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Tag: PDP

  • 2019: APC urges political parties to ensure issue-based campaign

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on political parties in the country, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents, to stick to issue-based actions and campaigns as the nation enters into electioneering campaign.
    Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC acting National Publicity Secretary, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
    The statement was in reaction to recent attempt by the PDP leadership to forcibly enter the Nigeria Police Headquarters under the guise of a protest.
    The APC spokesman condemned the act and described it as irresponsible, shameful and reckless actions.
    He recalled that the protest was led by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, PDP State Governors, and its ranking federal lawmakers.
    Nabena said the PDP leaders had hired thugs in a failed attempt to forcibly enter the Nigeria Police headquarters.
    “As we enter the period of campaigns and electioneering, we urge political parties, particularly the PDP and its agents to stick to issue-based actions and campaigns,”he said.
    He added that if the PDP’s confrontation with the police was an attempt to copy APC leaders peaceful protests in Abuja, ahead of the 2015 elections, it was “a low-budget imitation and terribly-acted script”.
    Nabena said that the shocking footage of the PDP leaders backed by hired thugs trying to forcibly break the police cordon was a new height of the party’s rascality and penchant for violence.
    He, therefore, urged the PDP to restrain itself from its usual retrogressive actions and antics which he said, unnecessarily created tension in the polity.
    He noted that the PDP’s actions at the Police Headquarters could easily have led to injuries and loss of lives.
    Nabena further noted that the Nigerian electorate were now more interested on how to bring the country out of the rubble in which the PDP administrations left them.
    The APC spokesman added that the interest of the electorate was also to refocus the country on the path of true progress and development.
    He urged the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to immediately vacate their positions and allow for the reconvening of the National Assembly.
    This, Nabena said, was critical to attend to urgent and pressing national issues which required legislative attention at plenary.

  • Atiku clinches PDP 2019 Presidential ticket

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has won the PDP Presidential ticket for the 2019 general elections.

    Abubakar won the poll with 1532 votes out of the total 3221 votes cast by 36 states and FCT.

    The result was announced by Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, Chairman PDP 2018 Special National Convention Planning Committee, at the end of the party’s convention on Sunday in Port Harcourt.

    In the results announced by Okowa, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal followed Atiku with 693 votes, while Sen. Bukola Saraki placed third with 317 votes.

    Others include: Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso 158 votes; Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo 111 votes; Sule Lamido 96 votes and Ahmed Makarfi 74 votes.

    The rest are: Tanimu Turaki 65 votes; Attahiru Bafarawa 48 votes; Sen. David Mark 35 votes; Jonah Jang 19 votes; while Datti Ahmed got 5 votes.

    Read also: Atiku: To get Nigeria working again, we must defeat APC

     

    The total votes cast were 3221, while delegates accredited were 3,274 and the voided votes stood at 68.

    Atiku Abubakar was born on Nov. 25, 1946, in Jada, Adamawa. He was the vice-president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with Olusegun Obasanjo as President.

    Abubakar worked with the Nigeria Customs Service for twenty years, rising to become the Deputy Director, the second highest position in the Service, then. He retired in April 1989 and took up full-time business and politics.

    Abubakar contested for the APC presidenstial ticket in 2015 and came third behind Muhammadu Buhari and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

    He recently defected to the PDP from the APC to enable him to realise his ambition to become the president of Nigeria.

  • Atiku floors 11 aspirants to emerge as presidential candidate of PDP

    In a keenly-contested primary election, involving 3,274 accredited delegates at the national convention of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, this afternoon floored Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, an ally of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and ten other aspirants to emerge as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2019 election, to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari, the standard bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Atiku polled 1,532 votes, with Tambuwal coming a distant second with 693 votes. Other results are: Bukola Saraki, Senate President with 317 votes; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso had 158 votes; Ibrahim Dankwambo with 111 votes; Sule Lamido had 96 votes; Ahmed Makarfi with 74 votes, Tanimu Turaki had 65 votes; Attahiru Bafarawa got 48 votes; David Mark scored 35 votes; Jonah Jang had 19 votes, while Datti Baba-Ahmed polled 5 votes. 68 votes were voided, while 3,221 delegates voted.

    The convention, which started at 8:50 p.m. on Saturday, when the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, declared it open, had the Chairman of the Elective National Convention Planning Committee of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the Governor of Delta State, assuring that the event would be free, fair, transparent and credible, while he eventually announced the results from 12:44 p.m.

