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Tag: National Chairman of PDP

  • Dipo’s loss devastating – Bode George

    Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday said he was extremely pained by the death of his first son, Dipo.

    George spoke when the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, led other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to George’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a condolence visit.

    Also on the visit was the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Mr Moshood Salvador and other party executives in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dipo died on Thursday after a protracted illness in a Lagos hospital at the age of 42.

    George, his wife, Roli, and other family members received Secondus and his entourage.

    George said he and other family members were devastated not only because the deceased was his first son, but also that he was a good child.

    He said Dipo was a child that any father would be proud of because of his accomplishments and good ways.

    George said the late Dipo was very humble, as he interacted freely with everyone irrespective of class or status.

    “He was such a good person who was free with everyone and interacted with people.

    “Dipo carved a niche for himself with his enviable accomplishments. He was passionate about the country and he constantly shared his thoughts about national issues.

    “He was a child every father will be proud of. His demise is painful. ”

    George, however, said as sad as the family felt about the deceased’s demise, there was nothing they could do about the loss.

    He said the family would try, albeit hard, to move on after the unfortunate incident.

    George said he and his family trusted in God to grant the deceased son peaceful repose.

    He thanked Secondus and other NWC members for the visit.

    George said the show of support to him and his family had strengthened his belief in PDP as one big family.

    He explained that his commitment to the PDP was total and that he would never leave the party.

    George commended Secondus for his efforts at repositioning the party since he became its chairman.

    He said there would always be issues in a party with diverse people like PDP, and urged Secondus to use his position to stabilise and strengthen the party.

    George also called on all members to see the PDP as their project and work toward its progress.

    Earlier, Secondus said the party was pained by the demise of the deceased just like the family.

    He described George as a prominent member of PDP, noting that whatever affected him would touch the party.

    “We share in your grief at this moment; we are with you and your family.

    “We feel your pain. Losing a son, a first son for that matter, is always a painful thing to parents.

    “We know the feeling in your family right now. One of the future leaders of the country is gone. We sympathise with you, ” he said.

    Secondus prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased’s soul and asked God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the great loss.

    Read Also: Bode George’s son’s burial Thursday

  • South-south PDP leaders bow to vote out APC in 2019

    South-south PDP leaders bow to vote out APC in 2019

    Leaders of the South -south  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led states on Monday reiterated the resolve to work in  unity to ensure the party forms the next  Federal Government in 2019.

    The people make the declaration in a zonal Executive council meeting they held at the brick house in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

    Attended by key national leaders of the party from the zone, the people outlined some of the charges against the ruling Federal Government(FG), to include failure in providing good governance in the country, destruction if the economy, destabilization of the nation’s security infrastructure even as they have made the country to slide into unprecedented suffering.

    Following these ills, the Leaders are of the opinion that the need to vote out the ruling party out of office next year is not negotiable, in order to salvage what was left of the country.

    Speaking at the meeting, the host governor Nyesom Wike stated that the PDP leaders will do everything possible to ensure that the party emerges victorious in 2019.

    He said: “For us, what we want is free and fair elections for Nigerians to determine the future  of the country.  Nigerians are tired of the APC.

    “Nigerians have seen that the so called social group that calls itself a Political party is a failure. The only political party in the country  is PDP. APC took power by deceit, but they cannot govern”.

    He urged PDP leaders to remain focused as they have  a duty to salvage the country and set it on the path of growth.

    National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said that the country has collapsed, with  the Presidential Villa in ruins, necessitating  the solemn struggle to salvage the country in 2019.

    He said: “This crisis is no longer a laughing matter. The country  is coming to an end and we must rescue the nation “.

    The National Chairman said that PDP Governors are the only performing governors, while their APC counterparts  have failed their respective  states. He added that Ministers in the Buhari administrations   have failed to perform.

    “Come 2019, Nigeria will be liberated from the hands of the APC. The APC has lost ground in all the six geo-political zones. We have to take one final step to sack the APC vengeance government “, Secondus said.

    Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson called on the party leaders to support Prince Uche Secondus as he works towards a PDP victory in 2019.

    Also speaking, Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel said that the South-South forms the foundation for the revival of the country.

    Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio assured that the National Assembly will work with other PDP leaders to ensure that the APC is sent packing in 2019.

    A minute silence was observed  in honour of victims of the nationwide breakdown of security.

    Read Also:2019: PDP rejects automatic tickets for Atiku, other defectors

  • Makarfi to Sheriff: Let us resign

    Makarfi to Sheriff: Let us resign

     

    …Sheriff declines, says Makarfi scheming for presidential ticket

     

     

    The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has offered to resign his position and called on the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff to also resign.

    Makarfi said he was ready to resign, in line with the directive by former President Goodluck Jonathan asking him and Sheriff to step aside to allow the ongoing reconciliation efforts achieve results.

    But Sheriff has declined, insisting that he would go ahead to conduct the party’s planned national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30 by a reconciliation committee headed by the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    The two factions traded accusations at separate media briefings in Abuja on Monday.

    Spokesman of the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said Makarfi and Sheriff’s resignation would create a level playing field for the party to build trust and confidence in the members.

    Adeyeye said, “We accepted President Goodluck Jonathan and the Governors’ comprehensive political solution. It called for the resignation of Senator Sheriff and the so called NWC and also the National Caretaker Committee to create a level playing field for all, and to build trust among all members.

    “We in the caretaker committee have agreed to resign as directed by former President Jonathan and the governors, but Sheriff has refused.

