TheNewsGuru

Tag: PDP

  • PDP not broke- Adeyeye

    The Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under has denied an allegation that the party was financially broke and could not meet up with it financial obligations.

    The National Publicity of the party, Mr Dayo Adeyeye made the denial in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

    Adeyeye said that the attention of PDP leadership was drawn to a publication alleging that the party was broke .

    He said that it was also alleged the the party could not pay rents and meet other financial obligations of its research and training institute, the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI).

    He said that the entire allegation in the publication was an outright falsehood and only existed in the imagination of the writers and their collaborators.

    “The PDP is not broke and does not owe rent on the property being used by the PDI located in Wuse II, Abuja.

    “Let us place on record that the PDI’s financial responsibilities are being met accordingly.

    “Just last week, the Caretaker Committee approved monthly imprest for the Institute, and its staff salaries are paid at the same time with that of the PDP staffers.

    “For emphasis, all members of staff of the Party and that of the Institute received their January 2017 Salary last week which the Secretary of the Staff Welfare Committee confirmed in that Publication.”

    He alleged that the report was part of distraction from Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, the factional chairman, and his co-travellers.

    Adeyeye disclosed that Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff had sometime in 2016 proposed a visit to the Institute, but was promptly turned down by the Director-General of the Institute, Dr. Lanre Adebayo.

    He added that Sheriff also in December 2016 proposed a meeting with members of the establishment staff of PDP but was turned down by the staff.

    Adeyeye described as shameful and unnecessary show of desperation by Sheriff in his resort to blackmail and outright falsehood to tarnish PDP reputation and the National Caretaker Committee.

    “The National Caretaker Committee of the Party, though with limited time in office, has been working tirelessly to meet all the monetary obligations of the Party since its inauguration.

  • Over 1,500 APC members defect to PDP in Katsina State

    Over 1,500 APC members defect to PDP in Katsina State

    Over 1,500 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Radda town, Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State, on Friday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The defectors moved to the PDP with their leader, Alhaji Mustapha Radda, APC youth mobilisation officer in the state from 2010 to 2016.

    Receiving the defectors, the PDP state chairman, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri, said the party had constituted reception committee to receive defectors to the party.

    “The committee is mandated to receive all the people who defected to our party from other parties.

    “We shall treat all those who defected to our party equally without any form of discrimination.

    “Just this week, we received Alhaji Umar Tata APGA governorship candidate in the 2015 election to our party together with his supporters.

    “We are ready to provide level playing ground to old and new members during future elections and there will be no imposition of candidates this time around,” Majigiri said.

    In his remarks, Radda, the leader of the defectors, said he decided to dump the APC for the PDP to rescue his people from alleged maltreatment.

    “We have done a lot for the APC, but today my people especially the youths that I mobilised have nothing to show for it.

    “We did not benefit from the APC poverty alleviation programme meant to rescue women and youths from poverty; we have presented several requests to those that matter but we were rejected,’’ Radda said.

    Also speaking, Tata the former APGA governorship candidate said the defectors were prepared for the restructuring of the PDP for effective service delivery.

    He said that the leadership of the PDP had promised to assist the youths with capital to establish their business.

     

    NAN

  • Sen Andy Uba dumps PDP, defects to APC

    Sen Andy Uba dumps PDP, defects to APC

    Sen. Andy Uba, representing Anambra South Senatorial zone under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Uba disclosed this at a news briefing on Wednesday in his home country, Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

    The lawmaker said that he joined the APC at the ongoing registration of party members in the state.

    According to him, APC has ideology and focus which he needed to tap into to provide quality representation to his constituents.

    Uba further said that he joined the APC because of other personalities in the party with sound ideas and whom he looked up to in politics.

    He listed some of the personalities to include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and APC National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu.

    Uba stressed that with such caliber of people, the party would take the state to enviable heights.

    The senator said he would be very effective in serving the yearnings of his people more now that he was in APC and urged other Igbo politicians to join the bandwagon.

