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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • Jonathan lauds Saraki’s leadership of National Assembly

    Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday hailed Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for the firm and progressive leadership he has provided for the National Assembly.

    Jonathan is said to have spoken when Saraki paid him a courtesy visit at his Maitama Office in Abuja.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Onogu, said that Jonathan underscored the tremendous support being enjoyed by Saraki from lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives as testimony to Saraki’s leadership ability.

    It said that Jonathan thanked Saraki and members of his entourage for the visit, noting that most of the leaders that came to his house with the President of the Senate had at one time or the other, played key roles in his political history and development.

    Jonathan said: “Senate President, let me use this opportunity to commend your leadership abilities. Looking at what is happening in the country, if not for your strong leadership, probably the National Assembly would have been in chaos and if the National Assembly is in tatters, then of course, democracy is gone.

    Read Also: Saraki, Jonathan meet in Abuja

    “I am quite pleased with the kind of relationship you have with the House of Representatives members and how you have been able to hold the National Assembly together because on the day that the parliament was invaded, though the target was the Senate, the House of Representatives members were as active as, if not more active, than the Senators and that cannot happen by chance.

    “What we know is that if there is an assault on the Senate.  Then it is also seen as an assault on the House of Representatives. If they (House of Representatives members) don’t believe in you, I don’t think some of them would have taken that kind of risk. That commitment shows that they believe in your leadership.”

    It said that Saraki explained that his visit was to pay his respect to the ex-president and also to inform him of his formal return to the fold of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    It said that Saraki added that the present realities in the country showed that all those that love the country must work together to return the country to the path of growth, fairness, equity and justice.

  • Atiku faults Buhari on PIGB

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB).

    In a statement on Wednesday, which he personally signed, the former Vice President said it was rather unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the bill as passed by the National Assembly.

    Describing the President’s action as a monumental mistake, Atiku said the reason given by the President for rejecting the bill betrayed the fact that the current administration is out of touch with global best practices.

    The presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said the President’s claim that the bill would whittle down his powers was unfortunate.

    The statement said, “A leader must be secure in himself before he can secure his or her people. A President is not powerful because he holds the Presidency. Neither is he only powerful because laws confer powers on him.
    “In truth, a secure leader brings power and influence to the office he occupies instead of taking power from that office. He also gives laws the force of power by obeying and implementing them.

    “The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) will be a great catalyst for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and has the capacity of stabilising our host communities, boosting our reserves and creating the enabling environment that attracts the type of investment that will make Nigeria a world leader in the petroleum industry.

    Read Also: Buhari’s remark on rule of law

    “In recent months, Nigeria became the world headquarters for extreme poverty, having overtaken India as the nation with the most people living under $2 a day (81 million people). If we are to change the situation and bring our people out of poverty, we must support legislation such as the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill.

    “As the late great President Ronald Reagan once said, the greatest leader “gets the people to do the greatest things”. The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill will help Nigeria to do great things and I urge President Buhari to put aside his insecurities over the loss of his power and let the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill be”.

  • 2019: Kwankwaso declares for president, pledges paradigm shift

    Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso on Wednesday in Abuja declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Addressing a large crowd of supporters at the Chida Hotel, venue of the event, Kwankwaso bemoaned what he described as collective disillusionment, disappointment and the pervasive air of hopelessness in our country.

    Kwankwaso said, “I stand on my honour to offer a paradigm shift in leadership. There is no gainsaying that all is not well with the polity. It is also clear that the same mind-set that created and escalated the problems cannot be used in resolving the on-going crises in our nationhood and national development.

    “I offer positive change. Change has again become inevitable. To live is to witness changes because change is an inseparable part of living. Come May 2019, the narrative of helplessness, buckpassing, division, poverty, insecurity and hopelessness must change for a new dawn of confidence in building a one well restructured Nigeria.

    “I assure you that while I do not have the prophetic power to predict the future. We certainly have in us the ability to create the future that we want”.

