The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • Mass defection looms in Edo PDP

    Mass defection looms in Edo PDP

    Some members of the People’s Democratic Party in Edo State have opted to leave the PDP over selection of delegates that voted at the just concluded elective congress of the party where Uche Secondus emerged as the National Chairman of the party.

    The grouse of the members is the manner delegates from the state were allegedly selected without their inputs.

    A leader of the PDP in Akoko-Edo local government and former Federal Commissioner in the Public Complaints Commission, Chief Oladele Bankole-Balogun took the lead on Monday when he announced his resignation from the PDP.

    In a letter addressed to State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, Chief Bankole-Balogun said he realised that his status in the party was made lip service.

    He stated that as he watched the convention, he saw the level of lack of recognition for the efforts, contribution and personal sacrifices he made for the party.

    Chief Balogun said he still made huge financial contributions to the 2016 governorship elections in the state despite the party’s absence in his struggles at the law court to reclaim his mandate.

    His words, “I consider it outrageous to have to find out that a National delegate to a convention is taken from my area without my input. This singular act brings into question my relevance within the party.

    “I have therefore come to the decision to resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.”

    But Chief Orbih who rejected the resignation of Chief Balogun said the PDP looked forward to a robust relationship with him.

    Orbih’s reply reads, “I received a text message from you on the 9th of Dec.2017 informing me of your resignation from the party as a result of your non-participation in the process that led to the election of a national delegate from your Local government Area. I am informed that at the time of the delegates’ election you were not home because of some urgent personal issues that required your attention.

    “The Party appreciates your contribution to our efforts in building a strong membership in AkokoEdo LGA and here by reject your resignation notification.”

     

  • Live updates: PDP National Convention

    Live updates: PDP National Convention

    The much awaited Peoples Democratic Party national convention is holding today at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

    Party faithful from across the country and delegates have been arriving at the venue since monring.

    More than 2000 delegates are expected to vote to fill the positions of the national chairman and several other national offices.

    The party has been under the supervision of different interim national executives since May 2015 when Adamu Mu’azu resigned as part of the fallout from the 2015 election lost.

    The aspirants are Uche Secondus, Gbenga Daniel, Jimi Agbaje, Rashidi Ladoja, Taoheed Adedoja, Tunde Adeniran, Raymond Dokpesi, Aderemi Olusegun and Chief Olabode George, who later withdrew from the race on Friday night.

    George, Ladoja and Jimi have all pulled out on the eve of the race.

    10:50pm: Counting and collation of ballots is expected to be done by midnight.

     

    8:10pm: Voting ends at the PDP 2017 National Convention.

    5:35pm: Delegates have begin voting at the PDP national convention.

    5:00pm: Delegates have now commenced voting into 21 national positions.

    4:40pm: The Peoples Democratic Party has dissolved the Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee, which was put in place in 2016. This has pave the way for the election of substantive executive.

    4:20: Former President, Goodluck Jonathan in his remark said the party has never deceived Nigerians, saying it only promise what it can deliver.

    “Tell everyone that PDP is back and ready to take back power.

    4:00pm: Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in his remark said the APC government promised to give Nigerians 3 million jobs a year, instead 3 million jobs lost.

    “This belief inspired me and other compatriots to establish the PDP on the ideals of one united nations built on the principles of justice and equity. I fought to prevent tenure elongation”.

    3:30pm: Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, in his remark said the people of the north east were liberated from Boko Haram but they are now being afflicted. There will be peace in the north east when PDP returns to power.

    3:12pm: Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, in his own remark said when PDP regains power, the bag of rice selling for N20,000 will go back to N7,000.”

    2:45pm: Former Akwa ibom State Governor, in his remark said party members have been contributing positively in the National Assembly to help the APC administration for the good of Nigeria, so that the PDP will take over a healthy country in 2019.

    2:30pm: Former Oyo State Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has stepped down from the race.

    2:10pm: PDP Chairman of BoT, Walid Jibrin, in his remark said the PDP we will take over power in 2019.

    2:01pm: Former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has stepped down from the race.

    1:10pm: The party caretaker chairman Senator Ahmed Makarfi in his speech began with a tribute to the founding fathers of the PDP.

    He calls for a one-minute of silence in honour of one of the founding fathers of the party, former Vice president Alex Ekwueme.

    “In the wake of the performance of our dear party at the 2015 general elections, it was natural, as in most human endeavors for all of us to, not necessarily despair, but be disappointed and do some introspection with a view to finding out what went wrong and how best to make amends and move forward”.

