The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • APC has more projects in S/ East than PDP did — APC

    Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr Joe Igbokwe,  in Lagos State, says the party delivered more projects in the South East in three years than the PDP did in 16 years.

    Igbokwe said this on the sidelines of a town hall meeting organised by the Ndi-Igbo in APC Lagos State.

    The meeting was to interact with the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, in Lagos.

    According to Igbokwe, the APC-led administration has beaten the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hands down in terms of projects and structures on ground in the South East.

    ”We have been doing the arithmetic, almost four years of APC beat 16years of PDP hands down in terms of performance.

    “We have seen what we did not see in 16 years of PDP administration. The facts are there. That is what we are telling our people in the South East,” he said.

    Igbokwe said there was need for the South East people to key in by supporting and voting for APC in the coming elections so as not to lose out.

    He said that the people from the South East needed to be wise, as voting massively for APC would guarantee Igbo presidency in 2023.

    ”Again, we do not want the Igbo people to make the same mistake they made in 2015, because there is no road for PDP and it is going to be like that for a long time.

    ”If you have been clamouring to produce the President of Nigeria from the Igbo extraction, you must play the politics and this is the time.

    ”Assuming our people vote massively for APC this 2019, 2023 is sure and already near.

    ”May they never make the mistake of the past, because if they do, they will be spectators and onlookers in the matters of Nigerian politics, ” Igbokwe said. (NAN)

  • PDP alleges plots to bribe senators to block sanctions against Buhari

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted of moves by some unnamed agents of the Presidency to bribe senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) extraction to protect President Muhammadu Buhari from imminent parliamentary sanctions for alleged constitutional breaches and gross misconduct.

    The main opposition party said in a statement Sunday that intelligence available to it indicated that it was for this reason Presidency summoned all APC senators for a meeting at the Presidential Villa.

    The meeting at the Villa is slated for Monday night, ahead of the Senate’s planned resumption on Tuesday.
    Spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who signed the statement, said the Presidency was unsettled by the national and international outcry that greeted President Buhari’s suspension and replacement of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
    The statement said, “President Buhari is not only apprehensive that the Senate might sanction him for violating the constitution and usurping its statutory duties regarding the handling of issues related to a CJN, the parliament might also open an inquest into how President Buhari, who parades as Mr. Integrity, allegedly procured an Order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) upon which he announced the illegal suspension of the CJN.

    “There are reports that the said order is suspicious and subject to investigation, being not argued or issued in the open court; following which a distressed Buhari Presidency now seeks to corrupt and undermine the Senate.

    “The PDP has been made aware of how money has been moved from the coffers of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to bribe the APC senators, as well as how each APC senator has been offered huge sums of money in foreign currency to engage in heckling during the session, particularly when the matter is raised.

    “However, the PDP wants the APC senators to note that the issue at hand is not partisan; it is not even about Justice Walter Onnoghen, but about nationhood, as well as the protection of our democracy and constitution from despotism.

    “The Buhari Presidency is bent on corrupting our democratic institutions but Nigerians are watching the action of our lawmakers at this critical time”.

  • ‘Enough of PDP, APC ‘misrule’

    Presidential candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf Sani has urged Nigerians to vote against candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next month election.

    According to him,the two ‘biggest’  political parties had failed the nation and should not be trusted with governance again.

    Sani spoke in Akure, Ondo state capital, during his visit to the leader of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

    He insisted that both parties were not the best for the country and should be jettisoned.

    The presidential candidate noted that the APC-led  administration and President Muhammadu Buhari could not manage the economy of the nation.

    According to him, Nigeria is endowed with natural resources that can rank the nation among the leading country of the world but observed that the country is blessed with leaders who lacked capacity to turn the nation around.

    Sani said  “the nation oil and gas sector should adequately take care of other sector, like health, education and even economy and there is no reason this country should be poor.

    “The experience we have in the oil and gas sector is a terrible one and all indices shown that activities in the sector has nosedived, we should be today ranked among the developed country and not developing country.

    “But the most disorganised sector sector today is oil and gas and this sector can be used to develop other sector and reposition this country because we have no reason to be poor.”

    Sani said the country was getting worse under the APC government, insisting that the present administration had failed in all sectors, while  Nigerians did not have any reason to be poor, but said ADP government would fight poverty to a standstill.

    The ADP Presidential candidate stressed the need for the restructuring of the country, saying this is the only way out of the myriads of challenges confronting the country.

    Fasoranti hailed the ADP presidential candidate for embracing restructuring,praying for the success of his aspiration.

  • PDP to Ag CJN Muhammed: Quit now

    • Suspends campaign for 72hrs to protest Onnoghen’s suspension

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wants the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, to quit office immediately.

