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Tag: Kabiru Tanimu Turaki

  • PDP questions INEC’s independence, says commission blocked party from submitting Ekiti Gov candidate

    PDP questions INEC’s independence, says commission blocked party from submitting Ekiti Gov candidate

    National factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki on Tuesday questioned the independence of the current leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while accusing the commission of blocking it from submitting the name of its governorship candidate for the forthcoming Ekiti poll. 

    Turaki insisted INEC has duly recognised his leadership of the party, saying attendance of the party primaries to nominate candidates for the Ekiti and Osun Governorship election was an attestation of the Commission’s recognition.

    He spoke after a closed-door meeting between members of the National  Working Committee and some elders of the embattled party with former President Goodluck Jonathan at his residence on Abuja

    Turaki however said the leadership was ready to welcome back all members who genuinely love and are ready to be loyal members of the party.

    He said his leadership was ready to defend the party at all levels, insisting that of all the cases in court, the party was the one dragged to Court by members.

    According to him: “I have said this several times. We do not have problem with the recognition with INEC. We sent notice of primaries to elect a gubernatorial flag bearer in Ekiti State to INEC;  INEC followed, INEC attended, INEC monitored, INEC wrote a report. INEC also gave us the password to access their portal to upload the data of our candidate and his running mate. We duly accessed and then were able to download the forms for our candidate.

    “We gave it to him, he printed and we now submitted. Somewhere along the line, and I hate to say this, but I must say it, somewhere along the line, INEC now blocked us from accessing the platform again to upload that data. But we had done manual submission to INEC. Which INEC has collected.

    “Now outside the Ekiti, we also sent correspondence to INEC about our primaries in Osun State. INEC sent their team, they attended, they monitored our primaries, and they wrote a report. And the candidate emerged. So as far as events that political parties carry out that demand statutory notice are concerned, the obligation place on the shoulders of any political party is to give those statutory notices, which we did.

    “Now INEC as a regulator has the discretion to attend or refuse to attend. We issued notices, and INEC honoured those notices, attended, monitored and wrote a report. 

    “So as far as I am concerned, INEC has indeed recognised its leadership. And we continue to maintain that INEC has recognised our leadership.  But we do understand that there are certain events that are beginning to raise doubt in our minds and in the minds of other people, whether this present INEC leadership is indeed independent?”

    Speaking on the visit to the former President, Turaki said: “We came this evening to visit one of our very important leader, former President Ebele Jonathan, first to introduce members of the newly elected National Working Committee to him, and then to tell him what we’ve been doing since our election at the National Convention that was held last November in Ibadan.

    “We’ve briefed him on the state of the party, the challenges, the prospects. On this visit, we are accompanied by former governors, members of the Board of Trustees, founding fathers and founding mothers, Forum of State Chairmen, in addition to other leaders of the party that also includes former ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We have solicited, as usual, for his support, for his guidance, for his advice, as always and we have his assurance that he’s still a card-carrying member of the People’s Democratic Party, he’s still active, and will even be more active these days in the activities and affairs of the People’s Democratic Party.

    “He has assured us that PDP has done everything for him that can be done to an individual, and that he still feels that he remains obligated to PDP.

    “His remarks and statements are not only reassuring, but indeed they are very, very encouraging as we begin to prepare for the off-season elections in Ekiti and Osun this year and  the general election in 2027.

    “I want to assure members of the public, and indeed PDP family members out there, that PDP still remains the most veritable platform for standing and winning elections in Nigeria.

    “We still remain the leading opposition party in this country, and this new leadership is taking  this party back to the people, who are the owners and in doing  so, there’s going to be a level playing ground that will be inclusive. There will no longer be impunity and we are not going to allow people to take what does not belong to them. 

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    “We will listen to Nigerians. Whatever Nigerians want is what we give to them. Whatever Nigerians want is what they will have as far as this leadership is concerned.  This is the party that belongs to the Nigerian people and that is why we are called the people’s Democratic Party”.

    Responding to questions on whether the former President was sorry about the crisis in the party, Turaki said: “I did say that we informed him about the prospects and challenges and part of the challenges are the legal battles that we are facing and as a senior lawyer, I have been able also to explain to him the nitty-gritty of the matters and what we are doing at the Court of Appeal and he still believes just like all of us do, that PDP is the party for Nigerians.

    On the suggestions of Jonathan on how to resolve the crisis in the party, he said: “You see, even when you win the war, you also need to win the battle. I am one of the advocates who believe that it is not every political disagreement that you take to court.

