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Tag: Convention

  • 2019: Anxiety as APC, PDP hold conventions in Abuja, Rivers to elect presidential candidates

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently holding their national conventions to elect candidates to represent them at the presidential election scheduled for February 2019.
    While the ruling party is holding theirs at Eagles Square in Abuja, the opposition party is holding theirs at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
    About 7,000 delegates from across the country are expected to endorse the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari at the ongoing special national convention of the party.
    The convention is a culmination of series of events which began with the special congresses to select delegates for the the convention which will be presided over by the National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and members of the National Working Committee of the party.
    Initially, the convention was expected to also deliberate on the way forward for the party, but the convention committee headed by Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi said it will be a one-agenda event.
    Addressing a news conference at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Friday, Deputy Chairman of the convention committee and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, said the confirmation and rectification of the candidacy of the President is a commitment to steady progressive and positive change.
    Shettima, who stood in for Chairman of the Convention Committee, said: “Let me assure you that the nomination and ratification of the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari is a commitment to service, progressive and quality change.
    “Despite some of the problems we have encountered during the primaries in our various states, the National Working Committee of the party is working assiduously to resolve all the issues. It is a family quarrel and we are going to sort things out amicably.
    “The party is doing and will continue to do all it can to resolve all the issues amicably so that everyone can be carried along and we can all unite as one in order to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari is returned to the poll come February 2019.
    “The current APC administration, led by our dear President, is making sure and steady progress and we cannot afford to drop the ball and return our great country to those dark days, especially the 16 wasted years preceding this administration.
    “About 7,000 delegates from across the length and breadth of our great country, and all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure security.
    For the PDP, over 4,000 delegates have being accredited to participate in the voting exercise to elect the party’s presidential flag bearer.
    Despite parading over twelve other candidates, TNG had reported how one of the popular candidates, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar dramatically swung back into reckoning, and is now in the lead, in the line up of aspirants vying for the presidential ticket of the party.
     
    Northern Generals rally last minute support for Atiku
     

    The seemingly unbelievable turn around in fortunes for the Waziri Adamawa is being propelled by Northern Generals led by General Aliyu Gusau who have invaded Port Harcourt and are heavily canvassing his candidacy.
    This development, TNG (TheNewsGuru.com) gathered is coming on the heels of the successful prevailing of the Northern Generals on General Olusegun Obasanjo to back down from his avowed threat never to support Atiku Abubakar for the presidency. It is also gathered that Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and TY Danjuma having gotten Obasanjo’s nod, dispatched the Aliyu Gusau led northern Generals and leaders to go and persuade the leaders and delegates of the PDP to vote for Atiku Abubakar.
    The quest to have the Waziri Adamawa as the candidate of the main opposition party, came against the back drop of Western countries, who are said to have given a tacit nod to back moves to compel President Buhari to vacate office, should he lose the presidential elections, next February. The fear in political circles has been that unlike President Goodluck Jonathan, President Buhari might not be magnanimous in defeat to concede and vacate office.
    Leaders of the opposition are worried that Buhari, who is popular with the militant Muslim youths, who are his die hard loyalists, could propel them to foment trouble of unimaginable proportions should he lose.
    That, TNG discovered, was the major reason most of the leaders backing a Rabiu Kwankwaso candidacy wanted him as a counterpoise to the perceived militancy of the hardcore Buhari supporters. Kwankwaso, it is believed, also has a large following among the militant muslim youths.
    General Aliyu Gusau and his group are currently scouring the Rivers State capital meeting Governors and leaders and asking for their backing for Atiku. They are also meeting with the aspirants and pleading with them to back down and support the initiative to have what they call the best candidate to confront President Buhari at the poll.
    It is understood that their meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike was fruitful and his tacit agreement was reached to soft pedal on his backing for Governor Aminu Tambuwal who has also being approached by the northern Generals and leaders to bid his time and wait. They are said to have also promised to back his candidacy in future.
    it is understood that Generals Obasanjo, IBB, Abdulsalami, Danjuma, Gusau and a host of other leaders, who control the system in Nigeria, want President Buhari out at all cost. Atiku Abubakar appears to be their best joker so far.
    As it stands, the tables are gradually turning, with Atiku Abubakar in the lead, followed by Rabiu Kwankwaso, Tambuwal and Sule Lamido.

