The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation cordially invites all elected PDP Governors, Members of PDP National Working Committee, National Assembly Members, PDP NEC Members, Members of PDP Board of Trustees, State Chapters, Former Governors, Former PDP Ministers, PDP Candidates, and Stakeholders to the Lagos State Presidential Campaign Rally scheduled as follows:
DATE: Monday 5th December, 2022
VENUE: Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, LAGOS STATE
TIME: 11 AM
Please endeavor to attend and participate as we join hands with our Presidential Candidate, H.E. Atiku Abubakar , GCON, (Wazirin Adamawa) and Vice Presidential Candidate, H. E. Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa CON, on the journey to Recover Nigeria.
Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR
Director General,
PDP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION
PRESS STATEMENT
TINUBU WON’T SUCCUMB TO ARISE NEWS BLACKMAIL
We find it shocking and downright anomalous that Arise News continues to broadcast the participation of All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its Presidential Town Hall meeting scheduled to hold on 4 December, 2022 despite our earlier statement that our candidate will not be available.
We noticed that Arise News has also been running a campaign on the so-called constitutional duty of the presidential candidates to participate in its debate by dubiously citing section 22 of the Constitution of Nigeria on the obligation of the Mass Media.
While it is trite that the media has clear constitutional duty to hold public office holders accountable to the citizens and its role as the watchdog of the society, there is no part of the Constitution and the section 22 that says a presidential candidate of any political party and least of all, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must participate in Arise News Town Hall event or any media organised event at all.
The same Constitution grants all citizens of Nigeria including, Asiwaju Tinubu the right and freedom of choice and association. The APC Presidential candidate has a right to decide where he goes and events to participate in as he seeks the mandate of Nigerians to be elected as the next President of our country.
We want to make it abundantly clear again that Asiwaju Tinubu will not participate and will not attend the Arise News Town Hall meeting slated for Sunday, 4 December, 2022 and any other ones it may plan before the February 2023 presidential election. We want to stress that Arise News has consistently shown a pattern of bias against Asiwaju Tinubu and we don’t consider the medium as credible and impartial.
The APC Presidential candidate has his own schedule of campaign activities and other engagements within and outside Nigeria. One of such events is his scheduled event for Monday , December 5, 2022 at Chatham House in London where he will speak on Security, Economy and Foreign Policy.
Asiwaju Tinubu travelled to United Kingdom early today (Saturday) for this earlier scheduled engagement. We want to reiterate for the umpteenth time that no amount of blackmail, intimidation and media bully and innuendos by the owner and management of Arise News will change the position our campaign has taken on this matter.
We seize this opportunity to warn our spokesmen and supporters to steer clear of this station over its consistent unprofessionalism and bias against our candidate and party.
Bayo Onanuga
Director, Media & Publicity
APC Presidential Campaign Council
December 3, 2022
NAME GOVERNORS PILFERING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS -WIKE TELLS BUHARI
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has dissociated himself from state governors who dip their hands into local government funds received from the Federation Account.
Governor Wike was reacting to the accusation by President Muhammadu Buhari that governors have continued to deliberately deplete remittances released to various councils in their States.
The Rivers State governor, who spoke at the inauguration of Mgbuosimini Ring and Internal Roads in Rumueme Kingdom of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area on Friday, said the generalisation done by President Buhari was unfair.
The governor stated that since 2015, he has never had any reason to tamper with local government funds. He has therefore urged Mr President as a true leader to tell Nigerians those governors pilfering council funds.
“You said the governors are taking local government funds. I want to say in the name of almighty God, I have never touched local government funds one day.
“I have never and I have no reason to do that. So, Mr. President tell us who are those people. You know them, tell us. It is not good to make class defamation of saying governors. Please, I am not one of those governors.
“So, Mr President, please, spare me, tell Nigerians that the Integrity Governors are not part of them . We have integrity. And do us a favour to announce all those states that they are taking local government money because you have the records.”
Governor Wike emphasised when he was a council chairman under the administration of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili, the governor then never touched their funds, and that is an example he has continued to practice.
He noted that ordinarily, most of the road projects his administration had constructed should have been done by local government councils, but he has never asked any council for partnership to fund any project.
“When I was chairman of local government under Dr. Peter Odili, he never touched one Naira of local government funds. When I was chairman, nobody touched my funds and I see no reason why I will begin to touch other people’s funds.”
Governor Wike informed that his administration has also given optimal consideration to the payment of pension and gratuity. According to him, over N3B (Three Billion Naira) is spent monthly by the State to cater for that concern.
Commenting on the Mgbuosimini roads, Governor Wike said the inauguration event was remarkable because he has always enjoyed over 98% support from the Rumueme kingdom.
“In Rumueme Kingdom, I have always had 98 percent support. And I have told them, there is nothing within my powers that I can do I will not do for them.”
