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Tag: PDP

  • Pact with Kwara North: Saraki, PDP chasing shadow

    Kwara state All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senate President Bukola Saraki reported pact with Kwara North as shadow chasing.

    Senator Saraki and PDP Sunday said they had zoned the governorship slot to Kwara north zone come 2023.
    They also claimed that the zone will produce the next state House of Assembly speaker and secretary to the state government should PDP form the next government.

    The implication is to curry the Kwara north’s votes in this year’s elections.

    Spokesperson of APC Tajudeen Aro said “we have watched with dismay the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) day of shame with the anti-socio-political tactics employed to woo the support of the Kwara North Senatorial zone by signing a pact on power shift to the zone in 2023.

    “No one in his wildest imagination will believe such fairy tale being sponsored by Senator Bukola Saraki, as it is nothing but a cheap attempt to pull wool over the eyes of many in a vain attempt to sustain his dominance on the state.
    “Only those living in fool’s Paradise will believe that the signing of such ambitious pact amounts to a mandate already given by the people of Kwara North to the PDP. An area that has been neglected in the last 16 years under the political leadership of Saraki.

    Read Also: 2019: Kwara APC youths accuses Saraki of intimidating traditional rulers

    “Giving the sociopolitical antecedent of Saraki to keeping promises, it would be illogical to expect a fulfilment of this pact and we need to ask him why he jettisoned the ambitions of Rt. Hon Bio Ibrahim and many other competent Kwara Northerners before now.

    “Unfortunately, this charlatan posing as saviour has in the recent past impoverished the Kwara North and Kwara in general with his maladministration during his tenure as governor and subsequently ruling by proxy to ensure that the ruining status quo remains, albeit in another form.

    “It is, however, worrisome the ploy to drag our respected traditional rulers into this muddy type of politics by being part of this unholy alliance. The presence of the respected traditional rulers at such gathering is not only absurd but also a desperate attempt to coerce them to submission.

    “If fair must be fair, the traditional rulers must fathers to all. Such coercion is outrightly condemned.

    “Our goal is to lead progress oriented, dynamic, honest and open administration in Kwara state.

    “Kwarans are saying no to failed promises. Enough is enough. O to ge.”

  • ‘PDP is united for Lagos governorship election’

    Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olabode George spoke to reporters on the ‘infighting’ in the Lagos chapter and how it intends to win the March 2 governorship election. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

    Can you comment on the alleged infighting in your party in Lagos?

    We are here to discountenance the deliberate misinformation running out there. Contrary to the misleading opinion in some sections of the media, our party is not disrupted by any infighting. We are woven in a united vision, summed up in a thoughtful unanimity of purpose. We are emboldened by a well-articulated truth, defining purpose and shared beliefs. We might have had our differences in the past during the strongly-contested governorship primary, but that was in the past. The contest had been won and lost and we have moved forward. We are one, indivisible family. There is no rancour in our midst; there is no bitterness or hatred. We are no longer contesting anything with ourselves. Jimi Agbaje is our unifying governorship candidate. We support him wholeheartedly and with total commitment. The contest is now against the monstrous, dictatorial, reckless, godfatherism that has held the state hostage for the past 20 years. Lagos must be redeemed and unchained from the manacles of the APC and the madness would not continue, because Lagos needed a real, progressive fundamental change. We are moving forward with a view to bring meaningful enlightenment into the lives of fellow Lagosians. No more burdensome taxation. No more brazen looting of our treasury. No more criminal cronyism that has reduced our state to serfdom and helplessness.

    Why should Lagosians vote for your party, rather than the APC?

