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Tag: PDP

  • PDP crisis: Court urged to restrain ex-chair

    PDP crisis: Court urged to restrain ex-chair

    Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to restrain the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Ken Emeakayi, from further parading himself in that capacity, having allegedly resigned on January 9, 2012.

    The request formed part of the five prayers contained in a suit by the party’s Administrative Secretary, Casmir Ajulu, but filed by his lawyer, Kenneth Nkwocha. It has Emeakayi, the PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first, second and third defendants.

    It is the plaintiff’s contention that despite his resignation, and the pending expiration of the tenure of the party’s Executive Committee, which he headed, on October 24, Emeakayi has allegedly continued to claim that he will (as the party’s chairman) conduct the primaries for the national and state assembly elections next year in Anambra State.

    Ajulu said the case was informed by his realisation that the internal bickering in the leadership of the party would hamper its performance next year if not resolved.

    He averred in a supporting affidavit that by the three judgments delivered by the Ihiala and Nnewi divisions of the High Court of Anambra State, the first defendant was to serve out what was left of the tenure of the Executive Committee, led by Chief Emma Nweze, which was inaugurated on October 25, 2010.

    Ajulu said the first defendant’s tenure as the chairman of the Anambra PDP’s Executive Committee took effect from July 11, 2011 when Chief Nweze resigned and his resignation letter was received by him (the plaintiff) as the administrative secretary.

    The plaintiff also showed a letter, which he said was written by the first defendant’s lawyer, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), dated May 8 last year, asking INEC to note that the Executive Committee (which the first defendant became its head at the resignation of Nweze), was inaugurated on October 25, 2010 and had a tenure of four years.

    He said Emeakayi resigned as the chairman via a letter of January 9, 2012, following which he (the plaintiff) had been managing the affairs of the party and its secretariat.

    He argued that even with the first defendant’s resignation and following the expiration of his tenure as the chairman on October 24, he  allegedly continued to parade himself as the chairman, who will conduct the national and state assembly elections in February.

    Ajulu averred that unless restrained, Emeakayi “will continue to parade himself and hold himself out to the party’s stakeholders in order to deceive them that he is the substantive chairman of the party in Anambra State, and the second and third defendants are likely to accord the first defendant recognition, contrary to the provisions of the constitution, the subsisting judgments of the court and his resignation letter of January 9, 2012.”

    The plaintiff, who raised four questions for the court’s determination, seeks among others, a declaration that the tenure of office of the first defendant as the chairman of the PDP, Anambra State chapter and a member of the Executive Committee, having been inaugurated on October 25, 2010, lapses on October 24 by effluxion of tome and by virtue of the extant judgments of courts of competent jurisdiction.

    The plaintiff also prayed for an order that the first defendant can no longer parade himself, act or function as the  chairman of the Anambra State chapter of the PDP after his resignation on January 2012.

    He seeks an order declaring the acts, conduct, functions and decisions of the first defendant beyond January 2012 when he resigned as the chairman of Anambra State PDP as being illegal, null and void ab initio, and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant from parading himself or holding out himself, in whatever manner or ways, as the chairman of the PDP in Anambra State beyond October 24.

    Ajulu also prayed the court for an order restraining the second and third defendants and their agents from dealing with, liaising or according any recognition to the first defendant in respect of any party matter or business, howsoever described that relate to the office of the chairman of the PDP, Anambra State chapter beyond October 24.

    No date has been fixed for the case’s hearing, although Ajulu also  filed an affidavit of urgency, urging the court  to hear the case on the grounds that time was of the essence.

  • Ebonyi PDP chair resigns

    Ebonyi PDP chair resigns

    The Chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Ugorji Ama-Oti, has resigned.

    Ama-Oti, a former member of the House of Assembly, resigned to contest the Afikpo North/Afikpo South Federal Constituency.

    He briefed reporters on the outcome of the weekend’s Executive Council meeting.

    Said he: “The resignation takes effect from today. I am happy that the request was granted because an employer can reject an employee’s request for resignation.”

  • Bomb: PDP desperate to create fear, says Edo

    Bomb: PDP desperate to create fear, says Edo

    •Ize-Iyamu: governor to blame   

    Edo State has described the claim of a bomb attack in Benin, the state capital, and subsequent statement credited to a politician, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as another phase of alleged desperation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to causea crisis.

    The government said it was intended to spread falsehood and sow fear in the minds of the people to simulate a crisis.

    Commissioner for information & Orientation Louis Odion said this in a statement yesterday after Ize-Iyamu spoke to reporters in Benin, blaming Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) at a mini-estate belonging to him.

    The explosion reportedly occurred at about 10:30pm on Saturday night at the estate located on Dennis Osadebey Avenue in the state capital, which also houses Shalom Dental Clinic, being operated by Ize-Iyamu’s wife.

    But Odion said no sooner had the purported “bomb attack” been reported by an online medium with further claim of bomb explosion within Government House, whenIze-Iyamu quickly called the media briefing to accuse the governor as the explosion’s mastermind.

    The commissioner noted that the report of a bomb explosion at the Government House was “patently false”, adding that “by Ize-Iyamu’s account and his haste to accuse Comrade Oshiomhole of culpability for a supposed crime yet to be investigated, we are persuaded to believe he is merely acting out a script”.

