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Tag: PDP

  • PDP crisis: Inuwa Bwala resign‎s position as spokesperson

    PDP crisis: Inuwa Bwala resign‎s position as spokesperson

    Spokesman of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Inuwa Bwala has tendered his resignation letter.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Bwala on Sunday sent a copy of his resignation letter electronically to newsmen, stating that recent developments in the polity, especially as it affects his duties had made it imperative for him to step down as the official spokesman of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,

    According to Bwala “I am stepping down for personal reasons, to enable me concentrate on my personal challenges, especially my health.

    The resignation letter reads: “I wish to seize this opportunity to also apologize to people, especially our political leaders and professional colleagues, whose feelings I have been made to injure in explaining certain positions, while I was the Special Adviser on Media to Senator Sheriff.”

    “I thank the National Chairman and all those I have worked with since I assumed the responsibility as his spokesman and wish him well in all future endeavors.”

  • PDP: Supreme Court verdict will resolve crisis – Chieftain

    National Vice-Chairman (South-South) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, said impending Supreme Court verdict rather than political solution would resolve the party’s leadership crisis.

    Ogidi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the expected ruling would help to lay to rest, many issues that could re-emerge and trouble the party in future.

    “To tell you the truth, there will be no political solution to the problem, because there are so many grey areas.

    “If we didn’t take this to the Supreme Court, too many things would have come back to haunt the party, so it was wise we went to the court.

    “The political solution is just a family thing. Sometimes people think it can be easy, but in this case, there is no way.

    “That is why each time they keep saying let’s go for political solution, some of us know that it is going to be difficult and short-lived and therefore, look forward to the court verdict,” Ogidi said.

    He said that though the court of Appeal Court already gave a judgment, true PDP members and leaders believed that​ Supreme Court, as the conscience of the ordinary man would right the wrong.

    “It is the Supreme Court judgment that we are waiting for. I believe it will do the right thing.

    “One man cannot call a convention and cancel it; no one is given such kind of power. Even the President does not have such power.”

    The party chieftain said that the stay-of-execution filed by the party against the Court of Appeal judgment was still on course, and accused the National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff of not implementing judgment.

    According to him, the court ruled that the party should revert to status quo ante as it was before May 21 convention in Port Harcourt, but Sheriff is appointing people into the National Working Committee (NWC).

    “He appointed deputy chairman and publicity secretary in disregard to the ruling and contrary to the party’s Constitution.

    “He has no such powers and all the people he has appointed are aliens to us.”

    He also accused Sheriff of going about, changing elected executive committees of the party in the states “even when he has no NWC to make decisions for the party”.

    Ogidi called on party members who know the truth to speak up, saying that the party was ready for Sheriff and his sponsors.

    “PDP is us; we have a lot at stake in PDP. We cannot allow one man to destroy it.”

    On Sheriff’s decision to hold on to Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa’s Reconciliation Committee’s report, Ogidi said that the report of was still open to suggestions and modification.

    “Dickson was advised to talk to all stakeholders and the committee is going round. They have even said that they were going to make some adjustments to the recommendations.

    “It is a recommendation that has to be `sold’ to all organs of the party. So, Sheriff cannot say that is the final,” Ogidi said.

    He dismissed Sheriff’s advertisement for vacancies at the party’s National Secretariat, saying that he had no power to sack the workers there and replace them.

    He said that Sheriff could not compel the staff to work with him because they workers did not know his strange members of NWC.

    Ogidi maintained that PDP members in the South-South remained committed to the decisions of the May, 2016 Port Harcourt and loyal to the National Caretaker Committee constituted by the convention.

    He advised all members and supporters to remain calm as genuine leaders of the party were pursuing the course of justice to its logical conclusion.

  • ‘You are free to leave PDP’, Sheriff tells Fayose, Wike

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has said Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers and his Ekiti counterpart, Ayodele Fayose are free to leave the party if they chose to.

    “Sheriff said he was ready to move the party forward without funding it with what he called “stolen money from the governors.” Punch reports

    Sheriff, who said this on Saturday through his deputy, Cairo Ojougboh, stated that the party would not defend any of the governors when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission came after them on how they spent state money while in office.

    Recall that on Thursday, Sheriff and members of his team walked out of a reconciliatory meeting called by former President Goodluck Jonathan over disagreements on how the meeting should be conducted.

