The Eagle Gate

Tag: PDP

  • THE BURNT BRIDGE

    THE BURNT BRIDGE

    By Omololu Ojehomon

    It’s no longer news of the recent happenings in Edo State. Mostly with the attitude and behavior of the deputy Governor Philip Shaibu. For some time now I have held my peace on the matter, but after reading many articles and watching video clips I decided it was time to express myself and provide my view and opinion on it.

    The first test is loyalty and how many of us view it. Everyone believed that Philip Shaibu was loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki. It as also believed that the Governor was not loyal to Oshiomhole and that he betrayed him. I do not share this sentiment and never have. Governor Godwin Obaseki trusted Philip Shaibu to handle the political matters and dealings with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole while they were in the APC. Philip Shaibu misadvised the Governor concerning the Comrade which led to the problems between both men and the eventual exit from the party by the Governor. We all saw how it played out.

    As we all know, Adams and Philip are brothers and anything Philip wanted politically Adams gave it to him, no questions asked. I also know that Adams listened to Philip and hardly finalized any decision without his input. It was strange that Philip claimed to have begged Oshiomhole and he did not agree with him on Governor Obaseki’s matter. Even stranger when he began to make statements publicly against Oshiomhole, perhaps proof of his loyalty to Governor Obaseki and to gain his trust. One thing was sure Philip had a personal agenda that was sinister, wicked, and selfish.

    It is customary that in a merger between the incoming group and the accepting party that all positions are shared, both in government and politically. The balancing in government would have been in all fairness that the deputy governor came from the accepting party, which in turn would have been receptive to harmonization and integration. With Philip Shaibu remaining as the deputy governor, brought anxiety and disapproval to many in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The members did not understand how this could be. It was definitely a difficult position for the governor, perhaps to reward Philip for his assumed loyalty and his need for him to assist handle the political matters. (As the saying goes, ‘it is better to deal with the devil you know than the angel you just met.) It was in the dealings that in conclusion Chief Dan Osi Orbih accepted to the vice Chairman South-South and both sides joined together to unanimously affirm him at a congress held in Port-Harcourt.

    Let’s fast forward. In November 2020 an article surfaced just after the governor was sworn into office, “Philip Shaibu for Governor 2024”. I was thrown by this article and contacted the writer to understand what he meant by it. I quarreled that the governor had just been sworn in and by no means should such an article be put out or even discussed at this time. However, it alerted us to the ambition of the deputy governor which was of great concern to us. We knew that if our intuition was right, it would not take long for Philip to show himself like the proverbial tortoise who named himself ”All-of-you” at the party in the sky forgetting he got there on borrowed feathers. Philip Shaibu swung into action; he got the governor to concede Edo North to him to handle the political matters. He called himself the governor of Edo North and his wife the first lady. Philip’s first agenda was to sideline all PDP members there, he made sure that nothing got to the Leaders of party, he literally grounded the party there, leaving its leaders aggrieved. His wife, Mariam called several meetings in Owan West concerning women where she excluded the PDP women. I was called on several occasions and asked why I was not in such a meeting and why PDP women were not a part of it. Of course I did not know. Finance did not get to the PDP. Philip made promises of financial support to us that till date was not kept. He disregarded us and kept leaders waiting at meetings scheduled by him and never showed. Akoko-Edo and Owan were insignificant to him and treated them as such. He did everything to completely dismantle our structure, but we held on to it knowing that Governor Godwin Obaseki had no hand in it. Everyone known or perceived to be loyal to the Governor were targets and everything was done to see that we were grounded by all means, while being termed betrayers and traitors. It was a brutish experience.

    When he and his wife were disgraced in the first election 2023, for the first time he with tears in his eyes called for meetings in Akoko-Edo and Owan, just to tell us to unleash violence on our people that he was the government, and we had his backing. Pity!

    He failed woefully. He had made himself the godfather unleashed on us in Edo North. We had been choked by this man and his wife. Everything was taken away from us. Any resemblance of development and progress in our areas was thwarted by Philip and diverted to his village.

