The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Court strikes out stay of execution filed by Sen. Akpan

    The Federal High Court, Uyo, on Friday struck out the application for stay of execution filed by Sen. Bassey Akpan, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Akwa Ibom North..

    Akpan filed the suit for the court to stay execution of its Feb. 27 judgment, which was in favour of Mr Bassey Etim, also of the PDP.

    The judge, Justice Fatun Riman, said that since there was an appeal on his judgment of Feb. 27, his court has no jurisdiction to entertain the same matter.

    The judge, therefore, struck out the case and awarded N50, 000 cost in favour of the plaintiff, Mr Bassey Etim, the defendant.

    The court in the Feb.27, judgment had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) to immediately issue certificate of return to Etim.

    The court faulted the primary that produced Akpan as the flag bearer of the PDP.

    Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, counsel to the defendant, Mr Taiwo Abe, described the judgment as excellent.

    He said that the application was brought by the appellant, PDP and Akpan.

    “The record shows that the appellant had already filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Calabar.

    “His Lordship said that only the Court of Appeal can entertain stay of execution, since the case had been transmitted from the Federal High Court, Uyo, to Court of Appeal, Calabar, since March 10, 2017.’’

    “I made the application that the court should strike out the case and award me a cost, the judge today has agreed with me and even granted cost of N50, 000.’’
    Also speaking, counsel to Sen. Akpan, Mr Godswill Umoh, said that he was satisfied with the judgment.

    “Actually that is the rule of practice, since we have filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal; the lower court cannot adjudicate on the same matter.

    “Earnestly, the rule of practice is we withdraw the case, which I did.”

  • APC to PDP: Nigerians have not forgotten your misrule

    APC to PDP: Nigerians have not forgotten your misrule

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) reminded the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that even though Nigerians have forgiven the years of misrule and mismanagement of the nation’s resources, they have not forgotten how they party left the country in ruin, leaving the people in a state of insecurity.

    Reacting to a statement credited to spokesman of the party saying Nigerians have been worse off in the last two years under the APC led government, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said Nigerians have not forgotten how corruption was practically legalized under the PDP government.

    Abdullahi said the APC decided not to dwell on the plethora of PDP sins, but to pick up the pieces and build a country that every Nigerians will be proud of, pointing out that while Nigerians are always ready to forgive the PDP for what they did to the nation, they will never forget.

    Abdullahi said: “All Progressives Congress (APC) finds Wednesday’s statement attributed to Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, the purported spokesperson of a rump of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) quite regrettable.

    “As a Party that was formerly in the opposition, the APC is aware of the role a thriving opposition can play in sustaining democracy. However, it appears that the marginal group that Adeyeye belongs believes that it is only by attacking the APC that it can find its relevance or gains the upper hand in the PDP’s internecine war.

    “We need to remind Adeyeye’s group however that although Nigerians may have forgiven the PDP, two years after the Party left the country in ruins, but we have not forgotten.

    “Nigerians have not forgotten that it was under the PDP-led administration that the terrorist group, Boko Haram seized a sizable portion of Nigeria’s territory, created a Caliphate and hoisted its own flags.

    “It took the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari to reclaim our territory and pride. Today, Boko Haram insurgents are virtually defeated and are on the run, and no millimetre of Nigerian territory is currently held by the insurgents. We have forgiven, but we have not forgotten.

    “Under the PDP, a Party that does not consider corruption to be stealing, corruption enjoyed an unprecedented prosperity. Nigeria recorded some of the most unimaginable, shocking and astounding cases of corruption ever experienced in our history, or in the history of any country.

    “Funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition required to fight the Boko Haram insurgency were stolen by agents of government and shared among themselves. It was a classic case of kleptocracy.

    “The PDP-led administration was sending soldiers to battle without weapons and sharing the money. Worse still, when soldiers protested the lack of weaponry, the PDP-led administration added wickedness to weakness and court-martialed them, sentencing some of them to death, and others to long terms of imprisonment.

