Politics

PDP gives Secondus lifeline to serve out tenure

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The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, said it would ensure that the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) serve out their tenure which expires in December.

It also said the party would do everything necessary to take over power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023, noting that it was taking steps to resolve all disputes within the ranks of the PDP and unite it for the attainment of its objective.

Secondus has been having a running battle to retain his position in the party. There have been reported moves by some PDP governors to remove the national chairman as part of the permutations for the bid for power in 2023.

But the BoT said it would ensure this does not happen.

“The Board of Trustees will ensure that a fluent and uninterrupted operation of all the organs of the party, particularly the National Working Committee (NWC), remains in place leading up to a successful convention in December 2021,” the BoT said in a communiqué signed by its Secretary, Senator Adolphus Wabara.

It said it would ensure that harmonious relations exist between the organs of the party, adding that a detailed meeting between the BoT and the NWC is planned to hold soon.

It said it was working with other stakeholders to resolve disagreements among party members as a way of ensuring peace and stability in the main opposition party.

According to the communiqué, which was read to reporters by Wabara,, the BoT reviewed and discussed the situation of the party nationwide, stating that this was necessary due to the heightened political and economic tensions in the country.

The purpose of the meeting, Wabara said, was to ensure the stability of all the organs of the party and to place them on the alert as the party prepares to take over power once again.

The communiqué said the BoT recognised the ongoing work of the Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, led by a former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

“The meeting was briefed on the outcome of zonal congresses held over last weekend. Three out of the six congresses have been successfully concluded.

“The Board of Trustees in playing its statutory role as the conscience of the party will work earnestly towards ensuring that the highest level of morality exists in all its activities and that all the members of our party live up to expectation,” it said.

The communiqué added that the board is committed to not allowing any strained relationship between it members, particularly at the top management level of the party.

“With a determination to do all that is necessary to ensure that we fulfill the overwhelming desire of the vast majority of the people of Nigeria that the PDP regains national power in 2023, the board is unequivocally committed to ensuring that normalcy and peace prevail through all the organs of the party to permit the development and implementation of well-structured plans

Finally, the board is very appreciative of the commitment of our governors to the party and the exemplary roles they have all been playing to keep the party at the optimum operational level. The board will consult with the governors’ forum on necessary measures towards solidifying the party,” the communique read.

Commenting on the zoning of the presidency, a BoT member and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, said: “Zoning is in the PDP Constitution, it is a party matter.”

Another member and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, however, said it was too early to discuss the matter.

It is still too early for the PDP at this point in time to declare its position on zoning. You know very well that APC has done five years now; politics as far as Nigeria is concerned is between APC and PDP. PDP has to be very careful in dealing with this issue; we will take it step by step. I believe that your concerns will be taken into consideration when the decision will be made,” he said.

Politics

Ekiti PDP broker peace between Olujimi, Fayose

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Stakeholders in the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have agreed to embrace peace in the interest of the party.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that the Ekiti PDP had been polarized along the lines of loyalty to former Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujimi.

This was contained in a statement signed by Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, March 9.

According to Olayinka, the feuding party leaders took the decision to let peace reign after a recent meeting in Lagos.

The spokesman also listed party leaders who attended the peace meeting to include: Senator Duro Faseyi, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, Otunba Yinka Akerele, Tunji Odeyemi, Gboyega Oguntuase, Alhaji Lateef Ajijola, Deji Ogunsakin, and Mrs Funmi Ogun.

He said the two groups also resolved that “the journey to lasting and genuine reconciliation of the two groups have begun and continual and in the light of the above, all party followers of the two groups are hereby requested to sheath their sword forthwith and desist from any attack on all the leaders in the party.”

Furthermore, the stakeholders also “unanimously agreed that only with true dialogue that we can achieve victory in our coming elective elections in Ekiti State” and “that we shall continually seek all avenues for peace and resolutions of all crises in the party within the ambit of the law.”

