We Shall Bounce Back In 2019, PDP Boast Again!

The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday expressed confidence that it would effectively dislodge the All Progressives Party from power in four years time and reestabilsh its dominance in the nation’s political horizon.
Olisa Metuh, the party`s National Publicity Secretary, stated this while speaking with journalists at the end of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.
The meeting was the first after it lost the presidential election to the APC.
He reassured PDP members across the country that the NWC had put machinery in place to re-engineer and re-focus the party, in keeping with the collective determination to consolidate its support base in states of the federation.
Mr. Metuh said this was with a view to regaining power at the centre in 2019 “since it is obvious that the APC lacks what it takes to effectively lead the nation’’.
The party also alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was trying to destabilise it by planting moles within its fold.
“We have noted that while some members have left our party, others have been asked to remain to cause disaffection and disharmony to destroy the spirit of unity in the party,’’ Mr. Metuh said.
He said the NWC noted some divisive statements by certain elements within the party, who were being enticed by extraneous factors and other parties to cause disharmony in its ranks.
Mr. Metuh cautioned against such comments and urged party members with genuine grievances to direct such through the appropriate channels within the party in line with the provisions of its Constitution.
He said following the party’s perceived poor performance at the just-concluded elections; it would meet with its governors and senators-elect on April 21.
Mr. Metuh said the party`s leadership would also meet with its members elected into the House of Representatives on April 22.
He said the party`s state and zonal chairmen had been directed to come to the meeting with “list of irregularities in the conduct of the elections in their areas”.
Mr. Metuh said this was to enable the party have a holistic view of what transpired during the elections and for it to come up with its final decision on its conduct.
He said the NWC reviewed certain developments arising from the 2015 general elections and resolved to resist any attempt to subvert the people’s will.
The spokesman added that the NWC also resolved to resist any attempts to tamper with the democratic process with the aim of denying its candidates their well-deserved victory at the polls.
He called on INEC and security forces to ensure that the elections in states where it was declared inconclusive were free, fair and credible.
The PDP spokesman said that every effort must be made to resist the intimidation and blackmail by the opposition aimed at manipulating the process in its favour.
He urged the party members, particularly those in states where elections had been rescheduled or declared inconclusive, not to despair, but remain focused.
Mr. Metuh said the NWC would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them until the party`s deserved victory was achieved.
He said the PDP had already received reports from Nasarawa State on results from a ward collation center in Karu Local Government Area.
Mr. Metuh alleged that in Karu, the PDP senatorial candidate was leading with about 8,000 but the votes were cancelled by INEC.
He said INEC cancelled the result on the ground that the Collation Officer was unable to reconcile the figures from the ward.
Mr. Metuh alleged that instead of ordering the collation officer to properly reconcile and re-present the figures, INEC reversed the 6,000 votes polled by the PDP candidate by hurriedly declaring the APC candidate winner with about 2,000 votes.
This, according to him was in clear violation of the Electoral Act which did not provide for cancellation of results based on unreconciled figures at the collation level.
(NAN)

POLITIC: PDP Secures Court Order Against 5 Defected Governors

A Federal High yesterday directed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to serve hearing notices on Governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) by substituted means, in the suit challenging their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Gabriel Kolawole further ordered that the hearing notices should be pasted on the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja and should be published in two national dailies.

The order was granted by the court at the instance of the PDP, following the absence of the governors or their representatives in court yesterday.

Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), who appeared for the PDP with Damian Dodo (SAN), Omoruyi Omonuwa (SAN) and Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), had informed the court of the absence of the respondents in court, even after hearing notices had been served on them since December 16, 2013.

He, accordingly, applied that fresh hearing notices be issued and posted on the national secretariat of their party and the same be published in two national newspapers.

Justice Kolawole, who granted the application, adjourned the case to February 6 for hearing of the substantive suit.

In the suit, PDP wants the court to sack the five governors, who defected to the APC.

 

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was listed as a defendant alongside the governors in the suit filed on behalf of the PDP by Izinyon.

PDP argued that the governors should be sacked from office on the grounds that, because of their defection, they had forfeited their offices, which, as a result, had reverted to the party.

In the event that the five governors are sacked from office, PDP wants the court to order the deputy governor or speaker of the state House of Assembly of each of the affected states, or any officer next in rank, who is still its member, to assume the office of governor.

PDP was also asking the court for several reliefs, among which was a declaration that by the combined provisions of sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, the five governors, who were elected on its platform, could not continue to enjoy the mandate given to it (PDP) by the people/electorate of the concerned states, as they (governors) had defected to another political party.

The court was also urged to make a declaration that in the absence of any division in the PDP, the five governors had vacated or forfeited their seats upon their defection to the APC.

Also, the court was asked to make a declaration that, by the combined provisions of sections 87 of the Electoral Act 2011 (as amended), and sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, the offices of the defected governors had reverted to the PDP.