    “If Nigerians have gracious enough to forgive the PDP for the wanton corruption, we will not forget.

    “Nigerians also remember that it was under the nose and watchful eyes of the PDP that over 250 Nigerian girls were abducted.  It took the Party more than a month to even make a statement. PDP went about bandying conspiracy theories while innocent Nigerian girls were being held in captivity.

    “Again, it took the APC-led administration to rescue some of the girls, while efforts are ongoing to free the rest. Yet, PDP had the audacity to counter the globally acclaimed hashtag, #BringBackOurGirls with their terribly insensitive #BringBackJonathan. We are willing to forgive even this; but we cannot forget.

    “Nigerians will not forget that under the PDP, over 20 Nigerian youths died and thousands were seriously injured while looking for jobs. the PDP-led administration organised a fraudulent Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise and lured young people desperate for jobs to various stadiums across the country after extorting them.

    “In the end, the exercise ended in tears, sorrows and blood. None of those who survived got the job and, worse still; the officials responsible for the calamity were protected by the PDP. We cannot forget.

    “Nigerians remember that under the PDP, whistle-blowing was a crime.  When a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor exposed the stealing of $20 billion from the national treasury, he was suspended and hounded out of the government. We have not forgotten.

    “If we have not been talking about this plethora of PDP iniquities, it is not because we have forgotten. Instead, we have chosen to pick up the pieces of the PDP wreckage and move the country forward. This, we have endeavoured to do in the last two years since Nigerians unanimously rejected the PDP for their wanton profligacy and misrule.

    “Nigerians are a forgiving people, and that is why a self-appointed spokesman of what is left of the PDP could have the effrontery to make the kind of statements attributed to Adeyeye. But Nigerians will not forget in a hurry, the years of the locust.”

  • PDP crisis: Thugs attack Sheriff’s faction secretariat in Ekiti

    PDP crisis: Thugs attack Sheriff’s faction secretariat in Ekiti

    …Their allegation frivolous, says Fayose’s faction

     

     

    The secretariat of Ekiti State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to the National Chairman Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was on Wednesday attacked by people suspected to be political thugs.

    The building located at Nova Road junction in Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti, the state capital was vandalized in the early hours of the day with some facilities destroyed in the process.

    The invaders scaled the fence to gain entrance into the compound and smashed all the glass windows and uprooted all the flag poles and tore the PDP flags hoisted on them.

    The vandalized secretariat is the operational base of the Williams Ajayi-led faction loyal to Sheriff. The other faction led by Gboyega Oguntuase which is loyal to Senator Ahmed Makarfi is also backed by Governor Ayo Fayose.

    An Ado Ekiti Federal High Court on January 24 declared the Ajayi-led group as the authentic state executive of the party ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do business with it.

    But the Court of Appeal in Ado Ekiti last week ordered a stay of execution and held that the two factions should maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit before it

    Speaking with reporters on the attack, the Deputy Chairman of the Ajayi faction, Olasunkanmi Ogunbiyi, alleged that the attack was carried out by the faction backed by Fayose calling on security agencies to up their game and prevent breakdown of law and order.

    Ogunbiyi said: “We left the office on Tuesday at about 6pm and only to return today around 7am and saw the flags erected brought down. The assailants scaled the fence and destroyed all the flags and the louvre blades of our office.

    “They even made spirited efforts to gain entry into the office, but they could not. As we speak now, our lives are being threatened and we want the public to be aware of this.

    “However, we had inkling that our office will be attacked with the threat issued by one of the Oguntuase’s executive to us when we met recently at the Court of Appeal that our office will be attacked.

    “Last week also, Governor Fayose went to a nearby spot within the vicinity of the office and distributed rice to the people. We are sure that the Oguntuase’s people are behind this and we need a prompt action from the security agencies”.

