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Tag: PDP

  • Atiku adamant as tribunal upholds Buhari’s victory

    • It’s victory for Nigerians, says President
    • PDP: we’ll appeal ‘subversion of justice’
    • It’s vindication of Buhari’s character, says Tinubu
    • Lawan, Gbaja, others okay verdict
    • Wike, Sanwo-Olu, Obaseki, Oyetola, Abiodun, Akeredolu greet President

    There was jubilation at the Presidential Villa last night.

    It was during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting when news filtered in that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had stamped President Muhammdu Buhari’s victory in the February 23, 2019 election.

    President Buhari hailed the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) as a vindication of his victory and commended the judiciary for “dispensing justice without fear and favour.”

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) described the verdict as victory for the rule of law.

    The party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, that the landmark judgment underscored the refusal of the judiciary to succumb to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s subterfuge.

    However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the verdict, saying it was a perversion of justice.

    The main opposition party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the judgment was a direct assault on the integrity of the nation’s justice system.

    In a statement by the Presidential Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President called for unity, urging stakeholders to put behind them partisan bickering.

    He said: “Good conscience fears no evil report. I was unperturbed all along, because I knew Nigerians freely gave us the mandate. We are now vindicated,”

    President Buhari, who dedicated the victory to God and Nigerians, maintained that the judiciary deserved commendation for “dispensing justice without fear or favour.”

    He extended a hand of fellowship to aggrieved stakeholders who went to court to challenge his victory, noting that it was within their democratic rights.

    President Buhari said: “It is time for the country to move forward as one cohesive body, putting behind us all bickering and potential distractions over an election in which Nigerians spoke clearly and resoundingly.”

    He said: “The judgment by the five-member validates the decision of most Nigerians to do away with the past as expressed in their overwhelming votes in the 2019 elections. The PDP and Atiku’s petition was largely hinged on the educational qualification of President Muhammadu Buhari,  tales of an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server and allegations of electronic transmission of election results. This was rightly dismissed by the tribunal for lacking in merit.”

    Issa-Onilu recalled that the APC was unperturbed by the litigation, stressing that former Vice President Atiku’s claims were frivolous and meant to waste the time of the tribunal.

    In his view, APC’s victory at the presidential poll and the tribunal represent an endorsement of the push for progressive growth and development, the fight against corruption and battle to overcome insecurity.

    He said the Buhari administration had taken the bold step to rescue the country from the PDP, which presided over the trading of collective interests by few pillagers.

    The Southsest All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday congratulated President Mohammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo for their victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

    The National Vice Chairman (South West), Bankole Oluwajana, a lawyer, also congratulated the APC National Working  Committee, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for representing the party well at the tribunal.

    In a statement by the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Karounwi Oladapo, the party said the judgment truly reflected the outcome of the presidential election as declared by the electoral umpire.

    Lagos lawyer Monday Ubani said the tribunal had resolved some critical issues before it.

    He added: “The issue of whether President Buhari has a Secondary School Certificate has been laid to rest; the issue of Atiku’s nationality has been settled and that Buhari won the February 23 presidential election convincingly in compliance with the Electoral Act. The judgment was a validation of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaration that Buhari won the election. These rulings stand unless they were overturned by the Supreme Court.”

    Ologbondiyan, who expressed shock at the judgment, said despite the flawless evidence before it, the tribunal gave victory to the president.

    He said: “The court raked up all manner of excuses to make up for the yawning gaps occasioned by the total absence of any evidence from the respondents. Nigerians and the international community watched in utter disbelief when the tribunal ruled that one need not provide a copy or certified true copy of educational certificate such individual claimed to possess, contrary to established proof of claims of certification.”

    The publicity secretary wondered why the tribunal provided rationalisations for President Buhari’s inability to tender his certificate, which he said was with the Army.

    Ologbondiyan maintained that the tribunal overlooked the flawed election, despite the evidence of illegalities, manipulations, alterations and subtraction of valid votes  given to Atiku by Nigerians.

    He added: “Indeed, the pervading melancholic atmosphere across our nation since the verdict is a direct indication that the judgment has not fulfilled the desires and expectations of Nigerians.”

    Ologbondiyan urged Nigerians to remain calm and not to lose hope as Atiku’ lawyers will appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.

