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Tag: PDP

  • How Ogun PDP can be strong again, by National Secretary

    The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Adewale Oladipo, has said the key to the party’s greatness in Ogun State is in the hands of former Governor Gbenga Daniel and the Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee in the Southwest, Prince Buruji Kashamu.

    He said the party could not afford to lose in the coming elections, as experienced in 2011, adding that their working relationship would ensure the party’s victory.

    Oladipo spoke against the backdrop of Daniel’s surprise visit to the Goodluck Jonathan Political Centre, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, venue of the Eid-el-Kabir party hosted by Kashamu.

    The event was witnessed by the Ekiti State governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the National Auditor of the PDP, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, former governors of Ogun and Oyo states Chief Gbenga Daniel and Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Teslim Folarin, ex-deputy governor of Ekiti State Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, Dr.  Abisola Sodipo-Clark,  Abiodun Akinlade, Prince Segun Adewale and former deputy governor of Ogun State Alhaja Salimot Badru.

    Members of the party’s executives, under the leadership of Bayo Dayo, were also represented.

    Oladipo said: “I’m sure with the coming together of Buruji and Daniel, they have demonstrated their friendship. They will consummate it soon by the special grace of God. The National Working Committee (NWC) is encouraging them to do that.

    “We will ensure they come together, work together so that our presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is re-elected, while the PDP will take over the mantle of leadership in Ogun State by the grace of God next year.”

    The PDP national secretary said Daniel and Buruji have many followers, who must be brought together under one canopy.

    He described them as the two strongest forces as far as Ogun State politics was concerned.

    Said Oladipo: “In Ogun State, some of us familiar with the terrain know that Kashamu is a formidable political activist and an astute politician. He commands a very strong political structure in the PDP.

    “Also, you know that Daniel, a member of the Labour Party, has many supporters. These are the two strongest forces in Ogun State.

    “There may be other minor players, we will accommodate them, but the greatest task before us is to bring Buruji and Daniel together. This has been accomplished.

    “You know birds of a feather flock together. That was why you saw Daniel here with his associates. We, in the PDP, have worked very hard in bringing the Daniel structure and the Buruji structure together.”

    Kashamu described Daniel’s visit as “significant and a good omen” for the party.

    He said: “Although it was a private visit, it is perhaps a confirmation of my prediction penultimate Sunday that Daniel has no choice but to return to the PDP. As I said on that occasion, most of his foot soldiers had returned to the PDP. It is just a matter of time before Daniel and a few others, who are still outside, will join us.

    “It is a good omen that a party that is not in government at the state level is growing everyday. It can only get better in the days, weeks and months ahead.”

  • ‘Wike can’t be PDP candidate in Rivers’  

    ‘Wike can’t be PDP candidate in Rivers’  

    Prince Kalagbor Wordu from Obokoro Orochiri  Kingdom, Rivers State, is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant.  He spoke with Precious Dikewoha in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on his ambition and other partisan issues.
    Why do you want to be governor of Rivers State? 

    I am qualified in all ramifications to contest for the position of the governor of Rivers State. To be candid, I joined the race to stop Chief Nyesom Wike from picking the PDP ticket in Rivers State. I was chosen by my people to contest the governorship of Rivers State. I was supposed to be adopted as an unopposed candidate by the party. But, because democracy is founded on the basis of principles, I must join the queue, to pass through some processes with others to get the party’s ticket. So, that is why I am running under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I am one of the pioneers of the PDP in the state. The party does not belong to anybody; it is a platform for any candidate, who wishes to contest for any elective position. My dream is to make Rivers State an industrial haven by exploiting its God-given resources  fordevelopment. I will use my experience as an expert in the oil and gas industry to turn the economy around and make every citizen a stakeholder. I will invest massively on human capital development like education and make sure that there are two or three graduates in every household. Look, I want you to know that many people are suffering in Rivers State.  There are some families that cannot afford to send their children to tertiary institutions. This is one of my worries. My plan is to ensure that I reduce drastically the fees paid in state tertiary institutions. I will provide avenues to put more money in the pockets of lecturers, to ensure that they stop embarking on strikes. If a professor in the university cannot boost of one million in two months and a House of the Assembly member gets N100 million in two months, it is irritating. People are not happy seeing those entrusted with their votes been millionaire overnight while people are living in misery.  This is one of the major issues that should have been addressed before now.

    Can you beat Wike at the primaries?

