Politics

2023 presidency: It’s time to repay me, Wike tells PDP leaders

Published

3 years ago

April 20, 2022

Governor Nyesom Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Tuesday in Abuja tasked the National Working Committee of the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, to repay him with the party’s presidential ticket for his loyalty and struggle against the Uche Secundus-led NWC, which he said, has brought them into office.

This is as he warned the leaders against appointing delegates who have taken sides with some aspirants on the Primary Election Committee.

Wike also alleged sabotage over a power outage that almost marred his visit to Wadata Plaza. The power outage, our correspondent observed, was a result of lack of diesel to power the Secretariat generator; forcing the presidential aspirant to address the audience without a public address system.

According to him, “The household name now is Wike, so don’t make a mistake and lose Wike. Because if you lose Wike, you have lost the election. It is not our prayer that we should lose the election.

“It is important I take this opportunity and let you know that I am prepared. Psychologically, mentally and in all aspects I am very much prepared.

“So let us not waste time. Go and tell our people that you have seen the right person and the right person is Wike. It is important you do the campaign for me, that was how I did it for you too.

“When I was fighting the former NWC, some of you were supporting them. Now all of you are here. One good turn deserves another. So you people should also payback. Because you didn’t go to campaign, but now are seated here. So payback.

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“But please do us the favor of conducting a free and fair election, that will be an advantage for us to win in 2023.”

On the sudden power outage that greeted his arrival, Wike said “I hope there was no sabotage and if there was no sabotage, and we want to take over from the APC, we must have to be ready.

“This is a part of what we are talking about. If you are in charge of the secretariat, and the secretary does not know that there is no fuel; then it is also a failure on the part of the secretariat.

“So, Mr. Secretary, I hope your boys did not sabotage us and if they did not, they will only be held responsible for not doing their job very well.”

The former minister of state for education said, in choosing a flagbearer ahead of next year’s election, the party must not consider those aspirants who lost their states and couldn’t deliver victory to the PDP in the 2019 presidential elections.

He noted the party must be wary of opportunistic aspirants who fizzle away once they don’t clinch the presidential ticket.

“I have tried it in my state, and it has worked. Most of you who go to Rivers State will always see me with my leaders, trying to find out what we’re going to do. It is not easy, but it works. Every person in government must carry the party along.

“And here’s what I think if I’m given the opportunity that I will liaise with the party, find out the views of the party. And then with that synergy, you will see how the government will perform.

“But again, Nigerians are waiting. Who are we going to present? What is the track record of that person? What is your track record? Not those who you give tickets to, tomorrow they fail, you won’t see them at the party again. And when you don’t give them the ticket, they will also leave the party, no that is not the way it should be.

“So I believe I am a thorough party person. And should be encouraged to lead the party. It’s very, very important. And I want to too, I know the modus operandi of APC, I can withstand the APC, I can withstand the Federal Government, just give me the ticket,” he said.

Wike also distanced himself from the consensus efforts by the trio of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and governors Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed saying “I don’t believe in these people going around on consensus. I told them that their consensus move is shine shine bobo, the more you look, the less you see. I say I am not going to buy it. It will not work and I am not a party to it.

“I believe in consensus, but based on equity, justice, and fairness. But not consensus by those who have conspired, they think they can bring me in, but nobody can bring me into it.”

“Mr. Chairman, since I know that members of NWC are also delegates, I come to present myself to you and also woo you because you are entitled to vote. I am wooing you to vote for me because I have the capacity to make PDP win the election in 2023.

“To show you how serious I am, I did not come here to negotiate for the Vice President. I came here to win this election and I will win the primaries on May 28/29.

“I did not buy Senate forms or told somebody to buy form and hold it for me. No! It is the only form I bought and that is for the presidency of Nigeria. I am not going to run for any other election.”

In his response, the Party’s Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, noted that it is impossible to heed Wike’s call for support and hold a free and fair primary at the same time.

He assured the governor of the party’s determination to deliver a candidate with whom it can win next year’s election.

“I can assure you that there is no sabotage. The power outage we have experienced is part of the challenges PDP is trying to solve when we get power in 2023.

“On one hand, you want s level-playing field. On another hand, you want the NWC to canvass votes for you. But we can assure you they’ll be no power play or manipulation. We will hold a fair convention,” Ayu said.

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Politics

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Umar Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Two former Presidents of the Senate, Chief David Mark and Dr Bukola Saraki are leading a fresh charge aimed at removing Amb. Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The push by Mark and Saraki has received the backing of prominent stakeholders, including the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang and other political office holders elected on the platform of the PDP.

Similarly, former governors from the Northcentral zone who served on the party’s platform have also aligned forces with the group.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, the party chieftains resolved to produce a candidate from the zone early 2025 to replace Damagum.

