The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP elders

  • Akpabio a huge burden to Akwa Ibom – PDP elders

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders in Akwa Ibom on Saturday described the former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, as a huge financial burden to the state government.

    The elders under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Elders Vanguard said Akpabio’s excessive demands from Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration had ended with his exit from the party.

    Addressing journalists in Uyo, the leader of the group, Senator Anietie Okon, said Akpabio’s defection would allow Governor Udom to focus on the development of the state with steady financial resources instead of distraction from the ex-governor.

    The elders, who were accompanied by Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, Obong Bassey Inuaeyen, Hon. Ndueson Essien Dr. Emmanuel Ukpong among others, also accused Akpabio of hypocrisy by making negative comments against Governor Udom.

     

     

  • PDP elders: don’t let 1983 happen again

    PDP elders: don’t let 1983 happen again

    The Elders Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State yesterday warned the Federal Government and the judiciary not to allow the unrest experienced in 1983 to repeat itself.

    The leaders, who met behind closed doors at the Government House banquet hall and later addressed reporters shortly after their meeting, said the people are not happy about the substitution of Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP governorship candidate.

    Addressing reporters on behalf of the party leaders, Prof Olu Agbi threatened that if amendments are not done on time, it may lead to a repeat of the 1983 experience.

    Agbi, who is also the Asiwaju of Akure, where Jegede hails from, said the Federal Government must save the state from an impending crisis which will be occasioned by the ugly development.

    He said: “It is a rape of democracy because it is the prerogative of parties to nominate candidate and we have not seen anywhere in Nigeria where a court will order or impose a candidate.

    “This is a way of laying a foundation where anybody can go to abroad, conduct a primary and go straight to the court to get justice without following the rules of such party.

    “We see this as a deliberate and attempt by the Federal Government and judiciary to disrupt the peace we have been enjoying in the last seven and half years and we don’t want all these to be truncated.

    “Don’t allow history to repeat itself. There is no way we can move away from the 1983 history. A society where there is no justice, there is can never be peace.

    “Once this injustice is address, there will be no crisis in the land.

    “Many people have lost a lot of confidence in the judiciary and we appeal to the Federal Government to save Ondo State from imminent crisis.”

  • Bayelsa PDP elders meet Dickson over defection

    Notable elders in Bayelsa State and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have met with the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, following mass exodus of party members to the All Progressive Congress (APC) ahead of the December 5 governorship election.

    A statement signed on Tuesday by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworsio-Markson, said the elders met under the aegis of Bayelsa Elders’ Consultative Council (BECC).

    The elders were said to have lashed out at those who defected from the PDP to the APC, saying that they “were a disgrace to the Ijaw nation.”

    The elders unanimously passed a vote of confidence in the governor and urged him to re-contest for a second term in office.

    They berated the defectors, describing them as “fair weather politicians with savage mentality.”

    The statement quoted Dickson as decrying the spate defections and referring to the defectors as ingrates and persons who do not mean well for the state.

    He noted that most of the defectors were major beneficiaries of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s magnanimity over the years, but abandoned him as soon as he lost the presidential election.

    He said such persons should have reciprocated the former President’s goodwill by remaining in the party instead of outrightly turning their backs on him.

    “These persons are clearly not for us, they are enemies of the Ijaw nation and it is sad that, people who have benefited immensely from the PDP and Dr. Jonathan could within so short a time jump ship. And, yet they come and deceive us that, they love us. These are not persons to be taken serious and we must not fall prey to their antics,” the governor said.

    Dickson also used the opportunity to call on the security agencies in the state to step up their game, urging them not to rest on their oars despite the prevailing peace and stability in the state.

     

     

  • Ekiti PDP elders’ forum faults chairman’s sack

    Ekiti PDP elders’ forum faults chairman’s sack

    The Elders’ Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has condemned the removal of the party chairman, Idowu Faleye.

    The party elders said Faleye’s sack by a section of the State Working Committee (SWC) was hasty and did not follow  the party’s constitution.

    Faleye was removed last week on the grounds that his appointment breached the  constitution as he hails from Ido Ward with the state youth leader.

    Faleye’s traducers claimed that two individuals from the same ward cannot be in the SWC’s as the scenario runs contrary to the PDP constitution.

    He was also accused of inefficiency and failure to summon SWC meetings since he was appointed to replace the former chairman, Makanjuola Ogundipe, who is now the party’s National Vice Chairman (Southwest).

    Faleye was replaced with the party’s Vice-Chairman (North), Olatunde Olatunde.

    Faleye, who is an ally of Governor Ayo Fayose, said he remains the party chair.

    He traced his “travails” to his refusal to approve N11 million honorarium for SWC members.

    But the Ekiti PDP Elders’ Forum, which met at the weekend, threw their weight behind Faleye. They declared his removal as “null and void”.

    In a statement yesterday conveying the decisions of the forum which was signed by a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Clement Awoyelu, the elders passed a vote of confidence in Faleye, who they insist remains the party chair.

    The elders said it was “absolutely wrong and unexpected” of Olatunde to have declared himself chairman.

    They said a meeting was held with the aggrieved members where it was resolved that the matter should be resolved amicably.

    The Forum warned the Olatunde-led faction to tread softly and avoid anything that could witch hunt the “legally installed party chairman”.

    Admitting that the bone of contention is the controversial N11.2million unpaid honorarium to the SWC members, the elders promised to meet Fayose on the need to assist the party financially.

    They agreed with Faleye that the governor as the leader of the party should be briefed on all party activities, including its financial matters.

    Olatunde said Faleye has been removed for good in defence of the party constitution and party supremacy.