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  • Osun APC chieftain resigns, defects to PDP

    Mr Peter Babalola, the Chairman of Osun Local Government Service Commission, has resigned his appointment and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Babalola, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a letter to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, said he resigned to pursue other endeavours.

    The News Agency of Nigeria  reports that Babalola was one of the 17 APC aspirants in the July 19 governorship primary in which Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola emerged the winner.

    Babalola, who was received by the South West PDP Deputy Chairman, Mr Yomi Akinwonmi, and the State Chairman, Mr Soji Adagunodo, at the party secretariat on Friday in Osogbo, said he left the APC because of imposition and impunity.

    He expressed the belief that the next governor ought to come from Osun West.

    Babalola promised to work with the PDP in order to ensure victory for its candidate in the Sept. 22 governorship election.

    In his remarks, Akinwonmi, who represented the National Chairman of the party, Mr Uche Secondus, said that Babalola took the right step by leaving APC.

    He urged PDP members in APC to return to the party, saying equal rights and privileges would be given to them.

    Also speaking, Adagunodo said that the party recently received more than 5,000 APC members in Ila Local Government Area of the state.

    But the APC Publicity Secretary in Osun, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, said Babalola’s defection was a personal choice based on the agitation that Osun West should be given a chance for the governorship slot.

    He, however, wished Babalola well in his political career, adding that the party still remains strong in his absence.

  • APC lawmaker defects to PDP, another party chieftain resigns in Osun

    Mr Clement Akanni, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Ila State Constituency in Osun House of Assembly, on Thursday, announced his defection from the ruling APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    While explaining the reason behind his defection at the palace of Orangun of Ila, Akanni said he was forced out of the party by those he considered as political adversaries.

    He complained about his community being sideline in government policies and programmes.

    He also stated that whenever he tried to positively influence government policies to favour his constituents, he always face resistance form people within his party.

    He said he cannot remain in APC again because he can’t used the party to champion the course of his people and it is best to move to another political party that would give him the needed support.

    Similarly, Mr Peter Babalola, the Chairman of Osun Local Government Service Commission, and a chieftain of APC in the state, reportedly resigned his position from the Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

    Babalola, who was one of the aspirants that contested for the APC governorship ticket, in which Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola eventually emerged winner, explained in a letter addressed to Gov. Aregbesola that he resigned to pursue other endeavours. (NAN)

  • PDP will win presidential election, boasts Saraki

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the presidential election.

    He is also confident that his party will emerge victorious in the 2019 general election in Kwara State.

    Senator Saraki spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a meeting with PDP members.

    They were from all the wards and 16 local governments.

    Saraki said the victories of PDP at the federal and state levels would be beneficial to the members.

    He said the future of PDP is now bigger and brighter than what it used to be.

    The Senate president said: “If we emerge victorious at the federal level, all of us will be the beneficiaries. In Kwara, with your support, we will win in the

    state. All of you here are key players in Kwara politics. With unity of purpose, no party can contest with you.

    “We are here to unite all of us under the party we belong to today. I am assuring members that there will be equity, internal democracy and justice. It is not going to be winners take all. As far as I am concerned everybody here today belongs to our political structure.

    “There is nothing like old or new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We have all become one PDP. There is nobody here that will not say one way or the other we have not been together before. I am very sure that the future is bigger and brighter than the past. I want all of us to be united for the progress and development of Kwara State.

    “As per the politics of the state, nobody can wrest power from us if we are united. By the grace of God in the forthcoming elections, we will emerge victorious both at the federal and state levels.

    “We will ensure that we work as one party, because we have always worked together before. We will see that all the wards’ and local governments’ popular candidates emerge, based on their popularity and acceptability. I want to emphasis it that I don’t have any anointed candidate at all levels. I don’t have candidates for state assembly, it is the person you want in your constituency that I will okay. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you that I have endorsed any candidate.

    “I implore party leaders and elders not to drop my name to impose unpopular candidates. I don’t have candidate for the National Assembly. All of us will collectively choose who becomes the next governor. We will ensure that there is no faction but one PDP. We will ensure that meetings in the local governments take place in one venue. And we will all work together for the interest of the party.

    “I want to assure you all that as far as I am concerned, everybody belongs to one PDP family and there is no favouritism of one man over the other.

