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Tag: Kola Ologbondiyan

  • PDP knocks Buhari, APC over handling of MTN fine

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to come out clear on allegations of corruption and sharp practices that have pervaded the recovery of the N1.03tn fine imposed on telecom giant, MTN Nigeria.

    In a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari and his administration have a lot of questions to answer on how the fine was reduced to N330 billion.

    The party tasked the Presidency to address allegations that certain interests in the Presidential villa, said to be very close to President Buhari, allegedly took a bribe of N500 million to reduce the fine imposed on the telecom firm.

    The statement said, “It is, to say the least, disgusting that while this allegation of bribery at the Villa has remained uncleared by the Presidency, President Buhari, the same African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion, on Wednesday, approved the frittering of another N500 million from the same fund, under controversial claims of professional fees to unnamed persons for unspecified services.

    Read Also: APC governors visit Buhari

    “For a government that prides itself as fighting corruption, the nation had long expected Mr. President to clear the air on the sordid allegation of bribery in the Presidential Villa. Rather than progressing in that direction, President Buhari has continued to act as if the demand by Nigerians, to know the truth about the alleged bribery in the villa over the payment of MTN fine, does not matter.

    “Furthermore, the PDP challenges President Buhari to come out clear on the basis for the purported N500million professional fee. What due process instruments did he rely upon? Who are these lawyers? Who contracted them; under what terms and what services did they render that were beyond the Attorney General of the Federation and the team of lawyers at the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the Ministry of Justice?

    “Now that it has become clear that the Buhari Presidency is entangled in sleazes over the NTN fine saga, the PDP charges President Buhari to end his concealment of corruption in the villa and show his sincerity by allowing an open inquest into his administration’s dealings on the MTN fine payment”.

  • PDP mocks Buhari’s ‘image laundering’ trip to Morocco

    …says Nigerians can’t be deceived

     

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed what it described as “image rescue effort” by President Muhammadu Buhari during his last visit to Morocco.

    A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the reception given to President Buhari by the Moroccan Prime Minister, Saadeddine Othman, was a poorly packaged deception to sugarcoat his deep-seated disdain for Nigerian youths.

    The party observed that President Buhari’s “sudden praise-singing” of Nigerian youths in faraway Morocco was only a desperate afterthought aimed at reversing the public opprobrium he earned himself over his “lazy youths and lovers of freebies” comment, and not borne out of genuine regard for the youths.

    The statement said, “Unfortunately for Mr. President, our youths now know better and can no longer fall for his tricks.

    “Every Nigerian is aware of President Buhari’s disdain for our citizens and his reported comments in Morocco as inconsistent with his known beliefs and dispositions.

    “Nigerians recall that in a most recent gaffe, Mr President described the members of our National Assembly as idle and unproductive just as he dismissed our youths as unfit to run for Presidency in 2019, even while signing the “Not Too Young To Run” bill into an Act.

    Read Also:Nigerians intellectually aggressive, economically ambitious – Buhari

    “Perhaps, this explains why his handlers resorted to heavily edited press statement on the Morocco visit”.

    The PDP said President Buhari’s visit to the Moroccan Prime Minister cannot wash away the “disgraceful invectives” he openly poured on the energetic and vivacious Nigerian youths at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in Lindon, in the presence of other world leaders.

    The party said it would need another CHOGM in London to remove the President’s “lazy and lover of freebies” stamp on youths.

    “The PDP is aware of the desperate bid by President Buhari to stop at nothing to beguile the citizens once again that election is around the corner.

    “However, it is important to inform him that Nigerians now know his true colours and will reject any design to take them on a second ride to nowhere.

    “President Buhari should therefore end his gimmicks and let go of straws. He should amply come to terms with the fact that the only expectation Nigerians require of him is to tender a direct apology for his abysmal performance and get prepared to leave the stage for a more innovative, and people-oriented President which Nigerians will elect on the platform of the PDP, come 2019,” the statement added.

  • PDP alleges media trial of opposition members

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned what it described as unrelenting media trial and persecution of opposition members and perceived opponents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through anti-graft agencies.

    The Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja said members of the opposition were being persecuted under the guise of fighting corruption.

    Ologbondiyan said that whereas the PDP is in no way opposed to the fight against corruption, it is completely against government’s resort to media trial and constant harassment of opposition.

    He said the party was against unlawful detention and trumped-up charges against opposition members, using various anti-graft agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “The PDP particularly rejects the emerging trend by the EFCC, wherein accused persons and individuals who are still under investigation on alleged corruption charges are paraded and forced to hang criminal tags.