    Our candidate, Jimi Agbaje, and his running mate, Mrs. Haleemat Busari, are indigenes of Lagos State. I went to my local government the other day and all the young people there have no jobs, I wondered what was going on? As the Englishman would say, you don’t need a second chance to make a first impression. We saw their first outing during the recent APC rally in Lagos, it was very bad. You have heard from our candidate. He comes from a very good home, why will he want to create mayhem in his own home? Lagosians are peace-loving people; even before I was born, that has been the attitude of the indigenes of Lagos. Lagos is a commercial nerve centre in West Africa. Why will you not train these young people, organize skill acquisition programmes, instead of training them only for thuggery. The rally was indeed a show of shame. The governor was speaking and Oluomo and his people unleashed havoc. Instead of showing such rascality, political thuggery and violence, they are going to make sure that skill acquisition will be a number one issue to get the boys back to work. Whether you want to be a mechanic, tailor, you just abandoned these boys and you go and sleep in your kingdom. I am promising you that if you give Jimi and our party the mandate, Lagos will be the real Lagos. The Lagos we knew as we were growing up; they were the best in education and skill acquisition. If you have Lagos where everyone wakes up in the morning and have nowhere to go, of course you will have problems on your hands. We will teach them how to fish and will not give them fish, so that they can feed themselves.

    What are the issues that will determine the voting pattern in the coming weeks?

    You can have the best blueprint in leadership, but if you do not have character, then it is a problem. There two kinds of politicians: those that seek power for service and those that seek power for self. What you have in Lagos today are those that have been in power for 20 years that have power for self. What they are running in Lagos is an oligarchy. You can compare two different governments; you can compare the Jakande era and you will see that it was power for service. You had education addressed, health, works, and housing. You had so much in four years. In 20 years whatever these people have put in place was only to benefit them. We have gone back, our education is worse; we have a Lagos today where in the last 20 years only 20 per cent of our children scored five credits, plus English and Mathematics. I can go on. So, if you ask me, what we are bringing, I will say we will first bring character leadership in Lagos that will be people’s Lagos, rather than one man’s Lagos. It will be about the people, rather one man or a few people. We will address education, health; provide a future for our young ones. Today, it is a hopeless future for them; they don’t see any future for themselves and these are things we must address. If look back at what Jakande has done, that in 30 years after, you can talk of Jakande legacy.  Twenty years from now, I wonder what legacy we will have. There is nothing that I can think and say that they have as a legacy that they can be proud of in 20 years from now.

    Your party complained recently that its billboards were destroyed. Are you well positioned to challenge the ruling party in the elections?

    I hope you can see that they tried to intimidate us, initially when we put up our boards. I think they were intimidated by the quality of our own boards, because what they brought out was some kind of cheap things, compared with the money that they had budgeted for them and it was obvious after that they wanted to silence us. But we have refused to be silenced. The more they removed our boards, the more we replaced them to show that we are ready to match them in any way. I think they have accepted that those boards are there to stay. In the same way, we will go for elections to show them that we are going to match them. We believe that our votes would count this time. We have learnt our lessons from the past. We are prepared and we believe that Lagosians are on our side. We have the goodwill; our job is to ensure that the votes count. We want to assure Lagosians that we are putting a lot of things in place to make sure that their votes count. When we start and the debates start, the character of the candidates will be seen. It is true that there are photographs; but these days photos do lie. We also have a woman as a running mate. It goes to show you that we have respect for the woman gender.

    People are disturbed about the likely violence before and after the elections. What do you think can be done to curb this?

    I want to remind the electorate that when we had our primary at Yard 158 in Oregun, I can confidently say that there was no outbreak of violence. When the PDP had its national convention in Port Harcourt, it was seamless. So, if we were able to do that, why would we now embark on violence in Lagos for the election? Our candidate will move out with the people peacefully to sell our manifesto, so that the people can trust him. When you are going out for political position, you are telling the people to trust you that you will use the resources of their state for their benefit. All these young people that are being used as thugs, we will give them skills, train them at the expense of the government.

  • Southern Youth Leaders decries PDP’s call for anarchy, lauds Army role in election

    The Southern Youth Leaders Forum, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the former deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Timi Frank, for alleged unguarded statements and threat to the peaceful conclusions of the ongoing elections.

    The group in a statement by its Spokesman, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji, in Lagos on Monday, said Frank’s statements were inflammatory and capable of cursing national unrest.

    “The call that the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, be declared President, when collation is ongoing and other inflammatory comments by Timi Frank are capable of causing a breakdown of the law and order in the country,” he said.

    “Nigeria has a president who believes in the doctrine of peaceful co-existence of all individuals irrespective of political affiliation,” he said.

    ‘’We wish to advise Timi Frank and his sponsors that Nigerians have spoken through the ballot and we would not allow any desperate individual or party, to resort to any act capable of igniting crisis in the country irrespective their status,” he stated.

