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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • 2027 governorship contest open to all, says Kwara PDP

    2027 governorship contest open to all, says Kwara PDP

    Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that its 2027 governorship ticket will be open to all aspirants from the three senatorial districts.

    It formally ruled out zoning arrangement for the contest.

    PDP Chairman Adamu Bawa said this during a Radio interview in Ilorin, insisting that the party’s policy was to allow a free and open contest based on competence and capacity rather than geographical considerations.

    “Let me just say that in the party, our policy is, we are leaving our ticket open to the three senatorial districts. Anybody that has the capacity, who knows that he has what it takes to govern this state, is free to come out and campaign,” Bawa said.

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    He said the party would provide a level playing field for aspirants.

    He said capable individuals existed across the three senatorial districts, adding that no zone would be excluded from the race.

    “All the three zones have the right candidates with the right capacity to govern the state. We won’t restrict anyone from contesting,” he said.

    His remarks came in response to questions on whether the PDP would adopt zoning or power rotation for the 2027 governorship election in the face of growing agitations from stakeholders.

    The position is seen as a significant blow to demands by some groups from Kwara North advocating rotational power in favour of the district as part of equity considerations ahead of the 2027 polls.

    The zoning debate continues to generate intense political discussions in the state, as parties and interest groups begin early positioning ahead of the next general election cycle.

  • Strong, functional opposition remains vital to survival of Nigeria’s democracy —Delta PDP

    Strong, functional opposition remains vital to survival of Nigeria’s democracy —Delta PDP

    The Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has reiterated that a strong and functional opposition remains vital to the survival of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the nation must avoid the dangers of drifting toward a one-party system.

    In a New Year message to the people of Delta State, both at home and in the diaspora, the State Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Prof. Sylvester Monye, emphasized that democracy thrives only when political parties operate freely and independently within a framework of fairness and accountability.

    He expressed confidence that respect for democratic principles will continue to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s political system.

    Prof. Monye commended party leaders and faithful members across the state for their resilience and sacrifices, noting that their commitment has kept the PDP strong despite challenges.

    He described the new year as an opportunity for reflection, renewal, and a recommitment to service guided by peace, equity, justice, and collective responsibility.

    He stressed the importance of due process, internal democracy, and responsible political conduct, observing that the decisions taken at this critical time will have lasting implications for the country’s democratic future.

    He, therefore, urged all political actors to act with integrity and a sense of national duty, reaffirming that the preservation of Nigeria’s democracy depends on collective adherence to democratic values and the rule of law.

    He stated: “With certain matters involving the PDP currently before the courts, we wish to underscore the Supreme Court’s consistent position that the internal affairs of a political party are primarily to be managed by the party itself, without undue judicial interference.”

    He said despite differences in political affiliation, Deltans are united by a shared duty to uphold the stability, unity and orderly development of their dear State.

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    Their mandate, according to him, is to ensure that the PDP remains cohesive, responsive, and ready to play its constitutional role in Delta State, a traditional PDP state.

    He urged all leaders and members of the PDP in Delta State to conduct themselves with discipline, restraint, and respect for party rules and democratic norms, saying that the credibility of their internal processes will ultimately determine their standing before the electorate.

    Monye asserted: “To the good people of Delta state, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to protecting your interests and aspirations. In the days ahead, the Caretaker Committee will continue broad-based consultations and engagement with stakeholders across the state, ensuring that political discourse remains focused on good governance, development, and the rule of law.

    “The year 2026 is particularly significant, as it precedes the 2027 general elections and will see the conduct of party primaries.

    “We trust that the judiciary will continue to uphold established precedents, thereby safeguarding party independence, legal certainty, and the stability of democratic processes, while respecting ongoing proceedings.

    “We members of the great PDP in Delta state remain committed to constitutionalism, constructive engagement, and principled leadership. We are equally dedicated to reorganizing and strengthening the party, particularly in the wake of recent defections, and to prepare for the orderly conduct of congresses that will usher in substantive executive officers.”

  • PDP issues certificates of expulsion to Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, eight others

    PDP issues certificates of expulsion to Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, eight others

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued certificates of expulsion to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyelsom Wike; former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose; immediate past national Secretary of the party Senator Samuel Anyanwu and eight other members.

    They were expelled during the National Convention of the party in Ibadan on November 15.

    The party’s National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, broke the news yesterday after officially taking over the affairs of the party from the Umar Damagun led leadership.

    Turaki said the party decided to issue the certificates to make it easier for the expelled members to register with other political parties since the laws in NIgeria does not allow anybody to belong to two political parties at a time.

