The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PDP

  • Why PDP lost power – Prof Lar

    In this interview with Yusufu Idegu in Jos, Professor Mary Lar, the wife of the pioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and first civilian governor of Plateau State, late Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, recalls the last days of the politician and explains why PDP lost the 2015 Presidential Election. Excerpts

    HOW has life been in the last five years without your beloved husband?

    Life has been so boring indeed, it is not easy living alone after losing the man that you have lived with for decades; no one to discuss with as husband, no one to depend on; the loneliness is something else, the psychological challenge is quite huge. My husband’s death was like the entire world around me collapsed. But I thank God because God has been faithful to me and my children; it’s only God that has been filling the vacuum left as a result of the death five years ago. And as Christians, we grew up to believe that in this life, we come and go, no one created by God is on earth to stay permanently.

    What are the things you think he should be remembered for?

    The good deeds of Baba are too numerous to count; the life and times of Baba Lar has been a source of encouragement and inspiration to me; in fact, I never knew most of the good things he was doing until after his death. When we organised his 5th year remembrance last month, the number of people that turned out to witness the event amazed me; we decided to just mark the anniversary but people we did not invite came and I was surprised. When I asked them, they told me they heard it on radio, some said they heard from friends. This was a man that left a legacy of unity. I will never forget his last words to me while on the sick bed shortly before he passed on. You know the medical team attending to him told me clearly that Baba will not survive the illness and advised me to try and extract a final word from him. Then I went close to him on his sick bed and I said “daddy, in case God decide to call you home today, which message will you give me to your people back at home” and he said, “I will give you a message if God give me the strength to speak.” And I said God will give you the strength. And after a long silence, he opened his mouth and said, ‘Mummy, when you get back to Nigeria, tell my people to remain one in unity. Tell Nigerians to remain one in love, tell my Plateau people that they must remain one. Tell my people to imbibe unity, peace and love.’ He emphasised on these three words; unity, peace and love. That was indeed his last words; he didn’t speak again and shortly after that he passed on. So, I took those last words very serious and it became a burden on me to ensure I deliver the message at any given opportunity. And as long as I live, I must continue to deliver this message to people of Nigeria and particularly people of Plateau State. And you can find these three attributes in the life of Baba; he loved human being without any sentiment.

    In all the leadership positions he held in his life, be it elected or appointed position, he never antagonised anyone, whether you abuse him or you commend his action, he never held it against you. He never discriminated anyone on the bases of ethnicity, religion or political consideration. He remained the only governor in the state that appointed a Yoruba man as a commissioner in his administration, just to unite people; that alone endeared him to a lot of people in the country. Baba used his life time to serve humanity, to serve Nigerian citizens based on his principle that as a leader, you will be accountable to your creator one day. Baba appeared in a dream to someone in the state and told the person ‘go and tell my wife that I made heaven and that she should also try and make heaven also’. That was a clear message to me to follow his footsteps as a God fearing leader, and I have promised myself never to deviate from his life pattern.

    Baba Lar, like few other nationalists worked for the unity and peace of the country, but the present crops of leaders appeared not ready to promote the ideals of past leaders, what do you think is responsible for this disconnection?

    If we are to follow our national anthem seriously with our heart and soul, then the part of our national anthem that says, “the labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain” should be taken seriously by all; be you a leader today or follower, we must all take that part seriously and promote its ideals.

    The present leaders have a duty to make all Nigerians have a sense of belonging to the country; the idea of making one segment of Nigeria superior to another should be discouraged and jettisoned. Any leader that emerges at the national, state or local government level should lead those under him as one, embrace all as his subject; whether they like you, criticize you or commend you is immaterial; you are duty bound as a leader to be the leader of all people. There will be no killings if there is love; there will be no nepotism if there is love, most of these criminalities and insecurity will not be there if there is love. The current challenges we are having as a country is because love is not there. God created us differently and we are bound to behave differently; whoever is the leader must understand these individual differences and try to bring us together as one.

    Chief Lar had a lot of disciples when he was serving the country, how are they relating with the family after the demise of Baba?