    He promised to offer a value based leadership anchored on national ethics, discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice, religious tolerance, self-reliance and patriotism.

    “I will provide a leadership where everybody is free and equal; where Nigerians see themselves as Nigerians first and as Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa, ljaw, lbibio, Fulani, etc.

    Read Also: ‘Kano still paying Kwankwaso’s N350b debt’

    “Where citizens are self-assured and self-assertive; where they are confident and competent, where they want to do what is right no matter whose ox is gored. I want to lead a Nigeria where people are educated and exposed beyond the confines of their tribe, religion, linguistic group or place of birth.

    “l want to lead a Nigeria where citizens respect their leaders and leaders lead and forge a team to promote and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

    “I want to lead a Nigeria where all are comfortable anywhere and on any positive issue can compete fairly with their peers without favour or discrimination. That is the kind of Nigeria we envision. We will abandon the failed relics of the past. We have all it takes to make Nigeria good and made for all”, Kwakwaso added.

    The former Kano Governor decried what he described as the constant misuse of security apparatus and called for an immediate stop to it.

    He harped on the need to strengthen all democratic institutions in the country and promised to create an all-inclusive mechanism for effective intelligence gathering that involves all stakeholders if elected.

    The lawmaker observed that the nation’s security agencies were overstretched, ill equipped, unmotivated and deprived, saying they cannot give maximum performance under the circumstance.

    He said, “We shall motivate all affected communities; the military and the police to put an end to all killings. There is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for killings by Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen, crop farmers, kidnappers, human traffickers and abductors. We will provide an atmosphere where there will be security, safety, serenity and sanity”.

    The presidential aspirant decried what he called weak economic performance, due to tight economic policies and failed institutional supervision.

    He identified tight monetary rates, exchange rate fluctuations, inflation and unemployment to be the dominant factors hindering the growth and survival of businesses in the country.

    “Therefore, our focus shall be on sound economic policies that will ensure a new regime of exchange rate stability, low interest rates and reduction in the country’s rising burden of domestic and foreign loans.

    “In the past three years, poverty and unemployment have become more visible, challenging Nigeria’s economic prosperity. Existing policies and economic programmes for alleviating the poverty incidence in the country have obviously failed.

    “Our non-negotiable goal will therefore be the eradication of poverty through sustainable wealth creation and a coordinated and effective micro small and medium enterprises development.

    “We shall promote policies that boost our foreign reserves and lower interest rate to ensure that the unsustainable debt treadmill profile is tamed.

    “Locally, we shall diversify the economy through industrialisation and manufacturing, aggressive promotion of agribusiness; and develop the mining sector and entrepreneurship to make us self sufficient and export oriented. The oil and gas sector must cease to be a verifiable source of corruption and inefficiency”.

  • Ekiti poll tribunal: Fayemi lines up eight SANS to defend mandate

    All is now set for legal fireworks at the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal following the filing of the defence of the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at the registry on Wednesday.

    The governor-elect filed a 2,558-page reply to the petition filed by the defeated candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    The incoming governor also brought to the Tribunal Registry 3,500 exhibits including plethora of documents gathered to defend his victory at the poll.

    Fayemi, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared winner of the July 14 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The governor-elect has also assembled a crack team of lawyers including eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) twenty seven other lawyers to be led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi.

    Fagbemi, an election petition expert, was renowned for achieving victory in court for former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, when the Supreme Court ruled that he be sworn in without participating in the 2007 election.

    The apex court held that votes won by Amaechi, who is currently Minister of Transportation, was deemed to have been cast for his then party,  PDP, sacking Mr. Celestine Omeiha from office after spending five months in power.

    Others SANs in Fayemi’s legal team are former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi; Dr. Kayode Olatoke, Mr. John Baiyeshea, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, Mr. Yomi Aliyu, Mr. Adesegun Ajibola and Mr. Hakeem Afolabi.

    Fayemi’s major prayer in his defence is that the Tribunal should dismiss the petition filed by Olusola for “lacking merit.”

