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Tag: PDP

  • Yobe killings monstrous, horrible – PDP

    Yobe killings monstrous, horrible – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Saturday’s killing of 29 students of a public secondary school in Mamudo, Yobe State by the Boko Haram sect as monstrous and horrible.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Tony Okeke, in a statement said the killing of the innocent children was a “direct effrontery to God and the height of wickedness only fit for the devil.”

    Expressing shock over the incident, the PDP said the incident was a sacrilege before God and humanity, saying that there’s no way the perpetrators could get away with the crime.

    Invoking the forces of nature against the Boko Haram sect, the party said no person has the right to take the life of another under any guise whatsoever.

    It charged the security agencies to rise up to the occasion and ensure that the killers and their supporters are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.

    The party commiserated with the families of the slain pupils as well as the government and people of Yobe State. It prayed God to give the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

  • I’m not dumping PDP – Tambuwal

    I’m not dumping PDP – Tambuwal

    … Assures Nigerians on budget

    The Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Honorable Aminu Tambuwal, on Friday dispelled rumors that he was on the verge of joining an opposition party.

    Apparently reacting to President Jonathan Goodluck Jonathan’s warning to elected political office holders under the platform of the party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that he would not hesitate to wield the big stick if they are found wanting, the Speaker said he is a member of the party.

    President Jonathan, according to reports warned that the “new PDP” would not condone indiscipline among its members, after accusing some of the leading lights of openly fraternizing with the opposition.

    “In a situation where somebody is in a particular party but his faith is in another political party. For those who are not holding political offices, yes, you can excuse. But if you are holding an elective office, you won’t be in that party and be working for another party, otherwise, why are you there? “the president asked rhetorically.

    Tambuwal, who was reacting to questions from journalists at the Benin Airport about rumors of his perceived anti- party activities following his alliance with members of the Action Congress of Nigeria, said he is still a member of the PDP and would remain one. “I’ m a member of the PDP, I am a PDP man. I’m hearing that rumours from you,” he said amidst laughter.

    The speaker also said that the rift between the National Assembly and the Executive over the 2013 appropriation act was in the interest of the generality of Nigerians

    Tambuwal, who was in Benin as a guest of the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, on his birthday and weeding anniversary told reporters at the Benin Airport that consultations were ongoing and at the appropriate time Nigerians will benefit from the budget.

    “Well, you know it is all about consultation and we will keep talking to ourselves and ensure that Nigerians get the best out of it. But I assure you that what National Assembly is doing is to ensure that Nigerians get the best out of the situation. We are not there to undermine the interest of Nigerians; we will be the last people to ever do that,” the number four citizen added.

     

  • Governorship poll: Presidency, PDP propose consensus candidacy for Anambra, Ekiti, Osun

    The Presidency and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged its members in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states to put their houses in order, ahead of the next governorship elections.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, it was learnt, has enjoined the warring chieftains in the troubled chapters to reconcile and present consensus candidates to prevent post-primary crises that may abort their victory in the proposed polls.

    The proposal, which is part of efforts to ensure cohesion and foster peace, trailed the call for automatic tickets for governors by the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih.

    Insiders, however, said that the President set some criteria for the emergence of the consensus candidates. These include integrity, track record of performance in his profession and previous political appointment, popularity and grassroots appeal.

    The tenure of the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, expires in March, next year and the governorship election is expected to hold in the last quarter of this year. Also, governorship elections will hold in Ekiti and Osun states next year.

    Sources said that Dr. Jonathan and many PDP national leaders told a delegation of party elders and leaders from Anambra State, who visited them in Abuja last week, that the next poll is very important to the party in many ramifications. At the meeting with the President were the members of the state executive commitete, BoT members, party elders, former presidential aides and federal legislators from the state.

    According to the sources, the President reminded them that the PDP lost the governorship to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) due to protracted party crises, advising them to work for unity.

    Other leaders were said to have also counselled the Anambra chapter to rebuild the party and attract the aggrieved APGA members to the fold, as part of the strategies for building a strong platform.

    No fewer than 10 governorship aspirants are competing for the ticket in tthe state. They include Senator Andy Uba, Mr. Nicholas Nkachukwu, Godwin Ezeemo, Prof. Charles Soludo and Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, who is allegedly holding consultations with the PDP, APGA and Labour Party (LP).

