The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • Alaibe returns to PDP with supporters 

    A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, on Friday returned to his former party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with his supporters.

    Other APC chieftains, who defected alongside the former NDDC boss, are former Secretary to Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Gideon Ekeowei, onetime Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Chief Keme Prefa, ex-Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Council, Barnabas Edure, former Executive Secretary, SUBEB, Rhodesia Whyte and former state lawmakers including Nelson Belief.

    Read Also:Dickson is committed to Ijaw cause, says Alaibe

    Receiving Chief Alaibe in Government House Yenagoa, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson noted that the defection of Alaibe and his teeming followers signified the end of the APC in the state.

    He further said the defection justified his earlier claim that the APC lacked capacity to win any election in the state as its leadership brazenly demonstrated lack of interest in the welfare and development of the state.

    According to the governor, Bayelsa remains the only PDP state that has re-elected its governor defeating federal might since 2015 when it became an opposition party in the country.

    While reiterating the need for people of the state and Ijaw nation to embrace the PDP, Dickson stressed that no well-meaning and decent person would identify with the other party because of the high level of criminality and falsehood associated with it.

    He said: “The APC in Bayelsa is a party of criminals, cultists and terrorists. PDP has the majority of the good and decent patriotic people. I used to say there are few APC members in Bayelsa that are good and patriotic. Now, you can imagine the few good ones have now left. So, the APC in Bayelsa is completely a party of criminals, cultists and terrorists.

    “When we come to campaign we will wait for them to tell us the roads and bridges from Abuja that they have brought to this state, to show us the major appointments, benefits and patronage that they deceived this good and decent people to go to their dry party that doesn’t mean well for our people. The APC clearly is being folded up in Bayelsa with all of you leaving.”

    Dickson who congratulated Chief Alaibe and other defectors for their decision to dump the APC assured them of their full integration to the PDP.

    He said that a rally would soon be organized to formally receive them into the PDP.

    “We are here to formally receive and welcome you back home to your party and I have told the chairman and the political desk working with your team that we will organise a formal reception to receive you because you are a big fish. You cannot come into the PDP and people will not know you have come. So what is happening today is a prelude to your formal reception.

    “We were pained when you left at a time we needed you most but all of that is history. What is important is what is ahead of us and I want to assure you that you are all valued leaders in the party once again,” he added.

    In his remarks, Alaibe, described PDP as the party of the Ijaw people.

    Alaibe said that all the political positions he held were facilitated by the PDP which informed his decision to leave the “wilderness” to return to the PDP to support Governor Dickson in the interest of the state.

    He saluted the efforts of Dickson for his administration’s dogged commitment not only to the cause of the Ijaw nation but also to the development of the state and maintaining a disciplined PDP.

    “PDP for me as an individual is home. My political life was defined by the PDP. My political public service, work and all the political positions that I have held were facilitated by the PDP and for a lot of us here, it was the PDP. So for us, PDP is home. It is a good-come-back home.”

    “I want to thank you for some of the fantastic projects and programmes you have implemented in Bayelsa including this state of the art office for the people of Bayelsa State. I want to thank you for the continuous commitment to the Ijaw Nation. The commitment that has inspired some of us to continue to remain as a people in the space called Nigeria.

    “We want to assure you that at some point in the course of our political life, just like a child will not know the richness of his mother’s soup until he tastes his neighbour’s soup, we have gone out there and we have tasted our neighbour’s soup, and we have made comparison and our own soup, the soup you pilot is sweeter. And that’s why we are here.”

    Also speaking, Chairman of the State PDP, Mr. Moses Cleopas, described Chief Alaibe’s return as a show of patriotism and love for Bayelsa state.

    He assured Alaibe and others who defected that they would be given a sense of belonging to enable them to contribute effectively to the success of the PDP.

    “We are receiving you with our spirit, soul and body. It is our belief that you are coming to add value to this party and not with any fear that you shall by any way make the party less of what it is today.

    “You are coming into a reformed PDP where everyone is on the same side.”

