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Tag: PDP

  • APC’s three years better than PDP’s 16 years, says Tinubu

    The All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has done better in the last three years than the 16 years rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said yesterday.

    Tinubu spoke yesterday in Kano as a special guest of honour at the 35th Aminu Kano Annual Memorial Symposium organised by Mambayya House, Aminu Kano Centre for Research and Training, Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

    The theme was: “Democratic governance and the imperatives of party ideology and supremacy.”

    It was to honour Kano’s most influential politician of all times and the revered leader of the talakawa, the late Mallam Aminu Kano.

    Speakers included former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former governor of old Kaduna State Balarabe Musa, APC chief Usman Bugaje, eminent journalist Dapo Olorunyomi and Dr. Auwal Anwar. BUK Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Prof. Sagir Abbas. The ceremony was chaired by Malam Mahmud Othman.

    The former Lagos State governor, who was represented by Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, said: “When someone can do for you in three years what another did not even try in 16 years, any person with an open eye can see the difference between giver and taker, between friend and thief.”

    He added: “The Buhari government has spent inordinate time cleaning the rot and plugging the holes in the corrupt system the others had institutionalised as their strategic policy and national direction.”

    According to him, “the APC has been working to steer our national ship from this awful direction in order that we may bring the people and their welfare into safe harbour.

    Tinubu explained that, “had the billions of dollars and trillions of naira that were stolen by past governments been used for the people, the nation would have been able to acquire the infrastructure and implement the programmes that bring greater development and economic justice to all

    “Instead, the select few ate more than their bellies could contain. Distorting the course of justice and hijacking the means of national welfare, they wildly enriched themselves and left the average Nigerian to dine on the passing wind.”

    He said more needed to be done. “I envision a time of even bolder action that modernises national infrastructure, implements an industrial plan that revives the textile sector and builds new industries, agricultural reform that provides farmers minimum incomes and greater access to credit.

    “Mortgage reform that opens the door to affordable housing for millions of families, pension reform that insulates our aged from poverty and an expansion of the school feeding into every state and local government.”

    Speaking on party ideology, Tinubu said ideology and principle must hold supremacy, adding that, “calling for party supremacy by and for its own sake is nothing but an invitation for people to install and then perpetuate themselves in positions of authority in the party.”

    Tinubu described Malam Aminu Kano as a leader with high moral conduct, pointing out that, “this great man could have lived an easy life by exploiting for selfish objectives all the opportunities opened to a man of his great ability and social station.

    “Instead, he devoted himself to the welfare of the people. He took the harder path because it was the true and correct one. As Aminu Kano did, we must do.”

    Bauchi state Governor Mohammed Abubakar who was the Guest of Honour, noted that the questions raised at the symposium could best be answered by studying the life and times of Malam Aminu Kano who he described as upright and down-to-earth.

    The Chief Host and Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Usman Alhaji Usman, urged politicians to aspire to follow the footsteps of Aminu Kano who he described as a man of integrity, honesty, simplicity and transparency.

    In his paper Bugaje raised a few posers such as the difference between power and authority, legality and legitimacy, as well as eligibility and sustainability.

    He argued that it was possible to have power without having authority, adding that it was also possible to be eligible, but not suitable for a given position or office.

    In order to succeed, he said a leader must be knowledgeable, courageous and selfless; while adding that a leader must be like a shepherd who leads his cattle to a place of pasture and a good place where they can graze.

    Olorunyomi said the need for the country to be in accord and be united in purpose.

    In spite of the challenges that Rwanda recently went through, he said the country was able to bounce back into a unified entity where law and order reigned because of unity of purpose.

     

  • PDP, Obaseki bicker over N500m maize farm

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki yesterday traded words over allegation that the N500 million Sobe maize farm was a conduit pipe to loot state’s finances.

    Obaseki, in April last year, inaugurated 1000 hectares of farmland at the Sobe Farm settlement for cultivation of maize and to empower 200 agripreneurs.

    The maize farm was cultivated in partnership with Saro Agrisciences.

    Edo PDP Chairman Chief Dan Orbih, who spoke at a news conference in Benin City, said no agripreneurs were given farm land as promised by Obaseki.

    Orbih challenged Obaseki to show how many tonnes of maize were realised from the farm or how much the state made from the project.

    He noted that the N500 million paid to Saro Agrisciences was diverted as nobody benefited from the farm proceed.

    He cautioned Obaseki against further sale of state’s assets.

