed for him and his team.

  • Secondus, Ekweremadu laud Ekiti PDP primary

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus says that the successful conduct of hitch free and transparent gubernatorial primaries in Ekiti state on Tuesday is a consequence of the party rebranding and repositioning project that has proved to be on course.

    Prince Secondus said that the real winner from the exercise is democracy and not any individual as the PDP family in Ekiti would be healthier from the primary.

    In a congratulatory message he sent to Governor Ayodele Fayose and other leaders and members of PDP in Ekiti state soon after the primary, the National Chairman appreciated them for conducting themselves well. He charged them to note the pre- primary understanding that there will be no winner or loser but contestants all.

    In a statement from his media office signed by Ike Abonyi, the National Chairman commended all those whose made huge sacrifice that helped to make the primary a success particularly Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and his team who conducted the primary. He also commended in particular Senator Dayo Adeyeye for not only accepting the result but commending the process as free, fair and credible.

    Prince Secondus assured members and supporters of the party in the state and indeed nationally, that his campaign promises that the era of impunity and imposition of candidates in the party is gone remains and Ekiti is the first test case for us.

    He charged any member of the party desiring to fly the flag of the party at any level to return to the grassroots and market themselves because in a rebranded PDP ticket is not given in party offices but by the people at the field.

    The PDP leader warned the APC in Ekiti state not to create any nuisance in their frustration ahead of the July election as available intelligence shows that the opposition in the state is trying to launch havoc  just to disrupt the peaceful election.

    Prince Secondus finally urged PDP members in the state to remain vigilant and not relent until the final success is achieved in July.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu also congratulated the Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the peaceful conduct of the primary election that produced the Deputy Governor of the State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the governorship candidate of the party in the July 2018 gubernatorial election.

    Ekweremadu emphasized that more important than the result was the process, noting that the PDP had, once more, showcased the growing internal democracy in the party.

    He advised other political parties to emulate the Ekiti PDP example to avoid overheating the political temperature of the State.

    He said: “I congratulate the PDP, Ekiti State, on this transparent, peaceful, free, and fair outing. It is has showcased, once again, the growing internal democracy in our party.

    “I commend Governor Ayodele Fayose, the Returning Officer, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and our party leaders for showing leadership when it mattered the most.

    “I commend the aspirants for their exemplary sportsmanship. I enjoin Prof. Olusola to continue to work closely with every party faithful, especially the former aspirants, to ensure a massive victory for the PDP in the governorship poll”.

    Ekweremadu also called on the people of Ekiti State to continue to support the PDP.

     

  • PDP chair bemoans fate of Nigerians under APC

    PDP chair bemoans fate of Nigerians under APC

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), Prince Uche Secondus has said that Nigerians never bargained for the hardship they are currently going through with the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Accusing the administration of practicing “nuclear nepotism” in the running of the government, the party chair said that all hands must be on deck to save the country from what he described as a “monumental disaster” that the administration has become.

    A statement on Wednesday by Ike Abonyi, media adviser to the party’s chairman, said this was part of the conclusions reached at a meeting the leadership of the PDP had with members of the party’s National Assembly caucus on Tuesday.

    Secondus was quoted to describe the legislature as the centre of national politics, adding that only the PDP could save the country from implosion in the months ahead.

    Lamenting the rate at which people are being killed on a daily basis, the party chair was also quoted to have criticised the lop-sided appointments in critical sectors at the federal level.

    “Nuclear nepotism is in vogue, you have to come from Daura to be appointed into a federal position”

    “This is the time for all to stand up to save this country and all eyes are on the PDP to lead the way. I am ready and determined, even to be arrested for us to regain our liberty in this land.

    “What we have ruling Nigeria today at the Villa is a broken party and a broken government. Spiritually, the APC has already left the villa, what we must fine tune is the physical accomplishment”, Secondus was quoted as saying.

    The party chairman was said to have charged PDP members at the National Assembly to brace up to the challenges ahead, stressing that  they are the leaders of the party at the grassroots.

    He was also quoted to have assured them that the PDP leadership under his watch determined to take the appropriate and right the decisions while consolidating the party at the grassroots.