    You cannot expect everyone to behave based on your expectations; a few of Baba’s followers and admirers have been coming to us to find out how we are faring after Baba. As a family, we never begrudge anyone for not reaching out to us, but we appreciate those that remembered the past and come to us to check on us. One thing that Baba was known for was that Baba never reserved cash in his bank for himself or his family; he shared whatever money that comes his way to people around him; his penchant to help people will not allow him to keep any kobo in his account; he was not the type that loved accumulating wealth for his family; he was completely selfless. So, his disciples who understand that Baba never left anything for us do come around with one or two assistance to the family. But overall, we are quite happy that Baba lived a very honest life and that has given the family rest of mind. If he had accumulated assets from public fund, we the family would have been haunted here and there by security agencies, but we are happy Baba left us in a way that we have nothing to regret over his life.

    Mummy, do you remember when Baba volunteered to take a letter to the former Military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, asking him not to transform himself from military to a civilian President? Did you object to his decision to embark on such an assignment?

    No I did not object to him delivering the letter; what I did together with him was to engage in serious prayers for God to protect him from the anger of the military dictator. After much prayers and fasting, he went and delivered the letter to Abacha; but at the point of delivering the later, Abacha told him to come back few days after for the reply of the later – that was the point I got scared. That kind of letter can attract death penalty considering the maximum power of military leaders at that period. I thought that the military has already concluded plans to deal with him for daring to deliver such a letter to Abacha. We went into another round of prayers for God to protect him. Because even if he refused to honor the invitation because of fear of what was obvious then, these military guys can get at you anywhere and anyhow. So, we prayed and prayed. So, when he was set to go and see Abacha, I packed his clothes in his bag; I prepared his drugs and put them in his bag and I said, as you are going to see Abacha, we don’t know your fate; we don’t know if you will end up in prison, at least you have your drugs with you, drugs that you can take in the prison. And if they are going to kill you, you will die fighting for democracy and for the liberation of the masses of Nigeria. Though I was scared, the man was unstoppable; he said he would not mind to sacrifice himself for democracy to return to Nigeria. So, on the day he was to travel to Abuja, I left him at home and went to my working place at the University of Jos. I came back later in the afternoon and met him seated with some other politicians. I said, why are you still here, you are no more going? He said I should sit down and watch the news in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). I sat down quietly and came to realise the news was about Abacha’s death. I could not believe it initially; I thought people were playing pranks on me initially, but before the end of the day, the news was confirmed to be true that Abacha was dead. There were so much confusion in the country, even though some Nigerians were celebrating the sudden death of Abacha, I never did because no matter his weaknesses as a leader, he is a human being and my religion did not teach me to rejoice over the death of a fellow human. I just felt that was his time to die and everyone has his or her own time to die. But the bottom line here is that Baba Lar was prepared to die for democracy; he dared to do what no other politician would do. By volunteering to deliver such a letter to Abacha, he was prepared for the worst outcome of that mission. I have never seen a man with such courage and sacrifice. But how God saved him from the hands of the deadly military government of Abacha remains a miracle till date. But what I understood from the whole thing was that if you are doing anything from a pure heart, God will be with you no matter the risk. Taking that letter to General Abacha was the highest risk anyone could take; it was a suicide mission, but God in his mercy saved him at that time.

    The Plateau State Government made a pronouncement during the burial of Baba Lar that the Plateau State University will be named after him, and that it shall be called Solomon Lar university, but five years after, that pronouncement has not be implemented, what do you think is responsible for this?

    Well, it is government that made the promise, the burden lies on them to fulfill that promise. But I was reliably informed that some people in the state felt that the first civilian governor of the state does not deserve such honor. Some people will prefer that the state university be named after the particular governor that created the university.

    The Party that Baba labored to build, PDP, lost grip of power shortly after Baba’s death, how do you feel about that and what do you think is responsible for that?

    I feel very sad that PDP lost grip of power so soon. People keep asking me, where is the PDP that Baba gave birth to? It got me embarrassed and saddened each time I think about it. But it is obvious that what is killing PDP is selfishness of its leaders; instead of coming together to discuss and resolve on issues of the party, people now prefer to impose their own opinion on others. Leaders of parties must listen to members of that party; that is one of the legacies Baba left behind.

    For the party to bounce back, the leaders, at various levels, have to remove selfishness from the affairs of the party; they should rest any attempt by one person to dictate the affairs; they should make it a collective venture. It has to be through dialogue; there is no other clever way to do it.

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  • Kaduna LG polls: I don’t care if APC loses or wins – El-Rufai

    …election cancelled in 2 LGs over violence

     

    As Kaduna State made history on Saturday as the first to introduce electronic voting in Nigeria, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has said that he does not care whether his party wins in the local government elections or not.