    The statement said it was “laughable that any sane man” would be “targeting an obscure clinic that is, at best, now moribund.”

    It also reads: “Mr. Ize-Iyamu’s wild allegation fits into PDP’s jaded style of stage-managing assaults on its agents to be used as pretext by its thugs to attack officials of Edo State Government and agents of the APC.

    “Again, Mr. Ize-Iyamu’s reference to cultists being engaged against PDP is ironic and laughable. Even as President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Oshiomhole was known for his non-violence philosophy. On the contrary, Edo people know those with the history of cultism and violence dating back to their school days.

    “Against the backdrop of this latest purported attack on his wife’s clinic, which we believe was stage-managed, we wish to alert the police to put Pastor Ize-Iyamu and his co-travellers under close watch as allegations of this nature had always been the prelude to staging an attack on APC members in the past.

    “Again, we call on the PDP to look within its ranks to get to the root of the attack on a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Rasaq Momoh.  We also call on the police to thoroughly probe top leaders of the PDP for the attack on the Edo State Legislative Quarters penultimate Saturday.”

    Ize-Iyamu, while briefing reporters on the explosion, alleged that Oshiomhole had consistently threatened him ever since he dumped the APC for the PDP.

    “This is a clinic built by my wife. Oshiomhole cannot destroy my property. I received a call from one of the occupants of the house at about 10:45 yesterday (Saturday) that an explosive had been detonated at the compound. I quickly rushed there and I actually found out that a bomb was detonated.

    “The security agencies saw the wires and batteries used across the road as well as the footprints of the people. The target obviously was my wife’s clinic, but the bomb detonated at the gate house. To God be the glory, the security had strolled to parade the compound when they bombed the gate house.

    “I want to say that I am not too surprise at what happened, though the dimension is shocking. I categorically say that I hold the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, responsible for what has happened.”

     Also, the state Police Command confirmed yesterday that an improvised explosive device (IED) was responsible for the explosion at the estate.

    Deputy Public Relations Officer, Ejiroro Ahwara, in a statement, said the IED was made up of two tiger batteries of 1.5 volt each connected to a long wire, adding that it was thrown into the estate from the outside.

    It said the explosion only affected the surrounding ceiling boards at the estate security post and part of the main gate.

    He said some suspects have been arrested while the IED has been recovered by the bomb disposal unit for analysis.

  • Jonathan, PDP governors meet at Aso Rock

    President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday night met behind closed-doors with some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

    Journalists were not allowed near the First Lady Conference room, venue of the meeting when the meeting started around 9.25 p.m.

    The meeting, however, is not unconnected with moves to resolve issues and grievances that could heat up the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    Among the governors at the meeting are Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi),  Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), James Ngilari (Adamawa), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and  Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers).

    Also at the meeting are Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Theodore Orji (Abia), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sarieke Dickson (Bayelsa) and  Umar Garba (Acting Taraba).

    Deputy governors of Kogi and Nasarawa states were also at the meeting.

  • ‘It’s very painful that Amaechi left PDP’

    ‘It’s very painful that Amaechi left PDP’

    A member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, is a founding member of the party and an ex-presidential aspirant on the party’s platform. He hails from the Kalabari part of Rivers State. In this interview with BISI OLANIYI in Port Harcourt, the former Minister of Culture and Tourism declares that Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s successor must be a riverine person, while asking the former Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, an Ikwerre (as Amaechi) and from the upland part of the state, to respect the zoning arrangement in the state. Excerpts:

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, was in Port Harcourt on October 13, after the October 9 show of shame in Abuja involving some thugs allegedly working for a candidate, and leaders of the party from Rivers State, who are clamouring for zoning, which will jeopardise Nyesom Wike’s governorship ambition. When the chairman visited Port Harcourt, other governorship aspirants said they were not invited or informed and did not show up, with only Wike and members of his Grassroots Development Initiative in attendance. What is your reaction?

    I am surprised that you are telling me that the National Chairman of PDP was in Rivers State on October 13. I earlier saw Alhaji Mu’azu in Lagos and we chatted. If he was coming to Rivers state on October 13, as a senior member of the party and a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT), he should have extended some courtesy by informing me that he would be coming to Port Harcourt on October 13 and of course, I would be very willing to receive him.

    This is one of the things we are talking about. Three of the governorship aspirants on PDP’s platform in Rivers State have also telephoned me to say that they were not invited to the meeting that took place at the secretariat of the party along Aba Road in Port Harcourt and they did not know anything about it, which further goes to complicate things.

    I later heard that Alhaji Mu’azu gave a lot of praises to Nyesom Wike, whom he described as having spent a colossal amount of money to do a lot of things for the PDP and also organised the party, with a parochial unit of the total electorate of Rivers State. It is very unfortunate that it happened.

    People will misread and misunderstand the actions and seeming endorsement of Wike. In political parlance, people will misinterpret it that the generality of the people of Rivers State were with the national chairman of the PDP, largely to endorse the candidature of Wike, which will have negative repercussions on the Ogoni and riverine Ijaw people of PDP candidates. I feel a bit disillusioned about it.

