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Tag: Convention

  • Happening Now: PDP elects new leaders at 2017 convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today (Saturday) elect new leaders at its national convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

    Delegates and other party faithful from across the country have been arriving at the nation’s capital for the big event since last week.

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

    An official list of all the candidates and their targeted offices is expected to be released later today.

    The party, currently run by the National caretaker committee chaired by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi is expected to elect national officials that will serve for a four-year term.

    Those contesting for the chairmanship of the party include; Taoheed Adedoja, Tunde Adeniran, Raymond Dokpesi, Jimi Agbaje, Gbenga Daniel, Olabode George, Uche Secondus, Rasheed Ladoja and Segun Aderemi.

    Click here to read detailed analysis of how the contenders (in no particular) will fare at the convention later today

    A strong contender and former national vice chairman, Bode George stepped down on Friday evening criticised the monetisation of the whole process especially according to him (George) by Rivers Governor, Nyesome Wike who is said to be gunning for Uche Secondus.

     

     

    Others contenders like Jimi Agbaje and Raymond Dokpesi have also reportedly stepped down but the later vehemently denied insisting that he was still very much in the race and will not step down for any candidate.

    Details later…

     

  • 2019: PDP will die if we allow manipulation at today’s convention – Okowa

    Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP National Convention Committee and Executive Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa has said the party will die if stakeholders allow manipulative tendencies.

    Okowa spoke in a live interview session on AIT on the eve of the PDP convention holding on Saturday (today) at the Eagles Square in Abuja.

    Already 87 persons have expressed interest to contest for the 21 available offices.

    Excerpts from the interview below:

    How do you react to claims that the governors are trying to foist a list of candidates on the party?

    Okowa: No. If we allow manipulation it will lead to the death of the PDP. The party is not bullying anybody to step down, and that is why you find a lot of people coming up to contest the election. So, we are confident that the process will go on smoothly, though challenging. Challenging, because of the time and because of the energy that has to be put in to deliver several elections all at a time. It is not like the presidential convention when you are dealing with one particular election, but this one you have to deal with 21 different elections and therefore, it is going to be time-consuming. But we are confident that it is going to be well.

     

    It is alleged that PDP governors are backing a particular candidate. Are you aware or are you part of this?

    Okowa: For the PDP governors, they are all delegates to the convention and therefore have the right to vote. Can I now particularly say that because Gabriel Suswam is a former governor and another former governor is in the race and that therefore Suswam is going to back a former colleague who is in the race? Things don’t just work that way. People may have different views, but for H.E. Suswam, he knows that even if he were to be a delegate, it would not be possible for him to cast his vote. As a governor, I am a delegate, but because I have accepted to act in this position, I cannot cast my vote. I cannot. And that is why we asked in the electoral committee, that every delegate who is in that committee had to step down. It was with a lot of thought that we took that decision that it would not be fair for a delegate who is going to cast his vote to be part of that committee. By the grace of God, we would try to deliver an election that is credible. The governors alone can’t even decide for the entire nation; we have only 11 PDP governors; that means that you have other 25 states that do not have PDP governors, and those 25 states have leaders. Leaders in such places may be former governors, may be former ministers and may be some of our natural leaders that have been there from the beginning. So, these other people have a lot of influence. So, it is not just a question of governors because if it were governors, it would be 11 governors against 25 other persons. So, things don’t work like that. It is not mathematics when it comes to the politics of Saturday because a governor may hold a view and some leaders in that particular state may not have that view and some other local governments where former governors hold sway, some other leaders in that state may not agree with them. In some states former ministers, former senators are in charge of the structure, but there are still people who will not listen to a command from any one of them.

     

    How is this convention going to be funded?

    Okowa: We had a convention in August, and we want to thank our party members; they came to that convention on their own and went back on their own. It is no longer a time when people believe that they must be funded to do things and that is the same situation going on at the moment. The thing is that there are critical areas in which the party has to spend – printing, publicity. People have made contributions, leaders have made contributions, and some of the governors have also made contributions.

     

    Will those people not tie such contributions to demands on the convention floor?

    Okowa: Obviously no. I don’t think anybody has made such a large donation to think of that.