    Voting by the accredited delegates from the 36 states of Nigeria and Abuja ended at 6:15 a.m. today (Sunday), with Akwa Ibom State having the highest number of delegates of 151, while Ogun State had the lowest delegates of 21, in view of the unending litigation and factions.

    While announcing the results of the election, Okowa thanked God on the success of the convention and he congratulated Atiku on his electoral victory, wishing him well in next year’s presidential race.

    In his acceptance speech, Atiku described the primary election as the most credible, transparent, free and fair, in the history of PDP, while lauding former President Olusegun Obasanjo for giving him the opportunity in 1999 to be his deputy, while admitting that he learnt a lot under his tutelage.

    Atiku also lauded Wike, Rivers government and the people of Rivers state on their support for the successful convention, while assuring that he would not fail and would not be found wanting.

    While speaking on behalf of the eleven aspirants, Saraki promised that all of them and their teeming supporters would work with the newly-elected presidential candidate of PDP, with the convention ending at 1:28 p.m.

  • PDP National Convention Updates: Atiku wins with 1532 votes

    The results as announced for each aspirant :

    ATIKU ABUBAKAR 1532

    TAMBUWAL 693

    BUKOLA SARAKI 317

    RABIU KWANKWASO 158

    Senator David Mark – 35 Votes

    Senator Jonah Jang – 19 Votes

    TURAKI 65

    SULE LAMIDO 96

    ATAHIRU BAFARAWA 48

    Dankwabo 111

    MARKAFI 74

     

    DATTI AHMED 5

     

     

     

    Voting for presidential aspirants has ended. Sorting and counting of votes about to start. Agents of all aspirants confirmed that the voting process was transparent.

    Voting for presidential aspirants of the party is almost completed. Zamfara state delegates and those of the Federal Capital Territory are about voting to complete the exercise.

    Convention

     

    Aspirants present manifestoes  

    Presidential aspirants have started speaking on their manifestoes to convince delegates to vote for them.

    Secondus declares Convention open

    Convention

    National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus has declared open the convention of the party  in Port Harcourt

    Accreditation of delegates begins

    Accreditation of delegates at the National Convention of the PDP holding in Port Harcourt has commenced.

    Makarfi denies stepping down 
    Former Kaduna Goveror, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has denied stepping down from the PDP presidential nomination race at the on going convention in Port Harcourt.
    ” We wish to make very clear that not only is Senator Makarfi very much in the race, he is also doing very  well and expects, at the end of the day, to get the nod of majority of the delegates to fly party’s flag in forthcoming elections.
    “Delegates and the general public are advised to ignore this vile rumour and remain focused,” Spokesman of the campaign committee, Mukhtar Sirajo, stated in a press statement.
    Turaki may step down
    There are indications that Saminu Turaki, one of the presidential aspirants may step down.
    Group seeks votes for Atiku 
    A political group,  under the aegis of Atiku Care Foundation (ACF),  has appealed to delegates at the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), to vote the former Vice President (VP), Abukakar Atiku the Presidential Flag bearer of the party in the next year’s general elections.
    In a statement in Port Harcourt  the Rivers State capital on Saturday, by the National chairman of the group,  Aliyu Bin Abbas expressed the passion of the former VP for an opportunity to addressing burning issues of the country, especially insecurity, hunger and unemployment and appealed that the party consider him mist credible to represent it in the 2019 polls.
    He said,  “We passionately appeal that all the PDP Delegates must avoid making any mistake but have a mind of their own to choose the right candidate in Atiku Abubakar.
    “We plead with the delegates to look out for PDP presidential aspirants with proven track records of successes in their private and public lives as well as experience.

  • ‘PDP convention results will not be Contested’

    Tambuwal campaign organisation has commended the conduct of the National convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
    The organisation, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr. Okey Ikechukwu, mni, said that the foundations for faith in the outcome of the PDP convention has already been laid by the fact that the process was transparent, open, free and fair, stressing that all the agents of the presidential aspirants attested to the credibility of the exercise.
    “Nigerians are our witnesses here. We must commend the leadership of the PDP, the convention committee, party delegates and party faithfuls for the thoroughness, maturity and patience that enhanced the credibility of process itself.”
    He said that the aspirants also showed to the world that they are not desperate for power, but are in the contest for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians.
     “We could all see their maturity, composure and show of brotherly love and support, which made a decent contest among responsible brothers.” Ikechukwu said.
    “By the success of this exercise, the PDP has demonstrated to the wold that our great party is ready to rejig  Nigeria and that it remains a truly democratic party that allows free and full participation of all. There is no imposition here. We shall have an uncontested result. It is all happening in the full glare of Nigerians and the world.  No one will concoct some imaginary figures and inflict on others, as is happening is some other parties.
    The transparency of the process has laid an unshakeable foundation for incontrovertible outcomes”, Ikechukwu concluded.