    PDP chieftains Buba Galadima and Chief Ebenezer Babatope frowned at the judgment, which they described as travesty of justice.

    Galadima, who  said Nigerians were disappointed at the verdict, said the Supreme Court may upturn it. He said: “I am disappointed in what happened today. There are so many reasons to be disappointed. What we have seen today is that the judges that gave this judgment were not looking for the truth, but personality. This is an issue that the  Nigerian judiciary should look into before it plunges the country into problem. When the weak goes to court to seek for redress, the judiciary looks for technicality to dismiss the wishes of the weak.

    “We will be looking toward another chance at the Supreme Court. Today as I speak to you, we are in a mourning mood. Nigerians are disappointed. Every Nigerian feels that he has been shortchanged. I want to say that right from the beginning, people knew that the refusal by President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Act was deliberate.”

    Former Minister of Transport Chief Babatope said Nigerians should work toward the unity of the country.

    Babatope said: “I wish Nigerians the best of luck. The judgment of God will come. This nation must continue to exist. The unity must be preserved. We the participants must ensure that we give democracy a chance to strive.”

    A lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, said with the judgment, the integrity of the judiciary was on trial.

    Odion-Akhaine advised Atiku to appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court, adding that the case should be pursued to the logical conclusion.

    The National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the judgment was a victory for democracy, adding that the PDP’s petition was an unnecessary national distraction.

    He stressed: “Buhari won the election with a margin of nearly four million votes to his closest rival. We sincerely advise the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to accept the outcome of the election in the spirit of sportsmanship.”

    Mixed reactions trailed the judgment in Anambra State. While a PDP chieftain, Osekola Obaze, said the verdict was unacceptable, a human rights activist, Osita Obi said “it’s a big lesson to agents of darkness.”

    To Osita Obi, “the social media noise of “Atiku is coming” has ended, advising the PDP candidate to embrace the reality.

    Former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and APC chieftain  Chief Charles Amilo, described the judgment as a welcome development.

    He said: “Today is a sad day for our country, Nigeria. This is a huge missed opportunity to right the ills of this nation. Nigerians should be extremely disappointed with the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. This judgment runs against the weight of the evidence presented.

    “Of course, the Tribunal, have spoken and being law abiding, we respect their prerogative opinion. But, we do not accept it. Our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Mr Peter Obi, and our great party, PDP, will seek redress at the Supreme Court. Certainly, in the fullness of time, shall recover our hijacked mandate”

    Former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said: “It was a very thorough judgment and very lucid and it addressed every issue that was canvassed and I think it is a judgment that has earned the confidence of the public. I congratulate the president for this victory that was foretold.”

    Senator Rochas Okorocha said “It will spur the President to do more.”

    He added:  “With the victory, President Buhari would now be more encouraged to continue to work for the unity, progress and peace of the nation, while the distractions associated with the case while it lasted have now been jettisoned.”

    The former Imo State governor commended members of the tribunal for “doing a good job and making the nation proud.”

    Okorocha also commended Atiku for “giving good account of himself and for his contributions to the nation’s democracy.”

  • 100 days: PDP accuses APC of publicising falsehood on Makinde

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oyo State chapter, has accused the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being desperate to blackmail what it described as “the laudable achievements” of Governor Seyi Makinde and the ruling party in the state in the last 100 days of his administration.

    The PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, accused the APC of sponsoring all manners of falsehood against the PDP and the Makinde government all in an effort aimed at belittling the successful clearing of the rot left behind by the APC in the state and the positive turnaround the state has begun to experience since Makinde assumed office.

    The statement reads in parts, “We are greatly appalled at the desperation of the APC to publicise all manners of lies and falsehood against our government.

    “There is a permissible level of decency in politics and we expect all Omoluabis to follow that cause.

    “Rather than wish our state well after the eight years of disastrous rule and bad governance the APC foisted on Oyo State, that party is standing alone as a rotten apple in the basket, seeking to negatively affect others.

    Read Also: We’re lighting up Oyo to fight crime, says Makinde

    “Let us assure the lie merchants in the APC that our party, the PDP stands firm with Governor Seyi Makinde, and the laudable achievements he has recorded in 100 days.

    “No member of the PDP is angry with the Governor and no one is expressing any such frustration as contained in the lies being marketed by the APC.”

