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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Defections, court battles as parties intensify campaigns

    •Support base for Abiodun swells in Ogun      •Kano PDP exco defects to APC

    •Oyo APC accuses PDP of peddling rumours      •Judge refuses to stop Bindow

    •‘Kwara governor intimidating workers’      •Ortom: no plan to compromise INEC

    PARTIES and their candidates are intensifying their preparations for the rescheduled Governorship and State Assembly elections on Saturday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari was in Delta and Akwa Ibom states to lead the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the governorship elections. It was in a bid to take the Southsouth states into the ruling party’s basket.

    In many of the states, stronger candidates are making overtures to weaker candidates to gain more strength ahead of the elections and to form a formidable opposition to dislodge incumbent governors.

    Major challengers are accusing governors of deploying government structures to emasculate the opposition.

    There have also been judicial interventions in some states. Here is a state-by-state situation ahead of the elections:

    Kano

    In Kano, a Federal High Court nullified the primaries that produced Abba K. Yusuf as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.

    Justice Lawis Alagoa ruled that Yususf’s candidature was not recognised by law because no primary election was held to produce him.

    The Judge, however, ruled that the PDP should conduct a fresh primary to produce a candidate who can be recognised by law before Saturday’s election.

    A PDP gubernatorial aspirant, Ibrahim El-Amin Little,  challenged the process that produced Yusuf.

    His grouse was that the party denied him the right to contest the primary election, even as he bought his expression and nomination forms.

    The development has unsettled the opposition party with members of its Executive Council defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Led by Senator Masa’ud El-Jubrin Doguwa, the executive and thousands of the party’s supporters announced their defection yesterday.

    Explaining why he collapsed the state leadership of the PDP into the APC, Doguwa said it was “due to the injustice being meted out to us by the Prince Uche Secondus National leadership”.

    He said: “I called this press conference just to brief you of a very painful decision that we have taken. This is so painful, but we have no choice but to take this decision of leaving the PDP. Today, we have decided to move to the APC.”

    Read also: My intervention in Oyo APC was for genuine reconciliation, by Tinubu

    Niger

    In Niger State, a Federal High Court in Minna yesterday dismissed a case of alleged certificate forgery filed against Governor Abubakar Bello.

    The PDP had gone to the court, seeking Bello’s disqualification from the election in.

    It accused Bello, who is the APC candidate, of presenting a forged certificate of statutory declaration of age to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Justice Aminu Aliyu, held that the suit was filed out of time, thereby negating Section 285 (9) of Nigeria’s constitution.

    Justice Aliyu held that the plaintiff’s case lacked merit and could not establish that Bello presented a forged certificate to INEC.

    He dismissed the matter and awarded N500, 000 cost to Bello and APC.

    Counsel to the plaintiff, Aliyu Lemu, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment, saying that his client would appeal.

    Mr Jibril Okutepa (SAN), Yunus Usman (SAN) and Johnson Usman, counsel to Bello and APC, described the judgment as a further proof that the judiciary was the last hope of the common man.

    Adamawa

    A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, yesterday dismissed a suit alleging that Adamawa State Governor Mohammed Bindow of submitting forged certificates to the INEC for lack of territorial jurisdiction.

    Justice Olukayode Adeniyi held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case on the ground that the suit originated from Adamawa State and ought to have been filed in the state and not in Abuja.

    A non-governmental organisation, under the aegis of Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, tendered documents before the court to substantiate its claim that the defendant who is a flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), falsely declared his educational qualification and date of birth.

    Among other prayers, the claimant was seeking the disqualification of Bindow from participating in the election.

    Bindow denied presenting forged documents to INEC.

    The governor, through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the court that he won the primary election on October 9, last year in Yola.

    Meanwhil, the governorship candidates of 10 political parties in the state have resolved to work for the PDP to ensure victory for the opposition party.

    The candidates announced the decision after a meeting with the Adamawa PDP candidate, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, in Yola.

    The candidates are: Sadiq Khaliel of MRDD, Danjuma Musa of FJP, Naziru Sa’ad of ZLP, Ahmed Hassan of DA and Salihu Danjuma of APM.

    Others are: Abdullahi Usman of NCP, Bappari Umar of KOWA, Lami Musa of PPN, Elizabeth Isa of CAP and Frank Simon of MEGA party.

