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  • PDP announces new dates for National Assembly, governorship primaries

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday announced new dates for Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries.

    According to the new timetable, the last day for the purchase of submission of expression of interest and nomination forms earlier fixed for September 11, has been shifted to September 17.

    In a notice signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu and made available to reporters yesterday, the party fixed September 20 for screening of National Assembly aspirants.

    On September 15, the party will pick candidates to vie for seats in the Houses of Assembly, while appeals arising from same earlier fixed for September 17 will now hold on October 4.

    Congresses into the Houses of Assembly will hold on September 30, as against the earlier date of September 28. Appeals on these congresses hold on October 2.

    Senatorial district congresses and appeals hold on September 28 and 29, while governorship primaries (state congresses) hold on September 26, with appeals slated for September 28.

     

     

     

  • Buhari urges NASS to pass Proceeds of Crimes Bill

    Says He won’t allow diversion, embezzlement of public funds

    Malami: N769 billion recovered from looters

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday urged the National Assembly to speedily consider and pass the Proceeds of Crimes Bill.

    According to him, the provisions of the bill are crucial to effectively recovering and managing stolen assets.

    The President spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja while receiving the report of the three-man Presidential Committee set up to audit recovered funds.

    The Committee was set up to carry out a comprehensive audit of assets and funds recovered by Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria from 29th May 2015 to 22nd November 2017.

    Buhari said “However, a key tool that will revolutionize our asset recovery and management architecture is the Proceeds of Crimes Bill which is currently awaiting passage by the National Assembly.

    “Once the Bill is passed and assented, many of the challenges facing our asset recovery and management practice will be adequately taken care of as the Bill addresses most of the challenges facing effective asset recovery and management in Nigeria.

    “I therefore encourage the National Assembly to take necessary steps to pass the Bill.” he said

    On the committee, Buhari said “As a result of gaps identified in the asset recovery process and in order to foster greater accountability and transparency; when I inaugurated the Committee in November 2017, I emphasized the resolve of this administration to pursue a strong anti-corruption policy and to trace and recover stolen assets using all legal and diplomatic resources at our disposal.

    “I also directed the agencies involved to submit detailed reports of all their recovered assets by March 2017.

    “I must say that today’s event which symbolizes the successful completion of the onerous task given to this committee is another milestone in the fight against corruption; a project that is very crucial to our developing democratic governance.”

    Read Also: Buhari to open NPA conference

    Corruption, he said, constitutes a threat to the well-being, national security, and economy of Nigeria.

    “I have made it clear that this government will not allow the wanton diversion and embezzlement of public funds into private pockets.  Thus, we intend to continue taking all necessary measures to deprive looters of public assets of the fruits of their crimes.

    “It is in keeping with the Anti-corruption Policy of this Government, and in line with global best practices that this Committee was set-up to review our asset recovery and management practices in order to evolve a proper management, transparency and accountability culture in the management of recovered assets.

    “Given our history of impunity, much of Nigeria’s wealth has historically been squandered or stolen; leaving us with inadequate infrastructure for our growing population and economy. Asset Recovery is thus one of the essential tools for fighting corruption and we must therefore take issues of managing such recovered assets very seriously.”

    The President said that the proceeds of the recovered assets would be utilized optimally to address the economic and social problems in the country.

    According to him, loopholes for stealing public funds must be blocked.

    He assured that the findings and recommendations of the Committee would be carefully examined and given due consideration with a view to implementing the recommendations.

    “Our asset recovery and management system will in future be transparently, effectively and efficiently managed, and we will set-out a fresh template of public accountability in the country.” he added

    He also assured that his administration will remain committed to its promises.

    “Until Nigeria triumphs over the evil of corruption, attain a prosperous economic status and surmounts all her security challenges.” he said

    He thanked the Committee members for their service and dedication in preparing the Report.

    Speaking earlier, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami gave the breakdown and total amount of assets recovered within the period under consideration.

    He said “N3.8 million, $378 million US dollars 27,800 pounds was equally recovered from public officials.

    “In summary the recovered funds by the three man committee is N769 billion cash was recovered within the period under review.” he said

    He also disclosed that the Federal Government recovered N13.8 billion from tax evaders in May 2018.

