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Tag: PDP Convention

  • PDP Primary: Why we supported Atiku – Lamido replies Wike

    Sule Lamido the former governor of Jigawa State, has explained to Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike that they did what is right by supporting  Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party’ (PDP) presidential primary held in Abuja.

    Lamido, is said to be one of the northern leaders who played a key role in convincing Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State to step down and back Atiku’s candidacy during Saturday’s presidential primaries and national convention of the party.

    Lamido, hailed Wike for his contributions and efforts saying the Rivers man has carried the party very well in the last two years, but insisted that the decision to queue behind Atiku was made in the best interest of the party and the people of the country at large,

    “There is nobody who talked about the PDP in the last two years like Wike but the party picked who they thought is the best for the presidential ticket,” the ex-Jigawa governor told Channels Television on Wednesday evening.

    Reacting to Wike’s comment aftermath of the election, where the Rivers Governor said that at some point he wanted to scuttle the presidential primary, especially when Tambuwal was allowed to mount the podium again to announce his decision to step down, Lamido said Wike reacted to the defeat like any other human being.

    He clarified that Atiku’s emergence wasn’t based on region or religion but a measure to pick a sellable candidate to challenge the ruling party.

    “Wike is a normal human being with feelings, emotions and expectations. So when expectations are not met, emotions come in naturally…all of us are there for the party,” he added.

    “Wike has tremendously worked for the party and made huge contributions to the party and in the last two years, nobody talked about the party more than Wike, I agree, but you see, at the end of the day, it is the political will of the people of PDP which will prevail.”

    Atiku emerged the presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2023 general election after polling a total of 371 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Wike, who garnered 237 votes.

  • PDP convention underway in Abuja; leaders, delegates, members converge to elect new officials

    PDP convention underway in Abuja; leaders, delegates, members converge to elect new officials

    Members and delegates of the leading opposition party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have converged at Eagles Square, Abuja to hold their national convention and elect new officials.

    The convention which is scheduled for today and tomorrow is a crucial part of the party’s preparation for the 2023 elections in the country.

    National party officials, governors, ex-governors, and other bigwigs of the party are currently at Eagle’s Square in preparation.

    According to our political correspondent, Seun Okinbaloye, who is at the venue of the convention most of the positions up for grabs will be filled via consensus.

    However, some three positions are still under contestation.

    Chairman of the organising committee of the convention, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had earlier on Friday said efforts are on to reconcile most of the contestants.

    “At the moment we are making efforts to reconcile most of our contestants so that we can scrutinise them and have a better convention

    “We are expecting 3600 delegates tomorrow (today). Most of the positions, as of today, except for three will not be contested. We are still talking with those contesting,” Fintiri said on Friday.

     

  • Appeal Court adjourns hearing of Secondus application seeking to stop PDP convention

    Appeal Court adjourns hearing of Secondus application seeking to stop PDP convention

    The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of arguments on an application seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party from conducting its national convention.

    A panel of three justices led by Justice Haruna Tsammani adjourned the hearing till 12pm on Thursday to allow new parties who applied to join in the case to make their contributions.

    It is, however, not clear if the court will make any pronouncement on the adjourned date.

    In its bid to resolve the internal crisis that rocked the Uche Secondus led National Working Committee of the party, the PDP had announced a special convention to elect a set of new national officers.

    The convention is scheduled to take place on October 30 and 31 in Abuja.

    But this decision by the party did not go well with Secondus – the suspended PDP National Chairman – who believes the conduct of the convention will abruptly end his tenure that is due to expire in December.

    He later filed an application as part of the processes in the ongoing litigation over his suspension from the party, to stop the PDP from proceeding with the convention as planned.

    Amid the controversy sparked by his suspension, a high court in Rivers – on September 10 – affirmed Secondus’ suspension from the party at his ward in Ikuru Town in Andoni Local Government Area of the state.

    This was, however, challenged by the PDP which filed an application at the appellate court to test the validity of Secondus’ suspension from the party.

    During Tuesday’s proceedings, the appellate court struck out the application after the new counsel to the PDP, Sunday Ameh, said upon going through the processes, he did not find the need to continue with the application.