  • Ondo: PDP nullifies Owo/Ose primary election

    The House of Representatives Electoral Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) on Friday nullified the primary election held in Owo/Ose federal constituency in Ondo state.

    The cancellation was hinged on irregularities and errors during the exercise.

    A statement jointly signed by the Committee’s Chairman, Bimbo Adepoju, Secretary, Modupe Johnson and member, Dayo Ogunmodede said the conduct of the election negates the laid down guidelines of the party.

    Read Also: Jimi Agbaje wins Lagos PDP guber primary

    The election according to the statement was conducted in flagrant disregard to the PDP guidelines and constitution, thereby subjecting the process to incredible handling.

    Also in Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo federal constituency,the primary was said to have been marred with irregularities.

    The Committee urged the National Secretariat of the PDP to do the needful to avoid internal political rancour.

  • Confusion mars PDP, APC, APGA primaries in Anambra

    …APC aspirants want Buhari, Tinubu, Oshiomole to intervene

    Confusion has continued to trail the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, All progressive Congress APC and the All progressives Grand Alliance APGA in Anambra state, as aspirants have described them as rape of democracy in the state.

    As a result,senatorial aspirants of APC, have appealed to president Muhammadu Buhari, national Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole and the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to intervene.

    Those who addressed reporters on Friday in Awka, were, Hon Ebele Obi, Engr Nelson Onubogu and Azuka Okwuosa for the three senatorial zones in the state, among other stakeholders.

    They alleged that up till this moment, no body had seen members of the panel that came to conduct primaries in the state, noting that some people had purportedly produced a list of candidates already.

    The Nation gathered that the names of Sen Andy Uba, Sen Uche Ekwunife among others had been mentioned as candidates in the state for Anambra South and Central respectively.

    They alleged that those who came into the party from PDP were those trying to cause confusion in APC, adding that they must be resisted now before it became too late.

    Also, it was the same thing in PDP as lists were being written in many places without any form of primaries.

    But at Ekwulobia township stadium in Aguata local government area, the primary went on smoothly with heavy security presence that produced Chief Chris Uba as it’s candidate for Anambra South senatorial zone.

    The Nation gathered that Sen Stella Oduah from the Anambra North senatorial zone was declared winner, after the primary was equally disrupted the previous day.

    At Ihiala federal constituency on Friday during repeat primary, Lady Chibogwu Benson Oraelosi defeated the incumbent lawmaker, Hon Chukwuemeka Anohu.

    Read Also: INEC embarks on special intervention in Anambra

    Before Friday’s primary that produced Oraelosi, the returning officer for the primary, had on Tuesday, absconded with electoral materials, without anyone knowing his whereabouts.

    The chairman of the party in Ihiala, Bar Sam Anyakora,who described the situation that day as sad and unfortunate, Friday praised PDP faithful for their patience and loyalty.

    The All progressives Grand Alliance APGA did not fare well either as all there primaries were marred by violence and it led to loss of the ticket by Bianca Ojukwu

    The Anambra South senatorial zone of APGA was won by Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu,while Sen Victor Umeh won in the central .

    The three major political parties in Anambra State, had not finished there primaries especially in the House of Representatives as at the time of filing this report.

  • EFCC re-arraigns Senator for alleged money laundering

    *Lawmaker gets leave to travel
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) on Friday re-arraigned Senator Peter Nwaoboshi for alleged money laundering.

    The commission re-arraigned him along with Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited and Suiming Electricals for alleged N322million fraud.

    The charge is before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    The defendants were first arraigned on April 25 before Justice Mohammed Idris, who was later elevated to the Court of Appeal.

    The case was re-assigned to Justice Aneke to begin afresh.

    Two witnesses, Prince Kpokpogiri and Murtala Abubakar, had testified before Justice Idris.

    The prosecution alleged that Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Projects purchased a 12-storey property known as Guinea House on Marine Road in Apapa, Lagos for N805million between May and June 2014.

    The anti-graft agency claimed that N322million out of the N805million was part of proceeds of “an unlawful act, to wit: fraud.”