    In May 2018, he said, government paid N439.2 million to about 14 whistle blowers who gave specific information on tax evasion.

    While thanking the President for the opportunity to serve the country, the Chairman of the Committee, Olufemi Lijadu, hoped that the report will assist the government’s efforts to ensure that recovered assets are accounted for and managed in an accurate, transparent and logical manner.

    According to him, the report is prepared in four volumes.

    He said “Volume I is the main report which contains the committee’s findings and recommendations.

    “Volume II contains the detailed schedule of cash recoveries. Volume III contains the detailed schedule of non-cash recoveries.

    “Volume IV contains correspondence with auditees. Volume V contains presentations and memoranda from auditees and professional organizations.” he said

  • 61 aspirants pick PDP nomination forms in Edo

    A total of 61 aspirants have purchased and submitted the nomination and expression of interest forms of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the Edo State House of Assembly and the National Assembly.

    It was learnt that 49 aspirants bought for the 24 Edo Assembly seat while 12 bought for the National Assembly seats.

    Read Also:Ex-Osun Assembly speaker resigns PDP membership

    The aspirants have been screened but none has been disqualified as at press time.

    Edo State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, who confirmed the figures, said the party would ensure level playing field for the aspirants.

    Nehikhare said the aspirants for the National Assembly seats have no opponents contesting against them for the party’s ticket.

  • National Assembly may cut short recess

    There were strong indications that the National Assembly may have concluded arrangements to cut short its long recess to consider the controversial Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) budget.

    It was also learnt that a special session of the two chambers became necessary to allow the National Assembly reassess the Electoral Amendment Act Bill which was turned down by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

    A source close to the National Assembly leadership told our reporters that the question of reconvening on September 25 as scheduled has been taken over by events. He noted that the likelihood of the postponement of the September 25th date of resumption is being considered due to prevailing political circumstances.

    According to him, “the All Progressives Congress (APC) fixed its governorship primaries for September 25, same day the National Assembly was scheduled to resume plenary.

    “The party also scheduled its senatorial Primaries for September 27, House Of Representatives, Saturday, September 29, State Assembly, October 2 and national convention to endorse presidential candidate for October 6.

    “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also scheduled its Presidential Primaries for October 6th.

    “It is practically impossible for anybody to expect the National Assembly to resume plenary with the political activities lined up.

    “What is likely to happen is for the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly to convoke a special session for the consideration and approval of the INEC budget.

    “I’m aware that majority of members are predisposed to cutting short the recess to enable members consider the INEC budget.

    “I am also aware that what to do with the rejected Electoral Act Amendment bill is on the table.

    “Some are saying that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill will require only a clean-up or some clerical work. But what will be done with the bill as returned by Mr. President will be decided by the two chambers.

    “What we know is that those pushing to cut short the recess appear to have upper hand.”

    The source said that the announcement for the postponement of the 25th September resumption date and a new date for resumption will be made this week, barring any other intervening circumstances.

  • Alleged N5.8bn arrears: Our threat to shut down NASS is real — Legislative aides

    Legislative aides’ warning about shutting down the National Assembly is very real this time and they may also formally call in anti-corruption agencies, if outstanding benefits totalling about N5. 8 billion are not cleared within the next one week, the 3,000-strong National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF) has declared.

    “They have promised us one week to attend to the outstanding issues. The Senate President and the Clerk of the National Assembly will meet and respond to these issues.

    “If nothing is done as we stated during our press conference, we will have no option than to approach federal anti-graft agencies to look through the books and see exactly where the problems are,” NASSLAF’s chairman, Mr. Sam Melaye, has said.

    On Tuesday, legislative aides, chanting: “We are aides and not slaves, pay us our entitlements” at the National Assembly lobby, had insisted on shutting down the National Assembly, if their allowances of over N5.8billion were not paid before  September 25-three days before the National Assembly is scheduled to resume its plenary session.

    Security operatives had called Sam Melaye, whose brother is a Senator from Kogi State, to the office of the National Assembly’s Divisional Police Officer before an unscheduled meeting with the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, who reportedly offered assurances.

