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Tag: PDP

  • Omisore dumps PDP for SDP

    Sen. Iyiola Omisore, a former Deputy Governor of Osun , has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Omisore, who announced his defection in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Sunday, said he intended to contest the Sept. 22 governorship election on the platform of SDP.

    He said his mission was to rescue the state from what he described as years of misrule.

    According to him, the PDP in Osun is in disarray and likely to remain in prolonged political captivity over the next four years.

    The statement reads partly, ” engaging and working with like-minded leadership, we have sought for an alternative platform that will assure both credible(sic: credibility) and legitimacy that will rescue Osun state from its current reckless misrule.

    ” Our quest for an alternative political platform is basically in pursuit of a credible political structure that would guarantee that our people enjoy the benefits of accountable leadership at the state level from now.

    ” Notwithstanding my enormous contributions over the past years or so to building the PDP, after very deep thought and the widest consultations with my God, my family, my supporters in and outside Osun state,

    ” It is with great concern that I have made a very expedient decision today, to withdraw my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the Social Democratic Party (SDP); a party that believed in a balanced, equitable and truly functional Nigeria.

    “On the platform of the SDP, I shall with the support of my supporters, followers, and the electorate of the state, seek the nomination to contest for, and by His grace, be elected as the Executive Governor of Osun state on September 22, 2018”.

    Omisore was Osun Deputy Governor on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) between 1999 and 2003.

    He was also elected to the Senate on the platform of PDP in 2003 to represent Osun East Senatorial District, while he was in jail.(NAN)

  • PDP accuses APC of plotting clampdown on opposition leaders

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government of a grand plan to clamp down on opposition leaders in the coming days.

    Spokesman for the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, told reporters in Abuja that politicians with dissenting views to President Muhammadu Buhari’s are the main targets.

    “The APC and its Federal Government have commenced a vicious and direct clampdown of major opposition leaders, perceived political opponents and individuals with interests and views that are divergent to those of their presidential aspirant, perhaps, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections”, Ologbondiyan said.

    The clampdown, according to him, is aimed at silencing the opposition and whoever is not on the side of the ruling party.

    He claimed that ‘unlawful design’ was also to emasculate other political parties, undermine the laws and electoral system, foist a one-party state and perpetuate APC’s “incompetent, dysfunctional and anti-people rule on the nation.”

    He added that party chair Uche Secondus has also been receiving threats since the PDP filed petitions to the United Nations and the Commonwealth detailing instances of right violations against the government.

    The PDP had, a few weeks ago, alerted the two international bodies to alleged abuse of human rights, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, persecution of opposition and unabated constitutional violations by the administration.

  • FG planning clampdown on opposition leaders – PDP

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday accused the Federal Government of planning to clamp down on opposition leaders in the days ahead.

    Briefing the media at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said politicians with dissenting views to President Muhammadu Buhari’s are the main targets.

    He said: “The APC and its Federal Government have commenced a vicious and direct clampdown of major opposition leaders, perceived political opponents and individuals with interests and views that are divergent to those of their presidential aspirant, perhaps, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections.”

    According to him, the clampdown is tailored to silence opposition as well as those who refused to join or support the APC in its “unlawful design” to emasculate other political parties, undermine the laws and electoral system, foist a one-party state and perpetuate its incompetent, dysfunctional and anti-people rule on the nation.

    Ologbondiyan added that the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has been receiving threats since the PDP filed petitions to the United Nations and the Commonwealth, detailing instances of right violations against the government.

    The party had few weeks ago alerted the two international bodies about alleged human rights abuse, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, persecution of opposition and unabated constitutional violations by the administration.

    Ologbondiyan added: “The PDP is aware of clandestine plots against key opposition leaders, particularly, members of the PDP National Working Committee, some dissenting members of the APC, members of the civil society, opinion leaders, journalists and bloggers, who refuse to succumb to intimidation and that such persons have already been listed and currently being trailed by agents of the state.

    “This has become manifest in the plot to rope members of nPDP, especially those in the National Assembly, into gun-running and murder charges just because they came out to voice their opposition to the APC government’s constitutional violations and executive brigandage in the running of our nation’s affairs.

