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Tag: PDP Governors

  • 2023: Why I Made A Deal With Aggrieved PDP Governors – Peter Obi

    2023: Why I Made A Deal With Aggrieved PDP Governors – Peter Obi

    The presidential candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi on Tuesday defined the ‘deal’ he has with some aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    He was speaking in Makurdi during a visit to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

    Mr Obi said he and the PDP Governors have a common interest in finding a better Nigeria amid increasing security threat and a humanitarian crisis.

    “The only deal I have with them is that they are passionate about Nigeria,” Mr Obi said.

    He criticised the All Progressive Congress for displaying a lack of leadership during the current crisis.

    Mr Obi praised Mr Ortom for confronting insecurity challenges in Benue state at personal risk and comfort.

    Ortom, on his part, advised Mr Obi to negotiate power with other leading presidential candidates with a commitment to serve the people.

    The Governor said if he was not a member of the PDP, he would have been working for the Labour party candidate.

    Some of the aggrieved PDP governors include Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikepeazu of Abia state, and Mr Ortom.

    The governors have called for the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu to step down for a southerner based on a previous commitment.

    With Mr Ayu insistent on continuing as Chairman, the Governors have withdrawn their support for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    Some believe the aggrieved PDP Governors may support Mr Obi in the 2023 presidential elections.

  • Wike In Close Door Meeting With Some PDP Governors, Others

    Wike In Close Door Meeting With Some PDP Governors, Others

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Sunday hosted a crucial meeting with some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who coordinated his presidential campaign.

    The meeting held behind closed doors at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Although the agenda of the meeting was unclear, it might revolve around the events that have unfolded in the aftermath of the PDP presidential primary that threaten to split the main opposition party.

    Those at the meeting include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

    Also present are some former governors such as Donald Duke of Cross River State, Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State, and Jonah Jang of Plateau State.

    In May, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar polled 371 votes to emerge as the PDP’s flagbearer ahead of Wike who scored 237 votes to come second in the party’s presidential primary.

    Former Senate President Bukola Saraki (70); Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (38), Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed (38), Former Senate President Pius Anyim (14), Mrs Tari Diana Oliver (One), and Mr Sam Ohuabunwa (1) shared the remainder of the valid votes.

    Weeks after the primary was held, the PDP presidential candidate named Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in the forthcoming election.

    This, however, led to a disagreement among party stakeholders as some commended the choice of Okowa while others rejected it, saying Atiku should have picked Wike who was the runner-up in the primary in the stead of his Delta counterpart.

    In a bid to address the perceived grievances of the governor, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP set up a reconciliatory committee to meet with Wike of Rivers State over the fallout of the party’s presidential primary and crisis trailing the nomination of a running mate.

  • Atiku, PDP Governors, Others To Visit Wike In Reconciliatory Move

    Atiku, PDP Governors, Others To Visit Wike In Reconciliatory Move

    The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a reconciliatory committee to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over the fallout of the party’s presidential primary and crisis trailing the nomination of a running mate.

    The committee is to be headed by the party’s presidential candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and has 13 PDP governors as members.

    Chairman of the party’s BOT, Senator Walid Jibril, made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, saying the visit to Governor Wike would take place immediately after Atiku and the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, return to the country from their vacation abroad.

    “I have noted with a great concern and great sense of feeling on the various recent comments coming from some of our PDP members and some prominent Nigerians on the choice of Chief Okowa, the Governor of Delta State as the vice-presidential candidate by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of our Party PDP – the biggest party not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa,” he said.

    “All the comments and various submissions are very normal in any political setup in Nigeria today with PDP being the strongest and most prominent party that has all potential to form government in 2023.”

    According to the BOT chairman, the reconciliatory committee will also comprise the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, as well as Ayu and members of the PDP National Working Committee.

    Others include former PDP governors and ministers, as well as party elders from various zones and states in the country.

    Senator Jibrin described Governor Wike as a very responsible and obedient PDP member who assisted tremendously in building the party to its present status.

    Ahead of the reconciliatory meeting with the governor, he appealed to party members in Rivers not to leave the party and shun comments aimed at reducing and running down the party.