    ”Like I said earlier, every aide is entitled to the Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), ranging from N75,000 to over N100,000, and we are numbering over 3,000. In simple Mathematics, you will realise that for the number of three years that these guys are owing us, we are talking about over N2 billion.

    “Training is supposed to be four times a year to every legislative aide, but with this 8th Assembly, we have not even been trained once. The minimum amount allocated for training is over N250 million. If you multiply N250 million by at least two, you will discover that annually it is at least N500 million,” Melaye said.

    ”Statutorily, the Senate President is the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Clerk is the administrative head, so there is supposed to be synergy so that the two parties will meet and resolve the issue.

    “The laptops for legislative aides are somewhere, locked up within the National Assembly; we expect that as soon as the Clerk of the National Assembly resumes, they should be released.

    The Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Omonori, has been away on leave.

     

  • Indirect primaries: ‘Fifth columnists in APC Working against Buhari’s victory’

    Senator representing Zamfara Central in the National Assembly, Senator Kabiru Marafa has said that some fifth columnists are working within the APC to frustrate the electoral victory of the party in the forth coming general election by insisting on conducting indirect primaries using a flawed list of delegates that emerged from a flawed congresses that are currently being challenged in court.

    Marafa who spoke with newsmen at the national secretariat after obtaining his nomination form to contest the governorship ticket said the initial plans was to conduct the primary through indirect option so that people can challenge the victory of the President on the excuse that his nomination was done with a list of illegal delegates.

    He said the currently leadership of the party, working in concert with the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu saw into the future and decided to isolate from such plot, insisting on conducting the Presidential primary through direct primary.

    Read Also:Katsina, Kaduna, Rivers, Imo APC adopt indirect method to pick candidates

    The Senator who said he would conduct his own primary through direct option “because I am challenging the flawed congresses in court”, said it is quite obvious and clear to all that those who are pushing for indirect primary do not mean well for the party and does not want the party to win the forth coming general election.

    He said: “I said it after the congresses that I see the activities of fifth columnists in the APC that know they cannot defeat President Buhari in the general election. So, the common fear is the fear of second term of President Muhammadu Buhari. The issue then was if you cannot beat directly, how do you beat him indirectly? That was why the congresses were done, deliberately in such a way that they cannot withstand legal scrutiny.

    “In more than 21 states, there were parallel congresses and like I said that time, I don’t need to be a lawyer, or a retired judge to know that what held in most of the state was nothing but rubbish.

    “The APC said at that time, that anybody that is desirous to contest any party office should go to the bank and make so so payments and produce the teller and collect form to contest.

    “The party constitution provides for consensus. But in the absence of consensus, there should be election. Most of these states, people made payments into APC account, obtained their tellers but the governors feel they were demi-gods who must be worshipped and are the ones that can determine the attitude of every human being in Nigeria and we said look, you cannot do that.

    “There are some of us that are radically inclined, you can’t threaten us. That is exactly what happened. Now, glory be to God, under the present leadership of the APC, they saw that these people don’t mean well for this party and decided to insulate the president. That is why the APC said, Presidential election is by direct primaries.

    “This is an admission of failure of the congresses in the States. I am very happy that the APC has protected the President because their intentions (the fifth columnists), was that after general elections, people would go and challenge the election of the President and say the President was voted for during the primary by illegal delegates.

    “The National Chairman is a very wise person, highly experienced, and is working with the leader of the party, Chief Asiwaju, who can see through machinations and do the right thing. The rest is for us, States, we can sort ourselves out, we know ourselves, we know where we came from, we know all is political.

    On the issue of whether to use direct or indirect primaries, he said “I wrote the party through my lawyers because I am in court, challenging the illegality of these congresses and I have absolute confidence in my God, I have confidence in the judicial system of Nigeria. I believe they are going to do the right thing, because it cannot stand anywhere.

    “Having seen that we conducted parallel congresses, I don’t recognize what they have, they don’t recognize what I have. The party here is at liberty to do what they want to do, the very NWC recognised a faction, but thank God, we have the judiciary, we are there, I believe it may take some time, but the judiciary will do the right thing.

