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Tag: PDP

  • We stand for participatory democracy, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress  ( APC ) has said that it will defend participatory democracy where  elections are transparent, credible, free and fair.
    It however asked relevant government  agencies to monitor the activities of the PDP as its recent utterances according to the party  are a red flag. 
    The National Publicity Secretary,  Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement in Abuja that recent calls by the PDP National Chairman,  Usher Secondus asking The INEC Chairman  and Inspector General of Police was suspect.
    He said the PDP was being hunted by its past actions when they misused state machinery  to achieve selfish motives.
    The statement reads: “We are amused by the latest utterances of the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus calling on both the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim to resign on account of the PDP’s baseless suspicions ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
    “It is a pity that the once boisterous PDP, having undermined the country for 16 years through mindless undemocratic actions, has now become a caricature of a political party.
    “This latest outburst is yet another reminder of how the PDP government serially abused state institutions in the pursuit of selfish political and economic interests. PDP is now being haunted by its sordid past and the ruinous party is now scampering from its own shadow.
    “It is sad that the PDP hounds have continued to take Nigerians for granted, thinking by embarking on scaremongering, the voters could forget their wanton crimes.
    “Nigerians are not gullible, it is now apparent that the PDP in a bid to hide their inadequacies and undesirability as elections approaches has chosen to populate the public space with unfounded allegations.
    “The All Progressives Congress (APC) continues to stand for and would defend a participatory democracy where elections are transparent, credible, free and fair. We also call on relevant agencies to monitor the PDP as its recent utterances are a red flag. We must prevent a reoccurrence of the PDP’s typical undemocratic practices during elections. Never again will a selfish few distort the wishes of the electorate.”

  • 2019: Panic in PDP over Wike’s resignation

    •Atiku returns home from UK, takes charge
    •Governors, ex-ministers, party leaders beg Wike to rescind decision
    •Why governor was angry

    There was panic in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged threat by Governor Nyesom Wike to resign as the South-South coordinator for the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.

    The disquiet in the party was informed by the fact that Wike is central to PDP’s success in the South-South which the party had taken for granted as a stronghold.

    It was learnt that governors, ex-ministers and top leaders of the party have been begging the governor to rescind his decision.

    But indications showed that the governor was angry because he has been isolated in the scheme of things.

    Instead of being on the driver’s seat like the case before the National Convention, the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the National Working Committee (NWC) defer more to Atiku, the National Leader of the party, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson who was one of the arrowheads of Atiku’s victory at the party’s convention.

    It was learnt that unlike pre-convention era, the party leadership does not rely on Wike for funds any more.

    The sudden financial independence of the party, through alternative sources in the party, has made Wike to know little of developments in PDP.

    A few others, however, attributed Wike’s anger to the spill over of the party primaries in which his candidate, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal lost out.

    Investigation by our correspondent showed that Atiku and many PDP leaders were caught unawares by Wike’s threat.

    A top source said: “We were all shocked to read of his plans to quit as the South-South coordinator of PDP campaign for Atiku. All our leaders have been in panic since the news broke out. This development will be a setback if not quickly reversed.

    “As I talk to you, most PDP governors, leaders, ex-ministers, ex-governors and leaders have been begging Wike to rescind his decision. This is what we have been doing today (Saturday).”

    The source said PDP leaders also felt embarrassed because Wike has not raised any objection.

    The source defended what he described as a “painstaking” composition of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

    The source added: “Wike never complained about any issue; he has not expressed reservations on the composition of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and he just came out with a bang.

    “The PCC was representational of all the tendencies in the party. It took us much time to release the final list because of consultations. Atiku, who was in the custody of the list, was always tinkering with it after due consultations with the party hierarchy and leaders.

    “Contrary to Wike’s claim, no director was brought from outside. All the directors were appointed from the National Working Committee.

    “Let me give some examples. The Contact and Mobilisation Directorate is headed by the National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu; Kola Ologbondiyan is in charge of the directorate of Media and Publicity; and Finance is being managed by Abdullahi Maibasira, just to mention a few.