    Read Also: Fayemi will run all-inclusive govt – Lawmaker

    Olusola had on August 3 filed a 700-page petition urging the Tribunal to declare him winner. He claimed that he scored the highest number of lawful votes.

    Speaking with reporters after filing the petition, Olatoke, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said Olusola’s petition was a “waste of time as it lacked substance” and was sure that the case would be dismissed by the tribunal.

    He explained further that Fayemi won fair and square in 12 out of the 16 local governments areas of  the state, while Olusola won in four.

    In his response to Olusola’s petition bordering on alleged over voting in some polling units, Olatoke dismissed this claim as frivolous and baseless.

    He said Olusola’s first ground in his petition is based on Fayose’s phantom indictment, which had been nullified and set aside by a competent court, Olatoke said.

    “The second ground of Olusola’s petition is alleged over voting, which is another false claim. In any case, the petition in  itself is self-defeating.

    “The  third ground is on deliberate voiding of votes as alleged by Olusola but in actual fact, majority of the voided ballots were votes meant for Fayemi, while the fourth ground is on vote buying which is baseless as it was, Olusola’s sponsor, Fayose that was guilty of this.

    “Fayemi won convincingly based on his popularity,” Olatoke said.

    No date has been fixed for hearing.

  • PDP sets agenda for visiting British Prime Minister

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the the visiting British Prime Minister, Theresa May, to use her state visit to Nigeria to uncover the “dismal state” of the Nigerian nation by resisting a “choreographed” plan by the Buhari Presidency to hoodwink her for an endorsement stunt.

    The party also called on the British leader not to allow the Buhari Presidency to confine her to the palours of the Presidential Villa, but to insist on visiting other parts of the nation to enable her directly appreciate the “level of lies and false performance indices” the Federal Government has been dishing out to the world.

    A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the opposition party had been made aware of plans by the Federal Government to use the visit to “dish out more lies” to the international community in an effort to cover “its failures” in governance in the last three years, for which Nigerians are clamouring for a new president under the PDP.

    The PDP further charged the British Prime Minister, as a parliamentarian, to take the Buhari Presidency to task on its unabated interferences and violent attacks on the institution of the National Assembly, including threats to forcefully remove the elected presiding officers of the Senate, as well as the recent invasion and blockade of the National Assembly by security forces

    The party also called on the British leader to task President Buhari on his disposition to the supremacy of the rule of law, including alleged violation of human rights in the country.

    Read Also: I am confident of picking PDP’s ticket – Makarfi

    “This includes government’s disobedience to court orders, reported extra-judicial killings, torture, unlawful political arrests and detention, restriction of free speech and media freedom and lack of government’s accountability, as detailed in report by various international bodies, including Transparency International (TI), Amnesty International (AI) and US Department of States.

    “The British leader should also elicit discussions with the President on the recent report by Price Waterhouse Cooper showing humongous corruption in his administration, including the circumstances surrounding the N4 trillion unremitted oil money in agencies under his direct supervision as minister.

    “Finally, the PDP urges Prime Minister May, to engage President Buhari on the violent rigging of elections under his watch, and extract commitment from him on his administration’s preparedness for a free, fair and credible general elections in 2019, especially as there are apprehensions across Nigeria, that his actions, utterances and body language suggest otherwise”, the statement added.

  • You are free to move to any party, Bode George tells Salvador

    Former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olabode George has said the party was not in crisis in Lagos State.

    He said Lagos PDP chairman Moshood Salvador was free to move to any party.

    At a conference in Lagos on Monday, he said those speculating that Lagos PDP was in crisis was a figment of some people’s imagination.

    He Lagos PDP would remain united irrespective of the decision of the minority views in the party.

    He said the decision by Salvador to move to another party was quite instructive on the investigation about the murdered Lagos PDP chieftain Adeniyi Aborishade.

