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Tag: PDP

  • I won’t use government fund for campaign, Buhari vows

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja reiterated his commitment to eliminate corruption in campaign financing in the country.

    He said that he will not authorise the use of any money from the treasury for his re-election campaign.

    Speaking at the close of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, President Buhari directed cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in next month’s general elections.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said “As political parties spread their ideologies and views to every nook and corner of the country, the issue of cash payment to voters and its corrupting influence in electioneering has once again become a topical issue.

    “Try and use text and multi-media messages to seek votes for the party and government.

    ‘‘There is no money from the treasury for use in the campaigns. I will not authorize that,” he said.

    President Buhari declared that the APC-led administration has a clear development agenda best suited to take Nigeria forward and sustain economic development.

    ‘‘This message needs to be taken to all Nigerians but we cannot use money from the treasury to share out to prospective voters.

    Read Also: Another Buhari’s minister resigns

    ‘‘Nigerians wants change and we alone can deliver that change. Our people can no longer be swayed by money politics,’’ he said.

    The President also used the occasion, which was a valedictory session for the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, to wish the minister success in her electoral contest.

    The Minister had signified her desire to leave the cabinet, in line with existing regulations, to run for a legislative seat in her native Yobe State.

     

  • Police disperse crowd at PDP’s rally

    The police on Wednesday tear-gassed and dispersed supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who gathered for the north-west zone campaign rally in Gumel town.

    It was gathered policemen fired canisters of teargas at the crowd that has started assembling for the rally, dispersing thousands of the supporters.

    The angry crowd ‎started chanting anti- APC and anti- Buhari songs declaring “change is imminent”; “we must change them”.

    The state PDP ‎deputy chairman, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, told reporters the party’s leadership was shocked to realize operative of the police have barricaded the venue.

    “We have officially sought for permission to hold our north-west zonal rally today in Gumel only for us to see hundreds of policemen stopping us from our constitutional rights.

    “It is the same constitution that gave the police commissioner his powers that also gave us our right for this process and nothing can stop us,” he stated.

    Ibrahim vowed the PDP chapter will sue the Commissioner of Police for disrupting the rally. ‎

    Read Also: Hoodlums attack Atiku campaign office

    But when contacted, Jigawa Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Zama Senchi, dismissed allegations levelled against him.

    He also denied the command’s action was influenced by the government and ruling party.

    The Police boss said the action was based on security consideration, especially public peace.

    According to him: “We didn’t stop them. We asked them to change the venue of the rally as it is a market place or change the day because it corresponds with the market day.”

  • Hoodlums attack Atiku campaign office

    Suspected hoodlums on Wednesday invaded the campaign office of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

    Sources said they scaled the fence of the office located beside the Federal College of Agriculture (FECA) on Ijapo road in Akure and allegedly vandalised the billboards of PDP candidates.

    The Personal Assistant to the State Coordinator of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Olumide Ogunkua confirmed the attack in Akure, the state capital.

    He noted the hoodlums after entering to the compound of the campaign office began to chant the APC slogan of “Next Level” and destroying the posters bearing Atiku /Obi for 2019 president.

    According to him, the security guard in the compound was assaulted by the hoodlums for challenging their mission in the PDP campaign office.

    Ogunkua said: “We got a call from one of our sympathisers that the new billboards, banners and posters in front of our campaign office have been vandalized.

    “Upon receiving the call, we arrived at the office and we saw that the all the banners and posters of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had been removed while some were defaced.

    Read Also: Police teargas and disperses PDP crowd in Jigawa

    “Upon entering the premises, we discovered that the security guard was tied up and his two phones were taken away.

    “When we inquired from him what really happened, he told us that he heard people destroying the banners and he shouted but the hoodlums jumped over the fence and held him hostage before they continued to perpetrate their dastardly act.

    “According to the security guard, the hoodlums were shouting the next level when they were destroying the bill boards and banners.

    “This is unacceptable, we call on the appropriate authorities to put a stop to these unwarranted attacks because if not it will put a threat to the peaceful conduct of the general election come February 2019.”

