The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Presidential Poll: Buhari’s group urges EU, AU to caution Atiku

    The Buhari Campaign Organization (BCO) has written to the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), urging them to prevail upon the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to jettison his plan of going to court to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.

    In separate letters addressed to the heads of EU and AU Observation Missions in Nigeria, the president’s support group noted that the international bodies must act fast to save the country’s democracy from what it described as Atiku’s inequitable conduct despite the reports of fairness in the just concluded polls by international observers.

    In the letters made available to reported in Abuja on Sunday by its Director of Communications and Strategic Planning, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, the BCO said Atiku ought to have congratulated President Buhari instead of yielding to PDP’s politics of bitterness.

    The group pointed out that Buhari’s magnanimity in victory which was demonstrated in his appeal to his supporters not to humiliate the opposition was enough reason for Atiku to repent of his obstinacy and congratulate the president on his reelection.

    It stated: “We are writing to inform you of the undemocratic tendencies of the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, who has chosen to take the electoral process in Nigeria backward after a peaceful and credible presidential and National Assembly elections conducted penultimate Saturday.

    “In spite of reports by foreign observers acknowledging the polls as free, fair and peaceful, the opposition party and its candidate have chosen to discredit the entire process and make the Observation Missions look as if they are biased in their assessment of the just concluded presidential poll. Apart from blatantly refusing to congratulate the winner of the said poll, President Muhammadu Buhari, the PDP and its candidate have taken the battle to court apparently to cause distractions with a view to slowing down the wheels of governance in the country.

    “The PDP is still inciting the Nigerian public against the government of the day irrespective of the fact that President Buhari had been magnanimous in victory. He has pledged to run an all-inclusive government and has even urged us, his supporters, not to gloat or humiliate the opposition, an enjoinder we have adhered strictly to the letter. We deem it fit to draw your attention to this brazen attempt to frustrate the democratic process, hoping that you will intervene by calling the PDP and its presidential candidate to order and ensure that the tenets of democracy are adhered to in the ongoing electoral process in Nigeria.

    “Atiku should follow former President Goodluck Jonathan’s example. Nobody’s life should be sacrificed for any politician’s ambition. He should abide by the agreement signed by all presidential candidates with the National Peace Committee to accept the results of the just concluded presidential poll in good faith. Nigeria has in the past witnessed enough shedding of the blood of innocent Nigerians. If Atiku wants to help Nigerians, he should work with the Buhari-led government for a prosperous nation. He should not set Nigeria aflame with his inordinate ambition and insatiable taste for power”.

  • Our members barred from returning to their community, says Bayelsa PDP

    The Bayelsa State Chairman òf the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Moses Cleopas, has raised the alarm that over 2000 members of the party from Nembe-Bassambiri, were not allowed to return to the community.
    Cleopas explained that the party members fled the community following violence that rocked the area on the eve of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
    But he lamented that persons, who orchestrated the violence perfected measures to stop the residents from returning to the community ahead of the forthcoming elections.
    Cleopas called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to intervene in the worsening  security situation in Nembe Bassambiri, where he said  thugs backed by soldiers attacked PDP members to cart away election materials to a hotel for thumb-printing.
    He called called on the Nigerian Army to deploy a fresh set of soldiers to Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas ahead of the elections.
    He alleged that the current set of soldiers had  been compromised to tarnish the image of the establishment by aiding criminality and electoral violence in Bayelsa.
    Cleopas expressed shock that the Army had not been able to arrest any of the thugs shooting and harassing innocent people in Nembe Bassambiri.
    He further alleged that the Nigerian Army commenced a process of harassing innocent members of the PDP with a view to perpetrating low voters turn out to the detriment of the party in the area.
    He called on the security agencies to ensure that the PDP members who fled Bassambiri during the attack by thugs aided by soldiers in Nembe Bassambiri were allowed to their residences without harassment.
    The PDP Chairman, however,  commended the leadership of the Nigerian Police for the bold decision to arrest the masterminds of the harassment of the Deputy Commissioner òf Police in charge of Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, Mr. Kola Okunola during the last election.
    He called for immediate prosecution of the people that harassed Okunola  before he was rescued by the whiskers for refusing to manipulate results.
    Cleopas stressed that only such a step would restore the people’s confidence in the security agencies.

  • 2000 PDP members defect to APC in Kwara

    ANRP governorship candidate declare for Abdulrazaq

     

    No fewer than 2000 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state on Sunday defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection was the second of such major exodus from the party in one week after the crushing defeat it suffered in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The mass defections took place in Taiwo area of Ilorin, the state capital and was led by a former member of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Bamidele Aluko.