     If I am afraid of anybody in the party, it is not Wike. Believe me, he will retire from politics by next year. He was a local government chairman for eight years, Chief of Staff for four years and within those four years, he was appointed as the Director-General of Governor Chibuike Amaechi Campaign Organisation before he was made the Minister. So, Rivers people are saying thank you, go and sit down. Look, people should not turn politics to their family farm land.  It is sad that we are talking about Wike now when Rivers people are tired of him. There is nothing he can offer as governor that any other candidate cannot offer. I am a crowned prince and I had all my studies in Germany. I have transacted many international businesses with men of high sense of decency. These are people who believe me today. I respect my leaders, especially those who contributed in making me to be where I am today. I am not those who stage protest for their masters, those who want to be richer than those who made them. That is why Rivers people must protest against such candidates.

    What makes you think you are a better candidate?

    Because I am better than Wike. The only thing that makes him look as if he has much power and influence is because of the influence of the wife of the President. Any day the President’s wife tells him, look it is over between us, no nobody will hear his name again. Let me tell you, the President does not trust him; he has a very bad record of betrayal. I have a wealth of experience, which other candidates do not possess. The youths of Rivers State are solidly behind me. I want to tell you something. Almost all the candidates jostling for the PDP ticket in Rivers State are more interested in what they will gain and not what they will do for Rivers people. That is why the party must be careful about who they give the party flag. If the wrong people are allowed to take the PDP ticket and they eventually win, the people will suffer; the wealth of the people will be looted. They have nothing to offer. That is why we are doing our best to ensure that the party does not make the greatest mistake. Let me make it clear. I will not step down for anybody.

    As an Ikwerre man, what is your position on the agitation for power shift by riverrine people?

     I also have sympathy for them.  But, in the PDP, there is nothing like zoning. We were advised to contest. If in the process of seeking the ticket of the party and there is an order that Ikwerre man cannot  contest, I will step down.  I will obey my party. But,  where the same party is pushing for an Ikwerre candidate, then, no one has the right to criticise me. Secondly, this is democracy where people have equal rights to seek any elective position.  So, for now, my party has not said a particular ethnic group should step down for others.

    Do you think the PDP will win APC in the state?   

     Rivers State is for the PDP. This is not arguable. There has been a lot of political propaganda that the APC will win Rivers State, but that will not happen.  Frankly speaking, we are prepared for it. We are prepared to engage the APC. What they are doing now is to misinform Nigerians about what the PDP truly represents. The problem is that, in the PDP, we have problem. Even, here in Rivers State, we lack internal democracy. But, I know we will get over it.

     

  • ‘Enugu PDP not in disarray over Ugwuanyi’

    ‘Enugu PDP not in disarray over Ugwuanyi’

    The Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it is not in disarray for making House of Representatives member, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, its consensus candidate for next year’s governorship election.

    The party was reacting yesterday to reports that its members were in disarray over the choice.

    It described the reports as “blatantly false, mischievous and calculated to deceive the public”.

    In a statement in Enugu by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Okey Eze, the PDP gave more insight into the circumstances that led to the emergence of Ugwuanyi.

    The party said the process that led to Ugwuanyi’s emergence was an “epitome of democracy”.

    It said the reports were the handiwork of mischief makers who wanted to undermine the party for selfish reasons.

    The statement said: “The PDP in Enugu is as strong and united as it has been since the inception of the Sullivan Chime administration. The party is even stronger and more united now that we have a consensus governorship candidate who was chosen through a smooth, transparent and democratic process. It is the first time such a thing happened in the history of the state. Anyone saying the party is in disarray is clearly being mischievous.”

    The party regretted that the report had been anchored on a false interpretation of the absence of few political figures at its state caucus meeting when Ugwuanyi was endorsed last Saturday.

    It explained that contrary to the reporters’ conclusion, Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Jim Nwobodo, Ken Nnamani and Fidelis Okoro as well as Chief Dubem Onyia, were excused from the meeting to attend to pressing official and personal engagements.

    The statement said the absentees promised to abide by the decisions reached there.

    It said Onyia had issued a rebuttal, through his lawyer, on the report that he boycotted the meeting.

    The politician was said to have travelled abroad when the meeting was held, after attending the Enugu West caucus meeting where Ugwuanyi was endorsed.

    The party stressed that some other political figures, who were reported to have been absent at the meeting, were not members of the state caucus, based on the party’s constitution and could, therefore, not have been part of the meeting.

    Such people, the statement said, included Admiral Allison Madueke (rtd), Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, Frank Nweke Jnr and Prof Barth Nnaji.

    Eze noted that the journey to Ugwuanyi’s endorsement started on September 26 when Governor Sullivan Chime convened a meeting of the Enugu North Senatorial District caucus, comprising the major stakeholders, past and current political office holders, party functionaries and governorship aspirants.