Politics

PDP tells Gov Lalong to apologize to farmers over comments they also carry AK-47

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The Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told Governor Simon Lalong to apologise to farmers and the people of Plateau State for saying farmers also carry AK-47 rifles.

The PDP, while reacting to comments by Lalong that farmers also carry AK-47, counseled the governor to go “back to school and learn how to talk” over comments on farmers/herders clash in the State.

According to the party, the governor lied in his comment and needs to return to school on how to talk properly on such sensitive matters.

It would be recalled that Lalong, during a TV show on Tuesday, had said security reports at his disposal indicated herdsmen and farmers carry AK 47 riffles to protect and defend themselves.

In a reaction on Thursday in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, John T. Akans, the PDP described APC’s defence of the governor as “reckless.”

The statement read in part: “The reckless response of the APC to the genuine concerns of Plateau people on the recent irresponsible comments of Governor Lalong leaves one with no feeling other than that of utter disappointment and disgust.

“We continue to wonder how a sane person or party would condone such shameful and self- indicting comments of a supposedly elected governor against his people before the entire world, describing it myopically as “a storm in a tea cup” Such an idiomatic sense needs recalibration.

The APC in its desperate attempt to do damage control has created more harm to Lalong and its party and have further exposed their cluelessness in governance.

“The writer, in his usual garrulous, uncouth manner, and attempt to divert people’s attention from the colossal disgrace and failures of the APC, failed woefully to address frank and glaring issues raised by the Peoples Democratic Party.

“They have however succeeded in exposing their immaturity in the whole saga.

“What the APC through Mallam Bashir Sati would have done was simply to apologse to Plateau people by acknowledging their principal’s lack of decorum and emotional Intelligence and his blind romance with a superior power outside of Plateau.

The damage control mechanism Bashir Sati adopted further exposes the total disregard for the masses that toiled to bring their party to power.

“On an advisory note, we urge the APC to carry out an opinion poll and weigh the level of regret by those who brought the APC to power.

It will interest Sati and his cohorts to know that intelligent people within that party have times without number hid their faces in shame, hoping and praying for 2023 to come so Mr. Lalong doesn’t continue with this show of shame and disgraceful spree of the beautiful Plateau spirit.

“For the records, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State is not aware of any faction as being promoted by APC in the state because any statement released by the APC lacks facts, but always laying emphasis on faction as if they have become a competent Court of law.

Lalong’s desperate but failed attempt to create a faction within our party is known to the world. This has hugely deviated his attention from anything governance to 2023 where he hopes to be APC’s presidential running mate.

“APC on the Plateau should advice Lalong to know that having failed woefully as a Governor, he should stop deceiving himself for any future political consideration.

“Once again, Governor Lalong and Plateau APC should know, that Plateau farmers do not carry AK47″ but hoes and other farming implements, and we have no land for ranching. You lie! Lalong, you lie!.”

Politics

DRUNKARD COMMENT: Smart Adeyemi is jealous of Ikpeazu’s achievements –PDP

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The spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described Senator Smart Adeyemi’s attack on Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, as one borne out of jealousy and envy of the governor’s achievements.

The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District had, on Tuesday, verbally attacked Ikpeazu, a PDP governor, on the floor of the Senate by calling him a drunkard during a plenary session.

The lawmaker, who was making his contribution to a motion on the urgent need for the restoration and revalidation of the Safe School Initiative in Nigeria, said Abia State is governed by drunkards.

In some states of Nigeria today, where we have highly intelligent people, highly educated people, very enterprising people, like Abia, they are governed by drunkards. The governor of Abia is a champagne drinking man.

“Abia people are impoverished more than ever before. Abia people are unfortunate.”

However, the PDP, in a statement on Wednesday, described Adeyemi’s comment as the highest form of irresponsibility and unbecoming of a sitting lawmaker.

In a short statement, Ologbondiyan said:

“Senator Adeyemi must have noted the widespread national detestation and opprobrium that he had brought to himself by his unguarded comments against the highly respected Governor Ikpeazu and the people of Abia State.