    At the meeting, Sheriff had insisted that he would preside over, deliberations, a position Wike and Fayose with, saying Jonathan should preside since it was a reconciliatory and not a party meeting.

    Sheriff on Saturday said the party belonged to the people so he will not be seeking for funds from the governors.

    Ojougboh said, “We are moving on with the determination to reposition the party. We are not interested in the funding of the party from the governors. They are free to leave if they want to, especially Wike and Fayose.

    “We are also not interested in their money. The party belongs to the people, they will finance it. So, if the governors want to withhold money from the party, they are free. We don’t receive stolen money. They have not been funding us and we are surviving.”

    He said the PDP was already planning a nationwide campaign, beginning from the South-East.

    “We are starting with Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia states, and then we will move to Cross River State. The party belongs to the people and not to governors who will want to steal people’s money,” he added.

    Attempts made to get Fayose’s reaction proved abortive as his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, refused to speak on the matter.

  • Buhari’s economic recovery plan ‘dead on arrival’ – PDP

    Buhari’s economic recovery plan ‘dead on arrival’ – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said if the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration intends pursing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP as it did the anti-corruption agenda, there are fears that the plan is ‘dead on arrival’.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan on Wednesday in Abuja.

    In a statement released on Friday, spokesman of the PDP caretaker committee, Dayo Adeyeye said waiting two years into his administration before unveiling an economic plan showed the President was unprepared to rule.

    “It is on record that we alerted the nation after the 2015 general election on the empty promises of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and cautioned the party to concentrate on governance,” the statement read.

    “The blackmail and blame-game by the APC was, and still is a cover up for its obvious lack of plan. Instead, the APC ran our economy into recession after wasting two years witch-hunting PDP members and perceived enemies of government without paying attention to building on the robust achievements of the PDP.

    “Nigerians can testify to the hardship, pains, starvation, hunger and agony inflicted on the people by the ineptitude of the APC administration.

    “The recovery and growth plan is a proposal which requires implementation but we are worried because of the comments of President Muhammadu Buhari during the launch when he said, ‘I want to assure all Nigerians that we are approaching the solution to our economic challenges with the same will and commitment we have demonstrated in the fight against corruption, terrorism and militancy.

    “It is therefore instructive to note that if the economic recovery plan will follow the way of the anti-corruption war so far, then, the plan document is dead on arrival.”

  • Supreme Court sacks PDP’s Ezeonwuka as Reps member

    Supreme Court sacks PDP’s Ezeonwuka as Reps member

    The Supreme Court on Friday sacked Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Orumba North/South, Anambra Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

    Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun gave the judgment in an appeal filed against Ezeonwuka’s election by a member of the party, Chief Ben Nwanwko in Abuja on Friday.

    Nwankwo’s name was wrongly substituted with the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) after he had obtained the nomination of the party to contest the National Assembly election.

    Delivering her judgement, Justice Kekere-Ekun said: “Conclusion: having resolved the key issues in favour of the appellant, the appeal succeeds and it is hereby allowed.

    “The judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on June 26, 2016 is hereby set aside for being a nullity having exceeded its jurisdiction by granting relief not sought by the parties before it.

    “This follows that the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on February 20, 2015 was delivered without jurisdiction and it’s a nullity. It is equally set aside.”

    “The Originating Summons filed on Dececember 15, 2014 in FHC/Abj/CS/1013/2014 is hereby struck out’’, she said.

    Justice Kekere-Ekun further held that: “the consequence of the above order is that the parties shall revert to the status quo ante.

    “The existing position before the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) filed a suit at the trial court was that not only was the appellant’s name submitted to INEC for the March 28, 2015 election, he won the election.

    “It was at the point of being issued the Certificate of Return that he was confronted by a letter conveying the order of the trial court stopping that action.

    “In the circumstances, it is herby ordered that the appellant, Chief Ben Nwankwo, being the candidate duly sponsored by the PDP in that election is entitled to be issued with the certificate of return.

    “The second respondent (INEC) is hereby ordered to issue Chief Nwankwo a certificate of return in respect of the National Assembly election held March 28, 2015 forthwith’’, she said.

    The judge further said: “the first respondent (Ezeonwuka) is hereby ordered to vacate the seat of the Orumba North/South Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the National Assembly forthwith’’.

    “It is further ordered that Ezeonwuka shall refund to the National Assembly all monies collected by him by way of salaries and allowances since he took the seat within 90 days.