    According to the statement, the meeting was attended by “76 political heavyweights” from the zone, who were chosen in accordance with the party’s constitution, besides the 10 other aspirants from the zone.

    Notable politicians at the meeting were: Senator Ayogu Eze, State Chairman Vita Abba, House of Assembly Speaker Eugene Odo, former PDP National Chairman Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Pat Asadu, Princess Stella Ngwu, Dr Dan Shere, Ambassador Justina Eze, Dr Mrs Sally Adukwu, Gen. Fred Eze (rtd) and Gen. Godwin Ugwoke (rtd).

    Also there were the chairmen of the local government areas in the zone and their deputies, members of the House of Assembly from the zone, past and present office holders and party executives from the area.

    The 10 aspirants at the meeting were: Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, Prof Osita Ogbu, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, Prof Simon Ortuanya, Chief Eddy Ugwu, Mr Dan Onyishi, Prince Mathew Agu, Obetta Mark Chidi and Onyishi Maduka Sam.

    The statement said Chime did not state the purpose of the meeting in his invitation.

    It explained that when he tabled the main issue for discussion as the 2015 governorship race, the meeting agreed to deliberate on it.

    The statement said: “The governor allowed everyone to express his views on the matter. And, at a time, he even offered to allow members of the caucus to go home and return on a later date. But they agreed to stay back and discuss it there.”

    The party said after extensive deliberations, the other aspirants agreed to step down for Ugwuanyi, adding that this could be deduced from the actions of Ambassador Fidel Ayogu and Chief Okechukwu Itanyi, who moved and seconded the motion, although they were aspirants.

    The PDP stressed that Chime called for a counter-motion, adding that it was when there was none he called for a voice vote in which the members unanimously affirmed Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate of the caucus.

    Eze said: “I wish to stress that the governor never participated in the deliberations. But everybody who wanted to speak was given the chance to speak. At the end of extensive deliberations, the other aspirants stepped down for Ugwuanyi.”

    The statement added that “any other account of what transpired at the meeting was false and would also be an insult to the intelligence and integrity of the eminent personalities and party chieftains who were in attendance”.

    The party chieftain explained that to test the popularity of the decision of the Enugu North caucus, Chime summoned meetings of the Enugu East, Enugu West and state caucuses of the party after the general meeting.

    He said they unanimously adopted Ugwuanyi.

    Among the 80 political figures at the Enugu East caucus meeting were: Senator Gil Nnaji, Kinglsey Ebenyi, Princess Peace Nnaji, Offor Chukwuegbo and the chairmen of local government areas, members of the House of Assembly, party executives, and past and present political office holders from the zone. Senators Ken Nnamani and Jim Nwobodo could not attend the meeting but sent their apologies.

    Eze said prominent figures at the Enugu West caucus meeting included Power Minister Chinedu Nebo, Special Adviser to the President on NEPAD, Mrs Fidelia Njeze, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Toby Okechukwu, local government chairmen, members of the House of Assembly, party executives and past and present political office holders.

    He said Ekweremadu sought permission to be excused because of his official engagements abroad.

  • PDP elders to Akpabio: stop inciting youths against us

    PDP elders to Akpabio: stop inciting youths against us

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders in Akwa Ibom State have urged Governor Godswill Akpabio to stop inciting the youth against them.

    The elders said Akpabio’s utterances were a call to arm and an incitement of the youth against their elders.

    The elders were led by former Minister of Petroleum, Don Etiebet. They addressed a briefing yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.

    Akpabio was quoted to have said at the state’s 27th anniversary celebration that: “To the youth, you have a responsibility, the future belongs to you. My challenge to you is not to look at the elders.”

    Etiebet, who spoke on behalf of the elders, advised the youth not to heed the governor’s call but to look up to the elders for inspiration, training, counseling and blessing.

    The elders also urged the youth not to mortgage the state and its resources to one man and his family through his continued governance by proxies.

    Etiebet said: “We use this opportunity to call on our youths to know that the future belongs to you but you need the elders for training, advice, direction, blessing and preparation to take over tomorrow.”

    The elders berated the governor for lying against them and telling people that they have distanced themselves from his administration because he has refused to share state resources and allocation to them.

    The former minister, who challenged Akpabio to substantiate his allegation, said the governor took the action because they advised him against extravagant spending.

    Etiebet  said: ‘’Just because we, the elders, have counselled him against , arbitrary and non-budgetary spending, should he insult us?”

    He wondered why Akpabio had not responded to the statement by the coordinating Minister of Finance that: “The uncommon transformation in Akwa Ibom State in infrastructure and others constitute a disproportionately little fraction of the total resources that had accrued to the state from her ministry.”