    He said: “Why is it now that the man is moving to another party. Why did he not provide security at the venue PDP was meeting when Adeniyi Aborishade was attacked and murdered.

    “Those who are alleging that I am the cause of crisis in Lagos are out of their minds. There is no crisis in Lagos, we are united in our resolve to advance the cause of the party.”

    George said the killings of PDP chieftain was unfortunate, calling on party members to support the deceased family to overcome the pains.

    Read Also: Bode George to Buhari, Obasanjo: Let’s sheath the sword

    He said the party would not relent in the efforts to get justice for the slain politician who was killed on July 21.

    “There is something terribly disturbing about our justice system. The rule of law is now being distorted, savaged, abused, treated with contempt, trampled upon with callous indifference.

    “There is palpable uncertainty everywhere as no one is sure when and how right prevails over the festering wrongs, and how and the scale of Justice prevails in sweeping latitude.

    “Without the strict adherence to the sacrosanct largeness of the rule of law, without the natural guidance of the enlightened spectacle of societal thematic truth, we are all endangered, democracy itself becomes wobbly, teeters upon the cliffhanger of ruin.

    “But this should never happen. We must all defend and protect this hard earned democracy. We can’t fold our hands and pretend a stoic indifference while the normative essence of the democratic order is gradually being trampled and dragged in the mud,” he said.

    Salvador who later addressed party chieftains at his office said he had dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said no few than 15,000 party members would move with him to the APC, noting that he could no longer be in the same party with George.

    The Lagos PDP chieftain maintained that George was the problem of the party, stressing that he frame him up over the slain Aborishade.

    He said: “I am not happy that I some people in the state have been frustrating my efforts to win  the state for the PDP, but since they don’t appreciate this, I have to move to where my efforts will be recognized.

    “The PDP chairman and other party chieftain s have been calling me to discourage me on the move, but no looking back. I have to take my people to where they will will make progress, so the APC is the only party that can guarantee this.”

    He said he would formerly decamped on October 3.

  • PDP faults Buhari’s position on rule of law

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that the rule of law could be subsumed under the “national interest.”

    In a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said the President’s position was strange to the nation’s laws and completely unacceptable.

    The party described the President’s position as a direct trademark of despotic rulers and as such cannot find expression or accommodation in a democratic setting of a contemporary nation.

    It expressed readiness to rally Nigerians to reject every attempt by President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to introduce the long forgotten trappings of military dictatorship into democratic rule, which the party said, Nigerians laboured for many years to attain.

    The PDP further stated that it would not stop at anything legitimate to ensure that the International Criminal Court (ICC) holds President Buhari responsible for violations of the rule of law and criminal abuse of human rights committed under his rule in the last three years.

    Read Also: PDP challenges Buhari to debate on good governance

    The statement said, “It is instructive to note that contrary to claims by Mr. President, there is no pronouncement by the Supreme Court that subjugates constitutional rule of law and rights of citizens to the whims, caprices and dictatorial impulses of any President.

    “Our national interest is thoroughly embedded, protected, expressed and enforced only under the rule of law as provided by our constitution and there is no how Nigerians can allow an individual to superimpose or override the constitution with his personal whims and impulses; a pattern that is characteristic of known dictators all over the world, as expressed in the obnoxious Executive Order 6, designed to justify a complete clamp down of political opponents ahead of 2019 general elections.

    “President Buhari should therefore be made to answer for the litany of human rights violations in Nigeria, including documented disobedience to court orders, extra-judicial and arbitrary executions, unlawful arrests and political detentions, killing of persons in custody, torture and excessive use of force by security forces on innocent citizens, destruction of property, restriction of free speech, press, official corruption and lack of accountability as detailed in report by various international bodies, including Transparency International (TI), Amnesty International (AI) and US Department of States.

    “This is in addition to the quest to forcefully remove the leadership of the National Assembly, the blockade of the National Assembly and siege of the official residences of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President by Presidency controlled-security forces.

