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Tag: PDP

  • Lawmaker condemns absence of candidates at debate

    Lawmaker condemns absence of candidates at debate

    A LAWMAKER representing Ijesa South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ajibola Famurewa, has condemned the absence of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) at the debate for the August 9 election.

    Famurewa, who spoke with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, said for the duo not to have attended “the debate speaks volumes of their readiness professionally, psychologically and emotionally to lead the state.”

    He said any serious candidate, who has something to offer, will jump at the opportunity the debate offers to for him or her to address fundamental issues relating to the state.

    He said: “This is an internationally organised debate by a reputable and independent body, International Republican Institute (IRI) for the people of Osun to know the manifestos of all candidates in-depth. Despite the long extensive invitation sent to all the three leading political parties by the IRI, an affiliate of USAID, it was only Governor Aregbesola who was available for the debate.

    “This shows the respect, concern and passion he has for all and sundry which is evident in his style of governance in the last 43 months. It’s worth noting that the PDP and the LP that avoided the debate participated in the preliminary stage of the debate held before now for party stalwarts of the three political parties.”

    Famurewa, therefore, appealed to the people of Osun State to consider the antecedent and records of all candidates in assessing them before deciding where to cast their votes.

    The lawmaker expressed appreciation to the people’s for their overwhelming support for the campaign train of Aregbesola.

    He said: “This has given us the strong conviction that the August 9 election will be an overwhelming and landslide victory for the APC.”

     

  • APC, PDP in row over ‘plot’ to rig, incite residents

    APC, PDP in row over ‘plot’ to rig, incite residents

    Who is plotting to rig the August 9 election?

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has uncovered another plot by the Peoples Democratic Congress (PDP) to rig the poll.

    APC’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, made the claim yesterday in a statement.

    But the PDP insisted that it had no such plans.

    The APC alleged that the PDP had penetrated the ranks of the youth corps members to be used as electoral officers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    It claimed that 70 of the corps members had been compromised to look the other way when the PDP agents use other people’s voter cards.

    “It should not be forgotten that our party, the APC, had brought to public knowledge, the criminal intention of the PDP to buy up voter cards  for rigging purposes during the election on August 9.

    “According to credible information reaching the APC, 96 of the youth corps members were invited to a closed-door meeting with the PDP officials last week, but only 74 attended. During the meeting, the corps members were told to disregard the difference in facial appearance between the voter and the picture on the computer record and allow the mercenary voter to cast his or her vote.

    “Sensing that this could be dangerously problematic, one of the corps members allegedly asked: ‘Suppose party agents discovered and raised alarm?’ The PDP officials were reported to have replied; ‘don’t worry about that. The security people will deal decisively with any troublesome agent,’” the APC said.

    It added that after the meeting, the PDP distributed N20,000 each to the corps members and promised N30,000 more when the next meeting holds. “We learnt that the next meeting will hold in few days in Ile Ife,” the statement claimed.

    The reason why the PDP decided to embark on the method, according to the APC, was because the INEC in Abuja told the opposition party that snatching ballot boxes and stuffing them with already thumb-printed ballot-papers would not be permitted.

    The APC said the INEC had insisted that the PDP should look for the voters and make them vote.

    “With this secret let out of the bag, youth corps members acting as electoral officers will now come under closer scrutiny during the election and party agents and observers will be further armed with this information to prevent the PDP’s fraud at the polls,” the party said.

    The state government has also alerted the residents to  plans  by “some unscrupulous people” to mark some buildings for demolition in major cities.

    The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, in a statement yesterday, said their intention was to incite the populace against the government.

    He advised residents to question anyone that inscribes any mark of demolition on their buildings and report such person to the police for proper action.

    Akere also denied claims by members of the opposition party, particularly the PDP, that the state government has concluded plans to introduce a new tax regime if re-elected into office.

    He said the government is  not in any way thinking of introducing any tax regime or intend to increase its tax levy as claimed by the PDP.