    The candidates, who took turns to speak at the meeting, said they had decided to partner with the PDP and work for the success of the party and its candidate in the election.

    Ogun

    In Ogun State, the support base of the APC candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun, swelled with some opposition figures promising to support him.

    A top chieftain of the APC in the Gateway State confirmed to The Nation that talks were ongoing between the party and key opposition figures.

    The APC leader, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said: “Our party has opened talks with the PDP, ADC and other opposition parties on how to collaborate so that Dapo Abiodun can really be the symbol.

    “Some APM members are returning home to work for the party. This is why I called it the realignment of forces in Ogun State.”

    A member of the state House of Assembly, Akinpelu Aina, said the APC would win Saturday’s governorship poll, despite the stand of Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

    Governor Amosun is backing the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, who lost the governorship ticket to Abiodun at the primaries.

    The lawmaker noted that the APC candidate was credible and remained the best for the position.

    Benue

    Governor Samuel Ortom’s  Special Adviser on Media & ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua, said there was no need for the governor to compromise INEC personnel.

    Agerzua, who spoke in Makurdi, was reacting to the allegation by the APC in the state that Ortom had allocated large amounts of money to INEC staff, with the intent to compromise them.

    He said: “These unfounded allegations being circulated in the media are surely the last kicks of a dying horse. The results of the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly polls indicate that the party (PDP) is the preferred choice of the Benue people.

    “Ortom, who has grass roots support, need not compromise INEC staff to get votes through the backdoor. The people are poised to, once again, vote for him massively like they did in 2015, without any undue influence on the electoral umpire.”

    Sokoto

    The state chapter of the APC in Sokoto raised the alarm over alleged desperate and undemocratic moves by the PDP to cause a breach of the peace. It urged law enforcement agencies to apply appropriate sanctions to serve as deterrent to others.

    It alleged that the PDP had planned to deploy ‘area boys’ in Sokoto Marshall uniforms to join the joint security patrol team that will monitor the election to accomplish its designed plan.

    “We do not trust the state government owned security outfit. We reject that unlawful arrangement and demand that only security agencies backed and duly recognised by federal laws should monitor elections”, the APC said.

    It described as detrimental the calculated inciting statement by the state PDP chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma and the state Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Dangwaggo, at a youth solidarity rally on March 2.

    At a news conference, the Sokoto APC Chairman, Alhaji Sadiq Isah Achida, observed that the PDP was rattled by the overwhelming victory of the APC across the country, describing the actions and unguarded statements by the opposition party’s chieftains as capable of causing a breach of the peace.

    Achida quoted the duo as saying: “We must win election by all means. We either win or there will be death. Any government official seen at the polling unit should be beaten up to death and his corpse thrown away in a refuse dump.

    “The statements are not only inciting but a recipe for lawlessness and anarchy,” Achida said.

    Oyo

    The Oyo State chapter of the APC warned PDP leaders to steer clear of the state because its funds cannot be used to fund the party (PDP).

    APC Publicity Secretary AbdulAzeez Olatunde said the failure of the PDP to win the presidential election had caused its members to go delusional, noting that the allegation that Governor Abiola Ajimobi plans to use fake police and NURTW members to cause unrest is “a figment of their puerile imagination and a product of hallucination”.

    Dr. Olatunde said: “Everyone in this state knows that Ajimobi stands for peace and he will not trade it for anything. Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry the violent years of PDP and the ruins caused by the party, which is gradually being salvaged by the APC administration of President Buhari.”

    The APC spokesman warned that it would resist what it called the rigging and vote buying plans of the PDP, adding that it will not allow the PDP to turn Oyo State into a micro finance bank.

    He said: “We wouldn’t have responded to PDP hallucinatory statements since the people know the party is synonymous with violence, maladministration, financial recklessness and mudslinging. With their rejection by Nigerians in the February 23 election, we assumed that they would have changed their ways.

    “But like the saying goes, old habits die hard. The habit of PDP to peddle falsehood is their second nature. Their antics to get to Oyo’s seat of power will be another futile effort. The electorate knows them; they know how they ruined the country’s economy and perpetrated a lot of violence in Oyo State and across the country.

