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Tag: PDP

  • Ondo is broke, says PDP

    Ondo is broke, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has said the state is broke.

    It said this was responsible for the “sack” of over 10,000 council workers.

    PDP faulted the government’s “so-called staff auditing” and its statement that no worker was sacked.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Wale Ozogoro, PDP alleged that the government sacked over 10,000 workers to reduce the wage bill.

    PDP said: “The government has continued to deceive the people that the sacked workers are ghosts. The commissioner for information said before the staff audit, the number of council workers was 24,000, but it has dropped to 14,000.

    “Some people have been servicing corruption by collecting money on behalf of the 10,000 ghost workers.

    “The government needs to answer the following questions: How many of those indicted of collecting the ghost workers’ salary have been prosecuted by the government? How long will this audit last?

    “What of those who were sacked because they were below 10 years when they left Primary School? Are they also ghost workers? Why is there no development at the local government level?

    “The government is broke and therefore embarked on inflicting pain on workers. The commissioner was economical with the truth. He painted a picture of a virile economy and an unprecedented recovery, which is contrary to the truth.

    The party said the government is owing workers about three months salary, adding that it is reckless in the appropriation of public funds.

    It said: “The state government has been the sole runner and user of council funds. It has continued to parade its stooges as caretaker chairmen and executive members as against elected officers, thereby breaching the country’s constitution.

    “The council caretaker executives are at the whim and caprices of the governor, who controls their finances, thereby denying the third tier of government even development.

    “Council election has been avoided over the years by this administration because of this free fund at its disposal.

    “Most painful is the latest justification the administration is giving to its anti-people stands, rather than admitting that its frivolities, misplaced priorities, vulgar spending, excruciating debt burden and maladministration are responsible for the reduction of the work force.

    “The LP controlled government has continued to deceive the populace by portraying itself as a progressive party. The running of this government has proved otherwise.

    “To shield the fact that the state is broke, they have embarked on a futile mission of screening and unmasking ghost workers while surreptitiously making them pay N5,000 at the Ministry of Education for Primary School Leaving Certificate, all aimed at generating fund to run the government. When this method was not yielding much, it sacked them.

    “We have maintained that Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has plunged this state into unprecedented debt, which generations unborn will remember it for. Accountability, which is the fulcrum of stewardship, has eluded this administration.”

     

     

     

  • PDP: we’ll win Lagos, 12 others

    PDP: we’ll win Lagos, 12 others

    The National Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to capture the 13 states under the control of opposition parties.

    Chairman of the committee, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who met with party members from the 13 states at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, said the PDP was making progress in reconciliation efforts.

    According to him, the PDP was a national party that had risen far above ethnic and religious sentiments. He urged members to always channel their grievances through laid down party channels.

    A member of the committee and a former Deputy Senate President , Ibrahim Mantu said PDP members in most of the states under the control of opposition parties were being marginalised in federal appointments.

    He promised that the committee would see to it that the various observations were forwarded to the Presidency with the view to addressing the imbalances.

    Party members who met with the committee were from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Nasarawa and Imo states.Others are Anambra, Edo, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states.

     

  • PDP close to total reconciliation, says Akpabio

    PDP close to total reconciliation, says Akpabio

    •Briefs Jonathan on Southwest congress, others

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio said yesterday the ongoing reconciliation in the party was almost complete.

    Addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Akpabio denied any rift among the PDP governors.

    He said all the PDP governors were working for the progress of the party.

    Nigeria, he said, would continue to enjoy good governance under his party.

    Akpabio said: “All of us are there because it’s a national party. It belongs to all Nigerians. I am happy with the progress being made to ensure total reconciliation. I am hopeful that at the end of this exercise Nigeria will continue to enjoy good governance.

    “I have just met with the President to report on the progress we are making towards the Southwest’s congress that is coming up on August 24 and the national convention coming up on August 31. You know I am a member of the Planning Committee.

    “I am the Chairman of the Finance Committee and by 3pm this afternoon, the entire Finance Committee will be meeting so that by tomorrow we report to the entire body of the National Planning Committee towards a hitch-free congress in the Southwest and towards a hitch-free national convention. You know that even in the meeting, what we are talking about are part and parcel of the processes of rebuilding the party and ensuring total reconciliation.

    “All the steps being taken are in the right direction to ensure cohesion and bring back all the party faithful, particularly the body of governors. They need to come together to work as one in the interest of Nigeria and the interest of the PDP.”

    On the five aggrieved northern governors, he said: “I don’t know anything about any five aggrieved governors. I do know that all the governors of the PDP are working towards the success of the party.”

