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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

  • Former Minister, Shagari, Quits PDP to Join APC

    Former Minister, Shagari, Quits PDP to Join APC

    By Daniel Edu

    In a significant political move, Barrister Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, the lone surviving member from the old Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Water Resources, has transitioned his allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Having remained a stalwart of the PDP for more than a quarter-century and having served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Shagari’s decision to align himself with the APC this August has ignited intense discussions within political circles.

    Observing that Shagari’s defection is rooted in his perceived unjust treatment by the PDP’s national leadership, despite his unwavering loyalty, analysts have cited this as the impetus for his departure.

    Notably, several of his contemporaries, including former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have similarly parted ways with the PDP in recent times.

    Alhaji Abubakar Yabo, the State Secretary of the APC, confirmed Shagari’s official transition to the party, dispelling speculations that the seasoned statesman might remain with the PDP against all odds.

    Conversely, the PDP’s leadership in Sokoto State views Shagari’s exit as a betrayal, given the party’s past support for his endeavors. Alhaji Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, the party’s Publicity Secretary, expressed assurance that this departure will not dent the PDP’s potency within the state.

  • ‘Tinubu Voters Already Regretting,’ Says PDP

    ‘Tinubu Voters Already Regretting,’ Says PDP

    By  Milcah  Tanimu

    The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state has sharply criticized the initial months of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, asserting that it has ushered in considerable hardship for Nigerians.

    According to the PDP, individuals who cast their votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are rapidly realizing that their decision has led to unforeseen difficulties.

    The PDP’s response was prompted by statements attributed to the All Progressive Congress (APC) state chairman, Ade Adetimehin, who confidently claimed that the PDP had vanished into obscurity.

    Swiftly countering Adetimehin’s assertions, the PDP dismissed the APC state chairman’s comments.

    In their statement, the PDP conveyed, “Adetimehin appears to be the only individual unaware that the people of Ondo state hold his party, the APC, and its administration accountable for their years of suffering and anguish. He fails to recognize that even those who were swayed into voting for the APC in the 2023 general elections are now grappling with regret and voicing their lament over their miscalculation, which has resulted in considerable hardship for them and their families.”

    The statement goes on to assert that an individual in Adetimehin’s position should, if possessing a sense of shame and responsibility, be humbly seeking the forgiveness of the people for the considerable misfortune that his party has engendered.

  • Bode George Questions Nigeria’s Motive for Sending Troops to Niger, Calls for Diplomacy

    Bode George Questions Nigeria’s Motive for Sending Troops to Niger, Calls for Diplomacy

    Chief Olabode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged President Bola Tinubu and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to explore diplomatic avenues before hastily resorting to military action in response to the Niger coup.

    George shared his insights during an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday morning. He emphasized that President Tinubu should prioritize Nigeria’s national interests when considering the deployment of troops to the French-speaking nation.

    In his words, “As they convene tomorrow, my advice is that there exists ample opportunity for dialogue. The ongoing crisis affecting these Francophone countries is rooted in the French colonial approach. While the British approach led to colonies gaining independence, the French advocated assimilation, retaining significant control. French forces are present in nearly every African country they colonized.”

    Drawing from his background as a retired Naval officer, George elaborated, “Experience shapes wisdom. Our engagement with  ECOMOG stands as a testament. We exerted considerable military, financial, and personnel resources. However, one must reflect on Nigeria’s gains from this effort.”

    He elaborated on the key aspect of safeguarding national interests, asserting, “Before a nation embarks on war, it must instill in its soldiers a profound understanding of the nation’s interests. Should any action jeopardize these interests, then a response is justified—defending vital national concerns.”

    Based on the lessons learned from ECOMOG, George expressed reservations about the potential benefits of Nigeria’s intervention in Niger. He appealed to ECOWAS leaders to exercise caution. Reflecting on the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, he cautioned against underestimating the gravity of warfare and encouraged prioritizing dialogue over confrontation.

