2023: Osinbajo divides RCCG, pastor seeks sacking of VP campaigner – Newstrends
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2023: Osinbajo divides RCCG, pastor seeks sacking of VP campaigner

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2 years ago

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Yemi Osinbajo

A youth pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Dr Oche Otorkpa, has called on the leadership of the church to sack the Head of Politics and Governance, Pastor Timothy Olaniyan, who campaigned for the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), ahead of the 2023 elections.

It will be recalled that Olaniyan openly declared support for Osinbajo at a public event over the weekend.

He said Osinbajo, as a pastor with the RCCG, will fulfil his electoral promise.

But reacting to the comment bu Olaniyan, Otorkpa demanded for his sack.

He said in the statement: “I was saddened when my attention was drawn to the statement credited to the Head of Politics and Governance of the Redeemed Christian Church, RCCG, ‘Pastor’ Timothy Olaniyan. This act reminds me of the tragedy promoted by many of my colleagues in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who used the RCCG altar to promote Buhari as the only savior of Nigeria because Osinbajo also a Redeemed Pastor, was his running mate.

“Against all admonition by our father the General Overseer, these pastors choose to ignore an express order and promoted Buhari/Osinbajo using the RCCG pulpit in 2015 and the results are what we see today.

“While I have nothing personal against Osinbajo and those campaigning for him, our father, the General Overseer has made it clear to everyone that the church is a congregation of all parties and all are his children.

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“If truly the said ‘Pastor’ Timothy Olaniyan voiced such a one-sided opinion, then he should be ashamed of himself, and the many people who insulted Leke (Adeboye, the son of the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye) for calling such people goats should apologize to him because this man’s action has not only ridiculed the mission but also the reputation of our father in the Lord.

“As one of those who fiercely defended the RCCG when concerned Nigerians labeled the newly created Politics and Governance directorate as an Osinbajo campaign arm of the church, I felt I owe it a duty as an ordained minister and someone who has spent close to 3 decades working to help achieve the church’s missionary objectives, to speak out.

“How can a Redeemed Pastor, saddled with the responsibility of promoting all, insist on a public forum that one person is the only child of God that could change the narrative of governance in Nigeria?

“This is someone who says he wants to consolidate Buhari’s legacies, a legacy characterized by banditry, kidnappings, massive killings, corruption, stealing and diversion of crude oil, unfulfilled promises, and borrowings that are about to throw us into a state of bankruptcy as a nation.

“Pastor Olaniyan claimed that politicians will promise heaven and earth, and at the end of the day, you see them giving N1000, N2000 to eligible voters. That was similar to what Osibanjo did the last time with Trader money prior to the elections, jumping from one market to the other.

“When it comes to failed promises, nobody beats Osinbajo and Buhari. They promised three million jobs per year, it is almost 8 years, and those who have jobs before they came to power are now jobless.

“Osinbajo and Buhari promised 20,000 MW of electricity within four years, but today, grid collapse and darkness are what Nigerians are battling.

“When Osinbajo and Buhari came to power on the 29th of May 2015, the naira was exchanged at N199 to the dollar. Today, the naira is exchanging at almost N600 when they promised to make it equal to the dollar.

“As I write this response, our youths and children are at home due to the ongoing ASUU strike, Osinbajo and Buhari had promised to give up to 20 percent of the national budget for the educational sector, they have never exceeded 6% since they took power. Even the foreign scholarship created by Jonathan for First Class students has been canceled by them.

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“They promised to clean our electoral system but ended up creating devilish inventions such as the inconclusive elections and the ‘remote control’ in the words of Buhari which they used on the people of Osun state to deny Adeleke his last mandate and Nigerians in the last general elections.

“They promised to reduce the fuel pump price to N40 per liter, this year, the price ranges from 165 to infinity depending on where you are buying. Even diesel that was very available has now disappeared, thanks to the change championed by some of our Pastors.

“Proverbs 12:22 says the LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. When a pastor begins to brand deceptive people as the only ones being capable of changing the narrative of governance in the country, then you know there is a problem.

“While Pastor Olaniyan has the constitutional right to hold a political opinion, he clearly does not understand the sensitive nature of the office he occupies and the diversity of the interest and the people he is meant to manage.

“We therefore humbly call on the church leadership as a matter of urgency to remove ‘Pastor’ Timothy Olaniyan as the Head of Politics and Governance, to enable the unit to discharge its mandate without shamefully taking sides and dancing naked in the market square.

“May God Help Us to Help Ourselves.”

 

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Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC 

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12 hours ago

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April 19, 2024

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Damagum to continue as PDP national chairman until August – NEC 

National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will revisit the leadership crisis in the party by August this year.