    I believe that if the national chairman was coming, not the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI, which has Wike as grand patron) faction of the PDP would have been met.

    While Alhaji Mu’azu was speaking in Port Harcourt, he gave a tactical support to the speculated governorship ambition of Chief Nyesom Wike, when he said: “Wike, you are on course.” What is the implication of the statement, considering the fact that other aspirants were not there?

    I will have a very liberal interpretation to it. On course to destruction, on course to attention or on course to have seizure of the political party, with his formation of the GDI?

    Is it right for Alhaji Mu’azu to have gone to the Port Harcourt residence of Chief Wike to have lunch after the meeting at the Rivers State Secretariat of the PDP, considering the fact that the minister of state for education is one of the governorship aspirants?

    I was in Port Harcourt on October 13, when Alhaji Mu’azu visited, but I was not informed of his visit, in spite of being a member of the BoT of the PDP. My house is as good as any Government House. He could not come to my house and could not go to the Port Harcourt house of Chief Ombo Isokari, who is also a member of the BoT from Rivers State and he (Mu’azu) was hungry and he preferred Wike to give him a free lunch, it is very discretional.

    I learnt that Prince Uche Secondus (Deputy National Chairman, an indigene of Ikuru Town in Andoni LGA) was also at the state secretariat of PDP. They are all working together.

    The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Rivers PDP, led by Chief Felix Obuah, recently accused you of fraternising with Governor Amaechi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), holding meetings and screening governorship aspirants of all political parties, to undermine the PDP, under the guise of meeting of stakeholders of Rivers and fanning the embers of disunity within the party, in spite of being a member of the BoT of the party, threatening to sanction you if you continue to do so and that Rivers PDP shall not zone the governorship ticket of the party to any ethnic nationality, saying all constitutionally-qualified members of the party are free to vie for the ticket, to allow for the best candidate to emerge. What is your reaction?

    That is absolute nonsense and complete madness. Amaechi is the Governor of Rivers State, my state of origin. It will be foolhardy for anybody to say that I should severe relationship with him. Jonathan is my younger brother. I have been playing fatherly roles to both himself (President Jonathan) and Amaechi. During the problems, I moved into it with documentation.

    I have tried as much as I could to reconcile President Jonathan and Amaechi. It is very painful that Amaechi left PDP for APC, because of mismanagement and I blame our elders. Why are we elders? What are we afraid of? What do we gain from playing politics? If two of your sons are quarrelling, you should be reconciliatory, instead of taking sides.

    I have never met with any of the governorship aspirants from Rivers State. I have never held any meeting with them. Maybe Albert Horsfall held meetings with them and they are mistaking me and Ombo Isokrari, who are the two BoT members of PDP from Rivers State, for him (Horsfall). I am the senior member of the BoT. Isokrari and I have never held meeting of any nature with any governorship aspirant.

    We have been having elders’ meetings to arrest the imbalance and strategy of eliminating the rest members of the PDP, under the aegis of the GDI. Rivers PDP is synonymous with the GDI and Felix Obuah (Rivers State Chairman of the PDP) is the Campaign Manager of Wike. Obuah is not giving chance to anybody and no respect to any of the senior members of the PDP. It is complete thrash. They must have mental examination.

    I am friendly with Amaechi, but I have never discussed politics with him. My position to Amaechi is that a riverine person must be the governor of the state in 2015. Let me emphasise that I am a founder of PDP and I can never leave PDP. We know where our loyalties are, but when it comes to the governorship candidature, it has to be a riverine or Ogoni man in 2015.

    The last time I saw Amaechi was on Independence Day’s church service in Port Harcourt. After the church service, he invited a few of us to his residence and of course I went. As a father, must I kill one child for the other? That is immature. That is the failure of this country. A lot of things go wrong with our system and leaders. Leaders taking sides and becoming sycophantic and lean to one side, instead of bringing the feuding parties together and ensure peace.

    What are we talking about, if a chairman of the party (of PDP, Mu’azu) cannot bring real, true reconciliation and peace? I am a member of the BoT and a founder of the PDP. Bringing all of them together is something I have been working on and which I still have in the offing. Has the new so-called chairman (of PDP, Mu’azu) been here (in Port Harcourt) to pay respect to me, since he was appointed? They are very hypocritical and I do not believe in all the hearsay.

    Will it be right to say that you took sides against President Jonathan by supporting Governor Amaechi in their political feud?

    The import of this question I would regard as a figment of hallucinatory imaginations. At my age and political maturity, more so, having played a fatherly role to both President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi, I could never have taken sides.

    My responsibility is to ensure that if there is any feud whatsoever, it will be in my province to foster reconciliation and restoration of brotherly love between them. The President is the paterfamilias of the nation and in this peculiar circumstance, the father of the Southsouth states and their governors.

    The relationship between President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi, immediately after the 2011 elections, was impeccable and without blemish. Disappointedly, most politicians become either bystanders or indulge themselves in fuelling any little crack in relationships. Such circumstances are used to disseminate fabricated lies and unimaginable stories.