     

    There is the speculation that a particular governor is underwriting the cost of the convention and that his list of candidates should be adopted, is that true?

    Okowa: Would you expect that to happen? That would be an insult to the rest of the governors and an insult to the rest of the leadership of the party. The party did raise quite some funds from the sale of forms, and as at yesterday, 87 persons who collected forms have returned same, and some others who collected have not returned. So, a lot of money has been raised through that process, and you are aware that chairmanship candidates paid as much as N3 million per form. So, obviously, the party has raised a reasonable amount of money from that process. Persons have made donations though we don’t have any huge donation from anybody, but we can manage.

     

    There is a national reconciliation committee?

    Okowa: Yes, these are processes put in place, and I must be thankful to our leaders who are contesting for the chairmanship position because they have all accepted to enter into a memorandum of understanding that they will accept the outcome of the polls. They have shown a lot of leadership, and for anybody aspiring to lead the PDP as chairman, I think that is what is expected of them to do. So, to that extent, we are happy with our leaders who are contesting for the chairmanship position, and we hope that every other person contesting for other positions would key into the process of accepting the polls; because the polls definitely would be credible.

     

    Is there anything you envisage that would be a challenge before Saturday?

     

    Okowa: We are working hard, and we must thank the security agencies since they are cooperating very well with us.

     

    What of court orders?

    Okowa: We will obey all court orders. You will hear that today, that former governors and former deputy governors are not going to be part of the convention and that is because of a court decision that the process of amendment that brought them in as statutory delegates in 2012 was not properly done. So, unfortunately, they will not be part of this convention, but we are hoping that, that amendment will be properly done this time so that as leaders of the party they would also be statutory delegates. My emergence as governor, my emergence as senator, went through very difficult elections, but they were credible, and to that extent, I will not be part of any process that will create incredibility.

  • PDP chair: I have no preferred candidate – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he does not have an anointed candidate in Saturday’s national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    The former Vice President said in a press statement signed by his media office in Abuja on Friday that he, as an advocate of internal democracy in a political party system, believes all the aspirants for respective elective positions in the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) are eminently qualified.

    He noted that the challenge before the delegates of the party is to vote according to their consciences.

    The statement reads: “As our great political party sets forth to elect new set of national officers for the party today (Saturday), we must put the interest of the party first and I urge our delegates to vote for people they believe will better promote the interest of the party.

    “I am an advocate of democracy and it is my belief that the best way to strengthen a political party is to promote the principle of internal democracy in the workings of the party. I believe that all of the aspirants for respective positions are eminently qualified and the task is before our delegates to pick people who will make PDP even a stronger party after the Convention.

    “I do not have any preferred candidate, all I ask of our delegates and members of the organizing committee is that they should give us a national convention that is transparent, free and credible – one that will establish a standard for how intra-party elections are to be held in the country.

    “I wish all members and leaders of our great party, the PDP a successful national convention just as I wish all the aspirants luck in their endeavors,” Mr. Atiku said.

  • We have adequate security in place for PDP’s convention – Police

    The Police Command in the FCT has warned that it would not tolerate any acts that would cause trouble at Saturday’s convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold in Abuja on Saturday, December 9.

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

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

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

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

    PDP is holding the convention to elect its national officers.

  • 2019: Atiku free to move from one political party to another – IBB

    …Says PDP will have best convention ever

    A former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, has expressed confidence that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led convention organising committee of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, will conduct a rancour free and acceptable convention.

    Mr. Babangida spoke on Wednesday when Mr. Okowa, accompanied by the chairman of the caretaker committee of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi, and top officials of the party met him at his (IBB’s) country home at Minna, Niger State.

    “I have here, the chairman of the caretaker committee, former chairman of Kaduna State, the Chairman of convention planning committee, the Governor of Delta State with the officials for the convention, I am glad they are working hard and I have seen that they want to make sure that the convention of the PDP is rancour free, transparent and everybody will be given a level playing ground,” he said.

    The former Head of State who was in his elements, throwing banters with the PDP leaders and journalists who witnessed the event, emphatically said, “PDP will see one of the best convention like never before.”

