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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Bayelsa PDP, APC biker over Clark-led Elders group’s comments

    The Bayelsa State Chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) have bickered on recent comments of Chief Edwin Clark’s group on the outcome of the 2019 General Elections.

    The Bayelsa APC had on Thursday criticised the Clark-led Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum for allegedly being partisan in comments on the elections.

    But in a reaction on Saturday, the state’s PDP said the APC criticism of the group was disrespectful.

    The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum had issued a statement titled, “On Danger Signals from Rivers and Other States.” which alleged that APC leaders in Bayelsa and Rivers, led by Ex-Govs Timipre Sylva and Rotimi Ameachi, were behind electoral violence in the states.

    The statement was signed by Chief Edwin Clark, leader of Pan Niger Delta Elders’ Forum (PANDEF) Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere, Chief John Nwodo, the President General of Ohaneze, the Igbo people umbrella body, and Dr Pogu Bitrus, the President of the Middle Belt Forum.

    The groups said: “There has been a spillover of the Rivers situation to Bayelsa State where Mr Timpire Sylva of the ruling APC has also been alleged to be terrorising residents with impunity.

    “We call on the President to call Messrs Rotimi Amaechi and Sylva to order; and restore normalcy so that the electoral process in Rivers State, in particular, can be concluded.

    “Indeed, if we are a Republic governed by law, Amaechi and Sylva should have been arrested by now for the wanton violence they have instigated.’’

    However, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, Publicity Secretary of Bayelsa APC, observed that the party had seemingly expressed concern over the statement, saying that it was laced with malice and prejudice.

    According to Buokoribo, the APC finds the statement offensive, unwarranted, disgraceful and partisan.

    “Like most Nigerians, we know it as a matter of fact that these are partisan elders on the side of the opposition PDP.

    “During the Presidential Elections, this group openly supported and campaigned for the defeated PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    “These elders do not represent the interests of the ethnic nations they purport to speak for. They are only representing their pockets. And they have since made it clear who is lining their pockets.

    “In the specific case of Bayelsa State, if anyone needs to be called to question concerning the elections, that person is Gov. Henry Seriake Dickson.

    “The governor and his party, the PDP, were the ones that unleashed war and terror on our suffering people. And they were the ones spreading fake news to incite violence and try to cover up their evil activities.

    “They were so wild and uncontrolled that even the military had to issue a statement a few days ago to call Dickson and the PDP to order.

    “That statement was widely publicised by the local, national, and international news channels. It is surprising that the forum did not read such a crucial statement before making conclusions.

    “They just decided to pick and choose those to slander. But the thinking public knows Sylva is an innocent man. He is a man of peace,” Buokoribo claimed.

    The APC wondered why the elders failed to reach out to Sylva and hear from him on the allegations before releasing their statement.

    Read Also: Dokubo-must-go protest rocks Bayelsa

    Buokoribo noted that the principle of fair hearing was because the APC leader had only “been alleged” to do the things they referred to in the statement.

    On the other hand, the Bayelsa PDP described the response by APC as a “despicable display of disrespect’’ for the person of the Ijaw National Leader, Pa Edwin Clark, as well as other elder statesmen and leaders in the South-South and Middle Belt.

    The State’s Secretary of the PDP, Chief Godspower Keku, berated Buokoribo for casting aspersions on the integrity of the leaders saying the APC was attacking the group for speaking the truth about happenings in Rivers and Bayelsa.

    Keku said that it was as immoral for a son of the South-South to make such disparaging remarks about the elder; and leader of his people for saying the truth about issues of grave concern to them.

    The PDP said the people of Bayelsa had openly rejected the APC in the state when the PDP clinched 17 out of the 21 declared results of the 24-Member House of Assembly seats and APC got only four.

    Keku called on the state’s APC leader, Sylva, and his supporters to immediately tender an unresolved apology to the Ijaw Nation, the Niger Delta, the South-South and the Middle Belt.

    NAN

  • INEC resumes collation of Bauchi guber election results

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has decided to resume from Tuesday, the collation of the governorship election result in Bauchi State and may declare the winner of the poll, hitherto ruled as inconclusive.

    The commission announced the decision in a press statement on Friday night after resolving some issues around the result of Tafawa Balewa local government and some polling units in Ningi local government.