  • PDP: Saraki calls for unity to win 2019 elections

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work together for the victory of the party at all levels.

    Saraki made the appeal  in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at a meeting with PDP members in the state.

    The PDP members came from all the wards and 16 local government areas of the state.

    He said the victories of PDP at both federal and state levels would be beneficial to all the members in the state.

    The Senate president said that the future of PDP is now bigger and brighter than what it used to be.

    “If we emerge victorious at the federal level all of us will be the beneficiaries. In the state, with your support we will win the state. All of you here are the key players in Kwara politics. With unity of purpose no party can contest with you.

    “We are here to unite all of us under the party we belong to today. I amassuring all members that there will be equity, internal democracy and justice. It is not going to be winners take all. As far as I am concerned everybody here today belongs to our political structure.

    “There is nothing like old or new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We have all become one PDP. There is nobody here that will not say one way or the other we have not been together before. I am very sure that the future is bigger and brighter than the past. I want all of us to be united for the progress and development of Kwara state.

    “As par the politics of the state, nobody can wrest the power from us if we are united. By the grace of all of us in the forthcoming elections, we will emerge victorious both at the federal and state levels.

    “We will ensure that we work as one party, because we have always worked together before. We will see that all the wards and local governments popular candidates emerge based on their popularity and acceptability. I want to emphasis it that I don’t have any anointed candidate at all levels. I don’t have candidates for state Assembly, it is the person you want in your constituency that I will okay. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you that I have endorsed any candidate.

    Read Also: Saraki : PDP calls for immediate arrest of Miyetti Allah leader

    “I implore party leaders and elders not to drop my name to impose unpopular candidates. I don’t have candidate for the National Assembly. All of us will collectively choose who becomes the next governor. We will ensure that there is no faction but one PDP. We will ensure that meetings in the local government areas take place in one venue. And we will all work together for the interest of the party.

    “I want to assure you all that as far as I am concerned everybody belongs to one PDP family and there is no favouritism of one man over the other.

    “Please go back home to start the work. I am sure many more will come back and join us because those that left left under the wrong assumption that it will be different from what it used to be.

    “They were misled that those coming are out to move them away. Nobody is moving you away because this place belongs to you too. Let us go back and start work closely together and by the grace of God we will all be victorious.”

    “I urge both old and new members of the party to ensure peace and harmony in your wards and local government areas.”

  • Saraki: PDP calls for arrest of Miyetti Allah leader

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately order the arrest of the National Coordinator of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Benue State, Alhaji Garus Gololo.

    Gololo had, in an interview published in a national newspaper on Wednesday, called on the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki to resign his position or be forced to do so.

    Gololo however, did not state how the association intend to force Saraki out of office.

    But in a reaction Wednesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the outburst of the Miyetti Allah leader as being in tandem with the threats by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and “agents of the Buhari Presidency” to force Saraki out of office.

    Saying Gololo’s outburst was “ominous and revealing”, the PDP noted that his statement has exposed the synergy between the APC and some “troublesome elements” who are being used to stoke division and create violent crisis that had resulted into daily bloodlettings in various parts of the country.

    The statement said, “It is now abundantly clear to Nigerians that those fomenting crisis, including the bloody clashes in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Nassarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Edo, Borno, Yobe, Enugu, Kogi, Adamawa and other states in our country, have political backers, who now want to channel them to achieve their unpatriotic quest to subvert our constitution and forcefully take over the National Assembly.

    “Before now, to majority of Nigerians, the Miyetti Allah has always represented the military wing of the APC and the Buhari Presidency. It is incontrovertible that they have now become the fourth arm of government that can determine when and how to forcefully remove the number three citizen, the President of the Senate.

    “It is common knowledge that Mr. President has come under heavy public criticisms on how his body language has condoned the unguarded utterances and actions of these characters.

    “However, in the light of these treasonable and inciting utterances by Miyetti Allah, we demand that President Muhammadu Buhari, should within the next 24 hours, order the arrest and commence immediate trial of the leadership of this group, otherwise Nigerians will henceforth hold him directly responsible for the utterances and actions of the Miyetti Allah.

    “Finally, the PDP is aware that Miyetti Allah does not represent the views and interests of the vast majority of cattle breeders or even any ethnic group in the country.