    “Wike himself put the NWC in place with his boy, Uche Secondus as the national chairman. To avoid this type of rancour, the party restricted the choice of directors to NWC members. There is no basis for Wike’s complaint because he owns the present NWC of PDP.”

    Findings, however, revealed that Wike’s grouses were consequences of the National Convention of the party in which his favourite candidate, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal lost out.

    Also, the Rivers State governor was said to be aggrieved because he is fast losing his control of the PDP machinery.

    A reliable source said: “Wike’s anger has to do with perceived gang up against him in the party to clip his wings. He only hid under alleged lack of consultations with him in constituting the PCC. He is just waking up to the reality that he has lost the grip of the party.

    “Before the National Convention of the party in Port Harcourt, he was calling the shots in the party including the financing of PDP. For paying the piper, he was dictating the tunes. This wholesale control of PDP gave him the confidence that Tambuwal will emerge as PDP presidential candidate.

    “Unknown to Wike, some party leaders decided to clip his wings. To jolt him, they toyed with the idea of changing Port Harcourt as the venue of the National Convention in order to gauge his mood. He became riotous to the extent of threatening the party and making allusions to Atiku.

    “The second stage of the plot against Wike was the stoppage of the party’s leadership going cap in hand to him for funds. Some leaders of the party, including those who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to PDP started financing the party covertly.

    “The final stage was the emergence of Atiku as the presidential candidate of the party contrary to Wike’s permutations. He was devastated to the extent that he could not wait to listen to the acceptance speech of Atiku.”

    Responding to a question, the source said: “The true position of the game in PDP is that the power equation in the party has changed. The party leadership does not source funds from him anymore and it defers mostly to Atiku, the National Leader of PDP, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, who was central to the mobilisation of support for Atiku.”

    A member of the Presidential Campaign Council said: “The challenge at hand is that Wike has not fully accepted the choice of Atiku. But he should know that God gives power and he also takes power from leaders.

    “For instance, our evaluation so far revealed that it is only in Rivers State that government functionaries and party leaders do not work for Atiku because they are reading the body language of Wike.  We are relying on a few friends and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to mobilise support. His threat to quit is just the icing on the cake.”

    As at press time, the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku jetted back to Abuja from the United Kingdom to “take charge of the situation ahead of the beginning of his campaign on Monday in Sokoto.”

    “Our candidate is just back from London to take charge of the situation, including Wike’s palaver,” a reliable source said.

     

  • Opposition instigating violence to justify state of emergency call, says PDP

    The local chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of instigating violence to justify its call on the Federal Government to declare emergency in the state.

    Its chairman Obong Paul Ekpo said the party is privy to plots by the APC to provoke the civilian populace against the government.

    Ekpo said the APC, having realised that it cannot win the 2019 elections in the state, have resorted to violence so that the elections could be rescheduled.

    Ekpo said in statement: “We had mentioned that information available to us was to the effect that the chieftains of the APC are planning to instigate violent disruptions of the wheels of governance and provoke the civilian populace to react in like manner, so as to stimulate their call for the declaration of a state of emergency immediately or the rescheduling of elections in Akwa Ibom State.

    “The APC and its chieftains have always boasted of their total reliance on federal might, which they see as their only highway to power.

    “Having found Akwa Ibom as a very peaceful state and with no tangible reason for increased deployment of security forces to the state, the APC and their conspirators (both indigenous and exogenous) had mapped out plans to instigate crisis in different areas of the state. This plan is not new to us, as we are aware of every step of their plans and will continue to alert the public.

    Read also: Can PDP bounce back in 2019?

    “On the invasion of the House of Assembly and the complicity of the police, it is important to state that the constitution of the country which is the operational code for all public and private persons, is clear on the steps expected of a presiding officer of any parliament, when a member of the parliament defects without any lawful justification.

    “In our case, the Speaker of the State Assembly, we have been reliably informed, had applied restraint in the declaration of the seats of the law makers until they approached the courts and judgement was given against one of the law makers and the rest teamed up with him in pursuit of an unlawful course, of attempting to prevent the House of Assembly from undertaking its legal responsibilities.

