The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • ‘Why I want to succeed Aregbesola’

    As the race to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State gathers momentum, an aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ayoade Adewopo, has pledged to consolidate on the foundation laid by founding fathers of the state, especially in the agricultural sector, if elected governor of the state during this year’s governorship election that is billed to hold in September, writes Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor.

    AYOADE Adewopo, a United State based legal practitioner, is one oft he leading aspirants on the platform of the opposition PDP seeking to displace outgoing Governor Aregbesola’s ruling All Progressives Congress from the government house. The aspirant who disclosed his plans for the state while speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, said with the massive uncultivated land available in the state, food and unemployment should not be problems of the people.

    While urging chieftains and members of the PDP in the state to queue behind his governorship aspiration, the Ile-Ife-born politician stressed that the only way the opposition party can win the next governorship election is to support a candidate with the vision and mission to develop Osun state and change the way government businesses is being done, which, according to him, he ably represents.

    He explained that the chances of the PDP at the next governorship election, though very bright, will be determined by the readiness of the leadership of the party to make the right choices, which according to him, include the choice to decide whether the party is just seeking power or it is seeking power so as to fix the many problems of the state by doing the right things when elected into office.

    Adewopo said the PDP must take advantage of what he described as the lackluster performance of the current administration in the state by presenting to the now eagerly waiting electorate, a candidate that will represent the yearnings of the people and present a clear agenda on how to move the state forward when elected as the next governor of the state.

    “What we keep hearing is that Osun is a poor civil service state and as such governments couldn’t build roads; they couldn’t build factories and they couldn’t give us good schools across the state. Our fathers and mothers cannot transport their agricultural products from the hinterland to the major towns for sale. It is time to turn a new page in the way we do the business of government here in Osun.

    “Concerning Agriculture, it’s time to ensure meat and milk sufficiency in our state. It is time to use our natural resources to alleviate poverty and boost our economy. Agriculture is now an industry and Osun must engineer its agricultural resources into a viable industry as one of the pillars of our economy. With this, we can feed the state and make a lot of money feeding the nation, building agro-allied industries across the state,” he said.

    Adewopo aded that he has got his plans and blueprint well cut out, all centered on his philosophy of allowing human beings to live and live well. The former President of Marion County Bar Association, Indianapolis, Indiana USA, said he also has plans for senior citizens in the state, especially pensioners who has worked during their youthful age for the growth of Osun state.

    Speaking further, the PDP chieftain said the is urgent need to prioritize the well being of the people by ensuring that the health sector in the state is overhauled. Lamenting the current state of things, he said “we will work hard at reviving our primary healthcare programmes and bringing healthcare closer to our people. It’s time to ensure our pregnant women, new-born babies and the elderly get the best of healthcare available commensurate with that of developed economies.

    “It is time to put our dear state on the map of the healthcare market, helping families break the stranglehold of early deaths due to unaffordable or the non-existence of healthcare facilities. It is time for us to show our people that the government they elect must be concerned about how the health needs of the people are met effectively and promptly at all times.”

    Similarly, he said it is also time to take another look at the education policies in the state. “Osun needs schools and not just buildings. Our  students must go back to distinct uniforms. Schools should be returned to willing and able missions.  It is also the time to treat our teachers right. It is time to treat teaching like the profession it is. Our students morale is at its lowest ebb.

    “It is time to put Osun back on the map of the destination centers for education, helping our teachers and parents get the best of qualitative education for our children. Surely, help is on the way. These and many more are the reasons we are saying we need a young and fresh personality with fresh ideas capable of injecting new strategies and approaches into governance to lead us in 2018,” he added.

  • Nigeria’s embarrassments

    In model earth, the incumbent government would be a scar on Nigeria, a degeneration to coarse civilisation. But there is hardly anything ideal about our world thus we are stuck with a Hobson’s choice. While it may be true that we dodged devastation by voting out Goodluck Jonathan and his People’s Democratic Party (PDP), it need be understood that President Muhammadu Buhari’s presumed moralist, disciplinarian stance and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s romanticised ‘Change’ has become urban legend, a whimsical narrative peddled by incurable optimists dreaming of a better tomorrow.