    He said the presidential campaign council of Ondo State has taken it up while the Inspector General of Police and the Director of SSS would be formally informed.

    The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Alex Kalejaiye condemned the attacked but denied all the allegations.

    Kalejaiye said APC government does not discriminate irrespective of political affiliation.

    He said: “We are so confident of our victory come February 2019, so we won’t have any reason whatsoever to attack any party or their facilities.

    “The state government under the APC controls signage agency that moderates activities of setting of billboards which is the signage agency and it collects revenue.

    “So, why do you think we would now sponsor anyone or group to destroy what brings in revenue in the state government’s purse?

    “We would never encourage such. If anybody is pointing accusing finger at the APC, the person is doing it out of either frustration or ignorance.”

    Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Femi Joseph,a Superintendent of Police, when contacted said the incident occurred at the Ijapo divsion of the command but he was yet to be briefed at the state command

  • Kashamu rejects Adebutu-led PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation

    The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Senator Buruji Kashamu, on Wednesday rejected the purported constitution of another PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDP PCO) for the state being chaired a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu.

    Kashamu described the composition of the new body as fake.

    In a statement issued in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, Kashamu, who is the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the Senate, said the authentic PDP PCO, which he heads as the Chairman, was inaugurated by the lawful Engr. Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive of the PDP on the 28th of November, 2018.

    He said his choice as the Chairman of the PDP PCO in Ogun State was informed by the fact that he is the party’s governorship candidate with a solid structure and functional offices across the state.

    The statement reads in part: “The purported inauguration of another PDP PCO by the dissident group within the Ogun State PDP is most unfortunate. One is surprised that this is coming at a time well-meaning stakeholders are preaching reconciliation, peace and unity.

    “As a lawmaker, he should not portray himself as a lawbreaker. The only PDP Chairman known to the law and major stakeholders within the Ogun State PDP is Engr. Adebayo Dayo.

    “Engr. Dayo, as the State Chairman of the PDP, presided over the State Congress where the governorship candidate of our party was elected in line with Section 25(1) of the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution 2017 (as amended) which states: ‘There shall be a State Party Congress which shall consist of: The State Chairman who shall be the Chairman.

    “Section 25(2C) states further: ‘The function of the State Congress shall be to: (c) Elect Governorship candidates of the Party’, among others.”

    Read Also: Women in Lagos have rejected Atiku, Agbaje – APC Women Leader

    “Having emerged in line with the provisions of the Constitution of our great party, I am the governorship candidate known to the party, the law and INEC. It was in line with the decisions and guidelines released by the party that the governorship candidates should head the PDP PCO in their respective states that the party stakeholders chose me to lead the campaign in Ogun State.

    “So, any other person parading himself as the Chairman of the PDP PCO in Ogun State is an impostor and should be ignored.”

    Kashamu urged the security agencies and the national leadership of the party to call Adebutu to order before his importunate actions plunge the party and Ogun state into unnecessary chaos and crisis.

    He also urged the national leadership of the party to be neutral wherever there were issues between contending interests within a political party.

    “The national leadership should be a father-to-all wherever there is a dispute between contending groups or forces within the party and not take side with one against the other since we are all members of the same family.

    “But, even as members of the same family, we have our right to life and to live. The father cannot attempt to kill one child for the other and expect that the child will not fight for its life or assume that the law will not take its course if the child is killed by the father. That is why we say the supreme power of the party is not absolute,” Kashamu added.

  • Police warn PDP, APC members against billboard destruction

    The Cross River Police Command has warned supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from destroying billboards of governorship candidates across the state.

    The command gave the warning in a statement through its Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Irene Ugbo, on Wednesday in Calabar.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the warning was sequel to the complaint by the governorship candidates of both political parties, following the destruction of their billboards by some alleged thugs.

    Read Also: Cross River: Owan-Enoh extends olive branch to Usani

    “It has come to our knowledge that some members of both political parties in the state are going about defacing and tearing other people’s posters/billboards and causing security breach in the state.

