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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • I am the author of restructuring – Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described himself as the author of restructuring, claiming that he will be Nigeria’s President from May 29 this year and that President Muhammadu Buhari must go.

    The former Vice-President spoke on Monday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, near Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, while campaigning, along with other leaders of PDP.

    President Buhari will also be at the same Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Tuesday, in continuation of his presidential campaigns.

    Atiku, who was accompanied by one of his wives, Jennifer, and other leaders of PDP, got to the stadium at 2:27 p.m., for campaign slated for 10 a.m., when many tired members of the party had left the venue, in view of stress, caused by the scorching sun, with one of the Masters of Ceremonies (MCs) continually announcing: “Close the back gate,” when the stadium almost became empty.

    When the vice-presidential candidate of PDP, Peter Obi, was asked to speak, he kept shouting in pidgin English: “Rivers people, make una wait now.”

    The rally was also attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was accompanied by his wife, Dame Patience; Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike; his counterpart of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; the Director-General of PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President; the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, an indigene of Andoni LGA of Rivers state; and Rivers Chairman of PDP, Chief Felix Obuah; among other leaders of the party.

    Atiku said: “Let me use this opportunity to pay tribute to a Nigerian who is patriotic, who is fearless, who is courageous, who is hardworking and who believes in this country. That Nigerian is Governor Wike. Wike and I have a few things in common. We no dey fear ooo. Do you want somebody we dey fear to lead you. It means if he is afraid, you will all be finished. I want to commend him (Wike) for the hard work he has done in Rivers State. I have been part and parcel of this state (Rivers) since 1984. I have not seen one single governor who has transformed this state to such a level that you can compare it with any modernised state.

    “I have been to many parts of this state (Rivers). The places where I used to go with boats, now I can do by road and cars, sitting comfortably. Wike did all this. He deserves a second term. He deserves to be re-elected. I know you are going to re-elect him. Wike, carry go.

    “If you elect PDP, which I am sure you are going to elect, and if you elect Atiku, you know that I am the author of restructuring. I will give it (restructuring) to Niger Delta and I will give it to all parts of this country. We must restructure.

    Read Also: APC has bastardised economy, says Atiku

    “It is the Obasanjo/Atiku administration that started the East-West Road. Till today, it is not finished. It is not finished, because you did not vote for PDP in 2015 to continue. APC came and halted it. If you vote for PDP again, we are going to finish it.

    “Your ports (sea) that do not work to create jobs, the Port Harcourt Port and Onne Port, we will complete them, so that we can create thousands of jobs for young men and women in Rivers State.

    “You can see that APC has not done anything for you. They have not done anything for Niger Delta. They have not done anything for Southsouth. Every development that you have got in Rivers State, Southsouth or Niger Delta is PDP. So, continue to vote for PDP. I beg you.

    “I want to assure you that I will protect the constitution (of Nigeria). You know sey nobody go court reach me in Nigeria, to protect our constitution. I will protect separation of powers. I will not interfere with the National Assembly, because I believe in checks and balances. I will not interfere with the judiciary, because it is part and parcel of our checks and balances. I will uphold the rule of law. I will not allow rule of law to be trampled by anybody.”

    The presidential candidate of PDP also alleged that his counterpart of APC was preaching violence, claiming that it was not the first time that President Buhari would do so, stressing that Nigerians wanted peace, development, prosperity and jobs, while not being ready to fight one another again, declaring that: “Buhari must go.”

    Jonathan stated that Atiku would be Nigeria’s president from May 29, 2019, describing Rivers state as totally PDP, claiming that Nigeria had not made progress since he left office on May 29, 2015, after his humiliating defeat by President Buhari, the first of its kind in Nigeria’s history, for a sitting president to lose election.

    Wike said: “We have darkness and light (in Nigeria). APC is darkness. PDP is light. Do you want to vote for darkness? It is a war between dictatorship and freedom. Do you want dictatorship? Dictatorship is APC. Freedom is PDP. Are you Atikulated?”

    Secondus described Atiku as the next president of Nigeria, alleging that APC was in disarray, with its leaders desperate and confused, making them to allegedly be running from pillar to post, while insisting that the presidential candidate of PDP would be a winner on February 16, with Buhari to have no choice, but to leave the presidential villa on May 29 this year and return to his Daura hometown.

