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Tag: PDP

  • 11 Senators dump PDP for APC

    11 Senators dump PDP for APC

    11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators on Wednesday formally tendered their letter of defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Senate President, David Mark.

    Mark did not read the much awaited defection letter on the floor of the upper chamber.
    Although 16 names of Senators are contained in the letter, only 11 of them endorsed the document.
    For reasons not yet disclosed five senators whose names were listed in the letter did not endorse the letter.
    The defectors were led by the Chairman, Senator Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, (Kwara Central).
    The latter dated January 20, 2014 entitled: “Notification OF Change of Political Party” was addressed to Mark.
    The letter reads in part: “We the under signed Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wish to notify you that we have severally and jointly joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    “The action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalization in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that sponsored our elections into the Senate.
    “In view of the above, we write to inform you that following the division and factionalization in the PDP, we have formally joined that All Progressives Congress (APC).
    “This communication is made pursuant to Section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) for your information, guidance and record purposes.
    Apart from Saraki, other defectors are – Senators Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East), Senator Magnus Ngei Abe (Rivers South East), Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake (Rivers West) and Senator Bindowo Umaru Jibrilla (Adamawa North).
    Others are – Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Senator Alhassan Aisha Jummai (Taraba North), Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) and Senator Umaru Dahiru (Sokoto South).
    Other Senators also listed but did not sign against their names are Senators Ahmed Mohammad Maccido (Sokoto North), Saidu Ahmed Alkali (Gombe North), Basheer Garba Mohammed (Kano Central), Ahmed Zanna (Borno Central) and Senator Ahmed Hassan Barata (Adamawa South).
    Although the letter was not read, finding showed that the move of the defectors unsettled the Senate leadership.

  • 2015: PDP rules out automatic tickets for members

    2015: PDP rules out automatic tickets for members

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmad Mu’azu, said the party will not give automatic tickets to its members to contest the 2015 general elections.
    Mu’azu announced this while answering questions from journalists after a closed-door meeting with the PDP caucus of the House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja.
    He said that automatic tickets were only given by parties that were undemocratic.
    “We have a democratic process and we will go through that, those that deserve it will surely get it,” he said.
    He said that he was not aware of any promise made by the immediate past national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, of giving automatic ticket to any member.
    On the meeting, the chairman said it was normal for the party leadership to consult with the lawmakers.
    Mu’azu added that the party would not disclose the strategy it would use to woo back members that defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
    In attendance at the meeting were governors Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Theodore Orji (Abia).
    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that deputy governors of Kogi and Jigawa States also attended the meeting.
    The Governors of Anambra, Mr. Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo came in briefly in company of Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, but left before the meeting began.

  • Shekarau defects to PDP

    Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and former Kano State governor, on Wednesday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with his loyalists.
    Shekarau, backed by his supporters from the 44 local government areas of the state, made the declaration at his Bompai GRA residence in Kano.
    According to him, the decision is to satisfy the aspirations of the people of the state who felt left out from the APC.
    “We intended with the merger to form a solid foundation for entrenchment of democracy.
    “The Legacy Group sacrificed all interests for the merger, but for the past six months all agreements reached by the merged parties had not been met.
    “No clear leaders, no registration of APC members at any levels. This shows a clear lack of commitment, transparency and accountability to all concerned,” he said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the supporters participated in the declaration with each group of stakehoders affirming the decision to defect to PDP.

  • PDP chair Mu’azu can reunite party, says Tambuwal

    PDP chair Mu’azu can reunite party, says Tambuwal

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu will resolve the crisis rocking the party and reunite its dissenting members.

    Tambuwal spoke after inaugurating an empowerment programme by the member representing Biase/Akamkpa in Cross River State, Daniel Effiong Asuquo.

    He said: “I am sure the new chairman has the capacity to stabilise everything going wrong in the party.

    “Despite the crisis rocking PDP, I remain a staunch member of the party. Even with the lawmakers in the House defecting to the opposition party, I still remain resolute.”

    The speaker rued losing five governors of the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said: “For a party to lose in five states is challenging. But I am sure the new chairman has the capacity to stabilise PDP.”

    Tambuwal said he had no intention to declare on 2015 until “the time is ripe.”

    He added: “But I have committed all to the Almighty God to guide my footsteps.”

    The speaker hailed Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke for stabilising the party in the state.

    He also praisedAsuquo, deputy chair of the Committee on Interior, for reducing poverty in his constituency.