    “The PDP wants Nigerians and the international community to know those to hold responsible should PDP leaders, as well as other members of the opposition start falling victims of untoward situations like assassinations, unexplained accidents, inexplicable armed robbery attacks, high profile abduction and sudden disappearances.

    “These include wanton arrest, manhandling and detention of opposition leaders on trumped-up charges, as well as illegal invasion of their homes and businesses by agents of the state.

    “Apart from allegations of corruption, there are also plots to clamp down and detain opposition leaders for charges bordering on treason. The PDP is also aware that some compromised judicial officers have been enlisted to give convictions and jail members of opposition as well as dissenting voices, on flimsy grounds.

    “Moreover, we know that the APC is fixated with the PDP because of the renewed popularity of our party among Nigerians, as the inevitable vehicle to return power to the people, restore democracy, national cohesion and safeguard our territorial integrity come 2019.”

     

     

  • Court refuses order to unfreeze N1.9b linked to Patience Jonathan

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday refused to discharge an interim order freezing N1.9 billion which was allegedly obtained fraudulently by a businesswoman, Hajiya Bola Shagaya.

    Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) validly obtained the order.

    Shagaya had urged the court to grant her access to her account, which had been frozen since December 29, 2016.

    Through her lawyer, Mr. Napoleon Emeaso-Nwachukwu, she claimed she was not given fair hearing before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court made the freezing order.

    She urged Justice Oguntoyinbo to declare the freezing order unconstitutional, null and void “as same violates the applicant’s right to own movable property as guaranteed by Section 44(1)(k) of the I999 Constitution of Nigeria.”

    Read Also: EFCC gets fresh order to seize Patience Jonathan’s N7.3b, $8.4m

    But, EFCC argued that Justice Oguntoyinbo lacked the power to sit as an appellate court over Justice Hassan’s decision, describing Shagaya’s originating summons as an abuse of court processes.

    It accused Shagaya of filing the suit “so as to impede the proper dispensation of justice and thus avoiding criminal investigation and possible prosecution.”

    The anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.9billion was the balance of N3, 305,150,000, which Shagaya allegedly received as “founder fees” on behalf of an organisation “Women for Change” being spearheaded by former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    The EFCC claimed that the N3.3billion was realised through Shagaya’s “fraudulent activities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),” where she allegedly “influenced the fraudulent allocation of Dual Purpose kerosene to Index Petrolube Africa Ltd., with the aid of the former First Lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan.”

    According to the EFCC, the N3.3billion was paid by Index Petrolube Africa Ltd and its sister company, Autodex Nigeria Ltd.

    The two companies, it said, belong to one Honourable Ezeani ThankGod, adding that the reason for the N3.3billion payment was to “fraudulently facilitate Dual Purpose Kerosene to ThankGod’s company, Index Petrolube Africa Ltd.”

    The anti-graft agency claimed that out of the N3.3billion, Shagaya had “paid a cumulative sum of N1,212,000,000 to the former First Lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, through her account, ‘Women for Change Initiative’ account domiciled in Diamond Bank, to which the former First Lady is the sole signatory.”

    It said after paying N1.2billion to Mrs Jonathan, Shagaya kept the balance of N1.9billion for herself by “warehousing” it in her Unity Bank account.

    The EFCC said it secured an order by Justice Hassan on December 29, 2016 to freeze the account pending the conclusion of its investigation.

    The anti-graft agency said the applicant would “use this honourable court as a shield against criminal investigation and prosecution” if the application was granted.

    In her verdict Thursday, Justice Oguntoyinbo faulted Shagaya’s claims she was not given the opportunity to defend herself.

    “The interim order was made based on an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC. An ex-parte application has no respondent and the court is not expected to hear from the other party.

    “Even when the other party is around, it can only be seen and not heard. Therefore, the failure of Justice Hassan to hear the applicant cannot invalidate the order.

    “The granting of the interim order of attachment is not unconstitutional and does not constitute an infringement on the applicant’s rights to own property”, the judge held.