    The registration of senator Uba had doused speculations of his defection to APC which had been on for many weeks in the state.

  • Over 20 lawmakers will soon join PDP – Akpabio

    The Minority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has said that some lawmakers would be joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) once the party finally resolves its leadership crisis.

    Akpabio disclosed this at the Expanded Caucus and the 73 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the PDP held on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that although some lawmakers were defecting from PDP to other parties, the PDP still had very significant number of lawmakers as it was wining more seats through conducted elections.

    “There is no election that will be conducted in the former PDP 28 states that the party will not win. That is a matter of fact.

    “As I speak so many senators from the opposing party are eager to join PDP. “All they want is return of peace to the party, once that is done I can assure that 20 senators are on their way to joining the PDP.

    “Message to those who are thinking of defection is to retrace their steps because PDP is bouncing back to victory in 2009,’’ Akpabio said. Akpabio regretted that the PDP lost elections in Edo and Ondo States, saying the party must put its house in order ahead of Anambra and Ekiti election in order not to lose.

    He also urged other governors to emulate Dr Ayodele Fayose, the governor of Ekiti and the Chairman PDP Governor Forum, in support and speaking for the party. He also urged them to carry the party’s stakeholders along saying they cannot do it alone in 2019.

    The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Eweremadu said those who recently defected from the PDP to the ruling party had no electoral value saying they will soon know their worth.

    “We should allow them get the contract they are looking for, to get employment they are looking for.

    “At the appropriate time we will know who is who in the South East. There is nothing to worry about, we are completely in control, Ekweremadu said.

    Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Ayodele Fayose, said he wondered why people still defected to the ruling party when Nigerians were tired of the party.

    Fayose said that Nigerians were already waiting for another change. Fayose, who promised to keep speaking for the party urged other leaders to keep supporting PDP.

    The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, while briefing newsmen after the meeting, said the leaders discussed important issues concerning the party including the expansion of the membership of the national caretaker committee to 13 from six.

    Adeyeye said it was also agreed that the additional number would be selected from each of the six geo-political zones of the country. Adeyeye denied that the party had abandoned the construction of its national secretariat attributing the suspension of work at the site to the current crisis facing the party.

    “You cannot be talking of building project when your house is in crisis. We will revisit it when we resolve our crisis,’’ Adeyeye said.

  • APC leaders behind Buhari’s rumoured death — Makarfi

    APC leaders behind Buhari’s rumoured death — Makarfi

    The chairman of the PDP caretaker committee, Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has alleged that some leaders of the APC were behind the rumoured death of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Makarfi, who spoke with newsmen in Kaduna, yesterday, said it was APC leaders who are interested in contesting certain positions in 2019 that were behind the rumour.

    “The APC should point its searchlight inward and investigate itself as to the source of the rumour. PDP has nothing to gain from anything; those who are peddling the rumour know themselves and they are in APC.

    “Some of them are already positioning themselves for power in 2019. APC should investigate itself,” he said.

    Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State, also advised the people of Southern Kaduna against politicizing the crisis in the area.

    While describing the crisis in Southern Kaduna as unfortunate, he cautioned the government and the people of the area to resist the urge to politicize the matter.

    “It is a serious criminal issue, and, of course, there may be matters that have to do with other things that may not be seen as criminality. I am not in a position to say much because I don’t have all the facts but we must not politicize the matter.

    “Even, those outside the state must never politicize this crisis because, if we attempt to politicize it, then the crisis will spread beyond Kaduna and that would be a disaster,” he said.

    The former governor commended efforts being made to bring an end to the problem.

    “I welcome the Abdulsalami committee. We need a body of arbitrators composed of both sides of the divide that the people can have confidence in to try to stem the tide, broker some peace and listen to all sides and come up with ways and manners that we can re-establish stability and lasting peace in that area,” he said.

  • Southern Kaduna Crisis: Buhari, El-Rufai playing politics with peoples’ lives – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said the wanton killing of Christians by herdsmen in Southern Kaduna has continued unabated as a result of the shabby response and attention President Muhammadu Buhari and the Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai accorded the cries of the hapless victims.

    The party was reacting to a recent statement credited to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity (SSA), Garba Shehu, on a television programme where he was quoted as saying that the killings in Southern Kaduna ‎was partly the fault of the PDP because it was the only Senatorial District in the North West with PDP Senator.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com had reported the Kaduna State Governor as saying that all those behind the killings will be properly tried and punished according to law.

    In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and obtained by TheNewsGuru.com on Monday, the party said: “We are baffled that such a callous, irresponsible and insensitive statement could come from a person who speaks for the President of Nigeria.

    “This shows the extent to which every issue in the Country today is viewed from the APC’s and the Presidency’s extremely narrow and jaundiced partisan political prism.

    “Is Garba Shehu inferring that the hapless people of southern Kaduna were singled out for genocide because they elected a PDP senator? Or that the People invited such mindless violence upon themselves by choosing to be different in a sea of APC domination?”

    “It is high time those in authority learned that we cannot reduce everything to partisan politics. You do not play politics with the lives of millions of people. That’s exactly what APC Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el Rufai and President Buhari have been doing with the lives of the people of Southern Kaduna.

    “Beyond politics, we are all accountable to God almighty. We once again call for an international inquiry into the Southern Kaduna massacre. We have little faith that those at the helm of affairs at the State and National levels will do justice in the matter.”

    Recall also that the TheNewsGuru.com had reported that the governor had begged the Methodist prelate Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche on Thursday not to relocate the church over the wanton killings saying his government would provide another land for the church and also improve the security of lives and properties in the state.

     

  • Fayose lacks decorum to lead PDP Governors’ Forum – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State says Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State lacks decorum to function as the Chairman of Governors’ Forum of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

    The APC made its stance known in a statement issued in Akure on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya.

    “PDP is on a voyage of total destruction and abandonment with the emergence of uncultured governor like Mr Fayose that lacks decorum, whose past records, attitude and public utterance are seen as affront.

    “It shows PDP is lacking in men and women of proven integrity with high level of mental alertness considering the enormous challenges facing our dear country as a result of the PDP’s 16 years of misrule.

    “It is unfortunate that Fayose, who was alleged to have beaten up a Judge in his state, who is seen to be suffering from `diarrhea of the mouth’ could be allowed to lead PDP Governors’ Forum,’’ Adesanya said.

    He said that the PDP was in comatose under the leadership of the outgoing Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as the chairman of its governors’ forum

    Adesanya advised the opposition party to criticise constructively in the interest of Nigerian democracy and to always propagate good leadership.

  • Tackle corruption in LGs, PDP chieftain urges Gov. Lalong

    A PDP chieftain in Plateau, Chief Alexander Mwolwus, has urged Gov. Simon Lalong to tackle corruption, especially in the conduct of election at the local government council level.

    Mwolwus made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Pankshin.

    “I was happy when I learnt that the state government recently suspended some local government staff, including DPMs, DFSs and Directors for alleged shady financial deals.

    “We have not heard of anything about the Local Government Management Committee Chairmen.

    “In December 2016, the governor gave these chairmen another six months to keep managing the affairs of the 17 LGAs instead of conducting local government poll to right the wrong,” he said.

    Mwolwus, who was a Special Adviser on Political Matters to former Gov. Jonah Jang, described Lalong’s continuous use of Management Committee Chairmen to administer the local government affairs as “very unfortunate.’’

    He said that the PDP was “keenly watching all the activities of Lalong’s administration” and urged the governor to conduct council poll in the interest of the state.

    “The management committee chairmen cannot undertake any meaningful development projects to give the electorate the desired dividends of democracy.

    “The people at the grassroots are yearning for elected chairmen who will execute development projects and provide social amenities that will impact on their lives.

    “We want this government to take action and let the people know that they meant what they preached during their election campaigns in 2015,” Mwolwus said.

    Responding, Mr Mark Longyen, Special Adviser on Media Affairs to the Governor, said that the state government was working assiduously to tackle corruption.

    “Mwolwus is free to bring forward any evidence of corruption at the local council level by simply writing to the anti-graft agencies.

    “The House of Assembly and the local government auditors are already statutorily empowered to audit accounts, investigate and sanction any erring official in the council.

    “ They have not failed as demonstrated by the suspension of some members of staff,’’ he said.

    On council poll, Longyen said that the governor recently inaugurated the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission.

    “Its officials are just settling down to study the modalities for the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections.

    “Local government polls require huge financial commitment and other logistics which must first be put in place before a date is set to ensure that it is successful and credible,” Longyen said.

  • PDP will recover mandate from defected senator, says Ex-minister

    Chief Nduese Essien, the former Minster of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, says the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) will recover its mandate from the defected PDP senator, Nelson Effiong.

    Essien made this known during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting of Eket Senatorial District on Saturday to deliberate on the recent political development in the district.

    He said the PDP-Akwa Ibom would begin the process that will ultimately ensure that the mandate given to Effiong was recovered.

    Effiong, the Senator representing Eket Senatorial District, recently announced his defection from PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the senate.

    The former minister, who is the political leader of Eket Senatorial District, frowned at the alleged level of indiscipline exhibited by the senator, saying that the party would take drastic action to recover its mandate.

    “We will take steps to recover our mandate from Sen. Effiong, who defected to APC.

    “We are not talking about recall, because recall is an electioneering process, but there are other ways of recovering our mandate.

    “When I heard that Sen. Effiong has defected, I was happy because this is the man that we were told was ill for so many months and he was not appearing in the floor of the senate.

    “We were not hearing from him, we were not seeing him in the constituency and he was not doing anything.

    “He was merely wasting our senatorial seat, now that he has gone, I think we have the opportunity to replace our mandate with another son of the area,” Essien said.

    He noted that Sen. Effiong defection was strange because he emerged from a predominantly one party in the state and that the party was not in crisis in his senatorial district.

    “There is disagreement in the leadership of the PDP at the national level, but back home at his constituency and at the state level, the party is intact,” he said.

    He expressed dismay with what he described as Senator Effiong’s abysmal performance in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

    Essien insisted that for the senator to have defected without consulting the people who elected him in the first instance was “uncharitable and unacceptable”.

    Meanwhile, in a swift reaction to the threat by the people of Eket Senatorial District, Sen. Effiong whose defection jolted the PDP, said that he widely consulted people of his Senatorial District before defecting to the APC.

    Effiong said that he defected to APC from PDP because of factions and crisis in the party.

    “PDP is factionalized, that is the major reason why I left the party, and then you cannot be in a party that has no direction, people are leaving the party because of the inability to solve its crisis.

    “As a politician, I cannot leave my future for such a party, PDP is a party that has declared war on itself and I cannot withstand that,” Effiong said.

  • Those that defected from PDP to other parties will lose their mandate – Makarfi

    The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sen Ahmed Makarfi, has warned that elected officials who defected to other parties will “pay a political price.”

    Speaking during the party’s caucus meeting held in Abuja, the former Kaduna State governor said the party would reclaim the seats won by its former members, who defected to other parties

    He described the defection of some PDP elected officials to other parties as an “unwise decision.’’

    According to Makarfi, “For those, who are running helter skelter for one reason or the other to say they are cross carpeting.

    “There is no division in PDP and it is unfortunate, but they will pay a political price for such unwise decision.

    “I assure you, it is painful to lose anybody, but it was unwise decision taken by them.

    “I assure you what is coming to PDP is much larger than what you may have contemplated and left PDP.

    “So I am not bordered in the sense that it is a temporary setback, but more for them, because we are going to reclaim the seats, which they are occupying, because there is no division in PDP.’’

    Makarfi’s warning is coming at a time when a senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Nelson Effiong, cross-carpeted from the party to the All Progressives Congress, APC.