    The statement indicated that the PDP is solidly behind Governor Makinde on every step all the way, as he continues in his giant strides of laying the foundation for the accelerated development of Oyo State.

    The PDP Publicity Secretary added that the umbrella party is more than ever before united as a family, saying: “we are impressed at the globally acclaimed good works of our Governor, the GSM. No one abandons a good product, not even the blind.

    “We are making particular reference to a story from the frustrated camps of the APC with the headline “PDP Leaders Dump Oyo Gov. We affirm that this is another of their classic lies, as such write-up is not only laughable but comical.

    “It can only come from agents of darkness who do not wish Oyo State well.

    “Let us place on record that purveyors of such stories are either deluded, suffering from acute amnesia, or just trying to make a nuisance of themselves.

    “It is not only unfounded, frivolous and malicious but also a great lie that stands no reason. Governor Makinde is no longer about Oyo State, he is already a nationally acclaimed deliverer of good dividends of democracy and good governance.

    “When God begins a special project, only a fool will refuse to join the train. We as a party are more than ever before, proud of our God-sent ‘Mr. Talk and Do Governor,’ who works more and talks less, and this willpower of Governor Makinde has rekindled our hope and faith in the actualisation of the Oyo project embarked upon by our governor.

    “We are 100 percent satisfied with his every move and decision, because he treats every member of PDP as members of the family. We, therefore, enjoin all members of the public to disregard in totality the distractive publications, falsehood and unbridled lies being peddled against the service-delivering Governor Makinde.”

  • Results of Kogi PDP primary totally unacceptable – Dino Melaye

    Senator Dino Melaye has registered his displeasure with results of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Kogi.

    He described the results of the contest in which he participated as “totally unacceptable.”

    The Kogi West Senator took to his Twitter page to express dissatisfaction with the conduct and the outcome of the exercise.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Musa Wada emerges PDP gov candidate in Kogi

    He said: “It is ridiculous to declare a final result of PDP Governorship primary election in Kogi State when my votes sorted out yesterday in 8 out of 10 ballot boxes are missing.

    “Only to declare votes in 2 out of 10 ballot boxes as my votes. Totally unacceptable.”

    Senator Dino Melaye lost the Governorship election ticket to Engr. Musa Wada, who emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer for the November 16 governorship election.

    Musa Wada, a younger brother of the immediate past Governor Idris Wada, who also contested for the ticket, scored 748 votes to clinch the party ticket.

    Senator Dino Melaye polled 70 votes to emerge fourth.

  • 1,309 delegates to elect PDP guber candidate in Bayelsa

    Delegates numbering 1,309 have been accredited to elect the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

    A breakdown of the delegates according to their local government areas showed that 200 were from Southern Ijaw; 180, Yenagoa; 177, Sagbama and 166 Ogbia.

    Others were Nembe 160; Ekeremor, 153; Kolokuma-Opokuma, 142 and Brass 130.

    Arrangements for actual voting commenced at about 11pm following the arrival of the Returning Officer and Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, his committee members and observers from the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Read Also: Bayelsa on lock down over PDP primaries

    Ishaku invited the agents of the parties to come forward to be guided through the process and read the Riot Act to the delegates and aspirants.

    A former Chairman of Southern Ijaw, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, who was an agent of one of the aspirants and former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) observed that the state party officials should stop identifying with the committee since they were delegates and interested parties.

    Ishaku ordered the Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses and the party secretary, Keku Godspower to at the rows allocated to their local government areas.

  • BREAKING: Five Kogi PDP aspirants step down for Wada

    Hours to the Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary, no fewer than five aspirants from Kogi East, have stepped down for the immediate past Governor Cap. Idris Wada.

    Wada, who is seeking a second and final term as governor, is one of the 11 PDP governorship aspirants from Kogi East, from a total 13.

    Read Also: Bello ‘ll use N30bn bailout fund for vote buying -Kogi PDP aspirants

    Addressing newsmen in the capital, Lokoja on Tuesday, the Vice Chairman, Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) and former minister of State for Health, Arch. Gabriel Aduku, explained that the decision to prevail on the other aspirants to collapse their structure into Wada’s was in the overall interest of the party and the state.

    While he said that nine aspirants agreed to step down for Wada, he listed five, including the only woman aspirant, Mrs. Grace Iye Adejoh.