    “We must come back to our senses by all our members and all most responsible and respectful Nigerians by giving total support to the party to enable it to form government by holding all political positions in Nigeria in 2023,” the BOT chairman said.

    “We must come together and unite ourselves as earlier established by our founding fathers. We should, therefore, shun any bad comment aimed at dividing us. We must be ready to forgive ourselves, thereby encouraging Nigerians to continue supporting us and our party.

    “It is my strong appeal to all current and former governors and former Presidents of Nigeria not to add more fuel to the fire but to always try to quench the fire from spreading. May I say it loud that we commend all our current PDP governors for their greatest assistance to the party always.”

  • Atiku in Closed-door Meeting with PDP Governors

    Atiku in Closed-door Meeting with PDP Governors

    The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is currently in a closed-door meeting with governors elected on the party’s platform.

    The meeting is coming a few hours after the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The meeting is currently being held at the Legacy House Maitama, Abuja.

    It is expected to be the first in a series of meetings preparatory to the campaigns for the 2023 general elections.

    Notice of the meeting was signed by the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum, CID Maduabum.

    “The presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON requests a meeting with PDP Governors,” the notice by Maduabum stated.

    The choice of the running mate to Atiku might top the agenda of the meeting.

    Some of the governors at the meeting were Bayelsa Governor, Douyi Diri, Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, Bauchi Governor, Bala Muhammed and Samuel Ortom of Benue State.

    Others are Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and his Sokoto counterpart Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

    Atiku had recently defeated Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers; Bukola Saraki, former senate president; Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom governor; Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti; Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, among others, during the party’s presidential primary election.

    The former vice president had polled 371 votes to clinch the ticket to represent the party in the 2023 elections.

    The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had last week issued a certificate of return to Atiku.

  • Buhari Unwilling To Sign Electoral Bill, Says PDP Governors

    Buhari Unwilling To Sign Electoral Bill, Says PDP Governors

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari is unwilling to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

    Following the refusal of the president to sign the document over the mode of primaries, the National Assembly had on January 31 transmitted the reworked bill to the president for assent.

    The presidency had on February 10 said President Buhari is desirous to assent to the bill and is still consulting with critical stakeholders on whether to sign the electoral act amendment bill or not.

    Buh the PDP governors in a communique issued after their meeting which was held in Bayelsa State asked Buhari to sign the document.

    READ ALSO: NASS Passes Harmonised Electoral Bill With Direct, Indirect, Consensus Modes Of Primaries

    “The PDP Governors urged Mr President to immediately sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law,” the communique signed by the 11 governors read.

    “Waiting to run out the 30 days is yet another sign of unwillingness by Mr President to give Nigeria a reformed Electoral framework. If there are still misgivings on any aspect of the Bill Amendments may be introduced at a later stage.”

    They also reacted to the just concluded polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), congratulating their party for the victory recorded in 43 out of 62 Councillorship positions in Abuja.

    In spite of improvements in the conduct of elections, the governors noted that Gwagwalada and Abuja Area Council results show that manipulations are still possible.

    They, therefore, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tighten all observed loopholes and further improve on the functioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machine for future elections.

  • PDP Governors Ask Buhari To Restructure Nigeria’s Security Architecture

    PDP Governors Ask Buhari To Restructure Nigeria’s Security Architecture

    Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure Nigeria’s security architecture.

    The governors, who met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, made their demand via a communique issued to journalists after their meeting.

    They took a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government in confronting the numerous security challenges, noting that the strategies deployed to confront terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals is still a major problem for the current administration.

    “The meeting expressed regrets that Mr President is unwilling, from his recent comments discountenancing the proposals for state policing, to participate in reviewing the structural problems of tackling insecurity in Nigeria,” the communique read.

    The governors want “Mr President to reconsider his position and consider decentralisation and restructuring of the security architecture as the most viable solution, together with proper arming, funding and training requirements for security agencies.”

    In decrying the state of the economy, the PDP governors said the “Nigerian Economy has continued to deteriorate and Nigerians have become numb and accustomed to bad economic news as exemplified by the inconsistent and differential exchange rate regime, high interest rates, unsustainable unemployment figures and borrowing spree some of which have not been applied to important projects, and other bad economic indicators.”