    “But you must also understand from where we are coming from that in all the matters that have been taken to court, we were the ones that were sued as a party. We didn’t take any matter to court. So, we have an obligation to this party and indeed the generality of our members to go and defend those matters.

    “But we believe that even after these matters are resolved one way or another by the courts, that we’ll still come back,  those that are still useful to this party, those that have shown concern, those that have shown remarkable remorse and are willing to continue to be loyal party men and women, we’ll carry them along.”

  • We’re restructuring PDP to reclaim power in 2027, says Turaki

    We’re restructuring PDP to reclaim power in 2027, says Turaki

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has assured members of the party that efforts are ongoing to reposition and restructure the party for effectiveness.

    He said the main opposition would be reorganised to become formidable ahead of the 2027 general election, despite the current challenges facing it.

    Turaki spoke in Abuja during the 80th birthday celebration of a former Minister of Information and Culture, Prof. Jerry Gana.

    The national chairman assured party members that the PDP would return to power in 2027.

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    A book titled: Jerry Gana, Stewardship and Integrity, written by Simon Musa, was also unveiled during the celebration.

    Turaki affirmed his commitment to restructure the party and ensure that there is transparency, fairness, equity and justice in all its processes.

    The former minister said the era of imposition of candidates was over, stressing that the new PDP would allow people to decide who they want during the party’s primaries and elective processes.

    He said all candidates who need to be on the ballot paper on the platform of the party would be nominated by the people, but must be people with integrity.

    Turaki said: “Prof. Gana is a man of credibility and integrity, a politician’s politician, an icon, an enigma and an institution. The new PDP will ensure that there is transparency, there is fairness, there is equity, and there is justice in whatever process we do.

  • 2019: Turaki, Bafarawa pick PDP presidential forms

    A former Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa on Wednesday picked the presidential nomination forms of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The two aspirants expressed the hope that the PDP will defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the 2019 presidential elections.

    Ruling out the prospects of stepping down for one of the 12 PDP aspirants in the race as consensus candidate, the aspirants however said any of the aspirants could willingly withdraw from the race.

    Turaki said, “If we say that we are going for consensus, what are we going to do with it? We agree we are all brothers. We see it as a game. Therefore, if anybody is interested in withdrawing from the race, it’s a welcome idea.

    “But talking of consensus, you are going to fall like the All Progressives Congress (APC) where we are going to have a one-man show. We don’t want to go for one-man show. We want to practise democracy so that people will choose their own better candidate.

    “For example, if APC is playing democracy, they will allow at least three to four aspirants to aspire for the position. But because the party is a limited liability company, while PDP is a public limited company, it is welcome by everybody”.

    Turaki’s nomination documents were picked on his behalf by the Director of Media of his campaign organisation, Mr. Sola Atere.

    On his part, Bafarawa, who came to pick his nomination papers in person, said he was encouraged by the number of aspirants in the race, stressing that it was an indication of acceptability of the PDP among Nigerians.

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    “That is why people are aspiring, more are interested in joining the party unlike other parties where they run a one-man show. So, it’s very encouraging to all of us who are aspiring for this seat.

    “We are brothers, we are family. Our ambition is to get rid of APC. Therefore forget about the number of aspirants of the PDP. At the end of the day, we are all democrats, we must accept (the outcome of the primary, win or lose.

    “Therefore, anybody who wins, I believe collectively we are going to work together and see that we save this country from this mess”, Bafarawa said.

  • 2019: I’ll support candidate who’ll lead Nigeria to Promise Land -Obasanjo

    Former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday declared that those destroying the country are not necessarily the bad ones perpetrating evil, but people who being in position to speak out, elected to remain silent.

    Obasanjo described such people as “Nigeria’s worse enemies,” vowing that he would not stay mute while bad things were being done, but also ready to support anybody that will take Nigeria to the promised land.

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    The elder statesman made the declaration when former Minister of Special Duties and Inter -government Affairs,  Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, visited him at his Abeokuta home, the Ogun state capital.

    Turaki was in Abeokuta to intimate Obasanjo of his ambition to join the 2019 Presidential election race in the country.

    The ex – President noted that God has endowed Nigeria with men and women who can stand their onions anywhere in the world, saying he would not relent in demanding good governance until Nigeria reaches where God destined her to be.

