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Tag: PDP

  • Akwa Ibom: Aspirant unfolds programmes

    Akwa Ibom: Aspirant unfolds programmes

    Akwa Ibom State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Mr. Benjamin Okoko has  urged the party to provide a level-playing ground for contenders during the primaries.

    He said, if there is a free and fair shadow poll, he will emerge as the flagbearer.

    For almost one year, he has been holding consultations with stakeholders. Many PDP chieftains perceive him as a popular aspirant, who is fit to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio. He is a foundation member of the party.

    Also, party chieftains believe that he will continue with the “uncommon transformation agenda” of the administration. He has been vying for the governorship since the days of the military rule.

    Okoko, who spoke with reporters in Uyo, the state capital, promised to make “uncommon sacrifice “ for the state.

    He said: “It has to do with my own value of life. How do I see life? What do I want in life? For me, great societies are built on the sacrifices of people, at some point in time, who determines that the cause of history must go this way.

    “If water is flowing towards a specific direction, you can say no, let it flow this way and change its cause. I like to go into history as the poorest man that left the Akwa Ibom Governor Lodge after my tenure as governor. What does that mean? I will give my own to the service of the people.”

    Okoko promised to preside over a prudent administration, if elected as governor. He said: “Government will never have enough resources to do everything it should do. One hundred per cent resources of Akwa Ibom I will commit to the development and wellbeing of the people of the state.

    “I hope that my personal sacrifice and stewardship will help the cause of our people and inspire others, who will come after me, to truly see that there is greatness in giving your own and greatness in poverty; that there is greatness in contentment.

    “After my tenure, if I leave office with a pair of trousers, I will wear it and I will be a happy man; very satisfied man. I will be a true soldier and die at my post, provided the needs and welfare of the people of Akwa Ibom are met and that is why I have christened my aspiration “uncommon sacrifice.”

    The aspirant urged the people not to relent in their support for his aspiration.  He added: “They should support Benjamin Okoko as the next governor of Akwa Ibom State so that, together, we will be able to build a state that will meet the needs and aspiration of the future generation.

    “I will unite the state, reconcile all groups, bring down political pressure, tension, contain insecurity, restore peace and reach out to everybody.

    “I will not leave anybody behind because Akwa Ibom needs us now more than before. The issue of unemployment, creation of wealth in the polity and industrialisation will be addressed through the provision of constant power supply during my tenure.”

     

     

  • PDP makes u-turn on Enugu ward congresses

    PDP makes u-turn on Enugu ward congresses

    The controversy surrounding the November 1 ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has taken a dramatic twist as counsel to the national leadership of the party told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that the elections to elect the three-man ad-hoc delegates from the 260 wards in the State, did not hold.

    The party’s position was contained in an affidavit and a written address it filed in its defence to a suit brought by three persons claiming to be suing on behalf of “themselves and all delegates elected on the 1st of November, 2014 at the ward congress held in Enugu State”, in which they are asking the court to prevent the PDP from changing the “result of the congress”.

    They had joined the National Chairman of the PDP, the National Secretary, the National Working Committeee of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants in the suit.

    The party, however, in the counter affidavit filed by Fredrick C. Olisa, a counsel in the chambers of its solicitors, A.A Ibrahim and Co, contended that no ward congresses took place on the 1st of November, 2014 in Enugu contrary to the claims of the plaintiffs.

    It stated that due to a misudnerstanding “ that almost involved fistcuffs”among the members of the electoral committee set up by the national leadership of the party who were to conduct the ward congress in Enugu State, the materials for the election did not leave Abuja but were deposited by mutual consent at the Wuse Police station for safe keeping.

    The party further asserted that contrary to the claims of the plaintiffs, the result sheets for the congresses were still in its custody, adding that none of the plaintiffs “won any election and were never issued with the official result sheet in form PD/004.

    While admitting that “there have been allegations and counter allegations in respect of the ward congress in Enugu State,” the party declared that it had not accepted any list of ad-hoc delgates from the contending parties since “the National Working Committee is addressing the issue.”