    Commissioner for Information Aniekan Umanah said there was no time the governor advised the youth to rise against the elders.

    Umanah challenged them elders to provide video recordings of their claims.

    In a statement yesterday, he said: “The claims by Etiebet are preposterous, spurious and attempts to act out a script by the opposition.

    “ I wonder how a message by the governor admonishing the youth to take their destiny in their hands could be twisted by Etiebet and his co-travellers.”

  • APC to PDP, Jonathan: stop taking credit for Ebola control

    APC to PDP, Jonathan: stop taking credit for Ebola control

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday told President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop taking credit for the country’s successful containment of the Ebola Disease Virus (EVD).

    It said it would amount to dishonesty for the President and his party to turn what was a collective effort to a campaign issue.

    But the PDP fired back, saying the APC preferred that “the Ebola scourge continued unabated in Nigeria so as to have what to blame the PDP-led government for”.

    The PDP made its position known in a response to a statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The APC said President Jonathan and his party were wrong to have appropriated the credit for the successful containment of the EVD without giving due credit to the real heroes of the successful battle: Dr. Stella Adadevoh and her colleagues at the First Consultant Hospital; officials of the ministries of Health in Lagos and Rivers states and the patriotic Nigerian volunteers, among others.

    It described as a cheap shot and a shameless venture the President’s decision to make the Ebola success story a campaign issue during a PDP rally in Benin, giving the impression that only the PDP deserves the credit for the successful containment of the disease.

    The APC said while indeed Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu exhibited the kind of professionalism and purposefulness that are not common with the Jonathan Administration during the battle against Ebola, it will be uncharitable for the PDP-led Federal Government to pretend as if the governments of the two affected states did nothing.

    The party reminded President Jonathan that the two states hit by Ebola, Lagos and Rivers, are APC states, and that the promptness, purposefulness, doggedness and determination shown by the governors contributed largely to the successful containment of the virulent disease.

    ‘’The cities of Lagos and Port Harcourt are perhaps the largest metropolis to have ever been hit by the EVD since the first outbreak was recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo almost 40 years ago, and any mishandling of the disease could have spelt disaster not just for the cities but for the country as a whole.

    ‘’But the ever-dogged and determined Governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers states employed the same winning strategies that have stood their states out of the pack and quickly rose to the occasion, putting in place measures that ensured a quick curtailing of the EVD spread. The measures include painstaking contact-tracing, unrelenting follow-up and creative treatment of infected patients even without access to the experimental drug Zmapp.

    ‘’There is no doubt that Nigeria is fortunate that the EVD outbreaks were recorded in those two states. It is a measure of the high premium that the Chief Executives of the states place on human life, a testimony to the strong health systems they are building and an indication of their purposeful approach to governance that they successfully contained the disease, thus earning Nigeria a rare accolade from the global community.

    ‘’Unlike the President and the PDP, we will also like to give credit to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, for acting out of character with the do-nothing Jonathan Administration. We hope President Jonathan and his party will stop making the Ebola success story in which opposition states were the main actors a fulcrum of their campaign for the 2015 general elections. They cannot and should not take credit for the containment of Ebola in Nigeria,’’ APC said.

    The party also advised President Jonathan not to use the Ebola containment effort as another tool to divide Nigerians along party lines.

    ‘’President Jonathan is the most divisive President in Nigeria’s history. He inherited a united Nigeria, but has divided the country along ethnic and religious lines on the altar of selfish personal ambition and short-term opportunism. It will amount to a monumental tragedy if the President will again use the Ebola success story, which has earned Nigeria a rare acclamation from the global community, as a tool to further divide Nigerians,’’ it said.

     

  • Enugu PDP caucus in disarray over consensus candidate

    Enugu PDP caucus in disarray over consensus candidate

    •Chime: I didn’t anoint Ugwuanyi  

    •Enugu PDP ratifies consensus candidate

    The caucus of the Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been divided over its consensus candidate.

    But Governor Sullivan Chime, who has been accused of masterminding the process that led to the emergence of House of Representatives member Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the party’s consensus candidate, has denied any wrongdoing.

    Many prominent members of the party boycotted last Saturday’s caucus meeting to show their disapproval of what they called a brazen attempt by one man and a few people around him to impose an unpopular candidate on the party.

    Among the party’s stalwarts who stayed away from the meeting are: Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu, former governor of old Anambra State Senator Jim Nwobodo, Senator Fidelis Okoro, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, former Information Minister Frank Nweke Jnr, former Power Minister Prof. Barth Nnaji, former Foreign Affairs Minister Dubem Onyia and Senator Ayogu Eze, who has been insisting that the party should hold a primary instead of ratifying a consensus candidate.