    The EFCC alleged that the N322million was transferred to the property’s vendor on the order of Suiming Electricals, which was accused of aiding Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Projects to commit money laundering on or about May 14, 2014.

    According to EFCC, Nwaoboshi, a former Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, got a contract through Bilderberg Enterprises Ltd to supply new construction equipment to the state Direct Labour Agency at N1,580,000,000.

    Read Also: EFCC arraigns Saraki’s aide, others for alleged N3.5b fraud

    The company allegedly imported and supplied used construction equipment rather than brand new ones despite receiving full payment.

    EFCC said Nwaoboshi, with the proceeds, bought the 12-floor building from Delta State Government at N805million in the name of Golden Touch Construction Projects.

    The commission said the Senator had “no visible legitimate business venture to generate the amount spent to purchase the said property.”

    The alleged offence contravenes sections 15(2)(d) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 15(3).

    After pleading not guilty to the charge, Justice Aneke allowed Nwaoboshi to continue on bail based on the terms earlier imposed on him by Justice Idris.

    Defence counsel Emmanuel Kachukwu (SAN) urged Justice Aneke order the release of Nwaoboshi’s passport to enable him travel to Indonesia on October 8.

    He said the lawmaker would return on October 19.

    Granting the request, the judge said the passport should be returned to the court’s registrar by October 23.

    Justice Aneke adjourned until October 25 for trial.

  • PDP to pressurize presidential aspirants to step down

    The leadership and key stakeholders of  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today persuade some of the 12 presidential aspirants to voluntarily withdraw from the race ahed of the convention which starts tomorrow in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The party is worried by the large number of aspirants and how to manage the possible recrimination arsing from the outcome of the convention.

    A meeting has been slated with the aspirants in Abuja on this as well as to make them to sign an undertaking to accept the outcome of the convention in good faith.

    They are also to make a written commitment to work with the party in projecting the eventual winner as the presidential  candidate throughout the electioneering campaign.

    Speaking with reporters at the party’s Abuja secretariat yesterday, party spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan declined to state the agenda of the meeting.

    No fewer than 3619 delegates, including the aspirants, are to vote at the convention.

    Delegates to the convention, which is to be presided over by the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, include members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

    Others include former Presidents and former Vice Presidents who are still members of the PDP and members of the National Assembly, who are still members of the party

    Others are past and serving governors, past and deputy  governors who are still members of the PDP.

    Similarly, all governorship candidates of the party are delegates, as well as members of the Houses of Assembly, who are members of the party.

    Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), members of the Zonal Working Committee, state party chairmen and secretaries, including  those of the Federal Capital Territory, are also delegates.

    State Women and Youth leaders, including those of the Federal Capital Territory are listed.

    Also, one national delegate from each of the 774 local government areas and all elected local government chairmen will also vote as delegates.

    All former members of the National Working Committee (NWC) who are still members of the party, are also eligible to vote as delegates.

    Former Presidents of the Senate, former Deputy Presidents of the Senate, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, and former Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives are also delegates, provided they are still members of the party.

    Also yesterday, the PDP alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the convention.

    Ologbondiyan said the move is meant to ensure that the PDP does not produce a presidential candidate.

    Ologbondiyan said: “We invite Nigerians to take note of this and we invite the international communities to take serious note of the plots by the ruling government to thwart the efforts of the opposition to elect a candidate that will go into the February general elections against President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “We invite all Nigerians to take cautious note of this development. However, on our own part, we wish to inform Nigerians, particularly members of the PDP, that the national convention where our presidential candidate will be elected that has been scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, will go on as planned.

    “No plot, no plan by the ruling government can stop our national convention. It’s machinations of all kinds; it can be through the court, by funding court decision. It could be any form of machinations.

    “We are aware of plots which include effort to use the court to stop our national convention, and we are alerting Nigerians and the international community.”

  • Lagos PDP guber primary: Agbaje optimistic of winning

    A governorship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Jimi Agbaje on Thursday said he believed he would emerge the candidate of the party.

    Agbaje expressed the belief while speaking with newsmen at the party’s primary for the governorship ticket.