    “And finally, a fine of N500, 000 is awarded in favour of the appellant against the first respondent’’.

     

  • PDP stakeholders’ meeting: Sheriff walks out on Jonathan for not giving opening remarks

    PDP stakeholders’ meeting: Sheriff walks out on Jonathan for not giving opening remarks

    Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday walked out of the party’s stakeholders meeting organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Sheriff, who got to the venue of the meeting a few minutes after Jonathan had delivered his remarks, walked out with members of his National Working Committee at about 4.15 p.m.

    Some of the executive members with him were the Deputy National Chairman, Dr Cairo Ojougboh and the Publicity Secretary, Mr Mikko Bernard.

    Sheriff, addressing newsmen before leaving, expressed displeasure for not being allowed to make the opening remarks.

    “We are here for PDP stakeholders meeting and the PDP has only one national chairman, which is Ali Modu Sheriff.

    “There is no PDP meeting that will take place under whatever arrangement that will not open the session as national chairman;. Today, I’m the most senior member of this party.

    He also said that he would not be party to anything outside the reconciliation report submitted to him by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.

    “I think Gov Dickson made a proposal for reconciliation that we have accepted. Some people want to deviate from this programme, to bring agenda which was not part of it.

    “As national chairman of the party, what I told you in my office when Dickson brought the report is the only thing that we have agreed to at this moment.

    “I will not be party to anybody using me to do another programme. I’m not going to be part of it”, Sheriff said.

    Asked about the way forward for the party, Sheriff said: “As the National Chairman of PDP, I will move on with the programmes initiated by Gov. Dickson.

    “We are continuing with that; anything outside that, I’m not a party to it.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the meeting however continued after his walk-out.

    Jonathan, speaking on the outcome of the meeting, regretted what happened during the meeting.

    According to him, the issues will be addressed once the committee comes out with its own recommendations.

    A member of the party, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that Sheriff was not allowed to address the meeting because he insisted that the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, should not be allowed to address the meeting.

    NAN also reports that both Sheriff and Makarfi were scheduled, in the agenda of the meeting, to deliver goodwill messages.

    PDP members present included Chief Tom Ikimi, Prince Uche Secondus, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chief Olisa Metuh, Ahaji Saminu Turaki, Sen. David Jang and Sen. Adolphus Wabara.

    Also present were some PDP governors, former ministers, and the BoT members, among others.

  • PDP managed Nigeria creditably well for 16years – Jonathan

    PDP managed Nigeria creditably well for 16years – Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said the former ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), managed the affairs of the country creditably well since 1999 when it took over from the military.

    Jonathan noted as well that the loss of the PDP in the 2015 presidential elections does not translate that the party performed woefully.

    The former president was on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting at Yar’adua Center in Abuja.

    He said it was not strange for the party to be experiencing difficulties because “every election cycle is a challenge to any political party”.

    The former Nigerian leader maintained that all over the world political parties lose elections not because they have failed but the electorate chose to experience another leadership.

    “We are proud to state that PDP had creditably managed the affairs of this country for 16 years,” he said.

    “There is no doubt that our party has in the last two years gone through some difficulties. However, in a democracy this is not strange in the life of a political party, especially after losing power to the opposition, like we did.

    “At different times, I have also been making efforts to reunite, reconcile and re-energise to become stronger, before the next election. I will like to point out that every election cycle throws up a challenge as well as opportunities for a political party.

    “A test to re-evaluate its performance, and an opportunity to reform its processes and programmes, towards rediscovering itself to become even more appealing to the electorate, in its next outing.

    “This obviously is the area where we have excelled. The fact that we allowed this process to take place peacefully, and freely handed over.

    “All over the world, political parties lose elections, not because they have entirely failed, but because, in most cases, the people who gave them power in the first place, have decided to hand it over to another party, in order to experience a different kind of leadership.”

    “This is not a forum for chest-thumping but it is important we highlight some relevant initiatives of past PDP administrations,” he said.

    “Our ideological commitment towards a private sector-led and people-oriented economy manifested in the great achievements we recorded in various sectors including communications, agriculture, public financial management and financial reforms, the financial services rail and roads infrastructure, as well as in the social services.

    “In agriculture, we revolutionized the sector by introducing programmes that encouraged more people, including the youths to embrace farming as a thriving business.

    “We also boosted local capacity for food production, thereby drastically reducing the prize of food stuff and food import bill.