    Justice Oguntoyinbo said the applicant failed to controvert EFCC’s claim that she refused to honour invitation.

    The judge said Shagaya’s claim that the order was made in perpetuity did not hold water because there was no evidence that the EFCC had concluded its investigation.

    “It is erroneous to claim that the interim order has metamorphosed into a permanent one or in perpetuity because it was to last until the conclusion of investigation by the respondent.

    “There was no evidence to show that the respondent has stopped investigating the property or has concluded investigation,” Justice Oguntoyibo said.

    The judge, therefore, held that Shagaya’s application lacked merit and dismissed it.

  • PDP kicks as youths protest in Ilorin

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday expressed concern over the claims the Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    A statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “The PDP is alarmed by the trend of brazen assaults on the institutions of democracy, particularly the National Assembly and the judiciary, in addition to unrelenting attacks on dissenting voices, especially as we approach the 2019 general elections.

    “Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier alerted of plots to arrest, harass, detain dissenting voices and opposition members on trumped-up charges, as well as intimidate institutions of democracy and pave the way for a one-party state in our country.

    “Nigerians will further recall the invasion of the Senate chambers by thugs, who disrupted proceedings and carted away the mace. Only last Friday, hoodlums violently attacked a High Court in Rivers State with guns, in a bid to stop the judiciary from making pronouncements on an electoral matter.

    “The PDP therefore charges the National Assembly to defend the nation’s democracy by sparing no energy in pursuing its resolution of engaging President Muhammadu Buhari on these assaults, in addition to putting in motion, all legislative instruments available to it, to curtail all excesses in government before the situation finally gets out of hand”.

    In Ilorin, Scores of youths under the aegis of Kwara Agenda staged a protest against the alleged plot to implicate Saraki.

    They took their peaceful rally to the Kwara State Government House.

    The leader of the group, Taofiq Olateju, told Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed that the plot was to link Saraki with a murder case involving one Lanre Mohammed Soliu, who was recently paraded by the police in the state for alleged involvement in cult-related murders.

    The protestors carried several placards with various inscriptions, such as “Fresh plot to frame Saraki uncovered”, “Stop intimidating Saraki”, “We stand with Saraki” ,among others.

    Olateju told the governor that the suspect was being transported to Abuja while his crime was allegedly committed in Ilorin.

    He added: “Our attention has been drawn to a fresh plot by the federal government to implicate the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki in a murder case involving one Lanre Mohammed Soliu.

    “It is on record that Lanre Mohammed Soliu was recently paraded alongside five others by the Kwara State Police Commissioner, Aminu Pai Saleh, as members of Aiye confraternity cult group. Soliu was specifically accused of killing one Yemi Bayero of Ago market, Ilorin. The offences which the suspect allegedly committed were carried out in Ilorin, Kwara State, and expectedly he’s supposed to be tried in a competent court of jurisdiction in the state.

    “We are, however, alarmed by a new twist to the whole issue. As we are speaking with you, Soliu is being transported to Abuja by men of Kwara State Police Command.

    “This is not our concern, but our concern is about the plot by the powers that be to torture and force the suspect to implicate Dr Bukola Saraki. We have it on good authority that the main purpose of transferring the self- confessed cultist to Abuja is to implicate the Senate President in the whole saga.

    “As concerned youths of Kwara State, we want to appeal to men of conscience across the country to prevail on the federal government to stop intimidating and humiliating our God – sent leader, the President of the Senate. No Senate President in the history of this country has been so humiliated and vilified as Senator Bukola Saraki, for no just cause.

    “Saraki is our leader and a law abiding citizen whose passion is to improve the lot of the common man. He should be left alone to continue the good job he and his colleagues are doing at the National Assembly.

    “We are using this forum to warn those behind this fresh plot to frame and tarnish the image of our leader to retrace their steps. We have no doubt in our mind that this fresh plot like the ones before it shall fail woefully.”

    The governor promised to deliver the message to the right quarters. He commended the youths for their maturity.

  • Buhari: let’s rescue Ekiti from PDP

    President Muhammadu Buhari last night urged the Southwest caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to take the mission to rescue Ekiti from the opposition Peoples Democratic Partry (PDP) seriously.