    Speaking from his experience, George noted that Niger is not the sole country in the Francophone region with military leadership. He highlighted the prevalence of military administrations in countries stretching from Guinea to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudan. George questioned the rationale for focusing specifically on Niger given the broader geopolitical context.

    Recalling an earlier warning he had issued, George had cautioned President Tinubu against hastily declaring war on Niger. He had advised the President to consider diplomacy over an unnecessary military confrontation.

  • “Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Influencing EIU Report on Presidential Election”

    “Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Influencing EIU Report on Presidential Election”

    Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised concerns about the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report on the 2023 polls, labeling it as an embarrassing episode. In a statement through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the EIU report to sow confusion among Nigerians.

    The statement further expressed disappointment that the EIU seemed to have been influenced by the APC to support the outcome of the “sham election” held on February 25, which merely retained the ruling party in power.

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    The PDP leader’s statement issued a stern warning to the EIU, urging the organization to show respect for Nigeria’s democracy and the integrity of its judiciary. Atiku stressed that such biased and jaundiced reports should be handled with greater caution in the future.

  • Tinubu’s defence to commence on June 30, while Atiku and Obi’s case nears conclusion on Friday.

    Tinubu’s defence to commence on June 30, while Atiku and Obi’s case nears conclusion on Friday.

    ABUJA— President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to begin his defence on June 30 against the petitions aiming to remove him from office. The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, in Abuja, has announced that all three petitioners will conclude their case on Friday.Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, along with former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as well as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), are challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25. Atiku and Obi assert that they were the rightful winners of the presidential contest, while the APM is requesting the court to invalidate all votes received by Tinubu due to his alleged disqualification.The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has put forward the argument that Bola Tinubu’s candidacy should be invalidated based on Section 131(c) and 142 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, due to the withdrawal of Mr. Ibrahim Masari, who was initially nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The petitioners, including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, and the APM, are collectively seeking the revocation of the Certificate of Return issued to Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).A total of 151 witnesses are expected to be called upon in the ongoing legal proceedings. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, represented by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, plans to present 100 witnesses to support his case, while Mr. Peter Obi intends to call upon 50 witnesses. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM), relying on documentary evidence, will present only one witness to substantiate their case.

    In May, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel consolidated all the petitions and provided a three-week period for the litigants to present their arguments. Initially, the petitioners were expected to conclude their case on Tuesday, as per the pre-hearing report issued by the panel. However, the court granted a two-day extension to the litigants.Up to this point, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has presented 25 witnesses in court, while Mr. Peter Obi has called seven witnesses and submitted several documentary exhibits as evidence.

    During the recent court session, Atiku’s lawyer, Uche, SAN, informed the court that his client may summon an additional five witnesses, bringing the total number to 30 witnesses. Uche emphasized that the remaining days would be used to present documents that would account for the evidence of the remaining 70 witnesses.

    However, Uche expressed his concern regarding the difficulties they faced in obtaining Certified True Copies (CTC) of the requested documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), despite the court’s appeal for cooperation.According to Uche, obtaining documents from INEC was akin to requesting weapons from an opponent in a war. He expressed his frustration, stating that his client had requested Form EC8A series, which comprises polling unit results for all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, they had only received 14 batches of the requested forms thus far, and even those were not properly sorted.

    After initially standing down the proceedings for 10 minutes to organize the documents, the court reconvened. Atiku’s lawyer then requested an adjournment until Wednesday, explaining that his team needed time to prepare a schedule for the documents to be tendered as evidence, ensuring ease of identification.

    In response, a panel member admonished Uche, stating that sentiments should not guide the proceedings, and that evidence of the application made to the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) was lacking.