    They said that under the PDP government in 2015, the exchange rate was N198 per Dollar, it is now almost N500 to a Dollar under APC In 2015.

    On unemployment, they knocked the Federal Government for the increasing number of unemployed Nigerians.

    According to them, the unemployment rate was 7.3% under PDP, adding that it is now 33%, one of the highest in the world under APC.

    The governors added, “In 2015, the Pump price of Petroleum was N87 per litre, it is now N165 per litre and climbing under APC. Debt Servicing now under APC takes over 98% of the Federal budget. The tales of woe is endless.

    “In particular, it is clear that the APC Government is a massive failure when compared with the records of PDP in government. The PDP handed over a $550 billion economy (the largest in Africa), but under APC, Nigeria is the Poverty Capital of the world.”

    On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the governors asked the National Assembly to quickly conclude deliberations on the bill.

    Specifically, they urged the federal lawmakers to either override President Buhari’s veto or delete areas of complaints.

    The governors explained that an early concluded Electoral Act is vital for credible elections.

  • Nigeria Can’t Survive Another 4 Years Under APC – PDP Governors

    Nigeria Can’t Survive Another 4 Years Under APC – PDP Governors

    Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) say Nigeria cannot survive another four years under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said this Tuesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day PDP National Retreat 2021 themed “It’s Time to Rescue and Rebuild Nigeria”.

    He also said Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive.

    He said: “It must restructure its polity, economy, security and ways of doing things. It must embrace relative autonomy and decentralisation of power. This will unleash the energies of our people, especially, the young. It is time to allow Nigeria blossom. It is doable with all hands on deck.

    “Can Nigeria survive another 4 years of APC? The answer is a resounding No. It is too frightening to contemplate. PDP remains the only credible alternative to APC and we cannot afford to fail Nigerians. We must keep hope alive. We can do it. Yes, we can, as Obama would say.”

    Tambuwal said the PDP must strategise to take over in 2023 as the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had in the past six years failed to take the country to the heights expected by Nigerians.

    He said, “A rickety vehicle cannot take Nigeria to its destination as the nation with possibilities for greatness and progress. PDP is now once again a well-oiled, serviced vehicle that will midwife the Nigeria of our dreams.

    “It is indeed time to rescue and rebuild Nigeria. Nigeria is in urgent need of a surgical operation. Nigeria is in a permanent emergency. We all know what the problems are. They are man-made and are therefore resolvable. It requires a focused, determined, knowledgeable and patriotic organisation of like-minds to build the critical mass necessary for a great leap forward. Yes, it requires leadership, with vision and discipline.

    “We suffer from a crisis of governance. The unity of Nigeria is facing unprecedented challenges. Life in Nigeria is increasingly becoming brutish and short as insecurity ravages the land.”

    He said the ruling APC had demonstrated gross incompetence in managing the fortune of the country, stressing that “between 35 to 40 per cent of Nigerians are unemployed and women and youths bear the main brunt.

    “Bandits, kidnappers, terrorists are having a field day, almost unchallenged. Our children are not safe even in their schools. Corruption still stalk the land. Nepotism, ethnic and religious bigotry reign supreme in today’s All Progressives Congress, APC’s Nigeria. Our infrastructure is still comatose.
    “Trust and hope in Nigeria are at their lowest. Our lamentations can go on, ad infinitum. But the test of leadership is the ability to solve problems.”
    He called on PDP leaders to think outside the box, rather than resorting to criticisms only and rescue Nigeria for good.”

  • Tambuwal’s Headship Of The PDP Governors Forum Embodies The Dream Of A Greater Nigeria

    Tambuwal’s Headship Of The PDP Governors Forum Embodies The Dream Of A Greater Nigeria

    By Muhammad Goronyo,Sokoto

    Much, as no doubt is expressed right from conception to the end, so were the successes in the process. It’s the men of timber and caliber on the rostrum whose roles defined a new direction for the party and by implication Nigeria as an entity.