    National chairman of PDP maintained that Atiku had capacity, energy, being innovative, would be able to work for 24 hours daily and would be fully in charge as the Commander-in-Chief, claiming that the party’s presidential candidate would be the next helmsman of Nigeria this year.

    Saraki urged Nigerians to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for Atiku and other candidates of PDP, in order to move the nation forward, while claiming that his party’s presidential candidate would change Nigeria and put an end to the current poverty.

    Obi claimed that the only person who could make Nigeria to work again would be Atiku.

    Rivers chairman of PDP assured that people of the state would give Atiku 100 per cent votes, while presenting 58 governorship candidates of other political parties in the state, who decided to adopt Wike, thereby withdrawing their candidacy to back the PDP’s governorship candidate in Rivers.

    While also speaking, the Presidential Campaign Coordinator in Rivers state, Senator Olaka Worgu, noted that for better life, Nigerians must massively vote for Atiku on Saturday, stressing that Nigerians deserved better than they were currently getting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of President Buhari.

    The rally was rounded off at 3:36 p.m.

     

  • 2019: PDP plotting to unleash fake news to create panic – APC

    The APC Presidential Campaign Council has raised an alarm over what it described as an orchestrated plan by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s Presidential candidate to create fear in the mind of Nigerians with a series of fake news that will heat up the polity.

    Spokesman of the campaign, Festus Keyamo said in a statement made available to newsmen that two of such fake news video have already been released the party.

    He reminded them that similar attempt in 2015 to scare Nigerians and cause them not to vote for President Buhari back fired, adding that the same plot will still back fire as Nigerians will overwhelmingly elect the President.

    He appealed to them not to create unnecessary panic in the land before, during and after the election.

    “In a move reminiscent of how the PDP hired Cambridge Analytica in 2015 to scare voters from voting for President Muhammadu Buhari, we understand the PDP is at it again a few days to the actual voting day. This time, sources within the heart of the operations of the PDP and security sources have informed us of plans already concluded by the PDP and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign team to roll out a series of fake news designed again to scare voters from voting for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “These fake news would consist of doctored videos and audio clips and fake news reports from fake news sites.

    “Two of such fake news in the series have already been released through their proxies and nameless individuals. The first is an audio clip of a supposed “nurse” of President Muhammadu Buhari telling voters that the President is sick and cannot govern for another four years.

    “We understand that a Nigerian girl whose real name is Sandra and who used a fake British accent did the said recording somewhere in Maitama in a house belonging to a PDP chieftain. Security operatives are already on her trail.

    “The second fake news released is on the purported death of Leah Sharibu. This is a lie from the pit of hell as the Federal Government’s effort to set her free has reached an advanced stage.

    “The other fake news lined up for the next few days by the PDP and Atiku’s handlers would consist of similar doctored audios, videos and fake news with no link to credible news sites.

    “Our advice to the leadership of the PDP is that Nigeria must not burn because of their selfish ambition. Enough damage was done from these kinds of narratives they pushed out in 2015 from which we have not fully recovered till date.

    “The election will come and go and Nigeria will remain one united, indivisible entity. We are shocked that the panic mode of the PDP has gone into overdrive, prompting them to push out such reckless fake news.

    “We wish to advise the leadership of the PDP that in order to reduce this type of panic and desperation on their part in 2023 (that is, if they survive as a party), they must find something meaningful to do outside government patronage after they lose the 2019 election.

    “This type of attitude is borne out of hanging around, idle and waiting endlessly for election cycles to try to get back to power to plunder our national resources. The bad news for them is that from feelers we are having on the ground, Nigerians are not yet prepared to forgive them for their 16 years of misrule, mismanagement and outright stealing of our national resources.

    “Nigerians should therefore be on the alert regarding these series of fake news in the next few days.”

     

  • APC has bastardised economy, says Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Sunday in Kano said the country is witnessing unprecedented economic setback under the All Progressive Congress (APC) government.

    Atiku, whose campaign train berthed in the ancient city of Kano in continuation of his presidential campaign, arrived the Sani Abacha stadium at about 5:55 pm before a mammoth crowd that anxiously waited for several hours.

    Speaking to the PDP supporters, Atiku said if given the mandate in next Saturday’s presidential election, he will support the revitalisation of agriculture and the economy, which he said are in shambles.

    According to him: “I will ensure that among my priorities would be the revitalization of agriculture, industries and commercial activities so as to boost the economy which has been killed by the APC government.”