    Tambuwal urged the electorate to support their representatives, saying they would continue to get effective representation from them.

     

  • Anxiety over Mu’azu’s emergence

    Anxiety over Mu’azu’s emergence

    There was anxiety yesterday over the emergence of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    There were fears that his emergency did not comply with the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) .

    According to a source in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the party requires a mini-national convention to conduct election into the office its National Chairman.

    Also, it was learnt that if Muazu remains in office without a proper election, he might not be able to sign the list of party nominees for the 2015 elections.

    But PDP National Publicity Olisa Metuh said the appointment was constitutional.

    He said the party complied with both the 1999 Constitution and the PDP Constitution.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the PDP did not follow the provision of the Electoral Act in choosing its National Chairman.

    It was gathered that the party ought to give INEC a 21-day notice to fill vacant positions.

    A source in the commission, said: “We feel that the PDP ought to comply with the Electoral Act in choosing its new National Chairman. The Act specifies that it should be through election.

    “By the party’s decision, Muazu is more of an acting chairman than a substantive one. We hope the PDP will call a mini-national Convention to avoid its members or others from making any issue out of this lapse.”

    The source said Section 85 of the Electoral Act is explicit on the emergence of national officers of a political party.

    The section reads: “A registered political party shall give the Commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act

    “ The Commission may, with or without prior notice to the political party monitor and attend any convention, congress, conference or meeting which is convened by a political party for the purpose of –

    (a)electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies;

    (b)nominating candidates for an election at any level; and

    (c) approving a merger with any other registered political party.

    “The election of members of the executive committee or other governing body of a political party, including the election to fill a vacant position in any of these bodies, shall be conducted in a democratic manner and allowing for all members of the party or duly elected delegates to vote in support of a candidate of their choice.

    “Notice of any congress, conference or meeting for the purpose of nominating candidates for Area Council elections shall be given to the Commission at least 21 days before such congress, conference or meeting.”

    A member of the NWC of the PDP, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “Why are you interested in only our party. Why are you not writing about All Progressives Congress (APC) which has been having Interim National Executive Committee in the last eight months?

    “Do you expect us to be without a National Chairman? It is explicit in our constitution that the National Executive Committee (NEC) shall act on behalf of National Convention. That is exactly what the NEC did in choosing Muazu.

    “Of course, the National Convention may ratify NEC’s decision later whenever it holds its session. The issue at stake may just be procedural, no fuss about it.”

    Metuh, said: “We complied with the relevant provisions in the 1999 Constitution and PDP Constitution in appointing our National Chairman.

    “The PDP National Chairman emerged through due process of law and all the organs of the party endorsed him. There was no infraction.”

  • Lawmakers avoid consideration of 2014 budget

    Lawmakers avoid consideration of 2014 budget

    The House of Representatives did not include the consideration of the 2014 budget in its Order Paper yesterday.

    Instead, the constitution review report was laid and mock electronic voting procedure was conducted.

    The consideration of the report is slated for tomorrow.

    The omission of the consideration of the budget was thought to be a strategy by the House leadership to diffuse tension on the floor following the directive by the interim National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that its members should block the consideration of the 2014 budget, among other Executive bills.

    The APC, yesterday, went into a short meeting before the beginning of plenary. Such meetings have become regular, particularly on the heels of Tuesday’s statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members that the APC was in the minority.

    It was learnt that APC members decided that the directive of the party “will be implemented with wisdom and in the best interest of the country”.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The omission of the budget consideration may not be unconnected with the decision of the APC members to tread with caution because they know that whatever steps they take would have grave implications on the country.

    “I have no doubt that they are in good position to turn things around, but they want to be sensitive to the plight of Nigerians; they don’t want to blow hot and cold ,like the PDP is doing with its gang-up with other parties.

    “I can assure you that by next week, the House will have settled down to tackle the document in the interest of the country.”

     

  • APC’s directive on executive bills in order

    APC’s directive on executive bills in order

    SIR: I am amused by the rash of reactions that have greeted the decision of the National Executive Committee of the APC directing its members in the National Assembly to block Executive Bills or the confirmation of presidential appointees if the impunity in Rivers State is not addressed by the President.

    I am particularly miffed at the emotional outbursts of some politicians and social activists who are carrying on as if the APC had committed blasphemy against the gods. No doubt, most of these negative comments came from PDP members and other apologists of President Jonathan, who are uncomfortable that for the first time since 1999, we have a political party that can be genuinely referred to as a government-in-waiting and one that is strong enough to challenge the dying behemoth called the PDP.