    “So, we opted for direct primaries and the reason is simple. We don’t want to be like them, we don’t want to be selfish, we want APC to win Zamfara, they don’t want APC to win Zamfara, they don’t want APC to win Nigeria. There are some of the technicalities on those things but it doesn’t matter.

    “I will do my direct primary with my with my own set of executive, they will do their indirect with their own set of executive. So, when the time comes for the court to rule, if they say Marafa is right, they will go home and retire. If the court says they are right, will I going home and retire. Thank God I have done business before I came to Senate.”

    Speaking on his ambition, the Senator said “I am not overly ambitious by nature. So, the driving force behind my ambition now this time around is the condition under which my people in Zamfara state live today. The issue of insecurity in Zamfara state is a matter of concern for everybody let alone somebody like me who a section of Zamfara State has done a great thing, that I am representing the state now.

    “The attitude of the government in Zamfara state dictates that all sons and daughters of Zamfara must put their hands on deck to ensure that we deal with the issue of insecurity decisively because one can say without fear of any contradiction that as we live today, there is no government in Zamfara state.

    “It is a common knowledge that the governor has variously been described as an absentee governor. It is a common knowledge to all that when the people of Zamfara State needed the government to tackle the insecurity, the governor absconded and he came out publicly to say that he had resigned his position as Chief Security Officer of Zamfara State. In a civilised democracy, he was supposed to resign or be forced to resign.

    “When a state governor comes out to say that he has resigned his position as Chief Security Officer and is sitting tight on the seat, spending security votes, spending the money allocated to that State, I don’t know what that is supposed to be called.

    “I don’t envy anybody aspiring to be the governor of Zamfara State. I believe that I have a responsibility to the people of Zamfara State and the zone I represent who honour to me. I also believe that no amount of sacrifice is too much for the people of Zamfara State.

    “In 2011, we contested against the Federal government, the state government and the local government. We contested under the platform of the ANPP which had no Federal government at that time, no state government at that time, no local government at that time.

    “I have faith in my God and my people stood solidly behind me because the way and manner the then PDP treated me. They said go to any party that will take you and I went to ANPP that didn’t have anything and by the special grace of God, my people brought about government of Zamfara state at that time because they gave the winning votes.

    I’m sure it was not our power, it was not anything. The people believed in us and I believe the government of Zamfara State of today has failed and I think I have a duty as somebody that contributed most in bringing about that government and I believe it is the time for me to pay back to my people.”

    Marafa who is one of the most vocal Senators in the current National Assembly said honest and sincerity of purpose are the two major things needed to address the current security challenges in the state, saying “the minister of internal affairs once had course to say that if you like, deploy all the military in Nigeria to Zamfara, they can achieve nothing because the government on ground is not interested in anything.

    “Like I said earlier, the governor has been variously an absentee governor. As I am talking right now, he is not in this country. Imagine, the Chief Security Officer has been absent in his country for more than 9 days, men and women are fleeing their hometowns.

    “In Zamfara, between 2011 and today, we have lost over 15,000 people. If you take a minimum of two wives per person, that means we have minimum of 30,000 widows. If you have a minimum of four children per person, we have 60,000 orphans. Who is feeding these children? Nobody is asking, nobody is interested, there is no IDPs in Zamfara, nobody is asking these questions, who is taking care of these widows?

    “Recently, when the Federal ministry of agriculture distributed grains, Zamfara state was missing. I was emotional at the floor of the Senate to make a case for Zamfara State. This is the duty we have. As Nigerians, we all have responsibilities.”

     

  • N5.8b allowance: Legislative aides threaten to shut down N/Assembly 

    Legislative aides on Tuesday threatened to shut down the National Assembly if their allowances of over N5.8billion were not paid before 25th September, 2018.

    The National Assembly is expected to resume plenary on September 28.

    Read Also:PDP to N/Assembly: Override Buhari’s veto on Electoral bill

    The legislative aides issued their threat at the National Assembly lobby amidst the shout “we are aides and not slaves, pay us our entitlements.”

    Chairman of the aggrieved aides, Comrade Sam Melaye insisted that the entitlements totaling over N5.8 billion, must be paid before resumption of the lawmakers this month.

    He said that failure to pay them would lead to shut down of the National Assembly.