    Read Also:Akinremi wins APC sole Rep ticket in Ibadan

     

    Comrade Odeyemi urged security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute Frank .

    He also urged INEC to ignore the call to illegally declare Atiku Abubakar as winner of the election and concentrate on their duties rather than waste their energy on frivolities being demanded by Frank.

    The group further said that no amount of blackmail, character assassination and propaganda would stop the support of Nigerians for President Buhari.

    The group specially commended the Nigerian military for its role in maintaining law and order during the election. It said the Army have lived up to its promise to Nigerians, by ensuring that its personel were professional in their intervention during the polls.

  • APC to Obasanjo: Your are hunted by your past

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was being hunted by the ghost of his past and now believe that the Buhari led APC government would replicate his rigging machineries in the forthcoming general elections.

    The party also said that it was an insult to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to sit on the same stage to debate with former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, saying the President does not need the debate as his achievements are there to speak for him.

    Addressing a news conference on Sunday, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu said the former President should adjust himself to the reality of the time, saying the APC has no reason to rig the election.

    While assuring Nigerians that the 2019 general elections will be free, fair and credible, Onilu said the vote of Nigerians will count as the President has made it abundantly clear that the elections was not a do or die.

    He said: “When you are dept in a particular thing, it means it is something that you know how to do best. Throughout the eight years of former President Obasanjo, all the elections he conducted and government policies were determined by whatever mood he found himself. All institutions of government were brought under his whims. What he did for those eight years is what is hunting him.

    “He cannot imagine that it is possible for INEC to exercise the statutory independence that he has. We have had about 93 elections since this government came into power and all those elections were conducted without any interference from this government.

    “If there is anything that you want to credit this government with, it is the fact that institutions are allowed to fulfil their mandate without anybody interfering. We can understand where the former President is coming from because his past is hunting him.

    “He must have looked back at the books when he was President and saw that if they use the same method that he used, this is what is going to happen. The 2003 and 2007 elections were nothing to write home about and they happened under former President Obasanjo. We all knew how the elections went.

    “For us in the APC, votes will count. We are going to have a free, fair and credible election. We have no reason to rig election because our achievements speak for us. Former President Obasanjo should adjust himself to the reality of the imminent defeat that is staring him in the face.

    “He has carried himself as the dispenser of our destiny and God is showing him clearly that he has only been lucky and the favour that God has done to him, he is now considering as things he has done for himself.

    “This election will come; it will be free and fair. APC does not have any reason to rig it. You have seen all the rallies we have done and you have seen the folly in the claim by the PDP that the President was going to campaign by proxy.

    “They are the ones now showing the concern nobody need from them that the President is doing too much in terms of the rallies he has been attending. For us, former President Obasanjo should adjust himself to the reality that after February 16, he would realize that he is not God

    Speaking on the absence of the President and the PDP candidate at Saturday’s Presidential debate, Onilu said said Atiku’s real purpose of wanting to appear for the debate was to attack the person of the President and not his programmes and policies and therefore missed an opportunity to sell himself to Nigerians.

    Read also: Why Atiku cannot be trusted – Presidency

    He said: “The President does not have to give any reason for not attending that debate. The debate is one of several platforms to engage with the public and we cannot attend all of them. So, we pick the ones that are most impactful and we are the ones in position to determine the platform we want to use.

    “Debate with who? That is an insult. You want the President to come and debate with who? The debate the President is having is the one he did that morning in Niger state and the people of the state can look forward to a brighter future.

    “The people of this country, anywhere they go can see development and we believe that these developments constitute the debate and the President is already engaging with the public. That debate is important for people who are seeking power and not for the person who has a lot speaking for him already.

    “As fantastic as the debate is, it is only one of the several opportunities to engage with the public. It is left for us to choose the platform we believe will best serve as our interest.

    “Few days before this particular debate, the President was live on television with Nigerians discussing his projects alongside the Vice President. That for us is more important and gives us the platform to say we are different. We are not in the same class with Atiku and PDP.

    “You want us to come and share the same stage with people who ruin this country? To talk about what? The same people who started several projects and they became conduit pipe to steal money and now APC government has come in to fix these projects one after the other and the same party is complaining that APC is completing projects.