    The party claimed yesterday that Muhammed cannot function in the capacity of CJN as there is no vacancy in that office.

    The party also confirmed that it had suspended its campaign for 72 hours to protest Friday’s suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes no provision for Acting Chief Justices of Nigeria at any particular time, stressing that in the eye of the law, Justice Walter Onnoghen is still in charge as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “It is also imperative for Justice Tanko to agree that, having allowed himself to be used to desecrate the hallowed temple of justice, his oath of office and oath of allegiance, the only option left for him is to quit the bench,” Ologbondiyan said.

    He added: “The PDP reminds Justice Tanko of his membership of the panel set up by the National Judicial Council (NJC), which on March 14, 2018, forced Justice Obisike Orji to quit the bench and go on a compulsory retirement, for allowing himself to be sworn in as the Acting Chief Judge of Abia State without the statutory recommendation of the NJC.

    “From Justice Tanko’s first illegal assignment, which is the swearing-in of election tribunal Justices for the forthcoming elections, Nigerians can now see the raison d’etre for his illegal appointment.

    “This action is in itself a nullity and we caution the said justices to be reminded of the popular maxim that something cannot be built on nothing.

    “Nigerians can recall that the PDP had always alerted that President Buhari is bent on removing Justice Onnoghen so as to replace him with a pliable CJN that would help him uphold his rigging plots and achieve his self-succession bid, having realized that he cannot win in any free and fair electoral contest.

    Suspends campaign for 72 hrs

    The party’s Presidential Campaign Council in a separate statement yesterday confirmed it was suspending its presidential campaign to protest President Muhammadu Buhari’s action against  Onnoghen.

    The PDP Campaign Council said its decision was also in solidarity with Nigerians in a collective rejection of what it described as an assault on the nation’s democratic order.

    The PDP Presidential Campaign train was scheduled to move to Benue State yesterday, but the party said it had suspended its campaign activities for a period of 72 hours in the first instance.

    The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who signed the statement said, “The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself becomes superfluous.

  • PDP: suspension must not stand

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected what it described as attempts by President Muhammadu Buhari to foist an illegal Chief Justice on the nation while the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen is still in office.

    President Buhari had yesterday sworn in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, following the suspension of Justice Onnoghen, on the advice of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    In a statement by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party said such impunity cannot stand. Insisting that Nigeria is a nation governed by law and not by the whims and caprices of a dictatorial leader, the PDP accused President Buhari of wanting to ruin the country, vowing, however, that the PDP would not allow him.

    The party called on Nigerians to reject what it termed the incendiary move by President Buhari to forcefully suspend the constitution, annex the judicial arm of government and open the nation up for full-blown totalitarianism to achieve his self-succession bid, having realised that he cannot win in the 2019 general election.

    The statement said, “President Buhari’s action in attempting to unilaterally appoint a Chief Justice and foist him on our country is a direct invitation to anarchy, national confusion and a monumental crisis capable of derailing our democracy and destroying our corporate existence as a nation.

    Read also: Oyo APC vows to give Buhari highest votes in South West

    “It is now clear to the world that President Buhari, in his selfish self-succession bid, is out to cause mayhem in our nation and truncate the smooth conduct of the 2019 election, not minding the consequential human and material losses.

    “There can be no two Chief Justices of Nigeria. Our constitution is clear on how a Chief Justice is appointed and removed as such does not lie on the prerogative of the President.

    “The world already knows how the Buhari administration has been trying to compromise the electoral process, including the refusal to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act, as well as the foisting of Mr. President’s relation by marriage, Mrs. Amina Zakari to coordinate the collation of Presidential election results.

    “The PDP wants President Buhari to know that this nation belongs to all Nigerians. Our nation is a democratic state governed by the constitution and the law and Nigerians will never allow anybody to appropriate rulership to himself outside the dictates of the law.

  • PDP suspends Ekiti Deputy Speaker, Deputy Leader, five others

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State on Friday suspended seven of its members in the House of Assembly for alleged anti-party activities and outright disregard for party principles.

    Suspended lawmakers included Deputy Speaker, Posi Omodara; Deputy Leader of Government Business, Fajana Ojo Ade; Segun Adewumi; Badejo Anifowose; Olayode Omotoso; Cecelia Dada and Olanrewaju Olayanju.

    A statement by the PDP State Publicity Secretary Jackson Adebayo alleged the lawmakers connived with All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to punish PDP members, actively partook in suspension of democratically elected local government chairmen and councilors who are PDP members.

    They were also alleged to have maintained silence when the House of Assembly purportedly endorsed APC Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

    Read also: NLC insists on N30, 000 minimum wage

    Adebayo said the PDP State Working Committee had constituted a panel to further investigate the extent of the damage the affected members have done to the party.

