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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • EO6: PDP charges CJN to protect judiciary from fascism

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to protect the judiciary from what the party described as the unconstitutional and repressive fascist policies being foisted on the country by the President Muhammadu Buhari Presidency.

    The party noted that the admission by the Presidency, on Sunday, that the Executive Order 6, as well as the travel ban and trailing of citizens, were devised to directly interfere in judicial processes and stifle accused persons of resources, under the guise of speedy trial, has left no one in doubt that the nation is fast sliding into fascism.

    Read Also:APC to PDP: falsehood can’t stop your defeat in Akwa Ibom

    In a statement Monday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP noted that the Presidency has initiated attack on the independence of the judiciary, using the instrument of blackmail and aspersion on its integrity and capacity to effectively and timeously dispense justice.

    The statement said, “In trying to use his Executive Order 6 to determine the process, procedures and progression of cases in court, the Buhari Presidency directly seeks to usurp, commandeer and appropriate the constitutional powers of the judiciary and then arm-twist the courts and use them as ‘slaughterhouses’ for opposition members and perceived political opponents.

    “We invite Nigerians to further note that the action of the Buhari Presidency is a direct attempt to suspend Sections 6 (6)(b), 36 (5), (6)(d) and 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “While Section 6 (6)(b) provides that judicial powers of the court shall ‘extend to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any person in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person’.

    “Section 36 (6) (d) provides that, “every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence”.

    The party also observed that Section 36 (5) provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty.

    It also cited Section 37 of the constitution, which stipulates that the privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversation and telegraphic communications is guaranteed and protected.

    “The travel ban, trailing of citizens and attempt to regulate the processes of the court is therefore an attempt to short-circuit the constitutional powers of the judiciary and foist a fascist regime where the Presidency becomes the investigator, prosecutor and the judge in the determination of trumped-up charges against innocent Nigerians.

    “The PDP rejects this attempt by this administration to return our country to pre-1984 military dictatorship where siege mentality and suppression of rights of citizens was the rule rather than the exception.

    “We therefore urge the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man, to immediately insulate itself from the evil machination of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is now trying to turn the judiciary into an instrument of oppression against Nigerians”.

  • Ohanaeze, Igbo youths laud Atiku’s decision

    People of South-East geopolitical zone have been celebrating the announcement of two-term Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in next year’s general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as his running mate.
    Obi was announced on Friday by the former Vice President as his running mate for 2019 presidential election.
    The people of the South-East went into jubilation immediately Atiku pronounced Obi his running mate.
    National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prince Uche Achi-Okpagha in his reaction said Obi would bring his expertise to bear by assisting Atiku to revitalize the nation’s economy.
    “We the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have already made it clear that we are not interested in the Presidency or Vice-Presidency of Nigeria unless you restructure Nigeria.
    “If you put an Igbo man as a President, there is little or nothing he can do in developing the south east because his wings are clipped by the wages of confusion in his side.
    “But be that as it may, Atiku is the one who has been hammering on restructuring. So, we have absolute faith in him that he is going to restructure Nigeria and if he does that and with people like Peter Obi on his side, that is where the expertise comes in”.
    “Peter Obi is a technocrat; he will help to revitalize the economy of this country. This is all we want because if you are not an expert and you are into politics, you bring the expert close to you not base on ethnic or religious sentiments.
    “You already know that Obi was former Governor of Anambra State for two terms, and that is not a no mean experience and he has been a financial guru before he came into politics. So, he will help Atiku revitalize the economy.

    Read Also: Why Atiku picked Peter Obi as running mate

    “The way the economy of the country is, we need people like Obi otherwise the economy will collapse irretrievably.
    “Obi is a Christian and he is from the South-East and Atiku has brought him close to help him to fix the economy. This is what we want. What else do we want if not to move the nation forward because the masses will not continue to suffer”, Mr Okpagha said.
    Also, the Youth wing of the Ohaneze in a statement applauded Mr Atiku’s decision.
    The statement by it’s President, Okechukwu Isiguzoro said the group will work with youth groups from other zone to deliver the duo.
    The statement reads:”We applaud the gesture of PDP and Atiku Abubakar on the nomination of our son and mentor, Peter Obi as the running mate in the 2019 Presidential election, this nomination is the respect accorded to aspirations of millions of Igbos scattered across length and breadth of the country” .
    “The jubilation that erupted with the news of Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate across the South East shows that both Youths and agitators accept that  it is the Best pair for PDP to win 2019 Presidential election.
    “We will ensure that this respect accorded to aspirations will yield better dividends for PDP because the whole Igbo youths”
    “We call on Igbo Youths to remained law abiding and prepare to ensure that the duo of Atiku and Peter Obi are returned to Aso rock in 2019,as President and Vice President.
    “We will reach out to the Arewa, Ijaw, Middle Belt, Ibibio and Yoruba Youths under the Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth organizations for the success of Atiku and Peter Obi Project 2019”.