    Others include former Senate President Ken Nnamani, who was said to be away in the United States, and several prominent members of the caucus.

    It was learnt that Chime tried to convince opponents of consensus to attend the meeting, calling them severally on his phone.

    Some of the leaders reportedly said they would not allow the governor to use them as the rubberstamp to his “handpicked candidate”.

    They wondered why the governor suddenly began to show them affection, after allegedly alienating them for about eight years.

    “The governor never took the call of any leader of Enugu State for nearly eight years. I will be a fool to fall for this emergency love. It’s a Greek gift,” one of the party’s chieftains, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter.

    It was also learnt that the governor changed his “usual” authoritative voice for a conciliatory tone to persuade the members to toe his line.

    Some of those at the meeting said they were surprised by the haste with which it was conducted.

    They also alleged that nobody was allowed to comment or move the motion on the consensus controversy.

    Some of the party’s stalwarts said they would not attend the meeting because the consensus candidacy violated the party’s constitution.

    “There is no way I would have joined them to flout the instruction and guidelines of the party. No way! The PDP constitution is superior to any individual in the party, no matter how highly placed,” another party chieftain said.

    But Chime denied the allegation that he masterminded Ugwuanyi’s emergence as the consensus candidate.

    The governor addressed reporters at the weekend after the caucus meeting of the PDP, saying members of the party chose the lawmaker.

    Chime, who gave a rundown of how Ugwuanyi was endorsed by the people of Enugu North Senatorial District, where the governorship is zoned to, dismissed insinuations that he imposed him on the party.

    The governor said party members from the three senatorial zones chose Ugwuanyi.

    He said: “I was there as the umpire; I didn’t participate in the deliberations. Mine was to guide them, to coordinate what was happening. So, everybody who wanted to speak was given the chance to speak.

    “All those who indicated interest one way or the other were there. All elected officials – government, public officers, state and national – were there. Past and present leaders were there. So, we met and, unanimously at the end of deliberations, it was put to a formal motion. Many of the aspirants stepped down for Ugwuanyi.

    “Those who had expressed concerns earlier, thinking that they were called to just endorse a particular candidate, after hearing from their kinsmen, changed their views and withdrew from the race. “Interestingly, at the end of the day, the two persons who moved and supported the motion were actually contestants who stepped down. Fidel Ayogu moved the motion and it was seconded by former Deputy Governor Okey Itanyi. The motion was unanimously endorsed; everybody supported it.

    “When I asked if anybody was against the motion, not a single person raised his hand. So, they all endorsed it.”

    Chime explained that marketing his preferred candidate would not be difficult because of what he called his wide acceptability.

    The governor said his hope and prayers were to make history as the first governor whose successor emerged through a consensus.

    He stressed that it would be fool-hardy for anybody to challenge the lawmaker, either at the PDP primary election or at the general election next February.

    On the statement by the party’s national leadership, warning state chapters against endorsing candidates, Chime noted that instead of the warning, the party should pat states on the back for having consensus candidates through dialogue.

    He said: “The party cannot and will never be against the party coming together to agree on a candidate. What should be their problem, if any, is if any level of the party stops other people from buying forms. Here, people are free to buy forms. We endorsed the President as a consensus candidate. It won’t stop him from going for the primaries.

    “But it will be a mere formality. Any other person coming out will be coming there to ridicule himself because the party has spoken. But it can’t stop anybody from buying form constitutionally.

    “That we have endorsed him (Ugwuanyi) is a statement to whoever that is coming that the party has spoken. But if you like, the party wants to make some money. If you like, you can pick your form. Nobody will stop anybody from buying forms. Buy your form and go for the primaries. What you find, you will take. Nobody is going against the party directives.

    “I’m not sure what they said affects us. As far as Enugu is concerned, we are not stopping anybody from contesting.

    “Thank God, under the present dispensation, all forms are bought in Abuja. Nobody has the powers to stop you from buying forms. If anything, the party should encourage it. They should congratulate us for this feat, for coming together to say this is our choice.”

    According to him, almost all the aspirants, who initially indicated interest to run for the governorship seat, have backed Ugwuanyi, who represents Udenu/Igboeze North in the National Assembly.

    Chime described the development as a major feat and an example for other states to learn from.

    “All of them (aspirants) have queued behind him, as far as I know. If it had not been by a consensus, all of those persons would have been saying things in the papers. They would have been telling you different things. As at today, it is only Senator Ayogu Eze who is opposing the arrangement, for reasons best known to him,” he said.

    Also, the Enugu State caucus of the PDP has approved Ugwuanyi as its consensus candidate.