    INEC did not state whether by the decision, the scheduled supplementary election on 23 March has been cancelled.

    According to INEC, the number of cancelled votes in four polling units in Ningi Local Government was 2,533 and not 25,330 as recorded.

    On Tafawa Balewa Local Government election result, where collation was disrupted by armed gangs, affecting 7 out of 11 registration areas for governorship and 6 out of 11 for state assembly elections, INEC said a committee set up, has found that the results in polling units and registration areas are “available and in safe custody”.

    INEC thus decided to resume the resumption and conclusion of the collation of results of the council area for both the governorship and state assembly elections

    A new collation and returning officer for Tafawa Balewa has been appointed “to continue and conclude the collation process in place of the original collation officer, who withdrew from the exercise citing threats to her life and those of her family members”. The threatened collation officer was Dominion Anosike.

    The governorship election in Bauchi state is a straight fight between incumbent Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress and former minister, Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Bala was said to have won the Tafawa Balewa Local government election, putting him in an overall lead of his APC counterpart, but the INEC returning officer, Professor Mohammed Kyari, declared the election inconclusive.

    In declaring the election inconclusive, Kyari, gave the scores of incumbent governor as 465,453 votes and Bala Mohammed of PDP as 469,512 votes.

    “The margin between the winner and opponent is less than the total number of votes cancelled in some polling units.By law, since the margin of winner is less than the total number of votes cancelled and registered voters in the areas where the votes have been cancelled, this elections is hereby declared inconclusive,” he said.

    He said his decision was in line with section 26 part 53 of the Electoral Act.

    NAN

  • INEC weighs four options on Rivers polls today

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the African Action Congress (AAC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other parties will today know their fate on the stalemated governorship poll in Rivers State.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC)  has summoned a meeting of its management to receive and consider the report of a fact-finding team it sent to the Southsouth state.

    The electoral body may receive also the report on its investigation into the disruption of the poll in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

    But top on the list of issues before INEC, as at last night, is the suspended election in Rivers State.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The panel on Rivers State will on Friday submit its report to INEC management. Thereafter, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and his team will consider the findings and make a pronouncement.

    “We are aware of the interest which the suspension of the elections in Rivers State has generated and we want to resolve it as soon as possible.”

    There are four options before INEC, The Nation has learnt. They are:

    • whether or not to cancel the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State;
    • Restricted conduct of elections only in units, wards or areas affected by violence.
    • Announcement of collated or retrieved  results if the security situation does not permit a fresh poll;
    • declaring the results as it were and leaving the aggrieved to go to the tribunal.

    According to the source, any delay in taking a decision may lead to a constitutional crisis in the state.

    “INEC will be fair, just, equitable and it will be guided by the Electoral Act, 2010( as amended) in its decision on Rivers State.

    “The panel has concluded its assignment. Were it not for the issuance of Certificates of Return to senators and Representatives-elect, we would have considered the report on Rivers on Thursday (yesterday).”

    A statement last Sunday by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, said: “The commission has decided to suspend all electoral processes in Rivers State until further notice.

    “This is in line with Section 26  of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and Clause 47(e) of the regulations and guidelines of the commission.”

    As at press time, it was gathered that the team which investigated the disruption of the collation and cancellation of results in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State had concluded its assignment.

    “We will look at the findings of this committee to guide the conduct of supplementary elections in the state on March 23,” the source said.

    The two leading parties  – APC and PDP – have started preparations for the make-up poll ordered in six states on March 23.

    The national leadership of the PDP said yesterday that the party was set for the supplementary poll in states where the elections  were declared inconclusive.

    The states are: Kano, Bauchi, Benue, Sokoto, Adamawa and Plateau.

    Rising from an emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, the party should demanded that INEC release the results of the elections in those states and make returns as appropriate.

    In a statement after the emergency meeting, PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan insisted that the party was in clear lead in the states where the poll was declared inconclusive.

    He accused INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu of bias, citing “the results of the governorship election in Ogun State where the APC candidate was declared winner even when the margin of lead between him and the runner up was lower than the number of cancelled votes”.

    The main opposition party regretted that INEC denied victory for PDP governorship candidates who found themselves in similar circumstances in the affected states.

    The statement reads: “The PDP found it strange that INEC can have two sets of rules in the same election for the various political parties.