  • Obasanjo has right to support any candidate, says Falana

    Activist lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that it is the right of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to support any presidential candidate of his choice.

    Reacting to his recent endorsement of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he said Obasanjo has a constitutional right to do so.

    According to him, “Former President Obasanjo has a constitutional right to support any presidential candidate of his choice.

    ” It is however hoped that God will forgive him for supporting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar”, he said.

  • 2019: You’re next President of Nigeria, Obasanjo tells Atiku

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday forgave his former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alh. Atiku Abubakar, of any wrong doing and declared him the nation’s next President in 2019.

    Obasanjo who addressed Atiku as ” President – to- be” and congratulated him in advance,  added that he and others have  reviewed what went wrong on the side of Atiku and submitted that  the PDP Presidential candidate  has “re-discovered and re-positioned himself.”

    Read Also:Atiku, Secondus meet Obasanjo in Abeokuta

    The Ebora Owu made this known in his address at his residence within the sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) when Atiku and his entourage comprising the PDP National Chairman, Uche Second us, former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke,  Director – General, Atiku Campaign Organisation (ACO), Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Father Matthew Kukah and renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Gunmi.

    Atiku’s visit is coming about 48 hours after an elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, led a delegation of Afenifere leaders to the Ebora Owu, where the spokesman of the Socio – cultural organisation, Yinka Odunmakin hinted that the Yoruba race in Nigeria would support a presidential candidate with an agenda to restructure the nation’s flawed federation.

    So far, former Vice – President Atiku had continued to promise Nigerians that he would restructure the country within his first year in office if given the mandate to preside over the affairs of Nigeria.

    And Obasanjo’s voice is also considered very critical to the electoral fortune of any politician and it is generally believed that whoever earned his endorsement stand a better chance of getting national acceptance, and hitherto, the former President has been unsparing in portraying Atiku as undeserving of the office of Nigerian President.

    But after Thursday’s meeting Obasanjo’s position on Atiku changed, tilting towards helping him to win the 2019 presidential race against the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

    “I am happy to welcome the distinguished leaders of goodwill who have led the PDP Presidential Candidate and my former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, to my humble abode and I welcome the Presidential Candidate himself.

    “Let me start by congratulating President-to-be, Atiku Abubakar, for his success at the recent PDP Primary and I took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here. Yes, when it started, it was meant for Atiku to succeed Obasanjo.

    “In the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today, let me say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of Atiku.  And in all honesty, my former Vice-President has re-discovered and re-positioned himself.

    “As I have repeatedly said, it is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you did against the Party, the Government and the country.

    “I took the stand I had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited in the position you found yourself.  I strongly believe that I was right. It was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take such a position.

    “From what transpired in the last couple of hours or so, you have shown remorse; you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.

    “Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks for God’s forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you.  Obviously, you have mended fences with the Party and fully reconciled with the Party.

    “That’s why today, you are the Presidential Candidate of the Party.  In addition to appreciating all that the Party has done for you, may I advise you to work together with all those who contested for the Party’s flag with you as a team for your campaign.

    “There are still areas, nationally and internationally, where you have to mend fences and make amends.  You will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out by the opposition.  But, I am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared.

    “And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.  I am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding, cooperation, support and mandate – all at the national level.

    “With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence. It will be with the hope or assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all, change and conversion are of man. I believe that with a contrite heart, change is possible in everybody’s life and situation.

    “For me, relatively and of all the aspirants in the PDP, you have the widest and greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead through.

    “From what I personally know of you, you have capacity to perform better than the incumbent. You surely understand the economy better; you have business experience, which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.

    “You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs.  You are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways.  As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent President said, “You are a wazobia man.”

    “And that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.

    “As you know, along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard.  On your behalf, I thank them all.  May their coast continue to be expanded.

    “And when you become Nigerian President which, insha-Allah, you will be, remember what we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin.

    “Although some time and ground have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and recover some lost ground, if not time.

    Please uphold truth, integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and insurgency.

    “The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I need you to say before God and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding ALL the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency.

    “Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and faith in the survival of all against none.

    “The fundamentals for our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure.  Remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women.