    He noted that Kano, which is nerve center of commercial activities in the North, is experiencing backwardness in business and commerce.

    According to him: “If you vote for PDP from top to bottom and bottom to top, PDP government will revitalize business and the moribund industries in Kano. We will also boost agriculture.”

    Also speaking, the PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus told the huge crowd of PDP supporters the Kano rally represents a revolution and a pointer that Kano people has embraced PDP.

    The Director General of Atiku Campaign Organisation, Senator Bukola Saraki lamented: “There is hunger in Nigeria. The APC government has brought hardship on the people. There is need for us to vote them out.

    “Today, Kano people have spoken and what we have seen in this unprecedented crowd today is that PDP has taken over Kano.

    “People have agreed to vote for PDP. A vote for PDP and a vote for Atiku will put food on our table.”

    Former Kano Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankawso said the mammoth were sending a message to Aso Rock that PDP has already taken over Kano.

    He said: “Today, Kano people and particularly, the youths have shown that Kano is for PDP and Kwankwasiyya.”

    The Chapman of the party in Kano, Suleiman Rabi’u Bichi said that PDP will sweep the polls from top to bottom in Kano, “because Kano belongs to PDP.”

    Over 30 people fainted due to exhaustion and suffocation while three reportedly died during a clash among rival groups outside the stadium.

    Atiku, who was visibly elated over the mammoth crowd, was clad in Kwankwasiyya red cap and white Babanriga to match.

  • Why ethnic nationalities adopted Atiku, by Clark

    Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has explained why ethnic nationalities picked Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential Atiku Abubakar as their anointed candidate for Saturday’s presidential poll.

    Elders of various groups in the six geo-political zones of country last week endorsed Atiku as their candidate.

    Clark said Atiku was picked ahead of other candidates simply because he is the only that agreed to restructure the country.

    Besides, Clark noted that Atiku possesses what it takes to represent Nigeria among the comity of nations.

    Briefing newsmen at the weekend, the former National Commissioner said the South-South stands for restructuring and would only vote for the candidate that will restructure to ensure equity and justice.

    The 91- year- old elder statesman said the only thing left on his agenda is restructuring, which he vowed to pursue with the last drop of his strength.

    He stressed that restructuring  the country has nothing to do with the breaking up of Nigeria but the creation of a new Nigeria where every citizen is equal and all the Federating states or regions are able to develop at their pace under the practice of Fiscal Federalism.

    Read Also: Dickson, Clark warn against politicising security

    According to him: “We have now seen that our salvation is in restructuring. If we do not restructure this country, this country will not survive.”

    “So people are now asking what do we do? In any civilized country, election is the deciding factor.

    “Nobody forces himself on you. You go to the poll and vote. Our message if you want to restructure Nigeria, you are our man and if you do not want to restructure Nigeria, you are not our man.

    “So people are wondering why we adopted Atiku.  Some of our boys who think they are Jews have said dying old men have  been taking money from Atiku.

    “So ladies and gentlemen, we believe that Nigeria belongs to all of us. So when we had that so many people were interested in being the president of Nigeria, and we decided to invite about seventeen of them including Atiku and the rest.

    “The PDP presidential candidate in our discussion with him, which lasted for two hours, told us that he support restructuring and he has been working for it since 1985.

    “From the bottom of our heart, we saw that Atiku Abubakar was the only sincere person who believed in restructuring.”

    He also noted that the choice of Atiku was not made by just two people but people from the six geo-political zones.

     

  • PDP fumes over denial of access to campaign venue

    The decision by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to deny the Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the use of its facilities for political rally, has heightened the animosity between the main opposition party and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The PDP had booked and paid for the use of the Old Parade Ground, located in the Garki District in the capital city a few days ago, for the purpose of holding the party’s presidential campaign rally, originally billed to hold on Saturday.

    However, 24 hours before the scheduled event, the authorities of the FCT, managers of the facility, informed the leadership of the PDP that the Old Parade Group would no longer be available for the use of the party.

    This has forced the PDP to shift the proposed rally and await approval from the authorities of the FCT for another date, which was yet to be determined as of Saturday.

    At a media briefing in Abuja Saturday, the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being behind the party’s travails.

    Ologbondiyan said the action signified a morbid fear of the rising profile of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar by President Muhammadu Buhari and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to him, the shutout was part of the last kicks of a dying horse, which he said the Buhari Presidency now represents.