    PDP governors in crucial meeting

    The 14 Governors under the Peoples Democratic Party have gone into a crucial meeting to further chart the way forward and ensure that the party’s primary holding today at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, is not only seen to be fair but also transparent and credible.
    Meeting under the chairmanship of the outgoing governor of Ekiti, Oyo Fayose, the governors will also try to see if they can reach a consensus on who to back for the presidential ticket of the party as a way of avoiding a rancorous outcome.
    It is widely known that unless the party manages its presidential primary very transparently, the outcome could lead to the implosion of the party.
    One of the major reasons which made the governors meeting urgent is the pressure being piled on them by the various aspirants and groups, especially that led by General Aliyu Gusau, on the prompting of the retired Generals and some northern elders.
    The retired Generals which include the likes of Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim BAdamasi Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and TY Danjuma are said to be canvassing for a candidate who can beat the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election next year.
    Late last night, into this morning, the representative of the generals and elders, headed by General Gusau, have been going round all the aspirants, leaders and delegates trying to impress it on them why the Waziri Adamawa, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, should be given the nod to fly the party’s flag.
    The PDP Governors Forum, among whom are two presidential aspirants: Aminu Tambuwal and Ibrahim Dankwambo, has the herculean task of deciding whether to back one of their own, or acquiesce to the demand of the Generals and the northern elders.
     
    Both conventions are in progress as at the time of filing this report. TNG will bring you regular updates as events unfolds from both camps.

  • 2019: 7,000 delegates to seal Buhari's fate as APC presidential flag bearer today

    2019: 7,000 delegates to seal Buhari's fate as APC presidential flag bearer today

    About 7,000 delegates from across the country are expected to endorse the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday at the special national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding in Abuja today.
    The convention is a culmination of series of events which began with the special congresses to select delegates for the the convention which will be presided over by the National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and members of the National Working Committee of the party.
    Initially, the convention was expected to also deliberate on the way forward for the party, but the convention committee headed by Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi said it will be a one-agenda event.
    Addressing a news conference at the APC national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Deputy Chairman of the convention committee and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, said the confirmation and rectification of the candidacy of the President is a commitment to steady progressive and positive change.
    Shettima, who stood in for Chairman of the Convention Committee, said: “Let me assure you that the nomination and ratification of the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari is a commitment to service, progressive and quality change.
    “Despite some of the problems we have encountered during the primaries in our various states, the National Working Committee of the party is working assiduously to resolve all the issues. It is a family quarrel and we are going to sort things out amicably.
    “The party is doing and will continue to do all it can to resolve all the issues amicably so that everyone can be carried along and we can all unite as one in order to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari is returned to the poll come February 2019.
    “The current APC administration, led by our dear President, is making sure and steady progress and we cannot afford to drop the ball and return our great country to those dark days, especially the 16 wasted years preceding this administration.
    “About 7,000 delegates from across the length and breadth of our great country, and all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure security.
    “The convention will commence by 2 pm tomorrow at the Eagles Square. The transport committee is making arrangements to reduce to the barest minimum the inconvenience it might cause Abuja residents.
    “We moved the convention time from 9 am to 2 pm deliberately to accommodate delegates that are coming from far and near. Incidentally, people from Kogi, for instance, can be in Abuja within three hours.
    “But believe me, all our delegates will be on ground by 2 pm.”
    Shettima said the votes scored by the President during the Presidential primaries across the country was a highly guarded secret which will only be revealed during the national convention.
    Asked whether the convention will consider and fill vacancies created by the exit of some members of the National Working Committee, especially the National Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary, Shettima said: “This convention is a special convention for the emergence of our Presidential flag bearer, no any other issue with be tabled beyond issues pertaining to the emergence of our presidential flag bearer.
    “In subsequent conventions and NWC and NEC meeting, others issues can be discussed and sorted out.
    “The convention is to elect our Presidential candidate. It is not an elective convention. Three candidates per local government, apart from the statutory delegates, are expected at the convention.”
    It was, however, observed that some states may not be part of the convention as they were yet to conclude their primaries, which must be concluded by Sunday at the latest, which is the last day for the submission of list of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
    Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, is however confident that the party will beat the deadline, saying states that have not concluded their primaries are expected to do so not later than Sunday.
     
