By reading this You will be convinced that PDP must loose 2015 Elections at all levels. The conduct of primary elections by political parties in Nigeria has come and gone. But the conflicts, which trailed the exercise, have lingered. While some aggrieved aspirants are either pursuing their cases at the party’s internal appeal panels or in courts, others have decided to defect to other political parties to pursue their political ambitions. The crises are more pronounced in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the two leading political parties in Nigeria. However, there was an increased tension among the aspirants last week because of the deadline set by the country’s electoral body for the conduct of the party’s primary elections. Going by the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2015 general elections, all political parties were expected to have conducted primary elections for their aspirants between October 2, 2014 and December 11, 2014, and resolve all disputes arising from the primaries within the same period. On the contrary, the resolution, of all disputes arising from the primary elections, has proved difficult as some key political figures in both the PDP and the APC have ‘or may have’ settled for defection option. Gemade, Ortom leave PDP for APC in Benue In Benue State, the erstwhile Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom and Senator Barnabas Gemade are among aggrieved PDP aspirants, who have resigned their membership of the party to seek solace elsewhere. The former national chairman of the PDP and an incumbent senator from Benue North East, Gemade withdrew from the race at the last- minute in protest of what he described as irregularities and joined the APC which ticket he clinched in order to retain his seat in the National Assembly. Also last Wednesday, Ortom tendered his resignation letter to his ward chairman of Nzorov in Guma local government area, Felix Agbaka on grounds of overwhelming intimidation and determination from the powers-that-be to use all means to exclude him from the governorship primary election. The former minister, who spoke through his media aide, Tahav Agerzua, said “it was common knowledge that the entire nomination process was fraught with injustice from the beginning when it was obvious that a decision was taken to deliberately disenfranchise the larger number of party members at the ward congresses. He forged ahead with his aspiration within the party in the hope of getting protection which he was promised but eventually could not obtain from the state and national leadership. “Although he had been advised on account of ominous signs to seek an alternative platform, he, however, chose to remain in the party in order not to abandon midstream those within it, who nursed the forlorn expectation that reprieve could still be found within the system.” Ortom, who added that he had no personal grouse against the person who emerged as the candidate and the leaders of the party, however stated that it was imperative to challenge the injustice that had been meted out to him with the objective of subverting the determination of the generality of the Benue people to elect him as their Governor in 2015. Ortom is expected to also join the APC to test his popularity in the general elections. Ewuga may joins APGA In Nasarawa State, the PDP is struggling to manage the fallout of the governorship primary election, which was won by Mr Yusuf Agabi, a former Director in the Niger Delta ministry. Agabi defeated the former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, Senator Solomon Ewuga, a former governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma, a former deputy governor, John Michael Abdul, the incumbent deputy governor, Dameshi Barau Luka, and a former Zamfara State military administrator, Col. Jibrin Bala Yakubu. Labaran Maku, who protested at the primary election, had remained silent. Ewuga is believed to have had meetings with the stakeholders in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). But his aides said the meetings were at the instance of the APGA team, who were bent on mounting pressures on him to join them and get a return ticket to the Senate. Ndoma-Egba agitates, as Otu may join APC In Cross River, there are serious indications that big losers at the just concluded gubernatorial and senatorial primaries may be heading to either the courts or the opposition parties. For instance, speculation is rife that Prince Bassey Otu, the current Senator, who is representing Cross River South Senatorial District, who was beaten by Chief Gershom Bassey, a former chairman of the State’s Water Board Limited and a close friend of Governor Liyel Imoke, has concluded discussion with the leaders of the APC in the state to enable him pursue his second term ambition in the Senate. Sunday Trust gathered that somebody might have bought the APC senatorial form on his behalf. A large crowd of his die-hard supporters organized a protest soon after Otu was defeated by Gershom, denouncing the results of the primary election. But Senator Otu himself told journalists at the venue of the primary election that he would formally declare his next move. The national vice chairman of the APC for South-South, Prince Hilliard Eta had confirmed that Senator Otu, who is popular in the state due to what is described as his large-heartedness, had long been conversing with them. “Senator Otu is a long time friend, who has a progressive spirit like many of us. We do chat over many political and national issues as well as our party, APC. Why not when he comes, we will celebrate him,” Eta said. TheSenate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba whose fourth term aspiration was aborted by Representative John Owan-Enoh, has proceeded to the PDP’s appeal committee to formally reject results of the Cross River Central senatorial district. But Ndoma-Egba’s appeal may face a brick wall as the party and Governor Imoke seem ready to block him out. It is not clear if Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, a member of the House of Representatives, who is representing Odukpani/Calabar Municipality, who was floored by a new entrant Etta Mbora, will either decamp or challenge her defeat. But Kate Henshaw, a popular Nollywood actress, has been advised against challenging her ‘grandfather’, Effiong Ayi, who defeated her to return to the House of Representatives for