    Some begin to create division between the parties and go as far as brandishing anyone who cultivates any form of relationship or contact with the less-advantageous member of the conflict as an enemy. With no intervention of elders, the situation will degenerate to a point of no return.

    I made unlimited overtures by personal contacts and writings, as well as utilising established political institutions like the Board of Trustees of the PDP and other well-meaning agencies. It is indeed a pity that we find ourselves in the current quagmire, which by the grace of God shall come to pass amicably.

    What are your views about the current political situation in Rivers State?

    The current political situation in the state is very sensitive and volatile, from the point of view that malice, hatred and vicious rivalry are being brought by the political class, in order to arrest power and control of the polity.

    To be able to have equity, fair play and justice, the political class must bring God-fearing conscience into the power matrix. In 1998, when the PDP was established in Rivers State, the party structure and control were primarily in the hands of people of the riverine Ijaw extraction.

    We took cognisance of the fact that during the military era and thereafter during the brief civilian dispensation, persons of riverine Ijaw group had ruled the old Rivers state (now Rivers and Bayelsa states). We unanimously decided for power to shift to the upland group. Considering the prevailing circumstances at the time, to give the upland group a sense of belonging and togetherness, Dr. Peter Odili was accordingly favoured on the platform of the PDP to govern the state.

    It was implicitly agreed that we were to practise a ‘turn-by-turn’ power sharing mechanism between the three main component ethnic nationalities of the Ikwerre and other groups of common affinity, the riverine Ijaw and the Ogoni and neighbouring mainland communities.

    It was unambiguously agreed that at the expiration of the tenure of Dr. Peter Odili, power would shift to the riverine Ijaw group, and at the expiration of the rulership of a riverine Ijaw governor, it would move to the Ogoni group.

    Unfortunately, that was not to be, as the era was characterised by confusion, ethnic conflicts and beginning of militancy. There was severe financial recklessness, infrastructural decay and phantom projects that were never achieved.

    Two prominent illustrious sons: Chief Marshal Harry, the first PDP chairman of Rivers State and another founding member, Chief Aminasoari Dikibo were brutally assassinated, without the government making any effort to track down their assassins.

    That era left with no significant landmark, except that instead of handing over to a riverine Ijaw aspirant, a unilateral decision was made by the then Governor Peter Odili to hand over to Rotimi Amaechi of Ikwerre extraction. All in all, the upland group, primarily of the Ikwerre extraction, will now govern Rivers State for 16 years, at the expiration of the tenure of Governor Amaechi in May, 2015.

    The emergence of Nyesom Wike, a (former) Minister of State for Education and his desire to contest the governorship in 2015 does not augur well for peace and harmony in the state, and it is unacceptable to the generality of the Rivers people, especially the riverine Ijaw group, Ogoni group and the large members of the Ikwerre group.

    If Wike is granted by the leadership of the PDP to emerge as the governor of Rivers State, it will mean that for 24 years, the people of mainland would have ruled the state at the expense and great marginalisation of the other major ethnic nationalities. Such a situation arising will not be tolerated and may have some unsavoury repercussions, which no one for the time being can predict.

    It is therefore in the best interest and for the sake of God-fearing conscience, equity and justice to ensure that power shifts to the other groups that have never been given the opportunity to govern the state, largely for the purpose of peace, harmony and survival of the state.

    You have for some time been too quiet on the political situation in the state and Nigeria. Why has it been so?

    For over one year, I have resisted granting any press interview, as I elected to critically observe the various scenarios of events at the federal level, as well as in my state of origin, as they develop.

    I was very vibrant and committed and active in the 2010/ 2011 campaign, but as you will note, age is catching up with me and at 75, I can no longer be criss-crossing the country. That apart, I observed a new set of gladiators parading the political scenes, with a stock in-trade of intrigues, manipulations, conspiracies and telling destructive lies against persons to procure favour.

    When I also observed that people at the echelon of the illustrious class are susceptible to accepting and making conclusions of malicious stories, I decided discretionarily to preserve my honour and pedigree. I am a strong believer that any leadership that judges third parties through the perception and lips of such characters is likely to fail. Suffice to say that I have remained to be a consistent, undeviating and loyal member of my party, which I helped to found in the nation and especially in Rivers State.

    Is it true that there is misunderstanding between you and the family of President Jonathan and will it be correct to say that the Soku oil wells’ dispute between your Rivers State and President Jonathan’s Bayelsa State is responsible?

    There is no iota of truth in the widely-disseminated impression that there is misunderstanding between myself and the first family. I believe it is speculative and mischievous propaganda stuff. The President is of Ijaw extraction as me and with the zeal and enthusiasm with which I have always promoted the Ijaw cause, I do not see how I could ever have any form of misunderstanding with an illustrious Ijaw son. Dr. Jonathan is currently the President of this country.

    You will recall that at the inception of the PDP, I was one of those who contested for the office of the President of the country. I contested with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. I did not win, but in recognition of my unrelenting hard work for the party, especially in the Southsouth geopolitical zone, Obasanjo appointed me as one of the early ministers of the PDP administration.

    Throughout the period and up till the moment President Jonathan assumed office, we had impeccable relationship. I still maintain this posture, except the president holds a contrary view. He (President Jonathan) is my brother and nothing can separate us.