    Buhari may not be corrupt but his government is septic with worms; and his APC, contrary to its earlier posturing, manifests as you read, like a clean breath of fresh stench. Contemporary facts affirm this ugly reality: from embattled former pensions boss, Rasheed Maina’s – reinstatement while under scrutiny for fraud – to shameful shenanigans of an APC-controlled House of Assembly, where the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, currently grapples with scandalous allegations of wrongdoing by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    Nonetheless, Buhari’s touted renouncement of corruption may not be childish or duplicitous after all; 2019 is a few months away and so much could happen before the next general elections. Will Buhari do better or will he do enough to get re-elected?

    His recent declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day and investiture of slain winner of June 12, 1993 presidential elections, Late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO), with Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), smacks of desperation but the posthumous award is welcome all the same. Ask kinsmen of the deceased.

    Buhari, who said he reached the decisions after due consultations also intends to honour late MKO’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe, and late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, with the second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON).

    These among other measures in the offing, are expected to assuage presumably disgruntled segments of the southwest electorate en route 2019.

    Buhari’s fate and the APC’s chances should however, be the least of Nigeria’s worries, youthful Nigeria to be precise. What is the future of the youth in the coming dispensation? Will the youth continue to serve as thugs and errand boys for the incumbent ruling class? Will we bend and break to the lure of filthy lucre?

    This minute, an inordinate lust drives the Nigerian youth to self-destruct; having perverted the natural order that places man above money, the animate cowers to the inanimate. Nigeria submits to mammon, and science, technology, power, property and other bastions of materialism own and control us. The consequences are rampant and discernible for all to see.

    The lust for money has put paid to our staunch adherence to a cultural value system; that incontestable code of personal and societal ethics that supposedly humanises the average citizen and moulds him into a fuller, better breed.

    The current generation, the youth especially thus manifests a dissonance with future bliss and progressive leadership anticipated of it. I will not bother over the shortcomings and atrocities we inherited from preceding generations lest I tow the oft beaten path and glamourise our claims to victimhood and base sentimentality.

    If the Nigeria we inherited is truly shorn of values and promises of a brighter tomorrow, must we aggravate the circumstances that foist upon us such hopelessness?

    One of the most curious kinks of this generation is its sustenance and worship of the incumbent ruling class. Consider the former administration of President Jonathan for instance; men and women that erstwhile professed to champion the people’s rights united to defend Jonathan’s ‘honour’ and justify the unceasing ineptitude and mindlessness of his administration.

    They conveniently forgot that the administration’s insensitivity, clumsiness and gluttony cost Nigeria thousands of lives and public fund till date. Evidences of the government’s incompetence and tactlessness manifested in its appointment of men and women unfit to run a roast corn kiosk as managers of the nation’s finance, aviation, health, defense, foreign affairs, education, works and housing ministries to mention a few.

    The citizenry’s election of shady men and woman into the nation’s legislative chambers and their defiant justification of the emergence of such individuals in the country’s hallowed chambers was equally instructive in the nation’s descent the steep slope of institutional corruption and decadent culture.

    This anomaly incites harsh criticisms and disillusionment among the citizenry. However, as had always being the case, the leading critics take no part in the pursuit and actualisation of majority will beyond lip service. Ultimately, they proceed to court power and project it, irrespective of the nature of men and women that wield it.

    It is incontestable that many of such men, including the former president’s media aides attract to themselves, too much of every ill that lies on the threshold of psychosis and common crime. They cackle like a coven of crooked enthusiasts that see every shortcoming of the incumbent administration as cause for political theatrics and hysterical spinning.

    Such men are very useful to the ruling class; wobbly in intellect and infinitely handicapped by greed, they repeatedly parade themselves as pirates amenable to crimes and accessible to venal enterprise. They eventually shed their pretensions to heroism and honour to unite with the ruling class in its savage war against the citizenry.

    We have fought many wars in Nigeria. Wars for Biafra and the soul of the Niger Delta. The ongoing war for and against the soul of the northeast currently asphyxiating in the grip of terrorist sect, Boko Haram. And the never-ending war against thieving governors, legislators, and a corrupt judiciary.

    These wars are ultimately triggered by our failures with money and its innumerable material vestiges. But the wars of the underdog, Nigeria’s impoverished lot, has a greater significance than all of the others.

    This daily battle for the soul and survival of the struggling working class and barely existent middle class is merely an episode of the universal war that constitutes the true nature of humanity and history of the world—the war of good against evil, ruling class against working class, the haves against the have-nots.

    These wars however, are lost on all fronts even before the masses march on to the battle field every day. This is a consequence of the knavery of men, mostly in their youth, entrusted to serve as our moral sentinels, custodians of culture, value and hope for a brighter tomorrow.

