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PDP Sets Thursday to Screen Presidential Aspirants

Published

5 years ago

September 18, 2018

Eric

The Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees panel set up to discuss the possibility of having a consensus presidential candidate among the aspirants will meet with them (the aspirants) and also screen them on Thursday, The Punch reports.

The 12-man panel, which is headed by Senator Walid Jibrin, is expected to first meet in the morning of Thursday before inviting the aspirants for the screening.

Authoritative sources within the board told The Punch in Abuja on Monday that all the 13 presidential aspirants had been contacted for the screening.

The aspirants are a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso; and a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa.

Others said to have been invited are President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; a former President of the Senate, David Mark; a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki (SAN); a former Governor of Plateau State, Jona Jang; and a former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi.

Others expected at the meeting are a former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed and Usifo Stanley.

It was gathered that the aspirants would be persuaded to have meetings among themselves and see if they could agree on a consensus candidate.

Jubril, who will chair the meeting, confirmed to our correspondent that the board would meet with the aspirants.

“We will meet them on Thursday in Abuja, but I will not tell you the location.

“We are talking with the aspirants and I have hope that they will all work together for the progress of our party which will make us win the presidential election in 2019,” he said.

It was gathered that the aspirants had, however, made up their mind not to drop their ambition.

A member of the BoT said that the aspirants “do not want to hear anything about consensus or stepping down for anybody at all.”

But another board member said that the aspirants could still strike a deal among themselves before the October 5 and 6 dates for the presidential convention.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that the PDP is looking for a presidential candidate that will be able to deflate the support base of President Muhammadu Buhari in the northern part of the country.

A member of the National Working Committee of the party, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the party would prefer a candidate that would break Buhari’s popularity in the north.

He said, “We are praying to have a candidate that will be loved by the entire country; a nationalist, who will see the entire country as his base.

“We also want a candidate that is loved by the north, where we have zoned the ticket to. We need someone that can break the support base of President Buhari. That is just it.”

The Punch

Featured

Peter Obi Playing ‘Wicked, Dangerous Politics’, Nnamani Laments Loss of Senatorial Seat

Published

38 seconds ago

March 20, 2023

Eric

The senator representing Enugu East in the National Assembly, Chimaroke Nnamani, on Monday said the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, had “set the Igbo political trajectory 24 years back”.

The senator who lost his senatorial return bid to the Labour Party’s candidate, Kelvin Chukwu, the sibling of the slain candidate, Oyibo Chukwu, on Sunday evening, also accused Obi of playing wicked and dangerous politics.

Nnamani made this known via his official Twitter account (@ChimarokeNnamani) on Monday.

He said, “Peter “Gringory” Obi has set the Igbo political trajectory 24 years back. He has become a twin Blight & Scourge on the Land. His devious Opium served to Christians within sections of Nigeria and to Igbo domiciled in different sections of Nigeria is wicked and dangerous.”

The PUNCH reports that the LP candidate had polled 69,136 votes to defeat Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 48,701 votes.

The former governor of Enugu State had been caught in a web of controversy by endorsing the candidacy of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress who later emerged as the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, against the candidacy of the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar.

Though Nnamani was suspended by the leadership of the PDP, the former governor insisted that he was still a member of the party and dragged the PDP, national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and other officials of the party to court.

Featured

Festus Keyamo, Others Condemn Bayo Onanuga for Toxic Anti-Igbo Slur

Published

8 hours ago

March 20, 2023

Eric

Spokesperson of the Bola Tinubu presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo has knocked Bayo Onanuga for making vile remarks against Nigerians of Igbo descent.

“No one should ever rile a whole tribe & this applies to all sides – North/South/East/West in Nigeria’s politics,” the lawyer tweeted to school Mr Onanuga to be respectful of other ethnic groups.

Popular political pundit Kayode Ogundamisi, in a similar manner, excoriated the president-elect’s aide for stooping low to make the toxic anti-Igbo comment that could further fan the embers of ethnic strife already bedevilling the nation and push it to the verge of a civil war.

“Egbon this tweet is beneath you o! Considering you may also likely be holding a position in the incoming government of BAT,” Mr Ogundamisi wrote on Twitter. “When the other side of your political divide are going low, you shouldn’t be going lower. O wrong o,” he said to correct Mr Onanuga.

On Saturday evening, Mr Onanuga tweeted: “Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027. Lagos is like Anambra, Imo, any Nigerian state. It is not No Man’s Land, not Federal Capital Territory. It is Yoruba land. Mind your business.”

Mr Onanuga’s bigoted tweet and the brazenness to pin it to his profile have renewed worries among Nigerians who believe the president-elect, an advocate of national coherence after his election victory last month, should not be surrounded by persons who are intolerant of other ethnic groups.

Source: Peoples Gazette

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Guber Polls: INEC Declares Sanwo-Olu, Makinde, Abiodun, AbdulRazaq, Buni, Others Winners

Published

9 hours ago

March 20, 2023

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) the winners of Saturday’s governorship election.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno; Dr Dikko Radda of the Katsina State All Progressives Congress and his counterpart in Jigawa State, Namadi Dammodi, emerged as the governors-elect.

The APC candidate in the Sokoto State governorship election, Ahmad Sokoto, similarly emerged as the governor-elect in the state, while Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum was set for victory having won the 22 local government areas declared so far in the state on Sunday.

There were also strong indications that the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, would be re-elected as he emerged victorious in 14 out of the 19 LGAs results declared as of 10.21 pm on Sunday, while his closest rival, Sadique Abubakar of the APC won five local government areas.

Similarly, the APC candidate in Benue, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia, is currently leading his opponents in the results so far declared by the electoral commission.

Makinde of the PDP was declared the winner of the governorship poll in Oyo State after scoring 563,756 votes to beat his closest rival, Teslim Folarin of the All Progressive Congress scored 256,685 votes.

Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord Party scored 38,357 votes. Makinde, in an interview with newsmen, shortly after he won re-election said he was overwhelmed by the show of love showered on him by the people of the state.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said the governor was joined by his wife, Tamunominimin and flanked by family members, friends and associates while celebrating the victory at his residence located in the Ikolaba area of Ibadan.

He thanked the good people of the state for the the confidence reposed in his administration and his ability to lead them.

Makinde speaks Makinde said, “The incoming administration which is tagged Omituntun 2.0, is a film that will be a lot better, sweeter and more effective when compared to Omituntun 1.0.

“Right now, I am just overwhelmed. I want to thank the good people of the state for the confidence they have reposed in this administration and my ability to lead them.’’

Governor Abiodun secured a second term in office after polling 276,298 votes to defeat his PDP opponent, Oladipupo Adebutu, who scored 262,383 votes and 12 other candidates.

The returning officer of the governorship election in Ogun State, Prof. Kayode Adebowale declared Abiodun at the collation centre of the commission in the state.

According to him, the total number of registered voters 2,688,305, while accredited voters were 666,406.

Adebowale said a total of 645,133 votes were valid while 18,835 votes were rejected out of the 663,968 total votes cast.

Sanwo-Olu was re-elected as he has polled the highest number of votes in the governorship election held on Saturday. The results were announced on Sunday at INEC’s collation centre in Yaba, Lagos.

The governor was declared winner with 762,134 votes while his closest rival, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party, polled 312,329 votes. The candidate of the PDP, Olajide Adediran, came third with 62,449 votes.

The Punch