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Tag: PDP

  • Osun West poll: PDP’s victory an evidence of unity – Makarfi

    Osun West poll: PDP’s victory an evidence of unity – Makarfi

    Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caretaker committee, Ahmed Makarfi has said the victory of the party at the Osun senatorial poll was an indication that PDP was still the “party to beat in every election.”

    In a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the Makarfi group, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party said it was confident Adeleke would deliver his promises.

    The statement said: “The people have spoken with one voice and we know that Ademola Adeleke will deliver on his promises to the people.

    “The successful outcome of this election is an evidence of hard work, dedication and the unity of all members of the PDP in Osun State who buried temporary differences in the overall interest of the party and the good people of Osun State.

    “We are confident that without the interference of the APC in the current leadership issues in our party, the PDP remains the party to beat in all elections in Nigeria.

    “Even as we await the judgment of the Supreme Court, we urge our members to unite in the interest of Nigerians to rid the country of the horrible APC government.

    “Finally, we congratulate the people of Osun West for coming out en mass to vote for our candidate and for their peaceful conduct during the election. We also congratulate our members in Osun State for this important victory.”

  • Delta PDP crisis deepens as Court sacks Obro Philomena Asamah

    A Delta High Court in Sapele has sacked Obro Philomena Asamah , Councillor representing Ward 17 in Sapele Local Government and has declared Mr. Ibiuke Monday the winner of the Delta State Local Government Council general election conducted on the 25th day of October 2014.

    “The purported nomination of Asamah as candidate for the local government election held by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission on October 25, 2014 is null and void. She being not the valid lawful candidate at the primaries conducted by the PDP. Mr. Ibiuke Monday is the lawful candidate of the PDP for the general election in ward 17 of the Sapele Local Government Council Area, Delta State” Justice Roli Daibo Harriman said.

    Aside directing the sacked councillor to vacate her seat forthwith, the Court ordered the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Obro Philomena Asamah and issue a certificate of return to Mr. Ibiuke Monday.

    “The Certificate of Return issued by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission in favour of Obro Philomena Asamah is hereby declared null and void”

    It held that Asamah should within 30 days refund all the salaries/allowances and or emoluments she collected while occupying the seat.

    “Obro Philomena Asamah is hereby ordered to refund within 30 days to the appropriate government payer agency be it the Delta State government or the Sapele local government or howsoever called, all financial benefits, salaries and allowances she has received by virtue of her being the councilor representing ward 17 of Sapele Local Government council in the election conducted by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission on October 25, 2014 and all such sums to be paid to Mr. Obiuke Monday within 14 days of receipt”

    The Court’s decision was hinged on the fact that Mr Ibiuke was the lawful candidate at the primaries conducted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).‎

    Ibiuke asked the court to declare him the winner of the poll, alleging that Asamah was not the lawful candidate of the PDP.

    Honourale Justice Roli Daibo Harriman held that Asamah was not validly nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to participate in the councillorship contest, noting that the complainant, Obiuke, was the lawful candidate.

    “It is the claimant’s case that Asamah was not even qualified to contest in the primaries and the local government elections held on 25 October 2014. In as much as I had found that Asamah did not win the primaries, it will purely academic to further investigate whether Asamah was even eligible to contest the primaries”

    “Since votes cast at an election belong to the political party, I find that the votes cast for PDP at the local government elections should be for Mr. Ibiuke K. Monday who I have found to be the lawful candidate”

  • We won’t forget reforms initiated by late Suntai – PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said reforms initiated by late Taraba governor, Danbaba Suntai, to promote delivery of dividends of democracy to Taraba people would not be forgotten.

    The National Caretaker Committee of the party stated this in a condolence message on the demise of the former governor issued on Sunday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Dayo Adeyeye.

    Suntai, 56, died on Thursday of complications from injuries he sustained when a plane he was piloting crashed on Oct. 25, 2012, in Yola, while in office as governor.

    The committee-led by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi condoled with the Governor Darius Ishaku, the people of Taraba and the family of the deceased former governor.

    “As Governor of Taraba, the late Pharmacist initiated reforms to make local government administration more independent and transparent, among other lofty ideas aimed at delivering good dividends to his people.

    “For instance, Suntai ensured that pensioners in the State were paid regularly, and the Pension Bill reduced from N33 million to N22 million before he left office.

    “It is noteworthy that in 2009, Suntai established the Computerized Stone Crushing and Asphalt Plant in Taraba to provide enough raw materials for the construction of roads, houses and other related matters in the state.

    “The former governor no doubt, did his best to provide for his family and served the state well,” it said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Suntai was elected in 2007 as the Governor of Taraba on the platform of PDP.

    He was re-elected in 2011 but could not complete the term due to his incapacitation resulting from the plane crash.

    The former governor died on Wednesday in Florida, U.S., where he was undergoing rehabilitation from brain injuries he sustained from a plane crash in October 2012 in Yola. He was aged 55 years.

  • Okupe dumps PDP, says party can no longer bear fruits

    Okupe dumps PDP, says party can no longer bear fruits

    Dr. Doyin Okupe on Sunday renounced his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Okupe, a former national chairmanship aspirant of the party, was also a spokesman for former President Olusegun Obasanjo while the latter was in power.