    “Is that the same party you want us to sit with and debate? Don’t take Nigerians for granted because they are not stupid. We are not in the same class.

    “Atiku had the opportunity to appear before the nation to give account of his last misdeed and show remorse and apologise to the nation and tell us that you have turned a new leave and no longer a corrupt person.

    “Atiku’s understanding of that opportunity was to see the President physically standing before him and then attack him and not his programmed and policies. That is what he wanted to do and he said he won’t be able to do that if the President was not present. That was scandalous.

    “Just four years ago, when this same opportunity was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari who was then a candidate, he courageously came up and spoke to us about his vision and mission for this country. He presented his programmer even though the then President did not come. President Buhari did not run away like a coward.

    “The original objective of the people who put the debate together is for you to come and present your programmed and point to the weaknesses of the policies and programmers of your opponent and not to attack people.

    “It is very disappointing and a display of arrogance for Atiku to think that other candidates who were at the debate didn’t matter, but only Buhari matters. Even if that was the case, it should be his policies and programmes and not seeing the President there should have given him an opportunity to tear the programmes to pieces.

    “He should tell Nigerians why it was bad for the President to Commission the Baro port on that day which was left abandoned for 16 years. He should have come to tell us that it was not a good thing to complete all the abandoned projects that are being completed by the APC government or that the road to lead to his own Jada Community which he could not rehabilitate for the 16 years they were in government and is being constructed by the APC was not good enough.

    “When Universities were on strike for several months, Atiku as Vice President was busy negotiating Franchise for his university in Yola. It is a dark past that we will never go back to because Atiku is the face of the dark past that this country has witnessed.”

  • 2019 Poll: It’s risky voting PDP into power – APC

    In spite of the “imperfections’’ of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) Nigerians are not ready to take a risk to return PDP to power in the February and March polls, a lawyer and chieftain of APC, Mr Joel Soyinka, said on Sunday.

    Soyinka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital, that the party remained to be beaten in the forthcoming elections.

    “It is too much of a risk to vote PDP into power again after its `dismal performance’ and Nigerians are not ready to take that risk,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the People’s Democratic Party had ruled for 16 years since the advent of democratic rule in 1999, producing three presidents in quick succession unbroken in five general elections.

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (a coalition of parties) took over the reins in 2015 after it defeated PDP’s Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

    Soyinka, acknowledging the PDP as a major opposition party to APC, said returning APC to power would help to consolidate on its achievements with just four years in the saddle.

    He said: “That will give APC an edge with just four years in office compared to PDP’s 16 years.

    “The 16 years of PDP are not good enough. Nigerians should look back and give it back to APC.

    “The party faced a lot of challenges in the last four years; we need to put things right and that consideration will swing victory in favour of APC.’’

    On Ogun governorship poll, Soyinka predicted that it would be a straight fight between only two parties — APC and PDP — and described the two other parties in the race — African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Allied People’s Movement (APM) as “relatively new’’.

    “Again, the people will still go for the known parties — PDP and APC –but PDP is factionalised in the state. I think the coast is clear for APC.

    “Both ADC and APM have reputable candidates but they are not known,’’ he told NAN.

    Ogun Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of APC, following disputed party primaries in 2018, announced the defection of his supporters, including the governorship candidate, Rep. Adekunle Akinlade, to APM after they lost out.

    Both were received by President Buhari at Aso Rock Villa on Jan. 6 with a promise by Amosun to work for him and not APC candidate, Mr Dapo Abiodun, at the polls.

    Read also: Remain apolitical, Commander tells soldiers urged

    Other candidates in the race are Mr Gboyega Isiaka, a two-time contender (2011 and 2015 on PDP’s platform) now of ADC, PDP’s candidate, Sen. Buruji Kasamu and ex-international, Segun Odegbami of Zenith Labour Party.

    On the recent reconciliatory efforts after the primaries by ex-Gov. Olusegun Osoba, Soyinka commended him for repositioning APC in Ogun for the polls.

    He recalled the bold step taken by Osoba, a former journalist and erstwhile Managing Director of the Daily Times, who took Dapo Abiodun to Buhari for endorsement before Amosun and Akinlade’s visit.

