The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nPDP

  • Court bars new PDP

    Court bars new PDP

    …Restrains Atiku, Baraje, others from interfering in PDP’s operations

    It was a major loss on Friday for the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as a Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the faction’s officers from parading themselves as officers of the party.

    Justice Evoh Chukwu, in a judgment ordered Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Jaja Sam Jaja and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (claiming to be National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman and National Secretary of the New PDP) to stop parading themselves in that capacity.

    The judge also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials from recognising Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola as national officers of the PDP, either new or old.

    Justice Chukwu further restrained the three and Atiku (described as the leader of the New PDP) and their aides or employees from “interfering and continued interference with the duties and functions” of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other officers of the PDP elected at the August 31 special convention of the party.

    The judge also restrained Baraje, Jaja, Oyinlola and Atiku from opening or operating parallel national, states, local and ward secretariats of the PDP.

    The judgment was in a suit instituted by Tukur and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP against INEC, Baraje, Jaja, Oyinlola and Atiku.

    The plaintiffs had accused Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola of unlawfully holding themselves out as national officers of the PDP, with the backing of Atiku. The plaintiffs contended they were the truly elected officers of the party by virtue of the party’s last special convention and that unless Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola were restrained, INEC would accord them recognition as officers of the PDP.

    Justice Chukwu noted that although Baraje, Jaja and Oyinlola claimed to have been elected as officers of the party at a convention held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on August 30 this year, they failed to provide material evidence to support their claim.

     

     

  • Court dismisses suit against Tukur, others

    Court dismisses suit against Tukur, others

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Thursday dismissed a suit filed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP against Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, for lack of jurisdiction.

    The Judge, Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, held that the Lagos State High Court had no power to assume jurisdiction over a matter which originated outside its territory.

    Adefope-Okojie said the applicants had averred in their affidavit that the cause of action was the Special Convention of the PDP held on August 30 in Abuja.

    She said they also averred that the PDP had its registered office in Abuja and that none of the defendants was resident in Lagos.

    The judge held that the argument by the applicants’ counsel that the court could effect its judgment against the defendants was not relevant at this stage.

    “I hold that with the defendants not resident in Lagos and the subject matter originating in Abuja, the High Court of Lagos State has no power to assume jurisdiction over this suit.

    “I accordingly make an order striking out the suit,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted justice Adefope-Okojie as saying on Thursday.

    NAN recalled that Baraje, Dr. Sam Jaja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, filed the suit on September 1.

    They urged the court to restrain Tukur, Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman; Kema Chikwe, Women Leader; and Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary; from parading themselves as PDP National Executive Committee members.

    The Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Joe Kyari-Gadzama (SAN) and Mr. Emeka Etiaba, had on September 18 asked the court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

    They argued that the writs of summons was not endorsed and did not comply with the mandatory requirements of Section 97 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act.

    However, the applicants’ Counsel, Mr. Robert Emukpaeruo, had urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s preliminary objection and assume jurisdiction.

     

  • Group to G-7 governors: Quit PDP now

    The Arewa Peoples Patriotic Front on Saturday asked the G-7 governors and the Abubakar Kawu Baraje led new Peoples Democratic Party to quit the ruling party if they are not satisfied with the events in the party.

    The group also urged them to seek legal redress rather than distracting the President from performing the functions he was elected to carry out by Nigerians.

    Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, the National Chairman of the group, Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim, said the agreement allegedly signed by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 not to run for the 2015 elections was undemocratic, unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

    He accused the G-7 governors and the factional leaders of the ruling PDP of anti-democratic tendencies, pointing out that no democrat will deny anybody the constitutional right to contest any election.

    He added that they should rather allow the President to concentrate on carrying out the work for which he was elected by Nigerians rather distracting him with issues of the 2015 presidential election.

    Ibrahim said, “On the barrage of attacks on the office and the person of President Goodluck Jonathan over his yet to be announced ambition for 2015, it is obvious that majority of those launching these attacks are not democrats while the rest are only out to seek undue relevance.

    “It is not democratic or constitutional to ask President Jonathan to drop the ambition, if he desires to contest the 2015 presidential election. It is every Nigerian’s constitutional right to seek election into any office in Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan is not an exception.

    “To the best of our knowledge, there is no provision in the 1999 constitution as amended that prevents President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice from seeking re-election in 2015. Anyone who is in doubt or feels strongly about this, is free to put the provision to test in the courts of our land.

    “Besides, majority of the masses of this country and a greater proportion of the well-meaning, less noisy Nigerians are very pleased with the performances of Mr. President. The masses and the many highly respected Nigerians who are in the majority are urging him (Jonathan), as their constitutional right, to seek re-election in 2015.

    “It is not an attribute of a genuine democratic practice, democracy and democrats to deny anyone his or her constitutional right to contest elections. If it actually happened, it was a wicked blackmail for anybody to have asked President Jonathan in 2011 to sign an agreement that he would not contest in 2015.

    “Such an agreement therefore, is a nullity because it was signed under duress and without the knowledge and consent of Nigerians. That too is not democratic. Every eligible person is free to test his or her popularity with the electorate who reserve the right to decide his or her fate. Therefore, let the Nigerian voters decide President Jonathan’s fate in 2015 and not Kawu Baraje and the G7 governors.”