    The PDP, therefore, averred that the suit was “ a subterfuge by the plaintiffs to foist their ambition on the party as the 1st defendant’s (PDP) delegates”.

    Also, the party, in a written address further urged the court to dismiss the suit since the plaintiffs had from the evidence before it,  failed to establish that they won the election, neither have they adduced any evidence that the congress allegedely conducted was in compliance with the constitution and the electoral guidelines of the party.

    The party further contended that the court lacked jurisdiction to choose or decide on which of the party members are delegates as “ the issue is purely political and not justiceable.”

    It will be recalled that the both the ward and Local Government congresses in Enugu State have been the subject of intense controversy between factions loyal to Governor Sullivan Chime and Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Senate.

    Whereas the governor’s camp has continued to insist that no congresses held in the state, the David Aja-led faction loyal to Ekweremadu insisted that the exercise held, and even came up with the list of delegates so elected at the congresses.

     

     

  • Suspected thugs invade Speaker’s home

    Suspected thugs invade Speaker’s home

    •Relatives, aides, security men beaten   up

    The crisis in the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got worse yesterday, as over 50 suspected thugs invaded the home of the embattled Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, beating up his relations, aides and security personnel.

    The Speaker was allegedly impeached by 16 members of the House on Monday.

    But the “impeachment” came after a 10-man faction loyal to the Speaker had allegedly suspended two members of the Assembly, Ogbonnaya Ikoro and Oliver Nwachukwu, after which they went on recess till December 15.

    The suspected hoodlums, who came in three buses, reportedly carried sticks, stones and other weapons.

    Police spokesman Chris Anyanwu said the thugs were arrested by men of the State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) while ransacking the Speaker’s official residence.

    He said a stalwart of the PDP, who led the suspected hoodlums, was also apprehended, adding that the command was  investigating the incident and would arraign the suspects soon.

    Also yesterday, the state government accepted the impeachment of Speaker Nwazunku and election of his deputy, Blaise Orji, to replace him.

    The Supervising Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Ike, described the impeachment as purely the business of the 24 members.

    A coalition of youth organisations in the state said it was in support of the impeachment.

    About 1,000 youths spoke at a rally in support of the government.

    Spokesman for the youth and Commissioner for Education, Mr. Chibueze Agbo, said they came to support Speaker Orji and Governor Martin Elechi.

  • Ebonyi Reps PDP caucus rejects Elechi’s candidate

    Ebonyi Reps PDP caucus rejects Elechi’s candidate

    The Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday described as unacceptable, the emergence of former Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu as the PDP ‘consensus’ candidate in the governorship election in 2015.

    At a news briefing at the National Assembly, the five-member Reps Caucus rejected Chukwu, saying he was “hand-picked” by Governor Martin Elechi without “true consultation and participation of the stakeholders of the party and the state.”

    The caucus members include Sylvester Ogbaga, Christopher Omoisu, Linus Okorie, Tobias Okwuru and Peter Ogeali.

    The caucus led by Okorie said: “We are aware that no true attempt at consensus building was undertaken and that no consensus has been achieved on the issue.

    “For instance, no attempt was made or has been made to consult the National Assembly caucus, the state Assembly caucus, traditional institutions and other stakeholders in the state.”

    They accused the governor of planning to retire them (lawmakers) prematurely from their political careers with acts of abuse meant to undermine the electoral process.

    “All the highlighted acts of abuse of the constitution of the party and the approved guidelines were undertaken to circumvent the process, manipulate the delegates’ list and subsequently proceed to return a set of predetermined candidates for the positions under the party without genuine and credible primary election.”

    Appealing to the PDP National Working Committee to ensure transparency in the coming elections, the caucus pleaded with the governor to ensure a level- playing field for the aspirants.

    The lawmakers said: “We appeal that all organs of the party should remain on the alert to ensure that the PDP candidates in the state emerge through credible primaries achieved through adherence to the party constitution, extant guidelines and approved processes and procedures.