    “More worrisome is the resolution which arose from a meeting between some governors of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari, where the PDP has been informed that a decision was taken to seize Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto and Kano states in the March 23 scheduled supplementary election.”

    The PDP said it had deliberated and interfaced with stakeholders from the various states where governorship supplementary elections have been scheduled to hold.

    It added that following the deliberations, the party had mandated all its members to resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the will of the people in their states.

    The PDP said it was sure of victory in the affected states.

    KANO

    In Kano, a non-governmental organisation under the auspices of Kano State Civil Society Situation Room has filed a petition against the government over alleged attempt to buy votes ahead of the March 23 poll.

    The co-convener of the petition comrade Abdulrazaq Alkali told reporters shortly after submitting the petition to the zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kano, that his group was aware of the anti-graft agency’s efforts at curbing vote buying.

    Alkali explained that the petition was filed to draw EFCC’s attention to alleged withdrawal from the state’s treasury.

    He urged the commission to investigate his group’s allegation.

    The Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, described the petition as baseless.

    Garo explained that the money withdrawn by the government was released to 13 councils out of which five were not among the local governments where the extra polls will take place.

    “The funds released on the 12th of March were meant for executing government developmental projects,” the commissioner explained.

    BENUE

    Ahead of the make-up poll, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Council has called for more security personnel to curtail violence.

    The council said: “From reports available, there is a plan to disrupt the re-run, especially in APC strongholds.”

    The council’s spokesman, Chief Terlumun Akputu, told reporters in Makurdi that security should be strengthened to stamp out vote buying and intimidation.

    Akputu advised INEC to insist on the use of the Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) before accepting any result from polling units.

    “There is where in Nigeria that APC recorded zero votes, except In Guma Local Government Area despite having candidates and agents which he said were chased out of the polling units,” the council said.

    BAUCHI

    The Katagum Youth for Change (KYC) yesterday cautioned House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara against creating a crisis in the state.

    It urged the Speaker and the PDP to stop misleading Nigerians on the political situation in the state.

    KYC Chairman Mustapha Aleh spoke in Abuja against the backdrop of the eruption of violence in Bauchi after the governorship poll was declared inconclusive.

    He said: “It is obvious that Bauchi erupted into violence after a briefing by the Speaker and PDP leaders in the state.

    “We wish to warn Dogara and PDP against introducing a dangerous dimension to the politics of the state because of the desperation to make a cheap political point.

    “The impression of lack of perfornance by Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar that Dogara and his gang of PDP desperados try to create is false, unfounded and should be disregarded.”

     

  • Echoes of election drama in Edo

    Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR examines why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the presidential election in Edo State and the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the House of Assembly polls.

    During the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign rally in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki boasted that the state would deliver one million votes to President Mohammadu Buhari. By the time the votes were counted on February 23, the Edo APC was defeated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a margin of 7849 votes. The PDP won in eight local government areas and had a total of 275,691 votes while the APC won in 10 local government area with a total of 267,842 votes.

    The loss of the February 23 presidential and parliamentary elections has dealt a big blow to the Edo APC. It was a defeat leaders of the APC in Edo South Senatorial District never expected, especially in the three metropolitan Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Egor. The margin in these three local government was so wide that victory from other local government areas could not bridge the gap.

    In Oredo for example, the APC scored 21,496 against the 35,841 garnered by the PDP. And Oredo is supposed to be the stronghold of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, National President of Road Transport Employers of Nigeria, Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo, Chief Osaro Idah, Captain Hosa Okunbor, Secretary of Edo APC, Lawrence Okah, Attorney General of the state, Professor Yinka Omoregbe, Chairman of SUBEB, Joan Oviawe, Nigerian Ambassador to Mozambique, Hon Uyi Igbe amongst others.

    The APC lost all the 10 wards in Egor local government and polled 11,903 while the PDP got 23,556 in the presidential election. It was the huge votes from Edo North senatorial district where National Chairman of the APC,  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, hails from that narrowed the margin of defeat. Buhari polled 114,071 votes from Edo North. The APC won in all the six local government areas in Edo North.