    The aspirants on the queue in Osun State include former Youths, Sports and Culture Minister, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, former Secretary to Government Chief Fatai Akinbade, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, and former House of Representatives member Hon. Wole Oke.

    In Ekiti State, the aspirants include former Governor Ayo Fayose, former Deputy Governors Bisi Omoyeni, Abiodun Olujimi and Abiodun Aluko, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Hon. Aribisala, Mr. Yinka Akerele, and Mr. Bimbo Owolabi.

    A PDP chieftain in Anambra State said: “The President is passionate about Anambra State. He believes that it is fundamentally, a PDP state, but the party lost to APGA due to protracted crises. It is generally believed that the 2015 race will start with the governorship election in Anambra. The party is not united there and this is a concern to the President.

    “It is the thinking of the President and our national leaders that , if we queue behind a condidate that can unite the party and appeal to all the stakeholders in the state, PDP can still make it. He (President) has advised us to go and put our house in order. My understanding is that the President, who is the national leader of our great party, wants us to avoid post-primary crises which usually affect us during elections. It is up to us to take this advice, if we want to win power in the state”.

    Also, during his meeting with the Ekiti PDP delegation, the President advised them to rise above their differences, warning that a divided house cannot dislodge the ruling party.

    Ekiti PDP has been polarised, following the last congress which led to the emergence of the Makanjuola Ogundipe-led executive committee, which members are said to be loyal to the Fayose group. But attempts to raise a parallel executive by chieftains opposed to the former governor failed. The group also fought back, criticisising the congress that produced the former governor, Mr. Segun Oni, as the PDP National Vice Chairman (Southwest).

  • PDP: An elusive reconciliation

    PDP: An elusive reconciliation

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is embroiled in multi-faceted crises, which are connected with the 2015 elections. Unless the party puts its house in order, its fortunes may continue to nosedive. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN writes.

     

    IS the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) actually ready for reconciliation? Can it broker peace between President Goodluck Jonathan and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi on one hand and the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the governors on the other hand? The prospect of reconciliation was seen in Abuja last week by Akwa Ibom state Governor Chief Godswill Akpabio, after a meeting of the PDP National Convention Planning Committee.

    Akpabio said the PDP was not ready to lose its governors to the opposition political parties. He disclosed that both the PDP Governors Forum and the party were committed to reconciliation in the troubled party.This statement coming from Akpabio who was blowing hot and cold on the suspension of Amaechi, with threats to sanction his supporters among the PDP governors, has proved that there is a limit to arbitrariness and show of power.

    Other governors at loggerheads with the party over its suspension of the Rivers state governor are Aliyu Babangida (Niger); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Murtala Nyako (Adam-awa); and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara). They had been in the forefront of moves for the removal of the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, over his alleged interference in the running of the Adamawa state chapter. They also fell out with the party after it suspended Amaechi on May 27, 2013, for seeking a second term as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), despite the warning from the PDP leadership. But the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) said Amaechi was suspended for his “refusal to obey the lawful directive of the Rivers PDP Executive Committee to rescind his decision dissolving the elected executive council of Obiokpor Local Government Area of Rivers State”.

    The grounds on which the party suspended Amaehi were flimsy they include, that he sought for re-election as the NGF chairman. He is also said to have been respended over the Obi/Akpor Local Government crisis. Amaechi insists that the House of Assembly suspended the council for alleged fraud, not the governor. NGF is a club of governors elected on various political platforms. NGF is not a PDP organ. It has a constitution that regulates its operation. It is not the PDP Governors Forum that the party could dictate to or meddle in its affairs. There is no logic in the second allegation. The Rivers State House of Assembly dissolved Obiokpor Local Government not the governor. There is separation of powers. The executive can’t interfere or usurp the powers of the legislative and vice versa. Is it proper for the party state executive to issue directive to state governor on matters that border on governance? The party can only advice which is not binding.