    “All the authorities involved with the preparation, all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.

    “Once again, congratulations and I wish you well.  My distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen.  I will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take Nigeria to the level God has created it to be – autopilot level. God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.”

     

  • 2019: Buhari not jittery over Atiku, APC govs declare 

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari and the party are not jittery over the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the main opposition Presidential candidate in 2019 election.

    Atiku was elected by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as its Presidential flag bearer during the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Sunday.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after leading four governors of the party to a closed-door meeting with President Buhari over the just concluded party’s primaries, Chairman of the APC Governors Forum and Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, was optimistic that Buhari would be reelected in 2019.

    Other governors at the meeting attended by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, included Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Abdullahi Gamduje (Kano); Kashim Shettima (Borno); and Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos)

    Also at the meeting was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

    Okorocha said that the party had no reason to lose sleep over Atiku’s emergence.

    According to him, the party has concluded not to engage in any verbal attacks with any candidate in the forthcoming election.

    He said that the APC governors were at the State House not only to congratulate Buhari for being elected as the party’s presidential candidate, but to also request for a date when they would bring all the party’s governorship candidates to him to show their readiness for the 2019 political battles.

    He added “For the Governors to come together with our followers and supporters to further inform the world for our readiness to deliver him in 2019 election.

    “This is just basically the message we have come and to say that Mr. President is more than ever ready for the entire exercise.

    “Our election this time will not engage on castigations or talking. We will be taking on issues, Nigerians are tired of political abuses, what we want to be talking about is issues, the tract records of people involved in our elections.

    “Nigerians are very wise now, before they elect anybody they will ask questions, what has been your tract records, who were you before, who are you now and everything about you. And for that reason we are confident that in 2019, APC will go through.

    “We have also looked at the issues concerning our primaries, in every democracy, you should expect a kind of disagreement and we have kindly requested that something be done to bring warring factions together so that we can have a united party to face the challenges ahead and we are happy that will soon take place.

    “Most of the problems have been resolved except for one or two states where we have issues and where it becomes more difficult, we ask for Mr. President’s intervention in the matter.

    “We are talking about reconciliation, what is important to us is that we must never go into this battle, a divided family and we want to make sure that all governors are intact, all national assembly members are intact while going into this battle. We will never speak differently, we will speak as members of the party.” he said

    On whether the controversy surrounding the Zamfara State APC primaries was part of the discussion, he said, “Zamfara is one of the issues that we have addressed also.”

    Asked whether the APC was jittery because of the emergence of for Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential candidate of the PDP and his tough stance since he emerged, he said that the party was not jittery at all.

    He said, “I don’t know about talking tough, we can’t be jittery and history is there to speak, history is very important and it is there to speak so like I said we are not going to engage in this verbal war with anybody, we will be talking about issues. If we say look, you are not good, we tell you what we can do and we cannot do and what others cannot do.

    “APC is not going to join in those talk shop but right we are discussing issues of what our party can for our people.”

    On what was the President’s response, he said, “The President is quite happy with the whole outing and he is looking for a date to invite the governors, in fact, he will give us a date to celebrate him and tell the world our joy and happiness that he emerged as our Presidential flag bearer which is victory assured 2019.”

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha described the APC governors meeting with the President as a welcome development.

    He said, “It is a welcome development, we are one big family in a contest there is bound to be winners and losers but in the spirit of the game of politics which is like any other sports, after the game is over, whoever has emerged victorious must be magnanimous and gracious in his victory and whoever has lost out will also accept it in the spirit of sportsmanship.

    “So, this is a welcome move, our governor who is the Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, has spoken rightly all the things that are in motion to ensure that we quickly heal the wounds and bring the family together for a greater task ahead.

    “We are a government that has credibly performed this morning I had the privilege of laying before the council a compendium of the policies, the programmes and the projects initiated and implemented by this government in two and half years. A total of one thousand and forty two page documents, not stories, facts of what we have been able to achieve.

    “I think we are set to record, this campaign will be driven by issues, this campaign must be predicated on what you are able to bring to the table for the people of Nigeria. It is not going to be a noisy campaign, anybody that is preparing for noise should be prepared to receive defeat in February of 2019,” he said.

