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Tag: PDP

  • Bauchi Finance Commissioner joins PDP after resignation

    Bauchi Commissioner for Finance, Garba Mohammed Akuyam, who earlier resigned his appointment on Friday, has pitch tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara , who  shared pictures of himself and  the former Commissioner,  confirmed this on his verified Facebook page.

    READ ALSO: Breaking: Bauchi Finance Commissioner resigns hours to supplementary poll

    Dogara wrote: “Glad to receive my brother Hon Garba Akuyam who just resigned as commissioner of Finance Bauchi State and joined the PDP family in Bauchi.”

    Akuyam, who was the Director General of the campaign team of Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar in 2015 had earlier stated after his resignation he remains in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

  • ‘No commissioner arrested in Kano’

    Kano State Commissioner of Information, Malam Muhammad Garba has debunked rumours being circulated in the social media that the police have arrested a serving commissioner in the state during Saturday’s re-run elections.

    Garba, who spoke to reporters, also described the reported loss of life due to violence in some polling units as false.

    READ ALSO: PDP to INEC: declare our candidate winner of Kano guber election

    He said these negative, false and disturbing reports are nothing but propaganda of the Kwankwasiyya movement of PDP designed and perpetrated to discredit the conduct of the re-run elections in the affected areas as they sense clear defeat.

    He said the elections were conducted peacefully and smoothly adding that there was and will not be any infringement of law or wrong doing from the government as alleged by the PDP.

    Garba therefore called on Kano citizens to disregard these fake news and propaganda and remain calm as collation of results continue.

  • Kano rerun: PDP condemns attack on agents, members

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned attacks on its agents and members by thugs at the ongoing supplementary governorship election in Kano State.

    The party made the condemnation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Saturday in Abuja.

    It alleged that the hoodlums embarked on rampage, invading polling units where they were attacking PDP members and supporters with dangerous weapons, chasing them away from the polling units and preventing them from voting.

    READ ALSO: Kano rerun: PDP, APC bicker over violence

    It alleged that in Gama ward, evidence abounds of how the thugs attacked and unleashed terror on PDP members during which four of PDP members where feared killed and many more injured.

    The party called on PDP formation in the state to immediately activate legitimate defence mechanism to protect its members and supporters in the state.

    “Furthermore, the PDP has taken stock of all the aggression in Kano and will use all legitimate means to ensure that all those who perpetuated violence against our members are lawfully tracked down and brought to book,” the party said.

    NAN

  • Osun: Judiciary defender of our democracy -Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has applauded the judiciary as truly, the defender of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Atiku Abubakar made the declaration while reacting to the verdict of the Osun governorship election petition tribunal which upheld the election of the PDP candidate in the September 22, 2018 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

    In a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the former Vice President noted that the restoration of the stolen mandate of Senator Adeleke showed that indeed the judiciary is the last refuge of the common man and that in truth, those who were aggrieved and resolved to maintain the peace, have been vindicated.

    Atiku congratulated Senator Adeleke, the PDP and men and women of goodwill in Osun State, who he said, did not waiver in their commitment to retrieve the stolen mandate.

    READ ALSO: We’ll appeal tribunal judgment on Osun governorship, says APC

    “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy has come for the people of Osun”, Atiku added.

    The PDP presidential candidate commended the courage of the judiciary and its resilience even in the face of alleged strenuous effort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) -led government to undermine and intimidate it.

    According to him, the decision of the judiciary in the Osun governorship election was phenomenal in view of the culture of inconclusive elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in this season.

    “The judgment has rekindled hope and confidence that those whose mandate had been tampered with or denied can look forward to justice being done to them,” Atiku said.

    He urged the judiciary to remain steadfast as the eyes of all Nigerians and indeed the whole world are on them to help ensure that democracy in Nigeria is put on a solid foundation.

  • Adeleke’s victory triumph of people’s will, says PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) has hailed the verdict of the Osun State Governorship election tribunal, which upheld the victory of its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, describing the judgement as a victory for democracy and triumph of the will of the people.

    The main opposition party said the judgment was a clear indicator that those who set out to destroy the nation’s democracy can never triumph and that no matter how evil and injustice appear to thrive; the truth must always prevail at the end of the day.

    In a statement Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said Nigerians have accepted democracy as a way of life and a form of government that suits the multi-plurality of the nation.

    The statement said, “The spontaneous jubilation that greeted this judgment is therefore a direct indication that it is in consonant with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians across the board.

    “For those who have been desperate to destroy our democracy, this judgment has proven to them that their shenanigans will always come to no avail.

    “The PDP commends the judiciary for standing upright in the defence of democracy and for ensuring that those involved in the rapacious desecration of our democratic norms will never succeed.

