Politics

Why I’m leaving PDP for APC – Gov Umahi

Published

3 years ago

November 11, 2020

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, says he has made up his mind to leave the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Party.

He told the national leadership of the PDP, Uche Secondus in Abuja on Tuesday that the decision was irreversible, adding that he could not continue to stay in a party that would not guarantee presidency for the South-East in 2023.

He said the APC would protect the interest of the South-East in the 2023 elections.

A source at the National Working Committee of the PDP told The Punch that members of the committee, who were led to the meeting tried in vain to convince the governor not to abandon the party.

Apart from Secondus, those that were at the meeting at the Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja were Deputy National Secretary, Agbo Emmanuel; National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu; Financial Secretary, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Women Leader, Mariya Waziri and Senator Sulieman Nazif.

The governor was said to be friendly when he received the PDP delegation, but stuck to his decision to leave the PDP when the issue came up.

It was gathered that the PDP delegation impressed it upon the governor that there was no need leaving the PDP for the APC, which they argued had become unpopular.

Sources at the meeting, however, said the governor was not convinced, insisting that the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.

He was said to have promised to stay in the PDP if the party could make a pronouncement that it would zone the Presidency to the same zone.

One of the sources said, “I think his (governor’s) mind was made up. We told him there was no need for him to abandon the party that had made him a deputy governor, state chairman of the party, two-time governor and all that. But he refused.

“He wanted us to unilaterally zone the office of the Presidency to his area. We cannot do that. Parties are not run that way. He told us he was leaving. That is what we got from him.’’

When contacted, Secondus confirmed that the party’s leadership met with Umahi.

He, however, refused to declared the details of the meeting, insisting that the meeting was on ‘‘national issues.’’

Politics

Tinubu approves APC’s blueprint for total takeover of southeast states

Published

57 mins ago

December 7, 2023

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu approves APC’s blueprint for total takeover of southeast states

National chairman of All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, says President Tinubu has already approved party’s blueprint for political liberation of Southeastern states.

With the newly approved blueprint, Ganduje expressed his optimism that Anambra would become an APC controlled state in 2025.

Ganduje stated this when he received Senator Ifeanyi Uba, Senator Uche Ekwunife and other party stalwarts from Anambra state at the APC, national secretariat in Abuja.

He said, it would be in the best interest of the South-East geo-political zone pushing to produce an occupant of the exalted seat of the presidency to join the APC fold.

He added that, the liberal revolution is starting from Anambra and the party will test its popularity with the citizenry in the South-east geo-political zone with the 2025 Anambra state governorship poll.

“I will like to let you know that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved our blueprint for political liberation of South-east to the APC, he approved the political emancipation and political de-marginalisation of the region,” Ganduje said.

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“Be with one voice because if you speak with one voice, it will be bigger, wider for negotiating the political leadership of this country.

“We will win the next gubernatorial election and will win the National Assembly, the State Assembly, and all other grassroot elections, in Anambra state.

“So what I’m telling you is that the South East geopolitical zone is coming into the national politics and the region will be dominated by APC,” he added.

Meanwhile, Imo state governor and chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma who was at the party secretariat also re-echoed the position of Ganduje.

“It is important that APC as a political party become the vehicle for the South-east region to be fully integrated into the national project.

“Consistent to that, we are going to do our best to make sure that the five states in the South-eastern region are dominated by APC, by endearing our party to the people of the South-east region,” he said.

Other governors in attendance include: Kwara state governor and Chairman Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state and governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state.

Tinubu approves APC’s blueprint for total takeover of southeast states

Politics

2027 election: INEC receives application from 25 new political parties

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2023

Trends Admin

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

2027 election: INEC receives application from 25 new political parties

In Nigeria, 25 political associations have requested to be recognized as political parties ahead of the general elections in 2027.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Public Presentation of the ‘NEEDS Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria’, which was organized by the Kukah Centre and the European Union (EU).

Sam Olumekun, a National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, represented INEC.

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He said: “Despite harsh criticism that INEC has passed through, especially in the last couple of months, we have the National Assembly that emerged from the political parties. There was a time we had many political parties before they were pruned down by legal requirements to 19.

