The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • PDP welcomes The Economist’s verdict on 2019 poll

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the independent reports by The Economist and those of the renowned multinational body, HSBC that it will defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

    A statement yesterday by spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said the verdict confirmed its position that Nigerians have rejected President Buhari ahead of the presidential election.

    According to the PDP, Buhari’s perceived rejection was predicated on his “abysmal failure and the deception” of his All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last three years.

    The party said the findings by the two foreign organisations that President Buhari stands no chance in the general election and that his winning portends danger for the nation, is in tandem with the stand of the majority of Nigerians, irrespective of their party affiliations, ethnicity or creed.

    It noted that in line with the reports, “Nigerians are fed up with President Buhari due to the incompetence and unprecedented corruption in his Presidency, resulting in the ruining of our once robust economy, with attendant mass job loss, ravaging hunger, starvation and disease, as well as escalated insecurity, with documented mass killings, violation of human rights and daily bloodletting in various parts of our country, a development that has put the unity of our great country at risk.

  • Yerima Shettima picks House of Reps form

    …says APC has failed Nigerians

     

    The famous northern youth coalition leader, Yerima Shettima has declared to contest for house of representative from Kaduna north, under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) saying that the All Progressives Congress, APC government has failed Nigerians.

    Shettima while picking his nomination form at the PDP secretariat in Kaduna said his decision to contest was informed by the way and manner ‘those who did not struggle for democracy have bastardized the system.

    Read Also:I’ll deliver, Gombe APC House of Reps aspirant assures

    According to him, “Those of us who struggle for this democracy to the point of been incarcerated can no longer watch for democratic value to collapse totally.

    “We realize it is totally impossible for the people’s desired change to come without us getting involved , and on that ground was why some of us feel it’s time for us to submit ourselves to service to humanity and our people .

    “We will ensure that Nigeria moves to the next level, and ensure that people understand what legislative job is all about.

    “From all indication it appears that the APC led government have nothing to offer the country. So people of like minds and patriotic Nigerians must begin to come on board to ensure that democracy is been sustained.

    “We took our time to study coming of this government APC from 2015 to 2017. I took my time as the leader of my organization (Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF) for two years to be sure of our taught.  We envisage the combination of character that form the party APC, and realize that this government have nothing to offer.

    “On that basis we begin to critically analyze and objectively criticize some of their policies,” he said.

    Shettima, who is contesting for the position of Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, however urged electorates to vote for PDP in all elective positions and expressed optimism that they will emerge victorious.

    “Nigerians have come of age, and have understand the nitty gritty of politics. Level of poverty is at its pick, the consciousness of politics is high, and Nigerians know who they want,” he said.

  • Nigeria needs a digital president, says Saraki

    Presidential aspirant, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday said that Nigeria needs a “digital” President that is abreast with the new world social order.

    Saraki, who visited Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State Wednesday to seek support for his presidential ambition, said Nigeria desires a dynamic leadership that is private sector inclusive.

    “I am in Cross River to solicit delegates’ support in the forthcoming presidential primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I have the intellectual ability and capacity to rule Nigeria and that is why I am soliciting the support of all Nigeria to achieve this aim,” he said

    Governor Ben Ayade commended Saraki for coming out to seek for the office of the President, adding that he has the capacity to lead Nigeria to a greater heights.

    Read Also: I’ll stand by consensus candidate – Kwankwaso

    He raised alarm over the increasing number of Cameroonian refugees into the state due to the current crisis in Cameroon over the demand for Ambazonia Republic.

    Ayade told Saraki that Cross River was currently facing security challenges with the discovery of 27 illegal routes used by the Cameroonians to gain access into the state.

  • I’ll stand by consensus candidate – Kwankwaso

    A Presidential Aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has said that he would stand by any consensus candidate agreed upon by the party.

    Addressing his mammoth crowd of supporters in Minna on Wednesday, Kwankwaso said he believed that any decision taken by the party would be the best for the party.

    He however did not state if he was going to step down for any of the other candidates “if there is need for consensus, I will accept the decision. I will stand by any amicable resolution on the process of who will emerge as the flagbearer of the party. ”

    The Presidential Aspirant explained that he joined the PDP to change the change especially as the change they sought in 2015 did not materialize.

    “We sought for change in 2015 but the change we brought in 2015 was a mistake that is why we want to change the change because the change brought along hunger, killings, under development, poverty and unemployment. ”

    Read Also: My aspiration has nothing to do with Tinubu – Sanwo-Olu

    He then pledged that if elected, he would address and stop the killings, kidnapping and poverty in the land.

    Kwankwaso urged the PDP to accept the kwankwasiya supporters with open arms and create a open space for them to participate actively in the party.

    He told his supporters to be law abiding before, during and after the elections assuring them that he will not disappoint them when elected as the President.

  • Aspirants threatening my life, says Bayelsa Speaker

    The Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Konbowei Benson, on Wednesday said some unnamed aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were after his life.

    Benson cried out that the aggrieved elements averse to his rising political profile in his Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 were threatening his life.

    Benson, who is warming up for an elevation to the National Assembly to represent Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency on the platform of the PDP said the elements were against his ambition.

    He said such persons were also against the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, despite all their developmental efforts in the local government area.

    Describing the plot to stop him by all means as evil, Benson lamented that already his detractors had successfully created division among politicians in his constituency 4.

    The speaker said he reported the matter to the police and the Department of State Security (DSS) adding that he received many threat messages.

    He said: “My fear is the sharp disunity in the constituency. I have respectfully served the state and the area with the fear of the almighty and have delivered a lot of dividends but some few element have consistently undermined these my contributions and those of the governor.