    “We therefore urge all good spirited Nigerians to rise in condemnation of the actions and utterances of these misguided elements, who are being used to attempt a constitutional breach that portends grave danger to national cohesion and our hard earned democracy”.

  • Curfew in Bayelsa community as PDP, APC thugs clash

    The Brass Local Government in Bayelsa State yesterday ordered the restriction of movement in the council following the death of three persons in a clash between the supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Caretaker Committee Chairman of Brass Victor Isaiah, in a statement, said the curfew would last from 9pm to 6am.

    Isaiah said residents should stay indoors, from August 20 till further notice.

    The statement said: Following the disturbances in Twon-Brass, Mr.  Victor Isaiah, the caretaker chairman of Brass Local Government Area has declared a 9 pm-6 am indefinite emergency curfew in Twon-Brass, with effect from August 20, 2018.

    “To this end, all indigenes and residents of Twon-Brass are advised to stay indoors for their safety, as security operatives have been directed to arrest anyone violating the directive. Also, public gatherings or processions are prohibited during this period.”

    At least three persons were killed on Monday following a clash between thugs loyal to APC and PDP.

    It was gathered a spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) was among the victims.

    PDP supporters alleged the clash occurred when suspected APC thugs invaded Isaiah’s lodge.

    A member of PDP, Owei Benjamin, said the thugs were on a mission to harm the chairman, who was not in his lodge.

    He said: ‘’Armed youths loyal to the opposition APC invaded the chairman’s official lodge in an attempt to harm him, but they didn’t know the chairman was not around. They were resisted by members of Brass LGA volunteers”.

    But the APC supporters claimed over 10 suspected hoodlums loyal to PDP descended on APC members and killed three of them.

    A source from the community, Identified as Charlse Brown, alleged that the killers, who were suspected to be hired PDP thugs from the neighboring Odioma community, were accommodated at the local government’s chairman’s lodge before and after the attack.

    But it was learnt that the scene of the crisis was close to the Divisional Headquaters of the police.

    Brown said: “The whole incident started on the 15th of August with the attack on the IYC Chairman in Brass. The attackers and their PDP supporters were chased out of the town but the chiefs and elders pleaded that they should be allowed to return to town through the town crier.

    “On Monday morning, some boys, about 10, were noticed to have entered the town through Odioma. They were challenged by the IYC boys and the APC. The suspected thugs opened fire and killed three leaving others with machete cuts”.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, confirmed the Brass violence.

    He, however, said one person was killed and others injured adding that the police immediately commenced investigations to ascertain to cause of the crisis.

    He said a detachment of policemen was sent to the troubled local government area and advised residents to about about their  legitimate activities.

    He said: “There was a clash between youths who claimed to be PDP and APC members. One person was reported dead while others were injured.”

    “We have deployed policemen including mobile policemen to restore peace in the area. We have also commenced investigations to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the crisis. We advise people to go about their normal activities.”

    END.

  • I have what it takes to challenge Buhari under APC – Tambuwal

    Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday said he has what it takes to contest against President Muhammadu Buhari under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform if he wanted.

    Tambuwal in his reaction to a statement that he defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because he feared it will be a tall dream for him to get automatic ticket, insisted that he could have challenged President Buhari under the APC if that was what he wanted.

    He noted that if he did, only the votes of delegates could have produced a winner.

    Tambuwal stated this in his Tweeter handle “@Sokotogovthouse” as his reaction to widely publicized statement that he hurriedly left the APC for fear of Buhari.

    He said, “If I wanted to and if the Presidency is what Ahmed Tinubu thinks I defected, I could contest with President Buhari under the APC. I have what it takes to have contested with Mr. President.

    Read Also: Tinubu: Saraki, Tambuwal left APC for fear of Buhari

    “Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buhari’s vice Presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way. If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner”.

    “In any case, Tinubu is confessing that there is no level-playing ground for all members of the APC; that there is no internal democracy in it and that some people were denied their right to internal democracy”.

    Tambuwal stressed that “while addressing the people of Sokoto State and by implication, Nigerians, he stated his reasons for leaving the party (APC) none of which was “automatic ticket.”

    “I adduced reasons of my defection to the PDP. The reasons are still on record. Automatic ticket by the APC is certainly not part of that,” he said.