    Now, when he made the statement to our faces, that he followed the governor to PDP and was not a member of the party on several occasions, and also repeatedly told us that he didn’t need us to win his election, we realized we had a fight on our hands. Yet he enjoyed the office of the DG on our platform. He replaced PDP members for positions with members from the APC or those he felt were loyalty to him like his laundry man and driver and any persons willing to be in servitude to his wife and do anything they were asked, even if it meant killing their mother. He disregarded the PDP leaders and took decisions solely on his own. Things were falling apart.

    When he threatened to leave the party he claimed not to be a member of, for the Labour Party (LP) on Channels television, the entire process failed woefully because the Governor told him firmly that he was not going to be a party to that and was forever grateful to the PDP. Shaibu wanted government and without government he had no value so he remained.

    Today, Philip is found wanting. He has shown his hand by attempting to take over the office of the Governor. The truth has come out. PDP will survive like it always does. We are resilient.

    My advice. Rather than wait for the courts to give judgement on a preemptive basis on a nonexistent matter. RESIGN HONORABLY FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR. Let all end well.

    PDP – Power to the People

    God bless Governor Obaseki

    God bless Edo State

  • THE SINS OF DAN ORBIH: Part One

    THE SINS OF DAN ORBIH: Part One

    • This is a series to highlight the atrocities of a wicked and greedy man

    To political watchers outside Edo state, the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) looks set to take over power from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in September 2020. The crisis in the APC is in every way, irreconcilable. The PDP only needs to conduct a free and fair primary to choose a governorship candidate and that will be all.

    (more…)
  • Olubukola Abubakar Saraki Senate President 2015-2019! The Making of A Successor!

    Olubukola Abubakar Saraki Senate President 2015-2019! The Making of A Successor!

    Nature makes fine gold go through the fire to purify it and make it into finer gold. Any sincere observer of the travails of ‘Oloye’ as he is fondly called will see nothing but an excessive attempt to destroy a man whose destiny is firmly in the hand of his Creator. How does one explain this new set of activities directed at making uncomfortable, embarrassing and harassing the senate president and his family. 

    If the history of the case that went all the way to the Supreme Court in the infamous ICPC trials does not represent a completion of the matter, what do honest Nigerians make of this hasty double jeopardy efforts of the EFCC? Surely, like the previous attempt, this one too will end in disgrace and would only propel Bukola Saraki to higher levels of love from his followers and the conscientious people around. 

    What are Bukola’s sins, save for emerging as Senate President of the 8th Senate in spite of the meddlesomeness of the cabal of APC into what ordinarily is a selection process of peers relying on their rules! Can the handlers of this regime soberly say that he had done anything other than that which is allowed in a multi party democracy, where qualified persons lobby and scheme for positions! 

    There is a falling to which the souls of men must strive to rid themselves, for while the scheming is ongoing, all might scheme, but once one has been favoured, it is ridiculous, incongruous to hold a grudge and elevate same to enmity, an enmity of monstrous bile, induced hatred, which all rightly guided persons must seek to purge themselves of, otherwise eternal damnation awaits the individual who abuses authority! 

    This persecution becomes more offensive given that the senate under Senate President Olubukola Abubakar Saraki has performed better than all others before it in terms of its duties by way of bills, oversight and legislative responsibilities on the side of the country and its citizens! Notwithstanding the attitude of the Buhari-led Executive and the posturing of some of its ministers and agency heads, in true manner of one who understands the higher ideals of leadership, Bukola has ensured that the ship of state is not grounded to a halt, at the same time ensuring that the independence of the Legislature is not trampled upon. 

    The apparatchik of state went into the 2019 elections in Kwara with brazing audacity in a bid to get the people of Kwara to dump their benefactor in such a way that might affect the noble history of that town if care is not taken to ensure outsiders do not dictate the pace of a revered Nigerian state. 

    Again, but for the higher ideals of leadership, which made Oloye take that in his stride, and reason that no Kwaran must die or be maimed because of reactionary agents and enemies of the people, perhaps the story might have really been centred around avoidable chaos and killings. 

    Bukola reasoned like a true leader: maybe Otoge indeed; maybe the people do not want all he does for them, how he promotes their sons and daughters, how he does continuous medical supports to the downtrodden. Perhaps his generosity is no more desired, and while he leads them in love, they may prefer those who care not about them and who would destroy the family bond that all Kwarans have enjoyed from a legacy nurtured and passed on from Olusola Abubakar Saraki senior, which Olubukola Abubakar Saraki junior has, through thick and thin, kept faith with.

