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Tag: PDP

  • Govt accuses PDP of planning to scuttle poll

    THERE is a plot to orchestrate a crisis and trigger panic among the populace, the Federal Government alleged yesterday, accusing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of planning the trouble.

    It said the plot is in furtherance of the opposition party’s plan to discredit the election and cause a constitutional crisis.

    The government, however, urged the international community to ignore the plot to discredit Saturday’s poll before it is conducted.

    The government, which made the claims in a statement in Abuja by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, said PDP bigwigs, including its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate Peter Obi, PDP governors and others, were planning a world press conference to level frivolous and unfounded allegations against the government.

    The statement said: “With just a few days to the presidential and National Assembly elections, the Federal Government has alerted the nation to the last-minute desperate plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to orchestrate a crisis and trigger a sense of panic among the populace, in furtherance of their plan to discredit the election and cause a constitutional crisis.

    ”The plot confirms the alarm raised by the Federal Government on Jan. 21st and Feb. 3rd 2019 that the PDP is planning to scuttle the election and, where that fails, discredit it.

    “In the days ahead, PDP bigwigs, including its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate Peter Obi, PDP governors and others, are planning a world press conference in order to level frivolous and unfounded allegations against the Federal Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

    The statement gave insights into the alleged plot by the opposition, including alleged connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Presidency.

    The statement added: “Part of the false allegations they plan to make is that the Presidency, in connivance with the APC, is planning to force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce presidential election results that are favourable to the government in power, on the basis of the false premise that the APC’s intelligence team is worried that the ruling party would lose the elections.

    “The PDP bigwigs also plan to use their world press conference to further disparage the Buhari Administration as well as the ruling APC, with a view to painting an unfavourable image of both to Nigerians and the international community and to put the government on the defensive in the run-up to the polls.”

    The Minister said the “PDP’s last joker is a two-hour live press conference to be addressed by the PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, on Feb. 14th, the last day of electioneering campaign, to chronicle all their concocted allegations and lies against the ruling government, cast aspersion on the government and the ruling party’s officials and throw innuendos here and there”.

    The statement added: ‘’As electioneering campaign winds down, the PDP has realised that it cannot possibly win a free, fair and credible polls. It has thus resorted to engaging in red herring, hauling insults and abuses at Federal Government and ruling party officials and making outlandish allegations with a view to creating a sense of panic and crisis.

    ‘’The truth is that President Muhammadu Buhari, a man respected globally for his integrity, has continuously assured that the elections will be free, fair, credible and peaceful. He has warmly welcomed observers, both local and foreign., because he has nothing to hide, and because he is sure that the achievements of his Administration will win him re-election.”

    Mohammed urged international community to ignore plot to discredit the poll.

    ‘’We are, therefore, calling on all Nigerians and the international community to disregard any attempt to scuttle or discredit the polls.

    “We urge observers to keep an open mind. There is no cause for alarm, except in the warped imagination of the PDP, which has entered the panic mode and is already ruing the loss of another general election even before it has been held,’’ he said.

  • Scores injured as PDP, APC supporters clash in Ekiti

    •APC accuses Olujimi of instigating crisis ·•Senator is peace-loving, says aide

    Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed on Monday at a campaign rally in Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area.

    About 20 persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

    Members of the APC were said to be holding a joint rally for the senatorial candidate in Ekiti South, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, and the House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti South Federal Constituency, Femi Bamisile, when suspected PDP thugs invaded the rally and attacked them.

    Those who allegedly carried out the attacks were said to be those loyal to Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi, PDP’s Ekiti South senatorial candidate.

    Some APC supporters who were attacked – Adeniyi Saliu, Kayode Ojo and Adeniyi Ayo – sustained deep cuts in the heads, backs and stomachs.

    They were taken to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti for intensive medical care.

    Fifteen others were said to have been wounded during the attack.

    It was gathered that the perpetrators fled the town; the police are said to be on their trail to arrest and prosecute them.