    How else can one explain the attempt of these critics to equate a simple, routine, and universally-accepted legislative tactic to sedition or a call to arms? It appears the PDP and the President’s men

    have concluded that the only way to keep the APC at bay is by demonizing it either as a religious or a separatist party or portraying it as anti-people, even when these are not the case.

    They probably think that by doing so, they will succeed in swaying some voters from a particular section of the country to their side. Similarly unfortunate is the decision of these critics to take the APC statement out of context.

    The impression being created is that APC has chosen to stall the wheel of governance by abusing its numerical strength in the House of Representatives to fight the PDP-led Executive.

    This cannot be farther from the truth. The party clearly established a basis for its decision, which is that after exhausting all avenues to make the President do the right thing in Rivers State without success, it has no other option than to ask its members in the National Assembly to use legitimate and democratic means to force the Executive to do the right thing.

    To the enlightened and objective mind, what APC has done is perfectly in line with legislative practice. In the United States of America, it is common place for either the Republicans or the Democrats to oppose Executive Bills including budgets and appointments of key officers of

    State, including military chiefs. Recent examples are the Obamacare and the shutdown of government for weeks last October over spending limits by the Federal Government.

    Political parties are expected to take a position on any matter that is before the legislature for consideration. That is why there are party caucuses in the legislature. APC could have given the directive to its caucuses in both Chambers of the National Assembly if it had any ulterior motives. By making the directive public, the surprise element has been removed.

    Therefore, the only reasonable conclusion is to see the directive as a means of getting the President to see the danger in allowing the Rivers debacle to fester. Already, this directive has started to yield results. I watched, with satisfaction, on Channel Television on Saturday night how members of the Save Rivers Movement were able to stage a peaceful rally, after the Inspector General of

    Police apparently directed the police in the state to provide protection for the rally.

    A similar rally by the SRM in the past would have been broken up by hired goons armed with guns and machetes, and protected by Mbu’s police. Who says the APC’s tactic has not worked?

    What I expect now is for the friends of President Jonathan to advise him to call Messrs. Mbu and Wike to order and restore normalcy to Rivers State. I don’t see what is difficult in doing so.

    •Williams Adeleye

    Ikeja, Lagos

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

     

    Unceremonial exit of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is unfortunate despite his personality. PDP does not have respecter of elders, why must this insult happene to him. From Chika

    Dare, your text captioned “Retirement of the lexical kind” sounds very interesting but just note one thing. Babangida, a Northerner ruled the country for eight years. Obasanjo, a Yoruba man also ruled the country for eight years. Remember that there is no oil-well in Mina neither is there any at Abeokuta. Jonathan is of the hen that lay the Golden egg but you people did not know his value. These past leaders did not paint any old building not to talk of errecting any new one yet they remained honoured. Do not forget that the entire south-south and south-east look upon Jonathan as their candidate. You wish to see a united Nigeria but you seem to overlook the bane of the unity. I speak secretly to you that Jonathan’s neglect ends Nigeria coesive bond. Not a threat but of a whole truth. Anonymous

    Sir, I want more light into this amalgamation of a thing. From Ayodele Joseph Akao, Edo State

    You favoured the word ‘dismiss’ against the word ‘retire’ with respect to the disengagement of the service chiefs. There are number of valid reasons to justify the disengagement of a service chief and from newspaper reports that I read the presidency gave at least two of such reasons. There may be reasons to suspect every move our president makes but I do not think you were fair to him this time around. From Col. Peter Ulu (rtd).

    I read with worry the comment of Femi Fani-Kayode. I saw him as a religious and sectional bigot whose sense of social decency has badly deranged. Or how else can a man who was a minister and was alleged to have left office with poor records turn round to preach a poorly worded sermon – the gutless eunoch… He can only deceive the teens! His insult on our President is sad and Femi is an ingrate! If he feels he can whip up cheap sentiments, he is a joker! Anonymous

    Olatunji, so what terminology are you suggesting instead of amalgamation? Should we use cohabitation of the southern and northen protectorate as a terminology? Anonymous

    Mr. Dare, your article was a true direction of my thought how then do Nigerian council of elders think in this direction or Mr president? Another article for the young generation to claim their destiny. Thanks! From Peter, Abuja

    Re: Retirements of the lexical kind. Bamanga Tukur had bowed out after the forced exit. Who knows tomorrow regarding this occurrence. However one injustice committed against Bamanga tukur was that, he came in democratically but removed undemocratically. That however is a lesson for us all that ‘No condition is permanent’! From Lanre Oseni.

