IF things were normal, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State should indeed be in celebratory mood considering the odious election of Senator Iyiola Omisore as the governorship candidate of the PDP for the August governorship poll. According to the party’s publicity and media director, Kunle Oyatomi, the APC believes that given the widely held view that Senator Omisore is hated for his rough tactics in elections, as well as the burden of allegations he bears over former Minister of Justice Bola Ige’s assassination, his rejection in the poll would be a formality. But it is precisely Mr Omisore’s negative image that makes him dangerous and unscrupulous. He will not consider any tactics too low or contemptible to embrace. Osun APC should in fact be worried rather than celebrating.
Tag: PDP
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Ondo PDP faults Nwanyanwu on Ilaje bye election
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised a statement credited to the national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, that the LP candidate in the April 5 by-election into the House of Representatives, Mr. Kolade Akinjo, was the winner of the election.
The party therefore called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the PDP candidate as the lawmaker-elect.
The PDP through its State publicity secretary, Wale Ozogoro, said, “Indeed, the desperation of the LP chairman is pardonable, as his in-depth knowledge of the Electoral Act is questionable.
“His vituperation and uncultured allegations that INEC in connivance with the PDP want to get victory through the back door is uncalled for, unfounded and the deceptive tendencies the party is known for.”
The party pointed out that INEC reserves the right to declare an election inconclusive or cancel such out rightly, adding that any party that is not satisfied with the decision is free to seek redress at the electoral tribunal or the law court.
The statement said, “The LP chairman should have sought legal advice from senior members of the Bar before going bare to the press with his ignorance. The explanation offered by the returning officer was explicit, straightforward and concise enough for a deciphering mind to understand that the election is inconclusive and, therefore, no winner has emerged.”
The PDP urged the LP to desist from blackmailing INEC to declare Akinjo as the winner of the bye-election.
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PDP has done nothing for South West, says Aregbesola
THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not brought any meaningful development to the South West region since the return of democracy, Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, stated yesterday.
He spoke in Iwo, headquarters of the Iwo Local Government where he was endorsed for second term at the weekend by thousands of supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The supporters thronged the playing field of the District Council Elementary School, Araromi, where they waved the broom symbol of the party.
Aregbesola assured that all the remaining roads projects around the town and those linking Iwo to the state capital and the neighbouring Oyo State would be reconstructed.
He said Iwo remains critical to the economic reconstruction of Osun, stating that the indigenes have been known in history as enterprising people.
According to the governor: “The road from Papa boundary to Iwo will be done. We always stand by our promise because we are not like the people who ruled the state for seven and half years without anything to show for it.
“We thank our people for having confidence in us; for displaying the conviction that we hold our promises with tenacity. There is nothing we promised that will not be delivered”.
He added: “At a time in this state, they were the occupants of the three tiers of government: the Federal, State and Local government and they couldn’t do anything positive for the state, they are supposed to hide their heads in shame,” the governor stressed.
“We should all begin to tell ourselves that it is only the APC that can deliver good governance in the country. We should not leave the campaign to politicians alone”.
Former Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Bola Asafa, who is the Ekerin of Iwo land, noted that though Osun is poor in terms of financial resources, the degree of performance noticed so far has ranked Aregbesola among some of the best managers of resources in Nigeria.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mushood Adeoti, urged the people of Iwo and entire state to continue to support the government and the party.
He stressed that it is only the APC that can move the state and the country forward in the right direction.
The SSG said: “Look at our roads, look at the new schools he is building, a lot of our jobless youths are now gainfully employed as a result of the OYES scheme put in place by our governor.
“This government is feeding our elementary school pupils every day. The PDP cannot do it, don’t be deceived by their lies”.
He moved a motion for the adoption of the governor for a second term, which was immediately seconded by Alhaji Liadi Ganiyu, another leader of the party in the local government area to a loud applause from the teeming supporters of the party.
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Fayose’s, Biodun Olujimi’s feud enters second phase?
If you believe that former Ekiti State governor and PDP gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, Ayo Fayose, has made peace with his erstwhile deputy, Abiodun Olujimi, you’ll believe anything. The duo are allegedly bracing up for another round of their head-long collision, putting paid to talks that the seeming silence between the duo has finally ended their protracted ill-feelings towards each other.