    I will not like to discuss anything with regard to the Soku oil wells, the boundary adjustment of the conceptualised annexation of Kalabari oil producing communities to Bayelsa State. So many stories are peddled, but as an Ijaw elder, it is my duty always to ensure that the situation is contained at all times and amicably with brotherly love.

    The communities involved have settled as Kalabari communities for over 200 years. The boundaries separating the two states have existed for decades, throughout the periods when both Ijaw and non-Ijaw administrators governed the former Rivers State. For it therefore to attract the dimension of conflicts between the two sister states is unfortunate, but I believe it will eventually be resolved, for unity and our great love for one another.

    As a founding member of PDP, what are you doing about the consolidation of the PDP gains in the 2011 elections?

    From the evolutionary trend and antecedents since 1999 in Rivers State, the PDP has been the dominant, unbeatable and acceptable political family in Rivers State. The performance of PDP in 2011 in Rivers was phenomenal, producing the highest votes in the country.

    Politics, we know, is a concentric circle of intrigues, manipulations, obscure self interest, phantom lies and all manner of societal lies and evils, which accordingly destroyed the very fabrics that united the PDP family in the state.

    The imbroglio that arose gave rise to the current disharmony, suspicion and conflict among the PDP family, resulting in a group moving away, under the leadership of Governor Amaechi to the APC.

  • Adamawa: PDP may expel Fintiri

    Adamawa: PDP may expel Fintiri

    The Peoples Democratic Party PDP is at war with the immediate past Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri over his alleged refusal to bow to pressure of the party to shelve the appeal against the victory of Bala James Ngillari in court.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja had ruled that Ngillari who was Deputy to impeached Governor Murtala Nyako should be sworn in as governor since his reported resignation along with the former governor was not in accordance with the constitution.

    Following the court ruling, the swearing in of Fintiri, the former Speaker of the House of Assembly  as Acting Governor was nullified. Ngillari has since been sworn in and Fintiri has appealed the judgement.

    According to dependable sources, the party may soon suspend Fintiri from its fold for disobeying the orders of the PDP from the party hierarchy in Abuja and even the intervention of the leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan.

    A source in Adamawa State office of the party said he filed the case despite all entreaties on Fintiri not to pursue an appeal on the victory of another party man.

    Reports in Yola said after the swearing-in of Ngillari, the state PDP Chairman Chief Joel Hamanjoda Madaki had asked Fintiri not to pursue the appeal but Fintiri refused. The former Acting Governor’s refusal to heed this appeal was confirmed by the press secretary to Madaki, Mr. Fidelis Jockthan.  According to him, the party had wanted an amicable resolution of the problems between the duo.

    Jockthan said Madaki as the father figure in the party wanted Fintiri to drop the appeal and allow the PDP to handle the matter but he rejected the moves of the party and filed his appeal.

    The PDP at the national level also in a statement by Mr. Olisa Metuh, said that the PDP as a party will not pursue any appeal, yet Fintiri filed an appeal through his lawyer, Chief Bayo Ojo.

    President Jonathan as leader of the party also intervened by inviting the former Acting Governor to Aso Villa, where he was appealed, not to further hurt the party’s chances by his appeal.

    The party, according to highly reliable sources which pleaded anonymity, said the party may be left with the last option of suspending Fintiri for fragrantly disobeying party directives.

     

  • War in PDP

    War in PDP

    The tension in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over Senatorial seats in 2015 heightened as some of the incumbent Senators have vowed not to vacate their seats for the outgoing governors.

    The new reality may have threatened the ambition of at least 10 of the PDP governors to go to the Senate after their second term tenure.

    The party was also  in a fix following the proposal from the leadership of the National Assembly that some experienced Senators should be allowed to return to their seats to guide the incoming ones in 2015.

    The President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, was said to have recommended  the retention of at least one experienced Senator per state to avert the Senate starting afresh.

    The Senate left a window for the retention of at least 36 out of the PDP Senators.

    But the crisis has also extended to Bayelsa State where all members of the National Assembly have lost out.

    None of the Senators and members of the House of Representatives will return in 2015

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that some of the Senators have told the party leadership that they will not step aside for their governors who had been using state machinery to oppress them.

    It was learnt that attempts to iron out the stalemate in the last 72 hours had left some of the governors stranded as they could not obtain nomination forms.

    Some of the governors have opted for automatic slots instead of facing the incumbent Senators in primaries.

    The ‘war’ fronts are Enugu, Kebbi, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Plateau, Abia, Niger and Cross River State.

    The most pronounced crises are in Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Niger, and Cross River where PDP leadership is insisting on the return of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, because of “good performance and quality representation.”

    A party source said: “We have a challenge at hand because some incumbent Senators are resisting alleged moves to hijack their seats by governors who are seeking automatic senatorial slots.

    “We have been managing this because about 10 governors are demanding automatic Senate tickets including from the districts where we know the Senators have performed.

    “Some other governors have sought to impose Senatorial candidates.

    They are asking the party to leave the nominees for senate to them. We cannot do such a thing.