     

    For Segun Gbadegesin

     

    The ouster of the former PDP national chairman, Bamangar Tukur, may be a stepping stone to something better for the party, who knows? But Nigerians, I think, are more concerned with how the PDP and its ruling government could be reformed to give the people a sense of belonging in their much touted transfomational agenda, or give way for a viable alternative than who goes out of the party and was replaced by who. We are by no means interested in the strategy at using party politics to divert our attention from more important and urgent national problem – our economic reform. From Emmanuel Egwu

    Why is our ones objective ‘The Nation’ gradualy turning to an APC bulleting? Objectivity has been thrown into the trashcan. From Gabriel, Jos.

     

    For Gbenga Omotoso

    “The power of dream” is knowledge based and well researched. Nigerian politicians should put the interest of the nation on their priority list and avoid corruption and rancour. From Sunday Fiola esq, Sango Ota, Ogun State

    Unlike Biblical Joseph ‘The Dreamer’ which is spiritual and eventually came to pass, I agree with you 100 per cent on your analysis of day dreamers. Do not forget to include others like Buhari to balance your beautiful and bitter truth write-up. So far, I commend APC for what they have done in Lagos. However, APC and PDP should also not be in another mid summer night dream come. From J. Williams, Lagos.

    It is good to dream uncle Ggenga, as I am dreaming to be the governor of my state (Imo) so that my family members will get their own share of the cake. Anonymous

    Re: The power of dream. The power of dream you believe are oftentimes unrealistic could be 50-50. For some, dreams could be a reality. Fayose, Ladoja, Akala and Omisore may not be in your loved camp, at least one of them in the supposed dream, will prove your conclusion wrong. I hope tribunal will not bail you out as usual! Tukur had learnt that Nigerian politics is not the ‘truth’ one bares in totality afterall all those five defected PDP governors that were acclaimed ‘bad products’ while in PDP are being worshipped by ACN-CPC/APC today. When Suntai is ready to listen to the truth, he will succumb. From Lanre.

    My dear Gbenga, your piece on “The power of dreams” is not only interesting but amazingly fascinating. In each of the instances you took up, you examined with the precision of soothsayer and prophetic icing. I suggest that you do those concerned a favour by extracting a memo from your labour for their purpose. Anonymous

    Dreams power the world without it there will be no meaninful progress. Kudos to those who dream. Although ambition and vanity do not help matters. From Peter Nwakpa

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    The piece is interesting. The truth is that unemployment is synonymous with capitalist economy and ours is a peripheral capitalist order. Why? Because it is based on private profit. The whole thing will change when the toiling masses conquer political power and organise a humane society. From Amos Ejimonye.

    It is very unfortunate that good governance is not in Nigerian leaders’ dictionary. We are the laughing stock of the international community due to bad governance. Corruption and social vices have become ‘untouchable’ issues. How can we move forward? Let us pray now. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

    Thanks for publishing my ‘musing’ in your column last Sunday. This is the abridged biography of the average Nigerian. From pregnancy, his or her mother works at least 10-12 hours a day to support the father whose income is not sufficient to take care of the family (that is if he has any income). From birth he/she begins to live with hunger and every other form of deprivation. Have you noticed that one of the very first thing an average Nigerian child knows is “Up NEPA”!. Then, after wangling through school, he/she is forced into the labour market where all kinds of jackals are waiting to exploit him/her. Tell you what, there are many graduates out there who will sacrifice almost anything to secure a 15-hour a day job to earn N30,000 monthly. Believe me, there are graduates in this country today who work 8-10 hours a day and earn less than N15,000 naira monthly. Yet, our legislators are the highest paid in the world; they are even earning more than Obama and Angela merkel of Germany and our ‘coordinating minister’ keeps telling us that the economy is improving. My brother, anyone who says he/she is ready to die for this county should be told upfront: only those politicians deserve to pay whatever price Nigeria requires to experience peace and have a shot at progress. God bless you for your insightful write-ups.

    National Assembly has indirectly become the National Directorate of Employment. To get a good job in any government establishment in Abuja these days, you must have a link to a federal lawmaker. That is why 2015 is going to be hot. All of us must become lawmakers and political office holders in order to survive! From Okwudiri, Abuja.