    Others said to have agreed to step down for Wada include AVM Saliu Atawodi (retd.), Dr Victor Adoji, Mohammed Tetes and Emmanuel Omebije.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Clarion call for people-oriented roads

    Research reports have revealed that a high percentage of road traffic deaths are pedestrians. Surprisingly, a large number of the pedestrians were knocked down near pedestrian overhead bridges.

    Looking at the general pattern of road construction, it can be confidently said that the roads and furniture are not pedestrian – friendly. It is obvious that most of the roads constructed were patterned after those in the developed countries without taking into consideration the attitudes of Nigerians.

    So many roads were constructed without Pedestrian walkways. Where walkways were constructed, measures were not put in place to prevent the infiltration of the walkways by vehicles, traders and other obstructions. Traffic officers are daily working to keep motorists safe without any provision of traffic officers dedicated to keep the walkways and pedestrians safe.

    Virtually all the pedestrian overhead bridges are very risky to use from 7pm because of pick pockets, armed robbers, rapists and kidnappers. So many pedestrians, particularly women have fallen victims thereby forcing them to abandon the footbridges from late evening, risking their lives to cross the roads. In this case, the lack of provision of security for the foot bridges is not making it to fulfil the designed purpose.

    In Lagos, Abuja and some other places, the governments have spent billions of naira to construct barricades near pedestrian overhead bridges as a measure to compel pedestrians to use the foot bridges. Research has revealed that this measure has failed and will continue to fail thereby resulting to massive wastage of money. The new costly barricades recently installed by the Lagos State government have been destroyed by desperate pedestrians and stray vehicles. I can’t remember the number of times this has been done by previous governments without achieving the desired results. There is a need to change the approach and get it right once and for all.

    Pedestrian overhead bridges were mostly constructed without taking into consideration the aged, sick, weak and the physically challenged people. With these and the fact that the number of pedestrians that do cross the roads daily are more than the number of vehicles that pass the roads, I hereby submit that the governments ( Federal and State) should experiment a pedestrian – oriented interface with vehicles.

    Black spots where more pedestrians are being knocked down should be identified and marked for restructuring. At those busy black spots, overhead bridges should be constructed for vehicles while pedestrian walkways should be marked under the overhead bridges. This suggestion will make it easy for all classes of pedestrians, the healthy and the weak,  to cross the roads with ease.

    The suggested restructuring may be costly but in the long run, it will be cheaper and more effectively promote safety at the target locations. There is a need for the Federal and State governments to embark on road audit with special focus on pedestrian safety. Very busy bus stops, school environments and market areas should be given priority in the suggested overhead bridges restructuring where they already exist and construction where necessary none yet. In every country, every life must count.

  • FIRS: PDP accuses APC, Presidency of complicity

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the revelations of variances in tax revenue collections by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) was a confirmation that the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency had been neck-deep in corruption and looting of national patrimony.

    In a statement Monday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the discovery of variances in tax remittances has vindicated its concerns about underhand dealings and frittering of monies collected as taxes in the last four years.

    The party said Nigerians were not deceived by the “desperation” by agents of the Presidency to cover their complicity by seeking a fall guy in the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler.

    The PDP further stated that a critical study of the leaked correspondence from the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, to the FIRS Chairman at the wake of the revelations of financial discrepancies at FIRS, totally betrayed the complicity of the “cabal” in the Presidency.

    The statement said, “The correspondence also further confirms that our nation and her economy have been in the strangulating grips of a corrupt cabal, who has evidently hijacked the statutory roles and responsibilities of agencies of government, leading to the crippling of our system in the last four years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s misrule.

    Read Also; Nigeria may face fiscal crisis, says Presidency

    “It’s appalling that the Buhari Presidency has allowed its cabal a field day to loot our common patrimony, leading to the crushing economic hardship in the land, which is now worsening, with the anti-people ban on FOREX for food by the Buhari administration.

    “The stealing of our taxes by APC agents has brought so much anguish to Nigerians, who suffer the brunt of collapsed infrastructure, decay of social amenities and a crippled national economy under President Buhari”.