    Bamisile, a former House of Assembly Speaker and APC House of Representative candidate, described the attack as unfortunate and a threat to democracy.

    The former Speaker noted that the desperation of some PDP members would subvert democracy.

    He urged security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators without further delay.

    “APC will not fold its arms and watch its members attacked by members of other political parties; hence, the need for a strong warning to troublemakers to retrace their steps and allow peace to reign in the land.

    “Nobody has monopoly of violence. Therefore, PDP members should be aware of that and stop provoking peace-loving APC members in the state,” Bamisile said.

    APC senatorial candidate and former Minister of Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, warned miscreants and political thugs planning violence and mayhem ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections to be careful or risk going to prison.

    Reacting to the attacks on APC members in Omuo Ekiti, allegedly sponsored by Senator Olujimi and the PDP, Adeyeye said the long arms of the law would catch up with political louts, no matter how fast they run.

    Adeyeye said: “Arresting and prosecuting the suspects will serve as a deterrent to others inclined to political violence. I enjoin the security agencies to be on red alert to curtail the overbearing influence of these political violence perpetrators.

    “Ekiti is a peaceful state and nobody should turn it into a theatre of war in the name of politics.”

    But the Special Assistant (SA), Media, to Oluujimi on Public Communications, Chief Sanya Atofarati, exonerated the senator and her supporters from the attack.

    He said the senator had no cause to unleash mayhem on her people.

    Atofarati said: “Attacking political opponents is of no point. It is the APC that has been attacking others because violence is their principal identity.

    “We have been going round campaigning in the senatorial district. There are no cases of violence. There is no reason for us to fight anybody. Residents of the senatorial district know this.

    “We are going to the polls; we are sure of winning. So, why would we embark on attacking others? We are peace-loving. They should settle their differences.”

     

  • Tinubu: I’m not leaving APC

    National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has said he has no plans to leave the party for any other.

    He said he would remain solidly behind the APC contrary to insinuations by some that he was leaving the party.

    A video where Tinubu, at the APC Presidential Campaign rally in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was seen throwing the party’s flag to National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to give to the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun, had been framed by opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)to mean he was throwing away the party’s flag.

    But in a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser, Media, Tunde Rahman, the APC leader denied throwing away the party’s flag as being insinuated by PDP.

    “If you want to fault Asiwaju for anything in this matter, your critique can only be limited to the accuracy of his toss. Any attempt to enlarge the episode beyond this is fiction and mischief writ large,” he clarified in the statement.

    Agreeing that an incident did occur at the Ogun State APC rally, he said it was not the one PDP concocted.

    “The true incident that should be reported and condemned is that people who furtively oppose the party and the president, tried to infiltrate and disrupt this rally.

    “The attack by these operatives was disrespectful of the office of the President and could have potentially harmed the person of the President.

    “With but a few precious days until the election and with its chance of victory running out even faster than the time, the PDP now grasps at the most nonsensical and desperate tactics to salvage its falling enterprise.

    “However, a drowning man cannot toss himself a lifeline. Nor can the PDP succeed in turning the innocuous attempted exchange of a flag between the National Leader and National Chairman into a rift in the APC’s successful campaign.

    “Such antics have no place in our political discourse. The author of these misdeeds should desist before real harm is done.”

    The statement added: “Now to the crux of the opposition’s latest antics. If the issue of the flag has become the hotspot of the PDP campaign, then they are in serious trouble.

    “During that portion of the Ogun rally, the National Chairman and others were looking for a party flag. Asiwaju Tinubu spotted one within his reach.

    “He picked it up and attempted to toss it to chairman Oshiomhole so that the chairman could present it to the party’s gubernatorial candidate Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    “If you want to fault Asiwaju for anything in this matter, your critique can only be limited to the accuracy of his toss. Any attempt to enlarge the episode beyond this is fiction and mischief writ large.

    “As the National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu is thoroughly faithful and committed to the APC. It is unthinkable that he would leave the party.