    The spokesperson for the PDP and the Omisore Campaign Organisation, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said: “We are tired of their unfounded allegations. It is one allegation for each day. Their plan was to use the allegations to distract us from doing serious and issue-based campaign.”

    Odeyemi advised the APC to report any criminal finding to the security agents, rather than taking serious issues meant to be investigated and prosecuted in the court of law to the media.

    “It is the constitutional role of the police to investigate and prosecute accordingly any criminal issues that the APC might have. Reporting it on the pages of the newspapers amounts to propaganda,” he said.

  • PDP faults APC’s stance on attempt on Buhari’s life

    PDP faults APC’s stance on attempt on Buhari’s life

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday’s terror attack in Kaduna targeted at one of its leaders, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari(Rtd.).

    The APC, in its reaction to the attempt on Buhari’s life, had stated that the incident had put a lie to PDP’s hackneyed claim that the opposition party was behind the spate of terrorist attacks in the country.

    But in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, the PDP described attempts by the APC to use the incident to absolve itself of blames for encouraging insurgency in the country as “laughable and lame”.

    The PDP said the APC’s true identity as a party supportive of violence and disunity in the country is already well known.

    The statement said: “Nigerians will recall that when the news of the attack broke out, the PDP took the high moral ground of condemning the development and sympathised with General Muhammadu Buhari while at the same time calling for a thorough investigation to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

    “We are therefore shocked, disappointed and disgusted that the APC leaders chose to use the ugly development to embark on image laundering.

    “However, their hasty attempts to indict the Presidency and our great party while exonerating themselves from the widely held notion that they have been promoting insurgency have raised issues regarding what really happened, especially now that a suspect has been arrested.”

    The party added: “Nigerians now ponder; they ask, was the attack a setup aimed at scoring some political points? If indeed it was an assassination attempt, was it engineered by internal frictions and crisis of ambition within the APC?

    “Has it to do with some other presidential aspirants in the APC seeing General Buhari as a threat and obstacle to their ambitions?

    “Or could it be APC’s desperate strategy of trying to disentangle itself from the internationally acknowledged link with terrorists and possibly undermine the planned probe of their involvement by the United Kingdom?

    “These questions have become completely pertinent considering the fact that General Buhari poses no threat whatsoever to any candidate that the PDP might project.

    “He lost three times to our great party in presidential elections and will lose the fourth time if he emerges the candidate of the APC. Our advice to APC is that they might as well consider looking inwards if they believe it was an assassination attempt.”

    The PDP insisted that the APC cannot in anyway exonerate itself from the insurgency ravaging the country, which it said the latter had been promoting through the utterances and actions of its leaders, “thinking that the insurgents were after the President and the PDP”.

    The ruling party said if the APC leaders had joined other well-meaning Nigerians in condemning acts of terrorism at the early stage, the perpetrators would not have been bold enough to get to the current alarming level.

     

  • Omisore, Akinbade absent at Osun governorship election debate

    Omisore, Akinbade absent at Osun governorship election debate

    THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in the August 9 governorship election in Osun state, Chief Iyiola Omisore, went missing yesterday at a radio debate where he was supposed to square up to the incumbent,Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    Aregbesola is flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

    Also unavailable   at yesterday’s debate organized by the International Republican Institute [IRI]was Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of Labour Party (LP).

    The absence of other leading contenders in the election left the candidate of the All Progressives Congress [APC], Rauf Aregbesola, having all the time allotted for the “Manifesto Hour” programme to himself.

    Although  Akinbade, sent his running mate to stand in for him the debate  organisers disallowed him from participating, saying the rule was that candidates would not be represented by proxies.

    The Unity Party of Nigeria [UPN]  candidate, Ibrahim Adeoti, who was not invited to the debate, was allowed time to speak even when he was not initially invited.

    He walked in on his own and insisted to be allowed to speak.

    Organizers were shocked at Omisore and Akinbade’s  failure to turn uo.

