Politics

Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

Published

1 week ago

September 16, 2023

Senator Dino Melaye

Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

Sen. Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Nov. 11 governorship election in Kogi, has said that the state would witness a new era when he becomes its governor.

Melaye made the pledge when he received the report of the party’s Policy Drafting Committee for Kogi Governorship election in Abuja on Friday.

He said that when elected as the state governor, he would reform the state civil service, improve infrastructure and create an Independent Kogi Economic Development Commission.

The former national lawmaker also promised to pay full salary to workers, create four new districts and increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue without a tax burden on the poor.

“The civil service in Kogi State will be reformed and we will pay salaries on the 25th of every month. We will also pay full salary.

“Today in Kogi, there is no middle class. It is only the rich and the poor. Those in government are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer,” Melaye lamented.

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The PDP candidate, who accused the state government of diverting funds meant for palliatives to the poor, promised to grant local governments financial autonomy.

“Ten years ago, local government areas in Kogi State were doing projects, rural roads. Today, no local government in Kogi can dig a well.

“Local government have no vehicles, salaries are not paid, some local government secretariats are under lock and key. But we are saying that a new day is coming,” Melaye said.

He promised to harness and commercialise mineral resources, declaring that Kogi was “too blessed to be poor”.

“I brought people from outside Nigeria who did a scientific research and gave me the mineral resources in Kogi. We have 52 mineral resources but only one has been tapped – limestone.

“The rest are just there; we have Uranium. We have the largest deposit of Uranium in Nigeria,” Melaye said.

He said that when elected, he would use the monthly federal allocation for payment of civil salaries, pension, gratuities, promotion, training and retraining, while internally revenue would be used for developmental projects.

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“We are going to raise the revenue without taxing the poor,” he said.

Melaye commended the drafting committee for doing a good job.

“No other party is talking about policy documents apart from the PDP. I have looked at this document, I have read it, it is not only robust, but a solution book and prayer answered,” he said.

The Committee Chairman, Prof. Sam Amadi, said that the policy document with over 100 pages, contain recommendations that would transform Kogi, if implemented.

He said that the policy covers several sectors including education, agriculture, local government administration, technology, communications, tourism and others in line with Melaye’s vision for the state.

“The committee recommended that there must be an Independent Kogi Economic Development Commission.

“When Melaye becomes the governor, we are insisting that the people that will constitute that committee should be above board and should have influence on the activities of the governor.

“The commission should be independent; it should have people with pedigree, integrity, so that when he is going wrong, they will bring him back,” Amadi said.

Kogi’ll witness new era under my administration – Melaye

Politics

Amosun’s men return to APC after 5 years, team up with Abiodun

Published

3 hours ago

September 24, 2023

Trends Admin

Amosun’s men return to APC after 5 years, team up with Abiodun

Loyalists of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun have returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State and teamed up with the Governor Dapo Abiodun’s faction of the ruling party.

The development is coming after about five years of political infighting between Abiodun and Amosun.

They were led into a meeting by a former Chairman of the APC, Derin Adebiyi, whose tenure was dissolved in 2019 by the truncated Adams Oshiomhole-led APC National Working Committee, for alleged anti-party activities.

Our correspondent gathered that the politicians have Amosun’s blessing to return to the ruling party, having left the APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the 2023 governorship election.

Amosun had during the election refused to support Abiodun, as he sponsored Biyi Otegbeye to contest against the incumbent in the ADC.

Abiodun received Amosun’s men at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, on Friday.

The governor said: “I want to congratulate your sense of loyalty to leadership, which I will say is not only commendable, it is enviable.

“This is a culture that we must promote and entrench. It is a culture that is fast eroding; it is a culture that we are fast losing. Loyalty is 100 percent.

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“For some others, they move once things are not working well, but for you, you stay put. This sense of loyalty is worthy of emulation. We must appreciate the fact that there can only be one leader in a party at a time.

“Even when we have ambitions and desires, we must subordinate ourselves 100% to leadership and believe that it is in that subordination that will allow us to flourish and achieve our objectives, our dreams, our desires and aspirations, not by forming factions or by breaking away.

“Because by so doing, it only weakens the fabric of that collective union that we call our party. You must appreciate that there can be only one leader of the party at a time in the state, and that leader is the governor.

“As the leader of the party, I appreciate the task bestowed on me and it is my duty to work towards individual and collective welfare of our members,” the governor noted.

The governor urged all members to put the past behind them and work towards repositioning the party to achieve its aims and work for the socio-economic development of the state.

“Let us the past behind us. Let us promote what unites us as a family. I welcome you back. The future of Ogun State is in your hands and it is for us for the taking. The same joy the father of the prodigal son received his lost son back home, the same way I receive you today.

“To those who did not leave, please let us receive our brothers and sisters back. To those who are joining us, please let us display a sense of loyalty. I can assure you, you will be fully integrated. ”

The State Chairman of APC, Yemi Sanusi, said in every human relationship, there is bound to be disagreement, adding that even in time of war, there is always a place for peaceful settlement of conflict, calling the returnees to fully integrated themselves with other members of the party.

Leader of the returnees, Adebiyi said they have all agreed to return to the mainstream to contribute to the development of the party and the State in general, thanking the governor and the party members for receiving them back.

Amosun’s men return to APC after 5 years, team up with Abiodun

Politics

JUST IN: Benue Governor floors PDP at tribunal, appreciates residents

Published

18 hours ago

September 23, 2023

Trends Admin

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia

JUST IN: Benue Governor floors PDP at tribunal, appreciates residents

The Benue State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi Saturday dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Titus Uba, seeking the nullification of the election of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) had announced Alia winner of the poll with 473,933 votes.

Uba came second with 223,913 votes.

Dissatisfied with the results declared by INEC, the PDP asked the Tribunal to nullify the election of the governor on the grounds of invalid nomination and sponsorship by his party.

But in its verdict on Saturday, the three-man panel chaired by Justice Ibrahim Karayeup held Alia’s election.

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The tribunal held that issues raised by Titus Uba were pre-election matters that ought to have begun at the Federal High Court within the stipulated time frame.

Reacting to the judgment on Saturday, the governor appreciated the people of Benue state for voting for him.

He promised not to let them down.

“Governor Alia rededicates himself to the service of the people and the strengthening of democratic values across the state.

“He appreciates and recognizes the fact that his victory is that of the people to whom sovereignty and power truly belongs.

“He enjoins all and sundry including members of the opposition to put their hands on deck and ensure that the state is moved to very heights of greatness away from the current mess of misery, poverty and maladministration,” the governor said, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Tersoo Kula.

JUST IN: Benue Governor floors PDP at tribunal, appreciates residents

Politics

Breaking: Tribunal upholds Plateau Governor’s election

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2023

Trends Admin

Gov Caleb Mutfwang

Breaking: Tribunal upholds Plateau Governor’s election

The Plateau Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has upheld the election of Caleb Mutfwang.

It dismissed the petition of the All Progressives Congress against Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday.

The Tribunal held that the PDP held valid congress in the state.

The tribunal also held that the issue of nomination and sponsorship of a candidate is a solely pre-election matter.

NAN reports that the APC and its candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda, challenged the declaration of Mutfwang as the winner of the March 18, 2023 poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

On March 20, 2023, the INEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof. Idris Amali, announced Mutfwang as the winner of the poll having scored 525,299 votes, while Yilwatda polled 481,370 votes.

According to the results, the PDP won in 10 local government areas: including Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Lantang North, Langtang South, Riyom, Mikang, Mangu, Jos East, Qua’an Pan and Pokkos.