Politics

In a bid to reclaim South-East, PDP initiates reconciliatory steps

Published

1 year ago

October 17, 2023

In a bid to reclaim South-East, PDP initiates reconciliatory steps

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East zone says it has begun the process of reconciling its aggrieved members that defected to other political parties.

The party said this at its Zonal Meeting in Enugu, pointing out that the measure was part of the efforts initiated to reclaim its position in the zone.

It expressed the hope that the initiative would help to consolidate it support base for the political and historical development of the country.

In a speech, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State urged party leaders and faithful in the region to rise to the task of recovering its lost ground and rebuilding the party to its pre-eminent position in the years past.

Mbah, who is the Leader of the party in the zone, said there was need to rejig the party’s financial, administrative and operational strategies.

He expressed a strong conviction that the party would rise again in the zone.

“As the National Vice Chairman South-East rightly observed, we have shed a lot of weight.

“Today, when you look at other parties, whether it is Labour Party, All Progressives Congress or the New Nigeria Peoples Party, and so on, you are actually talking about PDP members.

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“But providence has placed a lot on us in the history of the party that we now have to steer the affairs of the party and pull it back to its former glory, to that pre-eminent position we have always held in the historical and political development of this country.

“And in doing that, we have a couple of areas we have to look into, such as financial, administrative, and operational strategies to bring us back to pre-eminence.

The governor further said that it was time for the party to begin to craft a strategy on how it could get back to that “pole position” that they had always occupied.

“It means we have to first of all consolidate our support base as a party, and now reach out to our brothers and sisters, who may have felt aggrieved for one reason or the other and left the party to see how we can bring them back,” he said.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the South-East National Vice Chairman of the Party, Chief Ali Odefa, also called on party faithful and leaders in the region to brace to the challenge that would engender the resurgence of the party in the zone and beyond.

“I would implore all of us to know that the fortunes of the party in the last one year have dwindled so badly and the onus is on all of us to see whatever efforts we can put in to make sure that we redeem the past glory of the party,” he said.

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He opined that it was only through the collective efforts of members that the party could return to the enviable height it used to be in the zone.

Odefa, who recalled how PDP used to have five governors in the zone some years back, said “it reduced to four, then three, and one ran away.

“It remained only two and after the last election, we only have one seated with us here – Gov. Mbah.

“But by the grace of God, some of our candidates in other states are in court.

“So, it is our prayers that the one we already have will be retained and the ones that are pursuing their cases in court would win.

“We must do everything to get our party back on the track,” Odefa further said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party and former Senate President, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, has gave assurance that the party would bounce back in the region, given Mbah’s leadership quality.

According to Wabara, nothing will happen to PDP, all these people will come back because this is their home.

“So, I do not want us to be discouraged. Let us continue to have hope and belief in PDP,” he said.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, former governors of Imo, Chief Achike Udenwa and Chief Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu, and Zonal Woman Leader, Ifeyinwa Morah as well as state party chairmen, including Augustine Nnamani of Enugu State.

In a bid to reclaim South-East, PDP initiates reconciliatory steps

(NAN)

Politics

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

Peter Obi and Omoyele Sowore

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, recently shared his reasons for not forming a coalition with Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the same election.

In his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, Sowore asserted that, in his view, Obi is similar to other Nigerian politicians, describing him as “better at packaging.”

Sowore explained that his own journey in politics began long before Obi gained national recognition, emphasizing his dedication to advocating for systemic change in Nigeria.

During the podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, Sowore highlighted his belief in challenging the status quo, which he feels differs significantly from Obi’s approach.

Sowore said, “Before you discovered Peter Obi, I was already running for president. All these shouts about Peter Obi… He just knows how to package. Anyone can do it.

“If I form a coalition with Peter Obi, I will be going against what I have always stood for, which is that I will never support a Nigerian leader who has held any political office — whether at the federal, state, or local level — if I consider them non-performing.

“It’s the same reason I would never have joined hands with Atiku. And the Peter Obi you’re talking about was a vice-presidential candidate to Atiku when I was a presidential candidate in 2019.

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“So, what are we talking about? There is no lesser evil in my book. If you are evil, you are evil. If you are good, you are good. I have a general disdain for non-performance.”

He added that there is no such thing as “emotional attachment” in his dictionary.

“There was a friend of mine who kept saying, he doesn’t care if Peter Obi is Igbo, but that it is the turn of the Igbos. But it is beyond that; I have a natural disdain for poor performance,” he explained.

Sowore insisted that while many may not know it, he knew Obi before and during his time as governor, and he backed him.

“I had always known and supported him and stood against his removal when (Olusegun) Obasanjo wanted to use Andy Ubah to replace him—the twists and turns then.

“However, when Peter Obi finished his term in Anambra, the question I asked him was whether he could send his child to any university he had built in Anambra—he was mute and could not respond.

“I also asked him if he could enter any hospital he built in Anambra, which he governed for eight years, even if it was for the slightest headache—there was also no response.”

Sowore went on to challenge the four anchors or any other Nigerians, saying, “If they can pack their bags and head to Anambra for a vacation.”

PUNCH Online reports that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress recorded 8,794,726 votes in the 2023 presidential election, followed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who secured 6,984,520 votes.

In third place, Labour Party’s Obi garnered 6,101,533 votes, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party secured 1,496,687 votes.

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Politics

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2024

Trends Admin

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

The Arewa Consensus for Jonathan, a political group in the North, has urged former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to enter the 2027 presidential race.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, is widely regarded for his role in fostering democratic growth and his relatively peaceful exit from power after losing the 2015 election.
Despite his exit from politics, his name has remained a focal point in discussions about Nigeria’s future leadership.

The group’s leader, Munir Musa, who made the appeal during a press conference in Bauchi over the weekend, emphasised that Jonathan’s return to office was crucial to addressing Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges.

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He argued that Nigeria, grappling with severe economic downturns and rising security threats, needs a leader with Jonathan’s experience and competence to restore stability.

“The nation is at a crossroads, and we believe that Goodluck Jonathan is the right man to steer us out of the current malaise,” Musa told reporters.

He expressed confidence that Jonathan’s leadership could heal the country’s deepening wounds and usher in a new era of progress.

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

Politics

Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2024

Trends Admin

Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa

Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov

Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural organization, has endorsed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.

Sehinde Arogbofa, a prominent Afenifere leader, announced the support at the Olubaka of Oka land palace, Oba Yusuf Adebori Adeleye.

Arogbofa expressed confidence in Aiyedatiwa’s leadership and encouraged him to follow the values and legacy of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Ondo State’s first governor. “Afenifere stands firmly behind your mandate… Strive to make Ondo State great again,” Arogbofa said.

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Oba Adeleye, speaking on behalf of traditional rulers in Akoko South West Local Government Area, also endorsed Aiyedatiwa, citing his masses-focused policies and the governor’s initiative to allocate five percent of local government funds to traditional institutions as a demonstration of his commitment to their welfare.