Tag: PDP

A man, who allegedly claimed to be on an official assignment from Abuja last Saturday, was arrested at the Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lokoja for allegedly carrying illegal arms.

The man was said to have presented himself as a policeman on duty at the party’s secretariat.

He was arrested and taken away by officers from the state force headquarters.

Vigilant policemen accosted the man. But details about his identity were not revealed at press time last night.

A search on the vehicle that brought him to the venue with an “accomplice” was said to have revealed that they were carrying illegal arms and charms.

Consensus was the method adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it conducted an uneventful primary elections in Cross River State yesterday.

A five- man Election Panel that over-saw the exercise was chaired by Dr. Alimi Abdul-Razaq.

Addressing stake holders at the party secretariat prior to the release of materials, Abdul-Razaq advised those that may be dissatisfied with the process to take advantage of the appeal process as guaranteed by the electoral guideline.

He emphasized that the party would not condone indiscipline or any act of violence from any aggrieved member, saying the party is large enough to accommodate everyone by ensuring all interests are accommodated.

PDP Caucus leader in Calabar Municipality , Sir William Archibong, who described the area as the most peaceful in the state said they had earlier agreed on a consensus candidate which they all accepted through a zoning process, adding that he was at the venue to affirm what was unanimously endorsed.

One of the aspirants to the House of Representatives in the Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Ntufam Etta Mbora, remarked that the zoning process has benefited the area and that it has brought about equity and fair play, stressing that it has also afforded the area equal representation at all levels of governance.

Despite the Abuja Federal High Court Court ruling on the crisis rocking the Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two factions of the party yesterday held a parallel primaries for the State Assembly aspirants.

The Abuja court had earlier ruled in favour of the State Executives led by Ebenezer Alabi to be the one to produce delegates, but was ignored by the newly defected Labour Party (LP) members to PDP.

The Nation, visited some areas in  Akure South Constituencies one and two and learnt that the elections were held peacefully by each of the factions while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) were not present to monitor the exercise. .

At the end of the day, each of the factions was claiming to have elected an authentic candidate at its primaries.

However, the case was different in some constituencies as it was gathered that in Idanre, Ese Odo, Ondo East and West State Constituencies , the two factions harmonized and held a successful primaries.

The State Chairman of the party, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, expressed his delight over the exercise, saying his faction held a peaceful and successful primaries throughout the 26 state constituencies of the state.

He, however, denied the absence of INEC at the venue of the primaries as he said the officials were present but only came late due to some re-arrangement that occurred between the representatives of the two factions at the INEC office .

He said” The INEC officials came to monitor the exercise, it is only that there was a delay in their coming, initially we had the argument in their office about the conflicting list that was sent to their office, one from the governor and one from the party, but it was finally resolved, that order of the court says the executive of our party remains in office and by that decision they have mandated all their staff to go and monitor the exercise” Alabi stated.

He expressed assurances that the crisis would be over, saying his faction was ready for truce and ready to unite with the other faction so that the party could move forward.

In his reaction, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade said in his own Constituency and some Constituencies in the state, adding that INEC officials were also present at the venues of the exercise.

“There was no problem in our constituency, if you come to Idanre, you will see INEC officials that came to monitor the exercise, there is only one PDP recognized in our own constituency because it involves the old and the new PDP” Akinmade explained .

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant to the Delta State House of Assembly, to represent Warri South Constituency 2, Godspower Etih, is now to fight for his life following an armed attack on him Thursday night, just two days to yesterday’s primaries of his party.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the PDP House of Assembly primaries in the 29 state constituencies was uncertain as aspirants and delegates were seen still waiting for materials and party officials as at the time of filing this report.

The Nation gathered that the attackers of Etih trailed him to his mother’s home around Upper Erejuwa area of Warri at about 9pm, blocked him as he was about coming out of his car and rained bullets on him.

According to eyewitnesses, his attackers did not take anything from him, adding that they seemed like people sent to eliminate him and finally remove him from the race to the state’s House of Assembly. He was reportedly rushed to a private hospital for medical attention.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the primaries did not commence in most places across the state until after 4pm, due to lateness of the arrival of party and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials.

In Warri, Warri South council area and Oleh, Isoko South council area, as at 3:15pm yesterday, materials had not arrived the venues slated for the primaries.

In Uvwie council area, the town hall earlier slated for the primaries was under lock and keys in the earlier hours of the day. Some aspirants and delegates were, however, seen hanging around and some protesting the situation.

But The Nation later gathered that the venue had been rescheduled to hold within the premises of the Uvwie council area’s headquarters in Effurun for security reasons.

Chairman of Uvwie council, Henry Baro, told The Nation that the venue was changed to forestall any form of violence and that owners of the town hall had said they did not want any partisan event there as it could degenerate to the unforeseen as the area was known for violence.

Corroborating Baro’s stand, Chairman of PDP in the local government area, Kelly Otuedor, said they chose Uvwie Council Headquarters because it was more secured.

Meanwhile,  as at the time of filing this report, eight of the ten aspirants for the Uvwie state’s constituency had stepped down for the incumbent representative, Efe Ofoburuku, as candidate.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere across the Lagos metropolis yesterday.

At the Mainland Constituency 1 at Ebute-Metta, comprising seven wards, Ishola Jelili Balogun emerged as the sole candidate, with his candidature said to have been affirmed by the delegates at the primary exercise.

At the Yaba Constitiency II comprising four wards, 16 out of the 27 delegates elected Ibrahim Olumide Ajiga, he beat his co-contestant, Emmanuel Oloyede, who polled 11 votes.

Kehinde Owolabi emerged at Constituency 1 of Alimosho to beat Morenike Bimbo Animasahun and two others.

A governorship aspirant the party, Dr. Adegbola Dominic, described the exercise as very peaceful and orderly notwithstanding its late commencement.

He said no violence was recorded, stressing that the people waited patiently to ensure the exercise was peaceful.

It was learnt that the exercise was also hitch-free at Osodi-Isolo, with a source describing it as rancour-free.

The Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Taofeek Gani, said the primary exercise was very successful.

He added that the party would only release official result after a committee of the party must have met on it.

The outcome of the primary exercise between the son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State for Defence, Ibrahim Babajide and Muyiwa Ariyo supposedly being backed by former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, is still being expected.