    The President spoke during a dinner with them at the State House in Abuja.

    He urged party members to work together and assured the people of his support.

    He told the group that as he promised, he would not interfere in the internal affairs of the party at any level.

    Former APC Interim Chairman Chief Bisi Akande said: “We are politicians. We have election in Ekiti on July 14th and we came to get some inspiration, presidential inspiration.

    “Ekiti belongs to APC and the progressives from the beginning. But, unfortunately, it slipped in 2014 because there was some mishandling. So this time, we are all going to queue behind our party so that we can win the state back come July 14.”

    To the Ekiti people, he said: “We will only tell them to avoid belonging to an unpopular party, a party that will not allow Ekiti to develop. And they should belong to the APC.”

    The meeting, which started around 8.30p.m at the new Banquet Hall, was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, Chief Akande and  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The party’s governorship candidate Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the runner-up in the primary, Chief Segun Oni, also attended the meeting.

    Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura, who conducted the primary, also attended.

    There wers also some federal lawmakers, ministers and stakeholders.

  • nPDP members leaving APC won’t reduce Buhari’s votes in 2019 – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai on Tuesday said that the threat by the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) members to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) won’t have any negative impact on President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire to win the Presidential election next year.
    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    The Governor said “I don’t agree and I want to go back to 2003. What are we talking about? Who are these new PDP people that are threatening? This is Kwara, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Rivers but I don’t think Amaechi is part of them.
    “So let’s take these four states, go back to 2003 and check. Buhari then under ANPP won in all these four states. Go back to 2007, Buhari won  in these four states. Even when Shakarau was running as a presidential candidate in 2011, Buhari defeated him in Kano.
    “And, I have no doubt in my mind that even if the people threatening to leave, leave, it will have absolutely no impact on the presidential elections, the president will win Sokoto, Kwara and Adamawa easily.

    Read Also: Ignore Baraje’s nPDP threat, Kwara APC urges Buhari

    “Kano is already in the bag, I mean if you saw the crowd that welcome the president without the former governor Kwanasho, Kano has always been the president’s base.
    “To me that is not the issue, the issue is that they have written, they have expressed grievances, some of the grievances are legitimate and should be looked into. But to threaten to leave the party is neither here nor there.
    “If they are honest with themselves they know that President Buhari  will win those states with or without them. But if you have a grievance, we are a party and politics is a game of addition not subtraction, so we don’t want to loose anyone.
    “So, I think those the letters were addressed to ought to study it and look into what is reasonably possible to accommodate them because politics as I said is a game of addition.” he said
    Asked why he deployed electronic voting in his state for the APC Ward congresses, he said “I didn’t come about it, it was the chairman of the state independent electoral commission, Dr. Saratu Dikko Audu, who was my chemistry teacher in the university that proposed the idea of electronic voting. Because, she felt that since we used the card reader in the 2015 elections, the next logical step is to connect the card reader to an electronic voting system and we supported it.
    “They went on a study tour to Brazil, India to study their own voting systems and they finally ended up with a manufacturer in China. The same  manufacturer that manufactured the card reader, designed and manufactured the electronic voting machines for us.
    “The independent electoral commission of Kaduna State, brought in 300 of the machines and spent some months going round the state, market places, people’s homes to test the use of the machines to show that ordinary people can use it. It cost us a lot of money, the entire election cost us in the region of N4 billion.
    “But, mind you with the electronic voting now we don’t need ballot paper, so we saved N1.7 billion in ballot papers alone. And, these machines can be used for three or four more elections because they can last for 10 years, all we need is to upgrade the software to add more parties and so on.
    “So, we believe that overall is good value for money and it has worked very well. What we are very happy about is that ordinary people could use it, the interface was friendly, simply and you can finish voting for the chairman and chancellor in less than 15 seconds.” he said
    On what difference it made in terms of credibility, he said that it gave people the confidence that their votes mattered.
    He added “And for many people that didn’t even want to go out to vote in the elections, curiosity of the electronic voting machines brought them out. It made a lot of difference because the electronic voting machine has a record of how many people have voted and once the time for voting closes, it closes and you cannot take it and add more votes.
    “Of course human factors intervened, some people abducted the presiding officers with the machines and engaged in multiple voting. Some people tried to change the results and of course we are still doing manual collection.
    “But the data in the electronic voting machine can still be used to discredit some of those changes during the tribunal process. And in areas where there were gross abuses in some of the wards and local governments, SIKON has decided that they will be by-elections.
    “One of the problems that led to the human factor problems that I mentioned, was because INEC denied us the use of the Card reader. When we were designing the machine, we had the option of integrating the card reader, so that you come with your voters card, put in your voters card biometrically confirmed that it is your card and then the machine will open for you to vote.
    “But we thought that that will be too complicated since people are used to being accredited separately, it is better we take INEC’s card reader for accreditation and then our machine for voting. But a week to the election, INEC said they are not going to give us the card reader. The reasons they gave to me were not acceptable.
    “I called the chairman and I tried to persuade him to make it available to us but we didn’t get the card reader. I am hoping, I have spoken to him again, that for the bye-elections, the two local governments and the other wards, we are going to get the card reader so that the human link that is subject to abuse would be eliminated and hen you cannot change anything.
    “If you change anything the card reader will expose the number of those accredited and that number must tally with the number of people that voted, otherwise the result gets automatically cancelled. So we are working on that.
    “So I have just seen Mr. President, I have briefed him on this and he has expressed his pleasure at the way and manner as a party in Kaduna, we are allowed free and fair elections. The president believes in free, fair and credible elections and he said it doesn’t matter if you loose some local governments, what is important is for the elections to be free and fair.
    “This is an APC government, it is a government of fairness and justice and he was very happy with the way we conducted the elections with Kaduna so far.” he said
    He disagreed with the claims in some quarters that the electoral law does not support electronic.
    He said “I don’t agree with that. There is an amendment to the Electoral Act that President Jonathan signed a few days before he left office which legitimize the use of the card reader and other electronic systems for voting. So, in my view the current Electoral Act has provision for the electoral voting.
    “But, that is not even what we used in Kaduna. In Kaduna, we enacted our own electoral law that made provision for the for electronic voting machine and card reader, everything was totally legitimized and passed by our State House of Assembly and I think every state can do the same. But, I also believe that the current legal framework allows for it.” he said
    He recommend the use of electronic voting to at the Federal, State government levels and everyone.
    “I have already offered to my colleagues state governors that are yet to conduct local government  elections that they can come to Kaduna and we can give them the machines on mutually acceptable terms.
    “All you will need is to change the software, it will have the logo of the state and the number of parties active in the state and the number of parties active in the state and they can use it. It is easy.
    “At federal level I will recommend it as well because with the card reader and the electronic voting machine, the era of rigging elections is almost over and I think that is when people will have confidence in the process and will come out enmass to vote for their leaders.
    “Having said that, I know we have been working on this for about one year before we got to where we are. Although it is possible for INEC to do it, it will be logistically difficult. But nothing stops them from trying if the resources are available. Because, the machines have already been manufactured, the designs are there, you only need to place the orders to the Chinese and I’m sure they will deliver them in no time.
    “But, you need some months to go round and do some advocacy, to show people how to use it. I think it may be possible to use it in the next elections but I am not INEC. INEC has better appreciation of their logistics challenges I can only give my own opinion about what I think. But, it is something that I highly recommend for adoption through out the country.” he stated

  • PDP calls for arrest, prosecution of court attackers

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of hoodlums that attacked and disrupted activities of a High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last Friday.

    Some armed hoodlums had stormed the court premises, shooting sporadically and destroying properties within the court premises.

    The court was billed to hear a case involving two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Rivers State chapter before it was attacked by the yet to be apprehended gunmen.

    A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians were alarmed that armed thugs, sponsored by some chieftains of the APC shot their way through, assaulted judicial officers and disrupted proceedings in a bid to stop the court from giving a ruling against them.