Since Fayose got the PDP ticket, many thought they will bury the hatchet and start working together again. But as things stand, there is no end in sight to the battle between them.
It will be recalled that while the reign of Ayodele Fayose as governor of Ekiti State lasted, Biodun Olujimi was one of the powerful pillars that upheld the government. She lived the life of a powerful politician, not tolerating any opposition when matters involved Fayose. She was blindly loyal to her boss. But the romance started experiencing fits of hiccups when Fayose was dislodged from the Government House in 2007.
With Fayose out of government, some of his aides had to also find where the pasture is greener, or at least where it would remain green. The crack between the former allies began to appear when former Governor Segun Oni appointed Biodun as Commissioner for Works.
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Crowd receive Jonathan at PDP unity rally in Enugu
The 25,000 Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu was filled to capacity by an unprecedented crowd that the mega unity rally for the South east held Friday.
The overflowing crowd outside the stadium which could not find its way into the stadium was more than the one inside.
It was clearly indicative that the Abia State contingent outnumbered other states contingent. Abia was followed by host state, Enugu and Ebonyi.
Contingents from Anambra and Imo states were scanty as their response was feeble when their were called to greet.
Abia state stole the show as the people danced and gyrated, singing praises of Governor Theodore Orji.
It became a herculean task for the security to control the Abia youths who chanting Ochendo! Ochendo! Enyimba enyi!
As soon President Jonathan stepped into the main bowl of the stadium at exactly 11.40am, the crowd went into frenzy with chants of “Jonathan we love you”.
The president went round the main bowl acknowledging cheers from the sea of heads that thronged the stadium.
Excited President Jonathan could not hide his bewilderment at the huge crowd that came to receive him.
Wearing a captivating smile, the president was waving to the crowd with an elephant tusk in his left hand, uttering what seem to be “thank you”.
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Call Obanikoro to order, Lagos lawmaker tells presidency, PDP
Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru Thursday called on the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to call to order, the Minister of State for Defence, Musliu Obanikoro.
Abiru stated this while reacting to the alleged illegal use of the military by Obanikoro to stop the mass housing project of Governor Raji Fashola at Ilubirin on the weird claim that the land belongs to the Federal Government.
Describing the action as greedy, wicked and annoying, the lawmaker advised the Presidency and the PDP to as a matter of urgency caution the minister from continuing with such act.
According to Abiru, “was Obanikoro made a minister to further the well known PDP battle to stifle Lagos and a fifth of Nigeria’s entire population just because Lagos refuse to join the PDP bandwagon?
“The claim by Obinokoro that the federal government owns the same land reclaimed recently by the Lagos State government is not only ridiculous but entirely outlandish.
“Obanikoro’s effort is just another greedy, illegal land grab that will fail as there exist no basis or grounds for such reckless impunity.
One is beginning to believe that Obanikoro’s appointment as minister was to create enough crisis in Lagos, engage in a battle of forts with the legally constituted authority and create the same enabling environment to distract, obstruct the globally acclaimed feat made by the Lagos State government in all spheres of governance while Obanikoro’s PDP leads Nigeria to a certain guillotine by each passing day.
“What Obanikoro is doing today has no legal basis or backing but he believes that a sophisticated state like Lagos could be overwhelmed by the use of brute force and misuse of the military. Lagos will certainly show him that such tactics have no place in a democracy.
“It is so annoying that Obanikoro targets the provision of mass housing for Lagosians in the absence of such provision by the government he serves in Abuja. To now act as a dog in a manger and seek to frustrate the well lauded efforts of Lagos to provide cheap housing to Lagosians tantamount to sheer wickedness, of the type that had marked the relationship between the PDP government and Nigerians these past fifteen years,” the lawmaker added.
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PDP blasts Iwanyanwu over Ondo by-election
The Ondo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Thursday faulted a statement credited to the Labour Party(LP) Chairman, Chief Dan Iwuayanwu claiming that the LP candidate in the April 5, House of Representatives by- election is the winner of the election.
Consequently, he said the electoral body should declare LP Candidate as Representative-elect.
PDP through its State Publicity Secretary,Wale Ozogoro said “Indeed, the desperation of the LP Chair is pardonable as his lack of indept knowledge of the electoral act is questionable in spite of his legal background, call to question, his sincerity.