    Furthermore, Mr. Lawrence Bayode, a Deputy Director of INEC’s ICT Department, appeared before the court based on a subpoena issued to the INEC Chairman. He stated that out of the five documents requested by the petitioners, he had only brought two of them.The Justice Tsammani-led panel has adjourned further hearings on the petitions until today, Wednesday. The filename for the related document is “Presidential petition 20-6-2023.”

  • PDP berates Gov Abiodun as pupils die after taking deworming drugs in Ogun

    PDP berates Gov Abiodun as pupils die after taking deworming drugs in Ogun

    The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated Governor Dapo Abiodun over the death of two pupils, who died allegedly after taking the state government deworming drugs.

    The PDP said it was worried over the unfortunate death of the two female pupils of Saint James African Church Primary School, Idi- Ape, Abeokuta.

    According to the PDP, the pupils had died “after taking the deworming drugs administered on school-age children by a medical team from the state government.”

    The Ogun State Government had said the deworming drug is not a poison.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, in a statement, maintained that the school children must have died from an outbreak of cholera.

    But, in a statement on Friday by Ogun PDP spokesperson, Akinloye Bankole, the party said it was sad about “the levity with which the Abiodun government is handling the general issue of governance and issues bordering on health and medical services of the people.”

    Aside from the two deaths in question, Bankole alleged that “several other pupils are still being treated in various medical facilities across the state capital.”

    Priding itself a responsible party, the PDP mentioned that “we are compelled to hold that the ruling APC government, from all indications, did not follow necessary medical protocols in dispensing de-worming drugs to pupils.”

    This, the PDP spokesperson said had confirmed “the disgusting penchant for continuous trial and error tactics which has become the trademark of the government.”

     “As a concerned stakeholder, we wonder how any right-thinking public health expert gives deworming drugs to pupils with diarrhea, cholera and even malaria,” saying “it is despicable, it is the height of irresponsibility of government to say the least.”

    The PDP expressed shock with the response of the state government to the ugly incident as if children deserves to contract cholera “under the watchful eyes of a government which claims to have spent billions of Naira on health and medical services in the last 15months of administration.”

    While commiserating with the families of the late pupils, the party encouraged members of the public to hold the Gov Abiodun government responsible for the death of the pupils.

    “Lastly, we wish to state it very clearly that the avoidable death of the two innocent pupils at this time is big enough for any sensible government to own up to its tradition of woeful failures and get serious with the business of governance,” Bankole submitted.

  • PDP accepts error in Obaseki’s certificate, blames it on photocopying machine

    PDP accepts error in Obaseki’s certificate, blames it on photocopying machine

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has admitted the error in Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki’s University of Ibadan (UI) certificate.

    It blamed the photocopying machine for the error.

    The error disqualified Obaseki from seeking a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A petition by the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel, accused Obaseki of forgery, giving false information and perpetuating electoral malpractices.

    The party prayed the tribunal to disqualify Obaseki for his controversial first degree certificate and nullify the votes cast for him. It also prayed the tribunal to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election, involving other qualified candidates, but excluding PDP and Obaseki.

    But PDP, in its reply to ADP and Emmanuel on Tuesday, said there was a mix-up in Obaseki’s admission and graduation year.

    The party also admitted that despite the error, Obaseki observed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. It added that the petition was incompetent and statute barred, describing it as a pre-election matter ‘which the tribunal could not entertain’.

    It said: “While filling the forms for the election in 2016, Obaseki mistakenly filled in 1976 as the year of graduation, which was actually the year of his admission into UI.

    “At the time Obaseki was completing his Form CF001 in 2016, he deposed to an affidavit, saying he had misplaced the originals of all his certificates, while changing offices, with the intention to apply for a re-issuance of the certificates.

    “Subsequently, before Obaseki submitted his Form EC9 in 2020, the original certificate issued by UI was found, which has the signatures of then Vice Chancellor and Registrar. The original certificate was issued in A5 size. However, in order for the photocopy to be attached to the Form CF001, the size was reduced to A4 and in the process, leaving out some information on it.”