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Tag: PDP BoT

  • Makarfi committee can’t organise convention – Sheriff

    Makarfi committee can’t organise convention – Sheriff

    Estranged National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has insisted that the Ahmed Makari led Caretaker Committee cannot organise the party’s national convention, saying the committee is an illegal body.

    Sheriff, in a statement on Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, faulted the recognition given the caretaker committee by the Board of Trustees (BoT).

    According to him, there is no provision in the party’s constitution for a caretaker committee at the national, adding that a competent court has pronounced the committee illegal, while affirming Sheriff as the chairman.

    The statement said, “References should not even be made to the caretaker committee in the search for solutions to the PDP crisis.

    “It was the imposition of the caretaker committee in the first place, even as a contraption that precipitated the crisis, and any attempt to legitimise its function could spell further crisis for the PDP.

    “The BOT members should stop playing the ostrich and come to terms with the reality of Sheriff’s chairmanship, until a proper convention is organized.”

    The Sheriff camp said the Chairman of the BOT, Senator Walid Jibrin has forfeited the confidence of greater majority of party members because of his inconsistency and crave for money, and should give way to a credible person whose honour and integrity are not in dispute to steer the affairs of the PDP BOT.

    Sheriff further stated that, the BOT chairman has in his actions and utterances portrayed the BOT as being teleguided, saying he has brought credibility problem to the august body by clearly taking sides and championing the cause of particular interests in the crisis, at the expense of his leadership roles as mediator.

    “The chairman (Sheriff) was of the view that, even though the BOT lacks the powers to give orders, it has acted in breach of its sacred duty as a father and so called conscience of the party by recognising the Caretaker Committee, even when members know that it was the wrong thing to do.

    “As much as he respects the BOT members, they should not allow themselves to be dragged into fighting a war for the benefits of a few power brokers.

    “To this end, the National Chairman wishes to state categorically that, the BOT which earlier derailed peace initiatives by taking sides, coupled with the obvious roles of some of its members in the crisis, and against the background of the fact that it is merely an advisory body, lacks the moral and legitimate rights to dictate the pace of negotiations.

    “Already, the reconciliation committee, under Governor Seriake Dickson is still carrying out its assignment of reaching out to all parties, and until the committee makes its recommendations, which the national Working Committee will look at and convene a NEC meeting for necessary deliberations, the BOT’s actions are of no consequence,” the statement concluded.

  • PDP’s BoT moves to reconcile Sheriff, Makarfi camps

    PDP’s BoT moves to reconcile Sheriff, Makarfi camps

    In a last minute effort of save the upcoming national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has put set up a reconciliatory committee.

    The 18-member committee, chaired by a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, is to reconcile the Ali Modu Sheriff camp with the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.

    Inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Monday, chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, said the trustees would not sit by and watch the party destroyed by the lingering leadership crisis.

    He expressed dismay that there are about 15 different court cases instituted by the various contending groups within the party.

    According to him, there was an urgent need for a politician solution to the crisis, stressing that allowing the cases to go on might leave the party in a permanent state of crisis.

    He appealed to the litigants to withdraw their court cases and allow the reconciliation committee to resolve the differences so that the August 17 convention could hold.

    Speaking shortly after the inauguration, Prof. Gana assured that the committee would discharge its functions with every sense of responsibility, justice and fairness.

    He pleaded with the Sheriff camp to allow the committee resolve the crisis by making himself available for discussions, saying that the party should go into the convention united.

    Other members of the committee are Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Senator Biodun Olujimi and Air Commodore Dan Suleiman (rtd), among others.

  • BoT takes over at PDP secretariat

    BoT takes over at PDP secretariat

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday took over the affairs of the party, pending the resolution of its leadership crisis.

    Addressing secretariat staff at the party’s office in Abuja, the Chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, said the board remains the only legal body of the party that is not encumbered by litigation.

    Jibrin said, “Nobody has taken the BoT to court.‎ Today, the BoT remains the only legal body that is not in court with anybody, and that is why we are here to play our role.

    “We are here to perform our duty according to the PDP constitution, hoping that our problems will soon be resolved.”

    The BoT chairman said members of the board would be operating from the boardroom, adding that they would not be occupying any of the offices used by members of the disbanded National Working Committee (NWC).

    He explained the week-long sealing off of the party secretariat by the police, saying the move was meant to protect lives and safeguard the party’s property.

    “We the BoT have been asked under the constitution of the party to be in charge of the assets and the liabilities of the PDP generally.