    These men, contrary to their touted crusades in the interest of the citizenry, unconscionably mutate into more savage destroyers of hope and forms of life than the ruling class they were known to despise.

    But rather than call them out as the savages and murderers of hope that they have become, the Nigerian masses continually rationalise their betrayal arguing that they were only being smart. Perfidy and greed thus become noble enterprise in the Nigeria of our dreams.

     

  • Ekiti 2018: Election ‘Fire’ will consume Fayose, says Fayemi

    Adeyeye: Fayose is a cancer that must be removed

     

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has declared that Governor Ayo Fayose will not be able to survive the heat of the July 14 election.

    Fayemi declared that “the coming fire will consume Fayose up to the root” as the progressives are determined to take over power to give Ekiti people governance.

    He made the declaration on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti when he visited the leaders and members of the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) who have just left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join the APC.

    The PAAM group led by former Minister of State for Works and ex-PDP national spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, reiterated readiness to work for Fayemi’s victory at the poll.

    Adeyeye described Fayose as a “cancer that must be removed from the body of Ekiti” for the state to enjoy a new lease of life.

    Addressing the crowd of PAAM members that came from all the 16 local government areas, Fayemi said they are welcomed in the APC as they will not be treated as newcomers but bona fide party members who will enjoy full privileges.

    He described Adeyeye’s joining of the APC as “homecoming” recalling that the former minister served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Afenifere.

    The APC flag bearer stressed that the task to rescue Ekiti from impunity and bad governance is a collective one adding that all hands must be on deck to defeat Fayose and his protégé, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Fayemi said: “You know when the heat is turned on our friend, you know how he reacts. The coming fire will consume Fayose up to the root.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Work for Fayemi’s victory, Oni tells Supporters

    “Now, Ekiti people have become butt of jokes as people use to ask Ekiti people that how did we get this mad dog and fraudster as the governor?

    “The coming battle is about Ekiti liberation; let us chase this mad dog away first. What I have seen here today shows that God is ready to set Ekiti free from bondage.

    “We will give everything it will take us and everything needed to achieve it, God will give us.

    “We will not use power but we will only use logistics; we don’t need power, we only need logistics and those logistics will make the election to be free, fair, credible and transparent.

    “Although he boasts in the open, Fayose is a coward; I only pity the innocent man who will be dumped at the end but we shall accommodate him back at his lecturing job in Ife after the election.”

    Fayemi also used the forum to allay the fears of teachers and civil servants that he was coming back for revenge. He promised better welfare package for all categories of workers if elected again.

    Adeyeye declared that Fayose will be politically buried on July 14 declaring the readiness of his political structure to work harder to achieve victory at the poll.

    He disclosed that members of his political family resolved to work with Fayemi rather than moving to another party because they saw APC as a realistic structure to rescue Ekiti from the suffering and hardship allegedly inflicted on the people by Fayose regime.

    Adeyeye said further: “We are serious with this election more than our people already in APC before we came and we are even more serious about this election than JKF.

    “Fayose will be buried politically in Ekiti State on July 14, we must uproot Fayose completely because we have been cutting is branches gradually all this while.

    “Fayose is a cancer in Ekiti State, we must remove him. Fayose don’t behave like a true Ekiti son because we are not thieves, we are not fraudsters and we are not extortioners.

    “Over twelve political parties came to me offering me their governorship tickets but I said this is not a small battle, we decided to join a strong platform to chase away the bull in the china’s shop and that was how we arrived at the choice of APC.

    “Fayemi is a man of integrity, he is well educated to the highest level, he is an illustrious son of Ekiti, he is urbane and approachable and we believe we can work with him.

    “He is reliable and he is a man we can work with, we decided to work with Fayemi because we believe he will perform well. We have discussed and we believe PAAM members will be treated well in APC.

    “In 2014, Fayose came here and begged and said he had changed. If you said Fayose was bad at that time, he is now worse and has become incorrigible.

    “But Fayemi is learned, civilized and belongs to the right place. In the coming election, it will be 16-0 against Fayose.”

    A patron of PAAM and former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Afolabi Ojuawo, urged party faithful to go back to their wards and local government areas to work for an APC victory.

    Ojuawo said Fayemi and Adeyeye are forming a formidable team for victory saying continuity agenda of Fayose is not in the interest of Ekiti.