“As at today we have about 25 political associations that have applied that they want to register as political parties. If political parties are not functioning well, why are groups coming up to seek registration as political parties?” Olumekun queried.

Also, Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Senator from Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, said that since the return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria’s political landscape had witnessed significant transformation, which can be attributed to the relentless efforts of various stakeholders and institutions, including Nigerians and political parties.

2027 election: INEC receives application from 25 new political parties

Politics

Save Ondo from being driven into abyss, transmit power to your deputy – PDP urges Akeredolu

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2023

Trends Admin

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa

Save Ondo from being driven into abyss, transmit power your deputy – PDP urges Akeredolu

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, on Tuesday, said the state has been grounded economically by an alleged cabal, which hijacked the government of ailing Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

It, therefore, demanded that Akeredolu should transmit power to his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for governance to save the state from being driven into the abyss.

The state chairman of the PDP, Mr Fatai Adams, who spoke in Akure, claimed that people within and outside of government were taking advantage of Akeredolu’s prolonged absence and were stealing government resources.

However, the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Ade Adetimehin, rubbished the claim, challenging the PDP to name members of the said cabal.

But lamenting Akeredolu’s prolonged absence, the opposition leader said, “We are deeply concerned about the ruinous cost the health challenge of the governor has bestowed upon the state, the most obvious is the emergence of a cabal, largely informal, that has seized every initiative, mindlessly driving our state into penury.

“As we speak, there is no clear leader of government business; the governor remains on his sickbed, the deputy governor is still battling for his political survival, irrespective of President Bola Tinubu’s much-proclaimed intervention and our state continues to wander in darkness. Most disturbing, however, is that our finances are suffering as hard-earned resources of the state are being pilfered by interest groups within and outside government, this is to the detriment of our development and wellbeing.”

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Reiterating the call for transmission of power to the deputy governor, the PDP chairman urged Akeredolu to adopt the advice he gave late former President Umar Yar’Adua and transmit the power, so he could concentrate on taking care of his health.

“Much as we know, our governor is sick or at best recuperating, thus he remains missing in action and our state deserves every attention. This is why the Constitution made provisions for a period like this.

“We wish to remind Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of his admonition to (the late) President Umaru Yar‘Adua when he was ill. He (Akeredolu) said and we quote, ‘No matter how much you love your country, it should not be at the detriment of your health. It is not your party or your wife that will determine whether you are capable of handling state matters; it is only your doctors.’

“It is now crystal clear that Akeredolu’s doctors have since instructed him to stay away from his office and state, this certainly underscores the fact that he is currently not fit to handle state matters. We urge Mr Governor to please use his then advice to the late President Yar’Adua and again transmit power to the deputy governor in the interest of our dear state.”

In a swift reaction, the Ondo APC chairman, Adetimehin, described the PDP as a drowning party, adding that the allegation was baseless.

Adetimehin said, “Adams is my friend but it is always painful to be in the opposition. I could understand his feeling, that is why he is talking for talking sake. Who is the cabal? He should be bold enough to mention them if he knows what he is saying or give evidence. It is mischievous to say the absence of Akeredolu has grounded the state, that a cabal has taken over. I want to tell you that there is no cabal anywhere.

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“Their party is drowning and many of their members have openly decamped to the APC; so he is just talking to be noticed, seeking attention that is not there.”

Also reacting, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Charles Titiloye, said, “This is a lie from politicians to blackmail this government. I can say this government I am serving in, there is no cabal anywhere and if they know one, they should tell the general public, rather than blackmailing the government.”

The PUNCH reports that Akeredolu has been away from the state for months. In June, the governor went abroad for medical treatment. Though he wrote to the state Assembly that he would only be away for 21 days, he later sought an extension and did not return to the country until September – three months later.

Since his return to the country, he has not been in Ondo but in his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State. Amid worry over his absence, the deputy governor battled political survival as the Assembly pushed to remove him from office, following a breakdown in the relationship between the governor and the deputy governor, who was accused of gross misconduct.