    “The agreement is then to be submitted to the Supreme Court as the judgment of the Court. This would have provided both political and legal solution to the logjam.

    “But Senator Sheriff rejected it and has continued to insist that he would conduct a national convention even when he does not enjoy the trust and confidence of the vast majority of party members.

    “It is therefore very clear who has a personal or hidden agenda. And I dare say, it is Senator Sheriff and not the National Caretaker Committee.

    “The Caretaker Committee has stated severally that it will go anytime that it is asked to do so by the organs of the party. We have no personal agenda or interest and we will not stay a day longer than permitted by the critical organs of the party”.

    Rebuffing the call for resignation, Sheriff, who spoke through his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, accused Makarfi of scheming to get the party’s presidential ticket for the 2019 election.

    Ojougboh said it’s Makarfi’s presidential ambition that is stalling reconciliation efforts in the party, adding that it’s for the same reason the former Kaduna State Governor has opposed the planned convention under Sheriff.

    He said, “Makarfi wants a situation where he will tailor-make the convention to suit his interest because he has come out to say that he will be contesting for the presidency of the country.

    “We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual. That is why Sheriff said he would throw everything open. That is why we are studying the position of the reconciliation committee and that is good enough to advance our party.

    “The reason why the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet. All the organs of the party are cueing into the reconciliation plan and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out.

    “After that, Senator Makarfi can only come as a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT)”.

    Ojougboh further alleged that Makarfi’s opposition to the planned convention stemmed from a N50 million monthly subvention the caretaker committee has been collecting from the party’s governors.

    “They know that the N50 million monthly subventions Makarfi gets from the governors will stop after the reconciliation and convention. They know that as soon as the ongoing reconciliation pulls through they will no longer exist”, Ojougboh said.

    But Adeyeye described Ojougboh’s allegation as blackmail that is too cheap and too simplistic.

    “This is a lie from the pit of hell and a very cheap and unintelligent attempt at blackmail. It is a known fact by all critical stakeholders of the party and even the staff that the National Caretaker Committee have from inception been hamstrung by inadequate finance.

    “So much so that simple secretariat duties have been a struggle while we have been unable to pay staff salaries of just N18 Million a month. Members of the National Caretaker Committee do not enjoy any remuneration.

    “It is a selfless service. It is therefore a figment of his imagination to say that the governors give the National Caretaker Committee N50 million monthly.

    “The Governors are all alive and are free to come forward and declare publicly their level of contributions to the National Caretaker Committee since May 21, 2016”, Adeyeye retorted.

    According to him, it’s normal for organs of the party to freely make contributions towards the running of the party, stressing that there is nothing illegal about in receiving contributions from party members.

    “Our only regret is that these contributions have not been forthcoming as expected, given the heavy weight of responsibilities placed before us and especially the burden of having to deal with distractions caused by Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.

    “Nevertheless, no matter how little, it is better to be funded by our party members than by the All Progressive Congress (APC) as is the case with Senator Sheriff and his cohorts.

    “Dr. Cairo Ojougboh should tell us which APC Governor, Minister or official bought Jeeps for them? Governor Fayose has also made a public allegation that Senator Sheriff had received the sum of $1 million from the APC to organize a new convention. Senator Sheriff is yet to publicly refute the allegation”.
    “The only thing that matters to Dr. ojougboh is his own selfish and personal interest to be Deputy National Chairman at all cost. If he is offered that position today by the party, he would not think twice to abandon Sheriff. He has no locus to speak or act on behalf of the party”.

    Makarfi accused Sheriff of dodging service from the Supreme Court, as he has continued to avoid being served with cross appeal documents from the apex court.

    He urged the party chair to make himself available to be served the court papers if he believed in the merit of his case.

    “Finally, we want to ask why Senator Sheriff is running away from justice by avoiding service from the Supreme Court.

    “This is very unfair from a man who has been using the court to further his own selfish ends. He should accept service and face his case squarely if he believes in the merit of his cause”.

    Makarfi had approached the Supreme Court, challenging the February 17 judgment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal that affirmed Sheriff as chairman of the PDP.

     

  • Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

    Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

     

    The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has expressed displeasure with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

    Makarfi’s anger at Dickson stemmed from the publicity given the governor’s presentation of a committee report to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff on Tuesday.

    Among others, the said report contained recommendations for the conduct of a national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30.

    In a statement he circulated in Abuja on Wednesday, Makarfi faulted the Bayelsa Governor for making the report public without consultation with relevant stakeholders.

    According to him, the governor spurned advice to circulate and consult widely with key organs and stakeholders, adding that the said report was still subject to review and amendment.

    Makarfi said Dickson presented him with a draft of the report and that he had advised the governor to ensure proper consultation and effect some changes before making it public.

    “I am shocked and disappointed that the Gov. of Bayelsa made public presentation of a purported report approved or endorsed by us and other stakeholders as reported.

    “He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals. That it will go against even the Court of Appeal Judgement.

    “At the end, I told him as Caretaker Committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with and I advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.

    “Be that as it may, the Committee never saw any draft report even though he promised coming with it. In any case, as personal advice, I referred him back to the organs of the party and the Goodluck Jonathan Committee. There was nothing before us from organs of the party to accept or reject”.

    The said report had conceded to Sheriff powers to preside over the proposed and to select 12 members into the Convention Planning Committee, in consultation with party stakeholders.

    Among those listed as members of the Convention Planning Committee include seven serving governors, seven serving senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the BoT and six national vice chairmen.

    Others include 18 zonal chairmen, six Speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent Women Leaders, six youth leaders and six former ministers.