    The Governor  hinged the temporary itches experienced during the Saturday local government polls on last minutes denial of card readers by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    El-Rufai who spoke  while addressing newsmen after casting his vote at Ungwan Sarki also announced cancellation of elections in Jabba and Kaura local government areas due to violence that broke out in some of the polling units in the areas.

    He said if INEC had briefed the state earlier about the card readers, the state would have included that in the design of electronic voting machine (EVM).

    He however said he was satisfied with election process so far, though he regretted the violence in Jabba and Kaura believing to be the stronghold of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “The process has been smooth. I had reports that, two out of the 23 local government would be rescheduled by the electoral body. We envisaged there was going to be crisis there because PDP believes that is their stronghold.

    “I came here and got accredited and casted my vote. Unfortunately, INEC denied us card reader so we have to do manual accreditation. The whole voting process was less than 10 seconds.

    “I was told there was initial itches with the code and was sorted out and everything now going on smoothly. I think it is a very good process.

    “Like I said, if we had know INEC would not give us card reader, we would have included that in the design of the machine since it was possible to do that. But we were assured by INEC that they will give us card reader until the last minutes.”

    Commenting on the election, a former Commissioner for LG and Chairman, Zone II, PDP, Shehu Giant described the process at Angwan Sarki as good.

    “I have been to other places where we received a lot of complaints whereby machines were not taken to polling units and so on. But here in Kaduna North, where I cast my vote, I can testify there is no any itch,” said Giant.

    Meanwhile, our correspondent who monitored the election in parts of Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Chikun and Kajuru local government areas, all in Kaduna Central Senatorial District reported that the process was generally peaceful, even tough late arrival of materials almost marred the polls.

    Also in Kaduna South Senatorial District, reports said, early morning downpour caused delay of the election process, while the exercise was general peaceful in Kaduna North Senatorial District.

    However, APC Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani described the whole election process as a drama.

    Senator Sani on his Facebook wall said, “The Local Government election about to commence in Kaduna is nothing but a charade.Its a comical drama scripted, produced and directed by the state Government. If APC members cannot get justice from APC Government, what is a non APC member expecting?

    He added that, “The election will go the way of the ‘APC ward congresses’, writing list in HOTEL ROOMS and announcing winners. Shame.”

    Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, results from the various local governments were being awaited.

  • LG congress: APC, PDP supporters in violent clash

    Scores of people were injured while business activities were paralysed in parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital yesterday as supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed with those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Thousands of protesting members of APC drawn from 23 local government areas of the state had stormed the premises of the High Court complex around 7 am, alleging a plot by Senator Magnus Abe and his allies, including the state governor, Nyesom Wike, to abort today’s local government congress of the party through a court injunction.

    They chased out court officials who had reported for work while the front and back gates of the expansive complex were shut.

    The APC protesters then proceeded to take over the dualised Station Road around 8.30 am, causing a gridlock on the ever-busy road, with the commercial banks, offices and business outfits in the area quickly shutting their doors as they feared possible attack.

    Judges, lawyers, judiciary workers, journalists and other members of the public were prevented from gaining access the Rivers State Judiciary complex, which also hosts a number of magistrate and high courts, the office of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission and that of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra.

    The APC members continued their peaceful protest, carrying placards with inscriptions like “Wike, allow APC members to do their things”, “No APC congress, no court sitting”, “Wike, stop using judiciary against APC”, “Judiciary has become Wike’s property”, “Wike, face PDP’s problems, leave APC alone”, Wike must go”, “Wike, stop wasting Rivers money on judges”, “Wike, APC must take over”, “Abe, it is a lost battle” and ”Abe, you are ungrateful.”

    Events took a new turn around 9.55 am. When a horde of PDP youths chanting “PDP! Power!” forced their way into the court premises through the back gate and advanced towards the main gate, hurling broken bottles, stones and other dangerous objects at the protesting APC members on Station Road.

    The protesting APC members responded by throwing back the missiles hurled at them by the PDP supporters until a violent atmosphere prevailed, leaving scores of people, including passers-by, injured.

    The situation attracted the attention of policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who started firing live bullets into the air to disperse the warring parties, while the dualised road was barricaded at both ends to restore normalcy.

    With the roads barricaded and policemen patrolling with unmarked Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), pedestrians hurriedly looked for alternative routes to avoid being hit by stray bullets. But many of them fell victim to hoodlums armed with weapons, who started robbing them of money and valuable items.