“His vituperation and uncultured allegations that INEC in connivance with PDP want to get victory through the back door is uncalled for, unfounded and deceptive tendencies the party is known for.
Ozogoro noted that INEC in the State this time around has refused to be compromised, and consequently resisted dancing to the orchestra sound of the pipe being played by the LP and performed her job according to the electoral acts made her suspectable to the LP blackmail.
However, PDP pointed out that INEC reserves the right to declare election as inconclusive or cancel such outrightly and any party that is not satisfied with the decision is free to seek redress at the electoral tribunal or the law court.
The Statement said “The LP Chair should have sought legal advice from senior members of the bar before going bare to the press with his ignorance.
“The explanation offered by the Returning Officer was explicit, straightforward and concise enough for a deciphering mind to understand that the election is inconclusive and therefore, no winner has emerged.
” However, the desperation of the LP controlled Government has beclouded her sense of judgement and reasoning, knowing fully well that the people of Arogbo and particularly Arogbo Ward 2 will never cast their votes for a government that never care that any developmental project whatsoever be sited in their vicinity.
PDP urged LP to stop living in fool paradise by assuming that Akinjo would be declared winner of the election.
It said, “The LP Chairman and his party are being deluded hoping that INEC could be hoodwinked this time around. The ages of electoral malpractices and collaboration with INEC to subvert peoples wish are gone.
“The people are ready to defend their collective rights and perform their civic responsibility. it is pertinent to state that our Candidate Adewale Kukute will win the election when it is eventually concluded and will change the face of representation in that constituency.
” PDP has been law abiding and will remain so during and after the concluding part of the election.
“However, we have noticed some irregularities in some units and INEC should guide against it in the concluding part of this election,the LP thugs that were mobilized to foment trouble in the election were effectively curtailed by security agencies and we commend them for doing a good job which they must keep up in the concluding part of this election.
“PDP will continue to soar high and maintain her calm even at the slighted provocation. We are indeed very impressed and happy that Ondo State people have demonstrated that deceit and and politics of capital flight, is fast becoming unfashionable, outdated and obscured.
” We want to assure our teeming supporters and citizens of Ondo State to keep faith with PDPas we are ready to redeem her from the excruciating pain occasioned by the colossal debt incurred by this administration.”
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APC and Christians without spirit of Christ
What came to mind as I read the front page story of The Punch last Sunday about the threat of prominent Christians in the All Progressives Congress, (APC) to quit the party over an alleged plan to field a Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket was St. Paul’s admonition to the Romans “Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him, but if Christ is in you, your spirit are alive because of righteousness”. (Romans 8: 8-11)
In the story, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former PDP stalwart and Obasanjo’s Man Friday, was quoted as saying the biggest mistake that the APC can make is to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket in the 2015 presidential election. Doing that, according to him, would lead to the loss of the election. For him, “Any party that present a Muslim/Muslim ticket ceases to be a political party and can be better described as a religious cult”.
I am sure Fani-Kayode, if he is not speaking as a PDP mole in APC, knows most Nigerians now know there is no disagreement between Muslims and Christians in the sharing and looting of our national patrimony and the attendant creation of an army of unthinking miracle seekers. Obasanjo-Atiku Christian/Muslim ticket marked an era when politicians irrespective of their religion fought each other over who stole more from the commonwealth. Yar’Adua’s Muslim/Christian ticket witnessed an era when politicians irrespective of religion justified massive stealing claiming they sold properties to contest election. The current Jonathan Christian/Muslim administration has been described by many observers as the most corrupt in our nation’s history.
Nigerians know it is Christian and Muslim politicians that have elevated religion to a divisive issue of Nigerian politics in the forth republic in order to exploit the vulnerable poor and ignorant among our people. I hope APC which has become a haven for all manners of disgruntled and sometimes discredited politicians will have the courage to remind Fani-Kayode that besides the indiscretion and hypocrisy of Muslim politicians in Zamfara and other parts of the north which gave rise to the current insurrection by Boko Haram, it is those Christians who are deficit in the spirit of Christ who have by their utterances, actions and misrule created an army of unthinking miracle seekers. Beyond their open demonstration of piety by legitimizing the exploitation of poor people by prosperity prophets through their regular presence in their unending crusades, they equally engage in waste of taxpayers’ money that could have gone in to other developmental purposes on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem.