    “The situation is compounded by the fact that most of our former governors who went to the Senate, after completing two terms in office, have been rated “very low” in attendance and performance.

    Asked of the alternative, the source added: “The PDP is discussing with these governors to avoid losing some Senatorial seats.”

    Meanwhile, the National Assembly leadership has advised the presidency and the PDP to allow some experienced Senators to return to their seats in 2015.

    According to a reliable source, the President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, was said to have recommended at least the retention of at least one experienced Senator per state to avert the Senate starting afresh.

    The source said: “Mark has suggested the need to have high-ranking Senators back in 2015 instead of greenhorns who may spend up to one year to know what to do.

    “Some of these experienced Senators will also be able to head strategic committees. The Senate President believes that the nation does not need to be going forward and back all the time.

    “Mark has asked the party to allow at least one experienced Senator in each state to be retained for effective legislature.”

    As governors and Senators tried to iron out their differences, findings showed that all the eight members of the National Assembly have lost the battle to return to their seats in 2015.

    Some of the National Assembly members were seen complaining loudly to their colleagues during the week.

    It was gathered that they felt “used and dumped” by the party.

    The affected members of the National Assembly are Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central); Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa West) and Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East).

    Others are Foingha Jephthah (Nembe/ Brass); Henry Ofongo (Southern Ijaw); Warman Ogoriba (Yenegoa/Kolokuma-Opokuma); Dr. Stella Dorgu

    (Sagbama/Ekeremor) and Nadu Karibo (Ogbia).

    A source said: “They are all not coming back because most of them have spent two terms in office. The power rotation formula in the state needs to be respected.

    “Although Stella Dorgu just spent a term, it is assumed that she only came to complete the second term tenure of Governor Henry Seriake-Dickson.

    “Some of these Senators and House members are certainly unhappy, but we need to give others a chance to contribute.”

  • Aspirant seeks Oyo PDP members’ support

    Aspirant seeks Oyo PDP members’ support

    Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Seyi Makinde has taken his campaign to Oyo town.

    Makinde met with PDP leaders in the ancient town and solicited their support. He was received by the Chairman, Chief Ojelabi Isiaka Adebayo, other executive members and party faithful.

    Giving reasons for his involvement in politics, the engineer, who is the chief executive of MAKON Group, said he desired to realise the good life for the people.

    He said: ‘’ What I have been telling our leaders is that some of us might say we have nothing to lose if the party fails to win the next election, because we have sources of income but, what about other people, who are toiling day and night for the party to emerge victorious, hoping they would reap the benefits while those of us who say we are leaders fail to unite for the realisation of this objective.

    ‘’I plead with you not to fight one another. Osun PDP members have realised their mistakes I advise you to remain impartial, let’s find out what the people want and put forward our best materials.”

    According to the governorship aspirant, the delegates who will vote at the primaries are not up to five per cent of the state’s population but the candidate they select would determine the party’s fate in the next four years.

    Makinde added that the days when an aspirant hijacks the party’s ticket are gone. He advised the members not to let anyone deceive them that an aspirant has been anointed.

    ‘’In two weeks, we shall begin the process of nominating delegates. Let us go to our wards on November 1 to vote delegates and tell them that when they get to the primaries, Seyi Makinde is the man to vote for.

    ‘’I stand in front of you to promise that if those who emerge as delegates among you use their votes to make me, your son, Seyi Makinde, the PDP governorship candidate, I will not disappoint you, ‘’he vowed.

    The politician also visited the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Maruf Atilola in Oyo West. He was received by party chairman, Oseni Atilade and other party executive.

  • ‘PDP’s propaganda against Oshiomhole ‘ll fail’

    ‘PDP’s propaganda against Oshiomhole ‘ll fail’

    Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s media aide Prince Kasim Afegbua, in this interview with OSAGIE OTABOR,  speaks on the giant strides of  the administration and other issues.

    The PDP has said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will not be able to complete many projects before the expiration of his second term. What is your view?

    The opposition will express worry because they do not understand the mechanics of governance. They don’t have what it takes to provoke some initiatives that could have well-meaning impact on the people of the state. They presided over the state for 10 good years and their record of performance showed an abysmal failure in all areas and sectors of Edo State. It is expected that they will continue to raise worry and doubts over the monumental achievements that we have recorded because that has put an end to their claim that Edo State is not worth investing in. They said the state was poor, had no money but they were lining their pockets while the state was dripping away. Comrade Oshiomhole has been able to inject new life into the main stream of Edo politics, economy and social well-being.

    outing from pillar to pillar about projects that will not be completed.

    Did they build one when they held sway? We have built several hospitals across the state. To run criticism is very easy but to be an author you have to dig deep into the mold. The authentic Edo people know for too well that the Comrade Governor is better equip to manage the affairs of the state in a prudent manner than all the pretenders that we have seen in recent years.

    Will there be new projects before the end of Oshiomhole’s tenure?

    Certainly there will be new projects. The storm water project will be completed because that is getting a blessing of the World bank. We took a bond to service that. People don’t understand the project. We are not only doing the drainages, we are building on top of it. You need to go round to see the quality of the work. Only when you are affected by flooding that you will know the impact of what we are trying to do. Collecting water from several flooding areas into the Ogba river and other rivers is not a mean feat. They can sit back because they will not go round to do inspection. It is not enough to sit back and be arm chair critic because they want to be heard in the media. The leadership of the PDP in this state don’t have the intellectual understanding to be able to explain how government work because when they were here, they were sharing money.

