PDP fixes date for Kogi, Bayelsa guber primaries ahead of Nov 16 polls
The National
Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commenced
preparation for Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections.
Adeyemi Moyegun,
PDP Deputy Director, Mobilization and Organisations made the announcement on
Sunday.
A terse statement
he signed said the party has approved Tuesday September 3, 2019 for the
gubernatorial primary elections in both Kogi and Bayelsa states.
It added that “The
Ward Congresses to elect the Ad-Hoc Delegates is Scheduled for Thur. Aug. 22,
2019, while LGA Congresses for National Delegates will take place on Mon. Aug.
26, 2019.
“Full time-table
will be released once same is approved by NWC.”
In May, the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced shift
of date for the polls to November 16, from November 2.
According to the
amended timetable and schedule of activities signed by Secretary to the
Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, notice for the elections would be
released on August 17.
Collection of forms
CF001 and CF002 by political parties from INEC has been slated for August 18,
while the conduct of parties primaries would hold from August 18 to September
5.
Also, election
campaign would commence August 18, while October 2 would be the last day for
submission of nomination forms. Political campaigns ends November 14.
Peter Obi, Nuhu Ribadu, others in presidential election tribunal as
hearing begins
The running mate to
the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi is
currently present at the hearing session of the petition filed before
presidential election tribunal against the declaration of President Muhammadu
Buhari as the winner of the 2019 presidential election.
It would be
recalled that Obi ran a joint ticket with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku
Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election.
Also present in the
court is a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, and a commissioner at the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC)
Wole Olanipekun
while moving an objection on the preliminary application filed by President
Buhari on his qualification said the application have been filed and served to
all parties involved in the matter.
But drama ensued
after a counsel who identified himself as Poland standing in for the Hope
Democratic Party announced his appearance over which attracted a vehement
objection to his claim.
However, President
of the Tribunal, Mohammed Lawal Garba further urged all parties involved to
privately sort out the issues of representation.
Garba also
announced that all preliminary applications pending before the court would be
heard on June 13.
Meanwhile, the
tribunal has just gone into the preliminary part of the substantive matter.
Release names of governors diverting LG funds – PDP governors dare
Buhari
The Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has declared that none of its members is
involved in the alleged diversion of funds meant for local government
administration in their states.
While condemning
the suppression of local government through funds diversion, the governors
challenged the Federal Government to publish names of state governors found
culpable.
This was part of
the resolutions made at the first post inauguration meeting of the PDP
Governors Forum held at the Bayelsa State governor’s lodge in Abuja Thursday
night.
Reading the
communique of the marathon meeting on Friday morning, Bayelsa State governor,
Seriake Dickson, the chairman of the forum, said the PDP governors condemned
the issue of local government funds diversion in strong term.
He said, “We dealt
with the allegation of alleged diversion of local government funds by state
governments. And we condemned it in very strong term, we as governors on the
platform of the PDP want to make it clear that no PDP governor is involved in
this allegation of diverting local government funds for whatever purpose.
“In our case, the
reverse is the case. It is the state government that have been supporting and
subsidizing funding for the local government. So we call on the federal
government and agency in charge to name the state governments and tell us the
date and the people who were in charged as the time when this diversion took
place.”
The governors, also
at the meeting, declared their readiness to implement and pay the new N30,000
minimum wage to workers in their states while calling on Federal Government to
review the current revenue sharing formula.
He said the PDP
governors want to do so “to alleviate the plight of the long suffering Nigeria
workers who have been under paid for long. And the workers who are currently
groaning in economic hardship as a result of what has gone wrong with the
economy since the APC government took over.”
Speaking on the
suspension of the operating license of AIT and RayPower FM radio stations by
the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday, the governors condemned the
act and urged the Federal Government to reopen the stations.
“The forum note the
shocking intolerance and act of repression against the media by the federal
government. This evening, as you are aware DAAR Communications we understand
has been closed down. And our position is that due process must be followed.
“If there are any
allegation of infraction, then due processes of the law should take place.
Because when you short down news outlet, when you harass and intimidate
journalists, then you are shutting down Nigerians from speaking their minds.
And in democracy, freedom of expression is cardinal component.
“So we condemn what
has taken place and we urge the federal government and its agency to forthwith,
do what is right. That is reopen the company and follow the due process of the
law,” he said.
The forum also
commended the judiciary for exhibiting uncommon courage and for professionally
discharging their responsibilities under the constitution to adjudicate
dispute, adding that they are doing so under a very difficult time.
The governors
expressed deep concern over the politicisation of the security apparatus in
states by the federal government and its agencies, essentially in states not
controlled by the ruling APC.
While believing
that this is the reason for the widespread insecurity in the country, the
governors resolved to take some of this issues up when they interact with the
President Muhammadu Buhari.
The forum
congratulated the party over an impressive outing in the last general
elections, and congratulated returning and new governors, National and State
assemblies members both outgoing and new, elected on the platform of the PDP.
The meeting had in
attendance all the 16 PDP governors except the Benue State governor, Samuel
Ortom, who was represented by his deputy.
Also in attendance
were the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the party’s BoT
chairman, Senator Jubril Walid, outgoing Senate President Bukola Saraki and his
counterpart in the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
9th Assembly: PDP Reps members speak on endorsing Gbajabiamila for
Speakership
Members of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have debunked
media reports that they had endorsed Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila or any other
candidate for the speakership position for the incoming 9th National Assembly.
The House Minority
Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, in a statement on Thursday, described such reports as
the handiwork of propagandists and mischief-makers, clarifying that PDP
lawmakers had neither endorsed Gbajabiamila nor any other speakership candidate
for that matter.
“In our
Eid-el-Fitri message, we felicitated with all our Muslim brothers and sisters
across Nigeria, and emphasised the significance of worthy virtues, stating that
our members may participate in meetings, strategy sessions and other activities
of speakership aspirants to come back to the caucus with convincing
assessments.
“While some
publications disseminated accurate and objective report, few others fabricated
a completely new angle with one even using a deliberately fictitious and
grossly erroneous headline in a manner that suggests being used for the ruling
party’s usual misinformation and propaganda.
“Contrary to what
has been sensationally reported by some, at no time did we give our members a
directive to vote for any APC speakership aspirant; I hereby categorically
dissociate myself and the PDP House caucus from the false comments being
attributed to us as participation in meetings should not be deliberately
misinterpreted as a directive on voting,” Ogor said.
The minority leader
pointed out that the PDP House caucus has remained solidly united although it
has continued to grant audience to various speakership aspirants who are
currently consulting them.