    What made Edo South APC leaders sure of victory was that the excuses given for the 2015 defeat were no longer tenable. In the 2015 general elections, the PDP defeated the APC with a margin of defeat of 78,400 by scoring 286,869 votes while the APC had 208,469 votes. The PDP won two senatorial seats and five House of Representatives seats while the APC had one seat in the Senate and four seats in the House of Representatives. The factors adduced for the defeat were that the PDP had huge financial war chest from the then federal government and the support of security personnel to harass and detain APC chieftains.

    However, without the resources available to the Edo PDP in 2015, the party was able to win elections in Ovia North East, Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Egor.

    Earlier in January this year, a chieftain of the PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, had said in an interview there were many members of the APC that refused to defect and are prepared to work for the victory of the PDP.

    But Mr. Charles Idahosa replied that the Edo APC leaders have identified those planning to sabotage the APC chances of winning the election in Edo State.

    He said: “It will interest you to know that we are already aware of the saboteurs within the Edo APC. We are waiting for them but we don’t want to expose them. We are monitoring them. We want to see how they will do it. The APC is bigger than any of us. The APC will outlived us.

    “The truth is that Obaseki is doing well. Before the rally, they held a meeting somewhere in Abuja that Edo State will not get up to 20 percent of the population at Garrick.

    “They met with Oshiomhole and told him all kinds of stories that Obaseki is not doing well. The people complaining are people like me and other party leaders who are not having bounteous time. We know people are susceptible to change and you cannot say Oshiomhole is Obaseki. Obaseki style is different and we are happy. We, the political leaders, are not getting the bounty harvest we used to get but we have to face the reality.

    “The survival of the party is paramount. You saw the crowd at Garrick, it is due to how the general public perceive Obaseki. The people are with him but because we are vocal and are the political leaders. It is not the common man that is complaining.

    “The ordinary man is with Obaseki. The civil servants are happy, he is constructing roads and building infrastructure across the state. He is preparing Edo for the future. It is high time those of us politicians that are shouting key into the Obaseki’s vision. We should stop all the complains.”

    Governor Obaseki might have promised Buhari the one million votes apparently based on the over 500,000 APC members that turned out to participate in the APC presidential primaries and the achievements recorded by his administration. He has created 77,000 jobs. He is called ‘Wake and See’ Governor and ‘Governor of Oredo’ due to numerous roads constructed and others under construction. Salaries are paid as at when due. Reforms in local government administration have led to astronomical rise in the council’s IGR which in turn led to payment of arrears of salaries owned local government staff. He, however, failed to realise that some party chieftains were waiting in the wings to humiliate him.

    Some APC leaders who attributed the electoral loss to internal sabotage by aggrieved APC chieftains said some leaders did not spend the mobilisation fund given to them because they felt it was their own share having been abandoned for over two year.

    The hate speech against President Buhari by some religious leaders made it difficult to convince some voters to vote for the APC. Many Christians were told pointedly to vote against Buhari. An APC chieftain in Egor said many voters were out to vote out President Buhari  and in the process voted against all APC candidates.

    He said, “Our members voted for us but other non-partisan people voted against Buhari and in the process they voted against other APC candidates.”

    A chieftain said the battle for the APC governorship ticket in 2020 was responsible for the role some leaders played in Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba-Okha. It was learnt that those interested in Obaseki’s job asked their boys to work for the PDP so as to discredit Obaseki before the national leadership of the APC.

    Other factors adduced were lack of political patronage, non-appointment of boards of parastatals and alleged imposition of unpopular candidates and party chairmen.

    A former Chairman of Oredo and candidate of the APC for Oredo East, Osaro Obazee, insisted that internal sabotage was not responsible for the defeat of the APC.

    “We did not loose the election. It is voter education we need to embark on. It is politics. A lot of people will say what they want to say. After election, we did appraisal of what happened and we discovered that the people who voted for voted wrongly and that was why the results were voided.

    “If a lot of our results were not voided, we would have been declared. There is nothing like internal sabotage. The major factor is that those who voted did not know how to vote.”

    Speaking on the outcome of the elections, Governor Obaseki, said the APC performed better when compared to results of the 2015 general elections and expressed appreciation to Edo people for the growing acceptance of the party.

    Obaseki, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, assured that the APC  would record better results in the March 9 House of Assembly elections.

    According to him, “With the results out, it is obvious that there is a growing acceptance of the APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. The margins show that we have considerably closed the gap here. The outcome of the polls turned out to be better than the previous one held in the state in 2015.