    He added part of the committee’s mandate was also to find out other collaborators who are members of the party and recommend appropriate sanction if found culpable.

    In a swift reaction, the lawmakers said the PDP SWC lacked such power, saying the party’s constitution Section 59 (3) stipulated only the party National Executive Council could sanction and discipline them.

    Omodara, who dispelled the allegations leveled against the lawmakers, said: “Due process should be followed in any circumstance.

    “We only saw this purported suspension on the social media. There is no official communication. There was no time we were accused of committing any infraction.

    “They are only trying to satisfy their paymasters. We remain committed members of the PDP. There is a PDP candidate here. How can he endorse APC candidate?

    “There is no way any decision can be taken against us based on the decision of the House of Assembly.”

  • APC to Ndigbo: Atiku has nothing but deceit to offer you

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) on Friday warned the Southeast and leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had nothing but deceit to offer them.

    National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who was reacting to the Thursday endorsement of Atiku by Ohanaeze, told reporters in Abuja that the action of the group was a grave mistake aimed at deceiving the people.

    Issa-Onilu said those present at the meeting were probably friends of the former Vice President who he had promised to make rich when he elected, adding that from the reaction of Igbo leaders, it was clear that the endorsement did not command the support of a cross section of the people of the geo political zone.

    He dismissed Atiku’s restructuring plan as a convenient, simplistic and populist gimmick aimed at whipping up and exploiting perceived sentiments ahead of this year’s elections

    He said: “We find it curious that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has tactically avoided speaking on his touted restructuring plans during his campaigns.

    “Our observation comes against the backdrop of the now disputed ‘communique’ issued by some members of Ohaneze Ndigbo on the 2019 general elections.

    “With a few members of Ohaneze falling for Atiku’s antics, it has now become clear that the purported endorsement of Atiku’s presidential ambition does not enjoy the support of most of the Igbos.

    “One of such proofs is the statement by the Anambra State Government’s dissociating the state from the dubious endorsement of Atiku contained in the equally disputed communique.

    “It would now seem that a few people in Ohaneze are trying to misrepresent the interest of the Ndigbo and we wonder whether these people are part of Atiku’s friends that he has promised to make rich as a cardinal policy of his government. Many questions beg for answers.

    “Besides the deceitful restructuring promise, what else do the Igbo stand to gain from an Atiku presidency? Nothing!

    “Could it be that Atiku and the PDP’s restructuring rhetoric are selective and bespoke for specific audiences? The answer is yes!

    “Atiku’s restructuring rhetoric is simply a convenient, simplistic and populist gimmick aimed at whipping up and exploiting perceived sentiments ahead of the 2019 elections.

    Read Also: Atiku’s endorsement splits Ohaneze Ndigbo

    “Ndigbo and indeed all Nigerians must be wary of Atiku and his PDP ilk who, in their desperate quest for power, are ever ready to play fraudulent political games and parade themselves as ethnic champions to the gullible. We must protect the sanctity of our nationhood.

    “Atiku has refused to speak on the nature of the restructuring that he is cashing in on.

    “But little wonder because he is transactional in nature. Atiku has no plan for this country and he is not pretending about it.

    “He has said it clearly and on many occasions that he is seeking power to be able to sell off national assets to make his friends and himself rich.

    “There is no doubt that Atiku only intends to use and dump the Igbo people.

    “Ndigbo should not forget that it was during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku as vice that Nigeria’s political history witnessed the frequent manipulated changes to the Senate Presidency and setting of Igbo brothers against one another for political gains.”

  • Nwobodo dumps APC for PDP

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Jim Nwobodo has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) less than 24 hours after Ohaneze Ndigbo endorsed the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

    The former governor of old Anambra state announced his return to the PDP when some members of the Ohanaeze led by former chairman of Police Service Commission, Chief S. N. Okeke visited him in his Amechi Awkunanaw country home.

    In the entourage were the secretary to the Abia State government Prof. Eme Okoro; former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Dubem Onyia; Senator Ben Obi; former Minister for Health Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu; Oseloka Obaze and late Dr. Ekwueme’s daughter, Mrs. Ada Onyemelukwe.

    They all appealed to Nwobodo to come back “to the house which he built.”

    Nwobodo, replying, saying: “I am back to PDP.”

    According to him: “At this stage of my life, I see myself more as an elder statesman than a partisan politician and I speak from this standpoint.

    “I have served our country both at the state and the federal level. In the course of my political journey from second republic till date, I have had my fair share of ups and downs.

    “I made mistakes and learned from my mistakes, I have learned a lot from my experiences and feel qualified to speak on burning issues confronting us as a nation.