    But the spokesman of the Oguntuase faction, Jackson Adebayo, denied the accusation claiming that “erosion and rainstorm” might have affected the secretariat describing the allegation as “frivolous.”

    Adebayo said: “I saw what they are calling the press for and I concluded that they are still in shock how they got to that sorry pass.

    “There were storm and erosion, which affected their building and they are claiming that reasonable people would leave their jobs to be digging their fences and destroying blocks.

    “They should be pitied rather than responded to because there’s no such thing as what they are alleging.”

     

  • PDP crisis: NJC clears Justice Abang of wrong doing 

    PDP crisis: NJC clears Justice Abang of wrong doing 

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) has cleared Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court of allegations of misconduct made against him by a faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on his judgement which recognised the Ali Modu Sheriff committee as the authentic leadership organ of the party.

    The allegation of misconduct was contained in a petition to the NJC written by individuals in the Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the PDP.

    The NJC’s clearance of Justice Abang is contained in a letter dated March 17 and signed by its Secretary, Danladi Halilu, issued by the council after investigating allegations in the petition.

    The NJC, in the letter sighted by The Nation Tuesday, said it found no merit in the petition against Justice Abang.

    NJC said it deliberated on the petition at its meeting held on February 23, 2017 and found no merit in the petitions. It added that it proceeded to dismiss the petition after Justice Abang reacted to it.

    The NJC in the letter with reference number NJC/ F.3/FHC 44/VII/55 said: “At the end of deliberations, the council found that your petition finds no merit as there was no sufficient material before the NJC to infer that the judge sat on appeal over the decision of his brother judge of coordinate jurisdiction.

    “The appeal therefore lacked merit and is subsequently dismissed”.

    In another development, the NJC also dismissed the petition dated November 7, 2016, by Heritage Bank PLC,  against Justice Abang for lacking in merit.

    The bank, in its petition against the judge, accused him of improper judicial conduct and bias against it in judicial proceedings before him.

  • PDP leaders defect to APC in Uyo

    PDP leaders defect to APC in Uyo

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State suffered a devastating blow on Monday with the defection of some prominent leaders of the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Coming under the aegis of the Uyo Elders/Stakeholders Advisory Forum, the defectors included three former local government chairmen, Chief Clement Ekott, Mr. Aniekan Ubia and Mr. Fidelis Eddie, and a former State Surveyor-General, Surveyor Okokon Essien.

    Receiving the defectors, the APC State Chairman, Dr. Amadu Attai, recalled that the APC started in Uyo and expressed gratitude to the people of the state capital for their steadfast support to the party over the years.

    He declared that the APC was on an unstoppable march to the Government House in 2019.

    Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Chief Ekott, who said he had been in politics since 1979, pledged their commitment to the success of the APC in Uyo.

    Also speaking, Mr. Eddie said with the calibre of the defectors, who he described as the finest crop of Uyo politicians, the APC was certain to win every election in the state capital.

    A former Commissioner for Economic Development and APC leader in Uyo, Dr. Chris Ekong, commended the defectors for taking the bold step to join the moving train of change.

    Tracing the political history of Uyo, he reasoned that the state capital with its nearly 200,000 votes was the deciding area in governorship elections in the state.

    Others who spoke were Mkpisong Pius Okon and Obonganwan Victoria Eberefiak.

    The event was attended by several prominent politicians including the APC Uyo Chapter Chairman, Mr. Gabriel Ikpe, the immediate past House of Assembly Member for Uyo, Mr. Edwin Joseph, and two former local government chairmen, Arc. Essien Nkanga and Otuekong Ekerete Ekpenyong.

  • Ex-President Jonathan backs Dickson’s Peace Committee

    Ex-President Jonathan backs Dickson’s Peace Committee

    …Insists political solution best option to end PDP crisis

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Saturday, threw his weight behind the Governor Seriake Dickson-led Peace and Reconciliation Committee, insisting that a political solution remained the best option to resolving ongoing crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Receiving the governor and members of his committee in his country home at Otuoke, Ogbia local government area, Bayelsa State, Jonathan urged the contending parties to embrace negotiations as a way out of the current party challenge.