    Following the suspension of Secondus, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Yomi Akinwonmi, has been serving as the party’s national chairman in an acting capacity.

  • PDP convention: Dollar windfall for delegates as Atiku, Saraki, others contend for presidential ticket

    PDP convention: Dollar windfall for delegates as Atiku, Saraki, others contend for presidential ticket

    As some of the powerful presidential aspirants lock horns in the ongoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election, it appeared the event has become an harvest season for the party’s delegates.
    According to reports some of the undecided among the 3,500 delegates were said to have received thousands of dollars as bribes from some presidential aspirants.
    Among the political gladiators contesting the PDP’s presidential ticket include former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; a former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; a former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa.
    Others are the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki; a former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and a former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Jona Jang.
    Also in the race are, a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; a former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed.
    A source who is also a delegate confirmed to TheNewsGuru, TNG under condition of anonymity that , that the big wigs among the aspirants fetes delegates with dollars ranging from $1000 – $5000.
    “You can’t take away financial inducement from a primary as important as this, but I can assure you the monies won’t really change the mandate; most of the delegates are just playing along and not necessarily selling out their votes.
    “In fact, one of the factors the aspirants consider in deciding amount to be paid to the delegates depends on the state they come from. For instance no aspirant will waste his cash on states that are regarded as strong hold of their opposition. In cases where they are not too sure of the allegiance of the delegates they tend to spend more.
    “The big aspirants are spending dollars while some of the not so strong ones are spending nairas in millions, so it all depends on which sees you as important. I only wish the primary continues to take place everyday, that is more of the free money coming to me. ” Says source.
    Also, online newspaper, Premium Times, some delegates also said that they were expecting more money from other aspirants.
    “We have received our first goodwill from the Senate President Bukola Saraki,” a delegate from Nasarawa state told the news website.
    “It is our first dollars here, but we know more would still come from other aspirants, they have been calling us since yesterday.”
    It was learned that the top lawmaker was probably the first to pay out cash to influence the choice of delegates.
    Other aspirants gunning for the PDP presidential ticket include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; and Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.
    Others are Gombe state Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo; former Kano state Governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; and former Kaduna state Governor Ahmed Makarfi.
    Also in the running are former Senate President David Mark; former Plateau state Governor Jonah Jang; former Jigawa state Governor Sule Lamido; Atahiru Bafarawa; Tanimu Turaki; Datti Baba-Ahmed; and Stanley Osifo.
    The political gladiators will know their fate latest on Sunday.

    Aspirants make 11th hour pitches for votes

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Senate President Bukola Saraki among other aspirants contending for the PDP ticket made 11th hour pitches to woo the undecided among the 3,600 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party attending the national convention in Port Harcourt to elect a presidential candidate.

    Atiku promised to build Nigeria’s economy by creating wealth and jobs if elected to represent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 election.
    He also said he would provide healthcare to Nigerians.
    ‘’Four years ago, the people of Nigeria voted for change; today they are not happy with the change they received; government has become less transparent.
    ”I ask for your support in picking the PDP ticket; together we can truly get Nigeria working again.
    Sen. Bukola Saraki urged all the 3, 600 delegates at the convention to vote for him.
    He stated that the people need a leader like he in the 21 century, adding that poverty is affecting Nigeria but
    ”Unfortunately poverty does not know party, ethnicity or religion.”
    He blamed issues of poverty on what he alleged to be APC’s poor governance and appealed to the delegates to vote for him for a government of inclusion which according to him, is what Nigeria needs now.
    ”If you want a 21st century leader, you will vote for me. A vote for me is a vote for the youth, for inclusive governance,” he said.
    Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo said that he has solutions to Nigeria’s problems, adding, ‘’I am highly experienced to lead Nigeria as a president”.
    Attahiru Bafarawa said that he would implement the resolutions of the past national conferences and would take Nigeria to greater heights.
    Jonah Jang pledged quality leadership and to right the wrongs of past leadership while securing Nigeria at all sphere.
    Datti Ahmed spoke about his capacity to provide quality leadership.