    “For emphasis, we plead that the governor should be prevailed upon to grant us and indeed all aspirants a level-playing field to canvass our candidature and not seek to ‘retire’ us ignominiously through underhand methods capable of truncating the system and destroying the party and its electoral chances.”

    However, only three members of the five-member caucus signed the statement, as the two other members, who did not sign the statement, were said to be out of the Federal Capital Territory.

    While Tobias Okwuru and Peter Ogeali did not sign the statement, Linus Okorie, Sylvester Ogbaga and Christopher Omoisu appended their signatures to it.

     

     

  • PDP, victim of own impunity

    SIR: It is no longer news that the ruling PDP is in serious crisis across the nation as a result of accumulated and recurring problems in its fold. The party is on its way to the Golgotha.

    The endorsement of President Jonathan as its consensus candidate for the 2015 general elections by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has worsened its internal crisis. The endorsement and adoption of consensus candidates by PDP governors whose second term in office expires next year and the aspiration of some of these governors to go to the senate after the expiration of their tenures has further divided the party creating disaffection between National Assembly members and their state governors.

    All over the PDP states, it one problem or another; In the South-east state of Enugu, it is superiority battle between Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremmadu and state governor, Sullivan Chime over who becomes the senator, representing Enugu West in the senate come 2015. In South-south, Rivers State PDP is divided between zoning and who becomes their governorship candidate in the forth coming elections.

    In Akwa Ibom, the matter is imposition of governorship candidate; in Cross River State, it’s been war of words between Governor Liyel Imoke and Senate Majority Leader Victor Ndoma Egba over eligibility and tenure of senators at the upper chambers.

    In the North, the adoption of President Jonathan as consensus candidate is causing rancour in the fold of the party.

    How further could the party be divided?

    As the series of drama unfolds, it is an indication that the architect of the death of many political parties in the past, the master strategist in plotting divisions in other parties is finally being served a dose of its on juice. The sins of the party is gradually catching up with them.

    The implosion is both imminent and inevitable. As we await the death of the self-acclaimed largest party in Africa, I have already prepared an epitaph that will be read:  “Here lies a party that admires the politics of Western world but when it was given the mandate to rescue the nation from its series of anomalies, tenaciously chose to tread the part of impunity to rape, exploit and impoverish the nation of its hard-earned democracy by coveting our institutions against its people and empowered Nigerians to take up arms against each other, leaving us in a state of perdition”.

    The same epitaph will apply to all the politicians that contributed to this quagmire in our society.

     

    • Joe Onwukeme,

    Enugu

  • Open up the space

    Open up the space

    •The excessive cost of obtaining party nomination forms should be reversed in the interest of democracy

    The election season in Nigeria is notorious for the mindless use to which money is put by political parties and politicians. A token is usually set aside to induce voters who then bear the brunt of the drain on the economy. This is being repeated in this season as the electoral commission has flagged off the race for the 2015 general elections.

    The first indication that money would be playing a major role in the electoral process again has emerged with the fees aspirants have to pay to pick up expression of interest and nomination forms by the major parties. In the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an aspirant who wants to contest the presidential race is expected to cough up N22.5 million while those in the race for the party’s governorship ticket are charged N11.5million. The figures are even higher for the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The PDM has imposed a fee of N25 million on its presidential nomination form, the APC’s fee is 27.5 million for the same purpose. APGA has no plan to field a candidate for the presidential election, but, whoever wants to pick its flag for the governorship election is expected to pay N12 million. Governorship aspirants intending to run for office on APC’s platform have to pay N12.5m.

    This is an indication that not much has changed in Nigerian politics. Aspirants are forced by the excessive demands of the political parties to seek sponsors who reel out conditions for such support. In most cases, as we saw in the Anambra State governorship election in 2003, the godfathers insisted on taking charge of the states’ treasuries if they were to invest their funds in the highly risky electoral venture.

    The high cost of obtaining the forms has the tendency of screening out decent, intelligent and well-meaning candidates who may not have such funds. This would further limit office seeking to moneybags and their wards. The Nigerian society, desirous of development now than ever before, should not be held down by this trend. Other countries have better ways of determining serious candidates. Debates are sometimes organised and the profiles of the aspirants are made known to others. This is what Nigerian parties and politicians should introduce in the 21st century.