    Read Also: 2019: PDP counters Buhari, says youth free to contest Presidency

    “This was meted out to former Kaduna State Governor Muktar Yero, even when he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction.

    “The PDP is totally against the desperation by the EFCC, working under the instruction of the APC, to declare a guilty verdict on accused persons without trial by the courts.

    “This is all in the bid to bring perceived political opponents to public odium and emasculate the opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.’’

    Ologbondiyan said the PDP also reject direct interference in on-going cases, including those in courts, by appointees of the Presidency, particularly members of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption.

    He said the comments and actions of the appointees had continued to escalate media trials and other irregularities in the handling of such cases.

    “The PDP insists, in very unequivocal terms, that we can no longer continue to stomach the hijacking of the duties of the judiciary by agencies of the executive under the instructions of the Presidency.

    “Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier raised the alarm over this unrelenting assault, harassment, and persecution of opposition members under the guise of fight against corruption,’’ he said.

    Ologbondiyan said the fight against corruption must be prosecuted within the ambits of the provisions of the law.

    “Corruption fight cannot be used as an instrument of persecution and clampdown against the opposition,’’ he said.

  • 2019: PDP counters Buhari, says youth free to contest Presidency

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s call on youths not to contest the 2019 presidential election with him, but to wait till 2023.

    In response to the President’s admonition, the PDP said on the contrary, nothing stops the youths from taking a shot at the Presidency in 2019.

    The party, in a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari’s position was in line with the policy of the All Progressives Congress(APC), not to allow young people aspire to top positions in the country.

    It accused President Buhari and the ruling APC of frustrating the active participation of youths and women in active politics and governance.

    The opposition party said, “It is unimaginable that a President can sign a law and immediately seek to suspend it. President Buhari’s attempt to talk down on and intimidate the youths from contesting against him in 2019 shows that he is not in support of the Not Too Young To Run law and only assented to it because he had no other option under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Read Also: Buhari to youths: Wait till 2023 for Presidency

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to be alert and wary of booby traps as well as land mines that the APC and the Presidency will set on the way to scuttle the quest for our youths to fully participate and aspire in our democratic process”.

    The PDP called on youths in the country to rally the opposition in the task to rescue the country from the grip of the APC in the next general election.

    The party noted that President Buhari and the ruling party have shown that they have nothing to offer the youths, and as such should be rejected in the 2019 elections.

    Also reacting to the President’s message, the National Youth Leader of the PDP, Mr. Sunday Ude-Okoye, said the would continue to champion the cause of young persons in the country.

    Ude-Okoye, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Friday observed that the PDP appointed many young persons into sensitive positions during its 16 years reign.

    According to him, the party would continue to run a youth friendly government if voted back to power in 2019.

  • PDP to Buhari: Not too young to run is our initiative

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for attempting to parade themselves as the architects of the ‘Not Too Young to Run Act’.

    A statement on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said the bill that culminated in the passage of the Act, was sponsored and pursued by the PDP members in the National Assembly and State houses of assembly.

    The statement said, “It is instructive to note that President Buhari had no input whatsoever in the bill; never showed any support or enthusiasm towards the initiative and had no option than to perform a mandatory constitutional duty of assenting to the bill, as a clear reflection of the mood of the nation, given that the bill had already found an easy passage to the crucibles of the required approval of two-third of states in the federation.

    “This development is indeed a democratic victory for the Nigerian youths over forces, particularly, the APC, that had hitherto disdained and disregarded them as lazy and inconsequential, but had to succumb to the dictates of the law and pressure by the youths and the PDP.

    “The party commends the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Tony Nwulu (PDP, Lagos), other legislators who supported the process and the resilience of the Nigerian youths in getting the initiative through, in line with the vision of the PDP to allow younger Nigerians to actively participate in elective positions in governance at all levels.

    Read Also: Buhari has become unpopular – PDP

    “In preparation for the passage of the bill, the PDP had since launched our ‘Generation Next Movement’, which has already put younger Nigerians at vantage positions to participate in elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    “In line with the ‘Generation Next Movement’, the rebranded PDP among other pro-youth incentives, has since approved certain critical clauses and waivers so that the young people will actively vie for positions in the 2019 general elections.

    “In line with our dream of providing enabling environment for youths participation in elections and governance, the PDP, after winning in 2019, will further lower the age qualification to entrench our vision that ‘whoever can vote can be voted for’, which is a global standard.

    “The PDP therefore urged the Nigerian youths to immediately take advantage of the Generation Next platform and incentives already established by the repositioned PDP and actively participate in the collective quest to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC”.

  • PDP expresses concern over alleged plot against Saraki

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has expresses concerned over claims by the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki alleging plots by the Police to frame him up.