     

  • 2019: Buhari to name Presidential Campaign Council after APC convention

    2019: Buhari to name Presidential Campaign Council after APC convention

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said he will soon name a Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to lead the All Progressives Congress, (APC), to victory in the February 2019 general election.
    He spoke in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu.
    According to him, he is aware of the yearning by Nigerians for the formation of a full Presidential Campaign Council towards the APC’s victory in the presidential elections.
    He said that he appreciates the growing interest that Nigerians have shown in this issue, and that he is conscious of their keen expectation.
    The President however implored members of the party and the public to exercise some patience regarding the constitution of the PCC.
    For now, the President and the party executives are focused on the APC convention scheduled for Saturday, October 6.
    The Presidential Campaign Council, he said, will be put in place after the convention.
    “We are the party that will free Nigeria from corruption and poor governance. We are the party of change. We will not let the country down,” President Buhari assures.
     

  • Enugu Miracle Convention 2018: Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, Emma Isong, Zilly Aggrey and others to Minister

    The President of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association Incorporated, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai alongside with Bishop Emmah Gospel Isong, Rev. Ntia I. Ntia, Apostle Prince Zilly Aggrey, Rev. Amb. And Pastor (Mrs.) Chimaobi Aninwene and Rev. Amb. Don Odunze will minister at the 2018, Enugu Miracle Convention.

    The Enugu Miracle Convention with the theme ‘Overtaking the World with the Word’ will begin from the 4 th of March to the 11 th of March 2018 at the Newspring Christian Redemption Church World-wide, Headquarters. This will hold at 8 Moses Ogbodo Street Topland Amechi Road Enugu in Enugu State.

    According to the General Overseer and Senior Pastor, Rev. Amb. Chimaobi Aninwene, the theme was informed by the need to stir up a revival in the body of Christ and in our nation Nigeria. Adding that the crop of speakers lined up for the miracle convention were carefully chosen because of the grace of God upon them and also to bring about the revival in the church and a revolution in our nation Nigeria.

    During the 7-day miracle convention, with morning services starting from 8 a.m. and evening services starting from 5 p.m., Paul Nwokocha, Samuel Anya, Chinyere Udoma, Gozie Okeke and Chika (Abel C) are to minister in songs alongside the Redemption voices.

     

  • The calculus of the Peoples Democratic Party’s convention – Godwin Etakibuebu

    By Godwin Etakibuebu

    At the end, after sailing through a very ferocious and turbulent political tide, the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] had a successful electable national convention in December 2017. The Convention needs to be seen as a great achievement, against the background of the rough road the PDP travelled after the 2015 General election.

    The PDP, being the ruling Party and parading itself as the largest Political Party in Africa, lost the 2015 General Election, “against the run of play”, as Segun Adeniyi [Editorial Chairman of Thisday Newspaper and an outstanding author] puts it. Being the “largest Political Party in Africa”, as it claimed, the PDP’s fall [loss] at the election became like the “dance of death” by a falling elephant in the forest – huge and catastrophic in nature.

    It was therefore not expected that the PDP, just like the physical elephant it compared itself to, would be able to rise to its feet, within two years of such terrific fall, through the democratic route of National Convention. That it was able to achieve this in December, 2017, within a pace of two years, must be commended for a reason.