    Jonathan , who made the remarks after receiving the report of the peace Committee, said party affairs should be treated like a family matter and settled out of court.

    He commended the Dickson-led committee immensely for its good work saying members of the committee deserved encouragement.

    He particularly thanked the governor and his entourage for going round the country to meet with key stakeholders and leaders of the party to seek ways of returning peace to the PDP.

    Jonathan expressed reservation over the use of courts to settle political matters, stressing that a political solution would ensure a win-win outcome for the warring groups within the party.

    He said: “ I believe a political solution remains the best means of resolving the crisis in the party and that’s why the Dickson committee must be commended.

    “No two parties go to court and come out smiling especially for a political party like the PDP that’s in the opposition”, the former president opined”.

    Giving instances of people who went to court and at the end could not get the desired result, Jonathan insisted that courts should ordinarily have no business in deciding who should be the chairman of a political party.

    The former president called on the parties to submit themselves to a political solution and expressed hope that it would finally rest the protracted crisis.

    On his part before presenting the report to the former President, Dickson aligned himself to some of the remarks made by Engr Aba Gana, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who had earlier spoken.

    Dickson added that Bayelsa State has benefited substantially from the PDP, declaring that the party remains the only one that has given the position of President to Bayelsa, a minority.

    He expressed Bayelsa’s indebtedness to the PDP, insisting that it is a thing of pride to work to ensure that the crisis in the party is finally resolved.

    Earlier, Gana, who is a member of PDP’s Board of Trustee paid glowing tributes to the remarkable leadership quality of Dickson referring to him as a peacemaker.

    “He has pushed the process so relentlessly to the extent that the success of finding a lasting resolution of the crisis has become evident”, Gana said.

    He also commended former President Jonathan for conceding defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari at the time he did.

    He maintained that that singular move restored peace to Nigeria and averted the looming crisis that would have consumed a number of lives.

    Gana noted that a leader who could achieve that feat effortlessly, would even do much more to restore peace in the PDP.

  • Leadership crisis: Rep urges PDP members to shun sentiments

    Leadership crisis: Rep urges PDP members to shun sentiments

    A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Johnson Agbonayinma (Edo-PDP), said the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be resolved if members dropped sentiments.

    Agbonayinma said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that was no problem without solution and the ability to look beyond issues without being passionate would go a long way in bringing peace back to the party.

    “So, I align with Gov. Seriake Dickson’s recommendations on ways to restore peace to the party.

    “I must appreciate him and I believe his efforts will never be in vain.

    “I think Dickson’s report and recommendation is the only way forward and that is what Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, Chairman of PDP, has been saying.

    “We must stop the impunity in our party; we must give the party back to the people. When you say, `PDP, power to the people’, we must exhibit that; we must show to the world that we really care for the people.

    “It is not about being selfish but about selflessness. Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff is not on trial, those that are on trial are those trying to blackmail him, castigate him and paint him black,’’ he said.

    The lawmaker said that some people did not mean well for the party and therefore called on all members to ensure that the party bounced back.

    “Some people who don’t mean well for our party are being used by some external forces to cause crisis for PDP because they are financially buoyant.

    “I tell you the truth, Nigerians are wiser than what they think and they are watching too,” he said.

     

  • Threat to life: Obiano, PDP chairman trade words in Anambra

    Threat to life: Obiano, PDP chairman trade words in Anambra

    …We’re on the matter, says DSS

     

    Anambra state governor, Chief Willie Obiano and the state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Ken Emeakayi, are at daggers drawn following allegations of threat to life reported to the police and Department state service (DSS) by the later.

    While Emeakayi has insisted that Obiano threatened to kill him on phone if he continues to propose his administration, the governor, has described the allegation as neither here nor there.