  • 2019: PDP’s growing clan of presidential hopefuls

    As the race for the presidential flagbearer of Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 gathers momentum, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports on the aspirants and the issues that may boost or affect their chances

    AS the celebrations to mark the third year anniversary of the current administration headed by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wind up, preparations for the 2019 presidential election move into faster gear across the country, within and outside the registered political parties. To signpost the preparations, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given February 16, 2019 as the date for the next presidential election in the country.

    While the ruling APC is not keeping quiet about its willingness to remain in office at the centre beyond May 29, 2019, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), still smarting from the unexpected defeat it suffered in the hands of the APC in 2015, says it is prepared to return to power, having learnt from and corrected the mistakes that cost it victory in 2015.

    While the issue of the flagbearer appears almost settled in the ruling party following announcement by Buhari that he will be seeking a second term, the talks in the opposition PDP is still largely about who will be the presidential candidate of the party in 2019. Barely eight months to the much talked about election, the PDP and its leaders, from all indications, are unusually still battling to have an idea of who their likely candidate will be.

    The situation, analysts argued, may be counterproductive for the party in its quest to displace Buhari and his party in 2019. Dr. Yakubu Sanda of the Voters’ Right Agenda (VoRA), while speaking with The Nation on the preparedness of the leading political parties ahead of the 2019 general elections, submitted that the APC may have an added advantage over the PDP if the later delays further in unveiling its likely presidential candidate.

    “While I concur that there is a timetable and that the primary election is to come later, a deep understanding of the politics of our country will tell you that it is unusual for any leading party to be so unsure of its likely candidate by this time. It will breed confusion and allow the other party with an identifiable possible candidate to run away with some advantages in that the voters can start profiling such candidate ahead of the other.

    “In addition, the usual crisis that succeeds primary elections should not be overlooked. If the party’s likely candidate is already profiled as a frontrunner in the contest for the ticket, it reduces the tension generated after the primary as the voters are already anticipatory of his or her possible emergence. These are the issues the PDP should take into cognisance and work harder at arriving at an early decision to balance what Buhari has done for APC,” Sanda said.

    But a chieftain of the PDP, Bola Baderinwa, disagrees with Sanda. According to the Third Republic House of Representatives member, the PDP is not losing anything by taking it’s time to recruit the best candidate it can get in 2019. He urged Nigerians to be patient with the opposition party as it is determined to give voters a candidate they will be proud to vote for.

    “The country’s economy, security and other social situations have degenerated while under President Buhari’s watch. These are glaring factors Nigerians will be considering when casting their votes next year. As a serious political party, hoping to win the next presidential election, it is important that we ensure that we present a credible alternative to Buhari and that is exactly what we are patiently doing,” he said.

    But Chief Kenny Martins, former Chairman of the Police Equipment Trust Fund (PETF), thinks the PDP needs to return to the drawing board and further put its house in order if it is desirous of winning the next election. According to him, presenting a good candidate alone cannot guarantee victory for the opposition party in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election.

    “Beyond getting a good candidate, the PDP must solve the many problems it is still battling with. The party had its convention not long ago. It is on record that some governors like Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose forced their will on the party. They want to hold the party as a limited liability company, it is not possible. These are  some of the problems of the PDP up till now.

    “If they want to present a candidate acceptable to Nigerians, they must put their house in order first, then go and look for a good candidate. Even, a lot of people who left the party won’t like to return unless the party changes its name and some of its ways. PDP has not totally changed from its old ways of doing things. It is important for them to do away with the current landlordship of people like Wike and Fayose.”

    How ready is PDP?

    Amidst concerns over its readiness to prosecute the next presidential election successfully, chieftains and supporters of the PDP are insisting the party is not lacking in credible aspirants. Many even admit that it may not be an easy task for the party to choose one out of the arrays of heavyweights seeking its presidential ticket for the 2019 general elections.

    Sen. Ighoyota Amori is a chieftain of the party and also the Political Adviser to the National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus. He is of the opinion that the party has enough credible aspirants that could defeat Buhari. “PDP is a national party. There is no ward, village or unit in this country you will not find PDP, meaning that it is a Nigerian party. Unless you say you cannot find a credible candidate from across the entire country.

    “I can tell you that we have more than enough credible candidates or aspirants in PDP for the presidential race. It is already known that the APC has only one candidate which would be President Muhammadu Buhari. PDP has so many aspirants and the best of the aspirants will defeat Buhari in 2019. Our party is ready and equipped to trounce the APC come 2019,” he said.