    In sanitising the political space therefore, efforts must be made to reduce the influence of money on the electioneering process. It is bad enough that the campaign fund limit specified by the Electoral Act 2010 is high in a society ravaged by poverty and squalor, it is worse that the law is disregarded by candidates and political parties. Section 91 of the Act allows someone running for the Presidency to spend up to N1billion, a governorship candidate up to N200 million, N40 million for Senate, N20m for House of Representatives, N10 million for State House of Assembly and chairman of a local government, and N1 million for ward councillor.

    Anyone who has paid attention to the frenzy of rallies and television advertisements by some of the parties in the past two months would observe that some have already spent more than the limit imposed by law. Yet, electioneering proper has not started.

    We call on the electoral commission to scrutinise the books of the parties and monitor their finances as well as apply sanctions as envisaged by the laws. We also call on the political parties to immediately reduce the costs of obtaining the nomination forms and refund the excess to aspirants who have already paid. Public offices should not be for sale and all undue strictures should be removed.

     

     

  • Obuh: I’ve been PDP card-carrying member since 2011

    Obuh: I’ve been PDP card-carrying member since 2011

    •Aspirant decries disinformation

    The Tony Obuh Campaign Organisation has dismissed claims that he is not a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State.

    The organisation said Obuh had been a PDP card-carrying member since 2011.

    In a statement yesterday in Asaba, it expressed sadness at the “deliberate attempt” to distort the truth for what he called selfish interests.

    Kenneth Gbagi, a governorship aspirant, at the weekend, claimed that Obuh was not a PDP member because he resigned from the civil service less than three months ago.

    Gbagi said: “Suffice it to say that the issue is not about Obuh, but we are also resolutely saying Obuh is not a card-carrying member of PDP. It will be an illegality if Obuh says he is a member because he resigned only two and a half months ago. As such, we insist, as a people, that he is not a member. We do not agree to anything called imposition of any candidate in the PDP for governorship.”

    But Obuh’s campaign chief, Fred Majemite, dismissed Gbagi’s claim.

    He said Obuh had been active in the affairs of the party before he declared interest in the governorship race.

    The statement reads: “Despite the consistent calumnious tirades against …Obuh, we will not engage in acrimonious campaign against any aspirant to the office of the governor of Delta State. While our principal is being vilified, slandered, blackmailed, libelled and defamed, we are focussed on getting the delegates who will, by the grace of God, elect him as the flag bearer of our great party, the PDP.

    “We want to state that it is very strange that those who should know better and who have been relating with Obuh over the years in the political terrain of Delta State and beyond are now saying things that are capable of heating up the polity. We state categorically that Obuh has been a card-carrying member of the PDP since 2011; this has been attested to by our erstwhile chairman, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi.

    “We are also unaware that somebody is being imposed on Deltans, as alleged by Gbagi and his group of ‘aggrieved’ aspirants. What we know is that all those who have indicated interest to contest the governorship in Delta State are seeking the votes of delegates, even though we can understand why some persons are jittery and are, therefore, resorting to the politics of the past.

    “We will advise other contestants to face the issues as we are doing and stop the politics of character assassination, blackmail, innuendos and slander.”

     

     

  • Jonathan, PDP governors meet at Villa

    Jonathan, PDP governors meet at Villa

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with Peoples Democratic (PDP) governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting described as “private”, started around 8.00pm.

    It was unconnected with moves to resolve the crises that hit the party and to finalise preparation for today’s Jonathan’s declaration at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

     

  • PDP crisis spills over to Ebonyi Assembly

    PDP crisis spills over to Ebonyi Assembly

    •Speaker’s faction suspends two members

    •Another faction impeaches Speaker

    The crisis in the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday spilled over to the House of Assembly, with two factions sitting in Abakaliki.

    The first sitting was attended by 10 members at the chambers of the Assembly.