    He also said the caretaker committee was able to resolve the issues concerning PDP members across the country.

    “Joblessness has never been at such high levels in the history of this country, while the education sector is all but comatose”.

    “The relative ease with which foodstuff and other essentials were available and affordable to the average Nigerian under PDP governments is now history”.

    “Kidnap for ransom has taken a life of its own, so are the incessant farmers/herdsmen clashes and criminalities so camouflaged. Government must up the ante in its efforts to confront these menaces” he said.

    12:30 pm: The Chairman of the planning Committee, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state in his speech assures of a credible convention and asked for cooperation from all delegates.

    Tight security in and around Eagles Square venue of the convention.

    11:00am: The National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi arrives Eagle Square, venue of the 2017 Elective National Convention.

    PDP

    10: 20 am: Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar arrives Eagle Square, venue of the 2017 Elective National Convention.

    Atiku PDP NC

  • PDP chair: I’ve no preferred candidate, says Jonathan

    PDP chair: I’ve no preferred candidate, says Jonathan

    Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has also reiterated that he has no preferred candidate in the chairmanship election at the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party taking place in Abuja today.

    According to a goodwil message he sent to the participants in the convention and signed by the ex-President’s media adviser, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan said he was prepared to work with all the party members that would emerge as its new leaders in the interest of the party and the nation.

    The message said further: “As the father of the party, ex-President Jonathan has no preferred candidate for any of the positions, and is prepared to work with all those that will emerge as members of the new NWC, to ensure that the party regains its pride of place in the affairs of the nation.”

    The former President also expressed optimism that the convention would produce positive outcomes which would help “the party regains its pride of place in the affairs of the nation.”

    The statement reads in part: “The former President is pleased with the dedication and enthusiasm of all party members towards building a strong PDP and wishes all participants successful deliberations as they seek to freely elect members of the National Working Committee, that will lead the party for the next four years.

    “Dr. Jonathan is impressed with the level of preparations for the convention, especially with the number of the candidates and the spread and vibrancy of the campaigns, which has established a new paradigm for intra-party elections, in the country.

    “As the father of the party, ex-President Jonathan has no preferred candidate for any of the positions, and is prepared to work with all those that will emerge as members of the new NWC, to ensure that the party regains its pride of place in the affairs of the nation.

    “Contrary to speculations and permutations by some interest groups, Dr. Jonathan has never discussed or plotted with others against the ambition of any of the candidates as is being falsely reported by those who are adept at spreading negative stories against the immediate past President.

    “The former President is therefore optimistic that the convention will produce a positive outcome that will help the PDP consolidate its position as the party with the best democratic ideals in the country.”

  • Police: adequate security in place for PDP convention

    Police: adequate security in place for PDP convention

    The Police Command in the FCT has warned that it would not tolerate any acts that would cause trouble at Saturday’s convention of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) scheduled to hold in Abuja.

    The Spokesman of the Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, gave the warning in an interview in Abuja.

    Manzah said the command had made adequate security arrangement for the convention.

    He said police personnel had been adequately briefed to effectively carry out their duties during the event.

    “The officers deployed have been briefed to effectively carry out their duties at the convention,” he said.

     PDP is holding the convention to elect its national officers.

    Read also: PDP convention: Jittery Atiku runs to IBB

    NAN

  • Delta polls: Tuomo leaders panic over impending crisis

    Everybody knows it is the turn of Tuomo, the biggest community in Burutu Local Government Area, to produce the councillor, Godsday Orubebe still said even if it’s not the turn of his town, he will impose an unpopular wish on the people.

    The Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has been urged to quickly intervene in the brewing political crisis in Tuomo, Burutu Local Government Area, over alleged attempt to impose a councillorship candidate on the people. Addressing reporters in Warri penultimate week, Tuomo political leaders, who are also key stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), raised the alarm that ongoing political activities in Tuomo, which is Ward 5 of Burutu, were already heating up the entire council area, a situation they claimed was threatening peace.

    The elders that include the traditional ruler of Tuomo, His Royal Highness Emokpo Opukuma; former Majority Leader of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly, Prince Okpanbeni Johnny; and Barrister Dio Orubebe, said some people were trying to subvert the will of the majority for their personal interest.

    According to the elders, the PDP in the ward had held a peaceful primary election, which produced a winner, in the person of Adesefuobo Emokpo, but alleged that the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Godsday Orubebe, had been making efforts to scuttle the process by attempting to impose another aspirant as candidate.