    Among the victims was the Head of News of Silverbird Television (STV)/Rhythm FM in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Monica Ogwa, who was dispossessed of her bag by hoodlums who pointed a dagger at her while she was looking for an escape route from the deafening gunshots.

    The snatched bag was said to contain her car key, phones, ATM cards, cash, vital documents and other important items.

    The Rivers State High Court, sitting under tight security, later granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Rivers APC from holding today’s LG congress.

    The matter was adjourned till June 26 for hearing, based on the motion on notice filed by a faction of the APC allegedly disenfranchised during last Saturday’s ward congress, seeking to stop the LG congress.

    Justice Chiwendu Nwogu of Rivers High Court, who delivered the ruling on the motion on notice, stopped APC from going ahead with the LG congress.

    One of the counsel to the aggrieved APC members, Henry Bellow, said: “I am a counsel to members of the APC who were unconstitutionally excluded from participating in the purported ward congress, even after they had satisfied the conditions precedent to their participation in the ward congress, according to APC guidelines.

    “They paid money for nomination forms but got to the APC secretariat (in Port Harcourt) and it was locked only to hear that winners had emerged in the ward congress. It is against the constitution of the party.”

    In spite of the court injunction, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Chris Finebone, who addressed reporters under a canopy at the vandalised state secretariat of the party on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area, Port Harcourt yesterday, insisted that peaceful LG congress would hold today as planned, adding that the process had long begun and could not be stopped.

    Finebone accused the Rivers State Government of mobilising PDP members to disrupt the peaceful protest organised by APC members in front of the court, describing it as an affront on democracy.

    He said: “What happened today (yesterday) is a proof that our earlier alarm that a small group in APC collected money from Wike to destabilise and sabotage the APC came to light, as PDP members came to destabilise the protest of APC around the court.

    “What we saw was the mobilisation of thugs by a Wike ally. Ordinarily, the PDP would not have had concerns on what was happening today (yesterday) at the court.

    “Our position is that the congress started long ago. The train had long left the station. Our congress is not a stand-alone thing.

    “Legally, there is nothing anybody can do to a process that has started. The LG congress is a continuation of it.

    “Rivers APC has not been served any letter of injunction. So, the congress will hold as planned, including that of May 19.

    “The intervention of the PDP is not necessary. It shows that the government of Rivers State is out to pocket the judiciary.

    Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who later visited the high court complex to ascertain the level of damage done by the protesters, said the barricading of the court and the protest would be thoroughly investigated.

    Wike said: “This is very unfortunate. Do not trivialise this invasion by saying it is just an attack by the APC on the judiciary. This is a complete coup by the Nigerian police and the APC to overthrow the Rivers State Government.

    “We have said it before and we have been vindicated by this callous joint invasion of the Rivers State judiciary.

    “We cannot continue to rely on the police to defend us. We must all stand up to defend democracy. What has happened is a sign of what APC and police have planned.

    “APC’s Federal Government is not prepared for elections. Therefore, they want to truncate the nation’s democracy. They are fomenting trouble to create an avenue for the military to take over.

    “Nobody invaded the court. This action by the police and APC is not acceptable. We must defend ourselves and the nation’s democracy. We cannot continue to rely on the police. Remember, it was the police that kidnapped a sitting governor.

    “Nigerians have rejected the APC and there is nothing anybody can do about it. Since they are unpopular, they want to truncate the nation’s democracy.”

    The governor also lauded youths of the state for rising in defence of their mandate by mobilising to open the courts despite the shootings by policemen.

    Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Emmanuel Aguma, SAN, who said the rule of law was under threat in Rivers, said that many facilities and valuable property within the court premises were vandalised, while the car of a magistrate, Andrew Jaja, who was the first to come to court, was totally damaged by the protesters while Jaja was also rough-handled.

    The lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe, was contacted through his spokesperson, Parry Benson, to react to the allegations levelled against him by the protesters, but he had not fulfilled his promised response at press time.

    A chieftain of the APC, Prince Tonye Princewill, said: “From what happened this (yesterday) morning, it is clear that some members of the judiciary in Rivers State are being pocketed to do the biddings of the PDP.

    “How else can you explain a court sitting on our matter in secret, with a view to giving judgment today (yesterday) without hearing from us? Can a court in Port Harcourt give judgement on a nationwide congress? No. They failed and will continue to fail.

    “A group of lawful protesters dispersed with tear gas, shot at by unsavoury elements and beaten black and blue is an indication of the conspiracy, but it will not interrupt justice.

    “Our people are bold. APC’s congresses will hold.”