    But, the State Director of Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Isyhaku says the command was on the matter and had gone far, while the state commissioner of police, Mr. Samuel Okaula has continued to keep mute over the issue.

    Before now, the PDP chairman had written a letter to the two security agencies, intimating them on the development between him and the state governor.

    After waiting some time without response from the security chiefs, Emeakayi decided to storm the police and DSS commands at the weekend to find out the situation of things.

    Emeakayi alleged that the reason he was being pursued by the governor was as a result of the letter he wrote to the state house of Assembly, the police and DSS to call the governor to order for traveling out of the state for 30 days without transmitting to his deputy.

    In the letter written about a month ago, the PDP chairman described Obiano action as unconstitutional, adding that anything he did now as the governor of the state was illegal.

    Also, the letter calling for Obiano’s impeachment to the state Assembly, was equally endorsed by 27 other political parties in the state under the aegis of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) led by Hon. Kate Oby Okafor, who is also the state chairman of African Congress of Democrats (ACD)

    But in his reaction Obiano’s senior special adviser on research, strategic communication and legislative matters, Prince Oliver Okpala said the allegation by Emeakayi had no basis.

    According to Okpala, “When did mere telephone calls transform to violence? That is why I said they are neither here nor there. Since he has reported to the police and the DSS, he can now wait and see the outcome of the investigation”

    As a result, Emeakayi during his visit to the DSS and Police,  requested security protection from the police and DSS, also for the security agencies to investigate his allegation and to get a call history of his conversation with the Governor from the service providers.

  • Ondo ex-militants cry out over non-payment of allowances

    Some ex-militants from Bolowou community in Ese-Edo local government area of Ondo State yesterday raised the alarm over nonpayment of their N65,000 monthly Amnesty stipend.

    The Affected ex-militants, numbering 25 said they became worried when they were not paid their last month stipend, whereas other beneficiaries of the scheme in the council received alerts on their bank accounts.

    They alleged that they were being victimised due their stands to support the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN during the last year November 26, Governorship election in the state.

    Ese-Odo has always been a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but the council was won by APC during the last gubernatorial poll.

    The victims are also alleging the former western fringe commander of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Bibopere Ajube, alias General Shoot at Sight, as the mastermind of the stoppage of their allowances.

    A statement jointly signed by two of the ex-militants, Jamin Wariebi and Lubi Timiakirimni  said Ajube was punishing them over their refusal‎ to support the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo state.

    They therefore threatened to embark on a peaceful protest on Wednesday this week at Bolowou if their allowances remained unpaid before then.

    They alleged that Ajube delisted their names at the Amnesty Office, Abuja after meeting with top officers at the office.

    The statement reads ”We are worried and constrained to alert the nation that a former MEND commander, Bibopere Ajube, aka General Shoot at Sight has stopped the payment of our N65,000 monthly stipends with the collaborating of the programme’s ccordinator, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd).

    “All other beneficiaries of the programme have been paid last week, but to our surprise, ours was not and we were informed by competent sources at the Amnesty Office that Ajube went to coordinator to delist us from the programme and has already replaced us with persons who were not even captured in the programme.

    ”From all indications, our ordeal is not unconnected with our refusal to support his preferred governorship candidate in the last election in Ondo state, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN.

    “Since the election, Ajube has threatened to deal with all those who worked for the APC candidate and now governor, Rotimi Akeredolu”.

    But when contacted, Ajube confirmed the allegation, saying he has given their slots to those who were genuine ex-militants.

    He warned them to stop linking their ordeal with the last governorship election state, insisting that they will never benefit from the scheme again because they are not ex-militants.

    He noted that the 25 victims lied by claiming that they work for APC during last governorship election because they were loyalists of Chief Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

    He said “I have been sincered to my people on this issue of Amnesty and that is why I always directed the Amnesty office to pay directly into the boys’ accounts on like my colleagues, who will ask the office to pay into their accounts and later share the money to their boys.