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    He said: “We have considered the issue of members of our party who were expelled by the National Convention in Ibadan. We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns ay dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

    “Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention – which is the highest decision-making organ of our party – has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion so that, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP, and those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party.

    “As I speak to you, these certificates have been dispatched via courier to the 11 persons who have been expelled.”

  • How SDP will benefit from crisis in major political parties

    How SDP will benefit from crisis in major political parties

    ByTunde Adegoke

    Less than two years before the 2027 presidential elections, the political firmament is already getting charged up and politicians are already engaged in their usual business of permutations. There is a lot of alignment, realignment, concessions, defections and alliances going on behind the political scene.

    Close watchers of political events in the country are quick to conclude that the development cannot be unconnected with the crisis that is rocking major opposition parties and even the ruling party.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), regarded as the main opposition party, having come second in the last presidential according to the electoral umpire’s records, has been enmeshed in a potpourri of crises. It has been from one crisis to the other and it seems there is no end in sight.

    First, the problem started with the G-5 PDP governors led by the then Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, insisting that the party’s presidential ticket should be zoned to the South. In fact, the group specifically told the party that since Atiku Abubakar who is from the North has refused to allow the South have the presidential ticket, and eventually emerged as the party’s presidential flag-bearer, that the then party’s national chairman, Iyorcha Ayu, should step down for a Southerner to take over the chairmanship of the party. Their argument then was that the North cannot hold on to the party’s presidential ticket and chairmanship, leaving the South with nothing.

    However, Atiku’s camp was of the view that since the election was around the corner, Ayu should be allowed to stay till after the election before stepping aside. This pitched the two camps against each other, with Wike’s camp openly saying they would work against the party in the presidential election. One of the negative outcomes of that crisis, according to some analysts, was the defeat of the party in the last presidential election.

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    However, since the party lost the election, the struggle over the control of the party has been raging, with Wike already serving in the All Progress Congress, APC-led Federal Government as a Minister but still a strong member of the party, pulling strings from behind.

    There are insinuations in some quarters that Wike is being used by the ruling APC to weaken the PDP ahead of 2027. Those who hold this view are quick to point to the lingering crisis in Rivers State, where Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara have been embroiled in power tussles. “Wike is being used by the APC-led Federal Government to destroy the PDP, no doubt about that. Look at what is happening in Rivers State; the governor has been reduced to nothing, all thanks to Wike backed up by the Federal Government. How can the Supreme Court rule that the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, who announced their defection from the PDP to the APC in the open, never defected? How can anyone describe that? It tells you that a power greater than Fubara is at work and the intention of that power is to continue causing a crisis in the party until the 2027 election has come,” a concerned PDP chieftain lamented.

    Apart from the crisis in Rivers PDP, there is also a raging crisis about the authentic national secretary of the party. Both Senator Sam Anyawu and Sunday Ude Okoye are laying claims to the position.

    There are also crises in Bayelsa PDP and all these pockets of crises have litigation accompanying them all over the country.

    Away from the PDP, the Labour Party (LP) is also engulfed in a leadership crisis; a development that has forced some national and state lawmakers elected on the platform to defect to other parties.

    At the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on September 4, 2024, the party constituted a Caretaker Committee and appointed Senator Nenedi Usman, a former minister, to head the Committee.

    With the caretaker committee in place, the national chairman, who was by this development rendered useless, Julius Abure, went to court to challenge the party’s decision. After the legal tussle that followed, Abure’s leadership was legalised by the court and Usman’s committee declared illegal and unconstitutional, setting the stage for a long leadership crisis in the party.

    However, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), which came fourth in the last presidential election, is not faring any better. The Founder of the party, Boniface Aniebonam, has been fighting to reclaim his position as the founder of the party from the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, whom he accused of hijacking the party that he just joined in 2022.

    Analysts have said that the crisis rocking the party has produced three different factions. One faction is loyal to Kwankwaso, one is loyal to Aniebonam and the third group is loyal to the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.

    Many believe that these crises in the PDP, LP and NNPP are being engineered. Those on this side of the divide believe that with the opposition in disarray ahead of the 2027 election, the presidential election would be a walk over for the APC.

    But, the ruling party is also having its own share of the internal crisis. Although it may not be pronounced but it is there, analysts agreed.

    However, in all of this, one party that may stand to gain from the situation is the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    The party is gradually becoming the beautiful bride as notable names are embracing it.