    The sitting was presided over by embattled Speaker Chukwuma Nwazunku, who was suspended, the Chief Whip and the member representing Afikpo North West, Ogbonnaya Ikoro and the member representing Abakaliki North, Oliver Nwachukwu.

    The duo, according to the faction, were suspended over their alleged involvement in the plot to impeach Nwazunku.

    Moving the motion for their suspension, the Acting Leader and the member representing Izzi West, Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, said the suspension followed the alleged plot by the two suspended lawmakers to mobilise others to  impeach the Speaker.

    “Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable and unfortunate that some members would allow themselves to be used by unscrupulous elements in the state to cause disaffection and confusion. Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to talk about impeachment, especially in our peaceful state. We are no longer interested in the impeachment of anybody in the state.

    “Mr. Speaker, based on this fact, I am moving a motion for the suspension of Nwachukwu and Ikoro. The suspension will act  as a deterrent to others who may be plotting to destabilise the state.”

    Other members also condemned the plot to impeach the Speaker.

    Seconding the motion, the member representing Ezza North West, Joseph Nwobashi, hailed the acting leader for moving the motion and urged the people to fight injustice and other acts capable of destabilising the state.

    The House also during  plenary praised the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP for the peaceful conduct of the local government congress.

    The motion hailing the NWC and the acting chairman was moved by Odefa Obasi Odefa and seconded by Vincent Nwokpo.

    The Assembly, after the plenary, proceeded on a one month recess, which will end on December 15.

    But other members of the House about 2pm entered the Assembly, impeached the former Speaker and elected the Deputy Speaker, Blaise Orji, as the Speaker.

    They accused Nwazunku of  embezzlement of public funds.

    Moving the motion for his impeachment, the Majority Leader, Sam Nwali, representing Ikwo North, reminded the lawmakers of the running battle between the members and the Speaker.

    Seconding the motion, the member representing Ezza South, Chris Usulor, alleged that Nwazunku embezzled the funds of the House. He enjoined members to support the impeachment.

    The House, which was presided over by Orji, put the motion to vote and it was unanimously adopted by the members.

    Eni Uduma Chima representing Afikpo South West moved a motion for the election of Orji as the Speaker, while it was seconded by the member representing Afikpo North East, Elor Elor.

    Addressing reporters after the plenary, Orji thanked the members for electing him and promised to accommodate them.

    Chima dismissed the purported impeachment of the two members by the  Nwazunku faction.

    Quoting relevant sections of the House rule, he noted that the group of 10, which sat, did not have the required number to suspend any member.

    “They were not up to 16 members, which is the required number of members needed to suspend any member. So that action is null and void.”

    Chima noted that the House had the constitutional power to recall members from recess anytime.

    “So we utilised our powers to call off the recess and impeach the Speaker. Eighteen  members were in attendance during the sitting which removed the Speaker,” he claimed.

     

     

  • PDP suspends Cross River local govt congress indefinitely

    PDP suspends Cross River local govt congress indefinitely

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend announced the indefinite suspension of the Cross River State local government congresses scheduled for November 8.

    This followed a court injunction stopping the conduct of the congresses.

    At a media briefing at the Transcorp Hotels in Calabar, a member of the Electoral Committee, Manasseh Abu, also cited security concerns for the suspension.

    The PDP chieftain said he was speaking on behalf of the party’s national secretariat.

    Abu, who was flanked by the PDP State Chairman Ntufam John Okon and other party executive member, addressed angry party faithful at the media briefing.

    He said: “I came here this evening to address you on the scheduled national delegates’ elections that would have held today. I stand before you to announce that the elections are hereby postponed. This is consequent upon a court injunction that we received as we came in today.”

    The text of his statement reads: “Consequent upon the interim injunction issued by the High Court of Cross River State and the escalating security situation with regards to the above elections, the committee constituted by the national secretariat of our party hereby suspends the elections until further notice. Consequently, therefore, the materials for the exercise will be deposited with the state police headquarters here in Calabar, awaiting further directive from our national secretariat.