    Read Also: Why Lagosians should not vote for Atiku, by Tinubu

    “Moreover, there is no reason for him to do so. He has been hard at work for the victory of the APC and all of its candidates in the upcoming election.

    “Asiwaju understands the bigger picture. He knows what is at stake in this election. Either the nation moves forward along the progressive path of the APC or it will be forced to retreat into the ills of the past created by the PDP.

    “With the nation’s future hanging in the balance, Asiwaju will not allow himself to be deterred by petty mischief”.

    The statement advised those spinning the matter to make better use of their imaginations.

    It emphasised: “Asiwaju is not going anywhere. He remains gidigba (solid) in APC.

    “And after the election, he will be there celebrating the APC’s and this nation’s victory over those who would prevent us our rightful future”.

  • Auchi monarch to PDP: we’ll support party that fixed Auchi gully

    Edo North senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) Engr. Abubakar Momoh got the shock of his life at the palace of the Otaru of Auchi, HRH Alhaji Aliru Ikelebe III on Tuesday.

    The monarch told the candidate Auchi people would vote for the party that fixed the gully erosion problem that ravaged the community for many years.

    It was former Governor Adams Oshiomhole that solved the gully erosion problem.

    Momoh was at the Otaru’s palace to seek endorsement of the monarch for Saturday’s polls.

    The Otaru reportedly told Momoh that he would only give his support to the party and people that rescued the community from total collapse when it was ravaged by erosion.

    The Daniyan of Auchi Kingdom, Alhaji Usman Abudah, who confirmed the development, told newsmen that the Otaru of Auchi also advised all political office seekers to desist from the “unacceptable efforts to involve the palace of the Otaru of Auchi with their misgiving political pursuits.”

    His words: “Specifically Hon Abubakar Momoh who has on numerous occasions been seeking for political positions at the wrong time in wrong places visited the palace of the Otaru of Auchi and on each occasion, HRH Otaru of Auchi explicitly advised him to find a way to fall into line of the realities of the moment.

    “The Otaru said he will never while alive not to be appreciative of any government that came to the aid of the community during the problematic erosion problem which Oshiomhole government in collaboration with the World Bank solved for the community.

    “Otaru will never in his life mislead his people he has spoken and will continue to speak the truth to the people of his domain.”

  • PDP accuses APC of burning INEC offices

    The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) said Tuesday that fresh facts available to it have shown that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was responsible for the burning of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in various parts of the country.

    The main opposition PDP said it already has the details of how the APC mobilised misguided elements in its fold to burn INEC offices and destroy electoral materials and equipment in Plateau, Abia and Anambra states.

    Fire had gutted INEC offices in the three states within one week.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said, “Our party is also privy to clandestine plots by the APC to burn INEC offices in some other states, so as to paralyse the Commission’s operations in such states, and pave the way for the isolation and postponement of the presidential elections in those states; after which it plans to unleash compromised security agencies to muzzle the shifted polls in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Having realised that President Buhari has no chance in a credible, free and fair general election, the APC now plots a violent staggering of the polls so as to use security forces to re-enact the same rigging formula it used in the 2018 Ekiti and Osun governorship elections”

    Read Also: Why we arrested PDP spokesman – DSS

    The statement added that in attacking INEC offices and destroying the card readers, the APC was is to cripple the Commission’s use of full benefit of technology that will guarantee a credible biometric voter accreditation.

    “The PDP in very unequivocal terms insists that it will never accept any attempt by the APC to postpone the Presidential election in any state of the federation. The Presidential election must hold in all the states on the 16th of February and President Buhari will be served his defeat certificate.

    “The PDP therefore charges Nigerians to resist the desperation of the APC, for which it has now resorted to burning INEC offices. The party also charges INEC to note that the APC is after it facilities and as such put stronger measures to protect itself from the assaults of this desperate party”.