    The main opposition party urged the National Assembly to investigate the handling of taxes collected by the FIRS in the last four years, with a view to taking urgent steps to recover the “stolen funds” and channel such to projects that have direct bearings on the welfare of Nigerians”, the statement added.

  • Ekweremadu: Apologise for supporting IPOB, APC tells PDP

    The Governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to offer public apology to Nigerians for supporting the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the past and playing politics with them.

    Reacting to weekend’s attack on former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany by members of the group, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu described the reaction of the PDP to the attack as hypocritical.

    Issa-Onilu said the group his under regional identity to perpetuate criminality in the region while receiving the backings of the PDP and its leaders, stressing that the attack on Ekweremadu was an affront on political dignity.

    The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) strongly condemns the attack on Senator Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past Deputy Senate President and serving Senator by members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday in Nuremberg, Germany.

    Read Also: Attack on Ekweremadu taboo- Ohanaeze UK

    “Those involved in the despicable actions and the organisation they represent are unworthy in character. No Nigerian should be assaulted in the manner Senator Ekweremadu was. It is an indecent action and it is below the acceptable standard of behaviour expected of our citizens whether in Nigeria or abroad.

    “It is however regrettable that some of the people and organizations who had offered these irresponsible elements open support in the past are raising their voices now. It would be recalled that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leaders chose to play politics over a matter that called for collective patriotic actions when IPOB raised a terror group in the South East.

    “It is clear that PDP and its other short-sighted co-travelers who were the main cheerleaders of IPOB owe this country an apology. IPOB hid under regional identity to perpetrate criminality having recruited some misguided elements and miscreants.

    “Are we surprised by the PDP’s hypocritical reaction to the unfortunate attack on Senator Ekweremadu? No! The PDP and their leaders have acted true to type. This is what happens when politicians become myopic and allow narrow sentiments becloud their sense of judgement.

    “We all have a responsibility to collectively rise against evil wherever we find it and in whatever guise it appears. We hope lessons have been learnt from this unfortunate incident.”

  • PDP, APC bicker over Masari’s achievements in Katsina

    The two leading political parties in Katsina State – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and  the All Progressives Congress (APC) – on Sunday traded words over the pace of Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s administration since it came on board on May 29.

    The PDP Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Yusuf Majigiri during an interview with The Nation, berated Masari for celebrating over the inauguration of two link roads with a total mileage of 32-kilometre by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said former Governor Shema inaugurated more than 200-kilometre roads without fanfare

    Majigiri also criticised the governor for lack of pace, adding that he was not ready for governance considering the fact that he was yet to appoint his commissioners and Chief of staff.

    He said: “I thought by having the privilege of hosting the President, who coincidentally comes from the state, he will leverage on that to embark on multi-sectoral projects in Education, Health, Power, Youth empowerment, Agriculture and so on, to build multi billion naira projects that touch on a cross-section of our people”

    Read Also: Buhari hails Masari for progress in Katsina

    “You cannot compare Masari’s tenure with Shema’s. The former even commissioned the 100-km Marshi-Mai Adua road without fanfare or ceremony, but here we are commissioning just 32-km with a presidential attendance”

    “We are waiting for him to form his cabinet so that we can see if there is any hope or anything new to achieve. Nothing has changed, no new exco has been formed since March 9 and now, and instead of progressing, we are retrogressing. I don’t think they are ready for governance.”

    But, the APC-controlled state government, however, fired back, dismissing the concerns of the opposition party.

    It insisted that the projects inaugurated by the President remains  only a tip of the iceberg compared to the ones he will commission later when he comes for a state visit.

    Director General, Media Labaran Malumfashi told The Nation that the governor “ambushed” the President during his Salah holiday in Daura to inaugurated the road projects

    He said: “Masari seized the Salah break to ambush the President; there are several other state projects to be commissioned when he comes on an official visit. When the time comes, the whole world will see what Masari has done for the people of Katsina State.”

    On the argument that the governor is not ready for business since he is yet to constitute his exco, Labaran insisted that the government is on course, notwithstanding not appointing commissioners yet

  • ‘PDP should field popular candidate to retain Bayelsa’

    Former Bayelsa State House of Assembly Speaker Dr Kombowei Benson is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He spoke with Correspondent MIKE ODIEGWU in Yenogoa, the state capital, on the issues that will shape the primary and the November 16 poll.