I am not sure Nigerians are in a position to make a distinction between Nigeria’s greedy Christian and Muslim politicians. What Nigerians expect as Nasir El Rufai has said are leaders “with integrity, capacity and competence to create jobs, fight corruption and rebuild our nation without discrimination” and who would choose to worship their God privately”.
But denunciation of Christians without the spirit of Christ must not be misconstrued as an endorsement of Muhammadu Buhari, and Bola Tinubu, Muslim /Muslim ticket for the 2015 race. If you ask me, I will say both are too old to face today’s challenges. We must not forget that the average age of the major actors like Obafemi Awolowo, Bode Thomas, Anthony Enahoro, Rotimi Williams, SLA Akintola, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa etc during Nigeria golden age 1949-1959 was about 34. But I also think both leaders are a blessing to Nigeria. Since political parties world over often need major stakeholders, they can be the pillars behind the power, delegating without abdicating.
While APC party strategists may be right to see Buhari’s popularity in the North-west and North-east as great asset because most of his supporters are poor, underprivileged pauperized victims of the feudal system who are not democrats but miracle seekers, I think any candidate he adopts and openly campaigns for can secure for APC the benefits of his goodwill. But as for the South-west, APC does not need Tinubu on the ticket to sweep the area. Tinubu as a leader has already paid his dues. Yorubas know their true leaders. They are also discriminatory voters. Awo asserted as far back as 1952 that the Yoruba will not vote for you because you are Yoruba if you don’t have programmes that can impact positively on their lives.
And here lies the strength of Tinubu. Even his detractors acknowledge his great achievement in retrieving the South-west from Obasanjo and those the Yoruba call ‘akotiletas’ who sold the common patrimony bequeathed onto us by Awo and his fellow South-west patriots, replacing legacies of excellence and meritocracy with mediocrity with the likes of Fayose and Akala at the helm of affairs in the region. I am sure Tinubu will see his liberation of his Yoruba people from the tyranny of Nigeria as a noble endeavour. And this has its rewards. It was as a Yoruba leader, that he single-handedly restored honour to a Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar who was turned an orphan by Obasanjo and PDP. The vice presidency in Nigeria cannot be a major attraction.
In any case, he can look back with pride that at 62, he has groomed enough young Turks out of which anyone can be deployed to serve as vice president if one is needed from the zone. Otherwise, the only responsibility the Yoruba want of their leader is installing a good structure and electing credible people at the centre which would guarantee good governance as now obtains in the west. This is the only way to stop the influx of refugees from besieged North-east where PDP party chairman comes from, unskilled labour from North-central states of Benue and Plateau where the Senate President hails from and those who are trying to escape the anarchy unleashed on their land by militants and kidnappers in the South-south and South-east geo political zones where the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation hail from. The South-west can only remain haven of peace when peace reigns in other geo-political zones.
Price of liberty as they say is eternal vigilance. There are more reasons Tinubu is needed more in the South-west than in Abuja. It is no more news that President Jonathan has nothing but disdain for the Yoruba. During the fuel subsidy protest which later led to the discovery of the theft of about N1. 7 trillion, his aides accused Lagos and West who they claimed were the greatest beneficiaries of fuel subsidy of fuelling the crisis. It is on record the President tried to instigate the other Nigerian nationalities living in Lagos against their chief host during the 2011 elections. Obasanjo, his godfather recently accused him of sponsoring disgruntled PDP members to recruit people into the Labour Party to derail the giant strides made by governments of the South-west in the last three years.
Analysts of the President’s politics of subterfuge have even averred that his appointment of Musiliu Obanikoro as minister of state for defence whose first official assignment was illegal drafting of soldiers to stop construction of public housing projects in Lagos based on a claim that the land belongs to Federal government, and Jelil Adesiyan who was at a time linked with the murder of Bola Ige, an unrepentant Yoruba irredentist, as new minister for police affairs, are seen as part of his silent war against the Yoruba.