    “The peace currently being enjoyed in Oyo State was elusive during the ruling years of PDP. It is only PDP that will lay the foundation of peace and destroy same with its hands.

    “The present administration in the state is people-oriented and it has vowed to sustain peace, safety and security.”

  • President: we’ll reclaim stolen votes in Akwa Ibom

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday assured the All Progressives Congress(APC) family in Akwa Ibom that the party’s votes which were stolen during the February 23 presidential/national Assembly elections would be reclaimed.

    Buhari gave the assurance yesterday in Uyo during a Town hall meeting to appreciate Akwa Ibom electorate for casting their ballot for the (APC) on February 23.

    Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who represented the President, encouraged the electorate to defend their votes during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    He stated that it was not possible for Senator Godswill Akpabio to have lost the election, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) robbed him and the party of victory, and that all the wrongs that were done during the Presidential and National Assembly elections would be addressed.

    He said: “What happened on the 23rd of February was robbery. The votes of the people was stolen but we are not deterred. The President sent me to thank you today. We are going to make sure that everything that was stolen on the 23rd February would be restored.

    “It is not possible that Senator Godwill Akpabio lost. We are in no doubt that Senator Akpabio is the elected senator of Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district. I, and Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of party have been in the opposition for long and we cannot be defeated anymore.

    “Everyone of you should go out to vote on Saturday and defend your votes; we cannot be cheated; not only you, but tell your neighbours to vote for Obong Nsima Ekere and all APC candidates. Wait for your votes to be counted. It is the duty of the Federal Government to provide security and we will do that. We will recover every one of our votes.”

    Also speaking, Oshiomhole said the party was not in the state to lament but to thank the people of the state for doing their jobs and voting President Buhari.

     

     

  • Buhari hosts Presidential Campaign Council to dinner

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night hosted the officials of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to a dinner.

    It was held at the New Banquet Hall of the presidential villa, Abuja.

    Those in attendance when the dinner started around 8:10pm include; the Director General of the PCC, Rotimi Amaechi, former Senate President, Ken Nnmani, Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

    Also at the dinner were the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu and Senator Bashir Lado.

    Others were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha,  Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

    The President had in January, inaugurated the campaign council with him as chairman and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the co-chairman.

  • APC will reclaim its stolen votes in A’Ibom, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assured members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom that the party’s votes which were stolen during the February 23 presidential/national Assembly elections would be reclaimed.

    Buhari gave the assurance on Monday in Uyo during a Town hall meeting to appreciate Akwa Ibom electorates for casting their votes for the (APC) party on February 23.

    Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who represented the President, encouraged the electorates to defend their votes during the Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    He stated that it was not possible for Senator Godswill Akpabio to have lost the elections, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) robbed him and the party of victory and that all the wrongs that were done during the Presidential and National Assembly elections would be addressed.

    “What happened on the 23rd of February was robbery. The votes of the people were stolen but we are not deterred. The President sent me to thank you today. We are going to make sure that everything that was stolen on the 23rd of February would be restored.

    “It is not possible that Senator Godwill Akpabio lost. We are in no doubt that Senator Akpabio is the elected senator of Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district. I and Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the party have been in the opposition for long and we cannot be defeated anymore.

    Read also: N3.97bn fraud: Court convicts Badeh’s firm

    “Everyone of you should go out to vote on Saturday and defend your votes, we cannot be cheated; not only you but tell your neighbours to vote for Obong Nsima Ekere and all APC candidates. Wait for your votes to be counted. It is the duty of the Federal government to provide security and we will do that. We will recover every one of our votes.

    Also speaking, the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole said the party was not in the state to lament but to thank the people of the state for doing their jobs and voting President Buhari.

    He alleged that INEC colluded with some of the electoral officers to deny the state of its electoral victory on February 23, even though the people voted for the party.

    “We have not come here to brag that our mandate was stolen last week. We have come to thank you that you voted for President Buhari, and all members of the party. You did your job but some armed robbers in INEC stole your votes.

    “You think that those who stole your votes will have peace? We have come to reaffirm our commitment to democracy. We have come to affirm that no robber will go unpunished but when an electoral umpire is corrupt and collude with the opposition, we have the witnesses and we have lawyers to deal with that.