    The Edo PDP chairman listed assets sold by Obaseki to include the Oil Palm Mill, Ubiaja Rice Mill and the Rubber Processing Mill.

    Orbih said plans were on to sell assets of Edo Line.

    His words: “Government business cannot be managed like a private business. Bringing Saro Agrisciences to come and preside over siphoning of the state fund is unfortunate.

    “The Sobe demonstration farm is a drain pipe to loot the state. No single graduate was engaged in the farm. The state government should show us who benefitted from the scheme.”

    Obaseki, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said his administration did not have any project that drains the resources of the state.

    The governor said he added value to several investments, such as the Edo Fertiliser and Chemical plant, development of Benin Industrial Park, Gelegele Seaport, training of Edo teachers, reconstruction of Benin Science and Technical College and many others.

    His words: “As a responsible government, it is our duty to keep Edo people abreast of developments in the state. Every item mentioned in the recent address by the Edo PDP, is completely false and has no foundation what so ever in truth.

    “The Governor Godwin Obaseki administration is moving so smoothly and delivering all the promises it made to the people. The smooth sail causes the Edo PDP a great deal of unease, discomfiture and discomposure and instead of joining  the moving train, they seem resolute about disrupting the process of progress by fabricating lies.

    “The Edo PDP see the world as they are. They know themselves to be untrustworthy with heavybaggage of graft and so they believe everyone else must be like them.

    “We know Edo people are too sophisticated to be deceived by these feeble lies. They research, verify and compare claims before reaching a conclusion. But as for the Edo PDP, we are not surprised that they cannot prove their claims because they are lies.”

     

     

  • Senator, ex-envoy, others quit pdp for sdp

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has lost some chieftains to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    The defectors include former Senate Deputy Chief Whip Clement Awoyelu, former High Commissioner to Canada Ambassador Dare Bejide, former House of Representatives member Hon. Yemi Arokodare, and former Commissioner for Commerce Mrs. Omotomilola Osunde.

    Rising from a meeting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the defctors said they could no longer stomach the alleged dictatorial tendencies, impunity, lack of respect for elders and subversion of party constitution by Governor Ayo Fayose.

    They condemned the attempt by Fayose to impose his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as the sole candidate, ahead of the July 14 governorship election. They said the imposition was done in violation of party guidelines and the Electoral Act.

    They also berated Fayose for victimising party members who disagreed with him on principle and turning the party to his personal estate.

    Awoyelu was the first PDP Chairman while Bejide, who was the  Secretary, later served as Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    Addressing reporters after the meeting held in his Ekute, Ado-Ekiti residence, Awoyelu, who represented Ekiti Central in the Senate between 2003 and 2007, said Fayose and his faction frustrated the peace moves to resolve the crisis in Ekiti PDP.

    He said a faction of the PDP, led by Chief Williams Ajayi, had defected, assuring that the SDP will work hard to win the governorship  poll.

    Ajayi was leading a splinter group before the Appeal Court  validated the pro-Fayose group, led by Chief Gboyega Oguntuase as the authentic faction.

    Awoyelu said: “We have been on this issue for long, particularly since Governor Fayose pronounced his deputy the sole candidate for the next election. We have experienced impunity, reckless imposition and lack of respect for elders being displayed by the governor.

    “As a leader, I could not have taken a unilateral position over issue that affects the corporate existence of all of us. So today, we met and we all agreed to move en mass to SDP .

    “We are receiving complaints everyday about how PDP members loyal to Fayose have been victimizsing their perceived enemies in PDP.

    “We could all see how a man has turned himself into a dictator  in a party we all laboured to build. Looking at all these infractions, we have agreed not to return to PDP, we are now to move en mass to SDP.

    “We deliberated well before taking this decision and since it was the voice of the people, I have to abide by it as a leader”, he added.

    Awoyelu said the decision to defect was not triggered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s association with the SDP.

    Awoyelu said: “We are old enough to take actions on our own, we are not neophytes in politics, so this is not true.

    “We are aware that Obasanjo has formed the a National InterventionMovement(NIM) , which he said was not a political movement.

    “But, we will be happy if this group is ready to work with SDP. Our aim is to take over Ekiti and Nigeria in 2019 and we are ready with like minds to achieve this task”.

    On whether the constitution of the executives from the wards to the State level may spark up controversies in the party between the old and new members, Awoyelu dispelled such insinuation, saying  there are no class differences in SDP.

    “We are all one, whether new or old and it is the secretariat that will give directive on how the executives should be constituted.”