    “His initiative to reconcile the factions and groups is good for the party and 2019 polls.’’ (NAN)

  • Kashamu to Ogun PDP members: let’s unite

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has urged members of the party to unite.

    Kashamu, in a statement, said fighting was not in the party’s interest.

    His statement reads: ” Following the publication of the list of National Assembly candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it has become imperative for me make a few remarks.

    “It has been a long-drawn battle between the Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP Executive and the Sikirulai Ogundele group which is backed Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu.

    “While the dispute lasted, I have always maintained that it is through the instrumentality of the Rule of Law that any perceived wrong can be corrected.

    “I reckon that when there is a dispute, there could be groupings. But our position has been that we should not allow such groupings to divide us, looking at the glory ahead of us.

    “We all know that Ogun State is a PDP state. Unfortunately, the PDP has been out of government for eight years which looked like forever.

    “We are also aware of how tough things have been for the vast majority of our people.

     “That is why I and Honourable Ladi Adebutu have intervened to ameliorate the plight of our people through our Constituency Projects and various philanthropic activities.

    “Notwithstanding the misunderstanding between the two groups, now that the courts have delivered their verdicts and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has complied, it is time to look beyond the gladiators; lay aside our personal interest and prejudices and work for the PDP.

     “This is the right path to take if we wish our state well and have its interest at heart.

     “We believe that the PDP can build on the foundations laid by the founding fathers of our dear state and its current minders, and take it to greater heights.

    “With the last judgment delivered by the FCT High Court, the issue of the list of candidates has been resolved.

    “This has been further accentuated by INEC’s publication of the list of National Assembly candidates.

     “In the light of the above, and with a high sense of responsibility, I wish to respectfully urge all our elders, leaders, members and followers to close ranks and work together in all the 236 wards of Ogun State.

     “The mission of every genuine PDP member should be to win the state. Therefore, I enjoin all members of the party to work towards ensuring victory for the party. It is only when the party wins that our collective aspiration of having a better Ogun State can be realised.

    “I thank all our elders, leaders, members and followers for their unwavering support, steadfastness and love all through the years.”

  • YIAGA, foreign donors collaborating to discredit military’s efforts, poll results, CSOs allege

    YIAGA, foreign donors collaborating to discredit military’s efforts, poll results, CSOs allege

    A coalition of civil society organisations, under the aegis of New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NICreL) has lashed out at the Youth Initiative For Advocacy, Growth And Advancement (YIAGA) for allegedly attempting to undermine the military’s efforts towards a credible, free and fair conduct  at the general elections.
    In what is gradually becoming a routine, YIAGA, funded by certain foreign bodies, discredited the Nigerian military  and the entire electoral process in it’s report released on Sunday despite massive commendation coming from all and sundry.
    However, NICreL, at a press conference by Executive Director, Rev. Patrick Onyeke, opined that this is another obvious coy to cast aspersion on the conduct of the polls while manufacturing evidence to pressure the security agencies.
    *Read full text below*
    The (Youth Initiative For Advocacy, Growth And Advancement) YIAGA Africa Watching The Vote (WTV) Group on Sunday presented what it termed its own interim report on the General Elections (for President and National Assembly) in a development that did not come as a surprise because it was well known before now that the organization exists solely to deliver on a hatchet job.
    YIAGA’s ultimate delivery is to cast aspersion on the conduct of the elections, undermine its credibility and nudge Nigeria closer to chaos. A secondary goal of this questionable group is to manufacture evidence against the security and military establishments in Nigeria so that they will be under pressure and unable to effectively contain the violence that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is orchestrating to force its declaration as the winner of the polls.