  • Why we arrested PDP spokesman – DSS

    The Kaduna state Command of the Department of state services ( DSS ) has explained that it arrested the Director General of the People’s Democratic Party campaign, Ben Bako because of inciting statement that if left unchecked, was capable of leading to a “complete breakdown of law and order in the state and beyond”.

    The PDP Campaign DG was arrested after a video in which he called for anybody that fails to vote for the PDP in the forthcoming election to be killed.

    The PDP in the state, however, said his arrest was part of a plan by the All Progressive Congress in the state to clamp down on opposition elements.

    But in a statement issued in Kaduna, the DSS said the PDP chieftain was arrested in order for him to “shed more light on his inciting statement.

    The statement signed by AI Koya, state director of Security of the state Command said “other people with similar tendencies are also being investigated and would equally face the same fate of found culpable.

    The statement reads: “On the 9th February, 2019, this service invited Mr. Ben. Bako to shed more light on his inciting statement and call for violence in the state. Earlier on the 7th February, 2019 Bako had addressed a rally at Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area of Kaduna state.

    “During the rally, Bako was recorded calling his followers to kill anybody that votes for any party other than the PDP. The video has already gone viral through the social media.

    “Bako, a former commissioner for information in this state and a leader in his own right made this call along with other inviting statements at Kafanchan, deliberately with the intention to cause violence in the state.

    Read Also: Polls: DSS vows to deal with lawbreakers, purveyors of fake news

    “This development, if left unchecked, could lead to complete breakdown of law and order in this state and beyond. Consequently, Bako is under investigation by the service and would be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed. Other people with similar tendencies are also being investigated and would equally face the same fate if found culpable.

    “The service assures the good people of Kaduna state that in collaboration with sister security agencies would ensure that citizens are free to exercise their right to freedom of association and choice without hindrance,” the statement read.

    But the PDP in the state has accused that the action of the DSS was premeditated, saying that, the party was aware of the ruling party’s plan arrest top leaders of the opposition party.

    Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Felix Hassan Hyat who addressed the press at the party’s secretariat in Kaduna said, “in the first week of December, 2018 we started hearing rumours that the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i in collaboration with State Security agencies will arrest strong PDP members, days before the elections.

    We took it as mere rumours. The reality is now on ground and the action has started.

    “On 2nd February, 2019, Alhaji Imam Lawal was escorted by security agents along Coronation Road, Kaduna in the evening. His car was thoroughly ransacked but nothing incriminating was found.

    “On Thursday, 7th February, 2019 Alhaji Audi Yaro, Makaman Rigachikun, a former State Chairman and National Ex-Officio was invited to the Kaduna State Police Command Headquarters. His crime was recalling the Campaign speech of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 General Elections, where Buhari as Presidential Candidate then has said in Hausa, “ku kasa, ku tsare, ku raka, ku jira, in ba a baku ba ku buge.”

    “On Saturday, 9th February, 2019, Hon. Ben Bako, a strong PDP member a former Commissioner of information in the State and now Director of Media in the present PDP Campaign Organization, was picked by operatives from DSS and taken to Abuja that same night and is yet to be released.

    “On Monday, 11th February, 2019, Alhaji Imam Lawal was again invited to the State DSS office where he was interrogated for sometimes before he was later released. On the same Monday, Alhaji Audi Yaro, Makaman Rigachikun, was again invited by the State DSS operatives and taken to Abuja and is yet to be released.

    “Democracy is seriously under threat in Nigeria, starting with Kaduna State. We as a Party will continue to fight the cause of justice to ensure that Democracy finds its roots firmly in Nigeria and Kaduna State in particular. Now that the security agencies have come out openly to fight the opposition Party in the State on behalf of the ailing ruling Party, we have no alternative than to view them as an integral part of the APC.

    “We want to use this opportunity to appeal to all our cherished supporters and the public to remain calm. Arresting our leaders cannot stop PDP being voted into office on 16h February and 2nd March, 2019 to replace an unwanted monster in the corridors of power loading it over innocent citizens humiliation/intimidation will only strengthen our resolve to keep on the struggle.

    Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has commended the security agency for the arrests, saying that, Carriers of violent message to scuttle the democratic setting that has been set particularly the forthcoming election must be put under watch.

    Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, Chairman of the party, Air Commodore Emmanuel Jekada and Director General of its Campaign Organization, Ben Kure said, carriers of violent message to scuttle the democratic setting that has been set particularly the election that is coming forth on Saturday the 16th of February 2019 must be put under close watch.

    According to them, “the will of government should not be tested. Attempt or an attempted attempt to try to scuttle the nursing democratic setting by way of conducting a peaceful election I want to believe will not be left without any question or measures taken. Therefore, the propagators of violence orchestrated by the PDP should be warned and other people who want to follow suit in order to scuttle the planned peaceful conduct of the elections that is coming on Saturday.

    “We have followed the PDP carefully and have understood that they are rolling out an orchestrated ground plan to scuttle this election. President Muhammadu Buhari will by the grace of God win, which we are confident of because of his integrity because of the leadership he provided in Nigeria that has restored peace in the country.”

  • FG uncovers fresh plans by PDP to scuttle poll

    … PDP plots to orchestrate crisis, FG alleges

     

    Barely few days to the general elections, the Federal Government on Tuesday alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to orchestrate a crisis and trigger a sense of panic among the populace.

    It said the plot is in furtherance of their plan to discredit the election and cause a constitutional crisis.

    It, however, urged international community to ignore plot to discredit the Saturday poll before it is conducted.

    The government, which made the claims in a statement in Abuja by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, said PDP bigwigs, including its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate Peter Obi, PDP Governors and others, are planning a world press conference in order to level frivolous and unfounded allegations against the government.

    The statement said: “With just a few days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Federal Government has alerted the nation to the last-minute desperate plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to orchestrate a crisis and trigger a sense of panic among the populace, in furtherance of their plan to discredit the election and cause a constitutional crisis.

    “The plot confirms the alarm raised by the Federal Government on Jan. 21st and Feb. 3rd 2019 that the PDP is planning to scuttle the election and, where that fails, discredit it.

    “In the days ahead, PDP bigwigs, including its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, his running mate Peter Obi, PDP Governors and others, are planning a world press conference in order to level frivolous and unfounded allegations against the federal government and the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

    Read Also: Buhari vows to recover $16bn squandered on power by PDP

    The statement gave insights into the plot by the opposition including alleged connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) by the Presidency.

    The statement added: “Part of the false allegations they plan to make is that the Presidency, in connivance with the APC, is planning to force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce presidential election results that are favourable to the government in power, on the basis of the false premise that the APC’s intelligence team is worried that the ruling party would lose the elections.

    “The PDP bigwigs also plan to use their world press conference to further disparage the Buhari Administration as well as the ruling APC, with a view to painting an unfavourable image of both  Nigerians and the international community also to put the government on the defensive in the run-up to the polls.

    The Minister said the “PDP’s last joker is a two-hour live press conference to be addressed by the PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, on Feb. 14th, the last day of electioneering campaign, to chronicle all their concocted allegations and lies against the ruling government, cast aspersion on government and ruling party officials and throw innuendos here and there.

    The statement added: ”As electioneering campaign winds down, the PDP has realized that it cannot possibly win free, fair and credible polls. It has thus resorted to engaging in red herring, hauling insults and abuses at Federal Government and ruling party officials and making outlandish allegations with a view to creating a sense of panic and crisis.

    ”The truth is that President Muhammadu Buhari, a man respected globally for his integrity, has continuously assured that the elections will be free, fair, credible and peaceful. He has warmly welcomed observers, both local and foreign., because he has nothing to hide, and because he is sure that the achievements of his Administration will win him re-election.

    Mohammed urged international community to ignore plot to discredit the Saturday poll.