  • $2.1b arms cash: I never collected money from anywhere – Secondus

    …Challenges FG to publish voucher, says we will meet in court

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus Tuesday denied collecting N250million out of the $2.1billion arms cash allegedly squandered by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    He challenged the Federal Government to publish the voucher(s) which he allegedly signed to collect the purported arms cash.

    He said it was unfortunate that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    But he was silent on alleged 54 vehicles purportedly bought for him from the proceeds of Strategic Alliance Agreement between Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    Secondus, who bared his mind in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ike Abonyi, said the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were desperate to frame him up.

    The statement said: “The attention of the media office of the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has been drawn to the desperation of the Federal Government and its ruling, All Progressives Congress (APC) to frame him up with some blatant fabrications ostensibly to distract him from carrying out his responsibility of rebuilding his party.

    “The National Chairman would ordinarily not want to join issues with the government on a matter already in court but noted regrettably that the administration has great contempt for the court and the rule of law and has instead chosen to use blackmail and media persecution to defame and discredit their enemies. A gimmick Prince Secondus said has failed because Nigerians have come to know the antics of the drowning government.

    “The Federal Government and its agency in their desperation to forge documents and defame him, forgot to reconcile their lies; the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji. Lai Mohammad and the EFCC couldn’t agree on the date of the purported money collection and whether it was collected by him Secondus or by a faceless fictional Chukwura that has no surname.

    “While they may have embarked on a wide search since 2015 for the surname of the so called aide of the National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed claimed in his press conference on Good Friday March 29th, 2018 that Secondus collected the money on 19th of February, 2015, EFCC on their part on April 16th, 2018, eighteen days after said the money was collected on February 9th, 2015 and in another version still quoting the same EFCC claimed February 2, 2015.

    Secondus said he will not succumb to blackmail and intimidation on his mission to reform the PDP.

    He said it was sad that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    The statement added: “Secondus restated his earlier declaration that nothing, not even the blackmail and intimidation lined up against the opposition by the Federal Government would be enough to stop him from carrying out the reform of his party, the PDP, as the programme is aimed at repositioning the party with a view to rescuing Nigeria from the disaster called APC administration.

    “Prince Secondus described as unfortunate and tragic the fact that anti-corruption agency like EFCC founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC administration to witch hunt and harass perceived enemies of government just to impress and keep job.

    He challenged the government and any agency that have anything against him that just cropped up because he is trying to rebrand his party to bring such evidence to the court and stop character assassination in the media.

    The statement said: “There’s no need to be talking about a case pending in court in the newspapers.  If the government has anything to say, they should file it before the court as demanded.”

    “The National Chairman’s office is aware of a grand design by the government to stop at anything to tarnish his image. But he said that the move would fail.”

    Secondus asked the Federal Government to release any evidence linking him with the purported collection of N250million from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    The statement said: “He (Secondus) challenged the government to come out with the vouchers with which he was said to have signed, adding that such signature would also be subjected to forensic analysis.

    “I never collected any money from anywhere. I didn’t ask anyone to collect money for me as well and I didn’t sign any voucher to collect any money.

    “It is pure blackmail which will never work. If they are cooking up anything, with the aim of blackmailing me, it will fail. I know that the task of uprooting this non-performing government would be horrendous. But God is always on the side of the people.

    “I can understand the frustration of a party that enjoyed enormous goodwill from Nigerians three years ago but got it squandered with its ‘nepotic’ and insensitive administration.

    “No amount of cheap blackmail and treachery will return the APC from the exit gate where Nigerians already pushed them to, awaiting 2019.

    “The departure date for the APC has already been announced and the flight schedule would not be cancelled, because Nigerians cannot wait to see them off.

    “Finally, the media office of the National chairman said that they are not oblivious of the fact that this government does not believe in court because they see rule of law as antithetical to their own agenda and understanding of democracy but noted emphatically, that truth must prevail over lies and propaganda especially as the populace have cried out to God for a rescue.”

    Read Also: Secondus gives Lai Mohammad 48 hours to retract statement

  • 2019: Edo PDP raises mobilization committee

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has raised a 10-member committee to help raise his membership from the grassroot ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    It said the committee headed by Pastor Emmanuel Ojo Agge is to garner support for the PDP and woo many Edo people into the party.

    The PDP chairman in the state, Chief Dan Orbih, said members of the committee were carefully selected because of their ability to win new members into the party.