  • Resign now or be forced out, Coalition tells Oshiomhole

    … Accuses him of being a PDP mole

    A coalition of presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have demanded for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
    The group, which includes governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, state Houses of Assembly aspirants on the platform of the party, also accused Oshiomhole of working for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), by deliberately weakening the party to make victory easy for the opposition in next year’s general elections.
    In a statement signed by two presidential aspirants of the party; Alhaji Mumakai-Unagha and Dr SKC Ogbonnia, the coalition noted that the commotion in all the chapters of the party across the country, starting from the congresses and on to the various levels of primaries, were all deliberately foisted by Oshiomhole to achieve his plot.
    They also accused the national chairman of working against the younger generation of Nigerians, preventing youths with political vision and ambition by imposing very exorbitant fees for  nomination and expression of interest forms of the party.
    They, however, doubted his capacity to lead the party successfully to victory in the 2019 general elections, noting that he does not have what it takes to manage the myriad of crises he had allegedly foisted on the various branches of the party across the country.
     
    While calling on the chairman of the party to resign immediately, the group warned that it would mobilise a massive members’ against him if he refused to heed to the call on him.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole has ignited civil war in APC, says Saraki

    “The National Chairman does not have the capacity to lead the party to victory come 2019 following the crisis he has created all over the country as soon as he assumed office, therefore he has lost the confidence of All Progressive Progress members.
    “He has not only succeeded in creating factions within the party in almost the whole thirty six states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, he has introduced development unknown to democracy.
    “He deliberately hiked the prizes of nomination forms to scare genuine Nigerians with burning desire to salvage the nation economy, he’s gradually destroying the party to pave way for the Peoples’ Democratic Party. 
    “It is obvious that he cannot manage crisis and he will not be able to manage the crisis he created with impurity during the recent primary elections conducted by the party as it was all sham. He imposed party executives as well as candidates in the various constituents against the wishes of the people. 
    “Adams Oshiomhole conspired to deny Nigerian Youths as well as party members that are desirous of contesting the 2019 general election through the prohibitive hike of the nomination form.
    “Today, APC as a party is sharply divided as the recent primary elections were held on factional bases. We are not sure of the party victory come 2019 due to what we may regard or call man made crisis created by the chairman.
    “We, the Coalition of APC Presidential aspirants including Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representative and Houses of Assembly aspirants are hereby calling on the National Chairman to resign. Should the National chairman fails to resign, we shall mobilize APC faithful across the country to besiege the party secretariat”, the statement.

  • PDP cautions INEC over alleged moves to bend rules

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged moves by the electoral body to bend the rules to “smuggle” in candidates from the Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The opposition party said whereas legally, all congresses and related processes for election of candidates for various offices for the 2019 general elections ended on Sunday, October 7, 2018, the Zamfara state chapter of the APC has not conducted any congress, and by the provision of the law, it has no candidates in all the elections.

    A statement on Monday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan insisted that the laws guiding elections must be upheld, as the party would never accept anything short of that.

    The statement said, “The PDP is aware of a clandestine meeting today between topmost officials of INEC and Zamfara state government, where INEC was instructed to manipulate the system and bend the rules to accommodate the APC.

    Read Also: I’m committed to ‘Independent’ INEC – Buhari

    “The PDP cautions the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over this attempt to manipulate the processes and use underhand measures to liberate the APC from the cul de sac it plunged itself into in Zamfara state.

    “Finally, the PDP wants the APC and INEC to know that our party is at alert regarding all electoral processes, in line with our avowed determination to dismantle APC’s rigging machinery in the 2019 general elections”.

  • 2019: Why Atiku can’t be president – Group 

    A group identified as Buhari National Votes Guards and Awareness on Monday reacted to the emergence of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying that, Atiku cannot rule Nigeria.

    The group said the former Vice President is no match for President Muhammadu Buhari, as they opined that, his political background has been marred with corruption allegations.

    The Coordinator of the group, Engineer Kailani Muhammad at a press conference in Kaduna on Monday however described Atiku’s emergence as a good omen for President Buhari.

    Kailani said “the main fact however, according to the majority of Nigerians is that for a certainty, Atiku Abubakar is no match for president Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election of 2019 because of his alleged political corrupt marred background and President Muhammadu Buhari’s antecedent as a man of impeccable pedigree that is focused towards building a socio-political and economic development.

    He explained that the former Vice President before securing his ticket under PDP has made four unsuccessful attempts to get a party ticket to contest for the presidency, but “he is not suitable to lead Nigeria at this moment,” as Nigerians have made their stand.

    Kailani explained that, “Politics in our country today is big-time business. The only impediment for actualization of aspirations in the space in our mother Nigeria is the financial capacity and muscle. It is in no doubt either that Atiku has both in abundance. Nigerians are aware that those with the financial muscle to procure the venture hope to reap a million fold.