The governor recounted that he had sited Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School, the Judges Quarters, relocated the slaughter from Trans-Amadi to the Rumueme kingdom and elevated the traditional stool to first class status.
“It is the benefit and dividend of democracy. So, you have done well for me. I will never turn my back against you. Rumueme people, God will continue to bless you for all you have done for me in my political career.”
Governor Wike also spoke about the employment into the State civil service soon and assured Rumueme people of filling their quota.
The governor also urged them to extend their support to Peoples Democratic party (PDP) governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara and all senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly candidates of the party in the 2023 election.
Performing the inauguration of Mgbuosimini Ring and Internal Roads, Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom aligned with governor Wike that President Buhari should name the governors misappropriating council funds.
He noted that by delivering such road project to the community, governor Wike has improved the wellbeing of the people.
“Governor Wike, I want to thank you for setting the pace in project execution. God will bless you. Like has been said, the essence of government apart from providing security for life and property, it is to ensure welfare, which you are doing here.”
Governor Ortom mentioned that commissioning of projects is one virtue he learnt from governor Wike. This, he said has helped him to be more visible and seen to be a governor who delivers project too.
“One thing that I can say amongst others that I have learned from my brother, the governor of Rivers State is his commissioning of projects. Because if you don’t do it, your enemies will go out there to say this is the project they have done.
“And this is the blackmail that I faced back home in Benue State until governor Wike told me that look, you have to start commissioning projects.”
Providing the description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works Dr. Alabo Dakorinima George-Kelly said the Mgbuosimini Ring and Internal Roads project is approximately 6km long, has an average width of 7.3 meters and 8km of drains length with 100 millimetre asphaltic thickness.
Dr. George-Kelly emphasised that the roads are built to last for a long time, and offers such benefits of improving the value of property in the area, ease traffic flow and serve as an alternate traffic route for the people.
In his address, Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, George Ariolu recalled that before the roads were reconstructed, most businesses and tenants left the community because of the deplorable condition of the roads. But the situation now, he noted, is a return of a bustling commercial activities and delightful sociocultural life.
Speaking on behalf of the contractor, Ferotex construction company, Mr. Jack Afara, said the roads have been done with highest standard of road construction.
He thanked the Rivers State governor for entrusting the company with the project and several others.
December 2, 2022.
NORTHERN LEADERS REJECT TINUBU, OBI; ADOPT PDP, ATIKU/OKOWA PRESIDENTIAL TICKET AS THE RIGHT TICKET TO SUPPORT IN THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
COMMUNIQUE OF THE MEETING OF NORTHERN LEADERS CONSULTATIVE FORUM HELD AT YAR’ADUA CENTER, ABUJA.
DATED 2ND DECEMBER, 2022
PREAMBLE
The Northern Leaders Consultative Forum, a body comprised of Muslim and Christian leaders across the 19 Northern States and FCT was set up on the 8th October, 2022 with the mandate to consult among all strata of people in Northern Nigeria with a view to identifying the political party to support for the 2023 presidential elections. This was necessitated by the rejection of the same faith Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.
ACTIONS
The Forum set up a Technical Criteria Committee with the mandate to develop a framework and criteria for the assessment of the leading political parties and their presidential candidates and recommend the ticket that represents our religious, ethnic and geographical diversities, capable of bringing about peace, unity, cohesion and inclusiveness.
The Committee has completed its assignment and presented its report to the Forum. The Forum has accordingly adopted the report and hereby issues the following communiqué:
That the four leading political parties that were considered by the Technical Committee for the purpose of this assignment are:
- The All Progressives Congress (APC)
- The New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP)
iii. The Labour Party (LP) and
- The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
DECISIONS
- The NNPP and the Labour Party
- That the presidential tickets of the NNPP and LP are inclusive, representing our religious diversity as a country populated by a dominant population of Muslims and Christians.
- It is however noted that the NNPP and LP have not yet unveiled their Strategic Policy Plan for Nigerians to interrogate. This is less than 3 months to the general elections. And so, it is safe to say that no one except the two parties know the direction in which they intend to take the country. Nigerians cannot go into an election blind folded, especially in view of the myriad of problems bedeviling the nation.
- The NNPP and LP do not have all round grassroots structures required of a political party seeking the highest office in the country. They do not have reasonable presence of its members in positions of governance at national, state and local government levels. The few if any, have only recently decamped to the parties. There seems to be a dearth of experienced hands within their parties to pilot the affairs of state.
- Based on INEC’s final list of candidates for the 2023 elections, the NNPP could not field in all the seats for the office of Governor and House of Representatives while LP could not field in all the candidates at the levels of Governor, National Assembly (Senate and House of representatives) and State Houses of Assembly.
The NNPP and LP do not have the required structures to win the presidential election and even if they win, they cannot be able to smoothly run the government as they will not have the required parliamentary majority to successfully pilot the affairs of government.