    “The command wants to categorically state that anyone or group of persons found in the ugly act will be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law,’’ he said.

  • ADP begins ward-to-ward campaigns in Edo

    The Action Democratic Party ( ADP ) is to kick start its ward-to-ward campaigns across the three Senatorial Districts of Edo on Monday.

    The party’s candidate for the Edo-South Senatorial district, Mr Ese Owie, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin on Wednesday.

    Owie, who said that the ADP was poised to win all the available elective positions in the state during the impending general elections, stressed that the people have shown a readiness to change the existing order.

    According to him, “The people of Edo State now have a renewed determination to do away with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

    “They have now come to see a better choice in our party, the ADP, a party that has come to change their fortunes for the better.’’

    The ADP candidate noted that the essence of the ward-to-ward campaigns was to take the message of hope to the people in their neighbourhoods throughout the state.

    Read Also: 2019: ADP denies endorsing Edo APC candidates

    “While I, as the party’s Senatorial candidate will be touring all the 77 wards in Edo-South with the message, similar activities will be taken across all the entire 192 wards of the state.

    “Starting from Monday and for the next two weeks, I will going round the nooks and crannies of the 77 wards of Edo-South.

    “The message is clear, and other political parties know it, that the ADP is the party to beat come February,’’ he stressed.

    The ADP is one of the 91 registered political parties in the country.

    INEC announced on Monday that there were 84, 004, 084 voters registered to vote in the 2019 general elections.

  • Violation of accord: Presidency drags PDP to Peace C’ttee

    The Presidency has called on the National Peace Committee (NPC) to act on what it called a violation of the peace accord signed by presidential candidates in December by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu, accused the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) of bad faith, character assassination and inflammatory utterances.

    The PDPPCO had on Sunday urged the NPC and the United Nations (UN) to call President Muhammadu Buhari to order and save the country from what it called “imminent collapse”.

    It described the President as a threat to the conduct of credible general elections in February and March.

    But Shehu berated the Atiku Abubakar media campaign team for making open and unsubstantiated allegations against the President’s family by the contravenes the spirit of the peace accord that was signed at the instance of former Head of State,  Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Mathew Kukah and other eminent public figures who constitute the committee.

    He said: “Dragging the President’s family into the campaign and accusing them of wrongdoing without producing unassailable evidence, amounts to an act of bad faith and malice.

    “Instead of concentrating their efforts on persuading Nigerians on why they should be trusted to rule again after 16 years of failure, the PDP presidential campaign organisation is seeking to divert public attention from the large scale corruption and havoc it wreaked on the country during its 16 years of misrule.”

    He noted that more than a week after accusing President Buhari’s family of corruption and wrong doing, the PDP presidential campaign still cannot provide proof of the allegations against them, despite being encouraged by the Presidency and the public to do so.

    “Instead, they are ridiculously expecting the accused to prove their own allegations instead of it being the other way round,” the presidential spokesman said.

    Accusing the PDPPCO of being indolent and poor in research, Shehu noted that it was irresponsible to go public with allegations that they could not prove, describing that as something other than politics.

    “It is sheer desperation and a clear sign of disarray in the PDP campaign,” he said.

  • Amechi’s leaked audio clip doctored – FG

     

    The Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has declared the purported leaked audio of Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi criticising President Muhammadu Buhari was doctored.

    He also said the leak clip will not break the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

    The Minister, who stated this at a media briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, said the leaked audio was part of the “mudslinging’’ politics of the opposition”.

    “Again, the opposition is determined to ensure that the ongoing campaign for the 2019 elections is not based on issues but on mudslinging.

    “What is the point in shopping around for audio clips or publications that are then maliciously edited out of context?

    “Why do they think this will break our ranks in the ruling party?

    “What advantage do they think they can get from this infantile act?

    “Whoever wants to circulate any audio or video clip should do so in its entirety so that the people can understand the context.