     

  • nPDP, CLO disagree with Dickson on foreign loan

    nPDP, CLO disagree with Dickson on foreign loan

    The new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) in Bayelsa State and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) on Wednesday disagreed with the state governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, over his explanations on the N13 billion (60million Euros) fund obtained from Poland.

    Dickson had explained that the money was a proposed developmental grant from the Government of Poland tied to the construction of a Maritime Academy in Okpoama, Brass local government area of the state.

    While denying that the money was a loan being processed by his administration, the governor insisted that the Polish government intended to build the academy and recoup their investment within 30 years.

    But the interim leadership of the new PDP and CLO accused Dickson of half truth, saying he was deceiving people in the state with his rhetorics.

    The interim Chairman of the Kawu Baraje-led nPDP, Chief Richard Kpodo, asked the governor to resign for allegedly lying to the state.

    He said: “Dickson lied that the facility is not a loan and the investment recovery plan mapped out by Poland does not have anything to do with the state government.

    Also, the state Chairman of CLO, Chief Nengi James, rising from an emergency meeting of the body, said the governor’s explanation left much to be desired.

    He said such attempt to cover-up the issue was contradictory and a deliberate act to promote falsehood in governance.

    James in 10-point communiqué he signed alongside the Secretary of CLO, Mr. Timi Igoli, after the meeting, said the governor’s attempt to explain the deal had thrown up many questions.

    He said the hurried manner in which the state House of Assembly approved the deal was worrisome.

     

  • Mark averts crisis in Senate over nPDP

    Mark averts crisis in Senate over nPDP

    Senate President, David Mark, averted a major rumpus on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday over the reference to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a factionalised political party by Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje.

    Goje, who represents Gombe Central Senatorial District, while contributing to a motion on the demise of a former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Agagu, described himself as a member of the New PDP.

    He added that the New PDP led by Alhaji Abubakar Baraje is the authentic one.

    What followed was applaud by some Senators and shout of “no, no, no” by others.

    Senators Smart Adeyemi, (Kogi West) quickly moved a Point of Order to stop Goje from further reference to PDP as a divided party.

    When Mark gave Adeyemi the floor, the Kogi State born lawmaker said that Goje used “offensive, abusive and insulting words against the PDP.

    At this stage, the disorder in the chamber got louder and Mark was forced to intervene to bring the situation under control.

    The Senate President cautioned that “this is the upper chamber, don’t let us reduce it to a market place.”

    He asked Adeyemi to continue with his Point of Order.

    Adeyemi said, “As far as I know it is wrong for anybody to use offensive and abusive words against a political party.

    “It is absolutely uncalled for and uncharitable for a former governor who has not defected to another party to stand up on the chamber of the Senate to insult the PDP and members of the party.”

    He noted that Goje should be made to withdraw the alleged offensive statement, insisting that it was “wrong for Goje who is a PDP member to insinuate that PDP has two factions.”

    Goje did not take the interjection of Adeyemi kindly.

     

  • New PDP to Jonathan: Don’t run in 2015

    The Abubakar Baraje led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan not to seek re-election in 2015.

    The faction said it decided to advise Jonathan after reviewing the state of the nation and the pulse of Nigerians on his ambition to contest the poll, saying doing so would be against the interest of the country and its people.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, the party noted that the President has given enough clue of his intention to run, even although he has not declared it openly.

    “The latest of such clues came on Sunday in New York, United States. Speaking at a luncheon with Nigerian professionals in the U.S, President Jonathan insisted that he is eligible to contest in 2015 as we have a constitution that makes a provision for a maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor,” the faction said.

    Baraje observed that the President had made a similar statement in April 2012, in an affidavit in response to a suit instituted at an Abuja High Court by a PDP chieftain, Cyriacus Njoku, seeking to stop him from contesting the 2015 presidential election.

    “We are worried that Mr. President is intent on running despite his earlier promise not to do so and in spite of the wise counsel of well-meaning Nigerians, including respected elder statesmen.

    The faction reminded Jonathan of a statement he made in Ankara, Turkey in February 2011, during an interactive session with Nigerians and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (AU).

    The statement quoted Jonathan thus: “I would have loved that the Nigerians in Diaspora vote this year (2011) but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now. Presently, the law does not allow the voting outside Nigeria and so this year Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.”

    It also quoted the President to have said further, “Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years.”

    The faction said there was no way the President could deny his own statements at this point in time, since he failed to deny the statements over the past two years.

    “How does Mr. President want Nigerians and the entire world to see him for this volte face? Why can’t he keep his words as a man of honour instead of allowing himself to be misled by selfish advisers to go back on his words, thereby overheating the polity,” the statement added.

     

  • nPDP: We are more than seven governors, says Gov Aliyu

    nPDP: We are more than seven governors, says Gov Aliyu

    Niger state governor and member of the G7 governors, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has  said that Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party would be shocked to know that the Kawu Baraje-led fraction has more than the identified  seven governors.

    He said other governors have deliberately chosen to silently support the nPDP.

