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Nigeria sinking in deep hole under Tinubu – PDP *Corruption now official anthem
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, accused President Bola Tinubu of fiddling with irrelevant and personal issues that have nothing to do with the welfare of Nigeria – the major reason it is currently sinking deeper into bottomless pit.
Rising from its 99th National Executive (NEC) meeting the party specifically accused the President of being the cause of the increasing banditry, kidnapping and other acts of terrorism in parts of the country apart from the faltering economy due to his clueless and nonchalant attitude to national affairs.
Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman, who presented the position of the party after the meeting, while bemoaning what he called the sorry and melancholic state of affairs of the country, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) government Tinubu is currently leading of irredeemably exploitative, insensitive and anti-people.
Condemning the government for the worsening insecurity, the wanton killings and the violence against the people, he said: “NEC abhors the banditry, kidnapping, marauding of communities and other acts of terrorism in various parts of our country emboldened by President Tinubu’s apparent negligence and abdication of his constitutional duties to ensure safety and security of his citizens.
‘’NEC also laments the worsening economic hardship and extreme poverty in the country occasioned by the ill-advised and ill-implemented policies of the Tinubu administration hike in fuel price wanton increase in electricity tariff multiple taxes and unexplained charges on services resulting in collapse of productive sector closure of millions of businesses massive loss of jobs rise in criminality and general sense of misery across the country
‘’NEC also condemns the policy inconsistency wholesale corruption massive treasury looting budget padding and diversion of public funds that forbid the administration resulting in infrastructure retrogression and loss of investors’ confidence in our system.
“NEC restates the PDP demand that this administration should rescind all its anti-people policies and take practical steps to address the insecurity and economic recession in the country.
“Furthermore, NEC stands in firm resistance to the sinister plot by the Tinubu-led APC to turn Nigeria into a one-party totalitarian state as evident in the desperate attempts to strip and annihilate opposition parties through open-stitch threats and intimidation of opposition figures and institutions of democracy in Nigeria. It is clear that this plot is born out of APC’s mortal fear of inevitable defeat in 2027 due to its dismal failure in government.”
Regarding the state of the party, Damagun said: “NEC restates our party’s belief in democracy, the rule of law and the supremacy of the will of the people as expressed through their free and unhindered democratic participation into multi-party politics and governance.
‘’The successful convening of the 99th NEC meeting clearly communicates our party’s unity and focus despite challenges. NEC also received and ratified the composition of the committee on the zoning of national offices ahead of the national convention.
“The members of these zoning committees are Governor Duoye Diri, Chairman Governor Dauda Lawal, Vice-Chairman and Kaleb Mutfwang, Secretary. That is the zoning committee. The members of the National Convention Committee are Governor Amadu Fintiri, Chairman, Governor Ademola Adeleke, Vice-Chairman and Governor Peter Mbah, Secretary.
“NEC also received the resolution of the South-East General Executive with regard to the issue of the National Secretary, and to be considered and deliberated upon in the next NEC which is slated for June 30
“NEC reassures Nigerians that PDP remains strong resilient united and determined now more than ever before in leading the charge to rescue our nation from the vicious grip of APC administration.”
Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), while extolling members for the success of the meeting, said: “The journey of our party has been long, sometimes turbulent, but always deeply rooted in our collective aspirations for a united, democratic and prosperous Nigeria.
‘’While we have faced internal and external challenges, and in most cases self-inflicted challenges, we have also witnessed our enduring strength, the strength of our ideals, the resilience of our supporters, and the loyalty of millions of Nigerians as we also see today in the PDP as the most credible platform for national transformation.”
Bala Mohammed, Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, while speaking on their behalf, stated: “As governors, we have gone through a lot. This dispensation is a different one under the present administration. There are so many booby traps, innuendos, political movements that have been done.
‘’Today, we have been bombarded by the issue of coalition, defection, a gale of defection that is even affecting some of our members. Our members are standing strong and resolute. There is no intimidation that we are not going through. There is no caressing or cajoling that members and elected governors are not going through if you ask anyone of them. But certainly, we are resolute. We will not abandon the mandate. And that is why you can see us here together.
Yes, we wish well for those who have left. But we believe this is not the first time people left PDP and came back. I’m sure they will come back.”
Though some prominent leaders of the party like former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and David Mark were absent, the party however recorded huge attendance with Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Ahmed Fintri (Adamawa States), while Peter Mbah of Enugu was represented by his Deputy.
Others were former Governors Mohammed Ahmed Maikarfi (Kaduna), Dr Achijke Udenwa (Imo), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Senator Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Dr Samuel Ortom (Benue), Bukola Saraki and Senator Adolphus Wabara, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Damagum, Jerry Gana, Olabode George, Tom Ikimi, Eddy Olafeso and immediate past National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondinya.
Equally present were Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Emma Ogidi, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Chief Mike Oghiadome, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, High Chief Ben Obi, Barrister Emmanuel Eno Iden, Mr Philip Salau, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, Prof Wale Oladipo, and Chief Alli Odefa.
Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Zainab Kure, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, Amb Aminu Wali, Senator Abdul Ningi and Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, SAN among others.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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