Politics
Saraki, Dogara, Kwankwaso, Others Form ‘new APC’, Set To Join PDP
Baring last minute change, the former new PDP bloc of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will announce their exit from the mainstream of the party in preparation to joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Arrowheads of the group include Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Multiple sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the faction will address a press conference later on Wednesday to announce the decision.
The announcement of the formation of what is tagged the ‘new APC’ is said to be the first step in what would lead to a coalition of political parties and interests, to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari.
The faction, comprising some former governors and ranking lawmakers, has been in a tug of war with the APC government.
Some of the nPDP members, including Mr Saraki, former Adamawa governor, Murtala Nyako, and a senator, Dino Melaye, are facing corruption and other charges.
A number of the faction’s chieftains also complained about being left in the cold during the party’s congresses that took place between May and June this year.
Four governors and other ranking PDP members, including Mr Saraki, jettisoned the party in the run off to the 2015 polls, shoving up the chances of the then opposition APC.
But since forming the new government, many fault-lines started emerging, with the elements from the PDP bloc complaining of marginalisation.
A chieftain of APC who has been critical of the Buhari administration, Buba Galadima, confirmed the impending press conference to PREMIUM TIMES.
He, however, declined disclosing details though he did not refute that a new faction of the ruling party was going to be unveiled at the venue.
“I don’t want to preempt it,” Mr Galadima, who was secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mr Buhari’s former party, said.
But a source familiar with the horse-tradings disclosed that the press conference today would herald merger of various blocs ahead of the election.
“There have been discussions and a memorandum of understanding drafted among the interest blocs that would take care of everyone’s interest going into the PDP,” the source said.
According to the source, those going into the new alliance include the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), believed to be backed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Calls placed to spokespersons of Mr Saraki and Dogara Wednesday afternoon where not answered. Text messages sent to both Yusuf Olaniyonu, Mr Saraki’s media aide, and Turaki Hassan, Mr Dogara’s spokesperson, were also not replied.
Mr Kwankwaso’s spokesperson, Binta Spikin, was however unreachable Wednesday afternoon. Calls placed to her known telephone number did not go through.
Politics
Edo PDP opposes suspension of LG bosses by state assembly, says ‘It’s unconstitutional’
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo says the suspension of all the chairpersons and their deputies in the 18 LGAs of the state is “unconstitutional”.
The chairpersons and their deputies were suspended on Tuesday by the Edo state house of assembly for two months over alleged misappropriation of funds.
Blessing Agbebaku, the speaker of the house, said Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, had written a petition to the assembly regarding the chairpersons’ refusal to submit the financial records of their LGs to the state government.
In a statement, Anthony Aziegbemi, chair of the PDP in Edo, said the “illegal” suspension is a disregard to a supreme court decision that affirms the autonomy and independence of local governments.
“How can the governor direct the State Assembly to suspend democratically elected chairmen of the 18 local councils for insubordination when these elected officials enjoy autonomy and independence as enshrined in the constitution and are not subordinates of the governor, the state assembly, or any other arm of government?,” he said.
“We are also aware that the chairmen and their vices were not even given the opportunity to be heard in their detence and were suspended unheard on watery trumped up charges, in total disregard to the constitution.
“We want to restate that the constitution remains supreme, and any attempt to undermine its provisions or disregard the judiciary and its rulings is not only illegal but also a direct attack on democracy and the rule of law.
“The speaker of the Edo state house of assembly and the entire assembly have clearly overstepped their constitutional mandates with this illegal action and we urge them to immediately reverse its decision, in respect to the rule of law and democratic governance.”
Aziegbemi said the suspended officials should report to their councils on Wednesday and carry on with their normal duties.
Also speaking on the issue, Anthony Ehilebo, a PDP chieftain, said Okpebholo has no legal backing to request the financial records of the LGAs.
“In fact, the governor and the assembly members are in contempt of the supreme court,” Ehilebo said when he appeared on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
“The purported suspension of the local government chairmen by the state assembly is as absurd as the president asking the national assembly to suspend state governors because they refused to submit statements of accounts to him.
“This is a witch hunt. The LGA chairmen are all PDP members.”
The lawyer said the suspension “is unknown to law and will be ignored”.
Politics
Ex-sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi resigns from PDP
Bolaji Abdullahi, a former minister of sports and youth development, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He disclosed his intention to resign in a letter dated December 16 and addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Ubadawaki, Kwara state.
Abdullahi confirmed the development to TheCable on Monday.
The ex-minister also said he is yet to decide which political platform to pitch tent with.
“The decision of what to do and where to go will be taken in the future that’s left to God,” he said.
In the resignation letter, Abdullahi said he reached the “difficult” decision after days of reflection and introspection.
“I write to formally resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the letter reads.
“I have had ample time to reflect, and I have come to the difficult conclusion that this is the only tenable option for me at this time.
“Mr. Chairman, please permit me to express, through you, my gratitude to the leadership of the party for the opportunities that I have had to serve the state and the country on its platform, and for the great moments we have shared.”
Abdullahi was the PDP candidate for the Kwara central senatorial district election in 2023. He lost the race to Salihu Mustapha of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Politics
PDP debunks inviting Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has not extended an invitation to former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the presidency on its platform in the 2027 election.
Speaking with BBC Hausa, Ibrahim Abdullahi, deputy spokesperson of the country’s main opposition party, said no ticket has been issued to the former president.
Abdullahi said the party has many eligible people who can contest for the presidency on its platform, adding that a recent interview he granted was interpreted to mean that Jonathan he asked to run on the PDP platform.
“The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true,” he said.
“What happened is this, I had an interview with a journalist where we discussed some issues.
“But in the course of the interview, he mentioned President Jonathan, asking about our opinion of him, because there are reports that he is being urged to run for the presidency.
“I responded by saying that he (Jonathan) is eligible to contest the election, because he is a Nigerian and has the right to do that by the provision of the law, and he still has one more term left.
“So, there is nothing wrong about him contesting the presidential election because he is eligible in the face of the law.”
The deputy spokesperson said the ticket would be given to someone who has shown interest in running for the presidency.
Jonathan, then in the PDP, lost the presidential election to former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
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