    “I am not aware of any five aggrieved governors. But one thing I can assure you of is that there are jitters in the camp of the opposition, with the meetings of the PDP governors and the national convention, which is coming up. This is because as soon as the PDP puts its house in order, you know the result is that Nigerians will follow.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘PDP ‘ll overcome crisis’

    ‘PDP ‘ll overcome crisis’

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Leader aspirant Hon. Solomon Bamola spoke with Muhammad Bashir on his vision for the party and preparation for the special PDP convention.

     

    Why did you withdraw as an aspirant for the position of the PDP National Youth Leader in the last convention?

    Nothing happened really. As a loyal party member, one must learn to defer to the elders of the party. The leadership of the party made an announcement that all those that are aspiring for the position of the National Youth Leader should drop their ambitions and give support to a particular candidate, who was perceived to be the choice candidate for the office at that time. It was to ensure steady internal democracy. And because we believed that the interest of the party is of utmost importance, we temporarily threw in the towel and lent our full support to the party’s chosen one.

    Why are you now in the race?

    It is because I am not satisfied with the representation that the party has among Nigerian youths. Obviously, the former youth leader tried, but I believe that more and advanced steps can still be taken towards the perfection of the party’s youth representation. I am certain that the position is an immense one that could do a lot more for the youths of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We want to make the PDP the impenetrable and largest political party in the sub-Sahara Africa. That is the key factor that gives me the drive to, once again, contest for the office of the National Youth Leader, and, if given the opportunity to represent the youths of Nigeria in the party, I plan to make huge impact on the lives of the youths and ensure that they have a sense of belonging and participation in governance.

    I will also continue to make government understand why the youths must be more actively involved in governance. Concisely, my policy thrust, if elected as the National Youth Leader of PDP, will guarantee that the youths are given 40 percent affirmation in governance, just as our mothers are nearly at the peak of their 35 percent participation in governance. The youths are the engine room of the government of any nation and they must be carried along. A new engine should run with care, if it is the owner’s desire for the engine to last longer. So, the youths are to be fast-tracked with absolute attention, protection and they should be given their rights so that they can see Nigeria as a country they own and think of what they can do positively for the country, not what the country can do for them.

    Are you saying the current administration has not carried the youths along in governance?

    The government can, furthermore, do better by involving private companies and talented individuals to come in and complement the efforts of the government in the areas of youth development.

    The creation of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the laudable designing and subsequent implementation of a workable National Youth Policy, with special focus on youth employment and engagement, deliberate efforts to involve youths in governance and in decision making process, efforts to resolve the leadership crisis in the National Youth Council of Nigeria are some of the deliberate steps taken by the PDP government to address the youth concerns in Nigeria. I think this is quite commendable. It therefore, points to the fact that government is moving away from the deficit-based approach of dealing with the youths and it is creating the enabling environments to institutionalise youth matters with all the key stakeholders and that also includes helping the youths to take their rightful place in government and in the society in general. The newly instituted Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) and the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) of the administration has created more opportunities for highly creative youths to get start-up grants to establish businesses that will further create and generate more employment opportunities for other less privileged young persons. Do not also forget that agencies like SMEDAN, NERFUND, NDE, NAPEP also target economically viable youth population and have also been properly positioned to serve the youth more productively even though there are always room for improvements as we progress even as a democratic nation.

    I am of the opinion that we need to place more emphasis on developing more result-oriented strategies to deal with the issues of quality education at all levels, with a view to embedding enterprise education as ka ey component for boosting the capacities of young school leavers’ view towards addressing the rising rates of unemployment and to impact positive civil and citizenship orientation on them. We must also note that government alone cannot do everything; other stakeholders such as the private sector, NGOs, business community, religious organizations and so many more all have critical roles to play in the development of the Nigerian youth to a desired standard of behavior and empowerment. I must commend the efforts of the PDP – led government under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan for the commitment exhibited in addressing challenges facing the youths of this great country as seen in some of the recently launched programmes. It is on this premise that I also wish to ensure that the Youth REAP project key effectively into government’s strategies with a view to ensuring that the overall objective of instituting efforts to address youths’ needs is fully realized within the framework of effectively collaboration among the key stakeholders.

    The PDP is facing some internal challenges. What is the way out?

    Let us examine the PDP, being the biggest political party in the black and let me relate it to “a one big family” viewpoint. We all know that it’s practically impossible for a big family to completely avoid quarrels. And when they do quarrel, there’s no need for an outsider to come in and settle their internal squabbles. It is the role of each individual in the family to come to an acceptable agreement in order to ensure that all the free-for-alls simmer down. PDP is a very big party, and you know they say the bigger the head the bigger the headache. But I am telling you that, with the leadership of the party headed by the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, we will always come out stronger, virile and bigger as usual.

     

  • PDP close to total reconciliation – Akpabio

    PDP close to total reconciliation – Akpabio

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday expressed happiness with the ongoing process towards total reconciliation in the party.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, he denied knowledge of any rift among governors as he claimed that all the PDP governors are working for the progress of the party.