    “This whole thing began three years ago during the last local government election when Orubebe went to tell the then governor, Uduaghan, that it was his community’s turn. After this boy (Emokpo) won the primary, we have to prevail on him to wait for the next turn, just to avert trouble.

    “Now it is another election season and we have all witnessed the process so far; first the ward leadership constituted an electoral college, which met in Mr Orubebe’s house in Ogbogbagbene, over 73 people. All the aspirants spoke at the meeting and all agreed to go through a free process.

    “Everybody knows it is the turn of Tuomo, the biggest community in Burutu Local Government Area, to produce the councillor, Godsday Orubebe still said even if it’s not the turn of his town, he will impose an unpopular wish on the people and the people said no. The state secretariat of the PDP sent a returning officer in the person of Comrade Elijah Ologeh.

    “He came to Tuomo and conducted the primary. All the people, in their thousands, queued behind Emokpo; he had 297 votes as against the 11 that Orubebe’s candidate got. Before they could call the results, we learnt that Orubebe had called the governor and lied to him that there was tension in the town and without reaching any of us, the governor directed that the primary be suspended.

    “However, they declared the results and they were submitted. It was based on the result that all the leaders of the ward endorsed the result and escorted the returning officer to Asaba to submit it. Even with all these, Orubebe still continued to pester the governor that he should be given the councillor and the governor, we learned, has agreed to this. This is unacceptable, nobody should think they can subvert the will of the people”, they said.

    Efforts to reach the former Minister for response were unsuccessful as he neither answered a call put across to him nor respond to an SMS message sent to him.

    Meanwhile, another leader from Tuomo community and the National Coordinator of the Pan-Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC), Chief Mike Loyibo, has appealed to the people of the community to remain calm, assuring that proper steps were being taken to make Dr Okowa see the true situation of things, adding that the governor, being a man of justice, would let the truth prevail.

     

  • Saraki, Kwankwaso, others should return home – PDP

    Saraki, Kwankwaso, others should return home – PDP

    The Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has called on aggrieved members who left the party to follow the footsteps of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku “and return home.”

    The Chairman of the board, Sen. Walid Jibrin, made the call while briefing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said “as the party joyfully welcomes Atiku back to his home PDP, we are equally waiting to receive more members.

    “We are waiting for the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, other senators, members of House of Representatives and APC governors who left the PDP.

    “Let all of us unite and take back power from APC come 2019.”

    Read also:I represent new face of PDP – Dokpesi

    Ahead of the December 9 PDP Convention, Jibrin urged aspirants to develop the spirit of sportsmanship.

    He urged aspirants to accept the verdict of delegates, cooperate with the winners and remain loyal to the party as power comes from God.

    Jibrin said the BoT had not anointed any contestant, saying the board was ready to work with whoever emerged victorious.

    “I want to assure our party members that whoever emerges as National Chairman, the BoT is ready to cooperate and work with him or her for the progress of the party.

    “I will like to reiterate our position that the BoT has not anointed any candidates for now,” he said.

    He commended the Judiciary for saving Nigeria’s democracy by putting and end to the crisis in the party.

    NAN

  • I represent new face of PDP – Dokpesi

    I represent new face of PDP – Dokpesi

    Founder of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said he represented the new face of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) where political aspirations of members would be attained.

    Dokpesi, a national chairmanship aspirant of the party, stated this at a news conference in Owerri, on Wednesday as he rounded off his nationwide campaign ahead of Saturday’s national convention of the party.

    He said that his leadership would mark a departure from the culture of imposition and impunity of the past, and urged Imo delegates to the convention to vote for a new beginning in the party.

    “Vote for a new beginning and a new PDP that will ensure and give each member of PDP a level-playing ground to attain their dreams.

    “Vote for leadership that will be respected by all and sundry, leadership of the party that will recapture power in 2019.

    “That is the kind of leadership Chief Raymond Dokpesi is offering,” he said.

    Read also: Dokpesi calls for unity among PDP members

    Dokpesi said that the party was on the rise again after its defeat in the 2015 general elections, adding that to sustain the achievement, it needed a leader who had what was required to properly project it.

    In his response, Chairman of PDP in Imo, Mr Charles Ezekwem, said that the state was yet to decide on candidates to vote for at the convention.

    According to Ezekwem, a collective decision on that will be made before the convention.

    In his speech, Mr Chuma Nnaji, a running mate in the governorship election in the state in 2015, said that the delegates from Imo would vote for honest aspirants who understood the challenges of the state.

    Nnaji described Dokpesi as one of such aspirants.