    The PDP spokesman said, “It is part of the plot by the frustrated President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to drag the PDP and the people’s candidate to their low level of frustration in order to enmesh the coming election into crisis so as to achieve their self-succession bid.

    “We invite the world to note that this latest assault against the people’s candidate is also borne out of direct ill-will and hatred against him by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as his handlers, who have sought all ways to drag him down, since they realized that Nigerians have reached a consensus on Atiku Abubakar, as the next President of our country.

    Read Also: Mass defection hits Akwa Ibom PDP

    “Atiku Abubakar, being a true democrat and statesman has decided to go with the people in their collective quest to rescue our nation from the vengeful, divisive, violent prone, insensitive, completely incompetent and inherently corrupt Buhari administration”.

    The main opposition party cautioned President Buhari and the APC, saying that with the level of consensus Atiku enjoys throughout the country and even across the world, any assault on him is a direct assault on the overall aspiration and sensibilities of Nigerians as a whole.

    The PDP spokesman declared that the more the Buhari Presidency attacks the ‘people’s candidate’, the more his support base among Nigerians expands.

    Ologbondiyan warned that any further attack on PDP campaign will attract very dire response from Nigerians, who he said, look up to Atiku to salvage nation from the social, economic and political despondency, which he said President Buhari has plunged the country into.

    “From reports reaching us, it is not also out of place for the Buhari Presidency and the APC to use this measure to test the will of Nigerians as precursor to their rigging plots.

    “We want to place on record, once again that any attempt to rig the February 16 election will be vehemently resisted by Nigerians, across board, who have reached a consensus to rescue their nation from the stranglehold of the Buhari Presidency.

    “In any case, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that the PDP and the people’s candidate will definitely hold our Presidential mega rally in Abuja irrespective of any further encumbrance they may attempt to foist.

    “Nigeria belongs to all of us and nobody can stop us from exercising our constitutionally guaranteed right of holding our rally in the FCT or any other part of our country for that matter”, Ologbondiyan declared.

    Asked why the PDP did not apply to use the much bigger and spacious Eagle Square, located close to the federal secretariat, Ologbondiyan said the party had applied for the facility but that the FCT authorities said the venue was not available for use.

     

  • Opposition leaders distributing arms in Bayelsa, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Saturday accused security agencies of aiding opposition leaders in the state to stockpile illegal arms ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

    Dickson, who was visibly angry while addressing the state in a live radio broadcast, said despite all intelligence and reports he tendered to security commanders, those involved in illegal arms were still allowed to work free.

    The governor, who mentioned specific names of opposition leaders, said the report available to him indicated that arms were being distributed to cultists to cause mayhem and unleash violence on innocent people at the poll.

    He mentioned Brass, Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Nembe local government areas as where such arms distribution were ongoing without any efforts of security agencies to investigate and arrest persons behind it.

    He said Nigeria would be qualified for a failed state if people were denied the opportunity to participate in a free and fair process of electing their leaders.

    “A nation where security agencies will collude with criminals and terrorists known for bringing arms to disrupt the election is a failed country”, he said adding that the same characters known for electoral violence since 1999 had continued to destabilise the state.

    Dickson said having managed the most trying period in the state’s and resisted intimidation from opposition leaders, he was worried about theatre of the state after his departure.

    Read Also: Sylva to Dickson: you have no fear of God

    He said after losing the last governorship election and failing at litigations, the opposition leaders took a decision to undermine his government and destabilise the state.

    The governor alleged that the opposition leaders with support from other external forces were planning to turn the state to the Sambisa Forest by tampering with the security architecture through frequent redeployment of security commanders.

    Dickson lamented that most of the opposition leaders were using their position as surveillance contractors to arm cultists for electoral purposes.

    The governor immediately inaugurated a committee of inquiry headed by retired Justice Margaret Akpomimieye with the mandate to investigate the activities of the surveillance contractors in the state and report to the government within 21 days.

    He said even if the security agencies failed to act on the expected report of the committee, he would file it in state’s archive for posterity.

    The governor appealed to the people of the state to reject the APC candidates and vote for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The governor further asked the people to resist any form of intimidation and warned that election days were not designed for people to die.

    His words: “We have to be concerned about the safety of our voters first before anything else. It is the job of security agencies to guarantee the safety of voters. A country where lives and property are not protected is a failed state. That is a ‘shit hole’ country so nobody should blame President Donald Trump when he said, African countries are presiding over ‘shit hole’ countries.