  • Former Kano SSG, Legislators, others dump APC for PDP

    The former secretary to the Kano state Government under KwanKwaso’s administration, Rabiu sulaiman Bichi, alongside 12 legislators and party leaders of the KwanKwasiyya group have dumped the ruling All Progressive Congress ( APC ), to the the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Kano.

    The mass defection to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Kano has been in the increase since the leader of the Kwabkwasiyya political Movement and Senator representing Kano Central Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso joined the party after dumping the ruling All Progressive Congress APC.

    Bichi, joined the PDP on Sunday when he collected his membership card at his ward in Bichi Local Government.

    The defection celebration was attended by crowd in Bichi, in which a member of the House of Representative, Alhaji Ahmad Bichi and Alhaji Hamza Sulaiman, who is a member of the State House of Assembly are among those that dumped the APC for the PDP.

    Others include Abdullahi Shuaibu Bichi, a former Director Pensions Board, and Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu Bichi along with thousands of their supporters.

    Also,in a similar event that took place in Gwarzo Local Government, several supporters of Sen Kwankwaso also joined the PDP.

    Read Also:

    Among them are Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, former Commissioner for state affairs, Rabiu Sale Gwarzo, member State House of Assembly, Sunusi Abdullahi Getso, former Chairman Gwarzo Local Government, Adamu Lawan, former Chairman APC Gwarzo Local Government and Garba Sarkin Zage former education secretary Gwarzo local government.

    Others, include Dahiru Rabiu Rugoji, former Secretary Gwarzo Local Government, Ahmed Shehu Sabon Birni former local government leader and Abdulmumini Garba Lakwaya and their various supporters among others.

    Responding to questions on the possibility of picking on the former Kano SSG as the PDP candidate for the gubernatorial seat in Kano, the PDP secretary in Bichi Rabiu Ibrahim Maisauri said that there are presently 17 contesters for the gubernatorial seat in Kano under the PDP and the party will decide on one and vote for him.

    He further called on the people of the state to join the PDP to emancipate the state .

  • You can’t return Imo to PDP, Okorocha replies Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has come under criticisms over his threat to lead the effort by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take back Imo State in 2019.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha chided the former Vice President and PDP presidential aspirant to face his challenges and leave  Imo politics alone.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha described Atiku’s statement as an empty threat that can never be achieved.

    The statement reads:  “The former Vice President should leave Imo and Governor Rochas Okorocha alone and face his worrisome challenges.”

    It added that the governor will defeat the former VP in any election, even in his home state of Adamawa.

    It said: “And if he does not know, Governor Rochas Okorocha will defeat him in any part of the country, including his Adamawa State, in any election involving two of them. He does not therefore have what it takes to lead any struggle that will return the PDP to power in the state or the country in 2019. That promise was a false one.”

    Okorocha said “the former Vice President was in Owerri for a meeting with the stakeholders of the PDP over his presidential ambition”.

    He added: “While meeting with  PDP stakeholders, he was reported to have told them that he would lead the struggle for the PDP to take over Imo and Nigeria in 2019. He also tried to run down Governor Okorocha and his government.

    “What we do not take from anybody is blackmail against Okorocha’s government. We would do our best to set the records straight. The former Vice President would have done his meeting without taking on the governor and the government he heads. And that is where we come in.”

    The governor urged the former Vice President to leave Imo State and Governor Okorocha alone and face his challenges.

    It said: “In 2015, Okorocha took the soul of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to merge with other parties that formed the APC and defeated two powerful candidates ofthe  PDP and the APGA, even with the former having ‘federal might’ behind him. Interestingly Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was not in exile when all these happened.

    “Imo PDP is dead. The monumental achievements of Governor Okorocha in less than eight years have destroyed the party, because it has no claim again to make before Imo people.

    “When the PDP was in power, the Imo Airport was an eyesore, but today it has become an international cargo airport, with all the facilities available, courtesy of  Okorocha’s administration.”

  • PDP shops for consensus presidential candidate

    •Desperate to avoid post-primary crisis

    Some powerful forces in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are canvassing consensus for the purpose of picking the party’s presidential candidate in next year’s election to avoid a post-primary crisis, The Nation now report.

    The promoters of the consensus arrangement see it as the “only veritable option” open to the party in view of the huge number of members who have already indicated interest in the party’s presidential ticket.