    Besides the “unexpected fall” [as PDP leadership and its members were the only ones that did not know that losing the 2015 election was inevitable] the presence of Ali Modu Sheriff in the party did not give hope for PDP’s “resurrection from the valley of fall”. Yes, his [Ali Sheriff] presence which was made possible by a comprehensive political miscalculation and blunder of President Jonathan; then leader of the PDP, in the name of strengthening the party, became a colossal disaster and liability on the PDP until the Supreme Court came to its rescue. This victory of “outliving” Ali Modu Sheriff [the spoiler] by the PDP must also be given a place of recognition.

    Another thing we need to consider in order to appreciate the success of the PDP’s convention is to look at the APC; a Political Party that came to power on the slogan of “Change”, and its inability to conduct National Convention almost three years into domination of the political arena, despite the fact that its [APC] constitution explicitly mandated such. It is only when one identifies failing students in any given class that caliber of those [students] passing in the same class can be appreciated. Let us leave this just like that.

    It is for these reasons and many others that PDP’s rise from the debris of political fall, through the conduct of an electable National Convention, brought hope for survival of democracy in Nigeria because of the role a viral, vocal and strong opposition [political party] plays in strengthening democratic structure in society. An All Progressive Congress [APC] domination of the political terrain in Nigeria without a proportionate and solid opposition would have remained a permanent national disaster. As lack of check and balances in any democratic endeavours transfer monopoly of tyranny on “sole-practitioner-incumbent”.

    One more important thing that makes evaluation of the PDP Convention a worthwhile exercise is the fact of role-function its success has in shaping the Nigerian political terrain in 2018 and 2019; the year of another General Election. There is going to be major political re-alignment, not only in the PDP but most urgently in the ruling Political Party [APC], though the later may not admit this. It is for these reasons that we should now evaluate the calculus of that Convention since politics, by my personal interpretation, is a game of “manipulation and permutation”.

    The most important elective offices of the PDP convention, ditto most conventions, were that of the Presidential candidate and National Chairman, though other offices, with all due respects, are also very important. Deliberately, the PDP zoned the presidency to the North [for the purpose of splitting the Northern votes against Buhari’s popularity should he decides to contest in 2019] and the Chairmanship to the South as that would balance the North/South issue. One outstanding thing about the zoning is that the defunct National Caretaker Committee, led by Ahmed Makarfi, did not restrict the position of the Chairmanship to the South/West in any public declaration though it would have preferred that.

    While the South/West battled itself in producing the Chairman, it failed, and this is for two major reasons. First, one of the PDP Governors; Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, having positioned himself as a Vice-Presidential material to whoever emerges as the Presidential candidate from the North, worked assiduously against the emergence of a South/West Chairman for the Party. His political calculation was that if the South/West produced the Chairman of the Party, there is no way the Party would nominate him as vice-president.

    Governor Fayose had earlier played this game when he astutely pursued the acceptance of Ali Modu Shefiff as the Chairman of the PDP. That pursuit in positioning himself as vice to the man from Borno; knowing fully that he [Sheriff] was looking beyond the Party’s interim Chairmanship to becoming a Presidential candidate for the Party in the future, was Fayose’s hidden ambition. Fayose only discarded this pursuit; which put the Party into a very strenuous legal battle, only after discovering that the “permanent interest” which brought the “unholy alliance” between himself and Ali Sheriff, was no more. That is just politics – it is always permanent interest.

    For this reason, Fayose found a willing partner in prosecution of his ambitious agenda in the person of his Rivers State counterpart – Governor Nyesom Wike. The later, nourishing his own hidden agenda, knew how important his second tenure as governor meant for him and ipso facto, would rather have a Chairman of the Party “he could call his own” for achieving the second tenure ambition. It was on this calculus that Prince Uche Secondus from Rivers State emerged as PDP chairman through “a unity list of delegates” on the Convention ground in Abuja.