    NAN

  • 2019: APC to win in Cross River – spokesman

    2019: APC to win in Cross River – spokesman

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Cross River has expressed confidence in its ability to win the 2019 general elections including the governorship election in the state.

    Mr Mens Ikpeme, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, expressed the confidence in an interview in Lagos.

    Ikpeme said he was optimistic of the APC success because of the unimpressive performance of the government of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in the state.

    “APC in 2019 will run an issue-based campaign and focus on three core areas namely, the fight against corruption, stabilising the economy and the restoration of peace and security in Cross River State,’’ he said.

    The secretary said the party would ensure that its candidates in the 2019 elections were of impeccable character and could deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

    He said the party would also ensure internal democracy and conduct free and fair primaries.

    Read also: ‘INEC is working to achieve credible election in Cross River’

    “APC is the party to beat in Cross River State in the 2019 general elections. We are determined to provide democratic dividends to our people.

    “APC has been sensitising the people of what is happening and the people can see for themselves that we have a government that does not serve their interest.
    “Calabar used to be a beautiful place, but the streets are now being taken over by wastes.

    “We are determined to move the state from its present political squalor to greatness,’’ Ikpeme said.

    He said the APC-led Federal Government was fixing the country’s economy, infrastructure and rebuilding its image at the international level.

    “When we took over in 2015 at the federal level, we promised Nigerians that we will fix the economy, ensure security of lives and property and fight corruption no matter who is involved, and this is what we are doing,” he said.

    NAN

  • Convention: Don urges PDP delegates to elect people of integrity

    Convention: Don urges PDP delegates to elect people of integrity

    A Don, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, has advised delegates at the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention in Abuja, to ensure the emergence of people of integrity as national executive of the party.

    Okolie, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka gave the advice in an interview in Nsukka on Tuesday.

    He said the quality of executive that would emerge from the convention would determine the future of PDP.

    “The type of national executive elected by PDP on Saturday will make or mar the party’s progress and its ambition to reclaim power at the centre in 2019.

    “The party should ensure that those that will be elected are men and women of integrity that have enviable past track records,” he said.

    He also urged delegates to “resist attempt by some political money bags to buy their votes’’, adding that “such will spell doom for the party.’’

    “I advise delegates to place the interest of the party first as that will help the party to enthrone dedicated, transparent and focused leadership.

    “If the delegates have the interest of the party at heart, they must shun all forms of financial inducement and vote according to their conscience.”

    Read also:  PDP convention: Atiku backs Adeniran for chairman

    The don also said the character of whosoever emerged as the PDP national chairman would determine the level of discipline and internal democracy in the party.

    “For any political party to survive as well as remain relevant there must be discipline and internal democracy that will give hope to aspirations of party members.

    “Absence of disciplinary and internal democracy have ruined many political parties and resulted in some members acting with impunity as if the party is their personal enterprise.

    “Saturday’s convention is an opportunity for PDP to get it right and correct its past mistakes, this will strengthen and reposition the party.”

    NAN

  • Dokpesi calls for unity among PDP members

    Dokpesi calls for unity among PDP members

    Chief Raymond Dokpesi, on Wednesday called for unity among Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) members in Oyo State, saying they needed to be together to regain power in the state.

    Dokpesi, national chairmanship aspirant of the party, made the call in Ibadan while interacting with executive committee members and stakeholders of the party in the state.

    He said that the party lost power in the state because its members were not united, thus making the party’s votes to be shared among other political parties where members defected to.

    He said that power could be regained in future elections if party members reunited and worked together.

    “If we had added all the votes from everyone, PDP would have won the government in Oyo State.

    “All of us that went to different groups, what did we get? If we had worked together, it would have been something.

    “So, I am going to appeal that I want to work with you; I want one united PDP to be able to win election in Oyo and thereafter, at the federal level. You can do it, so please let us work together. ”

    Let’s stop the quarrel, let us stop the bickering and work together,” Dokpesi said.

    He urged the delegates from the state, who would be at the December 9 convention to give him the needed support to become the party’s national chairman.

    Responding, Leader of the Oyo delegates, Dr Saka Balogun, advised Dokpesi to fight imposition if he emerged victorious at the convention.

    Read also: PDP will work for Nigeria’s unity – Dokpesi

    Balogun said that if not for imposition and impunity, some members of the party would not have left, “and those who defected would have returned and PDP would have won 2015 elections in the state.’’

    In his remarks, Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Omokunmi Mustapha, said that Dokpesi had more than 70 per cent of what was required to lead PDP.

    NAN