    “That the PDP Government improved communication in Nigeria through the introduction of Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) and the expansion of the nation’s information and communication technology architecture needs no gainsay.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the candidate of the now ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2015 presidential elections, Muhammadu Buhari defeated the then incumbent president and candidate of the PDP, Goodluck Jonathan.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that after conceding defeat to Buhari, Jonathan peacefully handover power on May 29, 2015.

  • Leave God out of Meningitis outbreak, blame APC, Makarfi tells Yari

    The Senator Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has told Governor of Zamafara State, Abdulaziz Yari, to hold his party, the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC responsible for the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis in the country, and not God.

    Makarfi said this in a statement released by the spokesman of the faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

    The statement reads: “The news of the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis in the country and the apathetic attitude of both the Zamfara State and Federal Government to curtail the scourge is disheartening and preposterous.

    “This Government wasted so much funds on the State House Clinic with no tangible result but neglected other health centers and clinics across the country that have capacities to manage the health challenges of other Nigerians. For the record, the primary responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens and the APC-led Government has remained insensitive, careless and adamant to the plight of Nigerians in all ramifications.

    “As of Tuesday, April 4, 2017, about 336 Nigerians have lost their lives due to the outbreak of type C Cerebrospinal Meningitis and the Federal Ministry of Health has not taken any concrete step to contend with the spread. It is on record that the PDP Government in sixteen years did not allow such mindless display of insensitivity as seen by this APC administration.

    “More worrisome is the statement credited to the Governor of Zamfara State, Alh. Abdulaziz Yari in which he attributed the outbreak of Meningitis to God’s making. This is shameful and very unfortunate as the APC has run out of reasons to blame previous PDP administration but it’s now blaming God for its failures.

    “Governor Yari should not blame God for his failures but that of his party, the APC, to avoid incurring God’s anger on their crass ineptitude in governance. However, we wish to advise him to resign immediately for making such statement as a state Governor and the Chairman of Governors Forum who is supposed to bring hope to the people and not despair.

    “Finally, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop playing politics with this outbreak and do everything within its power to end the menace. As a party, our heart goes to the families of all those that lost their lives to the scourge within this period. We urge all Nigerians to drink more water, sleep in a ventilated environment and report symptoms to the nearest health center within their areas for quick medical attention.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Governor Yari had on Tuesday while reacting to the outbreak of the disease said God was punishing Nigerians for their lifestyle with the disease.

  • Labour Party Lawmakers in Delta dump party, decamp to PDP

    Labour Party Lawmakers in Delta dump party, decamp to PDP

    Two legislators of the Labour Party at the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Peter Uviejitobor and Chief Evans Iwurie, have officially decamped to the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the lawmakers represent Udu and Ethiope East state constituencies respectively.

    Their letter of defection to PDP was read by the Speaker, Monday Igbuya, during Tuesday plenary session.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the only Senator elected under the platform of the Labour Party (LP) in the 8th National Assembly, Ovie Omo-agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, on March 7 dumped the LP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

     

    Other details soon…

  • BREAKING: New Ondo Speaker, Deputy, dump PDP for APC

    BREAKING: New Ondo Speaker, Deputy, dump PDP for APC

    The newly-elected speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, has announced his defection from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)

    He announced his defection shortly after his inauguration as Speaker.

    Oloyelogun said that he would be decamping officially with some other members on Tuesday.

    He said: “We are here today to signify our intention to join the ruling party, APC. The other ceremony will be done tomorrow (Tuesday).

    “At the national level, they have factionalized our party. The same scenario is also at the state level. This declaration is for our followers and those we represent.

    “We are ready to work with the executive without any problem, and all necessary things to be done are in place. Be rest assured that Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu is ready to work and we are ready to support him.”

    Similarly, the Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju said PDP was on the verge of dying; adding that it was the APC that could deliver good governance to the people of the state.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Oloyelogun (Ifedayo Constituency), emerged Speaker of the house earlier in the day (today).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that crisis rocking the assembly started in January when some members suspended the former speaker, Jumoke Akindele. Despite interventions from the then former governor, Olusegun Mimiko, and other stakeholders within and outside the state, the crisis could not be resolved.

    However, on Monday, February 6, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris ordered an indefinite closure of the assembly complex until warring factions reach a common ground.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Akindele was elected in On May 27, 2015 following the sudden death of the former speaker Samuel Adesina.

    Akindele is the first female speaker of the state.