    On his part, another PDP chieftain, who is the only member of the opposition party in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dipo Olorunrinu, wants the PDP to work hard and fast at coming up with a popular presidential candidate in order to reclaim power in the 2019. According to the lawmaker, the opposition party is capable of reclaiming power in the next election.

    “It is possible for us to beat the APC in 2019 because nothing is impossible in politics. All we need to do is to speedily conclude on a popular candidate. The PDP should take the bull by the horn by looking critically at the credibility of the candidate it will present. We don’t need a candidate that the party will begin to start selling. We need someone who is already selling himself or herself before the party begins to sell him or her,” he said.

    Commenting on the increasing number of aspirants, the lawmaker said, “Though everybody has the democratic right to contest the presidential ticket, the party should also consider experience, background, capability and credibility of would-be candidate. We need to listen to what the people at the grassroots are saying in selecting our candidate. We need to move in the direction people are going.”

    While urging the party to be swift in handling the growing number of aspirants, Remi Adiukwu, frontline female politician and chieftain of the PDP, says the party needs a young, vibrant, well-educated and urbane man or woman to stop the APC and Buhari in 2019. We must begin to consider age and strength in electing our leaders. We have numerous youths doing well in their various fields.

    “PDP must find someone who knows Nigeria well and can relate with all tribes; a bridge builder and a detribalised character; a new face entirely different from all the old and recycled materials we have jostling for the position now. He or she should be between the age of 45 years and 55 years. This is my dream candidate for PDP. This is the picture in my mind of the president we need now,” she said.

    Who will go for PDP?

    One of the new presidential aspirants seeking the ticket of the PDP is Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed. First elected in 2003 to the Federal House of Representatives for the Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State, on the platform of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), he was in 2011 elected to represent Kaduna North Senatorial District, after defeating the then incumbent, Senator Ahmed Makarfi of the PDP.

    The youthful founder and pro-Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, says he is capable of sending incumbent President Buhari back to his hometown, Daura, Katsina State if given ticket as the candidate of the PDP in the 2019 general elections. “Absolutely, it will be easy for me. Do not forget that President Buhari had contested three elections and lost until a certain action by the PDP made many members to exit the party and go to the APC, and made him to win. APC is practically PDP,” he boasted.

    Former Governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido, is another PDP chieftain seeking its presidential ticket. He had remained in the party since its formation in 1998 and commenced his 2019 presidential campaign almost immediately the party lost to the APC in 2015. A popular politician in the north, many pundits are of the opinion that he can give Buhari a good fight if given the ticket.

    Lamido was appointed as the Foreign Affairs Minister by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, having contested and lost Jigawa State governorship election. He later re-contested the governorship seat and won. He went on to serve two terms as a governor amidst acclaims for repositioning Jigawa State. But some observers frown at his age. Lamido is almost 70 years of age and would have become 71 by the time of the next presidential elections.

    Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano State, is also eyeing the PDP ticket. There are talks that he is the preferred choice of some party leaders, especially from the northern part of the country. With a sizable political following in the north, especially in Kano, he is seen by many as another man who can do the PDP proud in 2019. He defeated a seating governor in 2003 and went on to govern Kano for eight years.

    While explaining the reasons for his desire to be the next president of the country, Shekarau said, “I strongly believe that the people are calling on me to run out of their conviction of contentment and satisfaction based upon the modest successes recorded while I served as the governor of Kano State (2003 to 2011), and also as a Minister of Education.”

    Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna State, was the caretaker chairman of the PDP who steadied the ship of the troubled party and conducted the last elective convention that brought in the new leadership. There were indications that he is preferred by PDP governors to fly the party’s flag in 2019. But some party sources claim such preference may have been dropped following some recent developments within and outside the party. Nonetheless, he is still seen as a leading contender.

    “If I am lucky to be elected by Nigerians, I would make sure that we immediately discuss the nature and timeframe for restructuring. Restructuring is institutional. For a long time, the institutions of state, such as security, have been designed to serve those in power and not the citizens. We must remove them from economic domination,” he said of his presidential ambition.

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, returned to the PDP which he left shortly before the 2015 general elections. He wants to be the presidential candidate of his old party and he is not leaving anybody in doubt of his determination. He contested the 1993 presidential primaries under the banner of Social Democratic Party before he was prevailed upon to step down for Chief MKO Abiola. Atiku is highly respected as a political strategist. But, already in his 70s, age is one of his albatrosses also.