    In a statement made available to journalists, Okupe said that happenings in the party had indicated that there was no way it would bear fruits in the future.

    He said his exit from the party was as a result of what he referred to as long introspection and happenings in the former ruling party.

    Okupe said he was making his resignation public from the party because he was not sure who to direct his letter to.

    PDP has been embroiled in leadership crisis at the national level following the rejection of its Court Appeal recognised National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff by some of the governors and members of the party.

    The aggrieved governors and some members of the party’s caucuses have pitched their tent with the National Caretaker Committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    Okupe said that the party was also no longer exist as a unified party in his ward at Iperu-Remo, hence his decision to publicly announce his resignation from the party.

    He said, “It is with deep regret that I publicly announce my exit from the People’s Democratic Party.

    “It has to be public because the PDP no longer exists in my ward as a single unified party it was when I joined it.

    “It is no longer news that the PDP has been embroiled in a fratricidal internal crisis brought upon it by itself.

    “Its current direction is difficult to discern and I am convinced that even when the much-expected judgement from the Supreme Court is given, the future of the party is not likely to be significantly affected whichever way the judgement goes.

  • APC planning to rig Osun by-election – PDP

    …as APC kicks, says accusation is baseless

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of a plan to rig the July 8 Osun West Senatorial bye-election in the state.

    The PDP State Chairman, Mr Soji Adagunodo, made this allegation at a news conference on Tuesday in Osogbo.

    Adagunodo alleged that some electoral officers were conniving with some APC chieftains to disenfranchise eligible voters at the strongholds of the PDP.

    “There are plans by the APC to ensure that INEC allocates non-functioning card readers to areas considered as the stronghold of PDP.

    “This, in their thinking, would slow down accreditation of voters and get voters discouraged.”

    “The whole world needs to know some undemocratic, obnoxious and certain illegal plans from dependable source to be carried out by the APC to rig the forthcoming bye-election.

    “PDP leadership will not fold its hands and allow anybody to subvert the free will of the electorate, to thwart the successful conduct of the forthcoming bye-election.

    “We hereby call on security agencies and the electoral umpire (INEC) not to allow any form of rigging during the election but they should rather ensure free and fair election,” the chairman said.

    According to him, PDP had concluded plans to frustrate all machinations by ‘anti-democratic forces’ in the state with all lawful means.

    Adagunodo said that the outcome of the by-election would have major impact on 2018 gubernatorial election in the state.

    “We want to call on the genuine lovers of democracy to be vigilant before, during and after the election to save their votes.

    “Stakeholders and security agencies in the state with INEC should ensure a free, fair and credible election comes July 8,” he said.

    However, in his reaction, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, said the allegation by PDP was baseless and untrue.

    Oyatomi told the newsmen in an interview that PDP should prove its allegation with undeniable fact before spreading falsehood.

    “PDP must be suffering from the psychological trauma of impending defeat.

    “APC defeated PDP during the 2014 governorship election, the PDP will suffer defeat in July 8 bye-election.

    “APC will win the election without any form of rigging, the party does not have any plan to rig the election,” he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that INEC had fixed July 8 for the bye-election following the death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, representing Osun West, on April 23.

     

     

    NAN

  • Osun West by-election: Ademola Adeleke emerges PDP candidate

    The younger brother of late Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, Demola, has emerged the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Osun West Senatorial District bye-election.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Adeleke, who had been cleared to contest for the primary on the platform of APC, defected to PDP on Tuesday evening.

    Adeleke was set to contest the primary in APC unopposed after his opponent, Sen. Mudashiru Husain, was disqualified on Sunday by the APC screening committee headed by Zamfara Assembly Speaker, Sanusi Rikiji.

    Hussein was disqualified by the committee which stated that he was still in active public service against the stipulated party’s guideline.

    According to Rikiji, the party’s guideline stipulates that any aspirant that wants to contest an elective office is expected to have resigned from the public service 30 days before the primries.

    Hussein was the Commissioner for Cabinet Matters in the Rauf Aregbesola administration which was inaugurated on May 30.

    The disqualification was upheld by the Appeal Committee of the party headed by Abdulahi Bello.

    Hussein was, however, cleared on Monday evening by the National Working Committee of the APC to contest the primary.

    Adeleke, who contested the PDP primary unopposed on Wednesday in Iwo Local Government Area of the state, scored 343 votes.

    In his acceptance speech, Adeleke said the PDP would win the election.

    ” I accepted to contest the election under PDP and come July 8, we shall have victory.

    ” Victory shall be ours and nothing can stop us. We are moving forward because it is God’s project,’’ he said.

    The PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Soji Adagunodo, said the party would win the bye-election.

    According to him, there is no faction in PDP but only aggrieved members.

    ” We are going to win the election and come 2018, we will still win,’’ he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Independent National Electoral Commission fixed July 8 for the bye-election following the vacuum created by the death of Sen. Adeleke on April 23.

     

     

    (NAN)

  • Senate opens chapter for National Conference, demands report

    The Senate on Thursday requested for the submission of the 2014 National Conference report for consideration by the Federal Government.