  • 2019: We are set to engage PDP on issue-based campaign -Oshiomhole

    Adams Oshiomhole,the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, has said that with the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate for the  2019 election, it is set to especially, engage  the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on issue-based campaign.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oshiomhole stated this in his address of welcome at the party’s National Presidential Convention, which ended in the early hours of Sunday.
    President Buhari pulled a total of 14,842,072 votes at the party’s recent presidential primaries held across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as announced by Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor-elect.
    Fayemi, who was the Chairman,APC Presidential Primary Committee, later asked the no fewer than. 7,00 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to affirm the president’s candidacy through a yes vote, and they did affirm the candidacy.
    Aside the statuary delegates, the delegates who were drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), were made up of three from each Local Government Area.
    They were elected at the party’s State Congresses held earlier in the year.
    Oshiomhole maintained that with President Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate, it was now ready for the 2019 election, adding that the president had given a good account of himself as a leader who led by example.
    He added that unlike some political parties in the past, the APC decided to elect President Buhari as its presidential candidate for the 2019 presidential election using the direct primary mode to give all party members a say.
    Oshiomhole said, ” unlike the other party which printed only one presidential form and came up with 2 million signatures from unverified individuals in 2015 , the APC chose a more democratic process, using the direct primary method which gave all registered party members a true sense of participation”.
    He said that the APC would scrutinise the records of whoever the opposition party, especially the PDP ,brought up as its presidential candidate for the 2019 election.
    This, he said, would be done with a view to bringing their past deeds to the public to enable them to make good choice.
    “The other party is choosing its candidate in Port-Harcourt, we will look at the records of the opponent, we will look at his pedigree, we will challenge them on their track records,”he said.
    The national chairman,however, dismissed claims by members of the opposition PDP that the Federal Government was being selective in its anti-graft war.
    He also said that the complaints by opposition figures that the President Buhari-led administration was being heavy-handed should be ignored.
    According to him,the present government was being too mild compared to past administration which he said always harassed and intimidated those in the opposition, saying that he was a victim of such harassment.
    “As a sitting governor then, I was denied the use of a public airport.
    ”Mr President, sometimes I feel you are too mild. I was under threat of impeachment, I had to remove the roof of my State House of Assembly in order to survive.
    “One of your predecessors used seven people to remove a sitting Governor. I am, however, not in anyway suggesting that you do the same,”Oshiomhole said.(NAN)

  • Gbadamosi emerges Lagos ADP guber candidate

    Real estate developer, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, has emerged as the Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for the 2019 election.

    Gbadamosi’s election was ratified by ADP members during the party’s primaries at its Lagos State Secretariat on Saturday.

    The Chairman, ADP, Lagos State, Mr Bolaji Adewale, said Gbadamosi, who was unopposed, scored a total of 119,919 votes during the primaries conducted across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

    Adewale thanked the party chieftains and supporters for the peaceful conduct of all primaries.

    He noted that ADP was the first party to adopt direct primaries in Nigeria as enshrined in its constitution.

    The chairman said the party would continue to come up with innovative ideas that would deepen democracy and governance in Nigeria.

    In his acceptance speech, Gbadamosi , who is the Managing Director of Redbricks Homes International Limited, thanked ADP members for giving him the privilege of contesting for the governorship position under the party’s platform.

    Gbadamosi said he was joining the race to rescue Lagos State from the “captivity” of godfatherism, mediocre governance and mismanagement of tax payers money.

    “The moment of truth is here. Today, we are formally entering the race to lead our dear state on the platform of our great party, the ADP.

    “After today, I will be presenting the Gbadamosi Plan for Lagos. It is a comprehensive document that touches on all aspects of our lives as Lagosians.

    “It touches on our individual and collective destiny as people of Lagos and the legacies we hope to bequeath to our children and our generation yet unborn, “he said.

    Read Also: 2019: ADP aspirant pulls out of guber race in Niger

    According to him, the plan aims to address crucial areas such as public education, health care, transportation, affordable housing, among others which have deteriorated in the state.

    Gbadamosi said apart from having the prerequisite experience and qualifications to govern the state, he would assemble a team of professionals to administer over key areas to fast track its development.

    He expressed optimism that he would be victorious in the election because the people of Lagos were disappointed with the performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at both the federal and state levels.