    There are ‘classified offences’ committed by Amaechi that incurred him the wrath of the presidency. It was widely reported how the First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, snatched the microphone from Governor Amaechi at a public function when she felt dissatisfied with the governor’s explanation. That was the beginning of his problem with Aso rock. The rumoured ambition to be running mate to Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State as presidential candidate of PDP in 2015. Despite Amaechi’s denial, the presidency still perceives him as a traitor who should be dealt with ruthlessly. Perhaps, the reason why President Jonathan would not forgive Amaechi was the NGF opposition to Sovereign Wealth Fund. The matter was decided in favour of the Governors Forum by the Supreme Court.

    On June 5, 2013, Wamakko was suspended by the PDP National Working Committee for allegedly ignoring party directives. However, his suspension was believed to have been orchestrated by some party leaders over his support for Amaechi at the NGF election on June 24.

     

    Oil wells dispute

     

    The disputed oil wells between Rivers and Bayelsa states is a major issue that must be resolved for any meaningful reconciliation to take place. According to the Rivers State government, the oil wells are located in Soku, a community in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. It said Bayelsa State is claiming the ownership because the land belongs to the Kalabari people, not minding which state they belong. The revenues from the disputed oil wells were originally fixed in an escrow account to await the resolution of the boundary dispute. This was the situation until recently the Federal Government decided to release the monies from the disputed wells to Bayelsa State, a move which the Rivers state described as unfair and unjust decision? which made it to file a suit at the Supreme Court. The state further posited that Bayelsa made reference to facts without addressing them but instead, choose to instigate the presidency against the government and people of Rivers. The apex court according to the Rivers state, decided that it would be appropriate to await the final delineation of the boundary by the National Boundary Commission.

    But Bayelsa justified the ownership of the disputed oil wells on the fact that the Rivers state government had filed two suits against Bayelsa at the Federal and the Supreme Courts respectively in order to assert its ownership of the oil wells, but all the suits were struck out by the courts. Besides, Bayelsa claimed that the name, Soku Oil. wells, was wrongly given by Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd because Soku, a village in Rivers state, was their operational base at that time, while the oil wells and the flow station are located in the Oluasiri clan in Nembe Local Council of Bayelsa.

    Being the aggrieved party in this matter, Rivers state government has raised a number of questions: Why would the accruals from the disputed oil wells which have been kept in escrow all these years to await the final resolution of the matter be suddenly paid to Bayelsa state just recently? “Why place reliance and give effect to an administrative map whose authors have acknowledged its inaccuracy and promised to remedy? Is it not unjust, even highly immoral to allow a party to a disputed and in the face of an erroneous map to the detriment of the Kalabari communities of Rivers State?”

    Analysts say the oil wells dispute gave Dr Jonathan an opportunity to wield big stick on Governor Amaechi, who was considered a stumbling block to the 2015 re-election plan. According to the analysts, the decision to pay the accruals from the oil revenue to Bayelsa through the back door was a game plan to cede the disputed oil wells to Bayelsa and an attempt to reduce Rivers State status among the oil producing states.

    The war between Rivers and Bayelsa states is akin to the one that trailed the ceding of 76 oil wells from Cross River to its sister state, Akwa Ibom. Their relationship dates back to many years before they became separate states when additional states were created. Because of the inherent financial implications, the authorities in Cross River are still concerned about the circumstances surrounding the 76 oil wells that are bound to further boost the revenue capacity of Akwa Ibom State.

     

    Regional crises

     

    PDP has always taken pride in its avowed ability to manage its crises and resolve them through the family affair approach. At the inception of democracy in 1999, it was a very large political formation bringing under its umbrella the decision makers from different parts of the country. PDP controls 23 out of 36 states. It has comfortable majority in the Senate and House of Representatives ditto and many state Houses of Assembly. In spite of this the party is wobbling from one crisis to the other across the six geo-political zones. The crises are so daunting that some members of PDP are skeptical about its possible resolution before the 2015 general elections.

    The crises are the potent threats to the party’s electoral fortune in 2015, if not well managed.

     

    North and 2015

     

    The disclosure by the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state, that President Jonathan signed an agreement with the northern governors before the 2011 presidential election that he would serve for one term has sparked crisis. This is so, given the ongoing moves by the north to reclaim presidency. Even though, the president’s camp came out to deny signing any agreement with the north, Governor Aliyu promised to make it the agreement public at the appropriate time. Since then, the governors have drawn a battle line with the presidency while insisting that presidency must move up north in 2015. How well the party handles this problem is critical to its survival as the 2015 polls gather momentum.