    “A comparison of the results shows that in 2019, PDP polled 275,691, and the APC got 267,842; while in 2015, the PDP scored 286,869 against APC’s 208,469 in the presidential election.

    “In 2015, the margin of defeat was 78400 votes, but in 2019, it dropped by 90 per cent to 7849 votes. This is a considerable improvement on the party’s performance.

    “We appreciate the people of Edo for coming out en masse to cast their votes and for aligning with the vision of returning President Muhammadu Buhari, and we wish to congratulate them for the party’s strong showing.”

    Hon Ehiozuwa has however kicked against the results released by INEC for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency in which his PDP opponent, Jude Ise-Idehen, was declared winner.

    Candidate of the All Progressives Congress Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, has rejected the results of the February 23 National Assembly elections.

    Speaking to newsmen in Benin City, Agbonnayima said reports from APC agents and independent observers from various Wards in the constituency established flagrant violations of the provision of the Electoral Act.

     

  • PDP suffered greatest loss in fourth republic, says Presidency

    The Presidency on Thursday night said that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered the biggest Presidential election loss in the fourth republic.

    This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu.

    Since the loss, he said that PDP has been doing everything to destroy the country’s democracy.

    According to him, the PDP is deteriorating public discourse.

    Read also: PDP optimistic of success in supplementary polls

    He said “Since they suffered the biggest election loss in all presidential elections in the Fourth Republic, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has been doing everything they can to damage the foundation of the country’s struggling democracy.

    “By rejecting them at the polls, Nigerians are saying that they are sick of their pessimistic and negative politics. PDP believe they must be in power as a birthright.

    “If they are not power, in the states or at the center, they will use all means to spread instability. In President Buhari, they have met their match.” he said

  • PDP optimistic of success in supplementary polls

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it is optimistic of victory in states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is to hold supplementary governorship elections on March 23.

    The party’s National Working Committee (NWC), expressed the optimism in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, after the committee’s emergency meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

    Ologbondiyan expressed the party’s readiness for the supplementary elections.

    He said that the hierarchy of the party was not happy that INEC declared elections inconclusive in states where PDP had popular support and had defeated it’s opponents.

    “In states where PDP was leading, elections were declared inconclusive, whereas in states like Ogun, where the All Progressives Congress (APC), was in the lead, a winner was announced even when the lead margin was below the number of cancelled votes,” he alleged.

    He said that the PDP was ready for the supplementary elections and was sure of resounding success.

    “In Sokoto state, a stronghold of our party and where the PDP is already in a clear lead, our victory at the March 23 supplementary election is guaranteed.

    “In Benue, the people have expressed their readiness to go into the supplementary election and they are prepared to vote for the PDP candidate, Gov.  Samuel Ortom.

    “They are also aware that by PDP’s current leading margin of over 81,000 votes, it is manifestly clear that there is no way any other party will defeat the PDP in Benue.

    “In Adamawa, the PDP observed the mischievous calculation of the opposition in sponsoring someone, who did not participate in the election, to go to court and claim that the logo of his party was omitted in the ballot.

    “This is a desperate bid to get the election already won by the PDP cancelled. The PDP, however, notes the failure of the opposition to achieve its mischief in Adamawa state.

    “In Bauchi State, it is known to all,  that the Tafawa Balewa Local Government has always been a home to the PDP since 1999,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan said that in Kano state, the APC would be confronting the strong will of the people to elect a new governor.

    “Already, the people of Kano State are standing shoulder to shoulder with the PDP in their pursuit of bringing a government that will be representative and purposeful.

    “On no account must Nigerians allow a culture of impunity, where those who failed in any election, will compromise our electoral arbiter and force themselves on the people,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan said that the party had directed all its members to resist any attempt by anybody to tamper with the will of the people in their states, during the supplementary elections.

    He said that the party, after proper review of various states where elections were declared inconclusive, advised INEC to release the results and declare the winners.

    “In Rivers state, the PDP restates its demand that INEC should release the results already collated on the governorship election in which PDP clearly won, and declare Governor Nyesom Wike as winner,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan expressed worry over the involvement of the military in politics, saying that the situation was affecting public confidence on the revered institution. (NAN)

  • Buhari, Atiku sympathise with families, victims 

    President Muhammadu Buhari and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 23 election, Atiku Abubakar, have commiserated with victims and families of those who died in yesterday’s building collapse in Lagos State.