    “Otherwise, let them continue wasting their time circulating an audio that is clearly designed to blackmail,’’ he said.

    The minister also said that the growing accusations that 9-Mobile and Keystone Bank were bought by President Muhammadu Buhari’s family members were part of the PDP’s Dubai agenda.

    He said the agenda reached in Dubai by the opposition was to “throw enough mud at the President and hope they can succeed in tainting his integrity’’.

    “The sooner the PDP realises this and retrace its steps, the better. President Buhari is globally acknowledged for his legendary integrity, and no one can tarnish it.

    “When its allegations were proved to be wrong, those behind the shameless allegation did not even have the decency to admit their lies and apologise to the nation.

    “This is bad politicking and it will not win more votes for the sinking PDP.

    “It is sad that instead of focusing on issues, all they spew are innuendos, lies and concocted stories,’’ he said.

    He said PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s campaign has lost steam and all it is doing is to make wild allegations not backed by facts.

    The minister also said that President Buhari should be commended for his decision to concentrate on his job rather than focussing on re-electioneering campaign.

    “The President, in his wisdom, said he would not want his work to be affected by electioneering campaign, and decided to hand over the responsibility of steering the campaign to Asiwaju.

    “That is within the President’s prerogative, and a mark of the confidence he reposed in Asiwaju.

    “How is this now a problem to the PDP? The President deserves accolades for putting the nation first, even with the elections approaching,’’ he said.

    The minister said that the mischievous insinuation from the opposition that the President handed over the campaign to Tinubu because he could withstand the rigours of electioneering campaign is absurd.

    “The President’s punishing daily schedule over the past months is more rigorous than any electioneering campaign.

    “Of course, it has never happened in the recent history of Nigeria that a President facing re-election will rather concentrate on his job rather than his campaign.

    “PDP, for one, cannot fathom this because of their brand of do-or-die politics.

    “Again, the President deserves commendation, not condemnation, for that decision,’’ he said.

  • Let’s debate your achievements in 16 years, Amaechi challenges PDP

     

    Director General of President Muhammadu Buhari campaign Organisation Rotimi Amaechi on Tuesday challenged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to a public debate on its achievements while in power for 16 years.

    He dared the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, to also engage him in a debate on his suitability for the office.

    Speaking at the kick- off of the reelection campaign of Adamawa state at the Ribadu Square in Yola, the Minister of Transportation assured the federal government will award a contract for construction of a rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri through Yolanda and Mubi before end of January 2019.

    Amaechi, who accused the PDP of destroying the country in the 16 years it held sway, stressed the 2019 election will be a contest between PDP’s rich men and APC’s poor men.

    He said Nigerians must not allow those he described as thieves to return to power, saying “the National Chairman of the PDP apologised to Nigerians the party stole public money and that they will not do it again.

    “Don’t let them deceived you because a thief is a thief.”

    He asked the people of Adamawa to reelect Buhari and Governor Bindow, saying “If somebody has done well, you tell him thank you and the best way to do that is to re-elect him for a second term.

    “This election is an election between the rich and the poor. It is an election that is being contested between the rich in the PDP and the poor in the APC”.

     

  • PDP suspends Deputy National Chairman (North)

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has suspended its Deputy National Chairman (North) Sen. Gamawa Babayo, over allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity.

    National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said that Babayo was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC).

    The committee held an extra-ordinary session on Jan. 5, where it critically reviewed the petition against the deputy national chairman (North).

    “The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution.

    “Therefore, in exercise of section 29 (2) a, b and c, the NWC hereby invokes Section 59 (1) d of the constitution of the PDP on the Deputy National Chairman (North) and accordingly suspends him from the party immediately.”

    Read Also: Nigeria lost $2.8bn in revenue in 2018 — report

    The PDP has been buffeted by a wave of desertions by members in both the North West and North East of the party.

    On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari formally received various members of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Support Groups from the North East, who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In Kano, a former governorship candidate, Engineer Bello Sani-Gwarzo dumped the party and also joined the APC.