    Rising from a special meeting yesterday at the Government House in Enugu, the caucus reviewed the series of endorsements for Ugwuanyi by the three senatorial districts’ caucuses.

    The motion for his adoption was moved by a House of Representatives member, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, and seconded by a former PDP National Secretary and member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Rex Onyeabor.

    The caucus assured Ugwuanyi of its support to win the election.

    The party said it had not barred any aspirant from contesting the governorship election, if such a person insists on participating in the primary.

    In a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, the party explained that the clarification was necessary because of the “erroneous impression” in some sections of the media through an aggrieved aspirant.

    The party said the aspirant claimed that he was denied the right to participate in the governorship primary election.

    It stressed that the PDP in Enugu State had always resolved its matters through dialogue and consultations with the people.

    The Enugu PDP said such approach had always worked for the party, adding that it had never stopped other aspirants from participating in its primaries.

    It wondered why a major beneficiary of the process was raising what it called a false alarm to whip up negative sentiments against the party.

    The party stressed that the choice of Ugwuanyi did not foreclose the planned governorship primary or prevent other aspirants from taking part.

    It said Ugwuanyi would still go through the primary election to be voted for by the delegates, with other aspirants who insist on contesting.

    At the meeting were Governor Sullivan Chime, Deputy Governor Ralph Nwoye, State Chairman Vita Abba, Senator Gil Emeka Nnaji, House of Assembly Speaker Eugene Odo, Power Minister Prof Chinedu Nebo, members of the House of Representatives and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu reportedly took permission that he was out of the country and would abide by the outcome of the meeting.

    Other apologies were said to have been received from Jim Nwobodo; former Senate President Senator Ken Nnamani; a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dubem Onyia and Senator Fidelis Okoro.

    Ugwuanyi is expected to be presented to the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party this week for final endorsement before the governorship primary.

  • PDP chiefs kick against zoning

    PDP chiefs kick against zoning

    Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State have criticised the planned zoning of the governorship ticket to the North senatorial district.

    According to them, zoning the position rather than considering popularity and population could lead to the wrong choice, which could lead to protest votes and loss of the election.

    A former PDP Chairman in Ndokwa West Local Government, Godwin Mgbabago and a former member of the House of Assembly, Joe Adigwe, said at the weekend that historical facts and figures showed that the 2011 governorship election in Delta did not produce results.

    The PDP chiefs warned that “those fronting and anointing inexperienced politicians do not mean well for the PDP.

    “On the basis of demography and electoral value, everyone knows the Urhobo control over 60 per cent of the voting strength in Delta State. “Yet, they have been out of power for eight years and their representation in the Federal Government has been limited to two appointments compared to Delta North, which has over 14 appointments.”

  • ‘PDP will lose Taraba, if Umar gets ticket’

    ‘PDP will lose Taraba, if Umar gets ticket’

    Former Secretary to the Taraba State Government (SSG) Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah, in this interview, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not win the governorship election, if Acting Governor Garba becomes the flag bearer for next year’s poll. Senior Correspondent FANEN IHYONGO met him in Jalingo, the state capital.

    Why were you sacked from the Taraba State Executive Council by Acting Governor Garba Umar?

    You have asked me as a person, but I will speak on behalf of the team that was sacked by the deputy governor. First and foremost, Garba Umar became the deputy governor by appointment; he did not contest the election with Governor Danbaba Suntai. He only came onboard when our former deputy governor, Sani Abubakar Danladi, was impeached by the  House of Assembly. Umar had spent barely three weeks when Suntai had a plane crash with his security aides. The deputy governor did not know anything about governance. He was in the private sector, but he had to take over the mantle of leadership as the acting governor, following the governor’s mishap. But, before the crash, Suntai had set up committees for disbursing the flood funds for the purchase of relief materials for those who were affected by the flood disaster in 2012. The main committee was chaired by the deputy governor, with some of us as members, including the Chief of Staff, the former Head of Service and Commissioners for Justice, Environment, Finance, Health and Information. Most of the job had been done before the governor had the crash. There were two main committees in charge of purchases. The materials bought were determined by the main committee through the logistics committee, which was to do market survey and identify the quantity, quality and price of the items to be purchased. No member of the main committee was involved in purchases, except the wife of the Chief of Staff, now the SSG, who got the contract to purchase the items. So, I don’t know the money Umar said we tampered with. The reports of the two committees are there. There is no missing fund in the report. There is nobody who said he was not giving some money to purchase items. I don’t know how I, as the SSG, who was in the main committee, tampered with the funds. Even the commissioners who were involved in the purchases returned more than nine million naira as discount  from the purchases.