    The party appears to be the only pronounced national party devoid of rancour, bickering and defection at the moment. It is not surprising therefore why some members of the two largest parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have turned to the party as a second address.

    Only recently, former governor of Kaduna State Mallam El-Rufai was sighted having with Gabam in a closed door meeting.

    Some notable top members of the PDP have been hobnobbing with the party hierarchy in recent times.

    The trio of Olu Agunloye, the secretary,  Shehu Musa Gabam, the chairman and particularly Wole Adebayo, its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election have been holding the party tight to the admiration of its members and the larger audience in the society.

    For the past two years, the party appears to have been intact, building bridges across the six geopolitical zones of the country, penetrating slowly though, into the nooks and crannies of the country.

    Gabam and his presidential candidate have become somewhat inseparable such that they are together at functions and where they are at different places, their minds and utterances are usually the same.

    The projection coming out of the SDP is worthy of emulation.

    And the projection has been consistent with its core message or philosophy of justice for everybody particularly it’s amplified message of its Chapter 2 of the constitution, getting a candidate that has character, competence and capacity, irrespective of the region, tribe or religion. The cohesion within its fold is something that baffles many observers.

    Its showings in state elections so far have been quite impressive.

    Its candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election, Chief Segun Oni came a close second to the eventual winner, Biodun Oyebanji.

    It was also impressive in the Kogi State governorship election, against all odds, where Murtala Ajaka beat the established PDP to the second position.

    Currently, it has  about four members in the national assembly; one in the senate and three in the lower chambers.

    Close watchers of political development are predicting that the party could spring up surprises in 2027. “It has no baggage among its members unlike other parties, its prospects for 2027 is very bright,” volunteered a public affairs commentator and lawyer, C.I Nnamani.

    Nnamani is of the view that peace and stability in the SDP for over two years now would not have been possible without the untiring work of people like the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo.

    “This is where the political dexterity and sagacity of Adebayo is clearly displayed. If you watch him, you will notice that he has been networking, meeting people of various religions, ethnicities and party affiliations, forming alliances, and preaching the message of good governance which only a person with character, competence and capacity can deliver.

    “ At the moment, he is arguably the only politician who has no baggage. I stand to be corrected, if there is any, it would be nice to look through. He is clean by all parameters. He is young which is needed but lacking in our leadership structure. He is cerebral. He is knowledgeable. He knows something about everything. I am not surprised that the former House of Representatives, Usman Bugaje endorses his candidacy. If the party features him again as its flag-bearer in 2027, there is every possibility that Nigerians may queue behind; that’s my personal belief,” he stated

    •Adegoke, a political analyst sent this piece from Lagos

  • ‘PDP will reclaim presidency in 2027’

    ‘PDP will reclaim presidency in 2027’

    Peoples Democratic Party has said it will correct its mistakes in 2023 election  and reclaim the presidency in 2027.

    National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, spoke with reporters. He said: “We made a mistake in 2023 elections, but what matters for us is to take back the presidency in 2027.

    “There is no faction in PDP, led by Umar Damagum. PDP is stable. We have held our congresses in 29 states and there are no issues, except a few minor matters, which are in every party.”

    Anyanwu noted his long friendship with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, tracing it back to their time as council chairmen.

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    He said any grievance against Wike should be addressed through  PDP Disciplinary Committee.

    Addressing his position in the party, Anyanwu said despite a Court of Appeal ruling for his removal, he remained the national secretary due to an appeal filed at Supreme Court, with a stay of execution, and a standing Federal High Court judgment that validated his tenure.

    He said legally, he will continue to hold the position until a final decision is made by Supreme Court.

  • Buhari’s speech confirms Nigeria is in wrong hands, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day broadcast further confirmed that the country is in the wrong hands.

    It accused the President of failing to “forcefully” address the key issues of freedom, social justice, constitutional order, separation of powers, rule of law, human rights, credible elections, national cohesion, accountability and transparency in government.

    PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said Buhari ignored the  fundamentals of an independent state because his administration violated them all.

    PDP said: “He had no clear-cut and operable blueprint to revamp our economy, which his administration wrecked in a period of four years, resulting in so much hardship and despondency that Nigerians now resort to suicide and slavery abroad as options.

    “Our party notes that this address further exposes the fact that the Buhari Presidency is not interested in nation building; that it is completely disconnected from the people and remains insensitive to the plights of Nigerians.”

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    According to the PDP, under the Buhari Presidency, the nation has experienced the worst form of division, deprivation, human right abuse and constitutional violations.