- The All progressives Congress (APC)
The APC as we all know has fielded the same faith (Muslim-Muslim) ticket which excludes a large demography of Christians who do not feel represented by the ticket. The APC presidential ticket does not promote inclusiveness, unity, religious harmony and cohesion. A large population of Muslims has also expressed reservations to this ticket and has called for fairness and inclusivity.
Consequently, this ticket is outrightly rejected by the Forum and the Forum hereby calls on all lovers of democracy, peaceful coexistence, unity and religious harmony to reject the ticket in its entirety.
III. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)
- That the PDP presidential ticket is representative of our religious diversity as a people.
- The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar is the only candidate among the candidates of the four leading political parties that has the knowledge and experience of managing the country at the presidential level. This gives him the advantage to set the ball rolling from day one.
- That the PDP presidential candidate has a track record of working harmoniously with all classes of people across religious and ethnic divides.
- That the PDP presidential candidate is a well-known talent hunter who has demonstrated capacity to hunt highly experienced talents across different sectors and bring them into government. This country needs highly talented people at this critical time to pull the country out of the doldrums and bring it back to the path of stability, security and prosperity.
RESOLUSIONS
The Forum therefore adopts the PDP and the Atiku/Okowa Presidential ticket as the right ticket to support in the 2023 presidential elections, as it addresses all the concerns of inclusiveness, fairness and national cohesion.
The Forum recommends for support the Atiku Abubakar/Ifeanyi okowa presidential ticket to all well-meaning Nigerians across the ethnic, sectional and religious diversities, in order to foster unity, peace, development and progress.
Signed:
PROFESSOR DOKNAN DD SHENI, OON
H.E. MUKHTARI SHEHU SHAGARI, CFR
Delta to Buhari: Okowa not among ‘pilfering’ governors
Delta Government on Friday dissociated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa from the allegation by President Muhammadu Buhari that some governors were involved in diverting local government funds.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, at a news conference in Asaba said Okowa’s administration had remained transparent and accountable to the people and would never be counted among governors (if any) that steal local government funds.
He stated that in case the President had information that such pilfering happened in some states, “ the reverse is the case in Delta, where rather than touch the funds of local governments, the governor gives them nothing less than N300 million monthly to augment their salaries and pension bills, and remain afloat’’.
According to Ifeajika, I want to say that Mr President, as one who has all the information about issues in the country, knows the governors who fall into that category of the so-called ‘thieves’ he was referring to.
“We all know that our own Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, does not belong there. He was one of the first governors, if not the first, to embrace local government autonomy when it was agreed on just like he did with the judiciary and the legislature.
“He went as far as getting legislation to grant autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary. He allowed them to run autonomously. And, for a man, who allowed these organs of government to have autonomy, he cannot have anything to do with funds belonging to the local governments.
“I repeat that the government of Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, every month, augments the finances of local governments in the state with more than N300 million to make sure they are able to pay their salaries and stay afloat.
“He does that religiously monthly; so, for a man who does that, how can he be among those who steal local government money?
“Our governor is not part of it. You are also aware that the government of Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa recently released N5 billion for pension arrears; N2.5 billion of that was a grant to the local government for payment of pensions.
“It is a grant to the local government; they are not going to pay. The governor did that because the local governments have to fund their activities, pay their teachers and healthcare workers,” he stated.
Okowa’s spokesman also took a swipe at Deputy President of the Senate and All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate in the state, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, for lying about consulting Governor Okowa on the status of PTI-Eku-Agbor road.
Ifeajika said that Omo-Agege knew that the road was under contract and he knew the contractor who abandoned the road.
“I have told you before that lying is in the DNA of Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege just like it is in the APC. But beyond lies, his utterances obviously smack of malice and mischief.
“In a meeting with CAN members in Sapele some days ago, he told them that he had asked Okowa to furnish him with information about the status of the road from PTI through Agbor.
“I wonder how Omo-Agege, Deputy President of the Senate, would be asking the governor to furnish him with such information when he can easily find out about the road as a federal officer.
“Again, he lied when he said that he was doing that because the contract for that road had been awarded previously. But, if that is the case, all he needed to do was to use his good office to return the contractor to site.
“He said he wanted that information to enable him to put the road contract in NDDC’s budget. So, what happened to the first contract? If a contract was awarded, as a Deltan, all he needed to do was to find out what happened to the first contract.
“Well, Deltans are Deltans and they know the truth. He said N80 billion has been approved for that same project again through NDDC. We have heard him but, until we see the contractor deployed to work, we cannot believe him.
“He said again that because of insecurity, oil companies have left the state, Warri particularly. We all know where insecurity comes from. It is one big thing that the APC administration has given to Nigerians.
“It is their flagship gift to Nigerians, and his comment on insecurity is a great indictment on the Federal Government where he is a big stakeholder,” he stated.