    Speaking in Minna while receiving the Executive Director of the Sir.  Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Aliyu who refused to disclosed the identity of the ‘silent members’, said, “there are many members of the G7 who intends to remain silent. They are silent members.”

    He explained that people only identify the G7 because they (the G7 governors) are the ones most visible explaining  that there are some other governors who are in support of them.

    The governor enjoined the Sarduana Foundation to ensure that they carry on the good work and promote unity in the north.

    He urged the foundation to work in collaboration with other bodies to harness income and improve the lot of northern Nigeria.

    He assured  the foundation that he would plead with  other state governors who have not redeemed their pledges to the foundation.

    Earlier, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Shettima Ajayi disclosed that the foundation has  trained 350 women and youths in vocational and entrepreneurship programs adding that most of the trainees have started their own businesses.

    He said the foundation  has reached  out to some northern states affected with insecurity and has  been able to give some form of compensation to them.

    Ajayi further expressed his appreciation to the Niger state governor for his support to the foundation as the foundation has been able to make impact to the people of the north in all its programmes.

  • Baraje’s suit against Tukur, others assigned to another judge

    Baraje’s suit against Tukur, others assigned to another judge

    The suit filed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to stop Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from parading himself as national chairman of the party has been transferred to another judge.

    The chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, assigned the matter to a new judge, Justice Oludotun Adefowope-Okojie.

    The change of the judges followed the withdrawal of the former trial judge, Justice Ganiyu Safari who was a vacation judge.

    Although all parties were present at the resumed trial on Tuesday, the suit failed to proceed as scheduled, in view of the fact that the case file had been returned to the office of the Chief Judge.

    At the last hearing, the Alhaji Baraje’s faction of the PDP failed in their bid to get the court to order the reopening of their Abuja national secretariat which was sealed up by the police.

    Mr. Robert Emukpaero, the counsel to the Baraje faction, had made an oral application in which he prayed the court to order the reopening of the secretariat.

    Ruling on the matter, Justice Safari ordered the claimants to file a different application joining the Inspector General of Police as defendant.

    Emukpaeruo had also accused the defendants of allegedly violating the court’s previous order to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.

     

  • Baraje’s faction elects NWC members

    Despite the security siege at its national secretariat, the Abubakar Baraje faction of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday ratified the election of its national officers.

    Ahead of its reconvening on Tuesday, there is however pressure on ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Peace Team to sanction the G-7 governors and all those behind the new PDP.

    The list of the National Working Committee members was contained in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    The statement said: “Despite the security siege at its national secretariat, the Abubakar Baraje- led Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), has ratified the election of its national officers.

    “The stakeholders of the party across the country at a meeting in Abuja have ratified the election of members of its National Working Committee.

    “The NWC members are: Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, (Chairman); Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, (Deputy National Chairman); Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, (National Secretary); Hon. Maode Umar Hiliya (Deputy National Secretary).

    “Others are Mr. Timi Frank (National Youth Leader); Hon Binta Koje, National woman leader; Mallam Nasir Issa (National Organising Secretary); Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze(National Publicity Secretary); Hon. Wadada (National Financial Secretary)and Mallam Tanko Isiaku Gomna (National Treasurer).

    “The positions of National Auditor and that of National Legal Adviser which are zoned to the South East and South West respectfully will be announced soon.”

    A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The presidency is insisting on sanction against the rebellious members to serve as deterrent to others.

    “But the elders are of the opinion that the party should adopt no victor, no vanquished policy to move forward.

    “This demand for sanction will top the resumption of peace talks in Abuja when Obasanjo’s team reconvenes.”

     

  • Atiku to police: Stay out of politics, Keep Nigeria safe

    Atiku to police: Stay out of politics, Keep Nigeria safe

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Monday asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to order the policemen currently occupying the headquarters of the “new” Peoples Democratic Party to vacate the place immediately.

    Atiku, who is currently in China leading a private economic trade mission at the invitation of the Chinese government, interrupted his schedule to issue a statement, declaring that the police invasion of the party’s office has no justification in law, but borne out of political control.

    The statement reads, “While it is embarrassing that the police had yet to give a reason on why its personnel are laying siege to a political party office, the whole world knows these are acts prompted by unscrupulous politicians who do not even have the moral conscience not to involve the police in politics.

    “This goes to the root of the current crisis within the PDP: priorities. What does it say to our citizens, who live daily with the fear of violence and kidnappings, that our police priority is raiding a political party office?”

    “I call on the leadership of the Nigerian Police, especially its Inspector General, to steer clear of political entanglements, and immediately vacate our party offices. Our national law enforcement priority must be the safety and security of Nigerians, not politics.”

    The former vice president said it is embarrassing that in a week when a top Christian clergy, top lawyer and senior advocate and countless others are being held captive by kidnappers, the Nigeria Police could muster the resources to seal the headquarters of the “new” PDP in negation of a court order.

    According to Atiku, “further, a politically partisan police force sets a dangerous precedent, as they will be entrusted to supervise free and fair elections in the future.”

    He said the latest development has put a big question mark on the sincerity of the IGP to effectively reform the police.