    Is it true that the governor has spent much on private jets?

    The governor does not charter flight to foreign trips. He takes public transportation that is the truth. Most times he gets friends who bring jets to him to take him to where he wants to go. Didn’t forget he was a former president of the NLC. He has friends  across the states of the federation. He got people who appreciated him. Some people funded his election, friends and associates. He is got enormous goodwill that you can’t quantify. When people see him taking jets, they think that it was chartered. He is the only governor that travels alone without ADC or CSO outside the country. Mention any PDP governor that travels outside this country alone. It is only Oshiomhole that does that. Go to the Airport and find out. Oshiomhole travels alone. If there is an urgent issues on matters of state and there are no flights, he can charter flight and that is not out of place.

    What is the priority of this government in the next two years.

    We have a developmental agenda factored into economic blueprint which we have been pursuing and in the second term attention is purely focus on job creation. By now if we were able to sell the Edo House for example, we would have invested the money here to build a five star hotel. We are going to find another route to ensure that we build the hotel. Other areas of employment will also be looked into and that is why the Shoprite project is still on-going. They have resolve the issue in the land. The Presco Oil Company is recruiting over 1000 persons. They are doing expansion because of the land we have accorded them. Our priority is generally to create employment but you cannot do that without having platforms. We have been able to build on infrastructure in the first term and we are continuing with that and to consolidated and complete those ones that we have done. It is the responsibility of government to now leverage on the economic value of those infrastructure so that we can gain from it. If you are producing banana and you can take them to the city where the demands are high, we are going to remain at that subsistence level. We have open up roads in the rural areas and people are now bringing their goods to the cities. We will complete roads under construction. We are going to do more schools and build more hospitals. We expect that the government that will take over from Oshiomhole will continue from where we stop because government is continuos.

    Do you see the APC winning next year’s election, despite the defection of Ikimi and others?

    Ikimi’s electoral fortune is not formidable enough to sway voters. I think Ikimi is over celebrated. It is understandable that Ikimi is a paper tiger but  he does not have electoral value. The advantage of APC has going for it is that Oshiomhole can point to things he has done. He can campaign of issues and tell the people what he has done. The PDP will only be saying what they intend to do. Edo people know the PDP history of performance. This state will remain an APC state for many years. Whoever the PDP fielded cannot whip up the kind of endorsement that will be require to upstage the APC. We have done so much. We won’t miss Ikimi.

    Oshiomhole supported some lawmakers to get elected in 2011. Is he regretting his actions?

    Regret on one side, but he is going to do it again.

    What kind of regret?

    Some persons who pretentiously appear good and electable, the governor put all his credentials and political capital into their campaigns, they got elected and midway into the stream, they bolted away in terms of retirement benefits from the PDP. You know the PDP has so much to dispense away in terms of patronages. In 2015, the governor will be so much involve because APC is like a movement. People must get to understand that this party is pro development and when you are going to get into the APC platform to contest election, that has to be ringing on the aspirants head.