    Saraki had, during Wednesday’s plenary, informed his colleagues that the police authorities had perfected plans to use suspected cultists, who have been in detention, to implicate him and the Governor of Kwara state, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    In a statement on Wednesday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the PDP, as a party, has taken judicious note of assertions by the Senate President that the said plot is allegedly being hatched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim.

    According to the President of the Senate, the IGP was out to settle scores with him over the Senate recent declaration that the police boss was not fit to hold public office.

    The statement said, “The PDP is alarmed by the trend of brazen assaults on the institutions of democracy, particularly the National Assembly and the judiciary, in addition to unrelenting attacks on dissenting voices, especially as we approach the 2019 general elections.

    “Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier alerted of plots to arrest, harass, detain dissenting voices and opposition members on trumped-up charges, as well as intimidate institutions of democracy and pave the way for a one-party state in our country.

    Read Also: Saraki to meet Buhari over ‘IGP’s plot to implicate him’

    “Nigerians will further recall the invasion of the Senate chambers by thugs, who disrupted proceedings and carted away the mace. Only last Friday, hoodlums violently attacked a High Court in Rivers state with guns, in a bid to stop the judiciary from making pronouncements on an electoral matter.

    “The PDP therefore charges the National Assembly to defend the nation’s democracy by sparing no energy in pursuing its resolution of engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on these assaults, in addition to putting in motion, all legislative instruments available to it, to curtail all excesses in government before the situation finally gets out of hand”.

  • PDP calls for arrest, prosecution of court attackers

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of hoodlums that attacked and disrupted activities of a High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last Friday.

    Some armed hoodlums had stormed the court premises, shooting sporadically and destroying properties within the court premises.

    The court was billed to hear a case involving two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Rivers State chapter before it was attacked by the yet to be apprehended gunmen.

    A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians were alarmed that armed thugs, sponsored by some chieftains of the APC shot their way through, assaulted judicial officers and disrupted proceedings in a bid to stop the court from giving a ruling against them.

    The statement said, “It is instructive to note that the attack came on a day the court set aside to make pronouncement on a suit related to APC’s ward congresses for which some APC leaders in a faction allegedly aligned with the Presidency, including a serving minister, unleashed hoodlums on the court.

    “We are particularly alarmed that since the attack, no arrest has been made, while the Federal Government has not taken any concrete steps to bring the perpetrators of this treasonable act to book.

    “The failure of the APC-led Federal Government to act validates allegations that the attack was coordinated as part of the design to intimidate and emasculate the judiciary and ultimately erode its ability to boldly dispense justice on election matters, ahead of the 2019 general election, having realized the electoral failure that awaits the APC.

    Read Also: PDP to Buhari, APC: ignore our request at your own risk

    “We are also aware of secret interferences, threats, harassments and coercion of judicial officers, since the sting operation on judges, to do APC’s bidding in cases related to PDP members as well as the 2019 elections

    “Furthermore, we note that this assault on the judiciary is coming on the heels of the invasion of the National Assembly by hoodlums sponsored by the agents of the APC, who brazenly stormed the Senate chambers, disrupted proceedings, threatened our lawmakers and carted away the mace, after which none of them has been brought to book”.

    The opposition party called on Nigerians rise up and resist what it described as a drift towards fascism, adding that Nigerians worked hard for the nation’s democracy.

    It urged the people not to fold their hands while some people attempt to destroy the hard earned democracy with their lust for political power.

    “Finally, while we urge the judiciary to do all to protect itself against the onslaught of the APC, we want the APC to come to terms with the fact that no amount of intimidation, violent attacks, harassment and smear campaign can stop Nigerians in their determination to rally on the platform of the repositioned PDP to end this misrule and return our nation to that path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity, come 2019”

  • PDP tasks Buhari on health workers’ strike

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described the refusal by President Muhammadu Buhari to address the ongoing strike action by health workers across the country as a clear manifestation of insensitivity to the plight and suffering of Nigerians.

    Lamenting the anguish of hundreds of Nigerians who are abandoned and dying by the day in public hospitals as a result of the strike, the PDP accused President Buhari of not attaching any importance to issues effecting the average Nigerian.

    In a statement on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said it’s the height of insensitivity for the President to be embarking on frequent medical tourism abroad while poor Nigerians in dire need of medical attention are left to suffer.

    Read Also: ‘PDP will defeat APC’

    The statement said, “As if that was not enough, upon his return to Nigeria, instead of summoning an emergency meeting of critical stakeholders to find solution to the problem, Mr. President abandoned the striking health workers and chose to organize and attend a political rally in Jigawa state for a doomed 2019 re-election bid.