    Nigeria, he said, will continue to enjoy good governance under his party.

    He said: “All of us are there because it’s a national party and it belongs to all Nigerians. I am happy with the progress being made to ensure total reconciliation and I am very hopeful that at the end of this exercise Nigeria will continue to enjoy good governance.”

    “I have just met with the President to report on the progress we are making towards the southwest congress that is coming up on August 24 and also the national convention that is coming up on the 31st and you know I am a member of the planning committee.

    “I am the chairman of the finance committee and by 3pm this afternoon the entire finance committee will be meeting so that tomorrow we report to the entire body of the national planning committee towards hitch free congress in southwest and towards a hitch free national convention and you know even in the meeting what we are talking about are parts and parcel of the processes of rebuilding the party and ensuring total reconciliation.”

    “All the steps being taken at the moment are steps in the right direction to ensure cohesion and bring back all the party faithful and particularly the body of governors will come together to work as one for the interest of Nigeria and the interest of the PDP.”

    On the five aggrieved northern governors, he said: “I don’t know anything about any five aggrieved governors. I do know that all the governors of the PDP are working towards the success of the party.”

     

  • Obasanjo, governors meet over PDP crisis

    Obasanjo, governors meet over PDP crisis

    FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has joined in the search for peace in the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Last night, he met with the party’s governors in Abuja.

    His intervention may have been prompted by a recent visit to him in his Abeokuta, Ogun State country home by five of the governors.

    It could not be ascertained if President Goodluck Jonathan attended the meeting.

    Governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) visited Obasanjo last month to seek his intervention in the PDP and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) crises..

    It was gathered that top on the agenda at the session was how to resolve the feud between the president and some of the governors, especially over the Rivers State crisis.

    It was also learnt that Obasanjo would use the session to reconcile the governors, some of who had indicated that they would not leave the party.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The meeting was at the instance of Obasanjo following issues raised by the five governors and the apparent spill over of the division among the governors on cohesion within PDP.

    “But this might just be the first step in the series of interventions being championed by Obasanjo.

    “The former president is expected to meet with other stakeholders in the PDP as a way of restoring true democracy in the party.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “The crisis in Rivers State is a major issue to be addressed and the ex-President secured the assurance of Governor Rotimi Amaechi that he would attend the session.

    “We are only hopeful that all the key actors will accept to work for peace not only in Rivers but in PDP.”

    A governor, who spoke in confidence before the meeting, which had not started at press time last night, said: “We are eager to put all these challenges behind us because 2015 is fast approaching.”

     

  • Southwest PDP: we’re confident in Obasanjo

    Southwest PDP: we’re confident in Obasanjo

    THE Southwest Zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a vote of confidence in former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    It said the former President is a strong pillar of the party in the country.

    The PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman in the zone, Chief Ishola Filani, spoke at the party’s rally in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State.

    Also, the PDP Zonal Secretary, Chief Pegba Otemolu, has denied the alleged exclusion of the ex-President in the affairs of the party.

    At the rally, some members of opposition parties defected into the PDP.

    Present at the event were the Osun PDP Chairman, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa; his Oyo State counterpart, Yinka Taiwo; Ogun PDP Chairman, Adebayo Dayo and Prince Buruji Kashamu.

    Others include Kayode Amusan, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, Otunba Leke Adekoya, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye and Alhaji Agboola Alausa.

    Filani said the Southwest PDP leadership and state chapters in the zone had implicit confidence in Obasanjo, who, according to him, has made the people in Yorubaland proud with his achievements both as a former military and civilian leader.

    He said: “Obasanjo is the only person who was head of state under the military, who was twice president as civilian president and who has continued all over the world to look for peace and ensure that governments internationally are in order.

    “I, on behalf of the six states in the Southwest PDP, tell the whole world that the PDP in the Southwest pass vote of confidence on him. We have implicit confidence in Baba Obasanjo as our father and leader.”

     

     

  • PDP plotting unfair rerun in Offa, ex-chair alleges

    A former Chairman of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Prince Saheed Popoola, yesterday alleged that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was planning to railroad the state Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) into holding a fresh election into the council without following due process.

    He said the plot is to exclude the opposition from contesting in the poll, thereby making the rerun a walkover for the PDP.

    In a statement in Offa, Popoola also dismissed as futile the alleged plot to disqualify him from contesting in the election on the grounds that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), under which he contested, is defunct.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a meeting Senator Bukola Saraki held with PDP stakeholders, including PDP chieftains from Offa at the weekend, where they resolved to railroad the KWASIEC into holding a rerun into Offa Local Government any moment from now.