    “It is in that respect that the Inspector General of Police, having considered the importance of our constitution and having considered the importance of the staff of the PDP headquarters here, that this place be open and entrusted in the hands of the BoT,” Jibrin added.

  • PDP BoT to Sheriff: You are unsuitable as party chairman

    PDP BoT to Sheriff: You are unsuitable as party chairman

    Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) on Monday rose from a marathon meeting with a declaration that Ali Modu Sheriff is not a suitable candidate for the position of party chairman.

    The Acting chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, who presided over the meeting, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, made the declaration on behalf of the trustees.

    According to him, as the conscience of the PDP, the BoT was in the best position to know the right candidate for the position, adding that the trustees were still consulting with other organs of the party, with the view to easing Sheriff out.

    “We are going to propose viable solution to this problem after we must have consulted with other organs and relevant stakeholders in the party,” Jibrin said.

    He declined further comments on the matter.

    Present at the meeting were – Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Alhaji Shuabu Oyedokun, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Senator Stella Omu, Senator Jonah Jang, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Abdullahi Kure and Maina Waziri, among others.

  • PDP appoints Jibrin as acting BoT chairman

    PDP appoints Jibrin as acting BoT chairman

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced the embattled chairman of the Board, Haliru Bello Mohammed with Senator Walid Jibrin.

    Mohammed is currently standing trial for his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms purchase scam, allegedly spearheaded by the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki who is also standing trial over the scam.

    Until his elevation on Wednesday, Jibrin was the Secretary of the BoT and he is to occupy the position in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.

    He still remains the substantive BoT Secretary for the time being.

    The decision changing the leadership of the BoT was conveyed by Jibrin at a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

    It was also listed in a communiqué issued after a meeting of the BoT held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

    The party organ also declared its unflinching support for the Northeast zone of the party to occupy the position of substantive National Chairman, to replace Prince Uche Secondus who is the acting chairman.

    A court in the Federal Capital Territory had in November 2015, ordered Secondus to vacate the position within 14 days, but Secondus said he has filed an appeal against the order.

    Addressing journalists on the development, Jibrin said the Northeast zone would meet next week to pick a national chairman to replace Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who resigned in May last year.

     

  • PDP BoT backs Northeast for chairmanship slot

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has backed the quest by the Northeast zone to retain the party’s national chairmanship slot.

    The position became vacant in May 2015 when the then chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, resigned from the position following the party’s defeat in the 2015 general election.

    Mu’azu’s tenure is expected to end in March 2016.

    ‎A statement issued on Tuesday by the Secretary of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, said every member of PDP was convinced that Northeast ought to present a candidate to complete Mu’azu’s tenure.

    Jibrin added that various groups within the party have been holding meetings, with the view to resolving the matter in favour of the Northeast.

    “All other party positions should therefore give recognition to this noble decision and must not allow it go under the carpet and not to further deceive the North.

    “As for our BoT, we will soon meet to fill the vacant position of the BoT chairman with consideration for the north and south in the chairmanship and secretary positions,” he stated.

     

     

  • PDP BoT meeting postponed indefinitely

    The meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold Thursday has been postponed indefinitely.

    This is the second time the meeting is being postponed. The one initially scheduled for December 18, 2015 was called off when it failed to form a quorum.

    Secretary of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, confirmed the postponement of the meeting in a telephone chat with our correspondent on Wednesday.

    Jibrin said the postponement was to allow wider consultation among key party stakeholders, owing to the sensitivity of issues on the agenda.

    He said, “We can no longer hold the meeting as scheduled because we discovered that we need wider consultation to enable us take far reaching decisions.

    “We need time to hold consultations with our National Assembly Caucus, the National Executive Committee (NEC), the zonal caucuses, chairmen of state chapters and other key stakeholders.”

    Jibrin had in December announced a January 14 date for the meeting, when the one scheduled for December 18 failed to hold.

    The meeting was to set in motion machinery for the emergence of a substantive chairman of the BoT.

     

  • EFCC grills Saraki’s wife, PDP BOT’s chair for hours

    EFCC grills Saraki’s wife, PDP BOT’s chair for hours

    •Ailing Yar’Adua’s daughter makes appearance
    •I ’ve nothing to hide, says Senate President’s wife

    For about six hours yesterday, crack investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) grilled Mrs. Oluwatoyin Saraki, wife of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

    The team also quizzed the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Haliru Bello Mohammed and ex-First Lady of Kebbi State, Hajiya Zainab Dakingari (the daughter of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua) over alleged N2 billion contracts in the state.

    But Hajiya Zainab had a brief interaction with the EFCC team because of her ill-health.