    “On Saturday we are not going to wait for them to steal our votes. We call on Akwa Ibom people to protect their votes. We must maintain our sanity even in this hour of provocation. Those who committed democratic abortion would be brought to book,” he said.

    The APC governorship candidate in the State, Nsima Ekere encouraged the people not to be deterred by the February 23 elections but to go out and vote during the March 9 elections, saying the party is sure of victory.

    He said the people of the state were in need of change and proved it during his campaigns across the 31 local government areas of the state, and assured the President that after March 9 elections, Akwa Ibom state would not be in the opposition but will be reunited with the centre

    He said, “Thank you for what you are doing for APC. The people voted for you, that vote is a revalidation of what the people want. You put Nigeria’s economy back on track.

    “We are here because we have faith in you and Mr President, the opposition and INEC have no choice than to give us back our mandate. Whosoever shall attempt to work against the collective will of Akwa Ibom people, we shall collectively resist.

    “We send a message to the electoral umpire and the other party that they must respect the votes of the people, every vote must count. Akwa Ibom people love APC”.

  • Buhari, Amosun meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday met behind closed doors with Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    Amosun, who won Senate seat during the National Assembly elections in Ogun State, was on Friday suspended by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for anti-party activities.
    Discussion at the closed doors meeting with the President may not be unconnected with the latest suspension.
    Apart from campaigning for the reelection of President Buhari, Amosun has been backing the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade, for the 9th March Ogun State governorship election in the state.

    Read also: ACPN denies endorsing Okowa

    Akinlade, before moving to APM, was governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but lost to Dapo Abiodun, who eventually emerged as the APC Governorship candidate for Ogun State.
    But National Headquarters of the APC is solidly behind Abiodun.

  • Buhari assures women, youths appointments in his new cabinet

    President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to give Nigerian women and youths more appointments in the next four years of his administration.

    Buhari acknowledged the significant role played by women and youths toward his re-election.

    The president said his administration would not disappoint them in the next four years of his administration.

    He gave the assurance on Sunday night  while speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women and Youths Presidential Campaign team dinner to celebrate his the re-election in Abuja.

    “I appreciate your coming here tonight, but we have to congratulate ourselves for succeeding,we indeed thank God for this success, “he said.

    The President however, promised that only those with integrity and interest of Nigeria would be considered for appointments in the next cabinet.

    He said more fertilizers were being made available to Nigerian farmers at a lower rate.

    According to him, that resulted in the increase in agricultural production and reduction in food importation.

    Buhari also called on Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture to ensure more food sufficiency and food export.

    The President faulted the sixteen-year rule of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he said, wasted the nation’s resources.

    According to him, the country witnessed rampant infrastructure decay in spite of the huge resources earned during the period(NAN).

  • Atiku made no demand on Buhari – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed media reports that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, made some demands on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Describing the reports as fabrication being peddled by the Buhari presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP urged the public to disregard such reports, describing them as absolute falsehood and outright lies.

    A statement yesterday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said Atiku Abubakar had not, and will never make or accept any condition from President Buhari regarding the February 23 presidential election, which the PDP insisted Atiku won. The statement said, “The Buhari presidency and the APC know that their electoral robbery cannot stand before any noble justices and are now attempting to use all sorts of blackmail and shenanigans to derail the quest by Nigerians to reclaim the stolen mandate at the tribunal.

    “However, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that Atiku Abubakar and the PDP are standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in this collective determination to take back the stolen mandate and we are not ready for any form of negotiation with anybody on this matter. Our party and candidate remain committed to the huge sacrifices made by Nigerians in ensuring our collective victory as delivered at the polling units across the country; we are mindful of the pains that Nigerians are passing through since the subversion of their will at the polls; we are sensitive to the expectations that millions of compatriots place on our shoulders in this struggle and we will never let Nigerians down.

    “We have all the authentic results from all the polling units as well as forensic evidence of manipulations by the APC and INEC. We will bare them all at the tribunal and the court will give justice to Nigerians. On that note, the PDP states unequivocally that nothing will change its resolve to pursue this despicable electoral fraud, unknown in our political history, to its end. We shall devote every energy necessary to reclaim our mandate and have Atiku Abubakar declared president, in line with the will of the people as delivered at the polling units on February 23, 2019.”