“Moreover, our party has equally noted that Senator Adeyemi’s uncouth comment is borne out of bitter envy for the achievements of Governor Ikpeazu in every sector of life in Abia State, which no APC governor, including Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, can compare.”

The PDP also warned that it would not tolerate such comments from any individual, and urged Ikpeazu not to be to “distracted by sidetracking elements such as Senator Adeyemi, but to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people.”

Politics

PDP demands minister’s sack for asking Nigerians to defend themselves from criminals

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday demanded the sack of the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd), for asking Nigerians to defend themselves against bandits, Boko Haram terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminal elements in the country.

The PDP in a statement issued by his National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the minister’s statement as reckless and irresponsible.

Magashi had on Wednesday challenged Nigerians not to leave the fight against insecurity to the military alone.

He said: “Well, security is not the responsibility of the military alone. It is the responsibility of everybody to be alert and ensure safety when necessary. We shouldn’t be cowards. Sometimes the bandits come with about three rounds of ammunition and when they fire shots everybody will run. In our younger days, we stand to fight any form of aggression.

“Why should people run away from minor, minor aggressions? We should stand and face them. If these people know that the people have the competence and capability to defend themselves, they will run away.”

But the PDP argued that the statement was a confirmation that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has “surrendered to outlaws and lacked the determination to fight them.”

The party said: “It is unthinkable that a government would describe unarmed victims of armed aggression of terrorist and bandits as “cowards” while those who were elected and given the necessary resources to defend them recede in the comfort and safety of their offices in Abuja.

Such disposition to security; a statutory responsibility of government, goes to validate apprehensions that our nation is indeed descending to a failed state under the Buhari Presidency, where the government can no longer perform its duties while unarmed citizens are left to confront bandits and warlords.

“Given the silence by the Buhari Presidency, our party holds that the defeatist comment by the minister represents the disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari and his security architecture, and explains why the administration has remained complacent in the fight against terrorism and banditry in our country.

Such statement by the Buhari administration, at the time it ought to be scaling up its security strategies to guarantee the safety of all Nigerians, have been emboldening bandits, terrorists and kidnappers to escalate their acts atrocities against our compatriots.

“Moreover, with such disposition, the Buhari administration is creating a lucrative job for bandits, terrorists and kidnappers who are settled with huge ransom instead of being faced with firepower.

“Our party however urges Nigerians not to despair at this moment but brace up as it has become obvious that we are now in a despondent situation where the government has shown that it can no longer defend the citizens.

Politics

PDP to hold zonal congresses March 6

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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved March 6 for the conduct of its zonal congresses in the six geo-political zones.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the NWC has fixed February 25 for the submission of nomination forms for aspirants seeking election into various national positions in the party.

Ologbondiyan said: “Forms are to be submitted to the PDP Directorate of Mobilisation and Organising.

“The PDP charges our leaders, members, and teeming supporters to continue to work hard in the collective effort to win elections.”

Politics

Fani-Kayode Set To ‘Dump PDP For APC’.

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A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is reportedly set to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) six years after he left for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This was after meeting with the Chairman, Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, and Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello at a Guest House in Abuja.

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

The closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, may not be unconnected with the alleged plans for the return of the former Minister to APC.

Politics

Probe ‘atrocities, crimes against humanity’ under tenure of ex-service chiefs, PDP urges ICC

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to commence the investigation of the tenure of the outgoing service chiefs over reported atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by security operatives under their command.

The PDP also calls on the INTERPOL and other world bodies to commence processes that will lead to the prosecution as well as firm sanctions, including travel ban and freezing of assets belonging to all those involved in killings and human right abuses by security operatives under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

In a statement on Wednesday by is spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said:

“With the exit of the accused service chiefs from office, the PDP charges ICC’s Chief Prosecutor, Ms. Fatou Bensouda, to issue official warrant in line with the court’s earlier declaration that it has enough evidence to open a full probe on alleged crimes against humanity under the outgoing commanders.”