the fourth time. Akala joins Labour Party in Oyo Barely two hours after the PDP in Oyo State concluded its gubernatorial primary in Ibadan last Monday, where a former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin was picked as the party’s governorship flag bearer in the 2015 general elections, an erstwhile Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who was hitherto a gladiator within the PDP, dumped the party and pitched his tent with the Labour Party (LP). Otunba Alao-Akala explained that the decision was made based on the demand by his teeming supporters to quit the PDP. Last Wednesday, December 10, 2014, at the Labour Party’s gubernatorial primary election held at Olubadan Stadium, Ibadan, Alao-Akala emerged the governorship candidate. Also, one of the leading governorship aspirants of the PDP in Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde has rejected the results of the party’s governorship primary, which was won by the former Senate Leader, Senator Folarin. Engr. Seyi Makinde, while addressing journalists in Ibadan last Tuesday, described the exercise as a sham, saying it negated the PDP Electoral Guideline and the Electoral Act as amended. Rivers: Princewill dumps PDP for Labour Party, as Nwuche loses ticket The former deputy speaker of House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche’s defeat at the PDP’s Rivers south west senatorial district primary election came with a shock wave. Nwuche, who is a strong supporter of Nyesom Wike, lost the seat to an unknown politician in the State, Osinachi Iduozu. Both Iduozu and Nwuche hail from old Ahoada province of the State. But Nwuche’s defeat at the senatorial election was seen as a political witch hunting. Sources from the party told our correspondent that political heavy weights in the party such as Dr Peter Odili were not comfortable with Nwuche. Both Odili and Nwuche had maintained a cat and mouse relationship from the time Nwuche was a deputy speaker of House of Representative. His independent-mindedness, a source said, might have worked against him. The former deputy speaker had stormed out of the venue of the election, alleging irregularities. Hours before the election, held at PDP secretariat along Aba road, Port Harcourt, youths supporting the former deputy speaker had stormed the secretariat, demanding for a level playing field for the contestants. The protesters were, however, prevented from entering the secretariat by armed mobile policemen. The former deputy speaker, who spoke to reporters, said the power brokers in the party were bent on frustrating him because he was not seen as a team player, insisting that his people wanted him to represent them at the senate. He had taken his case to the appeal panel of the party, hoping for justice. The 17 PDP governorship aspirants are up in arms with Nyesom Wike. The governorship aspirants such as Bekinbo Dagogo Jack, Dumo Lulu Briggs, Nemi Walson Jack, Tonye Princewill, Samuel Horsefall and others had boycotted the election on the grouse that Wike had violated the old tradition of sharing political offices in the State and that they were not duly informed about the election and its venue. Most of the aspirants threatened to defect to the APC and work with Governor Ameachi to ensure that Wike did not win the governorship election. Ms Ann Kio Briggs, a Niger Delta right activist, who had been very vociferous on power shift in the State, also called on the aggrieved aspirants to defect to the APC and ensure that Wike did not win the governorship election. Wike appeared to have seen the danger ahead. He had set up a reconciliation committee to reach out to the aggrieved aspirants and bring them back to the fold. But one of the PDP governorship aspirants in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, in his reaction after the election, through Wabiye Idoniboye-Obu, Personal Assistant - Media and Publicity, promised to announce next decision. Princewill said the likely decision after consulting his political associates was to join the Labour Party, APGA or the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM). But yesterday, he announced that he would now be building his future in the Labour party. Lagos PDP guber primary: Obanikoro drags PDP to court In Lagos State, the former Minister of Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro was defeated by Jimi Agbaje, who recently joined the PDP. Obanikoro claimed the election was rigged and vowed to lodge an appeal with the party’s appeal committee. But last Friday, the erstwhile Minister of State for Defence, dragged the PDP before a Federal High court in Abuja over the controversial conduct of the Lagos State governorship primary election. Obanikoro said the move had become imperative as the PDP had failed to act on his petition in which he complained about the anomalies of the primary. Araraume, Ohakim reject Imo PDP guber primary In Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, who lost the PDP governorship election, to the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representative, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, rejected the result. Ihedioha also defeated the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, Chief Martin Agbaso, who recently defected to the PDP from APGA, Senator Chris Anyanwu, and another member of the House of Representatives, who is representing Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency, Mr Bethel Amadi. Ohakim also called for the cancellation of the exercise. Speaking through one of his agents, Chief Orikeze Vitalis Ajumbe, he stated that the exercise was marred by irregularities. Rep. El-Sudi leaves PDP for APC in Taraba A PDP member from Taraba State in the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Tukur El- Sudi, has joined the APC. Kebbi: Aliero joins APC, gets Senate ticket A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Adamu Aliero, has also joined APC and secured a senatorial ticket. In Katsina, Tata dumps PDP to get APGA guber ticket The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Katsina State has endorsed Abdullahi Umar Tsauri as its governorship candidate after losing at the PDP primary election. Popularly called Tata, the aspirant was endorsed during the party’s congress held in Katsina last Thursday.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 06:05:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015