    The entitlements, he said, included Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) which has not been paid to any them in the last three years (about N2billion) and training allowances which is about N1billion per year, totaling N3billion.

    Melaye said, “By laid down procedures and yearly budgetary provisions of N250m on quarterly basis,  each of the legislatives aides is expected to go for training on the template of capacity building the totality of which is N1bn per year but for the past three years, no category of the aides have been sent on any training , let alone , paid the required allowances”

    He said that the aides under the aegis of National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (ASSLAF) , have made concerted efforts to get the leadership of the National Assembly to the pay allowances without any response.

    Though the Clerk to the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh, had audience with the aggrieved aides, the protesting aides returned to the lobby shouting “no retreat, no surrender.”

  • Buhari turns down nine bills passed by National Assembly

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to eight bills passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to him for assent.

    This is coming as Buhari gave reasons for his refusal to sign the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018.

     A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, listed Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018; National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill, 2018; and The Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2017, as the affected Bills.

    Others also affected included The Chartered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Establishment) Bill, 2018; The Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, 2018; National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Establishment) Bill, 2018; National Research and Innovation Council (Establishment) Bill, 2017; Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2017,

    Enang said that the refusal of President Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 stemmed from “some drafting issues that remain unaddressed following the prior revisions to the Bill.’’

    He said, “His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has by communication dated August 30, 2018, to the Senate and the House of Representatives declined Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

    “I pray for leave, that in view of public interest, the fact of the National Assembly vacation, the imperative to avoid speculation and misinformation, that I give just a few of the rationale by Mr. President.

    ‘’Mr. President is declining assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill due to some drafting issues that remain unaddressed following the prior revisions to the Bill.

    “Mr. President invites the Senate and House of Representatives to address these issues as quickly as possible so that he may grant President Assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill.

    “A few of the outstanding issues are: ‘’There is a cross referencing error in the proposed amendment to Section 18 of the Bill. The appropriate amendment is to substitute the existing sub-section (2) with the proposed subsection (1A), while the proposed sub-section (1B) is the new sub-section (2A)’’

    ‘’The proposed amendment to include a new Section 87 (14) which stipulates a specific period within which political party primaries are required to be held has the unintended consequence of leaving INEC with only 9 days to collate and compile lists of candidates and political parties as well manage the primaries of 91 political parties for the various elections.

    “This is because the Electoral Amendment Bill does not amend sections 31, 34 and 85 which stipulates times for the submission of lists of candidates, publication of lists of candidates and notice of convention, congresses for nominating candidates for elections.’’

    For clarity, may I provide some details of the provisions referenced.

    Clause 87 (14) states ‘’The dates for the primaries shall not be earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days before the date of elections to the offices.

    “The Electoral Act 2010 referred to herein states; in Section 31:

    Section 31:  ‘’That every Political Party shall not later than 60 days before the date appointed for a     general election submit to the Commission the list of candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections.

    “Section 34: ‘’That the Commission shall at least 30 days before the day of the election publish a statement of the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated.

    Section 85 (1) “That a Political Party shall give the Commission at least Twenty-one days’ notice of any convention, congress etc., for electing members of its executive committees or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices.’’

    “For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Constitution nor any written law allows a President or a Governor to whom a Bill is forwarded by the Legislature to edit, correct, amend or in any manner alter the provisions of any such Bill to reflect appropriate intent before Assenting to same. He is to ASSENT in the manner it is or to withhold ASSENT.”

    The Presidential aide noted that on the other affected Bills transmitted to the President for assent, Buhari has communicated his action to the National Assembly.

  • Crisis rocks PDP over automatic tickets for N/Assembly members

    Alleged offer of automatic tickets to serving members of the two chambers of the National Assembly for the 2019 elections, has sparked crisis between the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s intending aspirants across the states.

    The protesters, who stormed the party’s Abuja secretariat on Monday, demanded a level play field for all aspirants through free, fair and transparent primary elections across the states.

    One of the protesting groups from Kogi State said offering automatic tickets to the lawmakers was in clear violation of the Electoral Act, the PDP constitution and the party’s guidelines.

    In an address read by Dr. Halimat Hamzat on behalf of the group, the aspirants insisted that they must be given equal opportunity to be voted for, either through delegates election or direct primaries.