    I am embarrassed that your piece in the January 26 edition of The Nation on Sunday almost suggests it’s wrong to bat an eyelid if a man or boy is underpaid or treated poorly on the job … Yes, you did mention the London educated guy but there is no parity in your presentation as far as male/female disenfranchisement is concerned. I guess speaking out for males equally would have made you lose what’s left of your manhood. From Mike, Port Harcourt.

  • How not to save the Railways; Wanted: A Housing President

    How not to save the Railways; Wanted: A Housing President

    So Bamanga Tukur of Chairman PDP and NPA ‘infamy’ or fame in the 1970s is back in transport, as chairman of the Nigeria Railway Corporation. Is this a blessing for Tukur and Nigeria or a blessing for him and a curse for Nigeria? Did his record in NPA including an investigation into his involvement in a $5m private purchase of a ship, recommend him for the job? Did he open the state branch of the CBN for a party spraying event?

    Chairmanship of the railway corporation is a national moral assignment requiring integrity. To fully recover from the 40+ years deliberate destruction of Nigeria’s railway system in favour of road trailer and tanker transport, Nigeria needs a strong modern, vibrant nationwide, all inclusive, non-politically or ethnically biased railway and railway policy. It is difficult to see how and what Bamanga Tukur brings to the railway table that will justify his appointment. Yes, the railway corporation is suddenly juicy with many new contracts, but is it Bamanga Tukur’s task to bleed the railways and contractors in order to raise funds of the party in power towards the 2015 ‘s-elections’? I think not.  Is he there to rest, after the hypertension of the PDP chairmanship? I hope not. He should better rest at home.

    Is he in the railways because of his tremendous knowledge and expertise in transport, modern engineering and 400km/h fast trains? Definitely no! Is his job for personal compensation and financial gain as chairman after a job well done in his party? Who knows? Whatever the truth, Bamanga Tukur may have a conscience especially at his age of 80+ now that God is close at hand. His party is fond of floating 80+ year olds as if the 40-60-year olds are incompetent, though they are presidents in other countries. After all President Jonathan saw other leaders in banks, business and politics in Davos. How many were 80+? Nigeria must once again endure Tukur as chairman of railways and the consequences of Tukur, if the railways staff do not strike in protest, and if Civil Society does not protest adequately. Tukur has probably supported the destruction of the railways in the past or support the benign neglect of the railways under all governments till this one. Why would Jonathan send Tukur, not known for success, to head one of his more successful projects? After all, who objected to the railway evacuation of goods from the NPA harbours throughout Nigeria during these last 40 years? Has he had a change of heart? Can a camel lose its hump? If not Nigerians should demand his redeployment to be chairman of prison commission or ask him to retire.

    I was invited to a television programme on the housing shortage last week. My contribution was brief as I did not say what was expected. So I will say my piece here. The reason Nigeria has a housing problem is totally political. There is no great ‘Housing President’. We have a lot of lip service from presidents but little practical action. What little is done often benefits a fraction of the civil service class with special housing and land allocations. Though Dangote is the 25th richest man in the world, not including silent shy Nigerians and retired generals, the poor housing situation is compounded by the high price of cement under his cement ownership, the land policy in Nigeria with the politics of the Certificate of Occupancy, the high cost of land and building materials and the almost absence of genuine mortgage loans and decent outright or long-term purchase terms.

    The great nations of the world built mass housing through politics- government programmes and policy decisions of the leadership- some mired in corruption with corrupt construction companies frequently in court. In spite of this corruption, the housing gets built and the loans are given. The post-war building programme that gave most Americans a home was a presidential directive to give work to the returning soldiers and the people a lift out of post-war depression.

    In the UK, it was the building policies of the Labour Party which provided council housing for the masses. In Lagos and most of Nigeria, most of the official housing was for government workers, taken over from the colonialists GRAs and police barracks. Awolowo’s AG and successors did build estates, some of which fell into private hands. It was during the time of Jakande of Lagos State that massive attention was paid to housing. He can rightly be called ‘Jakande the Builder’ as his policies and actions gave many Lagosians a chance to own a home even though 40 years later most of them are crumbling. The federal government has attempted to build token estates in every state but political squabbles made some of them to be located in insalubrious areas and being federal government contracts, the quality was often less than standard. The private sector has also tried to intervene but the resultant efforts are usually high end multimillion housing scams, I mean schemes. The result of these efforts is a massive under-supply of common man and middle class housing, estimated to be between 14 and 17million homes or apartments. Nigeria knows it cannot build high-rises, as our poor maintenance culture will make the upper floors uninhabitable with security risks of gangs running estates as happens worldwide. Nigerian needs a ‘Housing President’.