    ”We are therefore calling on all Nigerians and the international community to disregard any attempt to scuttle or discredit the polls.

    “We urge observers to keep an open mind. There is no cause for alarm, except in the warped imagination of the PDP, which has entered the panic mode and is already ruing the loss of another general election even before it has been held,” he said.

  • Buhari vows to recover $16bn squandered on power by PDP

    …..President gets Ijaw name as mammoth crowd gather in Bayelsa

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday vowed to recover $16bn allegedly wasted in the power sector by the government of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “Where is the power? Where is the money?” The President queried saying his administration would go after persons involved in the power deal to recover the money to continue with the ongoing development of infrastructures across the country.

    Buhari spoke at the Oxbow Lake Pavilion, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where mammoth crowd of party faithful gathered for his reelection campaign in the state.

    Party faithful comprising men, women and youths adorned in APC vests and fez caps were seen drumming support for Buhari and chanting Sai Baba.

    The APC presidential candidate with his entourage landed at the Government House heliport and was received by the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, his Deputy, John Jonah, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson and other cabinet members.

    Buhari was also welcomed to the state by the state leader of APC and former Governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Sylva; the Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, the state Chairman of APC, Jothan Amos and other party leaders.

    Buhari and his team comprising his Campaign Director and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) proceeded to the Secretariat of the state Traditional Rulers Council where the candidate spoke to the council headed by the King of Twon Brass, Alfred Diette Spiff.

    The President was giving an Ijaw name, Ebiwari (good house) by the state Chairman of the party, Jothan Amos, who referred to as a symbol of truth to the admiration of the crowd.

    But the President insisted that persons who were involved in squandering the whooping power money would not go scot free.

    Read Also: My husband has passion for the masses – Aisha Buhari

    “You know we are building roads; the railway was virtually killed we are rebuilding it and there was no power, we are bringing power back. The previous government mentioned on their own that they spent 16bn American Dollars for power. But you are better witnessed than myself. Where is the power? Where is the money? We will follow them and eventually God willing we will get them and we will get our money back,” he said.

    The President insisted that the APC administration would continue to take seriously the problems of security, economy, infrastructures and fight against corruption.

    He said: “We are also promising that we will make people who occupy executive positions both in federal and state levels to be accountable to the people. If you could recall when I came in 2015 under our great party, the party articulated three issues which we campaign and were voted on.

    “These are security, economy and fighting corruption. On security, the people of the Northeast are the biggest witnesses of what we achieved because when we came, at least 17 local governments were under Boko Haram. As I speak now none is under them. But they resorted to train the young men and women wrap them up with explosives and ask them to explode it in churches, mosques, market places and in motor parks. That is even rare now.

    “On economy, when we came in we had very high importation of food stocks. We thank God that in the three previous raining seasons we realised bountiful harvest. The government contribution was to make fertilizer and other agricultural inputs available. That took away many able-bodied persons out of unemployment.

    “On fighting corruption, under this system it is very difficult. But I keep mentioning wherever I go that all those who have account to give should prepare to account for it. Those that are indicted were taken before the court and a number of them are in jail and a number of their properties had been taken away to be sold and put in the treasury and continue with infrastructure”.

    The President praised the efforts of the party leaders saying the APC was stronger and that its strength would be tested in the forthcoming elections.

    On his part, Sylva said the APC remained the stronger party in the state and thanked the President for assisting in payment of workers’ salaries through bailouts.

    Sylva said the Ijaw people could be forgiven the last time for not voting President Buhari because their son contested the election against him; they had no more reason not to vote for him in the coming election.

    He further accused the state government of spending N120bn to build an airport in the state without disclosing the identity of the contractor.

    Addressing Buhari on why the people of the state would vote for him, he said: “Mr. President you have also commenced and almost completed a major road in Bayelsa state connecting the community of the former President. You have also commissioned a major water project in Bayelsa, one in Otuoke and another one in Ekeremor, which was done from the Ministry of Agriculture.