    Read Also: INEC declares Ondo South Senatorial election inconclusive

    This explains why the group manufactured lies about observers being arrested and detained in Kaduna and Yobe states without specifying the details of the infractions that necessitated the security measures. For avoidance of doubts, security agencies were compelled to screen out fake observers that were being used for vote buying, voter intimidation and as couriers between dubious politicians and a few compromised electoral officials.
    It also made the allegation that voters were prevented from accessing polling units to exercise their right when in reality security operatives merely ensured that persons without PVC were not allowed access to voting areas as part of proactive measures to forestall ballot snatching and undue influencing of voters by hired thugs that were out to force people to vote alongside the wishes of certain candidates.
    Had YIAGA AFRICA bothered to make legitimate enquiries as opposed to putting on an air of belligerence against state officials while belittling other election observers it would have been wiser to the reality of the foregoing. It however persisted in its predetermined mission and denied itself of the benefit of enlightenment. Its ignorance of these development was responsible for its error in progressing in error by publicising lies as facts.
    But we doubt that YIAGA AFRICA would have acted differently even when given the benefit of accurate information. Our assertion is based on what we have since discovered that this group is one of those on the payroll of the opposition with the sole aim of perverting Nigeria’s electoral system against the will of the people. Evidence of its being in bed with the PDP abound in the many controversial stance it took against the conduct of the election right from inception.
    We also found that this group, YIAGA, is an organization that imported illegal aliens into the country for the purpose of carrying out its hatchet job. The apprehension of some of the illegal aliens it brought into the country is what it described as arrest and detention of election observers. We wonder how persons that did not meet the relevant accreditation criteria and also circumvented immigration requirements will expect to get away with such infractions without being held to account. Nigeria’s immigration requirements remain in place even during elections and they are actually heightened for such period.
    There is no gainsaying the fact that an organization that can deploy illegal aliens among the observers it claimed to have sent on the field cannot come up with any report that will be credible. Its stick in trade is illegality so the report it claimed to have presented is tainted and overshadowed by the questionable way it got some of its key members into the country.
    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is urged to note the crimes YIAGA committed against the Nigerian state and to promptly commence the process of reviewing the accreditation it has given to members of the group and its affiliates with a view to revoking same. Even if INEC neglects to revoke the accreditation NICreL and other concerned Nigerians are not helpless in bringing the group to account for its role in trying to destabilize Nigeria. This is a condemnable act of irresponsibility.
    The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NICreL) will not stop at decrying the irresponsible activities of YIAGA AFRICA as the group has proven impervious to censure. It did nothing to correct its questionable way when they were earlier flagged as being at variance with the imperative for peace and stability in Nigeria, which confirmed it as a nuisance. NICreL hereby demands that YIAGA Africa Watching The Vote (WTV) Group and the parent body immediately pack out of Nigeria.  The demand for YIAGA in all its forms move out of Nigeria must be complied with under the next 12 hours failing which NICreL will lead a coalition of patriotic Nigerian group to physically enforce its expulsion from Nigeria.
    We advise groups that had allied themselves with YIAGA to immediately terminate such relationships lest they would be treated as being a contiguous part of that group. This implies that their operations too would be targeted and shut down in the interest of our country and the security if its citizens.

  • Poll: PDP rejects INEC’s move to accommodate Rivers APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected alleged moves by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accommodate candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections in Rivers State.

    INEC had, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, hinted at the weekend that certain circumstances could lead to the postponement of elections in Rivers State, to accommodate the APC.

    The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had, in two separate rulings, voided the processes through which candidates of the APC for the various elective offices emerged.

    A statement yesterday by the spokesman of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the suggestion by INEC to admit APC candidates to the election as distasteful.

    The main opposition party said the electoral body’s position only points to a collusion with the APC in a plot to stalemate electoral processes in some strategic states to pave the way for the postponement of elections in such states.

    According to the PDP, the motive is to use compromised security forces to effect massive rigging, “as was the case in the 2018 Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections”, a scheme, which the party said, would be resisted by Nigerians in the 2019 general elections.

    The statement said, “Currently, the APC is not on the ballot and has no candidates for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly elections in Rivers and Zamfara states, following the voiding of the APC congresses in these states by the court.

    “In line with this reality, the ballot paper in all elections in Rivers and Zamfara states must, under no circumstance, bear the logo of the APC.

    “The PDP insists that INEC must base all its actions and contemplations for the elections on this reality and should under no circumstance predicate any action on a hypothetical condition.

    “It is also important for INEC to know that Okoye’s advocacy for the APC detracts from the commission’s neutrality and exposes it as a compromised umpire”.

    The PDP charged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to be appropriately guided in the conduct of the general elections.