    He also talked about the return of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar return to the PDP, saying “he is a Nigerian, he is allowed to go to any party and our constitution allows it, so, it is not new and there is nothing wrong for politician to move from one party to another.”

    Mr. Makarfi disclosed that the visit was in line with the tradition of the PDP where elders and leaders of the party are consulted for the right decisions to be taken.

    “In the PDP, we respect leaders, General Babangida has always been with us and it is the tradition of the party to be consulting with our leaders that is why we are here today to brief him (IBB) on the arrangement we have made and take whatever advice he gives for conducting a credible and transparent convention. The success story so far is a confirmation of series of interaction with leaders and founding members of the party,” Mr. Makarfi said.

    Mr. Okowa assured the convention will be successful, stating, “A lot has been put on ground for a successful Convention to be held. We thank the Caretaker Committee of our party because they have done a lot ahead of the inauguration on Monday and since then, we have held several meetings.”

    “As at today, we are confident that we are on course; in terms of trying to provide all that has to be done on Saturday, we are going to have exciting convention, there is no doubt about that, everything concerning the electoral process have been put in place, the accreditation team by today (yesterday, 06/12/17) will get the last list of the statutory delegates from Osun and Anambra States,” he said.

    The governor continued, “We obviously will not allow everybody to come into the venue, it is going to be restrictive convention because, it is an elective convention and I think our party will accept that, it is in the interest of the party and in terms of fairness, we are right on course.”

     

  • Atiku free to make speech at convention but won’t be allowed to vote – PDP

    Atiku free to make speech at convention but won’t be allowed to vote – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who returned to the party on Sunday will be permitted to give a speech at the December 9 convention but won’t be able to vote.

    The party’s convention is scheduled to hold at the Eagles Square in Abuja.

    The party said the provision of the Constitution that deals with new entrants into the party.

    Spokesperson for the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who spoke with journalists at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, said the party’s constitution should be used as a guide on the issue.

    Adeyeye said, “All you need to do is pick up the constitution of the party and see whether Atiku is qualified to vote or not.”

    When pressed further, he said, “First of all, I can tell you that we are happy with Atiku coming back to the PDP. It is very exciting for all of us. It is a good omen to everybody in the PDP.

    “He was one of the founding fathers, one of those who built this party and he is coming back home. His room was never occupied, so we have opened it for him.

    “He will be part of this convention. He will even make a speech at the convention, but he may not be voting at the convention.”

    Chapter 2 (Part 1) of the party’s constitution deals with admission of members into the party.

    On procedure for rejoining, sections 8 and 9 explain, ” A person who desires to rejoin the party after leaving it shall –

    (a) apply to his Ward Secretary for re-admission; and

    (b) unless given waiver by the National Working Committee, be placed on probation for a period of not less than one year.

    (9) Subject to the provision of Section 8(b), a member on probation shall have the right to attend all meetings of the party, but shall not be entitled to vote at such meetings, nor shall he be eligible to contest for elective office on the platform of the party. ”

     

  • PDP Convention: Elect vibrant, young leaders, says PDP S/Africa

    Mr Ekos Akpokabayen, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South Africa chapter has called on members of the party to elect vibrant and young leaders at its national convention.

    The People Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee has approved Dec. 9 for the party’s national elective convention.

    The decision, taken at its 76th NEC meeting, said that the convention would take place at the Eagles Square, Abuja.

    Akpokabayen in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday said the party deserved a stronger leadership after overcoming some crises.

    “We want a leadership that is able to do the job. For us, the chairman of the party should understand the dynamics and the plight of its members, current agitations we have been having in some state chapters of the party,” he said.

    Akpokabayen said that a major challenge the party had in the past was the imposition of candidates who were not popular with the people.

    “ We want a chairman that will be able to run the administration of the party and bring right candidates that will be flag bearers for elections, especially at the state levels.

    “ Currently, we want someone that is vibrant and young in blood.

    “We are tired of seeing the same old faces, it is as if sometimes, when we hear the names, then you think, we have not moved a year,” he said.

    The chairman said that the members were eager to support the new leadership and ensure that the right things were done.

