The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Saraki visits victims of Lafia gas explosion

    …says PMB has failed on security

     

     

    The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Monday suspended his political activity in Lafia to visit the victims of gas explosion which claimed lives and properties worth millions.

    Senator Bukola Saraki who was in the state in furtherance to his consultations to pick the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) presidential ticket for the 2019 presidential election also condoled with the government and people of Nasarawa state.

    The presidential aspirant cut short his visit and went to Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia where the victims of the fire incident were taken to for treatment before they were eventually transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, and national hospital, Abuja.

    He said it is rather unfortunate that the country is losing people who can add value to development of the country and expressed sadness that some of them they are no more.

    The senate president however stated that as a government and a concerned citizen, “We will ensure security of lives and property through provision of basic infrastructure and amenities that can forestall incidences as ugly as the one we have just witnessed”.

    “I want to stress hear that there is no amount of politics that should undermine the lives of fellow Nigerians,” he said.

    While addressing a large crowed of PDP supporters at the party secretariat, the senate president said it is time for the north central to also occupy the presidency of the country having supported other zones in the past.

    He said, the reason for his seeking to be elected as the president of the country was the failure of President Buhari to address the security and poverty challenges Nigerians are going through.

    He said that as a man who is from the north central, he is solidly behind the development of the region and the country at large.

  • Leave us out of PDP’s problems, APC tells Wike

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday asked the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to concentrate on the task of the 2019 elections and leave it out of its challenges of choosing a presidential candidate from the deluge of aspirants in its fold.

    Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena told The Nation that it will never descend to the level of planting aspirants in any party as was the tradition with the PDP when it held sway.

    Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike had in an interview with an online newspaper said that they were aware that some of the Presidential aspirants of the party were being sponsored by the APC and the Presidency.

    Wike said in the interview that “Those who are complaining about me are those who are afraid because they are the agents of APC. We know those PDP presidential aspirants who are agents of PDP. We know them. The presidency and the APC have planted people within our party, and we know it.

    “They planted Modu Sheriff and we fell for it. I bought into it not knowing it was a set-up. And then when we realised, we said no, we have to fight it. And we fought it. I cannot again fall for the fool that I became under Ali Modu Sheriff. I know some of our presidential aspirants who are running on the sponsorship of the APC and the presidency.”

    Nabena said “that is not true. We will never descend to that level of planting people in the PDP. We all know that they were the ones planting people in the past. We have no business with whatever they are doing.

    “The PDP should face their problems and address them. We have better things to do than think of how to plant aspirants in their party. The people that left our party for the PDP were those they planted in the party and when they failed to achieve their aim of destroying the party, they left.

    “So, the PDP should face their problem and leave us out of it. We have nothing to do with them and their aspirants”.

  • PDP Primaries: Ensure fairness in Oshimili North, Group urges Okowa

    Oshimili North Arise, a political pressure group, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to provide level-playing ground for aspirants in its nationwide House of Assembly primary election on Saturday.

    It particularly called on Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, to ensure that fairness prevailed in the exercise in the state, especially in Oshimili North constituency.

    The group made the call in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by its National Chairman, Dr Ndu Ojejeh and National Secretary, Mr Carl Enumah.

    It reminded the governor of decades-long political domination of major parts of Oshimili North Local Government Area by only one community, Ibusa, which had continued to alienate other communities in the area, politically.

    The group revealed that in the forthcoming primary election, the community’s political leaders, in collaboration with the local government chairman, had deployed blackmail and intimidation tools against Mr Frank Esenwah, the only aspirant not from the community.

    According to the group, Ibusa’s `political community’ headed by Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, wants the community to continue to occupy the constituency’s seat in the House of Assembly as it has been since 1999.

    It said that since 1991 when Delta was created, Ibusa had occupied all political offices at all levels, available to the entire local government area, oppressing and marginalizing other communities.

    The group, therefore, urged Ibusa political leaders and the local government chairman to eschew blackmail and threats to delegates for the primary election “and allow them freedom to vote fairly”.

    “Let there be a free and fair primary so that any contestant who emerges from it will be seen as the people’s choice.

    “The clandestine movements to ensure than Ibusa occupies the local government’s seat in the assembly in 2019, and for their lackey in the local government’s council to pick the slot in 2023, should stop.

    “It is unacceptable and will be resisted. Let the democratic process of selecting a candidate fairly at the polls run its course in Oshimili North – enough of impunity, blackmail and intimidation.”

    The group reminded the public that “all commissionership slots for the area had always been taken by Ibusa since the creation of Delta, save for the current holder. The same applies for chairmanship of the local government.

    “Between 1999 and 2007, Dr Felicia Nwaeze, from Ibusa, was in the House of Assembly, and from then to date, Mrs Pat Ajudua, wife of Fred Ajudua, also from Ibusa, has been in the saddle.