    “Unlike the APC, our party is fully prepared for the elections and will never allow the APC and some compromised INEC officials to manipulate the elections, just because the APC has seen that it has no chance of winning.

    “The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians to unite in condemnation of this cowardly scheme by the APC in its bid to foist itself back to power against their collective will as a people”.

     

  • Nigerians asked to reject Obasanjo’s plot to retard  nation’s growth, progress

    Nigerians across the globe have been asked to stand up against the alleged plots by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his bid to retard nation from growth and progress.
    AriseNigeria, a group of Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora, which stated this on Monday, claimed that the ex-president was desperate in his bid to install a president in Nigeria through the backdoor.
    The group in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting, to review the state of affairs in Nigeria, strongly frowned at the alleged romance between Obasanjo and leadership of the PDP.
    The communiqué signed by its chairman, Dr. Philip Idaewor and endorsed by Coordinators of AriseNigeria worldwide; including: Charles Eze, Prof. Adesugun Labinjo USA, Mr. Ayoola Lawal (Sweden), Chief Balogun ( France), Mr. Chima Ibezim ( Italy), Mr. Adeayo Tella ( Spain), Mr. Bola Babarinde ( South Africa), Mr. Hammeed Adefioye ( Republic of Irleland), Mr. Marthins Sadoh ( Holland), Mr Ogunwede Lombrado (Germany), Mr. Niyi Agbelese ( Switzerland), Mr. Charles Michelleti (Ghana), Engr David Onmeje ( Scotland), Mr. Eric Ayoola (UK), Mr. Ikem Chinedu ( UK), Mr. David Abraham ( South Korea)
    The group said Obasanjo, in his desperate bid to cover up his corruption and avoid being probe for his failed government between 1999 and 2007 is fighting hard to impose Atiku Abubakar on the Peoples Democratic Party on Nigeria in the rescheduled February 23 presidential election.
    It further warned INEC to ensure the forthcoming coming election is free, fair and credible.
    Full text of the communiqué below.
    The AriseNigeria at its emergency meeting held in London United Kingdom on Monday February 18, 2019 convened to review the state of affairs in Nigeria after the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which considered issues of urgent National importance including but not limited to the unholy interference by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a segment of the international community in the electoral process in Nigeria.
    The Executive body of AriseNigeria considered the issues mentioned above and resolved as follows:
    The unholy Alliance of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the People’s Democratic Party to compromise the general elections in Nigeria.
    AriseNigeria notes with concern the desperation exhibited by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in active connivance with leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to undermine the credibility of the presidential elections by making overtures to manipulate the outcome of the polls in favour of his erstwhile deputy and current presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Atiku Abubakar.
    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo took his ill-mannered campaign of slander against President Muhammadu Buhari to astonishing heights by soliciting and getting lobbyist to pave the way for Atiku’s visit to the United States of America after 10 years visa restriction due to corruption charges in the US against Atiku Abubakar and his wife, Jemilla Abubakar (Jennifer Douglas).
    Impeccable information at our disposal indicates that there was a grand plot to undermine the credibility of the elections by some persons led by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in active connivance with the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party in favour of his preferred candidate.
    The plan was to hack into the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the help of some high ranking INEC Systems Analysts in collaboration with some hackers from the USA loyal to the Atiku’s cause and have the election massively rigged to favour Atiku.
    The case they proffered against President Muhammadu Buhari is his insistence that the right things must be done in the overall interest of the citizens of Nigeria which is mostly a disconnect from their way of doing things in times past where executive impunity was the order of the day.
    AriseNigeria also notes with concern the statement credited to Atiku Abubakar in an interactive event in Lagos tagged “Getting Nigeria Economy Working” vowed to “enrich” his friends when elected as the president of Nigeria and sell the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by all means even if it leads to his death.
    These statements are gravely embarrassing and unbecoming of an individual aspiring to be the president of a country as important as Nigeria, and we are therefore of the opinion that the PDP and its cohorts are hell bent of subverting the will of the people at the elections to achieve their undemocratic plans for the future of Nigeria.
    It is also most embarrassing that a supposed Elder statesman in the mould of former president Olusegun Obasanjo would denigrate to this unenviable level all in a bid to cover his tracks while he held sway as president from 1999 to 2007.
    AriseNigeria also views with concern the soft-handedness the administration of Donald Trump of the United States of America has extended to the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in the run-up to the elections despite the avalanche of pieces of evidence that indicates that Atiku Abubakar abused office while he held sway as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1999 to 2007.
    This is given the role of the United States of America in the entrenchment of democracy in the world. AriseNigeria wonders why the case of Nigeria is different even with the glaring commitment of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in tackling the menace of corruption headlong.
    Arisenigeria expect the government of the United States to support the anti corruption agenda of Muhammadu Buhari. The Trump administration could not afford to watch Nigeria pushed to the brink of possible turmoil by a greedy few, whose only interest has been, and remains, an appetite for unbridled accumulation of money/material by any means necessary from public sources. This is the time to stand with Nigeria. The USA must be unequivocal in declaring looters of the Nigerian state resources as enemies of the Nigeria people and must render the needed assistance to the government of Nigeria to continue to make inroads in the fight against corruption.
    It is therefore instructive to note that previous administrations had raped Nigeria from all indices to the point of death before the advent of the administration President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. And to think that the people who abused Nigeria blind have ganged up against the truth, justice and fairness are gearing to come back to continue from where they stopped is an anomaly that must be resisted by all and sundry in Nigeria.
    AriseNigeria also wishes to inform members of the international community of the invaluable role Nigeria plays in the stability of the African continent and any attempt to take Nigeria back to the dark ages might spell doom for the African continent.
     AriseNigeria arising from its emergency meeting thereby resolved that Nigerians must protect its nascent democracy from the hands of hawks that are hell-bent on seeing its disintegration. Nigerians must rise to the challenge of subduing unpatriotic, corrupt and selfish past political office holders to save Nigeria from collapsing.  It must be noted that the future of over 180 million people are at stake if the wrong choices are made in this material instance.
    AriseNigeria states in unequivocal terms that President Muhammadu Buhari has displayed a patriotic mien that portray hope for Nigeria in this critical point of its existence. And the forces against his re-election are propelled by selfish and personal motives that are far from National interest.
    The assurances that Nigeria is on the path to greatness under President Muhammadu Buhari are bolstered by the resolve of the administration to tackle the cankerworm of corruption and insecurity.
     The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) is also urged to rise to the occasion in delivering to Nigerians a free, fair and credible election.