    ”We wrote to them and up to 20 minutes to the beginning of the programme, they were still giving us the impression they would be attending,” said Ezenwa Nwagwu, an official of the Partners for Electoral Reform, who moderated the debate on behalf of the IRI.

    “We even started the debate 45 minutes late just because we were waiting for the PDP and LP candidates to show up.”

    The Director of Media and Strategy,Omisore’s Campaign |Organisation, Diran Odeyemi, claimed  his principal was not properly invited.

    ”It was only this morning (yesterday) that our candidate (Mr. Omisore) received a text message reminding him of the debate and that he was being expected at the OSBC studios,” Mr. Odeyemi said,adding:”We did not receive any letter from them. We have a rally today in Ikirun and as I speak to you, we are on our way there.”

    But Mr. Nwagwu rubbished  Mr. Odeyemi’s claim, calling  it “mere political shenanigan”.

    “We invited them properly,” Mr. Nwagwu said. “It was not verbal invitations. We wrote them letters and the records are there. If we did not properly invite them, how did the APC candidate attend? How did the LP candidate get to send his running mate?”

    The Labour Party admitted that Akinbade was invited but explained that he could not personally attend  as he had another appointment to keep,hence the decision to his running mate.

    ”In order not to create a vacuum, he sent his running mate but the organizers did not allow him to speak,” said Kayode Oladeji, the spokesperson for Mr. Akinbade, the LP candidate.

    “As far as we are concerned, we fulfilled all righteousness. It is the organisers thst should explain why they did not allow our candidate’s running mate to participate.”

    However, Mr. Nwagwu declared that  rules were clear from the start.

    “We had made it clear that only candidates, and not their running mates were expected to participate. There was no room for running mates and they all know that,” he said.

    Aregbesola told listeners  that the best thing to have happened in the  since its creation   are his programmes which the PDP wants to destroy.

  • PDP’s desperation to remain in power is cause of impeachment, says lawmaker

    PDP’s desperation to remain in power is cause of impeachment, says lawmaker

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ikorodu 2, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, has described the ongoing spate of impeachment in the country as an attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain in power by all means.

    She stated this at the weekly ‘Time out with the press’ organised by Lagos Assembly correspondents for lawmakers which took place at the Assembly complex yesterday.

    Akinsola said: “It is a calculated attempt by one party to remain in power ‘by fire and by force’, and I don’t think this impeachment saga will help. It will only contribute to the problems that we have in Nigeria”.

    Asserting that democracy in any clime is better than any other form of government, the lawmaker admonished the perpetrators to stop forthwith because with the way they are going about it now, anything can happen.

    “I want Nigerians to rise up and tell the perpetrators of this evil that we need our democracy in Nigeria to succeed. This is not the type of democracy that we want. We don’t want people to impose themselves on us. If people say they don’t want you, go and examine yourself. Sit down, do an appraisal of yourself and you can be useful in any other area.

    “We cannot run the government of Nigeria as our own personal business. Nigeria belongs to all of us and every citizen of the country is entitled to vie or run for any position in Nigeria. People should not take it as their own personal business”, Akinsola said.

    She advised those engaging in impeachment “because of money or whatever” to think of their tomorrow and the future of their children and the legacy they want people to remember them with.

    “They should think of their children and what will become of their children tomorrow. If they feel that their children are abroad today and so they can do anything, they will still come back tomorrow to reap what we have sown in Nigeria. They should be careful and desist forthwith,” she said.

  • PDP condemns blasts

    PDP condemns blasts

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Wednesday’s twin bomb attacks in Kaduna.

    Over 85 persons were killed in the attacks.

    The party described the bombings as dastardly and unfortunate.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, PDP mourned the victims of the blasts.

    The party also joined other well-meaning Nigerians in thanking God for saving the lives of General Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, whose convoys were affected in the attacks.

    “We sincerely sympathise with General Buhari. Our hearts go out to him and all those affected in these wicked attacks,” it said.

  • Group to EFCC: probe Delta PDP chair

    Group to EFCC: probe Delta PDP chair

    A group, Delta Patriotic Network (DPN), has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Delta State, Peter Nwaoboshi, for alleged corruption.

