Tag: Rally

  • Atiku speaks on success of PDP rally in Buhari’s home state

    Atiku speaks on success of PDP rally in Buhari’s home state

    Former Nigeria vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to that rally organized by the North-West arm of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.

    The event was staged in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, Katsina.

    Atiku, in a tweet on Sunday, stated that the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Gamawa Babawo Garba and other chieftains deserved commendation for the success.

    “The NWC of @OfficialPDPNig ably led by Prince Uche Secondus; Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Gamawa Babawo Garba, Zonal executives and chieftains and millions of our party faithful deserve commendation for the huge success of the PDP Northwest rally in Katsina,” he tweeted.

    Four PDP state governors, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state, Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe were among top PDP leaders that graced the occasion.

    All members of the National Working Committee NWC of the PDP, the BOT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and other members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party, attended the rally

  • South West leaders to hold grand rally on restructuring on Sept 7

    South West leaders met in Lagos on Sunday to unfold plans for an upcoming Yoruba “Grand Rally on Restructuring”.

    Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the Chairman, Organising Committee for the Rally, Dr Kunle Olajide, said that the rally, scheduled to hold in Ibadan on Sept. 7, would be a one-agenda-congress on restructuring.

    He said: “This endeavour has to do with Nigeria and the aim is for a united Nigeria.

    “The all-inclusive summit of the Yoruba people will have more than 100 Yoruba groups that will declare their stand on the need to restructure Nigeria.

    “Yoruba leaders at home and abroad and organised groups, students, artisans, past and current elected public officials across the political spectrum will be converging in Ibadan to appraise the issue of restructuring and fashion out a workable way out of the quagmire the country is presently in.”

    The meeting, which held at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja, saw key leaders from the zone such as Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Amos Akingba in attendance.

    Also at the meeting were Chief Supo Sonibare (Afenifere Chairman, Lagos), Yinka Odumakin (Afenifere Spokesman), and Prof. Banji Akintoye, among many others.
    Olajide said although the South West governors and all Yoruba would be at the meeting, the gathering would be a non-political one.

    According to him, Nigeria is drifting dangerously and there is the need for those at the helm of affairs to listen to the yearnings of the people and do the needful to maintain unity and peace.

    He added: “We are meeting to take a crucial decision on Nigeria.

    “We are going through a very difficult phase.

    “So patriots have to rise up and find lasting solutions to the difficulties we are experiencing.”

    Olajide further said that legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, would chair and direct the rally.

    The rally would be coming a few weeks after the Senate voted against amending the 1999 Constitution to accommodate restructuring that would devolve more powers to the states.

  • Thousands of Pro-Buhari supporters rally in Abuja

    Some supporters of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration under the aegis of Truth and Justice Movement of Nigeria are currently marching through the streets in the Central area of the capital city.

    The rally which comprised Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organizations as well as various political groups was convened to declare support for the policies of the incumbent administration.

    Convener of the Movement, Hon. Johnson Ondoma told newsmen that the essence of the rally is to demonstrate to President Buhari their appreciation for fulfilling his promises by “defeating terrorism and corruption.”

    “The rally is important because as commoners, we express ourselves through public actions and not politicians and contractors who prefer to discuss governance in the state house and lobbies of hotels,” he said.

    Ondoma noted that despite repeated attempts to portray the Buhari administration of non performance, Nigerians know that the present administration in the last two years has achieved far better than its predecessor in the areas of anti-corruption, infrastructure and security.

    He cited the $1billion EuroBond which was oversubscribed as the beginning of good things to come.

    “Those who are sincere will acknowledge the investment in infrastructure that is now bringing improvement to roads and other critical national assets.

    “Unlike in the past when the money for these road contacts were usually shared and made to circulate round, the funds released are now actually going into getting the jobs done.

    “If people are not getting slush funds passed down to them it means they have to review their personal economic activities within the reality of an anti-corruption era.

    “There have also been several social security programmes being implemented by the government to ensure that economically disadvantaged people are not left to weather the difficulties they are facing alone.

    “$9.8 million was discovered in a safe at the house of a former Group Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, which he declared as gifts kept as housekeeping change.

    “$37.5 million naira property belonging to Diezani Alison-Madueke was uncovered in Banana Island, Lagos. Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed revealed that $151 million was recovered in stolen funds. The list goes on.

    “Dear compatriots, please tell me what economy can survive with this magnitude of theft and not undergo depression?

    According to Ondoma, some people are inciting Nigerians to hold Buhari responsible to the slide in the naira and the consequent recession that has touched Nigerians with economic hardship.

  • IPOB rally illegal, held without permit – Police

    IPOB rally illegal, held without permit – Police

     

    …says no life was lost

    Following the public outburst over treatment melted out to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB during the solidarity rally for President Donald Trump on Friday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Police Command has said it got no written or verbal message from the group therefore describing the rally as illegal.

    The state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Magaji, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Saturday.

    Magaji, who spoke on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, maintained that although no life was lost, 65 persons were arrested during the protest.

    It is indeed saddening to note that before embarking on the illegal protest march, there was no official communication to the command, which in itself is reprehensible, condemnable and unfortunate.

    The police, as an agency of government, have the statutory responsibility to protect life and property at any time, which was what we practically and professionally did yesterday (Friday) to forestall what would have been a total carnage in the state.

    However, it should be noted that men of the command deployed for the operation were professional and used minimum force in containing the protesters. Note that no casualty was recorded, no death was recorded.

    About 65 of them were arrested at different points within the metropolis, being suspected members of IPOB. Items recovered from them include some flags bearing the inscription of IPOB and other incriminating items.

    The suspects arrested have made useful statements to the police and investigation is ongoing. Further developments will be communicated in due course,” Magaji said.

    Recall that the group had accused the police of disrupting their solidarity rally for Trump saying eleven of their members were killed and several injured and arrested.

  • Tension as IPOB’s solidarity rally for Trump turns violent, 11 feared dead

    The solidarity rally embarked upon today by the indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in support of US president-elect, Donald Trump (who will be sworn-in as president few hours from now) in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State has turned violent.

    According

    Media and Publicity ‎secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, in a short message to the newsmen alleged that no fewer than 11 members of the pro-Biafra group have been shot dead by security operatives.

    “They have attacked our people; 11 have been confirmed dead, many others have bullet wounds”, he claimed in the statement.

    He alleged that the attack was carried out by the police, the army and the Department of State Services, DSS.

    The IPOB spokesman had earlier in a statement he issued on Friday morning, raised the alarm over what he called, ‎”the barbaric plans by the Nigeria security agencies against the recent TRUMP solidarity rally in Igweocha Port-Harcourt River state today, 20th January 2017.”

    “The Nigeria security agencies, especially the DSS have perfected plans to share some weapons/guns to unscrupulous elements in the society to join the peaceful solidarity rally for TRUMP today in order to create problem within the crowd.

    “IPOB is a peaceful organization that have no guns or weapons but Nigeria government and her security agencies especially the DSS have shared destructive objects to kill people in Igweocha River state today.

    “‎We are calling on international community, men and women of good conscience around the world to note this because IPOB is peaceful and if anything happens, Nigeria government led by Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies, especially the DSS should be held responsible,” he had claimed.