It asked the ICC to probe “cases of extra-judicial execution of innocent Nigerians, massacre of peaceful protesters, illegal arrests and arbitrary detention of citizens in dehumanizing cells, torture and rape allegedly committed by the military under the outgoing commanders, as detailed in the reports of credible international bodies including the United States Department of State, Amnesty International (AI) and Transparency International (TI).”

The PDP added that the exiting service chiefs must be made to provide answers for the reported massacre of unarmed protesters by the military in the North-West and South-East states between 2015 and 2018, including the 348 civilians reportedly killed by soldiers in Kaduna state as well as the 347 bodies found in mass graves in the aftermath of the Zaria massacre.

“The ICC is further called upon to investigate reports of military invasion and mass shooting in communities in Borno, Yobe, Rivers, Abia, Anambra among other states where soldiers reportedly killed unarmed civilians, razed communities, burnt homes, displaced inhabitants, raped women, detained, beat up and tortured citizens in detention camps reportedly located in military barracks where deadly fumigation chemicals were allegedly used in overcrowded cells.

“Our party further implores the ICC to investigate the reported inhuman detention of thousands of Nigerian children by military operatives in the northeast camps particularly between 2017, when more than 1,600 children were reported to have been in illegal detention in cages and 2018, when the UN detailed 418 detained children. This is in addition to the no fewer than 1000 children reportedly released under negotiation by the UN in 2016.

“Also our party stands with Nigerians in demanding for a full scale investigation into the deployment of the military in the EndSARS protests, resulting in the shooting and killing of unarmed civilians at Lekki Toll gate in Lagos and other parts of the country,” PDP said.

The party had earlier on Tuesday, after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the appointment of new service chiefs, demanded for an immediate inquest into the tenure of the former service chiefs.

Politics

PDP tasks APC leaders to speak out against Buhari’s ‘U-turn’ over promise on restructuring

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to speak out on President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to go back on the party’s campaign promise of implementing an administrative restructuring of Nigeria.

The opposition party also tasked APC leaders to respond to their members in the Senate, who through their spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru, claimed that restructuring as promised by APC was only a ‘slogan’, as well as the revelation that neither the APC nor its leaders had submitted any memorandum for the promised restructuring and devolution of power upon which they rode to power in 2015.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Saturday, the party called out APC leaders including its Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Nasir el-Rufai, Governor Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed among others, to speak out on Mr. President’s recent declaration on restructuring as well as the position of the Senate.

“Our party holds that the inaction of the APC in the face of the dismissive declaration by the Buhari Presidency that Nigerians, who they had promised restructuring, should now channel their demands to the National Assembly, only goes to further validate the assertions among Nigerians that the APC is a deceptive power-grabbing platform, which is not interested in governance or fulfilling its promises to Nigerians.

“It is very disappointing that almost six years after riding to power on the promise of restructuring, the Buhari Presidency has made no concrete effort towards forwarding an executive bill to the National Assembly on the matter, only to now ask Nigerians to carry their burden to the legislative houses.

“Our party asserts that beside President Buhari, other bigger culprits of the failure on restructuring are the silent leaders of the APC who, despite promising restructuring, are clandestinely supportive of its huge betrayal.

“The APC must therefore take responsibility for on-going challenges to our national unity, having failed to fulfill the promises they made on restructuring such as devolution of power and true federalism,” the state read in part.

Politics

PDP Berates Buhari, Asks To Tackle Insecurity.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari over the state of insecurity in the country.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday during the inauguration of new road projects in Bauchi State, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, asked the President to tackle the nation’s security challenges.

While noting Nigeria is in distress, Secondus insisted that President Buhari has failed to tackle the security challenges.

“Just a week ago, over 40 farmers were killed in Borno State. Is Nigeria not in distress? What else do you what me to describe?” he questioned.

“The economy is bad, security is bad, virtually every facet of the Nigerian life has collapsed. What else do you want to hear? You know more than we know.