     

    PDP governors

    versus Tukur

     

    The relationship between the PDP governors and the national chairman is anything but cordial. The governors have accused the chairman of running the party in an autocratic manner. Among the reasons why they want Tukur removed were holding party’s meeting in his personal house, refusal to convene the National Executive meeting since he assumed office last year and his role in the Adamawa State congresses that produced two party executives. Tukur, in a letter co-signed by the former acting national secretary recognised a faction allegedly loyal to him. It was also alleged that Tukur’s rejection of the faction loyal to the state governor was to ensure that the governorship ambition of his son in 2015 sail through.

    The crisis festered further when most of the northern governors boycotted the zonal reconciliation tour of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tukur. Despite holding the reconciliation meeting in the three zones- Northeast, North-central and Northwest on different days, many of the PDP governors declined to show up at the meetings. The reconciliatory tour further exposed the underbelly of the party crisis. The governors insisted that Tukur must go for peace to reign in the party. But President Jonathan sees no reason in their demand. Hence, Tukur remains the chairman against all odds.

     

    Obasanjo/Jonathan

    face off

     

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had a good time with President Jonathan at the early stage of his administration, given Obasanjo’s frequent visits to Aso Rock then. All of a sudden, they turned strange bed fellows. This has affected the PDP fortunes in the Southwest. In Ogun State, Obasanjo’s home state, the party is factionalised, a development that was clearly manifested in the 2011 general elections. The party lost woefully to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).There is a faction loyal to Obasanjo. the Buruji Kashamu group is allegedly working for Jonathan. The crisis eventually consumed the erstwhile PDP National Auditor Chief Bode Mustapha, who was sponsored by the Obasanjo group. He was replaced by Olawale from the Buruji group.

    The Southwest Zonal chapter headed by former Ekiti State Governor Olusegun, Oni was sacked by the former NWC following a court order. Oni fought tooth and nail to regain his office, but all is now history with the turn of events. Similarly, the fomer Osun state governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was removed as national secretary. His removal was a fall out of Ogun state crisis. The Kashamu group approached the court to void the congress that nominated Oyinlola for the post as illegal, the court granted the prayer and ordered Oyinlola’s removal. Both Oni and Oyinlola belong to the Obasanjo group.

    In Oyo, Ondo, Lagos and Osun, similar scenario is playing out. In-fighting has destabilised the party with factions trying to lord it over themselves. Former Oyo State governor Adebayo Alao-Akala is embroiled in a battle of supremacy with other leaders of PDP in the state. He is contemplating leaving the party to team up with his former boss, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, in Accord Party to realise his senatorial ambition, In Lagos state the party is polarised into Olabode George and Adeseye Ogunlewe groups. Though both of them came out recently to admit reconciliation, but it is still a game of wait and see. The Ondo state chapter is yet to get over the last year’s governorship election result. The party’s candidate Chief Olusola Oke was allegedly sabotaged by the party elders. They were alleged to have shifted allegiance to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Labour Party, who was also favoured by the Presidency to win the keenly contested election. In Ekiti, the return of former governor Ayo Fayose has renewed the popularity contest with Oni, the immediate past governor. The PDP Governors Forum made futile attempts to resolve the crises in the southwest. The governors withdrew because all attempts to make the aggrieved parties to embrace peace failed.

     

    Special convention

     

    The party has scheduled a special convention for July 20 to elect new members of the NWC because the elections that brought them office were not acceptable to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). From all indications, there may be no changes in the new NWC that is likely to emerge from the convention. The results are predictable; most of the former members of NWC would return, so far their loyalty to President Jonathan is not in doubt. The devil that you know is better than the unknown. The president cannot afford to shop for new faces now because of 2015. So, the tendency that the party will come out of the convention more divided is very likely, given the magnitude of animosity that various stakeholder may carry to the convention.

    The pattern is the same in the southeast zone. The case of Anambra is as worrisome. there is no recognisable party executive. There are several factions of PDP in Anambra loyal to different godfathers.