  • Buhari’s re-election will guarantee refinery revamping – NNPC

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says the re-election of president Muhammadu Buhari will help to facilitate the revamping of the nation’s refineries.

    Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs division told the News Agency of Nigeria( NAN)  in Abuja that the president had been supportive to the corporation.

    “The reelection of president Buhari is a welcome development to the corporation. As the Minister of Petroleum he has been very supportive.

    ” His reelection means that more support will come for the work the corporation is doing.

    “He has been very supportive with all the work going on in ensuring the revamping of the three refineries and has directed the corporation to ensure exploration of oil in the frontier inland basin, ” he said.

    Ughamadu noted that in product supply, the corporation had witnessed the president’s support in which the nation had continued to have adequate supply of products.

    “In gas production, the president gave the corporation all the support it needed especially with the Ajeokuta Kaduna Kano(AKK) gas pipeline project.

    “For us, his coming back is a welcome development and the industry at large is happy with it,” he said.

    The NNPC General Manager, Security, Mr Sam Otobueze also said that the re-election of president Buhari was no doubt a happy survival to NNPC.

    “It is a sigh of relief to the staff, burdened by uncertainties of the future, ” he said.

    Mr Sumaila Abdullahi, an oil marketers told NAN that the re-election of Buhari for a second term in office would go along way to consolidate some of the modest gains recorded in the Oil and Gas Industry.

    “To start with, the stable supply of petroleum products have come to stay and fuel scarcity is now a thing of the past.

    ” The seven big wins of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources will definetely be taken to the next level and this stability in policy drive would boost investor confidence and attract more investors into the industry.

    “The re-election of Mr. President will likely boost exploration of Oil and Gas in the frontier inland basins,” he said. (NAN)

  • Atiku unveils legal team, vows not to mortgage people’s mandate

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has vowed not to mortgage the people’s mandate as he unveiled his legal team on Saturday.

    Atiku is challenging the victory of incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In a statement yesterday by Atiku’s media adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate named Dr. Livy Uzoukwu SAN as head of his legal team.

    Atiku has alleged malpractices and manipulation of the ballot in many states across the federation to the undue advantage of President Buhari who contested the poll on the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC).

    He also alleged interference by the military and other security agencies in the election in ways and manners that compromised the credibility of the election, including voter repression, falsification of results and intimidation of voters.

    The statement quoted Atiku as saying, “I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved.

    “I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably, is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power”.

    Atiku assured that sooner than later, the noble dispensers of justice will give a judgment that will represent a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandits.

    He maintained that in no circumstances will he mortgage the mandate he said was freely given him by Nigerians in the February 23 election.

  • Buhari, Abdulsalami, other peace committee members meet

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with a delegation of the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar on the dust raised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate in last week’s election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    The delegation delivered to the president the issues raised by Atiku at the committee’s  Thursday meeting with him.

    But contrary to some speculations, PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said the party had no deal with the peace committee to halt its planned legal action on the presidential election.

    “We will go to court. Nobody will stop us from going to court and bring out all of the facts both the international observers and some people have not seen,” Secondus told reporters in Abuja.

    Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting with Buhari, Abdulsalami said  he was pleased to hear that the PDP had decided to approach the court to seek redress instead of resorting to violence.

    ”As much as we have grievances, l am glad that the PDP say they are going to court to challenge the process, l think this is the right way to go about it, and l hope and pray that we will maintain this,” he said.

    The former Head of State also confirmed that members of the committee had met with the presidential candidate of the PDP who raised concerns over the conduct and outcome of the presidential election as well as the forthcoming elections.

    He, however explained that what the former Vice President raised were concerns and not conditions as being speculated in some section of the media.

    He said “The Presidential election result has raised a lot of dust and the people feel aggrieved. Yesterday (Thursday).I met the PDP Presidential candidate and his party.

    “Atiku presented his grievances and his observations, he did not present any conditions, he gave his complaints, which we have come to present  and discuss with Mr. President to see what can be done.

    “And in other to listen to their grievances and what they think has gone wrong and we are here today to see his Excellency the President in other to relay the fears and concerns of the PDP and Mr. President.

    “He listened to us and has taken note of what we have told him.