    Before his defection, Aluko was a staunch foot soldier of Senator Bukola Saraki.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki on Saturday vowed that the PDP would bounce during the March 9th governorship and state House of Assembly election in the state.

    Aluko, leader of the decampees, was chairman of the Kwara United Football Club and the PDP leader in Badari Ward of Ilorin West, the most populated local government area of Kwara State.

    Other top defectors included Alhaji Alao Abdulyekeen, another PDP top gun from Baboko area of Ilorin, and Akeem Dare youth leader from Balogun Fulani ward 1.

    Also on Sunday in Ilorin, over 500 PDP members from Asa local government area joined the  APC.

    Leaders of the defectors said the outcome of the National Assembly elections was the clearest manifestation yet “that Kwarans have decided to reject and retire Senator Bukola Saraki for reasons of bad governance, oppression and non-inclusive leadership.”

    “Our people are tired. Salaries don’t get paid in the true sense of the word and the infrastructure on the ground is not commensurate with the resources the state has received over the years. Worst still, people are tired of leaders who see everything from their own comfort zone,” Aluko said at a reception held for them by the APC as represented by Barrister Kunle Suleiman and Hon. Olawoyin Magaji.

    “People are tired of the status quo. People are angry and fed up with dictatorial leadership and the result is what you just said.”

    The mass defection came a few days after over 500 PDP members from Osin Wara Osin Egbejila ward and others declared allegiance to the APC in Surulere area of the state capital, describing the party’s governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the “Moses of our time who is changing the political history of the state.”

    Also, the governorship candidate of the ANRP in Kwara State Dr AbdulMumeen Yinka Ajia has declared his support for APC’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, saying the latter largely represents his dream about the state.

    Ajia, a leading candidate with appreciable following among the youth, said in a statement at the weekend in Ilorin that AbdulRazaq’s victory will turn the page for the political history of Kwara.

    Ajia also announced his immediate resignation from the ANRP and movement to the APC “because the situation in Kwara is really not about party but our struggle against retrogressive leadership as a people.”

    He called on his supporters to deliver their bloc votes for the APC candidate.

    “I have also gone through his manifesto and I am assured that the progressive, people-centred Kwara that I envisioned can be kick-started under his leadership,” Ajia added.

  • No election in Nembe wards, PDP candidates insist

    Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly election in Bayelsa State at the weekend insisted that no election held in the seven wards of Nembe-Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area of the state.

    The candidates said they were surprised that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) still went ahead to announce results, which they claimed were written without election by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking at the PDP state secretariat, Yenagoa, the candidates, who contested elections in the affected wards said there was no basis for INEC to accept results from Nembe-Bassambiri where elections could not hold.

    Persons, who narrated their ordeals, were the PDP candidates for Brass-Nembe Federal Constituency, Marie Ebikake and Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Izagara Ipigansi.

    Ebikake said other areas where elections held in the senatorial district, the PDP defeated the APC and wondered how 41,000 votes were ‘manufactured’ from Nembe-Bassambiri to upturn the victory of the PDP.

    She said: “You all are aware that the 22nd, specifically in Bassambiri, there was serious shoot out throughout the night and everybody ran helter skelter. Some people moved to Nembe City while some people rushed down to other communities.

    Surprisingly they said election took place on Saturday and we thought it was a joke”.

    She said one military officer with the rank of a major aided the opposition to write the controversial  results describing him as a disgrace to the military.

    Also speaking, Ipigansi, said he could not vote in his unit because electoral materials did not get to Nembe-Bassambiri.

    He said after all their efforts to get the materials proved abortive, they discovered that the materials were diverted to a private hotel under the supervision of security operatives.

    Read Also: Gas explosion sacks Bayelsa communities

    He said: “There were no materials. I can attest to that because I was not giving the opportunity to see the materials and to cast my vote. Bassambiri protested and we called people to record and take video clips of what happened at the various units where people waited in vain to cast their votes.

    So as a candidate I did not participate, only to be told on the 24th of January that results had been prepared to be submitted. I was no giving the opportunity to vote in my Constituency 3, which comprises wards 11, 12 and 13. There was no election.

    “In Brass, I won APC by almost 7,000 votes. In Nembe local government in constituency 1 where election was conducted I won APC by almost 3,000 votes. So you can imagine that in my own constituency and my own community that has ward 11, the highest voting strength in that local government, I didn’t have one vote. This is surprising.

    “So I am surprised that where election did not hold, result were compiled and submitted. We are pleading that INEC should have a rerun of election in Nembe Bassambiri. If  they are popular let them come and contest”, he said.