    Moved by her condition, the EFCC allowed a director to stand as surety for her, pending her being fit for questioning.

    Her condition affected the planned interaction with the Chairman of the BOT of PDP, who will be re-invited by the anti-graft commission.

    Mohammed’s invitation is said to be for alleged “unexecuted” contracts in Kebbi State.

    The star attraction was Mrs. Saraki, whose invitation by the EFCC  generated mixed reactions in the media.

    According to a source, Mrs. Saraki arrived at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency at about noon.

    She was accompanied by  senators, members of the House of Representatives, wives of Kwara State commissioners and others.

    Her supporters milled around the EFCC headquarters.

    The source said: “For about five hours, our investigators interacted with her on some issues having to do with her tenure as the First Lady of Kwara State.

    “She was calm and she responded to questions from the EFCC team. It was the first time she got to know why she was invited.

    “We will not give you the details in order not to prejudice ongoing investigation.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “I cannot say whether she will be detained or not because we are still talking with her.”

    The source said Mrs. Dakingari, “appeared briefly, but she looked frail and we had to give her time to take care of her health.”

    “She is expected back after recovering from the ill-health. Actually, we were to interrogate her alongside the Chairman of the BOT of the PDP, but we could not.

    “The two people have questions to respond to on the award of some contracts in Kebbi State.”

    Contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The three people came and met with our team.”

    After her release, Mrs. Saraki released a statement, in which she said she has nothing to hide.

    She promised to cooperate with the EFCC and she asked the anti-graft commission to adopt global best practices.

    The statement said: “As a citizen with utmost respect for higher standard of democratic accountability, Mrs. Saraki visited the EFCC at their invitation.

    “Mrs. Saraki made herself available to assist the commission wholeheartedly with any lawful enquiries they may have.

    “Mrs. Saraki will continue to cooperate with EFCC and she hopes for a prompt and positive resolution in the satisfaction of this enquiry.

    “Having placed emphasis on the importance of accountability, transparency and diligent reporting, Mrs. Saraki maintained that she has always operated within the law and to the highest standard of global compliance in all her activities.

    “Mrs. Saraki affirmed her willingness to assist the EFCC and expect that the spirit of this enquiry will follow global standard and principles of open democracy, transparency and impartiality that the EFCC and other similar organisations around the world are founded upon.

    “Mrs. Saraki looks forward to drawing a line under this matter and will continue to focus on her global advocacy on maternal, newborn baby and child health.”

     

  • 2016 Polls: PDP re-brands, fields young candidates

    2016 Polls: PDP re-brands, fields young candidates

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having ruled Nigeria for 16 years and now the opposition party is considering fielding young candidates for the forthcoming elections in selected states.

    The PDP is considering young gubernatorial candidates for Bayelsa and Kogi states in its desire to re-brand the party by involving young people as the new faces of the party.

    Describing the party as one that is bleeding at the moment and in need of redemption is not an overstatement.

    Furthermore, there is no denial that majority of Nigerians have lost hope in the party after its 16 years tenure with a history of broken promises and haphazard performance.

    Some Nigerians now see the party as that of looters and old crooks not to be trusted. The massive onslaught against the party by the current ruling party, All Progressive Congress, (APC) is another factor responsible for the poor perception about the PDP.

    The APC is a party of young and vibrant ideas as exemplified by their involvement of young people in their presidential and generation election campaign. The APC recognizes the place of every Nigerian youth and were greatly rewarded by the youths as majority of them mobilized for ‘Change’ during the last general elections.

    The PDP National Working Committee and the Board of Trustees has woken up to the painful reality that Nigerians will no longer trust the same old politicians within its fold and as such they must evolve new ways to communicate, reach-out and get the support of the Nigerian people, and as such have decided to strategically position young people with good names to become the new faces of the party.

    It was gathered that the former president Goodluck Jonathan has also advised the party to consider fielding younger candidates in forthcoming elections of Bayelsa and Kogi and ensure they make provisions for some influential and brilliant young people in the BOT and the NWC at the next year’s Extraordinary Congress Election when new officials of the party are to be elected.

    Many elders within the party have now accepted the fact that they need to give the younger ones within the party some major roles and advised the party to zone at least 5 positions of the NWC to young people and another 5 to the BOT, following the appointments of Rinsola Abiola, Ismaeel Ahmed and Jasper Azuatalam, 3 young people into BOT of the APC in furtherance to giving young people a strong voice within the party.

    The NWC on its part has agreed to allow the younger generations take over Party Registration and Membership drive as they believe the youths within the party can get millions of Nigerians to once again have confidence in the party and join the party.