    “In this country, we have had several instances where security men and women in uniform collude with criminal and terrorist in rigging elections and undermine the peace and stability of states like Bayelsa.

    “We now have partisan security officials who have become an armed wing of the ruling party. They are not interested in peace, law and order; their concern is more in political conquest than maintenance of law and order in this state.

    “They have undermined the security of this state in such a way that I have lost count of the number of Commissioner of Police redeployed  to the state within a space three months. This is the 10th CP they have sent.

    “I am a governor whose authority has been most undermined in the area of security management of this state. I have records where security officers in Abuja will be calling militants and cult leaders, and how they give cover to their nefarious activities under the pretext of carrying out surveillance contracts.

    “The new law is that if you are an APC members, you cannot be arrested when you kill. As an APC member, you can buy guns, get uniform, camp militia, kill and nothing happens.”

    When journalists visited the state secretariat of the APC to get reactions from the party since most names mentioned by Dickson are members of the party, the state Chairman, Jothan Amos, said he was too busy to speak on the matter.

     

  • PDP suspends Abuja Presidential rally

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its Presidential Mega Rally, earlier scheduled for Saturday, February 9 in Abuja.

    In a statement issued by the Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan on Saturday in Abuja, PDP said the decision followed the refusal to grant the party venue of the rally.

    “This is in spite of the fact that the PDP had made payments to the authorities and obtained official approval to host the mega rally at the Old Parade Ground, Garki, Abuja.”

    Ologbondiyan added that PDP had earlier scheduled its Lagos Mega Rally for the Tafawa Balewa Square on Saturday, before the All Progressives Congress (APC) came up with the same date “forcing PDP campaign to opt for Abuja.”

    He, however, expressed hope that the Lagos rally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 12, would be allowed to hold.

    Read Also: Only God can punish PDP for looting Nigeria dry — Buhari

    Ologbondiyan appreciated the commitment of Nigerians, particularly, those who had already converged on Abuja for the mega rally.

    “While we regret the inconveniences caused by the action of the Presidency and APC, a rescheduled date for the rally will be communicated soon.”

    He said: “PDP holds that these provocative actions, instead of deterring Nigerians from their determination to vote out the APC on Feb 16, has only succeeded in spurring more compatriots to support the people’s candidate Atiku Abubakar, to victory.’’

    NAN

  • PDP to El-Rufai: direct your attacks at Buhari

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to direct his verbal attacks at President Muhammadu Buhari instead of issuing threats to members of the international community and election observers.

    In a statement Thursday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party recalled how El-Rufai, had, in 2010, described Buhari as incompetent, old fashioned, corrupt, insensitive, parochial and a tyrannical leader, who should not be voted into office.

    The statement reads, “Governor el-Rufai’s venom should therefore be directed towards President Buhari, who has brought so much pain to Nigerians and of course himself, for his own insensitivity to Nigerians and his support for anti-democratic tendencies of the Buhari administration”.

    According to the PDP, the governor’s recent threat to members of the international community has raised new questions regarding those behind the killing of expatriates and aid workers in various troubled parts of the country.

    “It is quite revealing that el-Rufai, who exposed Gen. Buhari in 2010 as ‘unelectable’ is now prancing about in defence of Buhari’s incompetent and anti-democratic administration, to the extent of issuing death threats to others, just to secure his place under a dictatorial administration.

    “Governor el-Rufai had in 2010 described Gen. Buhari as ill- equipped for modern day governance. He berated Gen. Buhari of lacking capacity to comprehend current trends, to the extent that he would think that a ‘blackberry was a fruit’..

    The PDP quoted copiously from the Kaduna governor’s past attacks against President Buhari thus: “In his reply to Gen. Buhari’s response to his earlier criticisms, el-Rufai has stated: ‘Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known.

    Read Also: PDP members join APC in Akwa Ibom

    “In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new…..

    “Buhari was so high- handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole.

    “That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history. The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day”

    The PDP described the Buhari administration as inept and colossally corrupt, which has wrecked a once robust economy, divided the nation and instituted executive high-handedness.

    It also accused the administration of violation of human rights, incessant breach of the constitution, disobedience to court order, assaults on democratic institutions, clamp down on the media and dissenting voices. The party added that these have brought so much pain and anguish to Nigerians.