     

  • PDP Convention: Journalists stopped from gaining access

    PDP Convention: Journalists stopped from gaining access

    Journalists assigned to cover the 2018 Convention of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP are having difficult time accessing the main bowl of the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, venue of the exercise.
    The journalists who attended from across the country picked up their accreditation tags with ease but met a brick wall when they arrived the stadium.
     
    Although, they were allowed into the venue, the entrance to the main bowl where the exercise is expected to begin in the next few hours has been barricaded making it difficult for journalists to walk in.
    A police officer in a chat with Vanguard said: “The crowd is much but we will open the place by the grace of God”.

  • Large turnout of delegates at PDP convention in Port Harcourt

    Large turnout of delegates at PDP convention in Port Harcourt

    Large turn out of delegates and heavy presence of security personnel characterised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention holding in Port Harcourt.
    The venue of the convention, Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium was agog as delegates trooped peacefully into the pavilions earmarked for their respective states, but accreditation of delegates was yet to commence as at 9.55 a.m.
    At Sokoto pavilion, one of the delegates, Alhaji Kure Aminu said he and his colleagues were ready for the convention.
    Delegates from Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states said they would vote for strong candidate that would win the 2019 general elections. Mr Ude Obuzo from Enugu expressed optimism that the convention would produce a qualified candidate to represent PDP in 2019 Presidential election.
    Heavy security operatives: the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others were on ground to ensure smooth exercise.
    Officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were also on ground to control movement of vehicles. At least, 13 aspirants are jostling for party ticket for Presidential election in 2019.
    Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state; Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso; Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, Sen,Ahmed Makarfi and Jonah Jang are among the contestants.

  • PDP Convention: Governors reject consensus candidature

    PDP Convention: Governors reject consensus candidature

    Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have decided not to support any particular candidate at the national convention of the party on Saturday.
    Multiple sources in the know about the outcome of a meeting held at Government House in Port Harcourt noted that the governors asked all delegates to go and vote for candidates of their choice
    “They have just met, and there was no consensus on any candidate” the source told revealed to Premium Times as he emerged from the meeting at 12:09 a.m. Saturday. “The delegates are now free to choose whoever they want.”
    The decision could prove essential in a race largely considered too close to call even hours to its commencement.
    There have been doubts that all the twelve PDP governors may rally behind a candidate. Seeing the intimidating influence the governors wield over party affairs, political pundits believe whoever they endorse to easily coast to victory.
    Two PDP governors are in the race, with sources stating that the remaining 10 governors felt it would be wrong to be openly partisan towards one of them.
    But with delegates now being asked to go and vote independently without being instructed by the governors, who often play the role of custodian of delegates, the ferocious competition already witnessed in the weeks leading up to the primaries may get even more intense well into the last minute.
    Even though these governors have their individual preference among the aspirants, the decision to let delegates be free to make their choice could mean there would be more delegates to lobby for aspirants.
    At least 4,000 delegates are expected to partake in the primaries, according to party officials. They have been arriving in town since Wednesday, and the last set would arrive by morning on Saturday.
    Two of the aspirants, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, publicly denied planning to step down for any candidate.
    The 12 candidates in the race are: Atiku Abubakar, Ahmed Makarfi, Aminu Tambuwal, Datti Baba-Ahmed, Attahiru Bafarawa, Sule Lamido, Bukola Saraki, David Mark, Jonah Jang, Kabiru Turaki and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
  • PDP Convention: delegates, food vendors, posters, canopies adorn venue