    They have also agreed that young people within the party should setup a robust online platform to include Online Membership Registration.

    One of the greatest challenges the PDP has always had is the issue of imposition of candidates on the party which makes it impossible for young party members to secure party tickets or even have the courage to contest for elective positions.

    With the new development within the party, more young people will be able to contest for elective positions within the party. The immediate beneficiaries of this new policy of the party might be two young men within the party who are contesting to become governors of their respective states, Moses Siloko Siasia who is contesting to be governor of Bayelsa State and Mohammed Ali running to be governor of Kogi State.

    Profile of both Persons:

    Moses Siloko Siasia, from Sagabama LGA, a 35year old young leading light of Nigeria was named as one of the 200 Young African Economic Leaders for Tomorrow by Choiseul, renowned French Institute in their 2014 ranking.

    Parisian institute describes Siasia as a young African leader who is reshaping the continent’s economic scene. It said men like Siasia embody the vigour and renewal of an entire continent and carry the hopes of an entire generation.

    Mr. Moses Siloko Siasia is the Chairman of Mosilo Group, with huge investments in Engineering, Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Agro Processing and Project Management. The Group is a wholly owned indigenous Company with strategic partnership with some of the world’s leading technical Companies. The Group has employed over 400 young people and has continued to up the ante in human capacity development locally, with offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and United States.

    He is the Chairman/Founder of the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, a non-governmental organisation made up of primarily young, dynamic and upwardly mobile individuals with innovative ideas that is aiding Nigeria’s development. Siasia conceived the NYPF as a platform for the development of young professionals in Nigeria through quality educational programs, national and global networking and leadership opportunities, the group has united over 7million young professionals globally with presence in 15 countries. A lawyer by profession, he is running under the platform of the PDP and has attracted lots of grassroots support most especially from youths and women.

    Mohammed Ali (39years old), from Dekinah Local Government Area of Kogi, is the immediate past LGA Chairman of Dekinah.

    The governor dissolved the LGA suddenly to frustrate his political ambitions. He has the support of many LGA Chairmen in the state. He was the Secretary National Association of Kogi State Students NAKOS 2002-2004, then became the President of NAKOS from 2004-2005.

    Ali became Special Adviser, Student Affairs to former governor Ibrahim Idris, then Liasion Officer 1 of Dekinah LGA and later elected substantive Chairman of the LGA. When he was Chairman of the LGA, he was elected as the Chairman of the Northern Local Government Forum which compromises of 419 LG Chairmen. He coordinated the 419 LGAs for Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign for 2015. Now he is aspiring to govern Kogi State. He is a graduate of Bayero University, kano. He is an Economist. Has a Masters Degree in Economics with option of Petroleum and Energy Economics.

    A new generational leader, he has the support and network of all youth within the age bracket of 30-45years old in all the 21 LGAs of the state.

    Since he declared his intention to run for governor in the state, the PDP that was almost dying in the state has come back to life because the younger generation see his declaration as an opportunity for them. Many who have lost hope in the party have started to once again believe in her.

     

     

  • PDP BoT to guide in National Assembly elections

    PDP BoT to guide in National Assembly elections

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken it upon itself to guide its members in the National Assembly to select the principal officers due it.

    The party’s trustees have initiated moves to stave off possible disagreements in the choice of minority slots in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    The slots include the Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.

    According to a source, the move is to avoid the disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Rising from a meeting at the party’s national secretariat yesterday, the BoT members said they were in the process of putting the party back on track.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting, BoT Secretary Walid Jubril said the party leadership would work in synergy with its members in the National Assembly.

    Jubril said: “The Board of Trustees is up to the task of providing guidance not only to the party executives but to members of the National Assembly. That is why we have involved ourselves to ensure that there is synergy among our members in the National Assembly.

    “We are calling on all our members to remain calm. We are doing all our best to ensure sanity is restored. Our party is going to rise again.

    “As we are doing so, we need their cooperation and without their cooperation, I do not think we will succeed. Let them give us time so that we can do our best to ensure that we bring back the prominence of this party.”

    The BoT scribe added that the party would set a road map and action plan to handle issues arising from its defeat in the last general elections.

    The committee, he said, had sought for and obtained an extension of up to 10 weeks to enable it complete its assignment.

    He affirmed the choice of Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko as chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, saying issues arising from Mimiko’s emergence had been resolved.

    The meeting was presided over by the Acting BoT chairman, Dr. Mohammed Bello Haliru. Also at the meeting were Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwabo; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Acting Chairman Uche Secondus, among others.