    “Bayelsa has many reasons why they should vote for you again. I always say this to Bayelsans, it is as clear as crystal, visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that Mr. President is winning again. I tell my people that apart from the fact that Mr. President has done a lot, we must also vote for Mr. President because that is the winning team.

    “Our father Melford Okilo taught us that our alliance with northern Nigeria must be sustained. And for us as Ijaw people, that is what we have always known for. Let us not make any mistake. I learnt that some people came here to deceive Bayelsans, but we know them for whom they are. We call them ‘People Deceive People’.

    “For Ijaw land to grow, we need a forthright President like President Buhari. Izon means truth and it is our name as a people. We also know that the name Muhammadu Buhar stands for truth. Buhari is a truthful person so he is our natural alliance. That is why we must all vote for President Buhari.

    “He has brought many things to Ijaw land. I stand here as a son of Ijaw land, as a former governor and as a chairman of the Maritime University, which is also a school that was instituted by the President. Ijaw people have no reason not to vote for the President. This time we must vote enmasse”.

    On his part, Lokpobiri asked the President to ensure a level-playing filed in Bayelsa to enable the APC prove its worth in the state accusing the state government of squandering N1.3trn that accrued to the state for seven years.

    He said: “I have the mandate of the Bayelsa people to tell you that Bayelsa doesn’t want to be left of this moving train and winning movement. Right from the days of Melfford Okilo Bayelsans have always known the party that would win. This time around, Bayelsans have already seen that your reelection had already been concluded.

    “The only request we want is for a level-playing field to be provided for Bayelsans to show you that they love you. This state in the past seven years has received N1.3trn. This is excluding local government allocations, bailout funds and loans that run into hundreds of billions of naira.

    “But Bayelsa is still one of the least developed states in the country. Bayelsa is still one of the darkest states in the country. Bayelsa civil servants have suffered the highest level of retrenchment in this country”.

    He asked the President to bring his anti-corruption drive to Bayelsa and make the state government account for the money it received without commensurate development.

  • Scores injure as PDP, APC supporters clash in Ekiti

    * APC Accuses Senate Minority leader of instigating crisis

     

    Supporters of the All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party on Monday clashed during a campaign rally in Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area, with no fewer than 20 persons sustaining various degrees of injuries.

    The members of the APC were said to be holding a joint rally for the senatorial candidate in Ekiti South District, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and the House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti South Federal Constituency, Hon Femi Bamisile when the suspected PDP thugs invaded the rally and launched attacks on them.

    Those who allegedly carried out the attacks were those loyal to the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi and senatorial candidate of the PDP in Ekiti South.

    Some APC supporters, Adeniyi Saliu , Kayode Ojo and Adeniyi Ayo , who were victims of the attack sustained deep cut in the heads, back and stomach, had been referred to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti for intensive medical care.

    Another 15 others were said to have been wounded during the unexpected attack.

    It was gathered by our reporter that those who committed the crime had fled the town and are now being trailed by the police for possible arrest and prosecution.

    Former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and an APC House of Representative candidate, Bamisile described the attack as unfortunate and a threat to democracy.

    Bamisile said the desperation of some of the PDP members is nothing but an attempt to subvert democratic consolidation.

    Read Also: APC accuses Amosun of sponsoring attack against Buhari, party leaders

    He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the state to apprehend the perpetrators of the latest ugly development in the area without further delay.

    “APC as a party will not fold arms and watch its members be attacked by members of other political parties, hence the need for a strong warning to troublemakers to retrace their steps and allow peace to reign in the land.

    “Nobody has monopoly of violence, therefore PDP members should be aware of that, and stop provoking peace loving APC members in the state”.

    APC senatorial candidate and former Minister of Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, warned miscreants and political thugs planning violence and mayhem in the build-up to Saturday general elections to be careful or risk being sent to prison.

    Adeyeye while reacting to the sudden wave of political violence and attacks on APC members in Omuo Ekiti said the long arms of law will catch up with political louts that were led by one Sunday Awolusi no matter how fast they run.