    The group alleged that Nwaoboshi used his office to amass illegal wealth.

    The petition by DPN’s National President Ojein Samuel; National Vice President Okotete Tony and National Secretary Oromoni Zuokumor, alleged that Nwaoboshi collected money from government agencies and received payments for contracts badly executed.

    The group also alleged that Nwaoboshi built two mansions in Asaba and Ibusa for over N1billion.

    The PDP Chairman said the petitioners were chasing dead issues, alleging “they are being used by some disgruntled politicians”.

    He said he welcomed investigation by any anti-graft agency, adding that he had nothing to hide as a politician and businessman.

    “All the issues they raised were investigated over three years ago by EFCC and I have been given a clean bill of health. I don’t have anything to hide and I’m ready for a fresh investigation.

    “I have been involved in genuine business and I am available for investigation.

    “But nobody should take them serious because they are idle and ready tools in the hands of some disgruntled politicians.”

  • PDP condemns Kaduna blasts

    PDP condemns Kaduna blasts

    …Sympathises with Buhari

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in very strong terms Wednesday’s blasts in Kaduna that killed over 85 persons, describing the attacks as dastardly and unfortunate.

    In a statement issued on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, the party mourned the dead victims of the blasts.

    It also joined other well-meaning Nigerians in thanking God for saving the lives of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi whose convoys were affected in the attacks.

    “We sincerely sympathise with Gen. Buhari. Our hearts go out to him and all those affected in these wicked attacks,” the PDP said.

    Expressing shock at the ugly incident, the party reiterated its call for Nigerians to unite against acts of terrorism irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations, stating that “it has become clear that anybody could be a target.”

    It, however, cautioned opposition leaders to be careful with their utterances regarding the unfortunate incident, saying that Nigerians must unite for the nation to win the war against terror.

    The party also charged security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation into the attacks as well as intensify their efforts in the fight against insurgency in the country.

     

  • 2015: APC to challenge PDP in Gombe

    2015: APC to challenge PDP in Gombe

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that there is no vacancy in the Gombe Government House next year. But, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is seriously pushing for power shift. Correspondent VINCENT OHONBAMU writes on the struggle for power in the Northwest state.

    The stage is set for an epic electoral battle in Gombe State. Ahead of  next year’s governorship poll, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are flexing muscles. To the PDP governor, Alhaji Ibrahim HassanDank-wambo, there is no vacancy in the Government House next year. But, in the view of the APC leaders, the state is ripe for power shift.

    In the ruling party, there are few governorship aspirants warming up for the primaries. But, a source said that the governor will be endorsed by stakeholders for a second term. “We are prepared for the challenges of primaries and we will ensure that there is no crisis after the primaries,” said the source, who is a PDP chieftain.

    Next year, the governor will complete his first term. There is no face-off between him and the party. Monarchs, community leaders and interest groups have applauded him for his achievements. Dankwambo, they believe, has stimulated economic growth in the Northeast state and restored public confidence in government.

    But, the opposition does not share this view. The APC has criticised the administration for implementing policies that do not have any bearing on the life of the people. Senator Danjuma Goje, who is the leader of the opposition, has vowed to displace Dankwambo and install an APC governor. But, the main task now is the choice of the flag bearer.

    APC governorship aspirants include Alhaji Umar Kwiranga, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu and Hon. Usman Bayero Nafada. A party source said party leaders are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the best man is chosen for the job. “All the aspirants are good and sellable, but we at the party level are seriously weighing our options to ensure that the best of them  emerge because we don’t want to leave anything to chance,” he said. Another source said that Nafada appears to be the towering figure, adding that the odds may favour him. “He is most likely to be considered because the majority believes he would make a good governorship candidate. Above all, he has the wherewithal to boost the chances of the party at the general elections.” he stressed.