    They registered their sympathies in separate statements.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President expressed extreme sadness over the collapse of the four-storey building housing a private elementary school Massey Street, in the Itafaaji area of Lagos Island.

    He was particularly moved by the fatalities involving pupils in a private nursery and primary school.

    Sympathising with the parents and relations of the deceased, wishing them God’s comfort, the President also wished the injured speedy and complete recovery.

    He also commiserated with the government and people of Lagos State, pledging assistance of the Federal Government as may be required by the state.

    The statement reads: “It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender. May God grant everyone affected by this sad incident fortitude and succour”

    He urged the state government to do all within its power to prevent future reoccurrence.

    Also in a statement by his spokesman Paul Ibe, the former vice president described as heartbreaking for parents to bid their child farewell to school and not able to welcome them back home.

    Ibe said that the PDP candidate was saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the building collapse.

    The statement reads: “As a parent, Atiku Abubakar, feels the pains and loss of having to bid your children farewell in the morning and not being able to welcome them into your warm embrace again.

    ”Atiku Abubakar, on behalf of his family, expresses his deepest condolences to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy. He prays for comfort and strength for the affected families as they mourn the loss of their priceless jewels.

    “Abubakar says that no resources should be spared in rescuing those children who may still be trapped and in treating the injured.

    ”The PDP presidential candidate calls for investigation into what may have led to the collapse of the building and that appropriate sanctions meted out to stem the incessant collapse of buildings in the country.”

    He called on the relevant agencies to undertake stress tests of buildings to ensure that the structures are not compromised.

    “And more importantly, the former vice president notes that preemptive actions need to be taken by regulatory agencies of government in ensuring that buildings that do not meet building standards are not allowed to be built with its attendant risks to lives and property,” Ibe said.

    Lagos State governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu also commiserated with the families of the victims in a statement by his media office. He described the incident as “one tragedy too many”.

    He, however, lauded the Lagos State Government for responding swiftly to the distress by deploying the emergency agency of the state for immediate rescue operation.

    The statement reads: “My deep condolences go to the families of the children who lost their lives in the unfortunate building collapse that happened at Ita Faji in Lagos Island today. This is one tragedy too many, given that most of the victims are school children. I urge people to cooperate with officials working on rescue efforts. My prayers are with the affected families and the school management.

    “While emergency workers are making frantic efforts to clear the rubbles and rescue more victims, I urge residents to join hands with the government in any way possible to reduce fatalities and lessen attendant trauma of the incident. I am in support of the action being taken by the government and I urge every resident to show spirit of compassion inherent in our community.”

  • PDP, Ijaw youths differ on Rivers governorship poll

    The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) yesterday took opposing stand on the governorship election in the oil-rich state.

    For the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should declare Governor Nyesom Wike as the winner of the governorship poll.

    As far as the IYC was concerned, the important thing was the safety of the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate, Biokpomabo Awara, who has claimed victory. The umbrella body of the Ijaw youths condemned alleged threat to Awara’s life.

    The IYC, in a statement by its spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, described the situation as very unfortunate and sad.

    Dasimaka said: “Mr. Awara is an Ijaw son and Ijaw all over the world will not sit back and watch any further threat to one of their own who, like every Rivers’ son and daughter, has the right to aspire to the office of the Governor of Rivers State.

    “The AAC gubernatorial candidate, Biokpomabo Awara raised the alarm through his campaign organisation that (people) that have arrogated to themselves the power of life and death to remain in government are plotting to assassinate him.

    “It is therefore imperative to note that the rights of every eligible citizen under our Constitution to vie for political positions of their choice, like Mr Awara has presented himself, should be respected and not seen as threat to a fair contest.

    “Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the IYC is therefore calling on the security agencies to investigate those behind this cowardly act and bring them to justice as we stand against political killings in Rivers state”.

    But, Rivers PDP chairman Felix Obuah urged the INEC to declare Wike the winner of the March 9 governorship election.

    Obuah spoke at a news conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday.

    Obuah said: “With the available result from the field, I want to assure you that His Excellency (Wike) has won overwhelmingly and INEC should not  waste time in declaring Governor Nyesom Wike the winner and governor-elect of Rivers State.