    The fight over which zone should produce the governorship candidate in Enugu state in the next election has polarised the party. The Nsukka zone says it is their turn since the incumbent Governor Sullivan Chime who hails from Awgu zone would be serving out eight years in office. The Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu also from Awgu is preparing to succeed Chime in office. Hence, the Nsukka zone is crying of being marginalised.

    With the threat of disintegration posed by the crises, analysts say the PDP stakeholders should evolve political strategies that would unite the party to counter the divide and rule tactics of the presidency that has ruined the party in the last two years. The special convention offers a rare opportunity for the party leadership to redress the crises through with aggrieved members for peace to reign. In the alternative the party would go to the polls in 2015 as a divided family as it happened in 2011 in some states hitherto controlled by the PDP. The consequence is still being felt.

     

  • Court to hear joiner application in Rivers PDP dispute Sept 30

    A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, will on September 30 hear the application by the third claimant to the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship seat, Merinoe Okiriaja, who is asking the Chairman, Felix Obua and two others to join in the suit.

    An Abuja court in April sacked the former chairman, G.U. Ake, and pronounced Obua the winner of the October 2011 party delegates’ congress.

    Ake headed for the Appeal Court, alleging that Obua was not a candidate in the October congress. The matter is still in court.

    Last month, Okiriaja filed a suit before Justice Suleiman Aliyu, claiming to be the authentic chairman and not Obua or Ake.

    He alleged being unlawfully excluded from the chairmanship election last October, despite fulfilling the required conditions within the stipulated time.

    He is asking the court to either declare him the rightful chairman of the party or quash the election Obua and Ake are hinging their victory on, and order a rerun.

    The matter, however, could not go on yesterday, following the absence of the PDP’s lawyer, Donald C. Denwigwe. It was adjourned till September 30.

     

  • 2015: PDP vows to disqualify ‘bribe-offering’ aspirants

    2015: PDP vows to disqualify ‘bribe-offering’ aspirants

    As politicians prepare for the 2015 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party said it will disqualify any aspirant caught offering bribes to delegates to secure ticket to contest electoral office.

    Gumbari, the party’s Zone 3 chairman in Kaduna State, stated this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Monday.

    He said a special committee had been set up to monitor the activities of aspirants and report any unwholesome attitude to the party headquarters.

    “We have resolved to field only popular, acceptable and saleable candidates in 2015 and shall not tolerate anyone sharing money or using any other dirty tactics to influence the primary elections,’’ he said.

    “The sanctions for bribe-offering aspirants will be very severe; the minimum is disqualification from the race.

    “The party can also suspend or expel the erring party from its fold so as to cleanse the system,’’ added Gumbari, a two-term member of the House of Representatives.

    He advised rich party faithful to use such money to develop the party and strengthen it to win elections.

     

  • Ondo: Appeal Court dismisses Akeredolu’s appeal

    Ondo: Appeal Court dismisses Akeredolu’s appeal

    The Appeal Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has dismissed the appeal of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its governorship candidate Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu[SAN].

    The five-man panel also struck out the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief. Olusola Oke for lacking in merit.

    They were all challenging the verdict of the state Election Petitions Tribunal which affirmed the victory of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in last October’s governorship election in the state.

    The panel noted that their grounds of appeals are not substantial enough to convince the court to upturn the judgment in favour of the appellants.

    In a unanimous judgment, the chairman of the panel, Justice Garba Mohammed, said the issue of injection of unlawful names into the voters’ register is not a pre election matter, stressing that the tribunal had the jurisdiction to entertain the petitions.

    According to the judges, the voters’ register was used in the election and formed part of the process, saying the tribunal was wrong to say it is a pre election matter.

    The court also affirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to display the voters’ register for public to scrutinize properly before the election, adding that it is a breach of a section of the electoral law.

    But, It however stressed that the breach was not enough to discredit the entire process.

    The panel said the ACN and Akeredolu failed to substantially prove how the unlawful injection of names affected the result of the election.

  • Amaechi threatens to dump PDP

    Amaechi threatens to dump PDP

    •Says: If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move.

    Hours after embracing President Goodluck Jonathan at Port Harcourt Airport, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi yesterday evening raised the stakes in the crisis rocking the state branch of the party by threatening to dump the ruling People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

    He vowed to leave for any other party if PDP insists on the reversal of the suspension of Obio/Akpor local council executives as pre-condition for him to remain in the party.