    “My appeal to you is that you should join me today. Let us rewrite our future to one of our own dreams and reject the greed of godfathers.

    “I solemnly promise all Lagosians today that I will take Lagos Beyond Ordinary Governance, ” he said.

    Gbadamosi will be contesting against several candidates including Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC and Mr Jimi Agbaje of the PDP in the 2019 governoship poll.

    NAN

  • ‘Ndigbo Youths will vote candidates who will restructure Nigeria’

    The National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths (Worldwide) led by Mr Kingsley Dozie has said they would only vote for candidates who would restructure and introduce policies that would improve lives of Nigerians.

    Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Osmond Nkeoma, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Dr Okey Nwachukwu and Deputy National Legal Adviser, Emeka Odom, said this in a statement in Owerri on Saturday.

    The group, however, said that it was not a political party, but would not endorse any political party or candidate whose mandate would not be restructuring the country.

    It said that the apex Igbo cultural group would only seek for and vote government that had policies and programmes that would better not only the lives of Nigerians, but the Ndigbo in particular.

    The group called on the public to disregard “the vituperation from fictitious Ohanaeze youths backing the PDP and demanding for the position of vice president from the South East in the 2019 general elections.”

    Read Also: Sit-at-home: Ebonyi Police Commissioner, Ohaneze Youths warn IPOB

    It alleged that the said youths were using the name of Ohanaeze youths for dubious endorsements ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    “We did not have any meeting where we discussed on who should be given ticket or not.

    “We ask the public to be weary of rumor mongers and dubious elements whose work is to use the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths to dupe, disorientate and endorse unsuspecting Nigerians.

    ” No meeting was held to discuss on the party vice presidential slot. These elements who parade themselves hide under the media to propagate lies against Igbo youths.

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths will only vote a candidate who will guarantee Igbo’s welfare and restructure Nigeria and on the basis of personal conviction.

    “We never sat to endorse any particular political party nor demand for the position of vice president for any candidate,” it said.

    The group called on the public to ignore the position of any other group parading itself as Ohanaeze ndigbo youth group.

    NAN

  • Large turnout of delegates at PDP national convention

    Large turn out of delegates and heavy presence of security personnel characterised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention holding in Port Harcourt, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The venue of the convention, Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium was agog as delegates trooped peacefully into the pavilions earmarked for their respective states, but accreditation of delegates was yet to commence as at 9.55 a.m.

    At Sokoto pavilion, one of the delegates, Alhaji Kure Aminu said he and his colleagues were ready for the convention.

    Delegates from Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states said they would vote for strong candidate that would win the 2019 general elections.

    Mr Ude Obuzo from Enugu expressed optimism that the convention would produce a qualified candidate to represent PDP in 2019 Presidential election.

    NAN reports that heavy security operatives: the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others were on ground to ensure smooth exercise.

    Officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were also on ground to control movement of vehicles.

    NAN reports that at least, 13 aspirants are jostling for party ticket for Presidential election in 2019.

    Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state; Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso; Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, Sen,Ahmed Makarfi and Jonah Jang are among the contestants.

  • Ugwuanyi didn’t manipulate results of Enugu PDP primaries, says Chieftain

    Chief Chinedu Eya, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, on Friday exonerated Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from the alleged manipulation of the just-concluded party primaries in the state.

    Eya, a former Enugu North Senatorial aspirant on PDP platform said in Lagos that aggrieved participants in the primaries should follow the path of peace.

    According to him, outcomes of the primaries were reflection of the choice of party faithful and those who failed to clinch the party’s tickets should not link such inability to the influence of Ugwuanyi.

    Eya, who described Ugwuanyi as a lover of peace and promoter of democracy, said that the governor’s insistence on primary elections as against consensus was to ensure that the people’s will triumphed.

    “Rather than bringing down the party, I urge the aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to seek redress through the party’s internal mechanism for the resolution of complaints as the party’s door is wide open to accommodate grievances.

    “Governor Ugwuanyi we all know is a man of peace, lover of democracy and promoter of people’s interest. People should please count him out of any conspiracy in their losses.

    “Anybody linking him to manipulation in the just-concluded primaries is only on a long journey to nowhere.

    “I can understand there may be genuine complaints arising from the exercises, but they should know our party has an internal system capable of handling these issues,” Eya said in a statement by his Media aide, Mr Gwiyi Solomon.

    The party chieftain, who advised the governor to continue his good work for posterity, said there was a need to bring everybody onboard. (NAN)