    Prince Adeyeye said: “Arresting and prosecuting the suspects will serve as a deterrent to others inclined to political violence. I enjoin the security agencies to be on the red alert to curtail the overbearing influence of these political violence perpetrators.

    “Ekiti is a peaceful state and nobody should turn it into theatre of war in the name of politics”.

     

  • APC, PDP quarrel over alleged plan to buy votes with Abacha loot

    THE All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State yesterday exchanged verbal invectives over PDP’s allegations that the ruling party reserved recovered loot for vote-buying.

    The opposition said the ruling party allegedly perfected plans to use the recovered loot from the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to buy votes in the forthcoming polls, use security operatives to rig the elections and use officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to perpetrate electoral fraud.

    But the APC denied the claim, describing it as a figment of imagination orchestrated by the enemies of progressive Nigeria.

    The state’s Director of Media and Publicity of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Council, Lere Olayinka accused the APC of plotting massive vote-buying in next Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    He alleged that N112.5 billion had been appropriated to buy projected 15 million votes at N7,500 per vote.

    But APC’s Director of Media for the state’s Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Council, Tai Akogun, described the allegations as cruel and irresponsible.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari is man of integrity who would never attempt to buy votes.

    Akogun said the President’s monumental achievements in all sectors would give him enough votes.

    The campaign spokesman noted that President Buhari has performed creditably well to be given a second term by Nigerians on a platter of gold.

    The PDP said: “While their plots are in two folds. They are forging ahead with their covert plot to compromise the INEC and rig the elections by getting the electoral commission to produce two sets of result sheets (Form EC8A) for some selected polling units across the country, they are also plotting massive vote-buying.”

    But Akogun said: “Everybody knows President Buhari as a man of integrity, by this time four years ago, we were already hearing about raising huge funds for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign, where contractors were raising huge funds. But now, you can’t hear of any contractors doing that. Is this kind of President the one that would waste N112 billion for campaign?”

    He added: “Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi is not a frivolous person; he is not a kind of person that will use such money to buy votes.

    “This is a cruel and irresponsible allegation. The PDP is only crying foul because they know they are losing the coming polls.

    “They know that 14,000 Ekiti youths who benefitted immensely from N-Power and those who also benefitted from Trader-moni will vote massively for President Buhari.

    “In Ekiti alone, the railway line that President Buhari has built, the Federal secretariat almost at completion at the new Iyin Road and the housing scheme in Agric Olope, all in Ado-Ekiti is our own N112 billion which will attract votes for President Buhari.

    “We challenge the PDP to show us what former President Goodluck Jonathan did for Ekiti in his time. President Buhari doesn’t need to buy votes because he has performed creditably well.”

    Olayinka also alleged the APC led Federal Government has instructed the security operatives to provide cover for all APC stalwarts to be assigned with the responsibility of ascertaining voters compliance and  making payments to voters who complied.

    He urged Nigerians to reject vote buying, the security to maintain neutrality in the coming elections, noting that the security operatives should remain non-partisan and not appendage of APC.

    In a swift reaction the Ekiti state Publicity Secretary of APC, Ade Ajayi said PDP is known to be master in such illicit act of vote buying, compromising the electoral officials and using security agents for intimidation and harassment of electorates.

    Ajayi stressed that APC as a party that believes in the principle and ethos of democracy would not engage in any electoral malfeasances that can undermine democratic consolidation in the country.

    “The allegation is nothing but a ruse because PDP is a serial liar from time immemorial who is known to be polluting the political atmosphere with false information.

    “It is the PDP that has been buying vote with looted funds. Atiku who is their presidential candidate gave each delegates at the party’s convention 1.8m before he emerged as the party presidential standard bearer. Is that not vote-buying.

    “We are not interested in vote buying because what we have done in the last three and half years are enough to ensure our our victory and consequently PDP electoral fatality”, he said.