     

  • Dokpesi wants PDP governors to play pivotal role at convention

    Dokpesi wants PDP governors to play pivotal role at convention

    A national chairmanship aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said PDP governors had crucial roles to play at Saturday’s national convention of the party.

    Dokpesi said on Tuesday night, while addressing members of the party in Abia at its secretariat in Umuahia, that as leaders of the party in their states, the governors exercised reasonable control of the party’s machinery.

    He said that the governors remained the leaders in their respective states and should be accorded the right to play prominent role in the party as was customary in the past.

    The aspirant commended the governors for their strong belief in PDP and for sustaining the party since it lost the 2015 election, and promised to work with them, if elected.

    He decried the formation of different groups of former political office holders, including the former governors’ forum and former ministers’ forum.

    He said that such unconstitutional bodies should not be allowed to hold sway in the party.

    In fact, Dokpesi alleged that the former governors were responsible for the electoral misfortune suffered by the party in the 2015 presidential election, when it lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said: “The former governors were the cause of the problem we are going through today.

    “While they were in office, they urinated on our heads.”

    He appealed to the Abia delegates to vote en masse for him, saying that if he became chairman, the position of the party’s presidential running-mate would automatically be zoned to the South-East.

    “As the chairman of the party, the position of the vice president for the South-East in 2019 is non-negotiable,” he said.

    Dokpesi cited “the imposition of candidates, impunity and lack of respect for zoning” as part of the problems that bedeviled PDP before the 2015 polls.

    He promised to return power to the people, and assured that justice, equity and fairness prevailed in the party, if elected.

    He said that the past leadership of the party failed to uphold the ideals of the founding fathers, leading to their abandoning the party they formed and nurtured.

    Dokpesi stated that he would restore the party to the path of glory, adding that he would “reposition, rebuild and rejuvenate PDP to win the 2019 presidential poll.

    He admonished the delegates to vote wisely at the convention, saying, “losing the 2019 presidential election would be a total disaster for PDP, but God forbid.”

    Speaking later in an interview with newsmen, Dokpesi said that during the last general elections, some of the former governors “abandoned PDP and could not deliver the party in their states.”
    “The time we were having elections in 2015, a lot of governors, who have the responsibility to deliver the party, went into prayers. They abandoned PDP,” he said.

    He said that contrary to the criticisms against PDP by the ruling APC, it had done a lot toward the development of Nigeria.

    Dokpesi, who is facing corruption charges, in respect of Dasuki’s alleged arms deal, declined comments on the matter, on the ground that it was in court.

    He threatened to sue the Federal Government for damages.

    Meanwhile, Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, in his response, assured Dokpesi of total support from Abia delegates.

    Onuigbo extolled Dokpesi’s immense contributions to the development and growth of PDP, saying that he had paid his dues and was eminently qualified to lead the party.

    He specifically recalled how Dokpesi deployed his mass media outfits, the African Independent Television and Ray Power, in projecting the activities of the party during the 2015 general elections, within and beyond Nigeria.

  • APC is undemocratic, afraid to hold convention – Makarfi

    APC is undemocratic, afraid to hold convention – Makarfi

    The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC of being afraid to hold national convention.

    He said this was the reason the ruling party had not been able to organise a national convention for many years.

    Makarfi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday when he received the chairman of the Steering Committee on the development of strategic plan for National Institute of Legislative Studies, Aminu Shagari, and members on a courtesy visit.

    “You have prayed for a successful convention of the PDP. We are not afraid. We are not APC, we are not afraid to hold convention. We are not afraid to hold meetings and convention because we are democratic,” he said.

    Makarfi told his guests that he was aware that procedure for legislation was long and cumbersome, adding that the voting pattern could however be improved.

    The former governor of Kaduna State said that the process of lawmaking “is not so democratic and the problem facing Nigeria goes beyond ‘nay’ and ‘yea’ because the moment we begin to reduce it to that, very sensitive issues that have telling effects on this country can be so lazily settled, we will face the consequences down the line.”

  • Convention: PDP panel bans presidential ticket campaign as Atiku visits party’s headquarters today

    Indications emerge that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will visit the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party, Abuja, on Tuesday (today).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Atiku had earlier on Sunday announced his return to the PDP after decamping from the APC last week.