    Orbih urged the committee members to work with existing structures of the party across the state.

    He also tasked the committee to boost the party’s membership across the state.

    He said: “We have confidence that the committee will achieve results. This assignment is a new beginning in our pragmatic approach to winning new members into the PDP.

    “This committee is made up of people with desire to ensure change of governance in the country.”

    The party’s governorship candidate in the 2016 election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, hailed Orbih for commencing preparation for next year’s election.

     

     

     

     

  • ADP, PDP trade words over ‘attack’ on members

    The Action Democratic Party (ADP) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of unleashing terror on its members ahead of the July 14 governorship election.

    The ADP claimed that its members are being attacked by “PDP thugs” at some voters’ registration centres.

    ADP’s Publicity Secretary Eniola Eponlolaye said the attacks were aimed at intimidating them ahead of the poll.

    Eponlolaye, in a statement yesterday, called on security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bring the perpetrators to book.

    He said: “We call on INEC officials and the law enforcement agents to deal decisively with whoever is behind these unpatriotic activities.

    “All members and supporters of ADP are implored to remain calm by not taking laws into their hands, as efforts are on to arrest the situation.”

    But the PDP denied the allegation, describing its members as law-abiding citizens.

    The Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, described the allegation as a “joke taken too far which should not be believed by right-thinking people”.

    Adebayo said: “PDP would never harass any opposition member as our members are most peaceful and law abiding.

    “Not even the main opposition party, APC, can accuse us of harassing its members, let alone an inconsequential party like ADP.”

  • CHOGM: PDP sets agenda for Buhari

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which opens in London today to inform other world leaders of the alleged “depressing state of affairs” under his watch.

    The party urged the President to resist the temptation of seeking to impress world leaders with what it termed “false performance indices”, but to present the real situation in the country.

    In a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP listed the alleged pitiable state of the economy, escalated insecurity, human rights abuses, daily bloodletting, persecution of opposition and erosion of democratic values in the last three years as some of the ills plaguing the country.

    It also urged Buhari not forget to inform CHOGM that back home, there is a national indignation and general vote of no confidence against his administration for its failure to fulfill the promises he made during the 2015 Presidential campaign.

    The statement said: “President Buhari should inform other world leaders that due to the harsh economic policies and gross incompetence of his administration, our once robust economy, internationally rated as one of the fasted growing in the world and one of the best investment destinations, collapsed in his hands and went into a recession; that infrastructure is collapsing and that all sectors of public and private lives are now in shambles.”

    The opposition party urged the President not to allow his handlers to mislead him to colour his presentation at CHOGM, as such will detract from his integrity as a leader.

    “As for us in the repositioned PDP, we will continue to stand with Nigerians in their collective quest to end the APC misrule and return the nation to path of truth, national cohesion and economic prosperity, come 2019,” the party added.

  • Era of impunity, imposition of candidates over says PDP

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), Mr Uche Secondus says the period of impunity and imposition of candidates in the party has ended.

    Secondus said this in Udi, Enugu State on Saturday during a rally organised by members of the party in Enugu West Senatorial Zone of the state.

    The chairman, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Sen. Babaya Garba, said that the party was determined and poised to reenact its glorious days.

    He said that aspirants in the party would henceforth be provided the level playing ground to thrive.

    Secondus said that feelers across the country showed that Nigerians needed the party back to power, adding that their performances during their time were outstanding.

    He, however, said that for the party to thrive, it needed to show character and good leadership in the states under its control as was witnessed in Enugu State.

    “We are determined to reenact the glorious days and achieve greater heights. To achieve this, we need to provide level playing ground for aspirants.

    “There will no longer be impunity and imposition of candidates in our party,” he said.

    Secondus said that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was happy with the quality of leadership shown by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    “Enugu State deserves to be emulated because there is absolute peace here. We are happy with the unity between the two leaders of our party in the state: Ugwuanyi and Sen. Ike Ekweremadu.

    “The NWC of the party is proud of you,” Secondus said.

    In his speech, the Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, said that the leadership style of the governor had ushered permanent peace in the state.

    Ekweremadu said that the PDP in the state had its fair share of crisis and trying moments which threatened to sink the party.

    He mentioned 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 as the years the party in the state had its greatest challenges as its chieftains were engaged in supremacy battle.

    He said that this was the first time the party in the state had peace at the eve of an election year.

    “I have been involved in politics of the state since 1998 and there have always been problems.