  • Ochei: I’m not afraid of anointed candidate

    Ochei: I’m not afraid of anointed candidate

    Former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker Hon. Victor Ochei is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant. He spoke with reporters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on his ambition, zoning and preparations for primaries.  Assistant Editor GBADE OGUNWALE was there: What is your position on the zoning of the governorship to Ndokia aresa, Delta North District? Delta North is one entity and you cannot excise a part of it and say they cannot run for governor. For whatever reason, why do you want to do that? Why would you say we are zoning to the North, but this part will not benefit from it? Are they from another part of the state? Are they third-class citizens in the senatorial zone where they come from? It doesn’t make sense and I can tell you that Governor Uduaghan will never say that . Are you saying people are dropping his name? I want to believe so because he hasn’t made that statement anywhere. I believe he is ruling a Delta that is united and he wouldn’t use his own hands, his own instrument of office, to divide it. Why are you contesting for governor? I am in the race because I want to offer service to the people of Delta State; service based on proven track record, service based on building a generation of Deltans that is yet unborn and planning for them. Service based on a pan-Delta approach where, at the end of the day, our diversities would turn out to become our strength. It would soon be obvious that no one really cares where you come from, but how much of work you have done and what you have been able to do for Delta. That’s my first consideration for wanting to run for the  governor. I bring the leadership that will foster greater unity; leadership that would bridge a generation of the old and the young. I bring the leadership that would bring us in tune with the realities of tomorrow; I bring the leadership that will make every Deltan, all Deltans proud to say, I am part and parcel  of the success story of Delta. I also describe myself as wanting to build on the foundations of the forebearers of Delta State. Would you say your experience as the Speaker has prepared you for this role? Well, it is part of it because the legislature is a strategic arm of government and I have been privileged to have headed the legislative arm as the Speaker, which gave me the opportunity to become both the administrative and political head at the same time. Well, it is at the risk of sounding immodest; a lot of people said I have performed well. Having done well, I have no doubt that in the executive arm, I will be excellent. I believe in putting my all in everything I do and bringing out the best of any situation that I met. So, I believe that it has prepared me. I come with an offer to ensure that at the end of the day, that the experience I have garnered through the legislative process makes the difference. If you go through the constitution,for instance, the legislature is the first arm of government; it is the laws that you make that you use to run the administration. I am seasoned in that area. Coming into the area where you come to implement the laws, there will be a synergy, which you cannot buy in terms of experience. Bringing that to bear, I believe it gives me an edge of competence and skill to perform maximally.  What have you done to galvanise support from stakeholders from South and Central senatorial zones? Consultations are still on-going, because coincidentally, Delta State is on a tripod of the North, the South and the cCentral and no senatorial district can go it alone. That’s how God has made us. And for you to win, you definitely will reach out. For you to rule Delta, you must be someone that is acceptable across the board and that’s where I come in. Having been Speaker of Delta State, it gives me the opportunity to see Delta State as my platform There is this insinuation that the governor has already anointed a candidate… The PDP’s rotation and zoning principles favour Delta North because Delta Central has produced a governor. Delta South produced one  the incumbent governor. It is only fair and equitable that the North produces the next governor, which is an advantage, comparatively. Even though you have other persons who are from other senatorial districts who are in the race, you don’t have to push anybody out. But, basically, if the party takes a position that its candidate is going to come from the North, so be it. That the governor has a candidate makes it better. It makes the battle defined that you know, okay, the governor has a candidate. But, that doesn’t foreclose that other candidates cannot run. It makes it easier for me, because I now know who I will be contesting with. It is a contest, it isn’t a selection process. You were close to the governor. Are you disturbed by the turn of events? Not at all; it is a contest. I wasn’t going to run for the office of governor of Delta State because I was close to the governor. That wouldn’t be what Deltans want to vote for. Deltans want to vote for somebody who can deliver the dividends of democracy to them; somebody who can take them to the very next level and beyond.  That’s what they are looking forward to.  So, I am close to the governor, no doubt and we are still very close. The fact that he has an anointed candidate like you said, not because he has told me. I am not aware because he hasn’t come out to say, he has a candidate. If he has, he has a right as a Deltan to have someone to support and it doesn’t have to be me. But, that doesn’t take away the fact that we are close and we are still friends and we respect our relationship. I will respect his choice, the same way he will respect mine.  That doesn’t make us fall apart and it doesn’t mean that because the governor has a candidate, others will not be in the race.He will support his anointed and I will also have other Deltans who will support me and we go it that way. The Asagba of Asaba set up a committee to set criteria for the selection of a candidate from the North… I was there and the process was quite laudable. The committee was made up of credible sons and daughters of Delta North and headed by the Asagba. I subscribed to it because I submitted my documents to them and I eventually had a chat with them. The process might not be entirely fool proof, just like any other process put in place by humans. But, they did a good job, taking their time to sit down and interact with us without rancour. Everybody has the right to say they want to be governor. But, at the end of the day, only one person will become governor. That does not suggest that the process was exhaustive. But, I least we made an inroad; they were able to reduce the number through the process. But, that does not suggest that it is final because you cannot force it down anybody’s throat. The PDP National Vice Chairman, (Southouth) is from Delta North. Is that not a minus for the aspiration of people from the zone? It’s a plus and not a minus. The former National Vice chairman was from Delta Central before he got appointed as a minister and another one has been appointed from the North. It is good because it swells the number of appointees from the zone. He is working for the whole South-south region. So, we are lucky to have produced him. What are the challenges you have envisaged before joining the race? Of course, it is not going to be easy. As a matter of fact, I have never run any easy election in my whole political life. I have won three elections and they were not easy. However, one significant denominator is that at the end of the day God always shows up for me and I will stand out. What is your selling point, which  may give you a competitive edge? My unique selling point is that I have a pan-Delta approach and acceptance across board. I have been a Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and that has given me the experience to have served the state across board. I have handled issues involving people from different parts of the state; from the north, south and central because Delta State is a mini Nigeria. I understand the complexities of Delta State. When these complexities are well managed, they become a source of massive strength to be used for the development of the people. It takes vision to turn these complexities into strength for the development of the state. Age also gives me a competitive edge. I am like a role model to many of our youths who have nothing doing. I always say that it takes young people to take the kind of development risk that is required to succeed. At a certain age, one becomes careful in taking certain risks. I believe I am a bridge between the young and the old. I relate with the young as one of them; just as I relate with the old and understand their temperaments. Put together, it is a comparative advantage for me. Why were you not at the meeting of aspirants convened by Chief Edwin Clark? Chief Edwin Clark is a father to all of us, not only in Delta State, but the entire country. So, we all go to him from all parts of the globe because we seek his fatherly blessing. I have consulted with him privately and I will also go to him to pay homage. My visit to him will not be a consultation. I can see him in his county home in Kaigbodo or in his house in Abuja. I enjoy a cordial relationship with him. I am going to get his blessing as a father. The fact that I was not there when others went there does not mean that I don’t enjoy a cordial relationship with him. My relationship with him has always been cordial.