    “We will ensure only those genuine ex-militants will continue to benefit from the scheme and those 25 will never benefit from scheme because they are not ex-militants”.

  • PDP crisis: Sheriff frustrating peace process, says Makarfi

    PDP crisis: Sheriff frustrating peace process, says Makarfi

    The chairman of the caretaker committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has accused the party’s national chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff of frustrating the party’s peace process.

    Makarfi, who made the accusation in Abuja on Wednesday while meeting some Northern leaders of the PDP, said Sheriff reneged on a proposal by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He told the gathering that Sheriff refused to abide by an arrangement where both of them would resign their positions. He also blamed the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson for presenting a convention report to Sheriff without consultation.

    Said he, “When Dickson came to meet me on his committee’s report, I told him, you are one of the governors that met with former president Goodluck Jonathan and he spelt out the proposal of peace plan which he communicated to the National Assembly caucus, communicated to us (caretaker committee) and other organs of the party.

    “And I asked him, are you now removing yourself from that? Why didn’t you table what you have before your colleagues? I also asked him whether he had taken pains to read the Port Harcourt Appeal Court judgement and he said no.

    “That judgement is based on two premises which we did not accept. The first premise, which we did not accept in our appeal to the Supreme Court, that the tenure of three members of the NWC will expire in august this year and 18 will expire in July 2018.

    “If you now propose to hold convention in June, what are you going to achieve? How will the June convention is different from last year’s in Portharcourt and he said he didn’t think about that.

    “And if he didn’t think about it, he shouldn’t do anything that will go against court of appeal judgment. What that judgement stipulates is a return to a status quo ante. What the court means is that all the national officers before May 21 must return to office. What Sheriff is doing is against the judgement, all his actions run foul against the judgement.

    “The proposal on the way forward is to revert to the status quo as pronounced by the court of appeal. This is what I told Dickson, that he should go back to his colleagues governors and other organs of the party to clear the issue. As far as we are concerned, the caretaker committee has no position other than what the organs of the party.

    “President Jonathan, after meeting with the governors, at about 1 am, called me and told me about the resolution they have reached, which he said will be forwarded to the NASS causus and other organs of the party as part of political solution. Some of the resolution is that the judgement of appeal court must be respected to prevent anybody from coming tomorrow to rubbish the party with litigation.

    “Again, having reverted to the status quo, everybody will now formally resign. If everybody will resign, then the solicitors of the organs of the party will now sit down and look at all the legal issues involved and then draw up a MoU that will serve as settlement of parties. This will be deposited at the Supreme Court as the settlement of the crisis.

    “Even if this is not provided in the constitution of the party, INEC is going to accept it and no one is going to rubbish PDP on that.

    “In response, I told the former president that the caretaker committee has nothing against his proposal but that it will be presented before the organs and if accepted, the caretaker committee will stand by it.

    “Former President Jonathan said he told Sheriff to go and consult and after his reply, he will get back to him. Uptill now he has not gotten back to him. What it means is that perhaps, he did not get positive response from Sheriff.”

    Some of those present at the meeting were chairman former minister of police affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri; former minister of information, Prof Jerry gana; Aminu Wali; former PDP youth leader, Abdullahi Maibasira; Sen Saidu Kumo; Sen Aruwa; chairman of former ministers, Kabiru Turaki; former governor of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed; former governor of Adamawa Boni Haruna.

    Former governor of Kano State Ibrahim Shekarau; Hon Tukur; Gen. David Jeribewon; former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru   Bafarawa; former governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu; former deputy national publicity secretary of PDP, Abdullahi Jalo; former deputy governor of Sokoto, Murtahr Shagari; former women minister, Hajiya Inua Ciroma; former governor of Plateau, Sen Jonah Jang; Sen Abubakar Gada; Sen. Solomon Ewuga among others.