    “Currently, Mr Peter Nwaoboshi, also from Ibusa, who was commissioner in the two terms of James Ibori as governor, and later became PDP Chairman in the state, is the Senator representing Delta North District at the Senate.

    “In spite of these cases of marginalization and brazen insensitivity, Ibusa is currently pushing with every might, for Ajudua or another person from the community to be in the Assembly in 2019.

    “Ibusa is only one community out of others, including Okpanam, Illah, Ebu, Akwukwu-Igbo (Headquarters), Ukala-Okpuno, Atuma, Aninwalo and Ukala-Okwute, in the local government area.”

    Recalling its earlier statement on the issue, the group said, “We are saying that for equity and justice, the House of Assembly position should go to any of the other communities in the area in 2019.”

    Read also: Shekarau to PDP: ‘You lack internal democracy’

    “Besides, the current position of Nwaoboshi as senator suffices as huge political gain for Ibusa people as it dwarfs the positions of commissioner, house of assembly member and local government chairman, put together.

    “Rather than be the arrowhead for perpetuating political disequilibrium and disharmony in the area, Nwaoboshi should show gratitude, magnanimity and transparent leadership by letting other positions go outside Ibusa in 2019.

    “The senator should not hold the grudge against Esenwah over allegation that he did not get enough votes in Illah community in 2015.

    “This is particularly so when the senator is pushing hard to return to the Red Chamber and everybody in the local government area has endorsed it and is in the vanguard for actualizing it.”

    The group added that Nwaoboshi, like the governor, should show good political leadership laced with tolerance, justice, accommodation, selflessness and inclusiveness.

  • PDP: 98 candidates aspire for 24 Gombe Assembly seats

    At least 98 candidates are aspiring for the 24 seats of the Gombe State House of Assembly on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the Chairman screening committee of the party Mr Regis Ukwakwe.

    Ukwakwe disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the conduct of the screening of aspirants in Gombe on Saturday.

    He said the aim of the screening was to make sure that successful candidates seeking such elective office in the party avoid any problem at the tribunal.

    Read Also: Gombe governorship aspirant promises to revive agriculture

    According to him, the committee has screened 64 candidates, including former Commissioners and retired permanent secretaries, adding that the exercise had been hitch-free, so far.

    He expressed optimism that those that would scale through the exercise successfully would be people of moral standing to contest the State House of Assembly election.

    “We want to make sure that we present the best candidates who are strong and have the capacity to win opponents,” he said.

  • 2019: Two PDP senators vow to sack El- Rufai

    Two serving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators have vowed to sack the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai from office in the 2019 governorship election in the state.

    Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) and Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South) said they have joined forces against the governor to defeat him at the poll.

    While Hunkuyi is contesting the position on the platform of the PDP, La’ah said he was mobilizing voters in his senatorial district for his colleague to unseat El-Rufai of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Addressing a gathering at the rally, Hunkuyi promised that if elected, he would, within one week, reinstate all the traditional rulers and chiefs that were sacked by the governor earlier this year, describing their removal was an act of injustice.

    The aspirant also promised to revisit the case of the over 25, 000 primary school teachers who were sacked by the governor. Hunkuyi said he would set up a committee that would review the cases of the affected teachers strictly on their merits.

    He accused the state government of impoverishing the people through harsh social and economic policies, adding that the governor has plunged the state into huge debts for coming generations to grapple with.

    Read Also: Amosun, El- Rufai, Dickson preach unity at Ojude Oba

    Hunkuyi, who dumped the APC for the PDP in July, expressed regrets that El-Rufai could turn against him after providing the political structure that enabled him win the seat in 2015.

    The federal lawmaker further said El-Rufai cannot pretend to be unaware that the people of Kaduna State have rejected him, owing to what he described as the governor’s anti people policies.

    El-Rufai and Hunkuyi used to be in the same political camp in the APC. They were however torn apart by disagreement arising from differences in opinion and conflict of interests.

    They disagreements got to a baking point in May this year, when the governor demolished the senator’s property in Kaduna.

  • PDP’s BoT bars members from campaigning for aspirants

    …Seeks reduction in number of presidential aspirants

    The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has warned its members against identifying or campaigning for any of the 13 presidential aspirants of the party.

    The body is also seeking means of reducing the large number of aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket for the 2019 presidential election.

    Rising from a marathon meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the BoT expressed concerns that some of its members have been going behind the scene to campaign for some of the presidential aspirants.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, reminded members of their role as conscience of the party, saying the body might be forced to take disciplinary actions against errant members.

    Jibrin said, “If you are a member of BoT, you remain the conscience of the party and you should not be moving about with any aspirant.