    “Beyond institutional and administrative reforms to improve operational efficiency of the revenue agencies, the federating units will be challenged to double their efforts in rebuilding the fiscal-social contract, by enhancing service delivery in key areas such as health, education, water supply and infrastructural development. Only this would change the predominant perception that government revenues are diverted to the private bank accounts of politicians and their cronies,” Atiku promises ahead of 2019.

    Ibrahim Dankwambo is the governor of Gombe State, serving his second term in office. He was the Accountant-General of the Federation during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. He had earlier served as the Accountant-General of Gombe State. He had stints with Coopers and Lybrand, now PriceWaterHouseCoopers as a Chartered Accountant and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Party sources say his candidacy is currently being strongly considered by his fellow governors. He is also one of the aspirants being considered by some northern leaders and groups for the 2019 race. According to Commissioner for Information in Gombe State, Umar Suleiman, “Nigeria needs Dankwambo’s good financial and management background. If we decide to elect someone without a solid financial background, it will be very difficult for the person to turn around the economy of this nation.”

  • PDP alleges media trial of opposition members

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned what it described as unrelenting media trial and persecution of opposition members and perceived opponents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through anti-graft agencies.

    The Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja said members of the opposition were being persecuted under the guise of fighting corruption.

    Ologbondiyan said that whereas the PDP is in no way opposed to the fight against corruption, it is completely against government’s resort to media trial and constant harassment of opposition.

    He said the party was against unlawful detention and trumped-up charges against opposition members, using various anti-graft agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “The PDP particularly rejects the emerging trend by the EFCC, wherein accused persons and individuals who are still under investigation on alleged corruption charges are paraded and forced to hang criminal tags.

    Read Also: 2019: PDP counters Buhari, says youth free to contest Presidency

    “This was meted out to former Kaduna State Governor Muktar Yero, even when he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction.

    “The PDP is totally against the desperation by the EFCC, working under the instruction of the APC, to declare a guilty verdict on accused persons without trial by the courts.

    “This is all in the bid to bring perceived political opponents to public odium and emasculate the opposition ahead of 2019 general elections.’’

    Ologbondiyan said the PDP also reject direct interference in on-going cases, including those in courts, by appointees of the Presidency, particularly members of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption.

    He said the comments and actions of the appointees had continued to escalate media trials and other irregularities in the handling of such cases.

    “The PDP insists, in very unequivocal terms, that we can no longer continue to stomach the hijacking of the duties of the judiciary by agencies of the executive under the instructions of the Presidency.

    “Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier raised the alarm over this unrelenting assault, harassment, and persecution of opposition members under the guise of fight against corruption,’’ he said.

    Ologbondiyan said the fight against corruption must be prosecuted within the ambits of the provisions of the law.

    “Corruption fight cannot be used as an instrument of persecution and clampdown against the opposition,’’ he said.

  • 2019: PDP counters Buhari, says youth free to contest Presidency

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s call on youths not to contest the 2019 presidential election with him, but to wait till 2023.

    In response to the President’s admonition, the PDP said on the contrary, nothing stops the youths from taking a shot at the Presidency in 2019.

    The party, in a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said President Buhari’s position was in line with the policy of the All Progressives Congress(APC), not to allow young people aspire to top positions in the country.

    It accused President Buhari and the ruling APC of frustrating the active participation of youths and women in active politics and governance.

    The opposition party said, “It is unimaginable that a President can sign a law and immediately seek to suspend it. President Buhari’s attempt to talk down on and intimidate the youths from contesting against him in 2019 shows that he is not in support of the Not Too Young To Run law and only assented to it because he had no other option under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Read Also: Buhari to youths: Wait till 2023 for Presidency

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to be alert and wary of booby traps as well as land mines that the APC and the Presidency will set on the way to scuttle the quest for our youths to fully participate and aspire in our democratic process”.

    The PDP called on youths in the country to rally the opposition in the task to rescue the country from the grip of the APC in the next general election.

    The party noted that President Buhari and the ruling party have shown that they have nothing to offer the youths, and as such should be rejected in the 2019 elections.

    Also reacting to the President’s message, the National Youth Leader of the PDP, Mr. Sunday Ude-Okoye, said the would continue to champion the cause of young persons in the country.

    Ude-Okoye, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Friday observed that the PDP appointed many young persons into sensitive positions during its 16 years reign.

    According to him, the party would continue to run a youth friendly government if voted back to power in 2019.

  • PDP to Buhari: Not too young to run is our initiative

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for attempting to parade themselves as the architects of the ‘Not Too Young to Run Act’.