    “Such aloofness by the government is directly responsible for the escalation of killings and bloodletting in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Kogi, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna states and other parts of the country, where marauders and insurgents are pillaging our citizens as if overlooking the plight of Nigerians has become a state policy.

    “In the PDP, the health, security and welfare of Nigerians remain pivotal to us and that is why we feel pained that compatriots are dying in their numbers because of the refusal of the Buhari-led APC administration to address the health workers’ strike.

    “The PDP, therefore, stands with Nigerians at this critical time. We identify with the sick and those who have lost their loved ones under this present circumstance and urge all public-spirited individuals, humanitarian organizations and the international community to come to the aid of our nation, since it has become clear that the Buhari administration has no agenda for the health sector.

    “Furthermore, while we plead with the health workers to be open to ways to solve the problem, we charge Nigerians to support one another and adhere to all health etiquettes to forestall an outbreak of epidemic and health crisis.

    “Finally, the world have now seen why Nigerians have reached a consensus not to allow this insensitive and anti-people APC administration to continue beyond 2019”.

  • CHOGM: Stop de-marketing Nigeria, PDP tells Buhari

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to show leadership and stop allowing his re-election interest to further de-market the nation and block Nigeria’s chances of accessing international help in critical sectors.

    In a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party faulted the President’s claims when he told the British Prime Minister, Theresa May that he’s not preoccupied with the 2019 general election.

    According to the opposition party, the world is already aware that President Buhari’s 2019 campaign is already on stream.

    The statement said, “All over the world, well-meaning leaders relegate their personal interests, accept responsibility in the face of failure and use every opportunity to seek help and remedy a bad situation.

    “Nigerians are therefore miffed that instead of presenting the true state of affairs in our country under his watch, particularly, the comatose economy and worsened insecurity, President Buhari, obviously in a bid to give an impression of performance, chose to understate the challenges, thereby jeopardizing the chances of securing much needed international support for the country.

    “We are shocked that rather that engaging his international hosts on ways to pull our economy from the biting recession, President Buhari opted for self-praise, brandishing unsubstantiated record of achievements, thus stalling possible beneficial bilateral discussions and engagements in that area.

    “Is it not a disservice that President Buhari is sounding brass in London instead of seeking solution to the woes the poor policies of his administration have plunged our nation into?

    “In the last three years, under his watch, there have been little or no direct foreign investments; critical infrastructure has collapsed, with multinational companies relocating to other countries. Nigeria is no longer among the first ten investment destinations in Africa, leading to mass closure of businesses, massive job losses and biting poverty in the country.

    “Furthermore, is it not preposterous that President Buhari told the British Prime Minister that his administration is achieving food security when in truth, we are facing a major food crisis in Nigeria, with prices of staple food, particularly rice, now beyond the reach of the citizens?

    “Additionally, we are sure that the British Prime Minister will be pleasantly amazed over President Buhari’s success claims on security as the international community is aware that security concerns have worsened under his watch, with daily bloodletting and marauding of communities turning our nation into a large killing field”.

    The PDP expressed surprise that the President failed to seize the moment to open serious bilateral talks on practical strategies to end the scourge and ensure the safety for Nigerians, especially given his recent declaration that the marauders were deserters from Libya.

    “In spite of his belief to the contrary, it is obvious that President Buhari is completely preoccupied with his 2019 re-election ambition for which governance and the welfare of Nigerians have completely taken the back seat.

    “Finally, we hope that President Buhari would have the opportunity to address the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and we implore him to use the august occasion to present the true state of affairs in our dear country and seek help, so that Nigeria will access the necessary assistance from the international community”.

  • PDP calls for inquest into Shiite/security clash in Abuja 

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded for an immediate inquest into the violent clash between security forces and members of the Shiite movement, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    The party expressed grave worry over the handling of security in the nation’s capital and the near breakdown of law and order, which resulted in stampede and disruption of public and private businesses in the city center.

    In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP noted that the clash was as a result of protests by the Shiites over the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

    The Shiites leader had been granted bail by the court but the government has continued to keep him in custody, a development the PDP described show of force and infringement on citizens’ rights.

    “Furthermore, the PDP and indeed all lovers of democracy across the country are deeply concerned by the continued erosion of democratic tenets by the APC administration, resulting in avoidable crisis in various parts of the country.

    “The PDP sues for calm while demanding for an immediate inquest into the cause of this clash.

    “We also urge security high commands to ensure that this matter is nipped in the bud with the highest level of professionalism,” the statement added.

    Read Also: Police disperse Shiite protesters