    PDP has 22 governorship aspirants. why do you think the party’s ticket should be given to you?

    The party flag should be given to me because my party knows I have come of age in politics and politicking in this state. I have served the people of Bayelsa state in various capacities, not just as an elected officer; I have also worked with almost all the governors and have known the various ends that have led us to victory all the time. So, in government and out of government, I have done quite a lot in Bayelsa State and I know very well that it is no longer a new thing to me to satisfy the needs and aspirations of my people. As one that has been within the area of the state, I know the environment more than any other person. I know the challenges as they are. I want to sincerely appreciate the governor, who has done so much in providing the infrastructure, particularly in the educational sector and also the critical ends of providing the needed road network to serve the yearnings of our people.

    I believe as one that has been in the frontiers in this government, I am in a better position to continue from where he will stop. I also know again that the people of Bayelsa State are looking out for someone they can trust with the resources of this state and also one that will be dependable. They will always have the confidence that, with Kombowei Benson in the saddle, we will deliver the dividends of democracy. In driving the course of this government, both at the legislature and the collaborative end of the executive, we have been able to attract several projects to our constutencies.

    The governor has said that his support is for any of the aspirants from his Restoration Caucus of the PDP. Are you a member of that caucus?

    Everybody knows that I have been a very dear brother and friend, compatriot to the governor, and one that he has given so much encomiums, both in the public and private. so, I have no doubt in my mind that the governor has me in his heart. So, one need not to question how much of caucus membership I am. I’m not only a caucus member. He is a brother, a friend and so I know very well that, if anybody should be most preferred, I should be the one. I don’t want to overprice myself. The governor and the Almighty God know who has served him with the whole of their hearts. I fall into that category and I’m confident about that.

    What kind of candidate do you think the PDP needs right now to win the election?

    The kind of candidate that PDP needs is the kind of candidate that is sellable to the people; a candidate that the people already has his dossier; a candidate that the people will continue to rely upon; a candidate that is not deceitful in his words and dealings and if PDP has a candidate that is transparent in his activities, the people of Bayelsa State will stand by him. The people of Bayelsa stand for truth and because the real meaning of Ijaw is truth, once an ijaw man sees you to be a truthful person you stand out among the others and that is the kind person an ijaw man is looking for. But, if they see you to be double-tongued and marring too many things at the same time, mixing too many stories and trying to embellish what you are not, the people of Bayelsa State will not go with you. That is the type of person that the PDP will not want to associate with. But, the PDP already knows that both small and big, men and women are looking for the original change not just change.

    We have such real change in the educational sector. You can see the Ijaw National Academy (INA). You know the type of investments going on in the health sector; things we have not seen before. those are original changes. they are looking for somebody who has originality in anything that he wishes to do, not just an imitative kind of representation. You don’t come and tell the people skyscrapers stories. A professor once advised me when I was in the local government, he said I shouldn’t promise the people big things. But, that I should go for those ones that I could do. Our people are not looking at those big stories, they’re looking at the people that will provide the things that they need; the water that we will continue to demand; the road that we will continue to look out for; the health that we continue to improve upon; the light that we do not have and the security that we need.

    So, I would not want to promise people what I cannot do. I listened to Falana recently and he said in Ghana the President is struggling to provide industries in all the wards, but that Nigerians are not demanding industries per ward. why not provide one industry or one factory per local government?

    One of the major concerns of the government is continuty. Can the governor and delegates with like minds place their trust in you on continuity ?

    This is one of the best question that makes me fit into the coming government. I’m part and parcel of the government, one that has been in the arm of government in charge of appropriation for the execution of these projects and I wouldn’t want a situation where the policies and programmes, which we also, as a body, as an arm of government cherished and were part of the planning and execution, just to lie fallow without been completed.  If there are areas that need to be improved upon, we will do that and go ahead to complete those projects for the use of Bayelsans. Those programmes the governor may not be able to finish are for the use of Bayelsans, not for Dickson’s personal use alone. They are not Dickson projects; they are projects in Bayelsa to be used by the people in Bayelsa state and so, I don’t see any reason why any governor, even if it’s not myself, should abandon such projects.

    Some people made some effort to stop the just-concluded local government election. did you support such move?