    “If we are really the conscience of the party, we should not move about with aspirants. That was what happened during the last national convention when we elected the national chairman.

    “Some of us went and pitched camps with aspirants, taking them all over the place. This time, we will not allow that to happen.

    “Anyone of us who moves about with any aspirant should resign from the BoT. We are the ones that will settle the complaints. But if we are involved, then it will not be fair. So we have told our members not to campaign with the aspirants because we are also the delegates”.

    Read Also: 2019: Who gets PDP’s presidential ticket?

    Jibrin said the meeting also discussed ways of persuading some of the party’s 13 aspirants to withdraw from the race, to avoid crisis that the selection process might trigger.

    He however said no aspirant would be forced to withdraw from the race, adding that the BoT would set up a committee to work on the aspirants with the view to convincing them to reduce their number.

    “We are recommending that we have to manage the situation very well to ensure that it does not lead to crisis. The presidential aspirants are 13 in number so we are trying our best to ensure a reduction in the number.

    “But we are not going to force anybody to withdraw from the race, as consultations among party elders are still ongoing. We are going to bring out a committee that will work in the best interest of Nigerians.

    “We are forming a committee to meet with the aspirants. After that we will decide on what to do. We have decided to form a special committee to advise the National Working Committee ((NWC) of the party.

    “We are ready to confront all the rigging that happened in the last convention and to ensure free and fair elections during the upcoming presidential primaries. There should be no impunity. There should be no godfatherism”.

  • Court adjourns suit against Lagos PDP exco till September 6

    An Igbosere High Court Thursday adjourned till September 12 to hear an application by nine People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members seeking to nullify the party’s 2017 congresses.

    Justice Idowu Alakija fixed the date to enable both parties file pending applications.

    The plaintiffs are: Ishola Shodiya, Ismaila Abiola, Kehinde Adela Aluminani, Kazeem Adeyemi, Awoyemi Abayomi, Adegboyega Adegbesan, Olalekan Bello, Florence Akojenu and Wasiu Aderounmu.

    Read Also:Defection report: PDP acting as comic relief, says APC

    Joined as respondents in the suit are PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, PDP National Vice Chairman South-West, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Mr Moshood Salvador, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the party’s last October 21 local government congresses in Lagos State did not conform with the PDP’s constitution.

    They are also asking the court to declare that Salvador and other executive members were not validly elected at the congress, among others.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter Thursday, respondents’ counsel Spurgeon Ataene said he had filed a preliminary objection and counter-affidavit to the claimants’ suit, and urged the court to strike out the previous one.

    Claimants’ counsel, O. J. Osinowo, confirmed that he had been served and prayed for time to respond.

    He said since the PDP’s primary is scheduled for next week, the court ought to order both parties to maintain the status quo.

    But Ataene opposed him. He prayed the court to discountenance Osinowo’s application for a status quo order.

    Ataene made an application for an order of accelerated hearing, “so that none of the parties that will do what will overreach the decision of the court.”

    He added that “Should the court be mindful of granting the claimants’ request, there should be no new primary of the party next week, as there is an existing party exco, which came on board by virtue of the Congresses held in October 2017.”

  • 2019: ‘PDP North Central leaders to field consensus aspirant’

    Leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the North-Central zone have resolved to present a consensus candidate for the forthcoming 2019 Presidential Elections, Director General, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Campaign Organization, Hon. Wakil Mohammed, has said.

    Mohammed said in a statement that the leaders also insisted that the time was ripe for the zone to produce the next president of Nigeria since it has competent, capable and experienced aspirants that can improve the fortune of the country and her people.

    It said that the resolution was taken at a meeting held Wednesday evening at Grand Ibro Hotel, Abuja, attended by party leaders from the region, which consisted of former governors, former and serving legislators, members of the business community and the academia, where they were briefed by Saraki, on his intention to seek the Office of the President.

    It noted that however, the choice of who the consensus aspirant from the zone will be is yet to be decided.

    It said that the PDP leaders from the region also emphasized that it is the turn of the North Central region to produce the President of Nigeria, while also mandating the leaders to engage their counterparts in other geo-political zones with a view to convincing them to support the consensus aspirants that will be produced by from the North-central.

    It said that speaking to the leaders from the region, Saraki, stated that the North Central region has been a stabilising factor in Nigeria, and from previous experience, it is clear that its leaders have the capacity and will power to unite and develop Nigeria.

    It quoted Saraki to have added: “Our zone has been the stabilizing factor in Nigeria for many years, and it is clear that we need to continue to fight for the soul of our nation. The 2019 polls is not just an election, it is about winning the soul of Nigeria. Right now, to me, and I’m sure to all the other contestants under the umbrella of our great party, nothing is more important than for us than to rescue our people from the clutch of poverty, insecurity and ensure that we bring development to all Nigerians.