    “We are not worried about what some people are saying; the truth is that, with the results from the field, the incumbent governor should be declared governor-elect.”

    His claim came four days after Awara urged the electoral umpire to declare him winner, claiming also that information from his agents from the field during the election showed that he was coasting to victory, having clearly won in 15 of the 23 local government areas in the state.

    But Obuah said: “Anyone can go on air and say he has won, but we are speaking based on evidence, the results INEC had already declared at the grassroots.

    He said:  “The outcome of the Governorship and State Assembly Elections of March 9, 2019 proved the love the good people of Rivers State have for our beloved party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    ”You showed unparalleled love for our party by voting all the way for Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and all our candidates for the National and State Houses of Assembly elections.

    ”The results from all polling units and constituencies where the elections were concluded have confirmed and reaffirmed to us that Rivers State is PDP; that PDP is our way of life in Rivers State. You have once again, reposed your total confidence in our party.

    ”As the chairman of the PDP, I wish to express and convey the gratitude of our party to the people of Rivers State for this wonderful show of love and support for our Governorship Candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike and the State Assembly candidates.”

  • ‘Buratai should probe electoral violence’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has appealed to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to investigate the violence which happened during the elections.

    The party said some Army officials directly participated in the elections, and called on the military to redeem its image by probing incidents linked to them.

    Chairman Moses Cleopas said the activities of the Army deployed in Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw should be queried by the military.

    Cleopas lamented that PDP members were targets during the elections; he describing the situation as unhealthy.

    The chairman, however, described the victory of some candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as temporary, and vowed that his party would retrieve its mandate from them.

    Read also: Kwara elections met accepted standards, say observers

    He said: “APC chieftains came with military men and doctored results and forced INEC to change results to APC’s favour. This will not stand.

    “Nembe 2 and 3, Bassambiri was taken over by hoodlums. They chased away all PDP members from the community. Policeman who went there to maintain the peace were driven out by APC members. There were no proper elections there…”

    “We call on the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the activities of his officers and men in Bayelsa because it has become recurrent that soldiers now chase PDP members.”

  • Declare Wike governor elect now, PDP Rivers tells INEC

    The Rivers state chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to declare governor Nyesom Wike the winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state.

    The state chairman of the party, Bro. Felix Obuah made the call at the expanded news briefing of the party executives in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Wednesday.

    Relying on the results from the unites, wards and Local Governments where the exercise was successfully held Obuah said, “With the available result from the field, I want to assure you that His Excellency (Wike) has won overwhelmingly and INEC should not  waste time in declaring Governor Nyesom Wike the winner and governor-elect of Rivers State.

    “We are not worried about what some people are saying; the truth is that with the results from the field, the incumbent governor should be declared governor-elect.”

    Read Also: Electoral offenders held in Rivers, Abia

    He claimed that already, INEC has declared PDP legislative candidates winners in the 26 state constituencies and 14 national assembly seats while the African Action Congress (AAC), got no seat, where the election matters have been concluded.

    This counter claim is coming, barely four days after the governorship candidate of the AAC, Biokpamobo Awara had also urged the electoral umpire to declare him winner, claiming also that information from his agents in the field during the election showed that he was coasting to victory having clearly won in 15 out of the 23 LGAs of the state.

    But in his speech Obuah said, “Anyone can go on air and say they have won, but we are speaking based on evidence, the results INEC had already declared at the grassroots level.

    Addressing the party faithful, Obuah thanked residents of the state for demonstrating great faith in Governor Wike by defending their votes and assured them of better and more infrastructural and human capital developments in the 2nd tenure in office.

    He said, “The outcome of the governorship and State Assembly Elections of March 9, 2019 proved the love the good people of Rivers State have for our beloved party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “You showed unparalleled love for our party by voting all the way for Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and all our candidates for the National and State Houses of Assembly elections.

    “The results from all polling units and constituencies where the elections were concluded have confirmed and reaffirmed to us that Rivers State is PDP; that PDP is our way of life in Rivers State. You have once again, reposed your total confidence in our party.

    “As the Chairman of the PDP, I wish to express and convey the gratitude of our party to the people of Rivers State for this wonderful show of love and support for our Governorship Candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike and the State Assembly Candidates,” he said.