    PDP said: “The administration has remained lacking in the required capacity and boldness to forcefully engage other world leaders on critical issues.

    “The dearth in foreign direct investments and the inhuman treatments being meted out on our citizens in countries where we were once held in very high esteem, are some of the injuries our nation is suffering under the Buhari administration.”

    The party said while other leaders motivate their citizens on Independence Day, President Buhari presented uninspiring claims, propaganda and empty promises, describing the development as “depressing”.

    The PDP, however, urged Nigerians not to despair but keep hope alive.

  • PDP BoT chair, secretary disagree over report on Elumelu, others

    IT was all drama on Thursday as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jubril, and the Secretary, Senator Adolphus Wabara, disagreed over the submission of an investigative report.

    Addressing reporters after a meeting of the board at the party’s Abuja secretariat, the two chieftains contradicted one another on the status of the committe’s report.

    The bone of contention was the report of a five-man committee set up by the BoT on July 9 to investigate why PDP members in the House of Representatives elected Ndudi Elumelu as Minority Leader, against the party’s choice of Kingsley Chinda.

    Miffed by the members’ action, the leadership of the party had suspended Elumelu for one month. Besides Elumelu, others affected by the suspension were Lynda Ikpeazu, Wole Oke, Anayo Edwin, Gideon Gwadi, Toby Okechukwu and Adekoya Abdul-Majid.

    The BoT investigation committee, chaired by former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, also had two other former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Wabara as members.

    Former Deputy Senate President Ibahim Mantu was also a member, while a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, served as Secretary of the committee.

    However, Opara resigned from the committee before it concluded its assignment.

    Jubril said the Board had received the Ayu committee report but had yet to submit same to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    He added: “We have received the report from the Ayu committee but we have not submitted it to the NWC because we are still deliberating on it and we have not taken a decision on it yet.”

    But he was swiftly countered by BoT Secretary Wabara, who said that the Board had indeed submitted the report to the NWC. Wabara said, “We have considered the report and we have submitted the report on Elumelu to the NWC.”

    This was followed by muffled disagreement between the two elderly party chieftains, with the BoT chair raising objection to the Secretary’s statement even as the latter stood his ground. Their verbal exchange was in hushed tones but was audible enough for journalists to hear their voices.

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    The disagreement dragged till the end of the media briefing, with the two Board members frowning and mumbling at each other as they left the venue and walked through the drizzling rain into their waiting cars.

    Curiously, however, while the BoT meeting was still ongoing, the leadership of the party had issued a statement regarding the disputed report.

    The statement by the party’s spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said the NWC had not received the said report from the BoT.

    The statement reads: “In the light of public enquiries and conflicting reports on the position of the leadership of our great party on issues related to the minority leadership of the House of Representatives;

    “The National Working Committee (NWC) hereby clarifies that it has not yet received any report from the Board of Trustees (BoT) concerning the outcome of the five-member committee it set up to intervene on the contentious matter.

    “Consequently, the NWC maintains that it has not taken any decision to review its subsisting stance on the minority leadership of the House of Representatives.

    “The NWC therefore urges critical stakeholders, party members and the general public to completely disregard any report to the contrary.”

  • Kogi PDP picks former lawmaker as Wada running mate

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi State have nominated Mr. Samuel Aro as the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate Mr. Musa Wada in the November 16 election.

    Aro was born in Lagos on September 22, 1970. He attended Comprehensive High School, Odo -Eri, Kogi State,  Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin and University of Ilorin for his Master in Industrial and Labour Relation.

    He sits atop a multi-billion naira ASB Investment Ltd.

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    He was a former member of the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, where he represented Yagba Federal Constituency.

    His chieftaincy titles include the Otunba of Omi, Are Bobagunwa of Ekinrin Adde, Akingbola of Ogidi. Maiyegun of Isanlu, Amuludun of Agbajogun Amuro, Baba Tayese of Jege and Otunba Tay

     

  • Oyo South: PDP floors Ajimobi at tribunal

    Senator Kola Balogun of the ruling People’s Democratic Party has been declared the due winner of the Oyo North Senatorial District in the February 23rd Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The victory came with the Oyo State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state dismissing the suit filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) against the defeat of ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi at the polls.

    The unanimous decision was reached by the panel led by Justice Anthony Akpovi (Chairman), Justice Chinyere Ani and Justice Sambo Daka.

    The matter with case number EPT/OY/SEN/12/2019 has the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the petitioner while the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC), Dr Kola Balogun and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) serve as the first, second and third respondent respectively.