    There are 11 at the last count.

    They include  former Vice President  Atiku Abubakar; Governor  Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor  Ibrahim Dankwabo of Gombe State;  a former Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki; and a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    Also in the running are two former governors of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and former Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau; former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido; and an industrialist, Dr. Baba Datti Ahmed.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki said on Tuesday that he is “consulting and actively considering” joining the race.

    The PDP has picked October 5 and 6 for its national convention to decide who will fly its flag in the February 16, 2019 election.

    But some top members of the party fear that the large number of those seeking the PDP presidential ticket may spell doom for it.

    They are worried that a primary contest could throw  the party  into a fratricidal conflict, the end of which may be difficult to predict.

    A similar crisis erupted in the PDP soon after it lost the 2015 elections, leading to the emergence of two factions.

    The matter went as far as the Supreme Court which ruled in favour of the Senator Makarfi’s faction.

    The push for a  consensus  candidate, it was learnt, has gained momentum among members of the National Working Committee (NWC) who are said to be wary of the backlashes a proper primary might cause the party.

    This was after chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Walid Jibrin, expressed concerns over the number of presidential aspirants within the PDP about three weeks ago.

    He said: “Efforts are on ground by BoT to bring all the PDP presidential aspirants together to consider how best they should accept one of them to stand, realising that despite their number, only one person will emerge as a candidate during the primaries and also only one person will emerge as the president of Nigeria.

    “We have men and women of honour in the BoT that will never sell their conscience, and ensure that the best will come out of the presidential aspirant without fear and favour.”

    He urged all organs of the party to “partner with BoT in this respect.”

    He also asked all members of PDP to “remain calm and resolute by remaining unshaken with the belief that PDP will take over government at the federal and states with majority of our members in national assembly and state assemblies.”

    It was learnt that some of the presidential aspirants may not be serious after all, and that they may be only interested in attracting attention to themselves.

    Highly placed party sources said some of the aspirants would not mind other elective offices if persuaded given the “fact  that even a political student knows they cannot win as little as three millions nationwide.”

    There is also the theory that some of them may have been planted by the APC to weaken PDP base ahead of the 2019 elections.

    One of the sources, a NWC member said: “We are very sad with the large number of presidential aspirants we have. You could argue it should be a blessing but it means we have stormy days ahead considering the chances of post-primary crisis.

    “It is even more worrisome that some of our heavyweight aspirants have opted for the presidential race. We would have been happy if some were in the senatorial race or what have you.

    “As it is now, there must be a consensus for us to be sure of winning. It is obvious we cannot win with the array of materials contesting for our presidential ticket.”

    Another highly-placed party official said: “the APC is already settled which gives them a head start with Buhari guaranteed the ticket.

    “We cannot afford to lose time and resources with the primary. By the time we are ready settling disputes and appeals, we would have lost valuable space to regain lost grounds.

    “So, the consensus option appears the way to go though we have worries whether or not it might sit well with the aspirants.”

    Asked if it could be misinterpreted as imposition considering the status of the aspirants involved, the source said: “well, we plan to make it as rancour-free as possible. Yes, one or two of them might kick or even leave but it would have saved us from needless headaches and battles.”

    It was gathered that some PDP chieftains are also bothered that the overcrowded presidential field may have been induced by the APC to weaken its fold.

    “In politics, you don’t rule out anything. Some of these aspirants recently defected and want us to entrust the PDP most valuable ticket to them.

    “It is not out of place to think some of them might have been moles planted to deplete our strength and distract us with battles in the primary.

    “We have to win this election because it is so important to the party’s survival. So we are not taking chances at all,” another party stalwart told our correspondent.

    Investigations revealed the convention may just be an affirmative exercise for the consensus candidate while other primaries would go on as scheduled.

    But there are concerns the aspirants might kick against the consensus option because of the belief that they could be outwitted.

    A chieftain said: “many of them don’t even know what is at stake. This is not the time to engage in a needless popularity contest. We have to be calculated and organised to stand a chance because this is the first election we are contesting at the federal level as an opposition party.

    “Yes, they might kick but we would let them see that the party’s interest is more important. I mean if the party becomes weak, will they be able to vie for its presidential ticket again?”