Wike, supporters ‘ll dump PDP if reconciliation fails, says Jerry Gana – Newstrends
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Wike, supporters ‘ll dump PDP if reconciliation fails, says Jerry Gana

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2 years ago

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Professor Jerry Gana, a former minister of Information

• Fresh talks with Atiku’s camp deadlocked

A key ally of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, hinted yesterday that the governor and his supporters could switch camps ahead of the 2023 elections should the ongoing efforts to reconcile him and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, fail in the end.

Professor Jerry Gana, a former minister of Information said in Port Harcourt, that Wike and his backers “shall tell the people of Nigeria where to go “ if  reconciliation failed.

He spoke on a day fresh talks between representatives of the former vice president and those of Wike broke up without any concrete decision.

“We want to assure you that the problems we have in the PDP we shall resolve them. And if they are not resolved, this leader here, the governor together with all of us, we shall tell the people of Nigeria where to go,” Gana said while flagging off    the construction of a  flyover at the Mgbuoba, Ozuoba -Ada George Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

Gana said  PDP chapters in the North Central zone stood behind Wike to pick the presidential ticket of the party during the May primary in Abuja.

He said: “When I came earlier this year before we had our party primaries  on behalf of our people from North Central Nigeria, I asked you whether you could confirm the rumour we heard that one of your illustrious sons was preparing to preside over the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“You answered in the affirmative and we assured you then that if you came out we would support you solidly. I am to confirm that we stood by your son and our people delivered.

He said: “When I came earlier this year before we had our party primaries  on behalf of our people from North Central Nigeria, I asked you whether you could confirm the rumour we heard that one of your illustrious sons was preparing to preside over the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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“You answered in the affirmative and we assured you then that if you came out we would support you solidly. I am to confirm that we stood by your son and our people delivered.

He said Wike was raising the status of Port Harcourt to  become an enduring investment destination and home for many because of the prevailing peace.

He said: “We love your son. He is a wonderful leader of truth. The man stands for justice, for equity, for goodness and we love him so much because he is also performing.

“He is delivering development projects for the people of Rivers State. In fact, we are very jealous that you have such a wonderful governor. One of the good things of the governor is that you have enjoyed peace and security under him.”

The  resolution of the two month face-off between Alhaji Atiku and Governor Wike appears not to be in sight after their latest peace talks broke up yesterday in Port Harcourt without any concrete decision.

The two sides merely agreed to advance discussions after about four hours of meeting behind closed doors.

Sources said the representatives of the two gladiators failed to sort out their differences.

From the Atiku camp at yesterday’s meeting were Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; former minister Adamu Waziri and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) PDP governorship candidate in the last election in Ondo State.

Wike was represented by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; former governor of Cross River State,Mr. Donald Duke; former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and former governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Speaking to reporters at the end of the meeting,  Fintiri, said that talks were ongoing to achieve desired objectives.

He claimed that Nigerians were waiting patiently for the PDP to clinch power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.

He urged PDP supporters  to be patient saying  the committee would broker peace, unify the party and Nigerians.

He said: “We are aware that Nigerians are anxious and waiting for PDP to take over government in 2023. We have met as leaders, members of the same political family and we have opened discussion, work is in progress and we will continue.

“At the end of the day, we will broker peace and we will unify the party and Nigerians”.

Also speaking, Dr. Mimiko, said soon, unity would be restored in the party.

Mimiko, hinted that the committee would meet again to further deliberate on issues that needed to be addressed.

He said: “We have agreed that there is need for us to enhance unity within our party. This is a reconciliation process.There are some issues out there which need further deliberation when the committees meet again.”

Members of the committee were said to have later met with Wike at his private residence in Rumueprikom.

Only 24 hours before yesterday’s meeting,Wike threw a fresh jab at  those he said “are there in Abuja following their candidate to Adamawa.”

He then asked: “Is that where you win the votes?”

Adamawa is the home state of Alhaji Atiku.

He said: “I’m not a son to anybody,I’m a son of Rivers State and I’ll do what interests and benefits Rivers State.

“We’re here in Rivers State bringing in people from other parties to join PDP.

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“Some people stay in Abuja, ask them how many people they brought into the party. How many people have you brought in to support your candidate?”

And speaking at the flagging  off of the 12th flyover in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike vowed to deal with persons irrespective of their party affiliations plotting to destabilise the state.

He spoke against the backdrop of the shut down of a hotel,a bar, and a filling station belonging to some PDP stalwarts in the state.

But Wike stressed that his administration had invested hugely in achieving the prevailing peace, and would not tolerate attempts to return the state to the dark days of insecurity.

He said: “Now, let me tell anyone who cares to listen, whether you’re in PDP, APC, you’re in SDP, you’re in Accord or any other party, if I catch you trying to breach the security in this state, you’ll go in for it.

“I will not allow anybody to destabilise this state. We have suffered insecurity and God has helped us together with security agencies to maintain peace. For me, whether it is true or not, I must make sure that I take action.”

Wike said, sadly most people did not take the warning issued in his last state broadcast seriously.

The governor said he earlier warned that any hotel or event centre where criminals, cultists  were allowed to gather to plot the breach of peace would be demolished.

He said: “So, if you know they’re using your hotel, or they’re using your drinking joint as where they’ll be holding meetings, think twice now.

“There is no amount of propaganda, if you like go to social media that they’re clamping down on you, that’s your business. I will not allow anybody to destabilise this state, because we have suffered insecurity and we have spent money.