    Balogun had scored 105, 720 votes to defeat Ajimobi who polled 92,213 leaving a margin of about 13, 102 votes, as announced by the electoral umpire.

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    The judgement which lasted about three hours was as read by Justice Akpovi on behalf of other members of the panel.

    Justifying the decisions of the panel to throw out the petitioners prayers, the Panel held that the APC failed to prove the petition beyond reasonable doubt arguing that only 11, 759 votes were in contention out of the total votes score recorded in the election.

    Also, it added that even if all the prayers of the petitioner were granted and the votes in contention added to its score, the respondent would still have won the election with about 1,743 of the total votes cast.

    Faulting the reliance of the petitioner on perceived anomalies with the card readers, the panel held that manual registers were also deployed for use in cases where card readers disappointed, a practice which was known and consented to by all the party agents at the polling units in contention.

    Additionally, the panel faulted the appearance of party officials who came to testify in the stead of polling agents who were supposed to tender the result as well as the presentation of the card readers result by just anybody instead of the INEC ICT official who signed and approved the result.

    While a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN) had led the legal team of the petitioner (APC) during the hearing stages, Mr Isiaka Olagunju, Tunji Ogunrinde and Oluwasesan Dada led the teams that represented the first, second and third respondents respectively.

    Recall that INEC had after the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly election announced Dr Kola Balogun of the PDP winner, but the result was contested by the APC whose flagbearer was Ex-Governor Ajimobi.

    While the petitioner through the lead counsel, Chief Olujinmi had prayed the tribunal to nullify the election in some areas of the district due to certain discrepancies and as well order a fresh election, all the respondents in their separate presentations are praying the tribunal to dismiss the petition and as well grant substantial cost as compensation.

    The panel also awarded a cost of N150,000 against the petitioners, and refused to grant the request of the petitioners for damages

    According to the panel while giving its judgement, a total of 46 witnesses were called while 366 documents were tendered by all the parties.

    As soon as the final judgement was announced, the court room which was filled with party supporters, associates, friends and partners of both the APC and PDP with hundred flooding the court premises erupted with songs and jubilation by the members of the victorious camp.

     

     

  • PDP calls on NASS to probe alleged secret burial of 1000 soldiers

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the National Assembly to open an inquest into the shocking report by the Wall Street Journal, asserting the secret burial of 1,000 Nigerian soldiers, allegedly killed in the anti-insurgency war in the Northeast.

    The party said that the  National Assembly should respond to the apprehensions of Nigerians by immediately setting up a special security committee to conduct a forensic investigation into the truth or otherwise of the report, with the tenor and mode as prescribed for security issues in the 1999 Constitution (as Amended.)

    In a statement on Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said its demand was predicated on what it described as the brazen attempt by the Buhari presidency to politicize such huge security issue and making uncomplimentary allusions to the plight of the troops.

    The main opposition party described the various press statements issued by presidential spokespersons on the matter as unpatriotic and insensitive.

    The PDP further stated that it is unfortunate that at a time when patriotic Nigerians are distressed about the wellbeing of the gallant soldiers and seeking for solutions to the challenges they face in the front, the Buhari Presidency is rather issuing press statements.

    The party was particularly miffed by one of such statements released on Friday, August 2, 2019, wherein it leveraged on the plight of the soldiers to boast on how to retain President Buhari’s mandate.

    Read Also: PDP hails ruling on Oyo LG dissolution

    The statement said, “Instead of showing concern over the fate of our troops, taking concrete steps on the issue at stake and reassuring an anxious nation, the Buhari Presidency is rather seeking to draw political capital from our security challenges by flaunting a despicable self-confidence on the Presidential election petition pending in the Court of Appeal, and how, in its own words, “the judiciary would always come to conclusions”.

    “It is imperative to state that such comments send very wrong signal against our judiciary and we urge the judiciary arm to insulate herself from the nocturnal shenenanigans of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the cabal at the Presidency, which have gone into frenzy following the apparent collapse of their defence at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

    “While the Buhari Presidency, has with its latest stance on such grave security issue, further exhibited that it has come short of appropriate solutions to the security challenges facing our nation, the PDP states that waving off of such without the least effort to unravel the issues and reassure Nigerians, shows total failure of leadership”

    The PDP accused President Buhari of failing to demonstrate that he has the capacity and commitment to ensure the security of the nation.

    “Our party thus stands solidly behind the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in his patriotic concerns over the report. Only a leader, who lacks genuine concern for his people, will gloat over such a report, as being witnessed under the Buhari administration”, the statement added.