    Read Also: PDP extends sale of nomination forms

    “As we move forward, we all need to be courageous. We must provide compassionate leadership for our people. We must protect our people. We must give them live and hope. Our people are asking: “What did we do wrong?” Therefore, right now, we need to be courageous. We must provide competent and compassionate leadership for this country.”

    It said that Saraki also emphasised that leaders from the North Central have demonstrated great capacity to lead, saying that they have always performed well on national assignments.

    “In the last three years, we have struggled and worked to keep the legislature working for the Nigerian people. We need to now lead the country in the right direction. We must create a country that gives opportunity for people to thrive. We need good leadership. This is because, many of the problems that this country is facing is as a result of low performance capacity. We need people who can search for and find the solutions to our problems. We need somebody who can make the country grow, and I believe, that I am this person,” the former Kwara State Governor said.

    The Senate President was said to have called for the leaders to rally around individuals who have a track record of providing competent and united leadership, stating that a candidate from the North Central would help to bridge the divides across the nation.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, this country will only change when those who know what to do are put in charge and when we have the good leadership who know what needs to be done to make the right change. Nigerians need a unifier – somebody who can unite the country and grow the country. At this time, I believe that it is a Presidential candidate from the North Central that can do this for Nigeria.

    “Leaders from the North Central need to work together to ensure that a PDP candidate emerges from the zone. It is clear that the only way to achieve unity in the country is when you have a leader who can manage the differences and galvanise our energy towards achieving development.

    It is not about where you come from, but it is about what you can do for our country. If there is anybody who can do better than those of us in the North Central Zone, let them stand up. It is important that in October, our delegates from the North Central should work to ensure that a North Central candidate emerges – and they should work together with delegates from across the country to ensure that a North Central candidate emerges.We request your support,” he said.

    It said that in his opening remarks, the zonal vice chairman of the North-Central, Mr. Theophilus Dakah Shan, agreed that it was true that the North Central serves as a cardinal point for where Nigeria will go.

    “Although we are called a conglomerate of minority groups, we are a powerful conglomerate that believes in the unity and stability of Nigeria. We have seen how David Mark held the Senate together for eight years, in the same way that Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has shown courage, leadership and competence in stabilising the 8th Senate over the past three years — which has helped it to record significant achievements. Saraki is representing the North Central region very well”, he stated.

    In his closing remarks, former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, said that the North Central region had to unite, because the insecurity in the country is felt most in the zone.

  • Bafarawa: I left N13bn in Sokoto State Government’s treasury

    A frontline presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, said he left N13 billion in the Sokoto State Government’s treasury after his tenure as governor.

    Bafarawa disclosed this in Owerri on Thursday at the PDP party state secretariat during a visit to party stakeholders to solicit support for his presidential ambition.

    The former governor said during his eight years in office he did not receive any salary, but rather he used the money to develop the state.

    The presidential contender said his victory over the criminal charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC ) showed that he was a politician with a clean record.

    He said his ambition for the presidential position was borne out of his zeal to revive the country’s economy for the benefit of all citizens.

    “I have experience and the most qualified to preside over the present Nigeria and as a good manager I will correct all the anomalies.

    Read Also: I will support any PDP presidential aspirant – Bafarawa

    “PDP delegates should not make any mistake during the party’s primaries by electing inexperienced aspirants for this job, that is why I have come to present myself to you,” he said.

    In his reaction, a PDP Board of Trustee member, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, described Bafarawa as a `true democrat and detribalised politician’.

    He said Bafarawa had a very strong political track record which stood him out among other aspirants.

    Iwuanyawu, who expressed optimism that South-East would not be marginalised under Bafarawa, pointed out that most of his close allies were Igbos.

    PDP Chairman in Imo, Mr Babatunde Ezekwe, assured Bafarawa of the state delegates’ support.

    “We are strongly behind your aspiration, go and do your underground work well; as for us we are working tirelessly to ensure that PDP wins in Imo and the presidency,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bafarawa has been on tour of the South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.

  • PDP extends sale of nomination forms

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has extended the deadline for the collection and submission of nomination forms for all categories of elective positions.

    A statement Wednesday  by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the deadline has been extended to September 11, from the initial date of September 6.

    Read Also:2019: Five PDP governors seeking deal with Buhari

    The extension affects presidential, governorship and National Assembly positions, but the deadline for state assemblies remained September 6.

    The statement further stated that aspirants to the various positions are to submit their duly completed forms at the designated offices not later than Tuesday, September 11, 2018.

    The party enjoined members of the party, particularly aspirants to the various positions to be guided accordingly.