    “Let me say that what is happening here today or what you’re making to happen with your delegation particularly gladdens my heart. You are firming up and stabilising our democracy. Democracy is not a destination but a journey and there is no nation that can claim to have reached the final destination.

    “It is good for us as a nation and our democracy. We have said a lot of things that we have identified about what we need to put right as a country.

    “What do we lack? Why are we not where we should be? We are so divided today the way we have not been before. People are deprived socially and economically. But you know I have never lost hope.

    “The reasons are many but one of them is why we are having here today. This country has been blessed by God with men and women of calibre, who can stand their onions anywhere in the world. Why are we under-performing? Simple, leadership.

    “What you are saying in simple language is that we are not short of leadership that can perform and that leadership should be given an opportunity.

    “A nation can be destroyed not necessarily by people who are doing bad things but people who keep quiet when bad things are being done. They are worse enemy of the nation as much as those who are doing bad things.

    “For me, I’ll continue not to rest until we get this country to where God wants this country to be. There is no permanent arrangement for the indivisibility of Nigeria. I share your concern but I believe that no one can do it alone.

    “And for me, anybody who will lead Nigeria to the promised land will have my support.

    “We are in a position to do better than we are doing but in a situation of the world today, where whatever is happening can be seen instantly, we have to create a good image to the world. But some of the things we do inadvertently or inadvertently are not creating that good image,” Obasanjo said.

    According to him, Turaki’s Presidential aspiration is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria is not short of leadership that can perform if given an opportunity.

    And speaking reporters after the meeting, the former minister described it as “fruitful and encouraging.”

    “We have discussed openly, honestly and frankly about the current situation in this country and like always, Baba was of tremendous guidance to us”.

    “Baba has spoken in his vintage way of speaking passionately about the situation in Nigeria. We believe that our indivisibility as a one and united nation is given and it is non-negotiable. We feel that our unity is also non-negotiable”.

    “But within the parameters of living together and staying together as a plural and multi-ethnic complex country that God has brought together, we must learn to understand and respect each other’s feelings.

    “We must work towards ensuring that the government does perform the minimum obligation that citizens of every country expect, which is the protection of the lives and properties of Nigerians and that is why we feel that not being able to do so; the APC-led federal government has now placed Nigerians in a very sorry situation.

    “There is insecurity everywhere; there is lack of unity; there is despondency; there is hunger, there is poverty and we feel that we will be of assistance.

    “We will rise up to the situation and seek the support and mandate of our party to effect positive change that will affect the lives of Nigerians positively.

    “We have been placed in a better situation now to address fully these problems that are bedeviling the Nigerian state and when we get the ticket of our party and win the election in February 16 next year, we would be able to bring back Nigeria on the path of prosperity again,” Turaki said.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Amnesty committee gets two-month extension

    Amnesty committee gets two-month extension

    President Goodluck Jonathan has given the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North additional two months to bring about peace in the northern part of the country.

    The Chairman of the Committee and Minister of Special Duties, Barr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

    Since the committee was inaugurated three months ago, the insurgency in the north has continued, even after the committee claimed that ceasefire agreement was signed with the Boko Haram sect.

    The group had since denied any ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government.

    Lamenting the bomb blasts in Kano on Monday, Turaki maintained that it was sad that some people who do not wish the country well were bent on pulling the hand of the clock backwards despite the serious efforts the government is putting in to resolve the crisis.

     

  • Boko Haram can’t go back on ceasefire agreement – Committee

    The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, on Wednesday assured that the Boko Haram sect would not go back on the ceasefire agreement reached with the Federal Government.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), he said that the ceasefire is to last forever even though the terms and conditions of the agreement are being worked out.

    He explained that the ceasefire does not mean automatic end of state of emergency in the three affected northern states as the military would have to observe and assess the situation to be sure that normalcy has returned.

    He said: “Of course it is not something that is done for a specific period of time. It is something that should be forever. As far as we are concerned it is something that has been agreed and I don’t think there would be any basis for anybody rescinding on the agreement.”

    “Response on series of painstaking discussions we have been having with the leadership of Boko Haram, and like most of you must have heard, the directive for cease fire that was given on tape, basically they took into account, one; the sincerity of the committee which by necessary implication also the sincerity of the President regarding resolving the issue of insecurity in the north.”

    “Number two also unlike their thinking that the committee was meant to serve as a trap for them, they also realized that not only is the committee very sincere, government and indeed Mr. President is also very sincere about the whole discussions.”