    But, there was a report...

    When the report was submitted, it was supposed to be scrutinised by the executive. But, the deputy governor, who was now in acting capacity, was finding a way to do away with some of us. He was trying without success to lobby some of us to assist him to take over as the substantive governor. He wanted me, particularly, to prepare a memo stating that Suntai was incapacitated so that his deputy can assume his office. He promised to make me the deputy governor, with the sum of N100 million, lobbied through a permanent secretary and two other commissioners, which I will only mention their names, if he (Umar) denies this. This was what happened. So, he decided to link the commissioners who were very loyal to Suntai and I, who refused to write the memo, with the flood funds so as to remove us from office. No one tampered with the flood funds. It was what he planned and executed. The report is there and it was even published in one of the newspapers in the state for the public to see. So, I don’t know how he got us indicted. The truth is that nobody tampered with the flood disaster money. Few minutes before he sacked us, Umar asked his Muslim brother; the former commissioner of health; to resign his appointment. The former Commissioner for Information was not sacked, but he voluntarily left the government when Umar was disloyal to the governor. The truth is that Governor Suntai had warned that nobody should take even transport fare from the funds  and we all complied. So, the deputy governor should explain his source and  how we tampered with the flood funds.

    What did you do when you were sacked?

    We went to court within the first three days, because we knew we were wrongly sacked. We went to court in July last year. The judgment was to be passed on May 11, but the court is yet to rule on the case. I wish to say somebody somewhere is tampering with justice in the state, but I don’t want to talk about the matter, since it is already in the court of law. The deputy governor said he booted us from office because, according to him, we are corrupt. We said we are innocent. We went to court, but the deputy governor is pre-empting the judgment by saying we are corrupt. I don’t know where he got his own judgment or whether he has taken over the duties of the court.

    How much did the committees spend?

    N100 million was set aside to rehabilitate the infrastructure that was affected by the flood. These included infrastructure for schools, dispensaries, mosques, churches and culverts. So, apart from some bank charges, about two hundred million naira was disbursed.

    What happened to the N100 million, at the time you were sacked?

    It was intact in the state’s treasury. All the funds disbursed were from the treasury and the Commissioner for Finance submitted a letter informing us that the N100 million was still intact.

    Umar has always said his relationship with his boss is still very cordial and that he is taking care of the governor and his family. Do you have a different view?

    There is no better word to describe the kind of relationship he presently has with the governor. It is not cordial in any way. Immediately the governor had the plane crash, Umar started plotting on how he could take over. Anybody who has a cordial relationwith his boss would not do that. He also removed all the appointees of the governor to clear the way for him to become the substantive governor. Is that cordiality? He said he is taking care of the governor. It is not true. Suntai is the executive governor of the state and he is entitled to be taken care of by the government and not by Garba Umar. Umar does not have the resources to take care of Suntai. Before his appointment as the deputy governor, Umar was not a rich man. All we knew about him was that he was a trader, selling nuvan (mosquito insecticides) in Gombe State. So, Umar does not have the capacity to take care of Suntai in any regard. It is the government that is supposed to take care of the governor, but the government being run by Umar is not doing that.

    How has the state fared under Umar?

    If there is any time in the life of Taraba State that there was the worst administration, Umar’s time is worse than that worst. Somehow, I have been in the government of Taraba State at various times, since its creation. I was a director in the ministry, commissioner, board chairman and SSG. So, I know that no government, military and civilian, has been as bad as the one steered by Umar. He has not developed anything in the state. All the projects started by Suntai have stopped. The state university, which Suntai established for the education of our children, is not being funded. When I was there, I had to persuade him to fund the university, but he would not. The other time the university wanted to embark on strike, but for the intervention of a third fund and other federal government agencies in the tertiary institutions, the  university would have been closed down. It is  not being funded by the deputy governor, who has declared himself as the acting governor. Taraba State is in its worst period. Under Suntai, even when all the Northeastern states had some crises, Taraba never experienced any. The governor was proactive and he knew how to arrest the crisis and crackdown on suspected insurgents. There is insecurity. As the acting governor, he is the chief security officer. As the chief security officer, he should be able to know where the roof is leaking to mend it. But, he is not doing that. He seems to be taking side. And the reason is simply because he is hell-bent to take over Taraba. So, he cannot hesitate to do anything that can pave the way for him to succeed.