    “I cannot pretend that all is well in our country today with the escalating crisis, ranging from the economy, insecurity, tension among the three arms of government – executive, legislative and judiciary.

    “Dangerous divisions along tribal and religious lines, and different militant groups arising from the hues and cries ofmarginalisation.

    “What we are seeing are symptoms of deep rooted issues that should be brought to the table for discussions on how to address them.

    “I am a democrat and a strong believer in democracy. Those of us who claim to be democrats have a duty to tell the president the truth and advise him appropriately.

    “I have been chief executive of a big state and I appreciate how difficult it could be for the chief executive of a state or a country to know the true situation of things with the people you govern.”

    Read Also: No shortcut to wealth, success – Lai Mohammed

    He went on: “Just a few of the many undemocratic moves and sayings that are capable of igniting crisis.

    “As a member of APC and a democrat, I got visibly worried when I heard party members boasting we have won the election and just waiting for results to be announced.

    “My question was how? How? How was the election won when the elections are yet to take place?

    “One of the tenets of democracy is the division of power among the different independent arms of government.

    “The desecration of any of these arms of government portends danger to democracy.

    “The ongoing attempt to arraign and prosecute the chief justice of the federation in disregard to due process is a mockery of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man.

    “It is even more worrisome to read in the papers that President was not aware of such moves.

    “Now that the President is aware, he should please intervene and stop the desecration of judiciary and restore respect for the rule of law. We are all aware of the implications of disrespect for the rule of law and its dangerous consequences.

    “No genuine investor will take us serious and our image as country will be seriously bruised.”

  • Thugs attack refugee commissioner, officials in Sokoto

    Political thugs believed to have sympathies for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday attacked the Federal Commissioner National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMIDP), Mrs. Sadiya Umar Farouk and her team in Gandi town, Rabah local government area of Sokoto state.

    It took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the officials whose vehicles were smashed.

    Newsmen at the venue also escaped by the whiskers as one of the vehicles conveying them was smashed.

    Mrs. Farouk was in Gandi town to flag off distribution of assorted relief materials to victims of bandit attacks camped in the town when the thugs appeared at the venue singing and chanting slogans” Nigeria sai Atiku! Sokoto sai Mutawalle!”

    They also sang political music of the opposition PDP to disrupt the all- important event.

    The incident started midway into the programme of events when security operatives left with no choice than to fire gunshots into the air.

    Read Also: Behind the growing menace of political Thugs

    This dispersed the crowd, making way for the government officials and her team to escape.

    The thugs, armed with local weapons and stones, smashed a number of vehicles including that of the council’s Sole Administrator.

    They destroyed the tents and other colourful designs for the occasion.

    Inaugurating the distribution of the items which included 630 bags of grains, 221 gallon of oil, 233 mosquito nets, 233 wrappers and children cloth as well as drugs and wheel chairs among others, Farouk assured the victims of more relief materials from the federal government.

    According to her: “This is the first batch of materials with more assistance coming with the support of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We are here on the directive of President Muhammad Buhari to assist and commiserate with you on the attacks as well as condole with the families of those that lost their loved ones.

    “We have brought with us food stuffs, drugs, confectioneries and clothing materials in order to assist and ease the suffering of the victims.”

    She said already the Commission had assigned its officials to assess the situation for government to arrange more materials for the victims.

    The Commissioner further said relevant skills acquisition and vocational training programmes would be introduced to comprehensively engage the internally displaced persons with a view to encouraging self- reliance among them.

    Farouk assured the victims of Buhari’s commitment towards ensuring more security in the area for lasting peace while urging the committee that will share the materials to fear God and ensure every victim takes something.

  • Ohaneze’s endorsement of Atiku courageous – PDP

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party ( PDP ) has lauded the decision of Ohaneze Ndigbo to endorse the Atiku-Obi presidential ticket.

    Mr Oseloka Obaze, Chairman of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Council, Anambra chapter made the commendation in Awka on Friday.

    Ohaneze, the Igbo Socio-Cultural organisation announced its endorsement of the PDP presidential flag bearers after a meeting held in Enugu on Thursday.

    Obaze described the position as `most profound, constructive and courageous decision’.

    “The endorsement is historical and seminal gesture will serve Nigeria well,” he said.

    Read Also: Atiku’s endorsement splits Ohaneze Ndigbo

    Ohaneze had in a communiqué said its decision to adopt Atiku/Obi followed a critical and dispassionate appraisal of the issues.

    It said the body analysed the election manifestos of the various contesting parties, especially with regards to the restructuring of the federation and continued relevance of Ndigbo in the Nigerian geopolitical space.

    “That the presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has made an avowed commitment to restructuring of the federation and reconfirmed same during his recent visit to the United States in his meetings with high-level US officials,” it said.