    Also, the Commissioner for Education, Jonathan Obuebite, said the results relied upon by INEC to declare candidates of the APC winners would not stand.

    He said: “Whatever result you see that have been used to declare any candidate should be disregarded because we know we are to meet in court, and definitely the law will have is course and the truth will manifest and the rightful candidate that won the election will be declared or re-run election will be conducted in those 7 wards.

    “Let it be very clear to the world that there was no election Nembe constituency 2 and Nembe constituency 3. Now the big question is how come they allow those results to be declared? How come they did not probe the card readers to confirm that indeed there was no accreditation?”

  • We have nothing to do with death of two, says Delta APC

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) has debunked allegations linking it to the death of two young men during the presidential and national assembly polls in Sapele, Delta State.

    In a press release made available to newsmen on Sunday, the party described the claims as efforts on the part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to cover up their involvement in the killings.

    Calling on security operatives to investigate the matter, the release which was signed by the party’s chairman, Comrade Friday Erubasa, said the attack was plotted to rig the elections in ward 9, which has always been an APC stronghold.

    It also called on security agencies to ignore allegations by the PDP that the attack was carried out by one of APC chieftains, whose house was burnt down after the onslaught.

    Read Also: Polls: Kidnapped APC candidate still in captivity

    Some political thugs had reportedly opened fire on voters at Ward 9, Unit 15 in Amukpe area of Sapele, leading to the death of two persons who made attempt to snatch ballot boxes.

    Stating that the presence of the deceased persons, identified as Michael Chibueze and Jeffrey Otevane, at that polling unit was questionable, considering that they were not registered voters of the unit, the APC alleged that they were PDP members recruited as mercenaries by the council chairman, Chief Eugene Inoaghan and one Hero Asagba, a special adviser to governor of Delta state, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa.

    It wondered why the duo were being said to be Ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), even when the electoral body is yet to report loss of any official.

    Calling on party supporters to come out en masse and vote for APC candidates in the forthcoming governorship polls, the party disputed claims that its candidate, Moses Ogodo was part of the thugs, adding, “Moses Ogodo was never at the polling booth, as he is a registered voter at unit 12, ward 9 where he was on that day, exercising his franchise.”

  • Buhari assures women, youths appointments in his new cabinet

    President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to give Nigerian women and youths more appointments in the next four years of his administration.

    Buhari acknowledged the significant role played by women and youths toward his re-election.

    The president said his administration would not disappoint them in the next four years of his administration.

    He gave the assurance on Sunday night  while speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women and Youths Presidential Campaign team dinner to celebrate his the re-election in Abuja.

    “I appreciate your coming here tonight, but we have to congratulate ourselves for succeeding,we indeed thank God for this success, “he said.

    The President however, promised that only those with integrity and interest of Nigeria would be considered for appointments in the next cabinet.

    He said more fertilizers were being made available to Nigerian farmers at a lower rate.

    According to him, that resulted in the increase in agricultural production and reduction in food importation.

    Buhari also called on Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture to ensure more food sufficiency and food export.

    The President faulted the sixteen-year rule of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he said, wasted the nation’s resources.

    According to him, the country witnessed rampant infrastructure decay in spite of the huge resources earned during the period(NAN).

  • Atiku made no demand on Buhari – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed media reports that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, made some demands on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Describing the reports as fabrication being peddled by the Buhari presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP urged the public to disregard such reports, describing them as absolute falsehood and outright lies.

    A statement yesterday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said Atiku Abubakar had not, and will never make or accept any condition from President Buhari regarding the February 23 presidential election, which the PDP insisted Atiku won. The statement said, “The Buhari presidency and the APC know that their electoral robbery cannot stand before any noble justices and are now attempting to use all sorts of blackmail and shenanigans to derail the quest by Nigerians to reclaim the stolen mandate at the tribunal.

    “However, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that Atiku Abubakar and the PDP are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in this collective determination to take back the stolen mandate and we are not ready for any form of negotiation with anybody on this matter. Our party and candidate remain committed to the huge sacrifices made by Nigerians in ensuring our collective victory as delivered at the polling units across the country; we are mindful of the pains that Nigerians are passing through since the subversion of their will at the polls; we are sensitive to the expectations that millions of compatriots place on our shoulders in this struggle and we will never let Nigerians down.

    “We have all the authentic results from all the polling units as well as forensic evidence of manipulations by the APC and INEC. We will bare them all at the tribunal and the court will give justice to Nigerians. On that note, the PDP states unequivocally that nothing will change its resolve to pursue this despicable electoral fraud, unknown in our political history, to its end. We shall devote every energy necessary to reclaim our mandate and have Atiku Abubakar declared president, in line with the will of the people as delivered at the polling units on February 23, 2019.”