    The second factor responsible for the South/West losing out on the Chairmanship race was what most notable personae dramatis from the South considered the overbearing posture of Olabode George “lased with a sort of arrogance”. These people came to the conclusion that he [George] has not really proved to be of any electoral asset. They recalled that given all the backing, with logistics and financial resources, he received from the PDP-led federal government of Obasanjo for eight years; he could not deliver Lagos State to the PDP.

    To this group, Chief Olabode George remains an electoral/votes liability who would not be able to add any value to the PDP if elected Chairman. Clever Governor Fayose played smartly on both factors in fathoming the convention the way it went by eliminating all contestants from the whole South/West zone, including those from his own Ekiti State. It is always game of manipulation and permutation.

    The last of the calculation for today’s analysis would be the anticipated benefits accruable to Ahmed Makarfi in the coming days, because in zoning the presidency to the North, one of the undeclared interests of the man [Makarfi] was the possibility of him becoming the Northern Presidential Candidate when the time comes.

    Yes, a Northern presidential candidate is a must for the PDP in 2019, but can emergence of Makarfi [that is if he makes it that far as presidential candidate for PDP] really stand the test of denting Muhammadu Buhari for votes in Northern Nigeria of today? It is my opinion that Makarfi; a two-time Governor of Kaduna State, who made it to the Senate through the instrumentality of “just leaving office as governor”, to become a Senator – a position he could not hold when he attempted second return to the Senate, may not be a man of glory for PDP in 2019. Too many people in Kaduna State are of solid opinion that “he hasn’t gotten that stamina to become a Northern President” if PDP fields him in 2019.

    So far, the calculus of the Convention, as exposed in this work, might have created a thorough navigational aid for a voyage of discovery into the Nigerian rough political Ocean for the PDP through 2019 and beyond, Eldorado may still be a step beyond Philippi.

    How far the PDP would go in checkmating the APC for the presidency’s slot in 2019, may still be “a long walk to freedom”, in the worlds of the great Madiba – Nelson Rolihlahia Mandela.

    *My apology for not continuing with the topic: “The hypocrisy of Buhari in governance” today but we are returning to that any day this week or next week, by the decision of my Editor. Happy New Year to all.

    Godwin Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, wrote from Lagos.

  • PDP Convention: Dickson reaches out to Adeniran, Gana, Mantu, others

    The National Reconciliation Committee of the People’s Democratic Party led by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Tuesday visited some aggrieved members as part of efforts to forge a post-convention reconciliation within the party.

    Among the party members visited by the Dickson team was former National Chairmanship aspirant, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Special Adviser Media Relations to Governor Dickson, Mr Fidelis Soriwei, revealed in a statement in Abuja.

    Also visited by Dickson were former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, a former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof Jerry Gana, and former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Ina Ciroma, who contested for the position of Deputy National Chairman, North.

    According to Dickson, all his hosts were positive on the need to have a united and strong party.

    Adeniran told Dickson to reach out to all candidates and as many members of the party in the bid to reconcile.

    Adeniran said that it was important to also reach out to as many members of the PDP who did not contest for any position but fought gallantly to ensure the preservation of the party.

    “We should try to interact with various players; I will suggest that we should not leave any stone unturned to reach out as much as possible.

    “There are those of us who carried the flag, but there are some others who are key players in this party, who may not even contest for positions but they are no less concerned about this party.

    “When you look back, you can see some of those key members of the concerned stakeholders who fought gallantly to ensure that indeed this party survived.

    “So let the contacts, the consultations, be as all embracing as possible; it takes time, it takes energy but then what is worth doing is what is worth doing,” Adeniran said.

    Adeniran said that Dickson assumed the position of the chief conciliator of the party not just because he “is a governor but because of his commitment to the party, his integrity and sense of fairness and justice.”

    He added that no genuine member of the PDP would doubt the eligibility of Dickson for his role as the head of the party’s team on reconciliation.

    “You said something earlier on that may be, what prompted you to lead this team is because you are a governor.

    “I believe far much more than that; there are certain qualities that majority of us have come to appreciate in you ,which you should keep up.”