  • PDP to Obasanjo: we have changed our ways

    The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has pleaded with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to give the party another chance, saying the PDP has changed its ways.

    Apparently the main opposition party is disturbed by the decision of the Obasanjo-led coalition to collapse into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against expectations of finding accommodation in the PDP.

    One of the arrowheads of the Obasanjo coalition, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had on Thursday announced the collapse of the group into the ADC for the purpose of unseating the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the 2019 elections.

    A statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, kola Ologbondiyan, assured Obasanjo that the concerns raised by him in respect of the PDP had been extensively addressed in the “refocused and repositioned PDP”.

    Obasanjo had described the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP as failures that must not be voted for in the 2019 general elections.

    The statement reads in part: “Already, our reforms and rebranding efforts, particularly, the full entrenchment of internal democracy, all-inclusiveness and re-engineered mechanisms for good governance, have returned the party to the much desired political platform that represents the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians ahead of the 2019 general election.

    “In the last five months, since the coming of the new leadership, under Prince Uche Secondus, the PDP had undergone extensive re-engineering in direct responses to suggestions, criticisms and wide-range of constructive counsel from Nigerians across board.

    “The transparent processes, leading to the peaceful conduct of an open, credible, free and fair governorship primary in Ekiti State, at a time when other political parties are enmeshed in impunity-induced crisis and violence, is a loud testimony of the democratic credentials and principles of the repositioned PDP.

    “Furthermore, the reconciliatory efforts of the Governor Seriake Dickson’s committee as well as the rebuilding of the party, through the Contact and Integration Committee, are yielding tremendous dividends as manifested in the mammoth crowd that graced our rallies in Jigawa, Katsina and Osun states.

    “Our party remains the only political platform with genuine followership and structure in all the electoral wards across the local government areas, states and the six geo-political zones in the country. It is also instructive to add that majority of Nigerians still  identify with the PDP as the vehicle for national cohesion, unity, economic prosperity and personal freedom of our citizens.

    “Furthermore, our initiative towards the nation’s economic recovery has commenced with the development of a robust and all-inclusive blueprint that will reopen the currently locked-down economic space, redirect the productive energies of our citizens through deliberate wealth creation policies and opportunities in all sectors.”

  • Ekiti Primary: Learn from PDP, Falana counsels APC

    Prominent lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has berated the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), for its botched primary election in Ekiti State.

    Falana described the exercise, which held last Saturday, to determine the party’s flag bearer at the forthcoming governorship elections in the state, “as a shameful outing” which “exposed the people of Ekiti State to unprecedented embarrassment  and ridicule.”

    “Instead of apologising for the shameful outing, some members of APC have threatened to deploy the so called federal might to force themselves on the people. Such anti democratic forces are going to be disgraced during the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

    “It is particularly embarrassing that the ruling party which had campaigned for electoral reforms can turn round to make a mockery of the democratic process as was witnessed in the Ekiti state primary,” he said.

    The legal practitioner condemned the ruling party’s conduct during the exercise stating that it is not surprising “since the ruling party has continued to encourage the monetization of politics.”

    He said: “In the case of Ekiti state, the APC national secretariat extorted N8 million from each of the 33 aspirants who took place in the botched primary. As if the illegal collection of the sum of N244 million from the aspirants was not enough the APC delegates in Ekiti State turned the democratic process into a bazaar market where a particular aspirant had promised to buy each of the votes of the 2,700 delegates  for N1 million! How would an aspirant who bribed delegates and voters with billions Naira not recoup such reckless expenses?

    “However, the conduct of the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in  Ekiti State last Tuesday in the State was peaceful and orderly. It is highly commendable. The APC and other political parties that are currently conducting primaries in Ekiti State are enjoined not to engage in any form of violence.

    “We are not unaware of the empty threats of some desperate aspirants who have threatened to deploy the so called “federal might” and stolen funds to force themselves on the people. We call on the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that all those who engage in the breakdown of law and order during the primaries and the governorship election are arrested and prosecuted.

    “Let all the political parties be warned to desist from fielding aspirants who have engaged in the looting of the treasury of the poor Ekiti State. In view of the war against corruption being prosecuted by the Mohammadu Buhari administration the Ekiti people are advised not to vote for candidates who are standing trial for the criminal diversion of funds belonging to the Ekiti people,” he said.

  • PDP to Obasanjo: We have changed our ways

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday pleaded with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to give the party another chance, saying the PDP has changed its ways.

    Apparently the main opposition party is disturbed by the decision of the Obasanjo- led coalition to collapse into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against expectations of finding accommodation in the PDP.

    One of the arrowheads of the Obasanjo coalition, Olagunsoye Oyinlola had on Thursday announced the collapse of the group into the ADC for the purpose of unseating the Muhammadu Buhari- led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the 2019 elections.

    A statement issued on Friday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, kola Ologbondiyan, assured Obasanjo that the concerns raised by him in respect of the PDP had been extensively addressed in the “refocused and repositioned PDP.”

    Obasanjo had described the APC and PDP as failures that must not be voted in the 2019 general elections.

    The statement said: “Already, our reforms and rebranding efforts, particularly, the full entrenchment of internal democracy, all-inclusiveness and re-engineered mechanisms for good governance, have returned the party to the much desired political platform that represents the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians ahead of the 2019 general election.

    “In the last five months, since the coming of the new leadership, under Prince Uche Secondus, the PDP had undergone extensive re-engineering in direct responses to suggestions, criticisms and wide-range of constructive counsels from Nigerians across board.

    “The transparent processes, leading to the peaceful conduct of an open, credible, free and fair governorship primary in Ekiti State, at a time when other political parties are enmeshed in impunity-induced crisis and violence, is a loud testimony of the democratic credentials and principles of the repositioned PDP.

    “Furthermore, the reconciliatory efforts of the Governor Seriake Dickson’s committee as well as the rebuilding of the party, through the Contact and Integration Committee, are yielding tremendous dividends as manifested in the mammoth crowd that graced our rallies in Jigawa, Katsina and Osun States.

    “Our party remains the only political platform with genuine followership and structure in all the electoral wards across the local government areas, states and the six geo-political zones in the country. It is also instructive to add that majority of Nigerians still identify with the PDP as the vehicle for national cohesion, unity, economic prosperity and personal freedom of our citizens.

    “Furthermore, our initiative towards the nation’s economic recovery has commenced with the development of a robust and all-inclusive blueprint that will reopen the currently locked-down economic space, redirect the productive energies of our citizens through deliberate wealth creation policies and opportunities in all sectors.”

     

     

  • PDP urges EFCC to probe Osun 2016 audit report

    The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the 2016 audited report of the Rauf Aregbesola administration.

    Addressing reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, PDP’s State Chairman Soji Adagunodo said the governor’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and pensions was a fallout of his administration’s “wasteful spending”.

    The PDP chairman said the alleged wasteful spending was evident in the audited report.

    Addressing reporters in company of some governorship aspirants, including Oluomo Gbenga Owolabi, Adejare Bello, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade and Dr. Ayoade Adewopo, the PDP chairman said the 2016 audit report revealed that the governor allegedly spent over N6 billion as overhead cost in his office “at a time the state workers were groaning under the yoke of half and no salary”.

    He said: “The Office of the Governor, which is principally made up of the governor, deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and the Chief of Staff, spent N6,367,390,350.64 in one year. This is higher than the money spent on Education, Agriculture and Health in the same year.”

    But Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa, described PDP’s allegations against the government as the ranting of an ant.

    He said the opposition was fond of allegations it could not substantiate.

    According to him, the residents knew those in the PDP well, saying they could not make any impact on the life of the people when they were in power for seven and a half years.

    He said the PDP would fail in the September 22 governorship election, adding that the party knew that it had failed to win the sympathy of the people in the state.

     

     

     

     

  • SDP will surprise PDP, APC in Ekiti, says aspirant

    Akinloye Ayegbusi is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti State. In this interview with reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, he speaks on his vision for the state and other issues. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA was there.

    Many Nigerians are pushing  the generational shift. What is your view?

    Those leaders who have made such comments including professor Wole Soyinka, Former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, Former president olusegun Obasanjo were merely stating the obvious. Some of these leaders became heads of state when they were less than 30 years old. Today after several decades, they are still in the corridors of power. The youth must be allow to take over the leadership of this country. The older generations have done their best in piloting the affairs of this nation. My take is that our youths have the modern tools, they have the budding energy as well as the determination to govern the country. the youths are less bugged down by tribal and religious sentiment. They are more educated. The summary is that they are better equipped to provide leadership at a time like this when the country is at a cross road.

    Your party is relatively young in Ekiti and the governorship election is less than three months away. How can it beat more formidable parties like PDP and APC during the election?

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is not a new political party. Though the party was defunct due to its proscription. But, the spirit of the June 12, and its symbol, Chief MKO Abiola, has sustained the party. The party is a political movement in Ekiti at a time that people are tired of the old order. The platform has become an alternative choice between the good and the bad. It has become the a platform designed to rescue people from the untold hardship brought on them by several years of misrule. Let me also say that SDP is a good brand, populated by people of integrity. People who are determine to liberate the youths, the women, the children and the vulnerable people, especially the elderly in the society. So far people of like minds who have felt oppressed in other established party are daily trooping to our party. I can assure you, that SDP has become so formidable that it will give APC and the PDP a bloody nose in July 14, the voting day for the governorship.

    The contact and mobilization committee and other leaders of our party have been doing a yeoman job to recruit members in all the 177 wards of the state.

    Why do you want to be governor of Ekiti State?

    I have a mission to lead a tpeople-oriented and goal-getting government in the state so as to restore her dignity, rich socio-cultural and political values, hopes; ensure equitable distribution of the hard-earned dividends of our nascent democracy; rejuvenate and strengthen the state’s emaciating economic potentialities. I also have a vision is to lift Ekiti State to an enviable platform in the comity of the Federated States of Nigeria; to touch and impact positively on the life of the entire citizenry of the State.

    Education is considered the most cherished value of the state. What is your plan?

    Education is known world-wide as a dynamic instrument for transforming any society. Incidentally, education is the major Industry in the state.

    Unfortunately too, this industry has suffered serious neglect over the years.

    The focus of my administration, if given the opportunity, will be on, providing qualitative education at all levels, guaranteed and sustained government subsidy on cost of education at all levels, building of more classrooms in primary and secondary schools, employment of more teachers, for both the primary and secondary schools. I will also ensure regular payment of teachers’ salaries at all levels, provision of enhanced welfare package for teachers so as to motivate and promote their efficiency and dedication, effective supervision of primary schools, re-introduction of Local Education Officers,  establishment of a State Polytechnic to cater for the admission quests of thousands of applicants seeking admission into satellite campuses of other polytechnics within and outside Ekiti State.

    What are the other ways you think the youths can be engaged?

    Our youths will be made to embrace agriculture. Ekiti is basically an agrarian society. Deliberate, effort will be geared towards tapping and utilizing the agricultural potentialities of the State. A government led by me will pay due attention to agriculture via the following: Full integration of Cocoa-Rebirth Programme. Large scale production of yams, cassava, maize and some other tree crops. Encouragement farmers to form Cooperative Societies with a view to getting government loans to purchase tractors and other equipment for large scale farming. Sustained incentives to farmer via loans and subsidized equipment.

    Encouraging irrigation on farming Revamping of the Ikun Dairy Project, The establishment of small-scale Agro-allied industries to readily utilize available raw agricultural materials within the State. Ekiti State is not poor, though it may not be as rich as some other State of the Federation.

    Ekiti State is endowed by God with ebullient, abundantly and qualitative manpower and material resources.

    God had provided all these in commensurate and limitless quantities.

    The matching of human resources with natural resources required a God-fearing, skilled, experienced, dynamic and goal-getting manager. My appeal is that we should all join hands to positively change the course of our history by ushering in a people-oriented and God-fearing Government this time around.

  • Adeyeye dumps PDP, says he’s being wooed by five parties

    Barely 72 hours after losing the governorship ticket to Prof. Kolapo Olusola, former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has quit the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Adeyeye said he was moving to another party to stop the continuity agenda of Fayose which he said was not in the best interest of Ekiti people but to keep the state in perpetual slavery.

    He disclosed that since he lost the PDP primary to Fayose’s anointed candidate (Olusola), not less than five parties have approached him to come over and contest on their platform.

    The former PDP national spokesman promised to reveal the platform he would use to contest for the governorship “in the next forty hours.”

    Adeyeye spoke on Thursday shortly after holding a meeting with members of his campaign team, the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) at its headquarters along Ikere Road, Ado-Ekiti.

    He disclosed that he has been receiving solidarity messages from all parts of the world from people who were impressed with his performance at the PDP primary.

    The Ise-Ekiti prince said Fayose’s agenda was to do a third term in office by installing Olusola in a bid to perpetually corner Ekiti’s commonwealth.

    According to him, he would have won the PDP governorship primary “if not for the way Fayose intimidated delegates by forcing them to wear aso ebi to the venue.”

    Adeyeye condemned Fayose for standing up at a stage during the primary to monitor how delegates voted adding that he complained on the matter to the Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

    Okowa, according to him, said there was nothing he could do about Fayose’s alleged intimidation of delegates inside the hall when he (Fayose) discovered that he (Adeyeye) was receiving more votes than earlier envisaged.

    He revealed that Fayose allegedly coerced the delegates to same on local government basis to monitor how they voted which intimidated many of them.

    Despite allegedly monitoring delegates, Adeyeye said many of the delegates voted against Olusola which enabled him (Adeyeye) to garner 771 votes.

    He claimed that the governor who had boasted that he (Adeyeye) would not get up to 50 votes was shocked that he got 771 votes which allegedly made him (Fayose) to embark on an investigation of those who voted against Olusola.

    Adeyeye accused Fayose of stealing Ekiti funds and using same to acquire property while majority of the people are wallowing in poverty.

    The former Minister claimed that Fayose has wasted N8 billion Ekiti funds on chartered flights in the last three and half years while the flyover project was jerked up from N5 billion to N17 billion.

    He said: “I am leaving the party because party can change but your state cannot change, party can change, your hometown cannot change.

    “I can’t be part of enslavement, I can’t be part of corruption, I can’t be part of those keeping our people in poverty but spend billions of Naira on chartered flights to Abuja every year but will be riding okada at home.

    “By seeking another platform, I want to tell him that he can’t be riding roughshod over Ekiti people people and he cannot turn Ekiti to one-man rule.

    “Our party leaders in Abuja were surprised at my performance at the primary despite the intimidation but I told them that I can change party, party may go into extinction but Ekiti will remain.

    “I will not, because of party affiliation, allow Ekiti to be destroyed. That is why we will take decision today on where we are going.

    “Since Tuesday, civil servants, teachers, local government workers have become sad. Ekiti has been enveloped in mourning.

    “What is paramount in my mind is to liberate Ekiti. Today, we will not reveal where we are going yet but where are no longer where we were (PDP).”

  • ‘PDP ‘ll retain Ekiti’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ekiti State governorship election, Prof Kolapo Olusola has mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) for its Ekiti primary election fiasco.

    Olusola, who was at the Abuja secretariat of the PDP to collect his Certificate of Return, boasted that the party will win the July governorship election and retain control of the state.

    The PDP candidate said: “There is a big difference between the PDP and other parties. We are a party that has totally eliminated imposition and impunity.

    “We are a party where integrity, fairness, and transparency hold sway as the order of the day; a party where there is order and leadership is respected. This is a pattern of leadership we have at the national level.”

    Taking a jibe at the APC, which had its primary disrupted last Saturday, the PDP flag bearer said: “In our party, we don’t kick ballot boxes. In our party, we don’t snatch ballot boxes. In our party, we don’t engage in violence.

    “In our party, we don’t have any cause to cancel any election. We don’t have any reason to postpone or suspend any election. Even when elections are scheduled for a particular date, some people in other parties will still fix it for another day, because they can’t get their acts together.

    “ I count my self privileged as the first governorship candidate of our party to be issued a Certificate of Return. Today is historical and it will go down in history. What this means is that we have already won the July 14 election.

    “I must thank the Governor (Ayo Fayose) for standing on the side of truth and for giving us leadership in Ekiti State. If we have a leader that is fearless, the followers will also have the courage to follow.”

    Olusola, who is also the deputy governor, assured the leadership of the PDP that the party will win the election, saying other parties in the race were mere noise makers.

    Stating that the Ekiti people will resist money politics and violence, the candidate stressed that the party will no longer accommodate those he referred to as interlopers.

    “People want to take us through another round of economic slavery. We are no more ready for that. I am ready and prepared to take up this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti State on the platform of the PDP.”

    Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Dr Kayode Fayemi has congratulated Ekiti State Deputy Governor Olusola Eleka for his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s flag bearer for the July 14 election.

    Prof Olusola on Tuesday emerged winner of the primary held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Dr Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development and a former governor of the state, described the emergence of Prof Olusola in an orderly and peaceful primary as a welcome development.

    He, however, said the APC would give the PDP flag bearer a good fight for the Oke Ayoba Government House on July 14, adding that the APC is the preferred  choice of the people.

    The Minister, according to a statement by his Media Office, said he was confident that whoever emerges as the APC flag bearer in the party’s rescheduled primary on Friday, would be more acceptable to the electorate.

    Fayemi also denied media reports that he stormed out of a meeting of the South West leaders with aspirants in Abuja.