    No fewer than 2000 delegates from the 20 local government areas are voting in the exercise.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accreditation and voting which started around 11am was still on-going at 8.20p.m.

    Agbaje, who was the party’s candidate in the 2015 election, is battling for the ticket with Mr Adedeji Doherty.

    “I believe I will win; If I do not have the belief, I would not be running this race,” Agbaje said.

    He said he was motivated to seek the number one seat in the state out of the passion to serve.

    Agbaje said he believed the country and Lagos could be made better than they were.

    “A lot of people look at Lagos like it is the best thing in the world.

    “We can be the best in Nigeria, but there is plenty room for improvement.

    “I strongly believe that we can make more giant strides,” he said.

    The aspirant said that there was the need for leaders to begin to do things right in order to inspire younger generations and leave a lasting legacy.

    Agbaje said that the country would be a better place with adequate investment in healthcare, education and in other critical sectors.

    The aspirant expressed satisfaction in the conduct of the primary so far, saying he believed it would be a success.

    Also speaking, Doherty said the delegate system the party was adopting was preferable to the direct system.

    He also expressed satisfaction with the process, saying it was peaceful.

    “Everything has been going on well except the crowd control which we had issues with, but everything has been brought under control.

    “PDP is a party of the people. We prefer the delegate system to the Option A4.

    “Once the process is free and fair, I am one person that will accept the will of the people,” he said.(NAN)

  • 2019: I’ll do a lot of things differently — Tambuwal

    Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  Presidential Aspirant and Sokoto State Governor, says he will do a lot of things differently for the country,  if voted into office as president.
    Tambuwal spoke while fielding questions from newsmen when he visited Kaduna State PDP Secretariat on Thursday.
    He promised to promote good governance, transparency and  rule of law, if he is able to actualise his dream.
    He reiterated the need to promote development of  science and technology and wealth creation in the country, which he said he was committed to doing.
    “We shall promote wealth creation and ensure a robust economy,” he said.
    Earlier, while addressing the national delegates, Tambuwal, a former Speaker, House of Representatives, said that Kaduna remains very important in the nation’s politics.
    “Kaduna is a top place for politics in Nigeria and the capital of Northern Nigeria.
    “Though you have a candidate from here who is one of the leaders of our party,  I am not here to campaign, but to exchange pleasantries with you,” he said.
    He promised that the aspirants would support whoever emerged as the party’s Presidential flagbearer at the Port Harcourt Convention, billed for Oct. 6 and 7.
    ” I thank you for the warm reception accorded me when I arrived the State,” he said.
    Meanwhile, Chairman of Kaduna State PDP, Mr Felix Hyat, said any of the aspirants that emerged at the party convention would be accepted in Kaduna State.
    ” We want to tell you that we do not discriminate; you are our own and we would ensure that we support you.
    ” Just last week, during the gubernatorial primaries of Kaduna State, we had 10 aspirants.
    “We assured them of justice and it was held free and fair, and no petition has come up after the emergence of the candidate.
    “We appeal to the national officers  to ensure a free and fair Convention and after the candidate  emerges, campaigns would no longer be for the candidates.
    “The party would take over, going from door-to-door to campaign for the candidates,” Hyat said. (NAN)

  • Abia PDP lawmaker loses fourth term bid

    The camp of Hon. Nnenna Ukeje was on Thursday stunned to the marrow as a first timer, Chief Chima Anyaso from Igbere in Bende North local government area of Abia State defeated the lawmaker to become the 2019 PDP’s flag bearer of the party in Bende Federal constituency.

    According to results announced by the returning officer, Hon. Sam Ejekwu, Anyaso polled 82 votes against 70 by Ukeje while Paul Chikezie Mba polled 6 delegate votes.

    Prince Chima Onyegbu polled 3 votes while Nwokocha Chidiebere received no vote.

    Read Also:PDP declares results of primaries for Reps in Nasarawa

    Responding to the announcement, Hon. Ukeje congratulated Anyanso and wished him victory during the main election.