    The statement said, “It is instructive to note that the attack came on a day the court set aside to make pronouncement on a suit related to APC’s ward congresses for which some APC leaders in a faction allegedly aligned with the Presidency, including a serving minister, unleashed hoodlums on the court.

    “We are particularly alarmed that since the attack, no arrest has been made, while the Federal Government has not taken any concrete steps to bring the perpetrators of this treasonable act to book.

    “The failure of the APC-led Federal Government to act validates allegations that the attack was coordinated as part of the design to intimidate and emasculate the judiciary and ultimately erode its ability to boldly dispense justice on election matters, ahead of the 2019 general election, having realized the electoral failure that awaits the APC.

    Read Also: PDP to Buhari, APC: ignore our request at your own risk

    “We are also aware of secret interferences, threats, harassments and coercion of judicial officers, since the sting operation on judges, to do APC’s bidding in cases related to PDP members as well as the 2019 elections

    “Furthermore, we note that this assault on the judiciary is coming on the heels of the invasion of the National Assembly by hoodlums sponsored by the agents of the APC, who brazenly stormed the Senate chambers, disrupted proceedings, threatened our lawmakers and carted away the mace, after which none of them has been brought to book”.

    The opposition party called on Nigerians rise up and resist what it described as a drift towards fascism, adding that Nigerians worked hard for the nation’s democracy.

    It urged the people not to fold their hands while some people attempt to destroy the hard earned democracy with their lust for political power.

    “Finally, while we urge the judiciary to do all to protect itself against the onslaught of the APC, we want the APC to come to terms with the fact that no amount of intimidation, violent attacks, harassment and smear campaign can stop Nigerians in their determination to rally on the platform of the repositioned PDP to end this misrule and return our nation to that path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity, come 2019”

  • Plateau: PDP receives defectors in Kanam LG

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau on Monday received some supporters who claimed to have defected from some political parties in the country.

    The defectors were received by the Plateau PDP Chairman, Chief Damishi Samgo, during the commissioning of Kanam PDP office, inauguration of Chairmanship Campaign Committee and Appeal fund raising in Dengi, Kanam.

    Receiving them, Sango, represented by Vice Chairman, Plateau Central Zone, Mr Benedict Shiknughul, commended them for taking “the right decision’’ in their political race.

    “Today, we welcome you into PDP with open arms to work with you towards our victory at the 2019 general elections at all levels.

    “We shall accord you the privileges therein for all members of PDP on the plateau; ensure you are fully registered in your own various wards to participate in all our programmes, ’’ the chairman advised.

    Read Also: PDP faults APC Ekiti guber primary

    Sango urged them to go straight to work and begin to campaign for PDP victory in all elective positions from the ward to national level against 2019.

    Respoding, Mr Yahaya Angwan-Gero, spokesman of the defectors, said, “ we are here in PDP for stay to work for its victory to take power from APC in 2019’’.

    “Some of us are asking for forgiveness for first leaving the party sometimes back and to give us the opportunity once again to prove our loyalty and commitment to the party once again, ’’Angwan-Gero pleaded.

    Earlier, the Kanam council Chairman, Mr Aliyu Ali, advised all aspirants to elective offices not to allow their personal interests to over ride that of the party or the state.

    Dr Edwin Rinkwat, Guest Speaker at the occasion, decried the division along ethnic, religious and cultural differences in Nigerian politics.

    Rinkwat said until politicians had a change of heart, the nation’s polity would polarise and jeopardise the growth and development of the country.

    NAN

     

  • ‘PDP will defeat APC’

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has told the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to expect a defeat that will be worse than what he suffered in the 2014 poll.

    Fayose said Fayemi should not celebrate yet over what he described as a “pyrrhic victory” secured at the APC shadow election on Saturday.

    The governor who reacted to Fayemi’s victory on his Twitter handle thanked the APC “for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times”.

    He described Fayemi’s victory at the APC primary as a “fire that would be quenched at the July 14 governorship poll”.

    Fayose is backing his protégé, who emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate on May 8, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to succeed him in office.

    Fayose tweeted: “I thank the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times.

    “Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory yet, because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14.

    “He should expect to suffer worse defeat compared to that of 2014.”