     

  • APC: our senators didn’t flout directive

    APC: our senators didn’t flout directive

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said its senators did not flout the directive not to cooperate with the Executive until the Presidency restores order in Rivers State.

    The opposition said yesterday’s reports by the media were misleading.

    APC was reacting to insinuations that the participation of its senators in the screening of the Service chiefs was against its directive.

    In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the reports were borne out of the “misunderstanding of filibustering as a veritable democratic tool to impede legislation by obstructive tactics.”

    It noted that the reports, which implied that the partipation of its senators in the screening of the military chiefs on Monday represented a rejection of the directive, was wrong, because “non-cooperation does not mean non-participation.”

    APC said: “We never directed our members in the National Assembly to boycott the chambers’ sessions, whether it is screening of appointees or plenary. What we said is that they should block Executive Bills. In any case, a senator or a House of Representatives member can only filibuster when he is in attendance. Filibuster does not equate to boycott or non-attendance.”

    The party said it was aware that its members in the Senate would attend the screening, “just as we are sure they will be part of any debate on the issue, and we have no problems with that.”

    It added: “After all, they were elected to attend the National Assembly sessions and participate in its activities. But their contributions will help swing things one way or the other. That is the crux of the matter.”

    APC reiterated the propriety of its directive, which it described as pro-people, democratic and aimed at saving Nigeria.

    The party said the directive had succeeded in dousing the tension in Rivers State, “where those who have been subjected to harassment by hoodlums aided by the police now stage their rallies in peace.”

    It also said its directive would benefit the people and institutions, including the National Assembly, “which the President has tried to undermine by ignoring its resolutions calling for the redeployment of Rivers Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu.

    APC said: “It was the National Assembly that passed the resolutions on the redeployment of Mbu. Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP) and the Accord, who are now playing to the gallery just to feather their nests and place personal interest above national interest, were part of efforts that culminated in passing the resolutions. But the Presidency ignored the resolutions, a dangerous trend undermining the principle of check and balance in our democratic system.

    “In this respect, the National Assembly should commend our directive, instead of a few exhibitionist legislators rushing to the media to make uninformed comments.

    “As far as we are concerned, we acted rightly in issuing our directive, which is meant to end impunity in Rivers State, save our democracy from descending into anarchy and protect national institutions.”

    Lagos State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday berated the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for condemning the party’s directive to its National Assembly members.

    The party noted that by its condemnation, the Lagos PDP confirmed its ignorance of legislative functions as an accessory to the impunity against Rivers State.

    In a statement yesterday by its Interim Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe, the party said: “We are surprised that the PDP and its minions, who have acculturated the arts of lawlessness, corruption and impunity, feel the APC should be obliged to support its criminal acts by condoning its sordid acts.

    “Is the PDP under any impression that APC is bound to support its wilful acts of impunity, corruption and recklessness? Is the PDP under the impression that the APC is under its loins, to drag around as it feels? Is the PDP under the impression that APC is obliged to support its brigandage and wreckage?

    “We must educate PDP members and their enablers that withholding support for presidential bills is the prerogative of our legislators. The legislators can deploy such legislative rights as they deem fit. Our party feels that we can use our legislative prerogative in the most legal and responsible way by stopping impunity, anarchy and lawlessness.

    “We used legal means to target illegal and corrupt acts, and we know that the perpetrators and beneficiaries of corruption and impunity will react the way the PDP and its lickspittles are doing. We know that being a prime beneficiary of lawlessness and impunity, which has been launched in Nigeria since 1999, the Lagos PDP will naturally buy into the scare mongering tactics of the national PDP. The purpose is to protect impunity and illegality and provide a base for the continuation of the ruination of Nigeria.

    “Curiously, we observe that the Lagos PDP and its cache of commissioned PDP agents now crying hoarse at the APC directive, have been throwing sadistic parties and orgies since the sponsored violence started in Rivers. They have been grinning in conspiratorial complicity since the Rivers police commissioner, with support from the Presidency, decided to visit mayhem on the government because Governor Chibuike Amaechi refused to adhere to their dictates.

    “We never recalled any of the wolf criers, who have invaded town because APC decided to use its legislative strength to stop this impunity. What a deliberate hypocrisy!”