    “This verdict, which reverberates across our nation, points to the fact that the truth will always prevail and that our party, the PDP, will recover all our stolen mandates in the 2019 general elections, particularly, the Presidential mandate, which Nigerians freely gave to our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    “Furthermore, all our candidates who have already won their elections, but whose victories are being manipulated by anti-democratic forces, must take solace in the words of the Osun election petition panel, that once valid votes have been declared and a winner emerges by majority of votes, a rerun is illegal

    “The PDP congratulates Senator Adeleke, the good people of Osun state as well as all lovers of democracy across our country for the triumph of justice over impunity, abuse of electoral processes and unfettered political rascality”.

  • PDP cries foul over alleged militarisation in Sokoto

    Sokoto State chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it will not accept anything short of free, fair and credible polls in tomorrow’s supplementary poll in the state.

    Speaking during an emergency press conference in Sokoto on Friday, its state chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma alleged that All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts and serving governors on the platform of the opposition from other states were in Sokoto to work for their governorship candidate and the party.

    “This is unacceptable and INEC must be neutral by upholding honesty in defence of its integrity as an independent umpire.

    READ ALSO: Sokoto re-run: Army extends show of force to six violence-prone LGAs

    “We are also aware that Mrs. Amina Zakari is in town. We are not against her coming if she is here to do the right thing. Otherwise, we will not take it.”

    Milgoma however said the party and its supporters were not also comfortable with the security arrangement, accusing them of seeming partisan.

    “We are calling on security agencies to discharge their duties with all honesty by ensuring a peaceful atmosphere for voters to exercise their franchise.

    “The people of Sokoto state are set to reelect our candidate (Tambuwal) by democratic means.

    “No intimidation, threat or the like can change their choice of Tambuwal.

    “Our votes will be defended to ensure that whoever wins in a free, fair and transparent contest should be given and we will follow him,” he said.

    Meanwhile, in a related outcry, the Nigerian Youth Coalition Against Electoral Violence (NYCAEV) northwest zone alleged massive deployment of security operatives to the state despite peaceful atmosphere.

    “This calls for concern as it is worrisome. The state has been taken over by combined forces of military, police and other security agents.

    “We have uncovered invitation and presence of APC governors and hired thugs camped in hotels in Sokoto to perpetrate acts that would force victory to them.

    “This is a threat to peaceful and credible rerun elections in Sokoto and Kano states respectively,” the coalition stated.

  • Court strikes out suit restraining INEC from issuing certificate of return to Ihedioha

    A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri on Friday struck out a suit restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from issuing certificate of return to Imo governor elect Emeka Ihedioha.

    The court also ruled that post- election matters belonged to the election tribunals.

    Candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the March 9 governorship election, Mr Uche Nwosu had gone to court to get an order restraining the court from issuing a certificate of return to People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Emeka Ihedioha.

    READ ALSO: ‘INEC should withhold Ihedioha’s Certificate of Return’

    Nwosu had argued that Ihedioha did not meet the required 25 per cent of the votes in 18 out of the 27 LGs in Imo.

    Striking the matter out, Justice Tijjani Ringim held that post election matters are to be handled by the election tribunal.

    Ringim said that “the quest for justice must be in line with the constitution. Post- election matters belong to election tribunal “.

    INEC had on March 11 declared Ihedioha winner of the election.

    Ihedioha had polled a total 273,404 votes to defeat Nwosu who came second with 190,364 votes.

    NAN

  • We’ll appeal tribunal judgment on Osun governorship, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun says it will appeal the tribunal judgment that declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the September 2018 re-run governorship election in Osun.

    Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, said in a statement on Friday in Osogbo that the verdict would not stand superior legal scrutiny.

    “We are going to appeal the judgment.

    “The verdict cannot stand superior legal scrutiny. Therefore we will appeal against it,” Oyatomi said.

    The PDP in the state, however, commended the judiciary on what it called a landmark judgment.

    Mr. Soji Adagunodo, the Osun PDP Chairman, in his reaction, said the victory was for the people of the state.

    Adagunodo said the judgment shows that “we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.’’

    ” Kudos to the Nigerian judiciary and this shows that we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.

    “Truly, the judiciary is the last hope of common man,’’ Adagunodo said.

    Adagunodo said since the APC had decided to appeal the judgment, PDP would await the outcome at the appellate court.

    Read Also: Atiku, Obi rejoice with Adeleke over Tribunal ruling

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja had on Friday declared Adeleke winner.

    The three-member panel said during its ruling that the rerun election that held on Sept. 27, 2018, was illegal.

