The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Movement

  • Siasia congratulates Buhari, demands action on youth development

    A former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Movement, PDM in Bayelsa and Chairman of Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, NYPF, Moses Siloko Siasia has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

    He urged an increase in the level of investment toward youths of the Niger Delta Region and the rest of Nigeria saying that only through such interventions and investment can the region and the nation be fully restored on the part of sustainably development.

    He made the remarks when youths from the Niger Delta under the aegis of Niger Delta Young Professionals paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office on Wednesday.

    In his response, Siasia advised the youths to remain steadfast in the belief that the country will not let them down saying that he will use his capacity as a leader in the region and across the nation to call on governments to pay attention to the plights of youths.

    Siasia said the appointment of Prof. Nelson Brambaifa as the new NDDC boss is a clear demonstration that the federal government has good intentions, he described Professor Brambaifa as accomplished and a seasoned academia who has achieved a lot prior to this new appointment.

    Siasia described Prof Brambaifa as a well-respected administrator who truly loves his people.

    He called on all stakeholders and the youths to support the new acting Managing Director of the NDDC.

    “I have confidence that he will deliver the good mandate of the NDDC to the people of the Niger Delta. I specifically thank President Buhari for this very appointment because it is a big achievement and development in the region which has reflected in the level of support the president received from the region during this election,” he said.

    On the outcome of the presidential election, the 2015 governorship candidate congratulated President Buhari. He called on all stakeholders and politicians to rally behind the president saying “since the election has been concluded and a winner declared, we must now focus on building our country. All patriotic Nigerians must not allow any division to arise as a result of this election”.

    He urged the opposition parties to congratulate the newly elected president while urging Buhari to put the interest of Nigerian youths in the front burner, saying that only through such will the new mandate given him be truly justified.

    Siasia further decried the rising spate of criminality, cult wars and gang violence among youths which he attributed to the current rate of unemployment.

  • Shehu Yar ‘Adua’s PDM backs Buhari for second term

    The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), the political group founded by the late Major General Shehu Yar’Adua, is rooting for President Muhammadu Buhari to do a second term in office.

    The leadership of the group led by its National Chairman, Senator Abubakar Maadi, yesterday met with President Buhari in Abuja and endorsed him for next month’s election.

    Governor  Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State  facilitated the meeting.

    Maadi said  the decision was taken by the leaders of the group  across the country at a meeting held on January 4.

    He said the move was based on Buhari’s giant strides in the development of the country, especially in the fight against corruption, successes against Boko Haram and improved power supply, among other achievements.

    At the meeting, the former National Chairman of PDM, Faruk Abdullaziz, presented to Buhari, the signatures of all the 36 states’ executives of the party endorsing the President for a second term.

    The President commended members of the group for remaining committed to the organization over the years.

     

    According to him, the bottomline of everything is patriotism.

    Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Abubakar described the PDM as a group of “very rare breed of Nigerians. Nigerians that are basing their activities on principles.”

    He added: “This is the People’s Democratic Movement, set up by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’adua. From the time of his demise till date, they have remained together, they have remained attached to the principles of their founding fathers and even though quite a number of them have gone to other political platforms, they have never as a group succeeded in moving as a whole into a political party.

    “This is the first time that this is happening. So, for the fact that they are a rare breed of Nigerians and also the fact that for the first time they resolved on their own to join the movement of Mr. President, I think it is a very fantastic opportunity.”

    Asked whether the PDM endorsed the President for the election, he said: “They are endorsing him for the election, they are working for him to succeed in the election and this organization permeates from the national level down to the polling units level.”

    On how the President felt,  he said: “He felt very happy and emotional because the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua was his classmate, friend and  colleague in the military.”

    Elaborating on the group’s action, Mahadi said “What informed it is his (Buhari’s)  integrity and his sincerity towards public service.

    “This group was formed in  1987 by his late friend and brother, Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

    “We have traversed the Nigerian political space for too long, we have never seen a president or a leader that is so focused and honest about developing the country and at same time making sure that development is key towards what should take us to the next level in this country”.

    Asked whether the PDM is fictionalized, he said: “This is a movement; it is not a political party; there is a difference between a political party and a movement. A movement is based on the principles of our founding father. It is our commitment to support the good work that this president is doing.”

    On why the group did not decide to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is a member of the PDM, he said: “We don’t discuss individuals.”

    Government officials in attendance included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

    Also in attendance were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, Interior Minister  Abdulrahman  Danbazzau and Education Minister Adamu Adamu.

    The PDM was founded by the late Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua in 1987 to actualize his presidential ambition.

    He died on December  8,1997 in the Abakaliki prison while serving a jail term during the Abacha regime.

  • PDM backs Buhari for second term

    The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday backed President Muhammadu Buhari for second term in office.