  • Atiku unveils legal team, vows not to mortgage people’s mandate

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has vowed not to mortgage the people’s mandate as he unveiled his legal team on Saturday.

    Atiku is challenging the victory of incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In a statement yesterday by Atiku’s media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate named Dr. Livy Uzoukwu SAN as head of his legal team.

    Atiku has alleged malpractices and manipulation of the ballot in many states across the federation to the undue advantage of President Buhari who contested the poll on the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC).

    He also alleged interference by the military and other security agencies in the election in ways and manners that compromised the credibility of the election, including voter repression, falsification of results and intimidation of voters.

    The statement quoted Atiku as saying, “I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved.

    “I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably, is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power”.

    Atiku assured that sooner than later, the noble dispensers of justice will give a judgment that will represent a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandits.

    He maintained that in no circumstances will he mortgage the mandate he said was freely given him by Nigerians in the February 23 election.

  • PDP: Atiku made no demand on Buhari

    …vows to reclaim ‘stolen mandate’ at Tribunal

     

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed media reports indicating that its candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has been making some demands on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Describing the reports as fabrication being peddled by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP urged the public to disregard such reports, describing them as absolute falsehood and outright lies.

    A statement Saturday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said Atiku Abubakar had not, and will never make or accept any condition from President Buhari regarding the February 23 presidential election, which the PDP insisted Atiku won.

    The statement said, “The Buhari Presidency and the APC know that their electoral robbery cannot stand before any noble justices and are now attempting to use all sorts of blackmail and shenanigans to derail the quest by Nigerians to reclaim the stolen mandate at the tribunal.

    “However, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that Atiku Abubakar and the PDP are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in this collective determination to take back the stolen mandate and we are not ready for any form of negotiation with anybody on this matter.

    Read Also: Respect Nigerians’ verdict, group tells Atiku

    “Our party and candidate remain committed to the huge sacrifices made by Nigerians in ensuring our collective victory as delivered at the polling units across the country; we are mindful of the pains that Nigerians are passing through since the subversion of their will at the polls; we are sensitive to the expectations that millions of compatriots place on our shoulders in this struggle and we will never let Nigerians down.

    “We have all the authentic results from all the polling units as well as forensic evidence of manipulations by the APC and INEC. We will bare them all at the tribunal and the court will give justice to Nigerians.

    “On that note, the PDP states unequivocally that nothing will change its resolve to pursue this despicable electoral fraud, unknown in our political history, to its end.

    “We shall devote every energy necessary to reclaim our mandate and have Atiku Abubakar declared President, in line with the will of the people as delivered at the polling units on February 23, 2019.

    “Anything short of this is not acceptable and no amount of false reports, connivance, contrivance, intimidation, harassment and fresh attacks on our leaders, including the Director General of our Presidential Campaign, Senate President Bukola Saraki, whose residence was besieged by security agents last night, can alter this resolve”.

     

  • Polls: Saraki confident of victory

    In spite of his humiliating defeat during the presidential and National Assembly elections, Senate President Bukola Saraki is confident of victory for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship candidate Razak Atunwa and other candidates in March 9th governorship and House of Assembly election.

    He urged his supporters not to be discouraged by the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, urging them to troop out en masse to vote for the PDP governorship and House of Assembly candidates come March 9 elections.

    Saraki was given a heroic reception on arrival at the Ilorin International Airport by crowd of supporters.

    He added that the PDP has the number to emerge victorious in the remaining elections.

    Addressing his supporters at the Charity House at his Iloffa GRA residence in Ilorin, the Senate President urged his people to close ranks and work in unison for the PDP in the governorship and house of assembly elections.

    Senator Saraki appealed to his supporters and other aggrieved stakeholders to overlook wherever the system might have erred in the overall interest of Kwara state.

    Saraki reminded them that “those you voted for in anger are not your people and cannot attend to your needs as we, who are your brothers will do.”

    Read Also: Horror moments for Saraki, Southwest politician

    He thanked the people of the state for their support, assuring them that he would always be around to cater for their needs.

    He added “I can’t run away. My covenant with my people transcends politics. I will never abandon my people. We should not fight. I leave everything to God. I will not fight even with those they declared winnners of the last weekend’s elections. We must cooperate for the governorship election. Once we do this, we shall win the election.”

    He charged his followers to be more committed like the opposition’s supporters.

    “We should stop internal wrangling. We shall emerge victorious in the remaining election. I’m here to assure you that I shall never abandon you, my people. The people you have voted for are not known to you. We should forgive ourselves and move forward in the interest of our state, ” he stated.