    “It is common knowledge that as at the time the speaker acted in declaring the seats of the former members vacant, there was no subsisting injunction or legal impediment restraining him or any other person from acting in that direction.

    “It is therefore not in doubt that the declaration of the vacancy of seats of the former members was, is and remains constitutional, lawful, legal and extant and there is nothing the APC can do about it.”

  • Can PDP bounce back in 2019?

    Can the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bounce back in the Southwest in next year’s elections? Correpondent MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE writes on the preparations of the crisi-ridden six chapters for the polls.

    The Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been struggling to put its house together ahead of next year’s elections. The task seems herculean, but the leaders are not leaving any stone unturned, in the efforts to reposition the party to win elections in the zone.

    PDP members are harping on the party’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The PDP believes that the former number two citizen has the weight and capacity to brighten its chances in the zone when the die is cast.

    Analysts have said that the outcome of the presidential election, which will come before other elections, will define the outcome of subsequent polls.

    The region has become the battle ground for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The PDP presidential candidate is starting his campaign in Lagos. Atiku has said on many occasions that he would return the Southwest to the PDP as he did when former President Olusegun was in the saddle.

    But, this time around, many are weighing the possibility of the former Vice President’s statement. Observers say it was possible to do that when the PDP was in government. They noted that the unfolding political situation appeares not to favour such permutation.

    The PDP is not cohesive like it used to be because major stakeholders who assisted Obasanjo to conquer the Southwest have either decamped to the ruling APC or are not around to fix it back. For instance, the late Chief Anthony Anenih, who supervised the routing APC in the Southwest in 2003 is no more around.

    Despite the challenges starring the PDP in the face, its National Vice Chairman, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, said the party would reclaim lost grounds. He said the failure of the ruling APC to meet its campaign promises would boost the PDP’s chance in 2019.

    He said: “It has never been brighter in the face of the tragic situation in the country, the insecurity problem, the economic stagnation and the social development that has been put at abeyance. Our people are tired of unfulfilled promises.

    “All we are saying at this moment is to mobilise our people and begin to rally for the February 16 general election. On our own part, we have been able to stabilise the party. We have tried as much as possible to ensure equity, fight imposition and remove undemocratic moves.”

    Oyefeso pointed out that the malaise in the country has been observed by the international community, stressing another four years of the stagnation would cripple the country.

    “We are all set and I am very confident that the PDP would do very well. Like me make it clear that the two elections in Ekiti and Osun states are pointer to the fact that the APC is a spent force. The APC used security forces to scuttle the two elections and order to steal the victory.”

    Public commentators say, the internal wrangling in the PDP would work against the party. They believe that the PDP had not done enough to push a common front ahead of 2019. For instance, in Ogun State where the court had declared Senator Kashamu Buruji governorship candidate is making temper to high.

    According to the Southwest PDP chairman, the internal contradiction in the PDP is far less than the APC. He said put side by side the APC was more fractured, noting that the Kashamu case was simply a distraction.

    “You cannot compare the internal contradictions in our party to the APC. Kashamu is just one entity in Ogun State. The case will be made to rest in the shortest time possible. We know that he is the black leg among us and he is working for the opposition.

    “We know we shall overcome, outside Kashamu, I think we have stabilized within the last two years. The truth remains that outside Ogun State, other states are in good stead and what we are doing at the moment is to begin to mobilise for the elections.”

    In Oyo, PDP the dust has not settled. But, the party claims its chances in 2019 are bright. Analysts said the party must go back to the drawing board if it must win.

    The governorship candidate Mr. Seyi Makinde said had made frantic efforts to get former members of the party who defected to other parties back to the fold. But, his effort had not yielded the desired results.

    Prior to the PDP primary, he visited the former governor Chief Alao Akala, Makinde, went in the company of Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeniyan, were to intimate him of the leadership vacuum since the exit of former Governor Rasheed Ladoja. But, the effort yielded very little results, prompting the PDP to look elsewhere for solution to its challenges.