    “While we remain confident that the people of Offa will mete out the appropriate punishment to people who see Kwara as their fiefdom and make no pretence about their intention to lord it over all of us, we wish to remind the PDP and, of course KWASIEC, that the law governing KWASIEC is that a notice of 150 days shall be given for an election into a local government. This is not retroactive! We hope the PDP will bear this in mind as its plots to impose itself on the people of Offa by all crooked means…”

    The Kwara State PDP yesterday denied the allegation.

    In a statement in Ilorin by its Director of Publicity, Mash’ud Adebimpe, the party said: “The Kwara State PDP was aware of the false allegation being spread about by the former Offa Local Governmet Chairman, Mr Saheed Popoola, to the effect that there was an alleged plot to deprive him from participating in the forthcoming rerun.

    “The PDP wishes to state that the allegation is an outright falsehood with no substance. Our party is law-bidding and would follow the law to the letter.

    “Our leader, at no time, held any meeting where such matter was discussed or mentioned.

    “The removed council boss should go back and sort himself out with his party. As far as his candidature is concerned to us in the PDP, it does not pose any threat, as the people of Offa would decide who will lead them.

    “Saheed should not whip up unfounded sentiments all in the name of seeking public sympathy. The PDP would support any process that is in tandem with the law guiding the electoral exercise.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • PDP lacks direction, says APC chief

    PDP lacks direction, says APC chief

    One-Time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance Mr. Olawale Edun has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remain united in their resolve to oust the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

    Addressing members of the APC yesterday during the celebration and launch of the party at the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area (LDCA), he said the time has come for Nigerians to be free from years of slavery and oppression.

    At the launch, which attracted supporters, Edun said the PDP policies have emasculated the people because they are anti-people.

    He said the party lacks direction, adding that it is choking the people.

    Said he: “Now that we are moving into what appears like a two-party system, the situation where a party has not performed and remains in power will no longer be feasible. Such a failed party can be easily voted out. The PDP has not performed. We can see the impact of poverty on the people, the impact of joblessness, particularly on our youths. Therefore we are looking for a change.

    “For those of us here today, we are celebrating a rebirth. It is a new dawn for our new party because people are enthusiastic. They now have hopes because of the birth of APC. I can assure you that the change will come with quality leadership, good education for our people, provision of infrastructure and the fight against corruption. We cannot just have one party, which is the PDP and the people will be unhappy to continue to tolerate such a situation.”

    Mr. Edun went on: “Now that we have a gathering of political parties that formed the APC, the unity, which we have sought in the past to remove the PDP, will be realised. I assure you that the people are in high spirit, they are hopeful.

    “With this two- party system, the power of incumbency will largely be reduced. It is when you have a fragmentation of opposition political parties that the incumbent will have its way. We are now even talking about performance. The people will look at the record on ground before they cast their votes. This is what obtains elsewhere in the world, which is expected here. Besides, they decided to be united in the APC to actualise the change.”

    A former member, House of Representatives, Mr. Habib Fashinro, hoped that the APC would confront the problems.

    He said APC has tested leaders.

    His words: “We are not just going there to grab power; we want to use it to address the problems facing the country. One thing constant is change. We cannot have the same thing over and over because PDP has violated its terms of contract with the people.”

    Fashinro added that the PDP crisis was having an effect on the country, “yet, the party prides itself as the hope of the masses.”

    He said: “Although we are not bothered about PDP problems, we are bothered about building our own party that will give the masses the direction and hope they desire. Now that politicians have come together to effect that change, nothing, except God, will stop them.”

    According to Fashinro, any government that refused to meet its basic constitution obligations had erred and should consider it foolhardy to expect the people to support it.

    “In developing countries, there are things that are fundamental; things that will make the people feel included. We are talking about infrastructure, health and education. When we tackle these key challenges, it will create employment,” he said.

  • Anambra LG polls: PDP youths seek cancellation

    Youth Transformation Movement, South East zone of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to cancel the scheduled October 5 local government election in the state.

    The youths also urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to dissolve all the PDP factions in Anambra.

    The movement made the call at Nnewi at a function to honour Chief Sam Ebeku as its patron. They said Ebeku had made meaningful contributions to ensure peace and unity of the party.

    According to the South East zonal co-ordinator of the movement, Mr Ikechukwu Sunday, the scheduled October 5 council polls should be deferred to take place after the governorship election. He said that allowing the local government election to hold as planned, prior to the gubernatorial election, would deal a major blow to any attempt to take real control of the governorship race in Anambra.

    The stand of the youths is that the PDP NWC should dissolve all the PDP factions in the state and convene a caretaker committee with universal representation, to oversee the up-coming guberbatorial election in the state as reconciliation of the factions continued.

    Reacting,  Ebeku assured the youths that he would continue to contribute his quota in ensuring the desired peace in the state PDP and called on the leaders of all factions to listen to the voice of reason.