    Amaechi said this while reacting to questions by the Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Niger Delta Diocese, Rev. Ignatius C. Kattey, at the 60th birthday thanksgiving service of the former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), O.C.J. Okocha (SAN) in Port Harcourt.

    He said the PDP should not give him conditions over Obio/Akpor, saying that it was only the lawmakers who suspended them, or the court that could lift the suspension.

    The governor explained to the crowd at the service that the law that empowered the lawmakers to suspend council officials also empowered him to dissolve the executive, but said he has not done that.

    “If they reverse it tomorrow, there is one more option left to me, I can dissolve the entire executive. The police can remain there as much as they want, it is Obio/Akpor people’s problem; the money is going nowhere.

    “But we have saved you too, because the reason they suspended the executives is because they said, ‘let us investigate the place because there was corruption.’ If they investigate and the chairman and the councillors are not corrupt, they will call them back. But if they go to court to try to stop them, they will do their function.

    “I want to hear the court say they have no right to do their function. Whatever the court says is what the Rivers State Government will do. We will obey the court, but outside that, nobody, not PDP, can give me condition. Is there only one party in Nigeria? Why would they give me condition? They will not give me condition.

    “I lead the people of Rivers State and I will lead you. If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move!

    “We will continue to struggle for our rights, and that includes our oil wells. You will hear the truth of this fight in December, January. I will address the state and I will tell you the truth of the fight.

    “Not between me and these people here, they are not a problem to me. But when election comes, the Rivers people will be given the chance to choose who they want,” he said

    The Bishop had at the beginning of his sermon at the church service sought to confirm if Amaechi had been given the re-instatement of the suspended executives of Obio/Akpor council as condition to end the crisis, and what he Ameachi was doing about it.

    Kattey also asked the embattled Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairman if there was really an election that returned him as the chairman of the forum, and urged him to tell the truth.

    Responding, Amaechi said: “I don’t lie. If I will go to hell, lie wouldn’t be one of the reasons for my going to hell. Take it from me, those who lie don’t have courage, I have them in quantum; my children have excess of courage.

    “Your Grace, there was an election, your Grace, they are not denying that there was no election. They said before the election some people have signed documents for them, and they were 19, but in contesting the election, those 19 changed their minds and voted for me, and when the battle was on it was clear that it was between the ‘Villa’ and me, and I won.

    “There was an election and they were properly defeated and they saw the consequences of defeat. It is a Governors’ Forum I have led for two years. Even the 16 told me ‘you were wonderful as the chairman, but you know where the pressure is coming from and we can’t avoid the pressure, I won and won well, tomorrow morning (today), I will win again.”

    Twenty-seven members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in April suspended the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Timothy Nsirim and his councillors for alleged financial recklessness.

    Efforts by the Felix Obuah-led state PDP to force the lawmakers to re-instate the council executives failed. The national body of PDP then suspended Amaechi shortly after his victory of the NGF election – hinging the action on his refusal to recall the council executive.

     

  • Confusion in PDP over mini-convention guidelines

    Confusion in PDP over mini-convention guidelines

    There was confusion in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday as members of the Prof Jerrry Gana-led Special National Convention Planning Committee disagreed over what should be the guidelines for the election of new officials into the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    Although the party had announced the indefinite postponement of its planned special convention, citing the coming Muslim fasting period as reason, investigations by The Nation suggest that the inability of committee members to agree on the guidelines for the convention may have contributed to the decision to cancel the convention earlier slated for July 15.

    Sources at a meeting of the committee held last week said trouble started when some members of the committee kicked against the directive of the party that fresh nominations should be made for all the offices declared vacant at the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party.

    The Nation learnt that majority of the committee members would want all the removed officers to be re-nominated for their various positions ahead of the special convention.

    But Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is the Secretary of the Convention Planning Committee, affirmed that nominations for the positions would be open, but added that the offices would remain in the zones where they were originally allocated.

    “We are going to keep all the positions within the zones, but if there is any strong reason for us to change a particular candidate, that will happen.

    “For now, we are going to keep all the positions in the zones that are keeping them presently. We are not changing the zoning formula of the NWC members,” he stated.