    Dr. Hamzat said the party’s plot offer automatic tickets to the lawmakers was uncovered last week when an aspirant for the  House of Representatives visited the Abuja home of one of the party’s leaders, where he met a serving PDP senator.

    According to Hamzat, the senator was said to have told the aspirant that tickets for all the National Assembly positions had already been allocated to serving members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    Read Also: Restructuring: Only N/Assembly has the power – Dogara

    “As if that was not enough, Senator Dino Melaye met with all the members of the seven local governments in Kogi West on Friday and boasted that the issue of senatorial ticket had been settled by the highest organs of the party.

    “Melaye also told them that PDP’s senatorial ticket for Kogi West had already been given to him, even as someone who recently defected to the PDP. This is in total disregard for the interests, eligibility and qualification of other aspirants”, Dr. Hamzat said.

    The group expressed reservations about the possibility of the party leadership conducting free, fair and transparent primaries into the available senatorial and House of Representatives seats.

    The aggrieved aspirants reminded the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus of his often repeated pledge to do away with impunity and imposition of candidates for elections.

    Although none of the national officers of the PDP was ready to speak on the matter yesterday, it was however gathered that offer of automatic tickets was one of the concessions the party made to serving lawmakers that recently defected to the PDP.

    But the aspirants cautioned against the move, urging the party against manipulation of the nomination process to avoid what they described as a looming fragmentation of the PDP across the states.

    “We the aspirants for legislative seats in the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP shall collectively and wholeheartedly work for the interest of the party and any candidate duly nominated through transparent primary election.

    “But should the party proceed with its pre-determined or manipulated primary elections to nominate any candidate, an implosion that would be inimical to the interest of the party might occur”, the aspirants vowed.

  • Crisis rocks PDP over automatic tickets for N/Assembly members

    Alleged offer of automatic tickets to serving members of the two chambers of the National Assembly for the 2019 elections, has sparked crisis between the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s intending aspirants across the states.

    The protesters, who stormed the party’s Abuja secretariat on Monday, demanded a level play field for all aspirants through free, fair and transparent primary elections across the states.

    Read Also:Tambuwal: I won’t quit PDP if I fail to get presidential ticket

    One of the protesting groups from Kogi State said offering automatic tickets to the lawmakers was in clear violation of the Electoral Act, the PDP constitution and the party’s guidelines.

    In an address read by Dr. Halimat Hamzat on behalf of the group, the aspirants insisted that they must be given equal opportunity to be voted for, either through delegates’ election or direct primaries.

    Dr. Hamzat said the party’s plot offer automatic tickets to the lawmakers was uncovered last week when an aspirant for the  House of Representatives visited the Abuja home of one of the party’s leaders, where he met a serving PDP senator.

    According to Hamzat, the senator was said to have told the aspirant that tickets for all the National Assembly positions had already been allocated to serving members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

    “As if that was not enough, Senator Dino Melaye met with all the members of the seven local governments in Kogi West on Friday and boasted that the issue of senatorial ticket had been settled by the highest organs of the party.

    “Melaye also told them that PDP’s senatorial ticket for Kogi West had already been given to him, even as someone who recently defected to the PDP. This is in total disregard for the interests, eligibility and qualification of other aspirants”, Dr. Hamzat said.

    The group expressed reservations about the possibility of the party leadership conducting free, fair and transparent primaries into the available senatorial and House of Representatives seats.

    The aggrieved aspirants reminded the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus of his often repeated pledge to do away with impunity and imposition of candidates for elections.

    Although none of the national officers of the PDP was ready to speak on the matter yesterday, it was however gathered that offer of automatic tickets was one of the concessions the party made to serving lawmakers that recently defected to the PDP.

    But the aspirants cautioned against the move, urging the party against manipulation of the nomination process to avoid what they described as a looming fragmentation of the PDP across the states.

    “We the aspirants for legislative seats in the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP shall collectively and wholeheartedly work for the interest of the party and any candidate duly nominated through transparent primary election.

    “But should the party proceed with its pre-determined or manipulated primary elections to nominate any candidate, an implosion that would be inimical to the interest of the party might occur”, the aspirants vowed.”