In the same vein, the court was asked to make a declaration that, by the combined provisions of sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the 1999 Constitution, upon the defection of the five governors, the mandate should be reverted to the deputy governors or speakers of the state Houses of Assembly of the respective states or any officer next in rank who is still a member of the PDP.

Politics: Nobody Defected From PDP - Bamanga Tukur

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,  Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on Wednesday said he was not aware of any member of  the  PDP   defecting  to another party.

Tukur said this while  fielding questions from journalists after  meeting behind closed  doors with  the PDP Senate caucus and  the  Central Working Committee of the party.

Aggrieved members   of the PDP in the Senate  such as Bukola Saraki, Shaaba Lafiaji,  Wilson Ake, Danjuma Goje,  Ali Ndume,  Adamu Abdullahi, Magnus Abe,  Hassan Barata, Jubrin Bindo and Aishat Al-Hassan, did not attend the meeting which lasted about four hours.

 But Tukur said the meeting was silent on the reported issue of defection because it (meeting)  was  a family talk aimed at  reviewing  the activities of the party.

He said, “We did not talk about people who want to go or stay (defection) I came here because this is the first time I am coming to meet my family members; they are my members.”

Tukur  explained that  the need for the entrenchment of democracy, discipline and good governance formed the basis of his message to the senators during the meeting.

Asked if it was an earlier visit to the National Assembly by the defunct New PDP  that informed his decision to meet the senators, he   replied , “Of course not, this is PDP and there is no other PDP.”

Also asked whether he discussed  the impact of the defection of  five  PDP governors  to the All Progressives Congress, Tukur said,  “Have they defected? they have not gone yet.”

The five governors are Rotimi Amechi (Rivers); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).

Tukur, had  before  journalists were excused from the meeting,   explained that he was in the Senate to fraternise and exchange ideas with the PDP senators on how they could continue to work together as one family.

Tukur also acknowledged the challenges facing the party but said that they were  surmountable “because PDP is one family working  together towards achieving a common goal.”

The President of the Senate, David Mark,  who  led the PDP  senators to the meeting,also admitted that the party was facing some challenges.

But he said that the party was capable of addressing the issues like a family matter.

Mark  said, “We admit we have some challenges in the party . It is expected in a big party like PDP . It is not unusual. We are equal to the challenges as a party . Hopefully , we shall come out of the crisis stronger.”

He also assured the National Working Committee  of the party  that the PDP senators were united in one accord and working together to ensure that the transformation agenda was carried out to its logical conclusion .

The Senate leader, Senator Victor  Ndoma -Egba, said,  “We discussed issues affecting members of the PDP Senate Caucus and the national chairman listened attentively and responded and gave us words of reassurance.

“They are domestic issues; you don’t expect me to come and discuss domestic issues in public. They are issues that affect   the members  of the party in the Senate.”

Ndoma – Egba also said the issue of defection was not discussed at the meeting.

He said, “The issue of defection never came up and I can say it categorically  that  no senator has indicated  that he is going anywhere. So, the issue never came up.”

On automatic ticket for senators  in  2015, Ndoma-Egba said, “We discussed the provisions of the constitution and emphasised democracy.

“Our party is called Peoples Democratic Party and we reminded ourselves that we must be democratic at all times .We had a useful meeting with our national chairman.”

Credit:PUNCH.

Politics Transfer window: 4,000 APC Members Defect To Nasarawa's PDP

Nasarawa – More than 4,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Keffi and Kokona local government areas of Nasarawa State.
A correspondent report that the defectors were formally received into the PDP fold at Keffi and Garaku, the headquarters of Keffi and Kokona local government areas, respectively by the state’s Chairman of the party, Mr Yunana Iliya.
Speaking while receiving the defectors, Iliya commended their decision to join the PDP and urged members of other political parties in the state to also join the party.
He commended their courage of the defectors and urged party loyalists to embrace the new entrants.
The PDP state chairman assured that the party would continue to initiate programmes aimed at bringing development to the people.
Iliya appealed to the electorate to vote for PDP candidates in the upcoming local government elections in the state as as well as in subsequent elections.
He said that, if elected, the party would embark on massive construction of rural roads to open up the rural areas in the state.
Iliya said that the plight of women, children, persons with disabilities as well as other vulnerable groups would be also given top priority by the party.
While appreciating the people for sustaining peace in the two council areas, Iliya urged them to sustain the culture of tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
He also called on the public to support the efforts of security agencies in maintaining peace in the area.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Ibrahim Anfani, said that their decision to join the PDP was informed by the leadership style of those elected under the party’s platform across the state
Anfani said that most of the people elected under the platform of the PDP had carried everybody along irrespective of tribal, religious and political inclination in the state .
Also speaking, a member of the state assembly (PDP- Kokona West), Mr Danladi Jatau, assured 100 per cent victory of the party in the upcoming council poll.
NAN reports that the party is currently on a state-wide sensitisation of its supporters ahead of the forthcoming local government elections in the state. (NAN)

Credit: Vanguard