    The leadership of the group led by its National Chairman, Senator Abubakar Maadi, met with President Buhari on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar facilitated the meeting, which started around 11.02am when the President arrived the Council Chamber.

    Maadi, disclosed that the leadership of the party across the country endorsed President Buhari for second term on the 4th of January, 2019.

    Recalling that the party was formed by late Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua in 1987, he said that the PDM decided to endorse the President because of his giant strides in the development of the country, especially in the fight against corruption, successes against Boko Haram and improved power supply, among other achievements.

    At the meeting, the former National Chairman of PDM, Faruk Abdullaziz presented to Buhari, the signature of all the 36 states executives of the party endorsing the President for second term.

    Bauchi Governor, while making brief remarks explained that he was not a member of PDM.

    “I am a friend to the National Chairman of PDM and I facilitated this meeting.” he said

    According to him, the PDM has sat and resolved to support President Buhari for second term.

    Read Also: Buhari to Niger Delta: expect more development

    He said that the delegation comprises of national, state, zonal, coordinators of the PDM.

    The President commended the members of the group for remaining committed to the organization over the years.

    According to him, the bottom line of everything is patriotism.

    Government officials in attendance included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

    Others include National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

  • Three arrested over attack on APC chieftain in Edo

    Three arrested over attack on APC chieftain in Edo

    Three suspected thugs have been arrested over Monday’s attack on a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress and a former governorship aspirant in Edo State, Chief Blessing Agbomhere.

    Agbomhere was beaten and bloodied in the mouth by over 30 thugs at the Benin Airport shortly after he arrived from Abuja.

    Also attacked was a former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Movement in Bayelsa State, Moses Siasia, who accompanied Agbomhere to Benin City.

    Agbomhere said the thugs kept saying he was disrespecting their boss, a chieftain of the APC.

    He said it was security details attached to the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Zanna Ibrahim, that rescued him from the thugs.

    The thugs were suspected to be loyalists of Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon Philip Shaibu, who came on the same flight with the duo.

    Speaking to newsmen at the Police Command headquarters in Benin City, Agbomhere alleged that he met the deputy governor at the Abuja Airport but avoided him.

    He said, “I have been known to be courageous and fearless. When we came into Benin, I was immediately attacked by some criminals who were shouting kill him before the police came to rescue us. And they used all sort of weapons on me.

    “I came to Benin because I am on an assignment on the development of the Niger-Delta and I am seeing this. I will not be deterred. I will continue in my effort to promote my state Edo and to ensure that I still hold public officers accountable to be people.

    “If not for the timely intervention of my friend, I don’t know what some of them were planning to do. I came in with my friend who was a governorship candidate in Bayelsa state, we were together and immediately we stepped in we were attacked”.

    Agbomhere further stated that the police have arrested some persons who have confessed that they were sent to assassinate him.

    On his part, Moses Siasia described the attack as unfortunate for democracy and the leadership of Edo state.

    According to him, “I don’t know what political differences he has with Blessing who was former aspirant, look at me from Bayelsa state, beaten this way. These are one of the things that cause tribal clashes.

    “We have made our reports to the police, they have given us medical clearance and we are going to check ourselves. It is unfortunate for democracy and for leadership in Edo state”.

    Edo police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, said the police was still investigating the incident.

    Reacting to the alleged assault, the Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Mr Musa Ebhomiana, described Agbomhere’s claim as cheap blackmail stating that Hon Shaibu will not stoop so low attack a brother and a member of the same party with him who hailed from the same senatorial district.

    He stated that even though the Deputy Governor incidentally boarded the same plane with Agbomhere, it could not have been possible for the two of them to depart the airport at the same time.

    Musa explained that his boss could not have make calls from Abuja or inside the plane to the alleged thugs to attach him.

    “He, (Agbomhere) should look elsewhere for those who attack him at the Benin airport,” he said.

     

  • Leave Atiku out of your woes, PDM Chief warns ex-Chair

    Leave Atiku out of your woes, PDM Chief warns ex-Chair

    Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Movement, (DPM) in Ebonyi State, Chief Ajah Agha Arua Saturday called on the former national Chairman of the Party, Bashir Yussuf to stop what he described as a vociferous campaign of calumny against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the party chieftain further stressed that the former Vice President had no hand in the predicament of the former national President of the party.

    Bashir was last month sacked by the Executive Committee of PDM for incompetence and corruption.

    According to the party Chieftain, the attacks on former vice President Atiku Abubakar were unwarranted as it is a calculated attempt to dent the image and personality of the former Vice President of Nigeria.

    Arua urged former President Atiku to remain undaunted in his commitment towards the development of the country.

    “Atiku’s wealth of experience as an accomplished public officer, renowned politician, distinguished statesmen and formidable leader in Nigeria public domain would continue to be a source of strength to him and his numerous admirers all over Nigeria and beyond”.