“You better let the world know and those in authority. All we are saying is that let President Buhari release the Katsina boys for us. We are in pains.”

Secondus explained that President Buhari has left the country worse than he met it, adding that if he were in his shoes, he would declare a state of emergency on security in the country and change the entire security architecture.

His remarks come a week after over 100 gunmen stormed the Government Science Secondary School in Ƙankara Local Government Area of the state and abducted over 333 students of the school.

Politics

Nigeria At 60: Buhari’s Independence Day Speech, A Slap On Nigerians – PDP

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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday, described President Muhammadu Buhari’s independence anniversary speech as a slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians, particularly his justification of his administration’s increment of the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit, also known as fuel.

President Buhari had in his broadcast pointed out a number of oil producing countries including Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Egypt and Niger Republic where the price of fuel is higher than in Nigeria, and concluded by saying that “sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible.”

In its reaction, the PDP, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan called on President Buhari to “wake up to reality and take demonstrable urgent steps that will address the divisive tendencies and poor economic policies of his administration, which are fast decimating our dear nation under his watch.”

According to the party, “President Buhari’s attempt to justify the increase of fuel price in Nigeria by comparing it to the N168 per litre cost in Saudi Arabia is a morbid joke,” adding that “the minimum wage in Saudi Arabia is N305,113 (3000 Saudi Riyals), ten times higher than our paltry N30,000 which is largely unimplemented in Nigeria.”

The statement further read: “Is Mr. President not aware that, on the average, a person working in Saudi Arabia earns around 4,230SAR (N430, 267) to 16,700 SAR (N1, 698,693) per month?

“Our party charges Mr. President to always check his books before making such offensive comparisons including the price in Egypt where monthly average earning is around N222, 841 (9,200 EGP) against our N30,000.

The major opposition party in the country also flayed the togetherness theme of the President’s speech, describing the allusion as a mere rhetoric.

Politics

FAYOSE TO LAGOS PDP: To make progress retire Bode George from politics

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The former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has asked the Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to send Chief Bode George on political retirement.

He said that George, a former deputy national chairman of the PDP “must be sent to political retirement if the party must make progress in Lagos State.”

His media aide, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement on Wednesday, that Fayose stated this when he spoke at the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Committee for the Lagos East senatorial bye-election on Tuesday.

He called on the party to support the PDP candidate in the senatorial bye-election, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi (BOG).

According to Fayose, George should rather be a support stand for the younger ones in the party instead of dragging positions with them.

“Lagos is ripe for PDP to take and we will take the state if we work hard and put our house in order.

“This senate election is for PDP to take if we are ready to take it. You have done it before by producing House of Reps members and you can do it again by producing a senator.”

He however said that “before PDP can win any election in this Lagos, the party must first separate wheat from chaffs.

The former governor, who urged leaders of the party in Lagos State to desist from exposing rancour among the party members, laid emphasis on giving the younger ones in the party opportunity to grow and allow them to be in key positions in the party.

According to Fayose, “it is high time to tell Bode George to go and retire. Let him be a support stand for the younger ones in the party.

“As I am here, I am about 60 years of age, I have grown above fighting for minister that it will get to a point and someone will say he is sacking me. I will never be such minister not to talk of contesting any post with younger ones in the party.

“It is time for young people in the party to tell elderly ones to take the back seat. I’m not against the elders, but I want them to know when to take the back seat. If they don’t, the young ones will force them. All those stories of we formed this party in 1998, eight of us sat in my sitting room to form the party is no longer important because the young too must be allowed to grow.

“At this level, if you see any elder contesting chairman with the younger ones, you must know that such fellow needs to be retired.

“I am Ayodele Fayose, you can quote me anywhere. I said, you must retire Bode George if you want progress in the PDP in Lagos. You must stand firm and fight for your right.

“As an elder, he is supposed to stay at home and be giving blessing to his children aspiring to grow not to be contending positions with them.”

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