The president and his aides can play the ostrich, but the Yoruba who read meanings to mere greetings know that the imposition of Buruji Kashamu, a man described by Obasanjo as ‘drug baron’ who has cases to answer in the United States of America’ as chairman of the South West PDP Mobilisation and Organisation Committee; the manipulation of PDP primaries to guarantee the emergence Fayose as Ekiti governorship candidate in spite of his ongoing trial for murder and corruption; and Omisore as PDP candidate for Osun State in spite of his antecedents can only be evil machinations of those who hold them in contempt.
Tinubu as de facto leader of his people must not allow himself to be distracted just as the late Bola Ige did.
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PDP governors, Mua’zu: We’ll takeover Ekiti, Osun
The People Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum Wednesday vowed to back the party’s takeover of government in Ekiti and Osun states. Governorship elections are due in Ekiti on June 21 and in Osun in August.
PDP National chairman Adamu Mu’azu also spoke in the same vein.
The governors spoke through a communique read by the forum chairman and Akwa Ibom Governor Goodwill Akpabio at the end of their meeting in Dutse, Jigawa state yesterday.
The PDP Governors forum congratulated the party’s candidates, Mr Ayo Fayose (Ekiti) and Iyiola Omisore (Osun).
Akpabio said the party would do everything democratically, within the law, to reclaim the two states and the others in next year’s general elections.
Akpabio said: “We are also appealing to the candidates that emerged to embrace the aspirants that contested with them for the success of the party. “We felicitate with the PDP over the victory at the high court on the defection of 37 law makers and it is a victory for the rule of law,” he said.
The forum condemned the All Progressive Congress (APC) for its criticism of the outcome of the judgment.
It also condemned the new form of killing of the innocent people and destruction of property by insurgents who are parading themselves as Fulani herdsmen.
The meeting urged northern governors to convene a meeting with leaders of Fulani and community leaders of the affected states to discuss and find a lasting solution to the problem.
They also commended the effort of the military and all security agencies in their fight against insurgency and urge them to ignored the baseless and mischievous criticism from the opposition party which is aims at deterring them from doing their job of providing peace and security in the country.
Fifteen governors and three deputy governors attended the meeting.
Muazu, speaking to reporters after attending the meeting reaffirmed his party’s commitment to retrieve the five states in which their governors dumped the party for the opposition APC.
“People Democratic Party (PDP) will recapture Kano, Rivers, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kwara without a serious challenge.”
He said, the party is confident of winning Ekiti and Osun states.
Mu’azu said the PDP had made an outstanding performance in all the states it controls.
According to him “The kind of transformation and good governance exhibited by PDP governors in their states, including executing capital projects like state University, Airport as well as small projects and programmes can only be found there, while other party has nothing to show in their states.”
He then called on Nigerians to consider what PDP done across the country as a basis to re-elect the party at all levels in the forthcoming general election.
Mu’azu also commended the party members and leaders for the kind of maturity and tolerance they are displaying which has paved ways for the party to reconcile all the aggrieved members and overcome the challenges militating against the party.
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Aliyu: I prefer an insider as successor
Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said yesterday he wants his successor to emerge from the executive council.
He said he prefers an insider to succeed him in order to continue, sustain and maintain the administration’s projects and programmes.
The governor said this when he received the 2013 Hajj report from the Amirul Hajj, Musa Ahmed Ibeto, who is also the deputy governor.
Three of the eight aspirants jostling for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are executive council members.
Aliyu said: “I’m asking God to bring the next governor from the executive council.
“I have no preferred candidate among the aspirants. But there is the need for a successor from the exco to ensure that the next governor is conversant with the projects of the administration and to ensure its continuity.”
The governor said it may be difficult for anyone coming from outside to understand the vision and mission as well as the policies, programmes and projects of the administration.
“For me at the moment, I don’t have a candidate but whoever comes to me whether from the exco or outside, I’ll tell him to go and meet the people.
“I know finally, there will be a governor, but my prayer and hope are that the person comes from around me, someone who is aware of what we have been doing.
“Someone coming from outside may not understand the kind of intangible ways of handling issues and may start unnecessary accusations.
“But those that we have been working together will make sure the state is peaceful .
“That’s my prayer but I am ready for whoever God gives to me as governor.
“I am not disturbed by the figure. Things will shape up as the time goes. The number makes the game healthy but I can assure you that with time things will shape up and the right candidate will emerge. I only wish he comes from the cabinet”.