  • Kano ready for Atiku, says PDP chair

    Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State Senator Masa’ud El-Jubril Doguwa on Thursday said the party is very much prepared to receive its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.

    He assured the grand reception will be the mother of all presidential campaign rallies.

    Doguwa, in an interview with reporters in Kano, declared that Atiku will storm the ancient city of Kano to witness a rousing welcome that would be unique and different from others.

    He said all hands were on deck to receive him to ensure a successful rally.

    According to him: ”We want to make sure that this rally is a grand rally and it is going to be the mother all rallies, because Kano is Kano.

    “I think it is going to be different and unique. No state in Nigeria will compare, with the standard of what the rally that would be held in Kano on Sunday.”

    He went on: ”There must be such circumstances in all political parties. Kano is the hotbed of politics in Nigeria. There must a united front.

    Read Also: Buhari in Kano: I’ll continue to fulfil my promises

    “There are differences in principles and attitude but we look at anybody that is coming to Kano as our own and Atiku is our own, is Kwankwaso’s own, Atiku is welcomed.

    ”We are all for PDP. Atiku from the bottom of our heart and everybody’s heart in PDP in Kano is our guest.

    “We will make sure that we receive him, with all paraphernalia that would be given to a high personality.”

    Commenting on the closure of the Sani Abach Stadium, El-Jibril, said: ”We have seen the State Government backtracking on their earlier decision that they would allow us PDP members to use the Sani Aabacha Stadium to hold our rally for our Presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar on Sunday.

    ” What I want to point out is that we rarely understand the action taken by Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission.

    “I believe the decision was taken unilaterally. If so, I call upon the government to suspend him or replace him with somebody, who is going to act within the confines of the law.

    “Secondly, if he has acted in accordance, with the norms or the directives, then government should know that it is making PDP more popular, making Kwankwaso more popular, alongside all other stakeholders more popular because this action has drastically reduced the popularity of the APC in Kano.

    “So, I call upon the government to look into this critical issue to make sure that it finds out the negative actions that is contrary to the norms of democracy in Nigeria. So, that is my stand.”

  • PDP protests posting of CP Egbetokun to Kwara

    Members and supporters of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday poured into the major streets of Ilorin, the Kwara state capital to protest the recent redeployment of Kayode Egbetokun as the new Commissioner of police to the state.

    They took the peaceful protest from the party secretariat located at the Flower Garden area of the metropolis to the Government House, the state Department of State Service (DSS) office and terminated it at the state police headquarters, along Ahmadu Bello way.

    The protesters claimed they were venting the anger peacefully against the police high command for posting of Mr. Egbetokun to the state ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

    The protesters, led by PDP Youth Leader in the state, Prince Haliru Dantsoho, wielded placards with various inscriptions calling for Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu and President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the decision.

    Some of the placards read: “CP Kayode must go,’ ‘Kwarans totally reject an APC commissioner,’ ‘Kwara cannot be annexed to Lagos.’”

    Dantoso, who said the people had never protested against deployment of any police commissioner to the state, added that the new CP posed threat to peace in the state.

    According to him: “Egbetokun was one- time chief security officer.

    Read Also: PDP not committed to peace accord, says BMO

    (CSO) to the APC leader, Senator Bola Tinubu. Also, he was

    spontaneously rejected by people of Lagos when he was posted there recently and the deployment was reversed by the acting IGP, Mohammed Adamu.

    “Unfortunately, the same man, who parades himself as APC member has now been posted to Kwara state.

    “It’s a ploy to further intimidate the opposition. You recall how members of opposition were arrested, harassed during by-election into Ekiti Oke Ero Isin Irepodun federal constituency recently.

    “So, with the deployment of Egbetokun, free, fair and credible elections cannot be guaranteed.

    “It’s on this note we frown at the deployment, calling on IGP to immediately redeploy him to other states of their wish and not Kwara state.

    “Kwara has been a peaceful state of harmony since. We don’t want anything that will affect the peace and harmony we’ve been enjoying.

    “So, we call on Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, law enforcement agencies and all stakeholders concerned to consider our request and reverse the deployment to Kwara state.

    “Considering the threat by some APC leaders like Adams Oshiomhole and Alhaji Lai Mohammed to deploy all available resources including security agencies, INEC to ensure they take over power from PDP government administration this deployment of Egbetokun is a confirmation of their threat.”