    Commenting on the PDP’s inability to get Akala back to the fold, Olafeso said the former governor had never been stable politically. He noted that without him, the party would win the election.

    He added that Akala had moved across the major political parties in the state. Olafeso said: “Akala had joined the APC, Accord and lots of other parties and so we do not consider him as one of us.

    “If he was one of us, he would not be migrating from one party to another party. We are stronger without him, with new generation of leadership. We have evolved a collegiate leadership where everybody has a role to play and it is working very fine in Oyo State.

    “My best bet is Oyo State in the 2019 election, they are doing very well, we will win the state hands down. However, the ruling APC has promised to retain the state.

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi said the state witnessed remarkable progress during his administration, noting that Oyo people will vote continuity.

    He added that effort by the PDP to foment trouble in the state was rebuffed, noting that the party membership had swelled over the period.

    “The meeting we held with President Buhari in Abuja was to fashion out ways of repositioning the party for victory in the 2019 elections. I am happy that despite the insinuation that that our party membership has been depleted, it has increased, we will win the coming election in the state.”

    The Osun election, according to observers, is a pointer to the fact that PDP had gained momentum in the state. The result of the governorship election won by the APC through a re-run exposed the weakness of the party.

    That notwithstanding, the elections in the state are different entirely. They believe the PDP may not command the followership it recorded during the governorship election in next year’s polls.

    But, PDP leaders maintained that Osun people would repeat the same feat. They added that the governorship election was marred by irregularities, noting that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts a transparent election, the PDP would win.

    Observers who monitored the election in Osun commended INEC for a job well done. They however, blamed the political party supporters and security agencies for widespread interferences and intimidation of voters. Analysts say the APC and PDP have chances.

    The Ekiti State governorship election exposed the danger associated with vote buying. The PDP and APC have been accused by observers.

    Though, the parties tried to absolved themselves of blame, analysts say the trend had to be nipped in the bud. The PDP was in control, prior to the last governorship election. But, the situation is no longer the same. Governor Kayode Fayemi won the election.

    The presidential election would be a test case for President Muhammadu Buhari, who former Governor Ayo Fayose had criticised vehemently. But many believe that the exit of Fayose and failure of the party to win the election will brighten the chance of the President in the state.

    With the support the President Buhari gave to Fayemi during the election, the PDP’s fortune in the state had been reduced. Analysts say the PDP would not make impact in the state.

    According to reports, the most important thing is for the people of Ekiti to make their choice, through free and fair election and in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

    Ondo State PDP has lost its shine since the exit of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who had since defected to Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The PDP had been struggling to keep body and soul together, but the centre had not held for a long time.

    Despite the shortcoming in the party structure, the Ondo PDP is still hopeful that it would bounce back. PDP chieftain, Prof. Olu Agbi, said victory is sure. He said PDP is the only party that can better the lot of Nigerians.

    Analysts have said that the APC government in Ondo State inherited the burden of unpaid salaries.

    In Lagos, observers have said the PDP has no chance. Accoding to them, it would be difficult to undermine the structure that had been laid close to 20 years.

    The two leading governorship candidates, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC and Jimi Agbaje of the PDP, said they would win the election.

    The APC which had not lost any governorship election in the state, believes that it would repeat the same feat. Agbaje has contested twice. He failed at the polls. What different can he make in 2019? Will he spring a surprise?

     

  • APC, PDP suffer more defections in House of Reps

    •Amosun’s man Akinlade joins APM

    Three members of the caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) defected from the party yesterday.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also lost one member to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) but gained another from APC.

    The lawmakers, in their individual letters to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, said their defection from their former parties was due to irreconcilable differences that included high handedness and unacceptable primaries.

    They also said their decision was in due consultations with their constituents.

    Read also: House should recall APC lawmakers, says Eyibo

    The defected APC members are: Adekunle Akinlade (Ogun), for Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Muhammed Ajanah (Kogi), for the PDP, while Salish Koko (Kebbi) left for SDP.

    Rabiu Kaugama (Jigawa) left the PDP for SDP.