    “The committee members disagreed over the appropriateness of the guideline read out at the meeting by the Chairman. Some members, led by a party chieftain from Lagos State urged the committee to drop the idea of fresh nominations as this was capable of fuelling further crises within the party.

    The committee was also asked to put the letters written to the party by former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State and the leadership of some state chapters of the party into consideration in arriving at a decision on how nominations will be made for the elections.

    But the leadership of the committee would not agree with that. They wanted the guidelines to be followed without questions. Some members disagreed and this led to the meeting breaking up without a common position.

    The insistence of some committee members that election would be conducted to fill all the offices enraged those opposed to the idea and this generated heated argument amongst committee members,” a source at the meeting said.

    Positions became vacant in the NWC after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a report by its 12-member committee under the chairmanship of Col. M.K. Hammanga (rtd.), rejected the adoption/affirmation of 12 members of the PDP NWC.

    The Commission faulted the process adopted by the PDP in electing the 12 officials, arguing that it violated paragraph 6.5 of the guidelines used for conducting the 2012 congress and national convention of the party.

    It however approved the election of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; the Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani; the sacked National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and the sacked National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha.

    Those whose elections were rejected are the Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha; and Deputy National Organising Secretary, Okechukwu Nnadozie.

    Others are the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Binta Goje; the National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza; his Deputy, Dennis Alonge Niyi; the Deputy National Auditor, Senator Umar Ibrahim; the National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; her Deputy, Hannatu Ulam; the Deputy National Treasurer, Claudus Inengas; and the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon.

    Prior to the rejection of the affected officers by INEC, Oyinlola and Mustapha were in February removed by the party, based on court judgments which were against them.

    Oyinlola had last week written both the party and the Gana committee, warning them against conducting any fresh election to fill the position of the National Secretary as it was not vacant.

    Arguing that his election is not part of those voided by INEC in its letter to the party, the former governor said he is already in court to challenge the court judgement that was relied upon by the party in removing him from office.

    “It is abundantly evident that INEC cleared my election as the PDP National Secretary, a position from which I assert and maintain that I was unjustly and unconstitutionally removed by a January 11, 2013 ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered by the Hon. Justice Abdu Kafarati,” Oyinlola said while urging PDP not to conduct election into the disputed office.

    Also, the Chairman and Secretary of the Ogun State Chapter of the party, Mr. Adebayo Dayo and Alhaji Semiu Shodipo, petitioned the national leadership of the party, saying that election must not be conducted to fill the vacant office of its national secretary.

    They said it was wrong for the party to contemplate conducting zonal congress, with the aim of beginning a process that would lead to the election of a replacement of Oyinlola. Both Dayo and Shodipo said that the conduct of the proposed zonal congress would be contrary to the court pronouncement on the matter.

    It was also learnt that the PDP had referred the matter to its legal department for advice. Investigations further revealed that those opposed to fresh nominations may be doing the bidding of some governors who are bent on ensuring the return of their allies into the NWC.

    A top member of the PDP, who pleaded anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak on the issue said, the party was at a loss about how to handle the issue.

    “This is largely because it did not envisage that members of the committee who were carefully selected will deviate from the guidelines provided by the party. This explains why the convention had to be postponed indefinitely,” the source said.

     

  • PDP shifts mini convention

    PDP shifts mini convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shifted the party’s mini convention earlier slated for July 20 till further notice.

    The party, in a statement on Thursday cited the coming Ramadan fast as reason for the shift in date.

    The postponement is coming on the heel of a petition by the Ogun State chapter of the party kicking against election into the office of the National Secretary of the party to replace Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who was removed from the position.

    The petition signed by Adebayo Dayo and Semiu Shodipo, chairman and secretary respectively, the chapter stated that it would be wrong for the party leadership to replace Oyinlola through the proposed Southwest congress.

    Oyinlola was removed from office on the strength of a judgment of a Federal High Court that voided the zonal congress through which he emerged as a candidate for the position.

    In the petition addressed to the chairman of the PDP Special Convention, Prof. Jerry Gana, the petitioners added that the proposed Southwest zonal congress contravened a court pronouncement on the matter.

    The duo warned that the planned July 11 convention in the zone aimed at electing Oyinlola’s replacement must be put on hold.