    “Nigerians should please on behalf of this country and all of us, regardless, we need peace. This country is very, very important to all of us. We are not talking about self-interest, we are talking about the interest of the country.

    “I keep saying, whenever there is violence, we are not going to see violence in Ikoyi, in the Villa and you will not find violence in the various government houses in this country. It is always the poor man that get to kill themselves and so on,” he added.

    Other members of the committee at  the meeting with the president were the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah, His Grace, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Bishop of Abuja Archdiocese.

     

    What Atiku told peace committee

     The Atiku Campaign Organization said that PDP flag bearer ,at the meeting,complained that the presential election was “marked by militarization of the process, vote suppression, intimidation, and collaboration of security agencies, INEC and the ruling party to subvert the will of Nigerians.”

    It said Atiku called for the unconditional release of all those illegally arrested and detained for political reasons,and expressed opposition to the deployment of the military during next week’s elections “in compliance with constitutional provisions and the subsisting judgement of the court.”

    It added: “The issue of Atiku Abubakar and his party’s recourse to legitimate actions to reclaim his stolen mandate was not discussed at the meeting.

    “Atiku Abubakar restates that as a democrat, he will follow laid down constitutional and democratic procedures to challenge the electoral malfeasance committed by APC in cohort with INEC.

    “Atiku Abubakar further urges Nigerians to come out en masse and vote in the 9 March gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections for the PDP candidates and stay to defend their votes up to collation point.”

     

    Secondus: ‘No deal with National Peace Committee to halt legal action’

    At a separate press conference yesterday in Abuja,the national chairman of the PDP,Prince Uche Secondus  dismissed suggestions that the party had reached a deal with the Abdulsalami committee to call off its planned legal action on the presidential election.

    He said: “When they came, they met with us and they requested us to please state our grievances. There was no condition.

    “Initially, we were not to talk with them because a decision had been taken to go to court. But because of the personalities involved, we said ok, let’s just talk.

    “There were no conditions and there was no request of any condition. We made it clear that unless the injustices are addressed, there is no room for peace. It is only when you address the injustice that you can now sit down for peace.

    “So, whatever interpretation that was done by anybody, let it be clear to everybody that we did not give conditions, they did not request for conditions.

    “It was like, look, state what really happened in the election and we told them how the military took over the election and conducted the election in favour of the APC with INEC collusion.”

    The party chair deplored what he described as voters suppression in states considered the strongholds of the PDP, alleging that soldiers were deployed to harass, intimidate and arrest voters and party supporters in such states,

    He listed Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross Rivers as the worst affected states in the alleged military siege, adding that the threat by the Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State n during the election.

    Secondus said: “ at the last count, over 50 Nigerians lost their lives last Saturday, most of them from the South South region where a division of the army with their commander were turned on the people on the election day.”

    The party chair queried the higher voter turnout in insurgency ravaged states like Borno and Yobe above the 2015 figures, whereas, states like Rivers and others in the South south zone recorded lower voter turnout in the last election than they did in 2015.

    He said: “the clear effect of militarizing the election, particularly in the South South and South East in addition to the killing of innocent electorate, was the obvious suppression of voters who were either scared out or chased away.

    “Even by INEC own record, voter turnout in last Saturday’s election fell to about 36 percent from 44 percent that it was in 2015. The military were dragged into the election to suppress and scare away voters and facilitate rigging.

    “That is how you hear ridiculously that war torn Borno and Yobe states recorded higher percentage in voter turnout than some states in the South South geo- political zone.

    “They have again started mobilizing to use the same military to forcefully take over for APC two PDP states in the South South and one state in the South East.

    “Credible intelligence available to the party showed that the ruling party’s main link in INEC met with the APC leadership as well as the military to review the planned strategy to take over these states.

    “While the military was suppressing voters in PDP strong hold areas in the South, a different abracadabra was going on in some northern states, particularly in Kano, Yobe, Borno and Zamfara where numbers refuse to add up.

    “In Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states, confirmed reports showed that there was non compliance in the use of Smart Card Readers as approved by INEC rules. The backend Report from the card readers for the various local government areas in these states.

    “In these states as in others, the data is inconsistent with the accreditation of registered voters in the local government areas  and voting patterns witnessed in 2015.