    A subtle protest by House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila was drowned in banters and backslapping around the floor.

    Akinlade added a little drama to his defection by handing his APC armband to Gbajabiamila, who later approached the Speaker with it.

    Dogara collected and displayed the armband for his colleagues to see amidst laughter around the floor.

     

  • Secondus demands resignation of IGP, INEC chairman

    ….As Atiku challenges Buhari to debate

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has demanded the immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris.

    Secondus also called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu to resign his position without delay.

    Speaking on Thursday as the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP, the opposition party chairman said the PDP has lost confidence in the capacity of the IGP and the INEC chairman to guarantee free and fair elections.

    He insisted that both the IGP and the INEC aided the All Progressives Congress (APC) in rigging the last Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections.

    Secondus warned that the PDP would not accept the outcome of rigged elections, adding that there would be a national crisis if the 2019 elections were rigged.

    Also speaking at the event, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubabar, expressed his readiness to engage President Muhammadu Buhari in a public debate on key national issues in the 2019 elections.

    His speech was interrupted with a snide remark from an unidentified voice who asked if Atiku was referring to “Jubril”, an alleged non existent body double of President Buhari. The mischief has been trending in the social media space lately.

    Atiku however replied the voice, asking, “Which Jubril? Is it the one in Sudan or the one in Abuja?”, a remark that drew a derisive outburst from the crowd of party faithful present in the hall.

    The opposition presidential candidate further said that if elected, his administration would enthroned a policy of strict adherence to fiscal responsibility in the conduct of government business.

    He pledged to galvanize efforts through consultations to liberate the nation from the shackles of hunger, deprivation, killings and divisive tendencies.

    Atiku said, “Our aim is to work very hard and collectively liberate our nation from the shackles of hunger, starvation, deprivation, bloodletting, killings and division which bedevil us today. We must all work hard to return our nation to the path of harmony, peace and progress.

    “We need to be disciplined in our campaign because we are facing a desperate APC. The coming election may be the toughest presidential election since the return of democracy.

    “The APC has chosen personal attacks over issues, instead of campaigning on achievements. My campaign will be focused on issues not character assassination and personal attacks.

    Read Also: No move to impeach my former deputy – Tambuwal

    “We should be telling Nigerians what we want to do differently to get Nigeria working again. We must be vigilant at the polling units. We must demand the removal of the IGP. Elections are governed by laws and rules guiding the behaviour of all those involved”

    He urged President Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Act presently on his desk if he is truly for free, fair and credible elections.

    The PDP candidate made assurances of new templates for fiscal responsibility and productivity in every critical sector of national life.

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, who also spoke at the event urged party leaders and stakeholders, to remain united and strong as the elections draw nearer.

    Saraki said, “The people are with us and when the people are with us, God is with us, we will do it, we will succeed. I emphasise that we must stay strong because it is not going to be easy.

    “Let us remember when we were going for the convention this room was vibrating, there was tension in the country and people never believed that it was possible because it has never happened where people will go to a primary and come out with not even one person disagreeing.

    “I have said it many atimes that APC is not our opponent on the ballot paper; it is the security agents that are opponents on the ballot paper.

    “If you talk to ten Nigerians today, they will tell you yes your party is popular but they will rig it. What does that mean? We must stand, we must stand for free and credible election. We must stand for an election where people have the right to vote.

    Saraki, is the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, warned that there could be crisis in the country if the elections were not free, fair and credible.

    The party inaugurated a 154-member Campaign Council shortly after the NEC meeting, with Secondus named as chairman of the Council.

    Atiku is co-chairman of the Council while former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is co deputy chairman.

    Also yesterday, the PDP inaugurated its Presidential campaign council with Secondus as chairman and Atiku as co-chair man.

    Other members of the Council are the governors elected on the platform of the party, the party’s principal officers of the National Assembly, all the presidential aspirants that contested with Atiku, former Ministers, former principal officers of the National Assembly, members of the National Working Committee of the PDP, among others.