    “Again they have vowed to turn the constituency upside down. My constituency is under demonic attack and I am praying for God’s intervention.

    “So many of my people have been taken away more are negotiating.Defection is looming around the corner in constituency 1V.

    “I have since reported the matter to the police and the DSS because of the deluge of threat messages they keep sending to me. In this political session, you can’t take chances”.

  • PDP governors disagree on consensus presidential candidate

    Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have collectively rejected the consensus option for picking the party’s presidential candidate.

    They have insisted that all the 12 presidential aspirants must go through primary election for a winner to emerge.

    The governors however agreed on the choice of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital as venue of its convention where the party’s presidential candidate will emerged. The convention is billed to hold from October 5-6.

    The resolutions were adopted after a marathon meeting of the governors, under the platform of the PDP Governors’ Forum.

    The party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) had earlier canvassed the consensus option and had even resolved to meet the 12 presidential aspirants any time this week to persuade them to agree on consensus.

    But the governors were said to have reasoned that the consensus option could trigger crisis that might throw the party into turbulence and that they wanted the most popular among the aspirants to emerge through the ballot.

    Those in the race for the presidential ticket of the PDP are former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwabo; President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi; and a former Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki.

    Others are a former President of the Senate, David Mark; a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; a former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang; and a former senator, Dr. Baba Datti Ahmed.

  • PDP announces new dates for National Assembly, governorship primaries

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday announced new dates for Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries.

    According to the new timetable, the last day for the purchase of submission of expression of interest and nomination forms earlier fixed for September 11, has been shifted to September 17.

    In a notice signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu and made available to reporters yesterday, the party fixed September 20 for screening of National Assembly aspirants.

    On September 15, the party will pick candidates to vie for seats in the Houses of Assembly, while appeals arising from same earlier fixed for September 17 will now hold on October 4.

    Congresses into the Houses of Assembly will hold on September 30, as against the earlier date of September 28. Appeals on these congresses hold on October 2.

    Senatorial district congresses and appeals hold on September 28 and 29, while governorship primaries (state congresses) hold on September 26, with appeals slated for September 28.

     

     

     

  • 2019: PDP readjusts dates for NASS, guber primaries

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced new dates for the sales of its nomination forms and primaries for State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly and Governorship elections in 2019.

    This was contained in a notice issued by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Rtd. Col. Austin Akobundu, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The notice stated that the last day for the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms has been extended from Sept. 10 to Sept. 17.

    The party also extended the last day for the submission of the forms from Sept. 11 to Sept. 18.

    It also fixed Thursday Sept. 20 for screening of National Assembly aspirants, Sept. 22 for governorship and Sept. 24 for presidential aspirants as against Sept. 13 earlier scheduled for the exercise.

    The State Houses of Assembly primaries were also shifted from Sept. 14 to Oct 2, while hearing of appeals from same primaries will now be held on Thursday Oct. 4.

    The primaries into the House of Representatives, according to the new timetable will hold on Sept. 30, as against the earlier date of Sept. 28, with appeals coming up on Oct. 2.

    The new timetable also indicated that primaries for the senatorial elections will hold on Sept. 28, with its appeals scheduled for Sept. 29.

    The party also rescheduled its governorship primaries (state congresses) for Sept. 26 with appeals slated for Sept. 28, while the date for presidential primaries remained Oct. 5 and Oct. 6. (NAN)

  • Otedola emerges PDP governorship candidate

    Businessman and Chairman of Forte Oil PLC, has  been offered the  governorship ticket of  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According the Publisher of Ovation magazine, Dele Momodu, Otedola “personally confirmed” the news to him.

    Otedola’s emergence came a day after Governor Akinwunmi Ambode officially obtained his  nomination form for the 2019 election.

    Otedola a greenhorn, whose father, the deceased Michael Otedola was governor of the state between 1992-1993.

    The PDP remains weak in Lagos having lost some of its popular leaders to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

     

  • C’River lawmaker dumps PDP for APC

    … as Otu declares for Senate

     

     

     

    The member representing Odukpani State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr Bassey Akiba, has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akiba becomes the second state lawmaker to defect from the PDP to the APC in the 25-man House.

    This was as the immediate past Senator of the Southern Senatorial District, Prince Bassey Otu, in an elaborate ceremony in Calabar declared his intention to go back to the upper house of the National Assembly on the platform of the APC.

    Speaking at the occasion, Akiba said his decision to defect was so that he could join Otu, if he wins back the Senatorial seat, “reposition the district and also sustain and expand the dividends of democracy, which the local government and the state have so far benefitted from the Federal Government.”

    Akiba, who represents the Otu’s local government area in the House of Assembly, said President Muhammadu Buhari has been magnanimous to Cross River in terms of projects and appointments, despite not getting a lot of votes in 2015 from the state, and called for more support in 2019.

    Declaring his intention for the Senate, Otu said, “My legislative priorities remain the same to strive for ecological balance in our environment and empowerment of human capacity in our district to meet with contemporary challenges, building of an egalitarian society, where both the rich and the poor can live in harmony.

    “If we fix all our challenges, adversities, defeats, frustrations and letdowns in a bottle and shake it very well and pour out all the contents, what will likely emerge is a psyche of a people denied their voice, bullied by political aggressors, mired in poverty, condemned by complacency and less informed about their rights to justice, liberty and prosperity.

    “I trust your coming is to reaffirm that old sweet confidence we share that the sweet Prince will be there for you in sweetness and sorrow. I see in your eyes the burning desire to attack all deceits and hold on to the truth that you are everything democracy and everything democracy is you. I have come to awaken you to your rights to determine your fate with your votes.”