    He said the Buhari’s government has achieved in 3 years, what previous administrations failed to achieve in 16 years, which includes rapid economic growth, transformation in power sector, education, empowerment of Nigerians and among others.

    While commending the president’s achievements so far in the fight against corruption and insecurity, Kailani also remarked that “Mr President has taken a giant stride to improve the image of the country at the global stage. This are the glaring evidences on ground that some politicians refused to acknowledge,” he said.

  • Omo-Agege says Saraki must quit Senate Presidency

    As the National Assembly prepare to resume plenary session tomorrow, Tuesday, Sen Ovie Omo-Agege (APC), has said that Dr Bukola Saraki should be ready to vacate the seat as Nigeria’s Senate President.

    Omo-Agege, who is representing Delta State Central Senatorial District, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    Saraki had, on July 31, defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), hinging his defection on unsuccessful efforts to ensure a harmonious existence in the APC.

    Read Also:PDP govs split over support for Tambuwal, Atiku, Saraki

    The APC National Working Committee (NWC) had queried Saraki, asking him to respond within 48 hours why disciplinary action should not to be taken against him for breaching Article 21 of the party’s convention.

    The allegations raised against him by the party included that ‘’you encouraged and facilitated by providing an enabling environment for the defection of some senators who are members of the APC to the other opposition parties”.

    The party called on Saraki to resign his position as the Senate President, insisting that he lacked the moral ground to retain the position after defecting to the PDP.

    However, the Senate president had stood his ground even as the National Assembly declared its annual recess which began July 24.

    Although the federal lawmakers were initially expected to resume Sept. 25, the resumption was postponed to Oct. 9.

    Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the Clerk of the Assembly, who announced the postponement in a statement on Sunday, Sept. 23, attributed the development to the primary elections of political parties.

    Sani-Omolori said members of the National Assembly were expected to resume by 10am on the new date.

    Meanwhile, Omo-Agege told NAN that the demand of the APC’s senators for Saraki’s removal was still standing.

    ‘’Our demand has not changed, in fact, that demand has been accentuated by the directive of the APC national leadership.

    ‘’We have all been enjoined as APC senators at a slightest opportunity to remove Saraki and once we are provided with that slightest opportunity, we will remove him and he knows that,” he said.

    According to him, the moment Saraki left the party, APC, to join the minority PDP, he lost the right, legal and moral, to occupy the office of the Senate President.

    ‘’Absolutely, he knows he cannot be; we are not shying away from that. Our position has always been consistent.

    ‘’This is not new neither is it news. We have made that clear, very clearly in the past.

    “Therefore, the position of Ovie Omo-Agege has the position of APC as a party,” he remarked.

    On whether the members, who were aggrieved by the outcome of the primaries at various states might affect their plan, the senator said: ‘’Well, that is something that we will need to address when we return on Tuesday.

    ‘’We will take an audit of where we are in terms of the numbers, in terms of those who are happy and those who are not happy.

    ‘’But you should understand one thing, just as you have people who are disgruntled in APC, you also have others who are disgruntled in PDP.”

    When asked if the aggrieved group had the number to remove Saraki, Omo-Agege said: ‘’of course, we have always had the number. We have the number.”

    On whether defection of members could affect their plan, he responded thus: ‘’Like I am telling you, as people are leaving APC to PDP, people are leaving PDP to APC.’’

    He said as soon as the APC lawmakers in the red chamber have the number, the deed would be done.

    ‘’I mean once the environment is conducive; that is, once we have the number, we take him out, as simple as that,” he said.

  • Nigeria needs leader who understands its complexities – Tambuwal

    Sokoto State governor and Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Aminu Tambuwal on Saturday said only a candidate that understands the complexities of the country can deliver it from challenges.

    The governor who spoke during a visit to the Lagos State PDP Secretariat, told party members that the country is highly complex to be managed by politician who is not well grounded on developments in the country.

    He added that if he becomes the President next year, the country would be turned around by providing basic necessities for the people.

    According to him, the country could no longer lag behind in the comity of nation, urging the PDP to elect a candidate that would deliver in the dividend of democracy.

    Read Also: 2019: I’ll do a lot of things differently — Tambuwal

    He said: “This time around we must get it right by ensuring that the party field a candidate that can defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. We must bring someone who can revive the country and must be someone the people can trust.

    ” As former Speaker House of Representatives, what we did still speaks volume. I shall give each and everyone in this country a sense of belonging. That is to say, we will all work for the development of the country.

    “We will all put our head together to restructure the country. We must carry everyone along to achieve unity and development. The party must elect a candidate that can effective combine our strength to win the 2019 election, ” he said.