    “In 2002 we had a crisis that almost consumed everybody while 2006 was crisis of succession.

    “In 2008 and 2014, the state was divided between Abuja politicians and their home based counterparts but we survived it.

    “Today, we have a governor that has brought permanent peace and that is why we are celebrating,” he said.

    The deputy senate president said that the state was one of the best places to live in the country due to the prevailing security and peace.

    Ekweremadu said that residents of the state would show their gratitude to the governor in the coming general election.

    Responding, Ugwuanyi said that he was overwhelmed by the outpour of emotions and eloquent testimonies about his administration.

    The governor commended members of the party from the zone for their show of love and support.
    He assured them of continued provision of good and quality leadership as well as lead with the fear of God. (NAN)

  • Herdsmen: Buhari failed woefully in tackling insurgency – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to admit that he has failed woefully in his promise to end insurgency in the country.

    In a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party urged the President to stop the habit of resorting to excuses, particularly in the international arena.

    President Buhari had on Wednesday in London, told the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that the killings by Fulani herdsmen in some states in Nigeria were being perpetrated by some fighters trained and equipped by the slain Libyan Leader, Col. Moummar Gaddafi.

    The statement said: “By running to Archbishop Justin Welby to declare that the insurgents and marauders pillaging our people are fighters from late Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya, President Buhari confirms the position of Nigerians that he is incapable of handling the security challenges of our nation.

    “We invite Nigerians to recall that in November 2017, President Buhari had informed the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that Gaddafi’s fighters were responsible for the escalation of Boko Haram insurgency.

    “This time, Mr. President has revealed that the killer-herdsmen ravaging our nation and killing our people are from Libya.

    “If the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government knew all these while that the marauders and insurgents are invaders, then why is it engaging them in dialogue, reportedly paying ransoms and even considering the amnesty option for them.

    “In the same vein, Nigerians should demand explanations from President Buhari on why his administration has been asking the victims of marauders’ attacks in various states, particularly, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Zamfara and Plateau, among others, to learn to accommodate, if it knows that the attackers had links with Libya.

    “Our take remains that President Buhari and his dysfunctional APC should simply admit that they have failed to safeguard the lives of our people as well as the territorial integrity of our nation.

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to continue to be at alert and support one another in these trying times, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or class, as we collectively work to salvage our nation from the misrule of the incompetent APC, come 2019.

    “As a party, we are already working on resetting the agenda of our nation and we are determined to reinvent the wheel of our national fortunes.”

  • PDP alleges plots to clampdown on chieftains

    THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged plots to clampdown on its prominent chieftains by the security agencies in the days ahead.

    It accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of orchestrating the plot, with the view to harass, intimidate and incarcerate a number of its prominent chieftains.

    At a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “Today, in our country, there is an orchestrated plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to use the state apparatus of power to coerce, emasculate and effectively decapitate opposition and other dissenting voices, foist a one-party state and push a self-succession bid for President Muhammadu Buhari, seeing that their chances of winning the presidential election gets slimmer by the day.

    “Currently, the APC has fully commenced a major onslaught on leaders and key voices in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly our state governors, opposition leaders in the National Assembly as well as our presidential hopefuls.”

    The opposition cited alleged attempts to frame up and humiliate the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremmadu as well as PDP governors, particularly River State Governor Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti state counterpart, Ayo Fayose.

    “This is in addition to advanced plots by the Federal Government to clampdown on key leaders of the party and begin to drop in public places, alleged confessional statements made under duress in the desperate attempt to achieve a pre-determined end of validating the bandying of corruption allegations against members of the PDP.

    “We have also been made aware of a special presidential committee put up by the APC Federal Government to persecute our leaders. Already, no fewer than 28 cases have been filed based on trumped up charges. Also, we are privy to series of clandestine meetings between agents of the APC and some compromised judicial officers to get conviction at all cost”, the party added.

    The opposition party also alleged plots to embarrass credible individuals, particularly in the PDP, known or perceived to be interested in contesting the 2019 presidential election.

    Ologbondiyan said: “We also want to bring to the attention of the international community that  in its desperate attempt to win election, the APC-led Federal Government is stopping at nothing, including resort to undemocratic proclivities…

    “We are not opposed to the fight against corruption, which, of course, was started by our party, through the establishment of credible anti-corruption institutions.

    “We however demand that prosecutions must be done in a credible, transparent, legitimate and constitutional manner. We will not allow the persecution of our members under the guise of the fight against corruption.”