    “We know that President Buhari is apprehensive of the electoral defeat that awaits him in February 2019 for which he is seeking ways to subvert the system, but we caution that in this desperation to hold unto to power, he must not seek to again, subvert our constitutional order as he will be firmly resisted by Nigerians.

    “The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians, particularly the Judiciary and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to speak out against this direct assault on our democracy as a nation before it is too late”.

  • PDP suffering from selective amnesia – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was suffering from selective amnesia, forgetting the 16 years it wrecked the Nigerian economy.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said the PDP as a party is synonymous with impunity; institutionalized corruption and diversion of public funds.

    The party said that Nigerians have not forgotten how counter-insurgency votes were shared to political cronies and funding of political activities; illegal purchase of bullet-proof SUVs, limousines and private jet shindigs for ministers at public expense; non-remittance of $20 billion oil revenue; among other atrocities too numerous to mention, adding that such a party cannot be in a position to debate on good governance

    Nabena who was reacting to a statement by the PDP challenging President Buhari to a public debate on good governance said “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement issued on Sunday ‘challenged’ the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to a debate on good governance. Incredible.

    “We view this request by the PDP as another laughable example of the PDP’s selective amnesia on the 16 years of locust it wrecked on Nigeria during its defunct rule.

    Read Also: ‘Defection will not affect APC’

    “Perhaps the PDP needs to be reminded of the reason why Nigerians voted it out unanimously in 2015 to give way to a progressive administration which is rebuilding the country in all facets from the foundation.

    “A Party synonymous with impunity; institutionalized corruption; diversion of counter-insurgency votes to political cronies and funding of political activities; illegal purchase of bullet-proof SUVs, limousines and private jet shindigs for ministers at public expense; non-remittance of $20 billion oil revenue; among other atrocities too numerous to mention, cannot be in a position to debate on good governance

    “A Party whose administration placed the economy on life support through its voodoo economics and fiscal recklessness cannot be in a position to debate on good governance.

    “The PDP in its desperation to position itself as the 2019 general election approaches cannot hoodwink Nigerians on who they truly are.”

     

     

  • Only restructuring will cure Nigeria of its woes – Makarfi

    Former National Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Saturday identified restructuring as what will bring enduring solutions to the myriads of challenges facing the country.

    Makarfi said the agitation for restructuring has assumed a recurring issue, and pledged to restructure the country to make it better and ensure rapid development if elected President in 2019.

    The former Governor of Kaduna State who made this known in Abeokuta while addressing executives of the Ogun State chapter of the PDP and supporters on his 2019 Presidential ambition, said he will restructure Nigeria along three planks – political, economic and social.

    He noted that restructuring is not about politics alone, but also  social and economic restructuring to  make the nation’s public institutions – Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), Police, power sector,  efficient, responsible and accountable to the people.

    According to him, this will eliminate or reduce ethnic bickering and suspicions in Nigeria.

    Makarfi recalled that the restructuring of Kaduna state was a major factor that ensured the success of his administration as the then governor and engendered peace for all the residents.

    “Restructuring is one of the key issues facing Nigeria now. And as a president, if nominated and elected, it’s one of the major issues that we have to face and address to make Nigeria work for everybody.

    Read Also: I’ll restructure Nigeria – Makarfi

    “Am I talking politics? No! It’s not because I’m looking for something that’s why I’m talking restructuring. Our leader, President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003, when he was thinking of the political reforms conference, he set up a technical committee to draw up the modalities and terms of reference of that conference.

    “It was I that was asked to chair that. And that conference was conducted on the basis of the report I submitted. But was the term of reference comprehensive? No! But it was also not the full terms of reference we submitted to government. The full terms of reference we submitted were comprehensive enough to cover all the issues that are topical now,” Makarfi said.

    On economy, Makarfi said the private sector would be encouraged to thrive and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths.

    According to him, his administration would evolve  special incentives for special businesses in the private sector to enable them provide jobs for the people of Nigeria.