    PDP Convention: delegates, food vendors, posters, canopies adorn venue

    Delegates, food vendors, traders in various consumables, stickers and caps have set up canopies around the Adokiye Amasiemaka Stadium, venue of the 2018 National Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents at the venue report that some of the delegates have also been sleeping in vehicles parked within the open spaces around the stadium since Oct. 5.
    Similarly, posters of the 13 aspirants jostling for the party’s Presidential ticket at the Convention conspicuously adorned streets leading to the stadium.
    The aspirants are: Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Sen. Bukola Saraki; Ibrahim Dankwambo;Rabiu Kwankwaso; Aminu Tambuwal; Ahmed Makarfi; and Jonah Jang.
    Others are: Sen. David Mark; Sule Lamido; Atahiru Bafarawa; Tanimu Turaki; Datti Baba-Ahmed; and Stanley Osifo.
    The presence of Nigeria Police personnel and sister security agencies were also noticeable at the stadium gates and around the stadium to maintain law and order.
    Praise singers with various musical instruments professing the virtues of their candidates also thronged the venue.
    Accreditation of delegates had not started at the time of filing this report.
    A delegate, Alhaji Kure Aminu, told NAN at the Sokoto State pavilion that delegates from the state were ready for the convention, saying that Tambuwal, who is also from Sokoto State, would win.
    Delegates from Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo separately told NAN that they were voting for aspirants they believed would win the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the PDP.
    Garba Iliyasu, a delegate from Bauchi State, also expressed confidence that PDP would win in the 2019 elections.

  • PDP convention: 4,000 delegates to decide Atiku, Saraki's, others fate today

    PDP convention: 4,000 delegates to decide Atiku, Saraki's, others fate today

    All is now set for the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) taking place in Rivers State today.
    The presidential aspirants of the party were on Friday night handed over the list of delegates that would take part in the presidential primary.
    The delegates are 4,000 in number.
    Meet the aspirants in no particular order:
     
    Atiku Abubakar
    Former vice president Atiku Abubakar is one of the prominent PDP presidential aspirants. He served as the second in command during the Obasanjo-led PDP government from 1999 to 2007. However, in the buildup to the 2015 elections, Atiku left the PDP for the APC. He contested the APC presidential ticket but lost to President Muhammadu Buhari. With an impossible chance of getting the APC presidential ticket in the 2019 election, Atiku switched back to the PDP. Atiku stated that he has solutions to Nigeria numerous problems. He has aspired for the presidency four times, this being the fifth shot. He has since picked up his nomination and expression of interest forms.
     
    Rabiu Kwankwaso
    Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is a two-time governor of Kano state. Like Atiku, Kwankwaso recently defected back to the PDP after a long-running superiority battle with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who succeeded him as the governor of Kano state. He is the leader of the popular political movement tagged Kwankwassiya movement. He officially declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2019 on the platform of the PDP in Abuja on Wednesday, August 29.
     
    Sule Lamido
    Sule Lamido, a two-time governor of Jigawa state, is another prominent member of the PDP with presidential ambition. He served as Nigeria’s foreign minister from 1999 to 2003. He was elected governor of Jigawa state in April 2007. He ran successfully for re-election on 26 April 2011. In 2015 he and his sons were put on trial for embezzling state fund by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). At 70, Lamido insists he has the qualities needed to move Nigeria forward.
     
    Aminu Tambuwal
    Tambuwal is the current governor of Sokoto State and former speaker of the House of Representatives. He recently defected from the APC to the PDP. He has also picked the nomination form to contest the PDP presidential primary. Tambuwal has expressed optimism that he will emerge as the flag bearer of the opposition party, adding that he has all it takes to become the president of the most populous country in Africa.
     
    Ahmed Makarfi
    Ahmed Makarfi is a two-time governor of Kaduna state and has also spent eight years as a senator in the National Assembly. He was appointed PDP National caretaker committee at a contentious national convention held in PortHarcourt, the Rivers state capital. He handed over to Uche Secondus after a tumultuous regime characterized by a series of court cases. The ex-governor has reinstated severally that he has what it takes to govern Nigeria, after successfully governing “a complex state like Kaduna for eight years”.
     
    Bukola Saraki
     
    Bukola Saraki is currently the Senate president of Nigeria and a two-time governor of Kwara state. The embattled Senate president earlier revealed in an interview with Bloomberg that he was considering giving a shot at the presidency. Shortly after, in a surprising move, he declared his intention to run for the presidency while delivering a keynote address at a town hall for youths and young aspirants organised by the Not Too Young To Run Movement in Abuja. The Not Too Young To Run movement has, however, distanced itself from Saraki’s declaration.
     
    Attahiru Bafarawa
    Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa was the governor of Sokoto stat from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. At 64, Bafarawa is bent on having another shot at the presidency after a failed first attempt in 2007. He ran under the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) that he formed. Bafarawa has declared that he will be running for president in 2019, this time under the PDP.
     