    A statement on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said the bill that culminated in the passage of the Act, was sponsored and pursued by the PDP members in the National Assembly and State houses of assembly.

    The statement said, “It is instructive to note that President Buhari had no input whatsoever in the bill; never showed any support or enthusiasm towards the initiative and had no option than to perform a mandatory constitutional duty of assenting to the bill, as a clear reflection of the mood of the nation, given that the bill had already found an easy passage to the crucibles of the required approval of two-third of states in the federation.

    “This development is indeed a democratic victory for the Nigerian youths over forces, particularly, the APC, that had hitherto disdained and disregarded them as lazy and inconsequential, but had to succumb to the dictates of the law and pressure by the youths and the PDP.

    “The party commends the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Tony Nwulu (PDP, Lagos), other legislators who supported the process and the resilience of the Nigerian youths in getting the initiative through, in line with the vision of the PDP to allow younger Nigerians to actively participate in elective positions in governance at all levels.

    Read Also: Buhari has become unpopular – PDP

    “In preparation for the passage of the bill, the PDP had since launched our ‘Generation Next Movement’, which has already put younger Nigerians at vantage positions to participate in elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    “In line with the ‘Generation Next Movement’, the rebranded PDP among other pro-youth incentives, has since approved certain critical clauses and waivers so that the young people will actively vie for positions in the 2019 general elections.

    “In line with our dream of providing enabling environment for youths participation in elections and governance, the PDP, after winning in 2019, will further lower the age qualification to entrench our vision that ‘whoever can vote can be voted for’, which is a global standard.

    “The PDP therefore urged the Nigerian youths to immediately take advantage of the Generation Next platform and incentives already established by the repositioned PDP and actively participate in the collective quest to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC”.

  • Democracy Day: Buhari’s address hollow, full of false claims, says PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described the Democracy Day address by President Muhammadu Buhari as uninspiring, hollow, full of self-praise and false performance claims.

    The President also failed to address issues agitating the minds of Nigerians, a statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said.

    According to the main opposition party, the address was the worst since President Buhari took office in 2015, adding that it was garnished with a list of phantom projects and executive regurgitation, inherently designed by his handlers to sway Nigerians and divert attention from the many failures of the administration.

    The statement said, “The few Nigerians who bordered to listen to the address were miffed that, in the most insensitive manner, Mr. President failed to show the littlest empathy to millions of citizens groaning under the worst form of poverty, starvation and economic hardship occasioned by his misrule”

    The party also observed that the President’s aloofness to the plight of Nigerians was manifest in all the lines of the speech.

    Read Also: Court to Buhari: Order EFCC, others to release report on budget padding

    “In fact, no line in the supposed Democracy Day address had any inclination towards justice for victims of abuse of human rights, reported executive high-handedness, illegal arrests and detentions, extra-judicial executions as well as victims of killings and daily bloodletting in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Kogi, Yobe and other parts of the country, by insurgents and marauders.

    “Mr. President, on Democracy Day, had no words of assurance on the unrelenting violation of our constitution; assault on the National Assembly and erosion of personal freedom of citizens.

    “The President said nothing on the humonguous corruption going on under his administration, where APC leaders and cabal at the Presidency have stolen over N10 trillion, mainly from a sector under his direct supervision”.

    The PDP similarly faulted the president address for failing to make any commitment towards the conduct of free, fair and credible general elections in 2019. It added that he was apparently overwhelmed by the avalanche of his public rejection ahead of the polls.

    “Incredibly, Mr. President’s handlers chose to subject him to a fantasy trip, making false performance claims with phantom projects, muddling up economic statistics and ended up worsening his already diminished public perception.

    “This is exactly why the PDP had earlier advised President Buhari not to border to address Nigerians on Democracy Day.

    “The PDP notes that Nigerians have reached a consensus that the 2018 Democracy Day celebration is the last for the Buhari Presidency and the APC. Our citizens have endured under the misrule of the APC, keeping their hopes in the 2019 elections to get back our democracy on the platform of the repositioned PDP.

    “In solidarity with Nigerians, the National Working Committee of the PDP has already held a meeting where it reviewed the circumstances and will formally address Nigerians on the issues of misrule of our nation in the last three years”, the statement added.

  • Our stay in prison has elevated us to African statesmen, Orbih

    State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Dan Orbih, has said that the one night he and other spent in Benin Prison has elevated their status to African statesmen.