“You can’t begin to arrange for cultists to meet in your event centres, or in your hotels. Pray that I don’t have any hint about that, if I do, I will bring down your hotel, I will bring down the event centre and I will arrest those people found there and I will prosecute them, heaven would not fall.”

The governor said it was not in doubt that Rivers was presently the only  state  that the PDP  was sure of delivering its gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 election.

He said: “This is because Rivers people are already at home with the PDP and its commitment to the development of the state.

“That is why we are proud to say this is the only state, for now  that PDP can be sure of returning its governorship candidate as governor.”

He explained that one of the reasons why the PDP was delighted to have chosen, Mr. Siminalaye Fubara, as its governorship candidate, was because he knew what was going on in government.

“Because you must be part of the system to understand the system to continue from where we are going to stop. Not people who just have the idea of wanting to be governor because they want to syphon our money. Thank God that we didn’t give them the ticket,” he said.

The Nation

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

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3 days ago

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April 30, 2024

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

The Senate broke into a rowdy session on Tuesday after three senators engaged in a heated argument over arrangement of seats.

Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe Central, and Sahabi Yau, senator representing Zamfara North, expressed displeasure over the seats assigned to them.

They complained to Opeyemi Bamidele, the majority leader.

The Senate is currently using its refurbished chamber, two years after renovation began on it.

According to the standing rules of the upper legislative chamber, senators should sit in order of rank.

The Easter and Sallah recess was postponed to accommodate the completion of the renovation of both chambers of the national assembly.

However, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio read his welcome address, the heated argument among the three senators began.

It was learnt that Goje and Yau, sitting on the second row on the right side of the aisle, did not like the seats allocated to them by the senate committee on services.

Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, is chair of the senate services committee.

The four-term senators subsequently insisted that they should have been assigned seats on the front row on the extreme right — opposite the row of the majority leader and the deputy senate president.

After the argument, Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano South, called for a “point of order” which was ignored.

Thereafter, Bamidele moved a motion for a closed-session.

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

Published

3 days ago

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April 30, 2024

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says members of the opposition are trying to discredit the Bola Tinubu-led administration in their desperation for Aso Rock in 2027.
He however declares that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027.

Ganduje said the administration of President Tinubu had been contending with accumulation of many years of neglect, policy summersaults and other disjointed decisions by previous administrations.

The APC national chairman gave the position while addressing supporters and support groups at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

Ganduje urged the APC supporters and groups to be committed to the party so that it could continue to forge ahead.

He said the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its chieftains were afraid, having been defeated in the last general election and already foreseeing another defeat.

Ganduje said the NNPP elements were now engaged in a propaganda campaign against the leadership of APC.

He said, “They are so afraid because we are consolidating. They are so afraid all over the country because we are receiving new entrants into our party. That is creating fears in their minds.

“They are already eyeing 2027, but at that time, there is no vacancy. Only our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will, Insha Allah, continue as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Ganduje claimed the leadership of NNPP and its chieftains in Kano State were sponsoring protests and campaigning for his removal as APC national chairman.

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Another PDP bigwig dumps party

Published

4 days ago

on

April 29, 2024

By

Dr Cosmos Ndukwe

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, one of the key opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidates for 2023, has resigned from the party.

This is stated in a letter written by the former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly to the Chairman of his Item C Ward in Bende Local Government Area, which was copied to the party’s State Chairman, Hon. Asiforo Okere, and the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The former Chief of Staff to the Governor and Commissioner for Works under ex-Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu claimed “personal reasons, current commitments, and aspirations” in his decision to leave the PDP.

He praised the party for providing him with the opportunity to enter the political spotlight and wished it success in the state.

The letter posted on his Facebook page on Monday morning read, “I hope this letter finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I compose this correspondence to tender my resignation as a member and stakeholder in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State, effective immediately.

“My decision to resign as a member within the party stems from personal reasons and reflections on my current commitments and aspirations.

“After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that potting out of PDP is the best course of action for me at this time.

“I am immensely grateful for the opportunities that the PDP has afforded me during my tenure as a Councillor, Deputy Chairman Local Government, Chief of Staff to Executive Governor of Abia State, Deputy Speaker Abia 6th House of Assembly and Presidential Aspirant PDP 2023.

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“Serving within the party has been a privilege, and I have valued the relationships I have built with fellow members, as well as the chance to contribute to the party’s objectives and ideals.

” I want to express my appreciation to you, the Ward Executive Committee, and all members of the PDP Abia State for the support and camaraderie extended to me throughout my association with the party.

“While I may be stepping away from my formal role, I remain committed to the principles of democracy and the progress of our great state Abia.

“Please consider this letter as my formal resignation from all duties and responsibilities associated with my position as a member and stakeholder in the PDP Abia State.

“I wish the PDP Abia State continued success in all its endeavors, and I extend my best wishes for the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and experiences.”

The former Deputy Speaker had in an introductory post to the letter written:

“Good morning friends and well wishers. In life, we all have the past. We all made choices that maybe, weren’t the best ones. None of us is completely a saint,
but we all get a fresh start some day.

“Eccl 3:1-5 summary is on time for everything. To me, this is time to leave PDP family. I am potting out for good, new destination to be announced soon.

“My letter has started its journey to the ward chairman, LG chairman, State Chairman and Ag National chairman”.

Platinumpost reports that, the PDP has been hit by the wind of resignation following the exit of former Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and over 20 key members of the party in Imo State including a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), and zonal officers.

Although the supremacy tussle between former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, is believed to be at the centre of crisis rocking the PDP, funding by Vanguard show that Ndukwe may be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to assist his kinsman, and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

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