    However, the Convention Planning Committee of the party, set up to organise the elective national convention coming up on Saturday in Abuja, has banned the display of campaign posters of any presidential aspirants at the Eagle Square venue of the convention.

    The committee, headed by the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, also barred the supporters of the presidential contenders from the venue on Saturday.

    The former Vice President was said to have written a letter to Makarfi, requesting the visit.

    The Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, confirmed the planned visit by Atiku.

    In his words: “It is true. We are expecting him on Tuesday, which is tomorrow (today). It is also an indication that his coming is real and that he means business. We are actually expecting him by noon tomorrow,” he added.

    It was also gathered that his visit would enable him to know his status if he would be able to attend the party’s national convention slated for Saturday in Abuja.

    As a former Vice-President, the constitution of the party allows him to attend the convention.

    However, since he has defected to the APC with other notable politicians, Atiku may require a waiver from the national leadership of the party before he could attend the convention as a delegate.

    A member of the National Working Committee of the party told spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We are glad he has returned to the party which gave him the opportunity to vie for positions both as a governor and as a vice-president.

    “We also know he contributed in no small way to our defeat during the 2015 presidential election.

    “All that are, however, not necessary now. What we want are people who can help us win elections and Atiku is one of them. We are happy about that.”

    Meanwhile, the PDP has said there is no concession for the former APC presidential aspirant or any other persons coming in to the party.

    Makarfi stated this during the inauguration of the party Convention Planning Committee.

    He explained that Atiku, however, did not seek any concession or special terms before returning to the party, adding that the former Vice-President returned voluntarily to the party.

    Makarfi added, “The Waziri Adamawa did not seek any special concession, any special terms; he joined on his own terms and decision.

    “The party did not extend any special concession to him. I don’t think it will extend any special concession to anybody other than what is due to him and what will be due to anybody of his status that will be coming into the party. It is only right that you accord such people such recognition and status they deserve.”

    Explaining further on the position of the party on Atiku’s return, the caretaker committee chairman stated, “I read in some papers as if the party made a deal to concede something to him; this is far from the truth.

    “He never asked for anything and we never offered anything. Whatever aspiration he or anybody coming to PDP may have, they will be free to pursue them.

    “PDP men and women are free to pursue whatever aspirations they have. The party will provide a level playing field for everybody to exercise their right to give their mandate to whoever they want to give it to.”

    Also speaking, the chairman of the Convention Planning Committe and the Executive Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, gave an assurance that the “electoral process will be free, fair and credible.”

    He said the Eagle Square, where the event would hold, had been secured.

    Okowa stated, “The venue of the convention is the Eagle Square. It has been secured and we have had a lot of discussions concerning the need for accreditation, securing the venue and also the electoral process.

    “We are very confident that a lot is being put in place and between now and Friday, we would have been able to achieve every other thing that we need to do to deliver a credible convention.

    “We need to make this announcement to all our party members and well-wishers that the convention is going to be for delegates and we are expecting a little less than 3,000. Delegates have been properly accredited by the accreditation committee.

    “Our party members that are going to come are welcome to Abuja but they will not be allowed to come to the Eagle Square and this is because we want to be sure that we are in a position to deliver a credible elective convention.

    “Movement will have to be restricted to some important personalities who ordinarily will love to be around.”

    Okowa said his committee was trying to put up these measures in order to avoid overcrowding at the venue.

    The governor also warned against display of banners of those aspiring to contest the presidential ticket of the party.

    He added, “I want to urge aspirants to the various positions to please keep their campaigners away from the convention venue and we believe all campaigns would have stopped by Friday.

    “I will not expect any aspirant, especially presidential aspirants, to bring their campaign posters, campaigners, men or women, to the venue because it will not be allowed. And we want to appeal to all of them campaigning to desist from doing that.

    “For those who want to campaign for future elections, possibly the presidential aspirants, this convention is not the place to display campaign posters or to display their intentions.

    “I believe there will be an appropriate convention for that. I want to urge them to cooperate with us as a committee.”