  • Secondus to APC: Don’t kill Buhari with undue pressure

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has warned the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to kill President Muhammadu Buhari with undue electioneering campaign pressure.

    Secondus accused those he described as power grabbers in the ruling party of putting undue pressure on the President for selfish reasons, even as it’s evident that he can no longer cope.

    The PDP chairman spoke in Abuja on Friday while inaugurating the party’s 27 presidential election campaign committees at the party’s campaign office.

    Secondus said with what Nigerians and the international community are witnessing around the President lately, it’s apparent that he is tired and incapacitated but they would not let him be.

    “There is no way this President can cope given what we are witnessing, added to this is the incompetence in leadership Nigerians have been seeing in the last three years”, the party chairman said.

    Prince Secondus warned that Nigerians are not ready to take anything less than free, fair and credible poll in the upcoming elections.

    He said, “Our fear is that the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu lacks the will and courage to ignore the pressure from the APC to conduct free and transparent election.

    Read Also; It’s strange Secondus is backing Adebutu, says Kashamu

    “But he should know that he would be held responsible for any fall out from a rigged election”.

    The opposition party chairman reiterated his call on the new Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to clear the mess left behind by his predecessor by running a professional and responsible police force.

    Prince Secondus also explained why the PDP would continue to protest the membership of Mrs Amina Zakari as a National Commissioner in INEC.

    Restating the call for Zakari’s resignation, the party chair said the PDP would continue to oppose her continued stay at the electoral body because she is a “master rigger”, adding, “we have evidence of what she did in Ekiti and Osun states.

    He announced that the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was in the United States, meeting with top American politicians and government officials.

    Secondus said the visit has doused the blackmail against the party’s presidential candidate, stressing that if elected, an Atiku Presidency would restore the battered image of the country.

    The party chairman charged members of the PDP presidential campaign committees to give their all to the job, saying that the party’s reward system now gives prime attention to electoral performance at the grassroots.