    Well, in politics, everything is possible. Maybe, somebody thought that stopping the process was the best for him. But, having fought and lost, it would have given him some sense of  understanding and wisdom so that next time he may not try it again. I think it is a welcome development that the party and the governor mustered courage to overcome the challenge.

    You were the Speaker for about eight years and before then, you also occupied some public offices. How have your ventures benefited the people of the state? 

    A single person would not have built a society and all of us are part of a system and so, when the system has delivered, you have also delivered. if the system fails you, have nothing to complain and that is why if Dickson fails in administering or delivering the dividends of democracy, I have also failed. So, whichever success is recorded for the administration of Dickson applies to me equally. I wouldn’t want to take some special credit  because the resources that were provided for any kind of projects executed in my region was a collective effort.

    I will say that I did my best in attracting because as a representative government, you have to be proactive to draw the attention of government to remember your people. That I did in my constutency very well. A number of projects, even as we speak, few of them have been completed  and some are nearing completion. I believe that we have attracted so much to our people and that’s why everyday I have the confidence that if I get back to my people to ask for their votes,  they will give me their votes. During the last election, the present senator went with me to my constutency because he was a senatorial candidate and I was a candidate for the House of Representatives and he marveled at what he saw.

    But people are wondering why you lost your the House of Representatives election…

    I didn’t lose. What happened is known to everybody. It was a security breach and it was not during the election or at the time of voting.  that anything happened or that my people rejected me. Voting had ended and it was the prerogative of INEC to secure materials back to the collation Centre. It was not even my responsibility. I was not supposed to be anything near any community, not even another unit and if the INEC officials were coming back with results and they were intercepted by the military and materials taken to my opponent’s community and results changed from their original state to another state I think it was not my doing. The people voted and  after winning 13 wards out of the 17, what could three wards have done, if not that they cornered them to go and change result and write the total figures that were changed and therefore over voted and we still challenge them in court. there are struggling to defend and they can’t defend it. they lost and they where struggling to recover and they went to intercept the results on the way, using the military so that was what happened.

    Do you think any aspirant can win the ticket of the party without the support of the governor?

    Well, you know some look at it differently. In politics, you need the support of everybody. Even the people who are not in the restoration government needs the support of the governor. There is nobody that is not seeking the support of the governor. Everybody wants the love of the national chairman, national officers, state officers, former President, the governor down to the common man in the wards. Every official is important as the governor is important. the ward executives are important and we need their support. We need everybody’s support to win this election.

    The governor recently spoke about some qualities that anybody who wants to succeed him has to possess. do you think you possess those qualities?

    What you think you have, others may look at you and say you don’t have it and a man cannot be a judge in his own case. It is others that judge you. I have played out my cards. the people of Bayelsa state know who Kombowei Benson is and so I believe that what I possess is known to them. I have brought my credentials open to the people to judge me and give me the ticket. I believe I have the credentials and that’s why I have presented them.

    So, you don’t want a peaceful, credible and fair primary?

    They have been conducting peaceful, credible and fair election. I don’t need to describe it for them. It is enshrined in our constitution and it is their responsibility to provide that avenue and I don’t need to tell them to provide an atmosphere for me. They know it and I can’t teach them what they know and what they are supposed do. I don’t have those fears. I don’t have those fears that the party will not give us an enabling environment.

    Do you foresee any crisis that could lead to the implosion of PDP after the primary?

    The kind of aspirants we have, I don’t foresee any problem. We don’t have the type of characters that will constitute problem. We will be able to go through and work within the ambits of the law. I know myself and I will not cause a nuisance and I expect that every other person will behave that way so I’m not seeing any implosion.

    Do you think that the party should respect zoning?

    To some extent yes and to another dimension no. Why I say so is because at the time we were supposed to have discussed zoning properly for the party to understand that there’s a zoning system, we didn’t. Our zoning has been very informal  and we do according to the dictate of the time or the wisdom of the carry-along syndrome. When we have a governor from one senatorial district, presumably, we think that it should go to another senatorial district. Although it’s unwritten, we try to manage that within ourselves and if we want to fomerlise it, we should sit down to do that.

    I think so many persons have bought forms and how do you go about discussing such issues with them. If you make it too loud and too elaborate, you will injure the feelings of other persons. There’s an internal mechanism which the party has always been using to arrive at a candidate and I think those methods are still available.