    The tribunal, therefore, deducted the votes scored by the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, in the rerun after declaring the rerun illegal.

    The tribunal said Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on Sept. 22 and the rerun that INEC devised to reach a final conclusion a week later was illegal.

    “The declaration of Oyetola is null and void,” the tribunal ruled in a majority decision with one member dissenting.

  • Atiku, Obi rejoice with Adeleke over Tribunal ruling

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi have rejoiced with Senator Ademola Adeleke, the party’s governorship candidate in the Osun September 28 elections.

    Adeleke was declared winner by the Osun Governorship Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Friday.

    Atiku, on his verified Twitter handle @Atiku, the former Vice President also praised the judiciary for coming to the rescue of the common man.

    Read Also: Mandate returned, says Davido on Osun tribunal ruling

    He wrote: “Truly, the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and the defender of our democracy. Congratulations Sen Demola Adeleke, @IsiakaAdeleke1.”

    Obi, on his twitter handle @PeterObi, wrote: “Congratulations Senator Ademola Adeleke @IsiakaAdeleke1. Power to the People!”

  • Supplementary polls: APC, INEC conspiracy will fail, says PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) has said that an alleged conspiracy between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig Saturday’s supplementary election in some states will fail.

    The states listed by INEC for supplementary election include Kano, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi and Sokoto states, following electoral body’s declaration of the March 9 governorship and state assembly elections inconclusive in the affected states.

    At a media briefing in Abuja Friday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan described the alleged alliance between INEC and APC to manipulate the poll as unsavoury.

    The PDP noted that INEC is proceeding to conduct supplementary election in Bauchi without completing the collation of the March 9 governorship election; to enable it determines the margin of lead.

    According to the PDP, the alleged anomaly being created by INEC was geared to cause confusion and muddle-up the Bauchi electoral process and pave the way for allocation of fictitious votes to the APC.

    The party further stated that it was in possession of reports of how the INEC leadership allegedly connived with the APC to delay the collation of results from Tafawa Balewa local government, and then stampeded the courts to halt the process in an attempt to ambush the supplementary election.

    “This informs why INEC hurriedly and shamelessly jettisoned its statutory independence and implemented the unconstitutional Exparte Order to halt the collation of results in Bauchi and Adamawa states, even before the order was enrolled and served on it”, Ologbondiyan said.

    The main opposition party cautioned INEC to note that it already has the figures of votes delivered at the polling units in the first ballot.

    Ologbondiyan continued, “We also have figure of voters with PVCs in the areas where INEC plans to conduct supplementary elections. Therefore any attempt by INEC and the APC to pad the results to favor the APC will be firmly resisted.

    “The PDP is in a comfortable lead in Bauchi and nothing can change this reality, irrespective of supplementary election, in which we are also set to win.

    “In Adamawa, we have also been informed of how the APC and INEC are conniving to cause confusion and alter the figures of already collated results of the governorship election won by the PDP.

    “The situation has become so pathetic that the Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) is yet to officially state the commission’s position on whether the supplementary election will hold or not.

    “The PDP reminds INEC that it has the figures of the already collated results in Adamawa and warns that any attempt to tamper with such will be faced with dire consequences.

    “In Sokoto State, the PDP alerts Nigerians to the invasion of the state by heavily armed thugs imported by the APC from neighboring states of Kano and Zamfara to unleash violence, cause confusion and help the APC to rig the supplementary governorship election, under official protection of compromised security agencies.

    “However, the PDP wants INEC, the APC, their thugs and the compromised security personnel to note that the people of Sokoto state are determined to assert themselves in this election and anybody attempting to subvert their will would be doing so at his or her own risk.

    “In Rivers state, our party holds that the shifting of the collation of results by INEC to April 2-5, 2019, without providing any reason, is a calculated attempt to create room for their partners, the APC, to engage in judicial manipulations or abracadabra to scuttle the election already won by the PDP.

    “The PDP cautions that such shenanigan by INEC is highly provocative, especially as the people of Rivers state are already aware of all the results delivered from the polling units, which puts the PDP in clear lead. Any alteration will spell doom for our democracy given the place Rivers State occupies in our national economy.

    “Furthermore, the PDP charges the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure strict adherence to the use of card readers in all the Supplementary elections. Reports abound of how INEC jettisoned the card readers in previous elections, particularly in certain states earmarked for rigging for the APC, thereby leading to all manners of electoral manipulations. This must not be allowed in the supplementary polls.

    “Finally, the PDP states that it is in good stead in Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto, Benue, Adamawa and Plateau states and as such, will use all legitimate means to ensure that nobody rigs out our candidates in the supplementary elections”.