This therefore means the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, will remain in the office until the next NEC meeting in August, according to the party.

Bauchi State Governor and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum hinted on Thursday that the party would look into the demand of the North Central for the national championship position then.

He spoke after the NEC meeting at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

The governor said, “You can see there was no dissension and rancour. It was planned that the party will have an implosion. PDP is more than that, we have given beyond all these. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality.

“In the next two months, you will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility, when we will have come out of our congresses, we will look at the issues of leadership. We will look at the constitution and we will do it with no rancor.”

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, also said because of the need for reconciliation the issue of the National Chairman would be revisited in August when another NEC will be expected to take place.

He said, “Our party emphasizes the need for reconciliation and stability within the party at this time. Therefore, the issue of the National Chairman, Amb Iliya Damagum, has been deferred to the next NEC meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for August 15, 2024.”

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Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57

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2 days ago

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April 17, 2024

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Breaking: Saraki loyalist, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, dies at 57

 

A top politician, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, has died at the a prime age of 57.

Ibrahim, an ally of former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki, reportedly died early Wednesday morning in a hospital in Abuja.

Newstrends learnt from a family source that Ibrahim died after a brief illness.

Rafiu Ibrahim from Ojoku, Kwara State, was a member of Kwara State House of Assembly in 2009.

He was later elected in April 2011 to represent Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 7th National Assembly.

Ibrahim became a senator in 2015 when he was elected to represent Kwara South Senatorial District.

He however lost his re-election bid into the 9th National Assembly to Lola Ashiru of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.

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PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

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3 days ago

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April 17, 2024

By

Nyesom Wike

PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

The lingering leadership crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Tuesday as members of the G60 in the House of Representatives led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere truncated plans by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to endorse Mr Umar Damagun as substantive National Chairman of the party.

Trouble started during the closed meeting convened by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda when Hon. Ugochinyere challenged the Caucus Leader’s presentation.

Hon. Ugochinyere, who flared up during the meeting was seen being persuaded by some PDP lawmakers.

However, before the end of the meeting, members of the G60 group left the hall, thereby leaving about 40 lawmakers in the hall where the press briefing took place.

While speaking on the outcome of the closed-door meeting which lasted for over 3 hours, Hon. Chinda said: “We have just concluded the third meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party Caucus of the 10th Assembly and we have resolved firstly to tell all of us and the world that the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives remain united, indivisible committed and out to perform our duty as the watchdog on behalf of Nigerian people.

“In the same vein, we x-rayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take this situation where Nigerian is almost tagged as ‘one life, one minute silence’.

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“The government is therefore called upon to immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalized.

“And the Caucus has also given a three-month ultimatum for government to normalize the security situation in our country. After three months, the Caucus will take further steps to sensitize and mobilize Nigerians to perhaps take their security into their hands.

“The House of Representatives Caucus also agreed to call on all Party Caucuses, the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party to embark on reconciliatory measures with a view to resolving all litigations that are pending and have hindered the party in any way whatsoever from having a substantive National Chairman.

“We call on our leaders, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is moved to her pride of place where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa and to take back the Aso Villa which is actually supposed to be our birthright.

“And so for us, we are going back as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the Parliament,” he said.

While reacting to the recent suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi, the Minority Leader urged the Senate leadership “to recall our colleague, our senior brother, a veteran politician, a Parliamentarian per excellence, Abdul Ningi.”

Meanwhile, one of the G60 members who gave insight into the discussions during the closed-door meeting confirmed that the hard stance of the group frustrates the grand plan to pass a vote of confidence on the embattled acting PDP National Chairman.

The lawmaker who does not want his name in print said: “We are glad that the plan of the pro-Wike group supporting Damagun falls like a pack of cards, as we refused all entreaties to perpetuate illegality and stoking of crisis in the party.

“Our position remains that Damagun must go for someone from North-central to take over and complete Ayu’s tenure.

“Our Party needs total overhaul and reformation. We currently have in the PDP a national leadership that is in bed with the APC and is working extremely hard to hand over the party to the APC.

“This is quite shameful and disheartening. But we won’t fold our hands and let that happen.

“We are aside other demands insisting on 100 percent formation of Caretaker PDP executive list at all levels without any tampering or inclusion of new names outside the earlier resolution that members of the expiring excos should act as Caretaker for 3 months pending the conduct of substantive election.

“Our party will not be overtaken by APC, we are here to serve the Nigerian people not to the whims and caprices of some selfish politicians,” he noted.

PDP: 60 Reps stop Wike group from endorsing Damagun

(Nigerian Tribune)

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