    Chief Orbih, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, a former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi and Efe Anthony spent last Thursday night in prison custody after they could not meet the bail conditions set by Justice P.I Adjokwu.

    They were arraigned on eight count charges of laundering the sum of N700m in 2015.

    Read Also:Ize-Iyamu, Orbih, other Edo PDP leaders to spend weekend in prison

    The money was believed to be part the $115m Allison Diezani pilfered from the treasury to fund the 2015 general elections.

    They were released from custody at about 10:30pm on Friday night.

    Addressing party supporters who paid him solidarity at his residence, Chief Orbih said people who were sentenced to long years imprisonment later came out to rule the country.

    Chief Orbih vowed to continue to advance the course of the common man.

    According to him, “For the first time in the history of our state, documents that were not signed during the day were signed at9:30pm. The documents of Pastor Ize-Iyamu were declared missing.

    “They did not sign his papers because they wanted him to stay for the weekend. You can plan evil but evil will be defeated.

    “When you see any government using organs of government to oppress and intimidate opposition, you will know the end of that government is near.”

  • Jonathan to leaders: Make sacrifices for Nigeria’s democracy

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Nigerian leaders to make personal sacrifices towards strengthening the nation’s democracy and make the country great.

    He spoke on Friday night at the inauguration of a flyover built by the administration of Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose in Ado Ekiti.

    Leaders, he said, should always strive to resist the pressure from unpatriotic elements  who wish to subjugate democracy to attain selfish ends.

    According to a statement by his spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan spoke against the backdrop of the coming Ekiti Governorship election in the state.

    He said: “Since I came in I have been going round the state with the Governor. I have seen the support the Governor still has; I have seen the support the Peoples Democratic Party enjoys in the State. I have also seen the enthusiasm of our people. I don’t believe anybody can defeat the PDP in Ekiti, if real election is going to be conducted.”

    On the need for free and fair elections in the country, Jonathan said: “I use this opportunity to call on Mr. President because I was there before, and I know that when you are there, there is so much pressure on you to use all the powers at your disposal to subjugate democracy.

    “Don’t do that because what you go with, at the end of the day, is the good name you leave behind. If you use your powers negatively, posterity will haunt you. I call on Mr. President to use his power to strengthen democracy because all the great democracies we see in the world today were built by people. People make sacrifices to make their country great.”

    Making a case for good leadership, the former President stated further that he always felt sad each time people said negative things about Nigeria, noting that it has got to a stage where the nation’s neighbours cite the country as a bad example.

    He said: “A President of a neighbouring country, Ghana, recently made two negative remarks about Nigeria. First, the current Ghanaian President was addressing Ghanaians about the movement of cattle within their shores and he said openly that Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam freely. That was quite uncomplimentary.  He added that recently the same President was speaking in the United Kingdom when he made disparaging remarks about Nigeria’s currency.

    Read Also: Jonathan, PDP leaders demand credible election

    “If it has got to a level when the Presidents of neighbouring countries will cite Nigeria as a negative example, then we must know as leaders of this country that certain things are not going well, and we must change the way we do things.”

    He described Governor Fayose as a man who has the courage to lead his people, noting that he never compromised anything that had to do with the interest of the people of Ekiti State.

    “He (Fayose) has done well and has defended and protected the interest of the people of Ekiti State. We are here for infrastructural development. While here, I have inspected the High Court complex that was commissioned yesterday (Thursday). I have inspected the market being constructed. I was a part of commissioning of the new Governor’s Office and I have inspected the office. This night I am commissioning the Flyover. Everybody is talking about this flyover which is not just the first in Ekiti State but the first flyover of its kind in Nigeria.

    “The resources of Ekiti State are small compared to many other states. It is a feat to have this kind of projects done here. We have to thank the vision of such a dynamic man Ayodele Fayose who is the Governor of the State.

    Jonathan also commended Fayose in the area of education, stressing that any leader who wanted to develop and liberate his people would first treat education as a priority.

    “Anybody who does not encourage education wants to imprison the minds of the people so that he will continue to subjugate them and exploit them”, said.

    He described Ekiti people as a population that places high value on education. “Not too long ago we were surprised when Ekiti records in national examinations dropped so low. I was quite pleased when the records improved through the efforts of Governor Ayodele Fayose, of course supported by the Deputy Governor, a university professor that supervised the educational sector. So, anybody who can enhance education and improve the infrastructure of the state within the limits of the limited resources available to the state has a good vision for the state.”