    The former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives is very popular at home. He is the former Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly. He is unassuming and down-to-earth. The former teacher has strong connections with the grassroots because of his large-heartedness and concern for the wellbeing of the ordinary people. A party chieftain described him as the answer in 2015. According to him, the former Deputy Speaker has experience and good records.

    Also, Nafada believes that the APC has to fulfill its promise to give a sense of belonging to defectors. While in the PDP, his senatorial ambition in the North District was shut down. Also, at the governorship primaries, he was edged out.  A chieftain said: “Nafada can be trusted to consolidate on the popularity and achievement of the party leader, Senator Goje,  considering that he is a grassroots politician. Most importantly, he could be a better manager of people, judging by his wealth of experience in human management and his concern for others.”

    However, other aspirants are not relenting in their efforts to get the ticket. The chairman of AshakaCem Plc, Alhaji Umar Kwairanga, is making serious efforts. According to sources, this green horn is loved by many people because of his open-heartedness and willingness to assist the poor. He is honest and always carries people along in all his undertakings. His employees at  AshakaCem  testify to his managerial ability and sense of purpose.

    But, his undoing is that he is new in politics. His naivety may cost the party its ambition and the chapter does not want to take chances. others have said that he is close to many PDP leaders. Thus, they perceive him as a PDP agent with a mandate to get into the mainstream of the party and use his influence to destabilise its agenda.

    The President of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu, is a serious contender. He is showing interest in the job 11 years after he failed at the governorship primaries. Many have described him as a true democrat. But, like Kwairanga, he is a green, horn. The former Minister of State for Power, who lost the PDP ticket for the 2003 governorship election to Goje, went into oblivion, shortly after his defeat. Many people said that he was frustrated and scared by Goje. That he is back in the same boat with Goje only goes to confirm the saying that  there is no permanent foe in politics, but permanent interest.

    Besides, Murtala’s ‘indigeneship’ of Gombe State and the sincerity of his intention have been doubted by some inddigenes. Their grouse is that, despite his affluence and influence, he does not have any landed property or  investment in Gombe State.

    Moreover, since he declared his interest he has not been visible. Thus, party followers do not take him seriously.

    But, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya is seen as a serious contender. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he is a shrewd businessman and an investor.  In 2011, he contested the PDP primaries. But, he was defeated by Dankwambo.

    It is believed that his closeness to  Goje, under whose administration he served as the Commissioner of Finance for eight years, is an added advantage.

    Apart from that, his late father  contributed to  Goje’s campaigns, especially in 2003. Sources said that there was an agreement between the old man and Goje that Inuwa would succeed him in 2011. But, that agreement, if it ever existed, was breached when the ticket for the 2011 race was given to  Dank-wambo.

    When he could not make it in the PDP, he decamped to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Later, Goje pleaded with him to return to the fold.

    Yayaya is confident that he will get the ticket. But, his associates fear that history may repeat itself.

    Those jostling for APC ticket are from Gombe North Senatorial District. Hence, the issue of zoning does not arise.

    However, some of the aspirants have “Plan B.” Bayero and Inuwa  are prepared to accept senatorial ticket, if they fail at the primaries, a source said.

    If the PDP does not put its house in order, if may become the opposition party next year.

     

  • PDP is the people’s party, says Metuh

    PDP is the people’s party, says Metuh

    National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has said the party takes the people’s interest as paramount.

    He said his main objective as the party’s spokesperson is to project the PDP as the only national party with the interest of the people deeply rooted in its philosophy.

    Speaking in an interview, Metuh said the PDP is committed to deepening democracy and developing Nigeria.

    Metuh pledged his commitment to objectivity in the discharge of his duties and respect for the sensibilities of Nigerians.

    His words:  “I made a commitment to run a publicity that is driven by objectivity, a publicity that is project driven, showcasing the various projects and achievements of our central and regional governments. We remain committed to not engaging the politics of name calling, wild and unjustifiable accusations which is the hallmark of our opposition. The objectivity that we brought to the rules of engagement quickly diminished the opposition and their presence in both social media and other media networks.”