According to them, the move to replace Damagum with a substantive chairman from the Northcentral, has received the endorsement of key party stakeholders from the Northwest and the Northeast zones.

Among those being projected as potential candidates to take Damagum’s seat include Mark; a former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam; and a former House of Representatives member from Nasarawa State, David
David Ombugadu.

A communique issued after the meeting, said the stakeholders
reviewed the festering crisis in the party following the exit of the erstwhile National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

Ayu lost his seat to the crisis triggered by disagreements over the emergency of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.

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The crisis has continued to deepen with the apparent overbearing influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on the Damagum-led national leadership.

The Northcentral stakeholders argued that Damagum’s continued occupation of the office breached provisions of the PDP constitution.

The communique states in part, “The PDP’s constitution clearly states that succession of offices in the party at all levels is largely to the extent that any vacant position can be replaced by appointment from the zone, as per Section 47 (6) of the party.

“The party is guided by its constitution at all times. Therefore, the leadership of the party needs to rise up to the occasion to restore goodwill and cohesion in the party by making necessary sacrifices and compromises to restore confidence and cohesion in the party.

“It is in the light of this that the stakeholders of the Northcentral Zone appeal to the conscience and goodwill of our compatriots in other zones of the Northern region to restore the seat of the chairmanship of the party back to the Northcentral Zone to serve out its tenure.

“That the stakeholders must strive to build consensus to get the buy-in to the position of Northcentral zone.

“The Northcentral is united and will strive to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria.”

The meeting, which was attended by Governor Muftwang, also had former Governors Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Idris Wada (Kogi) in attendance.

Others at the meeting included the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro; incumbent PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); and a former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana.

Also at the meeting were former senators Tunde Ogbeha, Philip Aduda, Suleiman Adokwe, Dino Melaye, Mohammed Onawo and Peter Jiya.

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Similarly, former Ministers, Labaran Maku and Sarah Ochekpe also attended the meeting. Other stakeholders like Simon Mwadkwon, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, Mr. Raymond Dabo, Maika Jiba, and Isa Dobi were also present.

Damagum, who is from Yobe State in the Northeast zone, emerged Acting National Chairman in March 2023 following the exit of Ayu who is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone.

Damagum was the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) before his appointment as Acting National Chairman.

By virtue of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution, he ought to have relinquished the seat for a substantive National Chairman from the Northcentral zone where Ayu hailed from.

The Section reads: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”

Ayu was elected chairman in 2022 for a four-year tenure that should expire in 2026 before his tenure got truncated in 2023.

Several moves by critical organs of the party, including the PDP Governors Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caucus to replace Damagum have been thwarted by the Acting National Chairman, allegedly with the backing of Wike.

Miffed by the development, the PDP Governors Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, had, a few weeks ago, directed the Damagum-led leadership to convene the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting latest by February 2025.

The NEC meeting has suffered four postponements between August and November 2024, as Damagum, who is supposed to convene the meeting has been evasive.

The power to ratify any candidate chosen by the Northcentral zone to replace Damagum is vested only in the NEC.

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Politics

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Trends Admin

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has officially expelled Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairperson of the party in the South-East, following allegations of anti-party activities.

Odefa had been suspended on September 11, 2024, by the ward executives, a move that was later upheld by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki. In its ruling on November 29, 2024, under suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024, the court affirmed the legitimacy of his suspension.

On Wednesday, Onyeka Ovuta, the Acting Chairperson of the PDP in Oguduokwor, announced Odefa’s expulsion in a statement. Ovuta explained that the decision followed recommendations from the party’s disciplinary committee, which confirmed the allegations against Odefa.

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The party announced that Mr Odefa by the virtue of his expulsion, “ceases to be a member of the party.”

Reacting, Mr Odefa laughed off the expulsion, stating that those who announced it were “frustrated charlatans”.

He said the expulsion cannot stand because “it did not take place in the ward but in Abuja”. He said those who made the announcement against him were not ward executives of the party.

“Let them come home come and announce it. Or is our ward now located in Abuja?”

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Politics

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Sylvester Ezeokenwa has been reinstated as the national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ezeokenwa was reinstated by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, December 17.

According to Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, the commission had been served with the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The apex court judgement with the Appeal No. SC/CV/824/2024 APGA & ANOR vs OYE & ORS was delivered on November 27, 2024.

The court ruled that Ezeokenwa should be recognised as the national chairman of the party.

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“In compliance with the judgement of the apex court, the Commission has restored Barr. Ezeokenwa as the Chairman of APGA and restored his name on our website accordingly,” the INEC commissioner said.

He also stated that the reisnstatmemt of the new chairman would automatically lead to the withdrawal of the recognition of Njoku as the national chairman of the party.

The court also upheld an earlier judgement of the appeal which did not confer any enforceable rights on Njoku.

If also awarded N20 million each against the appellaants.