    Tambuwal’s headship of the PDP Governors’ Forum embodies the dream for a greater Nigeria. The successes attained by the convention settled plainly in the hands of the Forum, he capably steered. The hitherto lethargic status of the Forum has been altered for good. It’s now zestful; offering objective criticisms on governance issues in Nigeria.

    His media aide,Bello Muhammad said,today, the mission to reinvent once more our great country, Nigeria, is unearthed. Tambuwal’s led Forum, has proven, the Party has not been commandeered as held in some quarters but only placed on a strong pedestal to be able to ascend comfortably to the peak of relevance and competitiveness especially with the 2023 general elections at hand.

    The events of the convention underscored glaringly, the ‘record’ achieved is merited. Albeit, other organs had tangible input, but not as impacting as the magic wand waved by the Governors’ Forum. The credit goes partly and even largely to Tambuwal for his leadership of the Forum, points to anything exemplary. It’s all about Nigeria and nothing but the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

  • PDP Governors working on achieving consensus candidate – Tambuwal

    PDP Governors working on achieving consensus candidate – Tambuwal

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has said it is working on achieving consensus candidate in all elective positions at the party’s national convention scheduled for Saturday.

    The Forum Chairman, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the end of the main opposition’s governors on Thursday night in Abuja.

    Tambuwal said that not less than 80 per cent had been achieved in producing consensus candidates for the elective positions.

    “We held the meeting of the PDP governors forum and as you can see, all of us attended.

    “Chairman of the convention committee brought us up to the speed on how prepared they are for us to hold our convention starting from Friday, Oct. 29 through to Saturday.

    “We are also happy to say that part of what we discussed was the process of arriving at consensus during the convention.

    “So far, we can say that with certainty that we have achieved not less than 80% of that process and it is still ongoing.

    “We are hoping that at the end of the day, we are going to have a hitch free convention and possibly have all the candidates emerge via consensus.

    “Consensus is part of democratic process and we are imbibing that in the interest of our party so that we can continue to have stability that will reposition the party as we have always said for the future,” NAN quoted him as saying.

  • PDP Crisis: Governors, BoT Take Position On Secondus

    PDP Crisis: Governors, BoT Take Position On Secondus

    Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal have resolved to meet to find ways of resolving the current crisis raging in the party.

    The crisis deepened on Monday when a Port Harcourt High Court issued an interim injunction restraining the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, from parading himself as member and helmsman of the party.

    Sequel to the court order, the party became factionalised as the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Suleiman Nazif, both claimed Secondus’ seat in acting capacity.

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Diran Odeyemi, told our correspondent in a telephone interview yesterday that the outcome of the governors’ meeting would determine the fate of the party ahead of its national convention and the 2023 general elections.

    “The governors’ decision will determine what happens to PDP. All the other organs of the party are looking up to the governors, including the BoT,” he said.

    He also ruled out the possibility of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday, saying the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, is the authentic acting national chairman.

    Odeyemi said the decision of Akinwonmi’s counterpart in the North, Sen Nazif that NEC should meet on Friday was a nullity.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Hon. C.I.D Maduabum, said the meeting will discuss recent developments in the party.

    “Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Rt Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR, in consultation with his colleagues has summoned an emergency meeting of the forum to hold on Thursday 26th August, 2021 at 5pm.

    “The governors enjoined all PDP members and stakeholders to exercise patience as efforts are being made to ensure continued stability of the party in the days ahead,” the statement said.

    Similarly, sources at the PDP national secretariat confirmed to our correspondent yesterday that the BoT led by Senator Walid Jibrin would also meet today to discuss the way out of the crisis.

    A foundation member of the party, Alhaji Aminu Yakudima, told our correspondent over the phone that the notice of BoT meeting was sent yesterday to those eligible to attend.

    Reports also gathered from impeccable sources at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, that a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) was held yesterday evening presided over by the National Vice Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, while his counterpart in the North, Senator Nazif was absent.

    According to the provisions of the PDP constitution, Akinwonmi is the Acting PDP National Chairman considering that he is from the same southern zone with Secondus who is currently under suspension.

    Our correspondent reports that the governors’ meeting may consider a date for the party’s NEC meeting.