    In his remarks, House of Representatives member, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, lauded  Makarfi’s efforts “towards restoring orderliness” in the PDP, charged the presidential aspirant to work towards giving the citizens “a united Nigeria”

    Adebutu, who is also a governorship aspirant in Ogun state on the platform of PDP, also hailed  Makarfi for ensuring that PDP did not go into extinction during the crisis periods which the party went through.

  • Otti accuses PDP of re-introducing thuggery in Abia politics

    The 2019 All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Abia governorship aspirant, Dr. Alex Otti has accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of re-introducing thuggery and violence in the state ahead of the 2019 election.

    In a release titled “Abia State Government’s Sponsored Terror Attack on APGA and Alex Otti: Putting Abians on Notice” and endorsed by his media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma Otti was quoted to have said that he was compelled to write and officially inform Abians and the country in general of a barbaric and life threatening incident that took place on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at Obingwa LGA.

    The release read in part, “Dr. Otti considers this unprovoked attack as very dangerous and grievous, and thus notifies as follows:

    “That the Obingwa chapter of APGA had informed the state leadership of the party, and it’s governorship aspirant, Dr. Otti of the willingness of some former members of other political parties and intending new members to declare officially for APGA at a rally organized by the party on the said date, at the premises of the National Institute of Nigerian Languages (NILAN) formerly Federal School of Arts and Science, Umuokahia, located at Obingwa LGA of the state.

    “That on arrival at the venue early in the morning of the day, the leaders of APGA discovered that the venue had been locked. Given that the venue had been paid for and police clearance secured for the event, the leaders engaged the school security men who were surprised that the gate had been locked. Minutes later, the LGA Chairman, Mr. Hanson Amaechi emerged from across the gate, accompanied by several thugs.

    He emphatically stated that he was under instruction from the Abia State government to ensure that the rally did not hold and would therefore not unlock the gate. At this point a senior officer of the school came out to confirm that the school had been paid for the venue and the APGA should be allowed access to the premises. The thugs with the LG Chairman threatened the gentleman who left the area out of fear.

    “All the pleading from the APGA leaders fell on deaf ears as the Chairman insisted that the gathering would not hold. He and his thugs subsequently started making open threats, vowing that nothing would make Alex Otti and APGA hold any political activity in Obingwa; because it is the LGA of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

    Read Also: ‘Election rigging is over in Abia’

    “To prove their threats after long verbal altercations and engagements, the thugs began hauling stones, bottles and other dangerous objects at APGA and Otti’s supporters. This caused confusion as many people, especially women, scampered for safety. The climax of the attack was when they drove off a bulldozer packed by the side of the road, and sped towards the direction of our people; with the intent of crushing them and their vehicles”.

    Otti said the purpose of the release was neither to draw public sympathy nor to appeal to emotions, rather to update Abians, put them on notice and properly situate record of events even as 2019 draws closer.

    While informing that APGA and her supporters shall be going back to Obingwa in the next few days to host the event, Otti appealed to parents and guardians to caution their children and wards who he said were being given peanuts and sent on suicide mission, which political thuggery represents

    Reacting, Ikechukwu Iroha, a media aide to the governor in a statement absolved the local government chairman of any complicity. He said the altercation and the fracas that ensued was between the Otti and Chief Chikwe Udensi factions of APGA and that the local government chairman only came in to ensure peace in the area.

    When our reporter contacted Chief Udensi who is also a governorship aspirant in the 2019 election, he denied any involvement of his supporters in the incident, insisting that APGA is one family and could not have engaged each other in any physical attack.

    He warned that should the violence against members of APGA in the state continues, the party would be force to devise any lawful means to protect its members.

    “Ikpeazu should call his boys to order. I thought that he is a refined politician. There is no way I or members of my group would engage in a physical fight with my brother, Alex Otti. Call Otti’s DG; Max Nduaguibe and ask him who the people that stopped them from using NINLAN, a federal government facility that they have paid to use for their event where? The people that did that are not and can never be my supporters.”