    According to her, “the election is transparent, peaceful and fair. I am so happy for the way it played out. Democracy is supposed to emanate from the people and that has just happened.

    “I have served my people for 12 years and they have seen a fine young man in Chima and feel otherwise. I therefore congratulate Chima for this victory and enjoin him to continue from where I stopped. I am a proud member of PDP and will not jettison my party. Democracy has played out,” was quoted to have said.

    In another development, the lawmaker representing Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo has clinched the 2019 ticket of his party.

    Onuigbo scored 117 votes  to emerge the overall winner of the primary while other like John K Nwadinobi got 90 votes, Uni Agomuo 8, Emeka Inyama 49, Wada Ijeoma 30, Emeka Njoku 20, Megwara Kingsley 16,Ejiogu 14, Uwaoma Adaku 16, Longman 3, Gospel 37.

  • Yobe South: I remain authentic PDP senatorial candidate – Hassan

    The Senator representing Yobe South Senatorial District under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mohammed Hassan, popularly called DEMBU has laid claims that he remained the most authentic candidate elected to fly the flag of the party in next year’s general elections.

    The Nation reports that both Sen. Mohammed Hassan and Former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri emerged as candidates of the party at two parallel senatorial primary elections that were held in Potiskum on Tuesday.

    But Sen. Mohammed Hassan has insisted that the team that conducted his election was “more genuine and authentic than any other character that is claiming to be a candidate of the party for the senatorial seat”.

    According to him, four, out of the five man electoral committee sent from the PDP National headquarters including the chairman and the secretary of the committee conducted his election in the full observance of INEC and security protection.

    “I can’t imagine that some characters are laying claims of been elected as candidate for Yobe South senatorial seat. As far as I am concerned, I have been authentically and genuinely returned as the candidate of the party in an election that took place under a very fair and transparent process.

    “I want you to note that out of the five members of the electoral committee of the PDP that came from Abuja, four including the Chairman and the Secretary presided over my election. I want to ask, who did the other election. In my own opinion, there was only one election which I am declared the winner,” Sen. Mohammed said.

    On his part, Adamu Main Waziri could not answer my calls or respond to a text message I sent to him.

    The Nation recalled that at the two parallel primaries held at Idrissa Cinima, Adamu Waziri emerged winner with a wide margin of 341 votes followed by Sen. Mohammed Hassan with 15 votes, while at the other venue, where a similar election was also held, Adamu Waziri and his nephew Haruna Bawa Waziri trailed with 3 and 5 votes respectively from Sen. Mohammed Hassan who pulled 324.

  • Yobe lawmaker defects to PDP, gets automatic ticket

    A member of Yobe State House of Assembly Hon. Abdu Mamman Zoto, has defected to the opposition PDP in the state.

    Zoto who represents  Damagum  Constituency in Yobe State House of Assembly under the ruling APC now has an automatic of the PDP which his former party the APC has denied him.

    He told journalists in Damaturu that he has been forced out of the party by his “political adversaries”.

    He disclosed that the APC in the state is hostile to him and could no longer achieve his desire to represent his people hence his decision to move on to the PDP who have given him the needed support to actualize his dreams.

    “Since after the 2015 general elections,  some people went and blackmailed me at the government house.   They told so many lies to the Governor, they claimed that I was involved in anti party activities.  That I distributed Yariman Gudi’s relief materials and all sorts of mischief. They went ahead to suspend me from the APC.  They also claimed to have expelled me from the party.

    “I still remained in doing my legislative duties, at last they barred me from entering the Government House.  For several years I don’t enter Yobe Government House, I was never involved in all government activities. The worst thing that happened was during the party congresses,  they removed all my supporters from the delegate list.  No single person was left to me.

    “At last while preparing for my continuity in 2019 they insisted on holding primaries where I don’t have a single delegate,  I consulted PDP officials in Yobe State and  they welcomed me.  They have been waiting for me to join their party since.  They know my strength in my constituency,  I have large number of supporters and you know politics is a game of number. PDP decided to offer me automatic ticket to contest for my seat in 2019,” Zoto disclosed.