    The acting governor claimed that he has done well. If the people asks him to contest, he said he will contest…

    I don’t know that kind of clarion call. Honestly, the greatest mistake Suntai has made in his life was picking Umar as his deputy. There can be no mistake worse than this. Suntai had relied solely on elders to pick someone for him from the Northern zone. The governor did not know this man. If he had known, he wouldn’t have picked him. The College of Agriculture Governing Board had paid him a courtesy call. The members advanced some demands. I was there as the SSG. He told them, yes, I would do these things; no I would not do those ones. At the end, I summed up the things he said he was going to do and those he turned down. I prepared a memo in that regard for his consideration and approval. But, upon giving him the memo, he asked me what is this SSG? I told him these are the things you approved for the college. He said no, I didn’t mean what I said; it was only a political talk. I asked what do you mean Your Excellency?  I told him he is acting governor, so whatever he promises the people or public institutions, he has to fulfill it and that’s how the government works. Then, I asked him why he gave them fake promise. May be, that is why he is angry at me. I doubt if he has granted those requests.

    Was there any agreement between Umar and Suntai that Umar would not run for office? If there is, was the agreement written or oral?

    On several occasions, Governor Suntai emphasised to him (Umar) that I have brought you to complete my tenure with me. Under no account should you nurse any form of ambition to contest, because the Northern and Central zones have produced governors. So, in 2015, we shall relinquish power to the Southern zone, and the reason why I appointed you as my deputy is because of your age; so that you would not have any ambition to take over. So,  please abide by this and, if at the end of our tenure, you don’t see me advancing you, don’t be annoyed because we must give the governorship slot to where it belongs for justice and equity. Umar said no, I am very okay sir; I am not going to contest. But now, he has forgotten.

     

  • ‘No zoning in Rivers PDP’

    ‘No zoning in Rivers PDP’

    Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Ferdinand Alabraba has declared that the governorship ticket will not be zoned to any senatorial district or ethnic group.

    Alabraba said the “no-zoning principle” is consistent with the position of the state executive committee of the party. Members of the committee include the chairmen of the 23 local government chapters, lawmakers, and other leaders.

    Alabraba said, based on this position, the slot would not be zoned to  any ethnic nationality, local council and district.

    Alabraba, who spoke in Port Harcourt, the state capital, added:  said: “It is not in the best interest of our party to zone or limit the selection of a governorship candidate to any zone, district or ethnic nationality. We must ensure that the party gives aspirants a level playing field.

    “The prevailing circumstance demands that the party should put its best candidate forward and the only democratic avenue that is available to the PDP is to conduct primaries for aspirants.”

    The PDP chieftain acknowledged the existence of an unwritten riverine/upland arrangement, which gives the ethnic groups opportunities for representations in elective offices. But, he insisted that the arrangement will deprive the PDP the chance of beating the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polls.

    He said that the PDP is in a trying time, adding that members neveranticipated the defection of Governor Rotimi Amaechi from the party.

     

    Alabraba praisedhe Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, for leading the party, following the exit of the governor.

    He said Amaechi, his aides, pro-government contractors and friends were the PDP financial war chest before the defection.

    Alabraba said: “Without Wike, the PDP would have become extinct in Rivers State. Governor Amaechi took the structure of the PDP with him to the APC. When it happened,  PDP members were dejected, but they did nothing, until Wike rose up to the challenge.

    “How can you run on the platform of a party without contributing to the growth and development of the party? They forget that we are in party politics. For anyone to run on the platform of the party, he or she has to identify with the party. How can they achieve their ambition, if they do not identify with the party?

    “My advice to them is to come close to the party, identify with the part, contribute to the party, and mobilise support for the party so that the party can be stronger to enable them actualise their ambitions. They should also support the leadership of the party as it is today. Clearly, Wike has demonstrated unparalleled leadership that has taken the PDP to where it is today in Rivers State”.

     

  • Ogun PDP woos LP members

    Ogun PDP woos LP members

    TheChairman of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief  Bayo Dayo, has urged Labour Party(LP) members to join the PDP.

    Dayo spoke at a rally in Ijebu-Igbo, where he received over 250 defectors from the Accord Party(AP) and the All Progressives Congress(APC).

    He said the APC leader, Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the LP leader, former Governor Gbenga Daniel, cannot lead the state to the promised land.

    Dayo urged the defectors, including the LP Chairman in Ijebu East Local Government, Mr Ganiyu Ishola, to work for the success of the PDP in Ijebu East Senatorial District.

    He said Daniel has been dropping the name of President Goodluck Jonathan, thereby creating the impression that they can be relevant through the back door.

    Dayo described the LP as a sinking ship, urging the members to desert it before it is too late.

    PDP chieftain Dapo Abiodun, who attended the rally, said he was in Ijebu-Igbo to hold consultation the party leader and financier in the Southwest, Prince Buruji Kashamu, stressing he would make the outcome of the consultation known to party supporters soon.