    Former Minister of Information and Orientation, Prof Jerry Gana, said he would never leave the PDP for whatever reason.

    Former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu. advised the PDP to focus on the 2019 elections, and strive hard to restore the party’s lost glory.

  • PDP Convention: Reconciliation Committee to address grievances

    The Reconciliation Committee of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has assured members and leaders that all issues and grievances associated with Saturday’s national convention of the party would be addressed.

    Chairman of the committee and Governor of Bayelsa, Mr Seriake Dickson, gave the assurance on Monday night in Abuja while briefing newsmen after a meeting of the committee.

    He said that though the convention was successful, the party believed that in such a big exercise there must be concerns to be addressed.

    Dickson assured that the committee would not rest on its oars until the issues were addressed.

    “We have already established contact with those who are dissatisfied or for one reason or the other have some issues and grievances which is normal in an exercise such as this.

    “It is not our business in this committee to apportion blame; our focus is to promote reconciliation because all party leaders and members are important. Their concerns are also very important.

    “Where there are grievances, it is the view of this committee that those grievances be looked into and addressed where possible,” he said.

    Dickson disclosed that the committee had contacted concerned leaders, especially chairmanship candidates at the convention and others who were dissatisfied or had concerns with the event.

    He added that the committee would immediately commence reconciliation visits to all the aggrieved persons with a view to resolving the grievances.

    “Generally, we are pleased with the outcome of the convention.

    “But, we have established contact already with those who are dissatisfied or for one reason or the other have some issues and grievances.

    “We want to confirm to you the effort we have made in establishing contact with the chairmanship aspirants, and indeed, we intend to interact with all other aspirants who purchased form, and those who actually contested.

    “It is our intention to engage and interact with them to find out what the challenges and issues are with a view to promote amicable solutions and better understanding within PDP family.

    “We are pleased to announce that our contact with all the chairmanship candidates was very positive. We were well received,” he said.

    The chairman added that in a couple of days and weeks, people will begin to see a lot of activities in that regard.

    He said that the committee was at liberty to co-opt other party leaders whose input would be helpful in achieving the intended reconciliation.

    Dickson said that the committee had the necessary support and encouragement of the newly-elected national executive of the party.

    He urged all members and leaders of the party to be cautious of their statements, “particularly on this matter, at this time’’.

    “We don’t want a situation where comments that are provocative are made by party members, especially party leaders. They can inflame passion and be misunderstood to convey unintended meanings.

    “So, our appeal to all party members is to exercise caution, refrain and above all, show respect to one another because at the end, we are all members of the same family and same citizens of Nigeria.

    “We want to assure all our members that their concerns and grievances would be looked into by this committee,” he said.

    He, however, called on party members who had left to return “now that the party has put its house in order.

    “Our umbrella is big enough to accommodate everybody irrespective of their religious beliefs and status’’.

     

  • PDP lambasts APC for condemning convention; says ruling party ‘full of liars, deceitful characters’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday fired back at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for condemning its Saturday’s national convention which threw up new leaders for the opposition party.

    Recall that the APC had in a statement on Sunday morning described the PDP convention as characterised by vote buying and ballot rigging, saying the exercise exposed the opposition party as a platform with corruption in its DNA.

    “The abnormalities that trailed the PDP National Convention have further exposed the PDP as a Party not ready and willing to change,” the ruling party said through its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi. “Indeed, the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a Party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.”

    However, in a swift statement circulated Sunday night, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, shot back, saying having failed Nigerians and violated its own constitution, the APC lacked the credibility to discredit his party’s national convention.

    “Nigerians have come to discover that APC is a fraud, an organization of deceitful characters who have failed to keep a single of its countless promises made to the citizens,” Mr. Ologbondiyan said.

    PDP Convention: APC Jittery, Clutching On Straws.

    Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the spokesman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Malam Bolaji Abdulahi, wherein he criticized the conduct of the elective National Convention of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    It is indeed laughable that the APC which has roundly failed in not only managing the affairs of the country but also its own internal issues would recourse to panic mode just because the PDP has succeeded in uniting its fronts by conducting of a very credible elective National Convention.

    We were very much aware of the plots by the APC to scuttle the convention and failing it has resorted to a failed attempt to discredit an elective convention that has been adjudged as creditable, novel and laudable by political stakeholders and lovers of democracy across the nation.

    This unwarranted attack is only symptomatic of a party that has lost control and only clutching on straws for survival having been outrightly rejected by Nigerians.

    Is it not disgusting, reprehensible and embarrassing that the APC that has repeatedly failed to hold meetings, congresses and convention in the last three years and has flagrantly continued to violate its own constitution is questioning our party’s rights to perform her legitimate and constitutional obligation?

    Perhaps APC leaders have never read Article 25 (A)(i) of their party’s Constitution which stipulates that “the National Convention of the party (APC) shall be held once in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee (NWC) and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least 14 days notice given to members eligible to attend.”

    Which impunity could be higher than APC violating its constitution? It is strange that APC could be moralizing on the principles of social justice whereas its actions against Nigerians are a complete departure from the norms.

    It is important for this spokesman of a failed party and his pack of incompetent members to reminisce on the needless pains and suffering they have inflicted on Nigerians rather than being jittery over the successful outcome of the PDP’s elective national convention.

    Nigerians have come to discover that APC is a fraud, an organization of deceitful characters who have failed to keep a single of its countless promises made to the citizens.

    It is no longer news that the nation is drifting under APC and the PDP has come to the rescue. We must therefore remind the APC that the era of deceit, trickery and scaremongering, which has been the hallmarks of their government, is gone and Nigerians are just waiting to kick them out come 2019.

    Signed:

    Kola Ologbondiyan

  • PDP convention: See full list of winners, positions

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held its national convention in Abuja yesterday where leaders were elected into various positions.

    Here is full lists of winners of the Saturday’s elections and their positions:

    1 . National Chairman – Prince Uche Secondus

    2 . National Deputy Chairman South – Elder Yemi Akinwonmi
    3 . National Deputy Chairman North – Sen. Gamawa Babawo Garba
    4 . National Secretary – Sen. Ibrahim Tsauri
    5 . Deputy National Secretary – Dr . Agbo Emmanuel
    6 . National Treasurer – Hon . Aribisala Adewale
    7 . Deputy National Treasurer – Alh . Wada Masu
    8 . Financial Secretary – Ibrahim Husseini Maibasira
    9 . Dep . Fin . Sec. – Hon . Irona Alphonsus
    10 . Nat . Org. Sec. – Col (Rtr) Austin Akobundu
    11 . Dep . Nat . Org. Sec. – Barr. Hassan Yakubu
    12 . Publicity Secretary – Kola Ologbondiyan
    13 . Dep . Nat . Pub. Sec. – Hon . Diran Odeyemi
    14 . Nat . Legal Adviser – Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem
    15 . Dep . Nat . Legal Adviser – Barr. Ahmed Bello Liman
    16 . Nat . Auditor – Mal . Adamu Mustapha
    17 . Dep . Nat . Auditor – Miss Divine Amina Arong
    18 . Nat . Women Leader – Haj. Mariya Waziri
    19 . Dep . Nat . Women Leader – Umoru Adizet Hadizat
    20 . Nat . Youth Leader – Rt . Hon . Udeh Okoye
    21 . Dep . Nat . Youth Leader – Umar Babangida Maina

  • [Photos] Jonathan, Atiku, Makarfi, others arrive Eagles Square for PDP convention

    Former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, his vice, Namadi Sambo, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi has arrived the Eagles Square, venue of the 2017 convention of the party.

    Other dignitaries already at the venue include; Governors, Senators, House of Reps members, and other important stakeholders.

     

    About 3,000 delegates (elected and statutory) are expected to vote to fill the positions of the national chairman and several other national offices.

    See photos from the convention below: