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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • PDP: Ekiti, Oyo chapters pass vote of confidence on party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu

    PDP: Ekiti, Oyo chapters pass vote of confidence on party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu

    Ogun state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a vote of confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

    Ogun PDP members said they are debunking  a claim by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State that the entire Southwest stakeholders had called for Ayu’s resignation.

    Makinde had clamoured for the removal of  Ayu at the Southwest Stakeholders Interactive Session with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Ibadan on Wednesday.

    In a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, Akinloye Bankole, said “the leaders disassociate Ogun State chapter of the party from the pronouncement of Governor Seyi Makinde and affirm that there was no prior meeting nor agreement relating to such pronouncement.”

    According to Bankole, the call for  Ayu’s resignation “is ill-timed and dangerous for the wellbeing of the party especially as the political mobilization and campaigns for 2023 general elections build up across the nation.”

    He said, “Ogun PDP strongly insists that the sanctity of the party constitution cannot be slaughtered on the altar of narrow individuals’ whims and caprice.”

    Bankole posited that the party, at this crucial stage of its democratic existence, requires full concentration to remain focused on its goal of rescuing and repositioning the country for prosperity and abundance.

    He said any kind of distractions should be done away with at this point in time for the well-being of the party.

     

    The spokesman stated further that the Ogun PDP leadership is fully committed to the presidential aspiration of Atiku and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

    Meanwhile ,the Ekiti State chapter of the  PDP has also given their position on the matter.

    They said that they are giving their unflinching support to Ayu, presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa.

    They singled out party’s National Chairman, Ayu for for providing credible leadership and direction for the PDP.

    This was contained in a statement signed and released by the state’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Raphael Adeyanju, on Friday in Ado-Ekiti

    The statement reads in part “The Ekiti State chapter of the PDP, after a critical review of the interactive session of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Abubakar Atiku with the party leaders and stakeholders of the party in the Southwest , in Ibadan on Tuesday, is convinced that the agitation for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman , Senator Iyorchia Ayu should be suspended in the best interest of the party.”

    The Ekiti State chapter of the opposition party maintained that there is a great wisdom in the former Vice President’s response that Ayu’s resignation must be done in accordance with the party’s constitution, rules, regulations and practice.

    Adeyanju stated that: “Our party believes in the sanctity of our constitution, we must therefore do everything to maintain this sanctity. Any action that undermines the spirit of the party’s constitution at this crucial stage can only be considered as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the next presidential election

    “If we cannot respect our own rules, guidelines and constitution as a party how will Nigerians trust us to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic, if voted into office?

    “We appreciate the real concern of our zonal leaders and their determination to protect the interest of members against any form of marginalization, but we must also consider the fact that we also have very few months to go into the election, with a ruling party as our main opponent.

    “Any hardliner stance at this crucial stance can only lead to a constitutional crisis and unnecessary litigation. These are avoidable distractions that must not be encouraged. We are aware that the next party official that has the constitutional right to succeed Ayu will also come from the Northern section of the country,while major positions will have to be swapped between the Northern and Southern zones of the country.”

    The PDP spokesperson explained that major changes can not be affected within the party structure without another national convention that will involve a lot of planning and money.

    He said, “Do we have the time and the resources to go into another National Convention now? How many party members currently holding executive positions will be ready to sacrifice their positions at this crucial period? Can you trust party members not to go into litigation over issues like these? That is why we wish to appeal to all stakeholders to suspend all agitations till after the election.

    “We are ready to kickstart Atiku’s campaign in Ekiti as soon as possible and we enjoin all our leaders to participate actively as it is obvious that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the only candidate that unites our nation at this critical moment.”

     

     

  • 2023: Court nullifies PDP guber primary election

    2023: Court nullifies PDP guber primary election

    The primary election that brought in Dauda Lawan Dare as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party has been nullified by the Federal High court in Gusau, Zamfara State  ahead of the 2023 general elections in the country.

    The Federal High Court Judge, Justice Aminu Bappa revealed that the court granted all the prayers of the plaintiffs and cancelled the election of Dauda Lawan Dare as the party’s flag bearer.

    “This court has granted the prayers submitted in this honourable court by the plaintiffs and hereby ruled in their favour” the judge added.

    “The 109-page judgement will be presented to the counsels of both the plaintiffs and the dependants”.

    Speaking with newsmen immediately after the ruling, the counsel to all the plaintiffs, Barrister Ibrahim Aliyu said the court has nullified the election of Dauda Lawan Dare as the PDP governorship candidate according to the prayers they submitted before the court.

    “We believe in justice because the Court has seen reasons to nullify the election of Dauda Lawan Dare as PDP candidate in Zamfara state”

    “We had in our prayers urged the court to nullify the election which was characterised by a series of irregularities and we are happy that our prayers have been granted”

    The 2023 gubernatorial elections will hold on March 11th, 2023.

  • PDP: Bode George warns party over move to destroy zoning

    PDP: Bode George warns party over move to destroy zoning

    The former National Vice Chairman (South West) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief  OluBode George, has issued out warning to his party  against accepting the congress carried out by its former Lagos State chairman, Deji Doherty, saying the court ruling against him may cost the party the elections.

    George made this announcement in a press conference at his Ikoyi office on Monday, George said Lagos State High Court had last year ruled against Doherty and reinstated former caretaker chairman of the part in the state, Adegbola Dominic, as the legitimate chairman. He said if the party accepts the executive produced at the congress carried out by Doherty, it risks losing the election.

    He also urged the PDP to move its national convention which is scheduled to take place on May 28 and 29 from Abuja to Lagos due to the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would also hold theirs at the same venue on 30 and 31.

    “It is important to point out that Deji Doherty was removed by a court of competent jurisdiction, therefore any congress he conducts is null and void under the law. It will be better to avoid any of the candidates that emerged from the congress he conducted so that in future, no one will tell you that the election is illegal.

    “I want to use this medium to speak on the venue for the convention. APC wants to hold their national convention on May 30 and 31 and we are holding ours on May 28 and 29 in Abuja. How is that possible? People would arrive for the PDP convention two or three days before the day and APC delegates would also arrive a few days before theirs. This could create confusion which would be disastrous for us.

    “Because we want to impact positively in the minds of Nigerians that we are better managers without encumbrances, to move our convention from Abuja to Lagos. Which tribe in Nigeria does not reside in Lagos? If you want to fly or come by water or road, you would get here. There are many hotels, from one star to five stars. Holding it in Lagos would completely cut off any plans by the APC to want to scuttle our convention.

    “On the issue of zoning, a memo was done and the first paragraph of that communique identified that zoning and rotation remain absolutely sacrosanct in PDP. It remained the cultural and political spinal cord of our party. In other words, people should not think that we have forgotten zoning. It remains very important in our party.

    “It now went further to state that the former managers of our party, when they should have announced zoning to decide whether the presidential candidate should go to either the north or the south. But because they didn’t do that, everybody came out. Now that we are a few weeks to the convention, would it be right for the party to now say this person can contest or this person cannot contest?

    “People have started campaigning, even members of the same family and you cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. How would you tell those who have been spending money and time not to contest because you have zoned it? How would they feel? A divided party would be a defeated party.

    “On this basis, I appeal to everyone to cool their tempers and let us go to the game. I know that this is something that has never happened in our party. On the day of the convention, all the six geo-political zones will present presidential aspirants and you can see that we need God’s intervention. We need a man who will put Nigeria before himself and would without fear or favour and irrespective of your religion. I believe so much in prayers so we should forget what has happened. It is a new experience. The ability of our party to rise above that would be a measure of conviction to the electorate that we are better managers,” he said

  • I have designed a template to rule Ogun for four years – Adebutu

    I have designed a template to rule Ogun for four years – Adebutu

    The Peoples Democratic Party Governorship candidate in Ogun state, Ladi Adebutu has said that he plans to spend just four years as the Governor of the state if given the mandate.

    Adebutu confirmed that four years is enough for him to make significant improvements and turn around the fortunes of Ogun state if elected in 2023.

    Adebutu made this statement while featuring on Sweet radio 101.7 FM in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

    The Iperu-born Politician stated that he’s seeking election to complete the eight years quota of the Ogun East senatorial district.

    According to the former Lawmaker, four years is enough to make a big impact in the state, once a template is already designed.

    “Four years is enough to make a change. It is enough to do whatever you have in mind. It is enough. Once you create a template to do well, four years is okay. I am telling you, four years is enough.”

    As part of his template, the former lawmaker promised to return power to the local governments, generate power independently, engage in massive road construction and make the State a better place for all.

    He charged Ogun people to remain law abiding as the nation moves towards the 2023 electioneering period.

    He stated that he would be available for a governorship debate when the campaign fully starts.

    The 2023 Governorship elections holds on March 11th, 2023 two weeks after the presidential election.

  • PDP: We’ll set up committee to raise funds for campaign soon – Bwala

    PDP: We’ll set up committee to raise funds for campaign soon – Bwala

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has concluded plans to set up a committee that will be saddled with the responsibility of raising funds for campaigns.

    Daniel Bwala, the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation, made this known on Sunday when addressing newsmen.

    Asked what the Party has budgeted for campaigns Bwala said that the party will set up a committee that will raise funds soon.

     

     

     

    “How can you determine when to get funds when your structure has not been established? Because the people that will generate the funds and plan for the campaign are in the campaign structure. It is like saying that you are going to do a project; when the project committee has not been established, where will you draw the budget?

    “You don’t know because you have to go to primary one before you go to primary two. The primary one is the committee that will think about where to raise funds; anybody who is thinking of raising funds before the committee is trying to present a fait accompli to the committee.

    “It (campaign structure and committee) will be coming, hopefully, next week. Yes, the campaign structure.

    “The campaign structure is the structure that executes the campaign. If you have a campaign structure, they will form different committees: manifesto committee, finance, legal, and mobilisation committees. So, to start talking about what a committee will think about (funds) before they are constituted is like you write an answer and ask me to work through the question.”

  • 2023: Why we met Wike in Port Harcourt – PDP governorship candidates

    2023: Why we met Wike in Port Harcourt – PDP governorship candidates

    The 17 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  governorship candidates who visited Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt on Tuesday have stated reasons for the visit.

    They said that the meeting was part of effort to reconcile the warring parties within the party and end the rift among aggrieved members.

    According to them, the meeting also served as an opportunity to deliberate on a winning strategy in next year’s general elections coming up  in the country.

    However, it was gathered that the meeting was held behind closed doors in Wike’s country home in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area and it spanned into late night

    According to report, Wike had insisted that they were not in any position to resolve the crisis and therefore referred them back to the National Working Committee of the party.

    But the PDP governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Muhammed, who spoke on behalf of other candidates, said they decided to visit Wike, having previously heard from the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    Muhammed described the meeting as fruitful but said that the details will be presented before the MWC  for further deliberations.

    “The talks were fruitful, open discussions with sincerity and we are home and dry. We discuss issues that border on the situation within the party and internal matter is not something you should look for details.

    “We have discussed with the presidential candidate and we are here with our brother and friend and issues that border on what is happening have been sorted out.

    “The issues have been resolved as far as I am concerned because we have heard from both sides. And we are going to meet with the National Working Committee to take a decision,” the Kaduna PDP governorship candidate said.

    The PDP is trying to settle its internal rift before the September 28th start date for presidential election campaign  in the country.

  • Ogun PDP: I will be on the ballot – Factional governorship candidate, Showunmi

    Ogun PDP: I will be on the ballot – Factional governorship candidate, Showunmi

    In Ogun state, the factional governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Segun Showunmi, has posited that he will be on the ballot in next year’s general election in the state.

    Showunmi noted that members of the party and stakeholders are aware of the court’s verdict that recognizes him as the party’s governorship candidate in 2023 general election.

    He made this statement known during a press briefing with journalists in Lagos.

    He said, “I will be on the ballot in the governorship election in Ogun State, especially as a Court of Appeal in Abuja has given a consequential order dismissing the ruling of a lower court over jurisdiction to hear the suit between myself, the PDP and others.

    “So, as it concerns the supposed recognition here and there, don’t worry, they will recognise everything that needs to be recognised. As you are well aware that the Court of Appeal has given us the first favourable judgment, and I trust that we will be fine.

    “To be fair, I don’t think we are divided. We both accept the supremacy of our national organs. My position is that whatever it is they called their primary is a charade; it can’t hold and stand. The primary that produced me as a candidate followed all the extant laws of the country, and in due season, they will come to the point they have to be.

    “We have been in the democracy for some time now, and I have become convinced that in our country the highest working arm of government is the Federal Government, and I feel that over the years we have been satisfied with criticising the Federal Government and demanding things from the Federal Government without a commensurate desire to do the same at the state level.

    “If we could just pay more attention to what is going on in our state, then invariably, we will be cleaning the space from where we are standing. I expect that going forward, if I become the Governor of Ogun State, I expect that it will be a completely different paradigm and that’s why I am running on a new deal.”

  • Fani-Kayode is a serial hustler, lobbied for Atiku campaign team job – Dino Melaye

    Fani-Kayode is a serial hustler, lobbied for Atiku campaign team job – Dino Melaye

    Melaye further revealed that  Fani-Kayode made moves and consulted Timi Frank to help facilitate his recruitment into Atiku’s campaign team.

    He described Fani-Kayode as a political serial hustler.

    Melaye insisted that Fani-Kayode was seeking attention by delving into the PDP crisis, saying his sojourn at PDP was a big misadventure.

    Melaye’s statement reads in Part: “The roller-coaster FFK is merely seeking to receive attention, having employed all forms of ingratiation to be recruited by the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, but failed.

    “To be sure, he contacted Timi Frank to help lobby for a job in the Campaign Directorate, but where is the record to help his desire?

    “As a serial hustler around food dispensers, FFK’s misadventure into the issue of the leadership of the PDP is nothing but a subtle campaign to be noticed and rewarded by prospective paymasters.”

  • 2023 Election: Bola Tinubu questions PDP’s existence

    2023 Election: Bola Tinubu questions PDP’s existence

    The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has questioned the opposition party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s  existence years after plunging the country into its present woeful conditions.

    The Lagos-bred politician asked the question during the door-to-door campaign unveiling of himself and running mate Shettima in Abuja.

    The former Governor of Lagos also described the PDP as a party that lacks direction.

    “They spent 16 years and forgot that there is a railway infrastructure that can do haulage, human carriage, animal husbandry, and food carriage across the length and breadth of the country.

    “They (PDP) got there and turned it into an incubator. I wonder why they still exist as a party. These are people still fighting for the leadership of their party, looking for the direction of the compass.

    “We don’t need to worry about the PDP — poverty development party. Today, let’s lower the temperature. It’s not the time to campaign yet. They will hear a lot from us,” Tinubu said.

  • Wike: Those who attacked me for dumping PDP are now crying- Umahi

    Wike: Those who attacked me for dumping PDP are now crying- Umahi

    Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi has asked some members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to apologize to him for attacking him when he dumped the party two years ago.

    Recall that Umahi dumped the party for the ruling All Progressive Congress in 2020 citing some irregularities in the PDP.

    Umahi made this statement while featuring on a political programme on Ariste TV on Friday, stated that some of the members of the opposition PDP who were angered by his defection to APC are now crying, saying he deserves an apology from everyone of them.

    He said, “I didn’t move from PDP to APC to have the ticket of the ruling party as presidential candidate. I only did that because I perceived that PDP was not going to give ticket to an Igbo man and I felt like it was not fair because we have served the party since 1999.

    “A lot of people that are crying today were the people that attacked me for leaving PDP at that stage but subsequently, they left and so they owe me apologies.”

    The governor’s assertion is coming amid a face-off between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    Wike  had on Thursday threatened to help the opposition party lose the 2023 presidential election.

    Wike has been at loggerheads with some members of the PDP and the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s National Chairman, Iyorcha Ayu amog other prominent politicians in the party.

    Asked about his  relationship with Wike, Umahi said he has reconciled with the Rivers Governor, stating they are moving together.

    According to him, “I and Wike had a quarrel, and when there is quarrel, there will be anger, and that anger may not be a holy one. That is what transpired between us.

    “Before I left PDP, we were best of friends, and you know how better it will be when your friend leaves you. That was the case between Wike and I.

    “We have since reconciled and we are moving together. Wike and other Southern Governors believed in the Southern presidency and this is the spirit that is currently flogging the PDP.”