    ImageFile: Senate demands for National Conference report
    Senate opens chapter for National Conference, demands for Conference report

    The Senate’s decision was sequel to a motion sponsored by the Leader of Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, on the need for National Unity and Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria, Today reports.

    The National Conference was set up by the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Jonathan had promised to implement the recommendations if he was re-elected.

    However, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had Muhammadu Buhari as presidential candidate.

     

  • Paris Refunds: Dickson, Wike, other PDP govs decry ‘bloated’ figures by FG

    Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and his counterpart in Rivers, Nyesom Wike have denied receiving the amounts published by the Federal Government as accruing to their states in the first tranche of the London/Paris loan refunds.

    Dickson said his government got only N14.5bn, contrary to the Ministry of Finance’s claim that he received N24, 895, 696, 347.55.

    The governor revealed this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr Francis Agbo.

    The governor, therefore, called on the people of Bayelsa and the general public to ignore false publications on the state.

    Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike also denied receiving the highest allocation of N34, 925, 785, 322.06 in the Paris Refunds.

    Wike while speaking in a church service over the weekend said he (Wike) along with Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa States were short paid in the refunds.

    He noted that those short paid in the refunds are mainly members of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    He however challenged the Federal Government and the Minister of Finance in particular to make documentations of the refunds to states public.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance had made the N516, 384, 636, 883.81 disbursements to the 36 states and FCT from the Paris refunds public.

    The finance ministry in a statement said the funds released from the Paris refunds were strictly meant to pay salaries of workers.

    “The funds were released to state governments as part of the wider efforts to stimulate the economy and were specifically designed to support states in meeting salary and other obligations, thereby alleviating the challenges faced by workers,” a statement by the ministry said.

  • Osun by- election: Adeleke dumps APC for PDP ahead of primary

    Osun by- election: Adeleke dumps APC for PDP ahead of primary

    Baring any last minute change of plan, the All Progressives Congress, APC, aspirant in the Osun-West senatorial district, Chief Ademola Adeleke, may have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to contest the July 8 senatorial by-election.

    A chieftain of the PDP, who pleaded anonymity, said this in a telephone interview with The Punch on Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Ademola, younger brother to late Senator Isiaka Adeleke who died in April is posed to succeed his brother as the Senator representing Osun West.

    The PDP chieftain said Adeleke would contest on the platform of the opposition party.

    He said, “We have been talking to our leaders and members on this. We want to win this election and we know that he is popular. Adeleke will contest on the platform of the PDP.

    “The APC has decided to clear Mudashiru Hussain despite his disqualification and the Adeleke group is aware that the APC primary would be manipulated to favour Hussain.”

    One of the supporters of Adeleke, who pleaded anonymity also confirmed Ademola’s defection to the opposition party.

    He, however, said the camp was waiting for the PDP to break the news.

    The Chairman of the PDP in Osun State, Soji Adagunodo also confirmed the defection of Adeleke to the PDP via a text message.

    The Secretary, Adeleke Support Group, Alhaji Saheed Afolabi, who is a chieftain of the APC, said Adeleke had picked the PDP nomination form to contest the primary expected to hold on Wednesday.

    He said, “Otunba Ademola Adeleke has picked the PDP nomination form. You will see him at the PDP primary election tomorrow. He is only going for affirmation because the PDP has talked to their aspirants and they have all agreed that Ademola Adeleke should be given the ticket.”

    “The APC Screening Committee disqualified Senator Mudashiru Hussain, the Appeal Committee disqualified him but the NWC, after an intervention by some powerful persons, manipulated the whole thing and overturned it. We know what they mean but we are also ready for them.

    “The entire people of the Osun-West senatorial district are solidly behind Ademola Adeleke. They cannot stop him and he is going to win this election. Our appeal to INEC and the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, is that they should not allow the desperate APC leaders in Osun State to use them to rig the election.”

    However, Adeleke and his media aide could not be reached to validate the defection.

  • 2019: Ex-minister of aviation, Osita Chidoka dumps PDP for UPP

    A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Osita Chidoka, said he would defect to another political party to enable him to realise his governorship aspiration in Anambra.

    Chidoka, a former Minister of Aviation, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday and said that he would dump PDP for United Progressive Party (UPP) on Wednesday.

    The statement by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Mr Bright Nebedum, said Chidoka would declare for the UPP in his hometown, Obosi.

    It explained that Chidoka’s decision to move to another political party was in furtherance of his political aspiration.

    It said that the declaration, the former minister would unveil his plans and vision “towards redirecting the fortunes of Anambra and restoring its lost political and economic glory’’.

    The statement added that Chidoka stood out with his reputation as a forthright administrator and manager of resources and had never failed in any assignment.

    It noted that before becoming minister in 2014, he showed his mettle as the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

    It said that the Chidoka already commanded overwhelming support from various segments of Anambra citizenry.

    “Chidoka already commands overwhelming support from various segments of Anambra citizenry on which we will leverage to run a robust, all-inclusive and broad-based governorship election campaign,” the statement said.

    The governorship in Anambra has been fixed for Nov. 18 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

     

    NAN