    Ibrahim Dankwambo
    Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is the current governor of Gombe state. Declaring his ambition, the Gombe state governor said he accepted the call of the people across the country to run next year for the top post. He said he decided to contest to “consolidate on the gains of democracy and save the country from hunger and starvation”. Dankwambo said the northeast zone was long due for the presidency, saying its last shot was the regime of late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
     
    Tanimu Turaki
    Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, from Kebbi state, is a former minister of special duties and inter-governmental affairs between 2013 and 2015, former supervising minister, Ministry of Labour and Productivity between 2014 and 2015, and current chairman of PDP Former Ministers’ Forum of Nigeria. Tanimu, after declaring for the presidency, stated that his knowledge, experience and dynamism stand him out from other aspirants in the party.
     
    Datti Baba-Ahmed
    Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed was elected a member of House of Representatives in 2003 under the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) representing Zaria federal constituency in Kaduna state. In 2011, he defeated Ahmed Makarfi, incumbent senator and former governor of Kaduna state, for the Kaduna North senatorial seat. Baba-Ahmed boasted that he would demystify the power of incumbency and defeat President Buhari if he secures the ticket of his party.
     
    Jonah David Jang
    Jonah Jang is a former governor of Plateau state and a serving Senator of Nigeria. Submitting his letter of intent to the state chairman of the party at the party’s secretariat in Jos, Jang said it is time for the Middle Belt to rule Nigeria. Jang is facing a 12-count charge of diverting N6.3 billion alongside a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam. They were alleged to have committed the offence while Jang was governor of the state.
     
    Senator David Mark
    Senator David Mark, a former Senate president, is reportedly poised to join other aspirants on the platform of the PDP in the race for the 2019 presidential election as he is set to get the party’s expression of interest form. James Oche, the co-coordinator of Door2Door, a support platform for Mark, confirmed the development on Monday, September

  • PDP convention: Adedoja approaches court, seeks nullification of Secondus’ election as chairman

    One of the candidates that contested for the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Taoheed Adedoja, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the nullification of the election of Prince Uche Secondus as national chairman.

    In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1225/2017 filed on his behalf by Messers Rickey Tarfa & Co., Adedoja prayed the court to declare ‎the election of Secondus as national chairman of PDP null and void.

    The complainant also prayed the court to declare as null and void any documents submitted by the leadership of the PDP to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognising Secondus as national chairman of the PDP.

    Adedoja also asked the court for the cancellation of the national chairmanship election held on Saturday, December 09, 2017 at Eagle Square, Abuja where Secondus emerged as chairman.

    He prayed the court to order the conduct of another elective national convention for the election of national chairman within 30 days ‎nullificationion of the December 9 convention.

    Through his lawyers, Adedoja similarly asked the court to restrain the INEC from recognising Uche Secondus as national chairman of the PDP.

    Stating the grounds for asking the court to nullify the outcome of the election that produced Secondus as chairman, Adedoja said his name was unlawfully excluded from the ballot paper as one of the candidates vying for the position of chairman.

    He averred that excluding his name from the ballot paper was a flagrant violation of the Electoral Act, the constitution of the PDP, the guidelines for the conduct of PDP national convention and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    According to him, the organisers of the convention had substituted his name with “Prof Taoheed Oladoja” on the ballot paper, whereas all his nomination documents submitted to the leadership of the PDP bore the name of Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

    Prof Adedoja also averred that he drew the attention of the chairman of the convention planning committee, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to the error

    But according to him, his complaint was ignored by Okowa and other organisers of the convention, a situation which he said, caused his loss at the election because those that wanted to vote for him could not find his name on the ballot paper.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Adedoja said, “I have suffered psychological trauma as a result of the public ridicule the election result has caused me, my family members, friends and associates.

    “My lawyers are demanding for appropriate compensation for damages, ridicule, embarrassment and disrepute brought to my name as a result of my wilful exclusion from participating in the election resulting in zero score credited to my name which is now in public domain”, he added.

    Listed as defendants in the suit are Governor Okowa, Secondus, INEC, and the PDP. No date has been fixed for having.