    At the inauguration of the campaign council, Secondus charged the team to brace up for the challenges ahead, adding that the task was to sell the agenda of the PDP across the entire country.

  • I am convinced 2019 election is for PDP to win -Atiku

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says he is convinced beyond any doubt that 2019 elections will be a victory walk for the PDP.

    Abubakar said this during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that going by the momentum the party had gathered through its transparent primaries and the people working together, victory was awaiting the party.

    He urged the leadership of the party to build on the momentum from its National Convention and the just concluded primaries.

    Abubakar said he was surprised when the party leadership invited him and informed him of the details of the money realised from the primaries, saying that had never happened before and had posed a very big challenge to him.

    “I said that should we win and we must win the Presidential Election, we will have to enthrone the best fiscal responsibility this country has ever known or ever seen.

    “This is simply because our party has given us that leadership, chairman I commend you.

    “I believe with the genuine support of all of you, particularly of governors and members of the National Assembly, of party leaders, of local levels, and of course, party supporters, if we work together, I am convinced without any doubts that this election is for us to win.

    “We have built up so much momentum after the Port Harcourt convention, it is now time for us to pick up the momentum again until we land in Aso Villa.”

    Abubakar also said that he was ready to face Muhammadu Bubari, the incumbent president and Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in an election debate.

    The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said that through the party’s National Convention in Port Harcourt, it had demonstrated to the world that it was ready to regain power and it was time to work together to achieve that.

    “We must stay strong. It is not easy in a third world country to defeat an incumbent government, but it has been done before by everybody and we will do it again.

    “I say so because the people are with us, and when the people are with you, God is with you, PDP by God’s grace will succeed.’’

    Saraki stressed the need to make 2019 General Elections credible, saying if elections were not free and credible, the country would be a fertile ground for crisis.

    “There will be Nigeria after elections and we must fight for credible elections.”

  • Fayemi closes case before Ekiti election tribunal

    Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on Thursday closed his case before an Ekiti governorship election petition tribunal sitting at the High Court of the FCT Apo, after calling four witnesses.

    On Monday Governor Fayemi’s first witness Mr. Adunmo Rufus Sunday, deputy director general of JKF campaign organization told the tribunal that the July 14, 2018 election was free, fair and credible by all standards.

    The witness also informed the tribunal that contrary to allegations of bias, violence, vote buying and general malpractices by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Professor Olusola Kolapo, who are the petitioners, the election was devoid of rancor and violence.

    At resumed hearing Thursday Fayemi’s lawyer Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) told the tribunal that he would no longer call any other witness and that he is ready to close the case.

    “My lord we have called four witnesses and tendered only one exhibit so far. We have come to the conclusion that this is a good place to announce closure of the case,” Fagbemi said.

    After consultation with other parties panel agreed that all respondents be given three days to file their written addresses, and also the petitioners be given five days to file their written addresses and a period of three days be given to accord the responses reply on point of law.

    The chairman of the tribunal Justice Suleiman Belgore told the parties that all addresses must come in by 15th December.

    He adjourned the matter till January 9, 2019 for adoption of final written addresses and oral arguments of counsels.

  • PDP disowns presidential campaign ‘timetable’

    THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has disowned what it described as a phony presidential campaign timetable presently circulating in some traditional and social media platforms.

    PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday, said the party has not released any timetable or timeline for its presidential campaign.

    Calling on its members and supporters to disregard the fake timetable, the party said the presidential campaign council would soon come up with the authentic timetable.

    Read also: Stop playing politics with soldiers’ death, APC tells Atiku, PDP

    The statement said: “The fabricators of the post, even went further to allocate venues and dates for zonal rallies, which they claimed to have emanated from the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP clarifies that it has not yet released any timetable or timelines for our presidential campaigns. Similarly, our party has not yet allotted any dates or venues for our campaigns.”

     

  • Stop playing politics with soldiers’ death, APC tells Atiku, PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential candidate Abubakar Atiku came under attack yesterday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) accused them of playing politics with the killing of soldiers by insurgents.

    According to the APC, it was callous for anyone to ‘dance on the grave’ of the soldiers, who died in active national while defending the territorial integrity.

    The opposition party, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, had blamed the killing of soldiers in Metele on alleged mishandling of funds meant for the procurement of weapons for the war against terror on the Federal Government under APC’s watch.

    But the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu fired back in a statement yesterday, saying the PDP got it wrong in its claim that funds meant military operation  have been diverted to campaign ahead of next year’s elections.

    According to him, Nigerians have seen through the deceit of the PDP and will not be fooled by such antics.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari remained committed to bringing lasting peace and security to all parts of the country. He added that the President has been ensuring that internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society.

    The APC statement reads: “The allegations by the PDP that military funds have been diverted to finance the 2019 election campaigns of the APC is a sad reminder of the evil and retrogressive practices the PDP was notorious for during its defunct rule.

    “God forbid that the APC inherits and apply such morbid practice as brazenly displayed during the immediate-past PDP administration where funds allocated to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast were shared among PDP leaders and their cronies.

    ”It is clear that the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have decided to dance on the graves of our valiant and patriotic soldiers by politicising their deaths in the recent Boko Haram attack on the Nigerian Army Metele base.

    “The PDP and Atiku are playing desperate politics where even the blood of our fallen heroes is fair game. Their actions are callous and insensitive to the families and dependants of the late soldiers and indeed our military which battles daily to ensure our territorial integrity.

    “Nigerians see through PDP’s ploy to score political points as elections approach and it will surely backfire.

    “While the APC mourns the death of our military and other security personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty, we urge them to remain focussed on the brave task of securing the nation.

    “The President Buhari-led administration remains solidly committed to bringing lasting peace and security to all parts of the country and ensuring that previously displaced persons are rehabilitated to resume their normal and productive lives.”

    Also yesterday, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) accused the PDP and Atiku for what it described as their scant regard for human lives and for playing politics with the death of Nigerian soldiers in battle.

    In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the BMO described as unfortunate that the opposition and its presidential candidate have been using every opportunity to celebrate the unfortunate attack on troops at 157 Battalion in Metele, a remote Borno State village bordering Nigeria and Chad.

    The group said: “We are at a loss as to why opposition elements have been milking the tragic deaths of national heroes so much so that the international media took notice with different castigating headlines which should have made these people retrace their steps.

    “In a bid to discredit the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, PDP posted gory pictures of dead soldiers from elsewhere and few days later, Atiku offered scholarships to the children of slain soldiers.

    “The former vice president’s move came at a time the military authorities had not even completed the standard practice of identifying soldiers killed in action or even notifying their next of kin.

    “The inhumane act amounted to dancing on the graves of those who paid the supreme sacrifice to ensure that the PDP presidential candidate could conveniently invite his friends to celebrate his American University of Nigeria Founder’s Day last weekend.

    “He and his media handlers have forgotten how in 2014, he lamented at a press conference that a handful of Boko Haram fighters had successfully invaded and hoisted the caliphate flag in Mubi, a town with a population of about 300,000 as well as Michika and Gulak after they had over-ran Bama a town nearly 400 kilometres from Yola.

    “This gave rise to thousands of displaced persons in Adamawa, and not once did the former Vice President announce relief support for IDPs or scholarships for children of soldiers that died liberating his state.

    “The height of Atiku and his party’s insensitivity is the fact that they are still busy issuing statements critical of the military leadership twenty four hours after Air Force jets crossed into a neighbouring country to launch airstrikes on the base of the terrorists who carried out the Metele attack, based on actionable intelligence.

    “They didn’t even acknowledge that over 200 foreign terrorists were killed and some of their armoured vehicles destroyed in the air raids.”

    BMO noted that Nigerians would not forget in a hurry how the PDP allowed insurgency to fester for years, recalling how Boko Haram seized 14 local government areas and raided villages at will in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    ”We make bold to say that if the $2 billion set aside for arms purchase in 2015 were not shared to PDP members through the office of the National Security Adviser, no one would be talking about the capacity of Boko Haram or ISWAP in 2018,” the BMO said.