    Time will tell if the people of Kwara made the right decision on that day, time will tell boya Otoge abi Kotoge!

    As for the future, behold, I see an effectual door opened before Olubukola Abubakar Saraki, one that will prepare him for succession, for the baton will be passed to the long awaited divine leaders. The belly of time is pregnant, and in full season, the entire world will learn of Olubukola Abubakar Saraki, Senate President of the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the bridge, the urbane, the digital leader, the one that will hold the numerous tribes and tongues of Nigeria together. 

    One only needs to look at the generation holding sway now to know that the clock is ticking and power must change hands now.

    Dear Olubukola Abubakar Saraki, stay strong. This too shall pass, and when the siege is over, you can be sure that the great Rewarder is more than able to perfect all things concerning you and the country Nigeria. Kwarans, if you like, sit idly, while enemies of Kwara plan to destroy your pride.  Rest assured that a larger space, made up of thinking persons see the bright light in your midst. Like it is with prophets of the past eras, he will be honored and supported from far and near!

    Segun Showunmi 

    PDP Ogun State.

  • I have not, will not and will never abandon Atiku – OGD

    I have not, will not and will never abandon Atiku – OGD

    Atiku is different from PDP. I have resigned from PDP and lost interest in partisan politics having put in about 20 years of my life in a thankless process. I will commit my God given resources to help the less privileged through my Foundation and will contribute sharing the body of knowledge through our not for profit Political Academy. That will be a thankful process. I will continue to support the political process in a non partisan manner. I am clear with my position, without any ambiguity.

    There is no need to insinuate, speculate, extrapolate, anticipate or draw conclusions on my behalf. I did not expect such a simple personal decision can generate such national discourse and for that I remain grateful to God. I am however most grateful to all my friends and well wishers. The phones have not stopped ringing. All the advice are well taken. My very deep appreciation.

    Otunba Gbenga Daniels

  • The Uncommon Legislator Sergius Ogun is at it again!

    The Uncommon Legislator Sergius Ogun is at it again!

    • REHABILITATION OF EWOHIMI WATER WORKS BEGINS, COURTESY OF BARR. SERGIUS OGUN

    Barr. Sergius Ogun is a member of the House of Representative for Esan North-East/South-East Constituency elected for a second term on the platform of the PDP.

    In continuance of his good works through his first term Barr. Sergius Ogun has embarked on the project to bring pipe borne water to the people of Ewohimi. 

    The attached photos capture the desilting of the water. 

    In no distant time, the sad tale of the death and dearth of public water supply in Ewohimi Town will be confined to the dustbin of history as Barr. Sergius Oseasochie Ogun is bringing back the good old days of free pipe borne water for all.

    Representation is all about meeting the basic needs of the people.

    Expect much more from the promise-keeping federal lawmaker!

    No dull moments, more positive actions and impacts all the way!

    Team Sergius Ogun

  • The Peoples Mandate 2019: Atiku’s Battle to save our Democracy- Segun Showunmi

    The Peoples Mandate 2019: Atiku’s Battle to save our Democracy- Segun Showunmi

    A time comes in the life of a nation when men of valour have to stand up and be counted at epochal moments to stop the ship of state from either drowning or derailing. The history of mankind is replete with the exploits of great men and women who rose to become something out of nothing and selflessly shaped the future and destiny of their societies. These men and women make all the sacrifices and at the risk of their personal safety and resources take the difficult road to put their nations on the map of development and progress.

    In China, they keep talking about Mao Zedong (Chairman Mao), in Singapore, it is Lee Kuan Yew, and in South Africa, it is Nelson Mandela. But it is not only presidents or leaders of countries who have had this immense impact in shaping the history of their respective nations’ politics and polity. The history of the United States will not be complete without the sacrifices and advocacy of great men like Martin Luther King (Jr.) and Malcolm X, both of whom paid the ultimate price for their conviction. In Nigeria, we have had the benefit of seeing great statesmen like the eloquent Nnamdi Azikwe, the visionary and selfless Ahmadu Bello, the philosopher-statesman, Obafemi Awolowo, the foremost masses advocate, Aminu Kano among several others.

    These great men used different methods and ways to define the destiny of their respective peoples. They put their resources and talents to use in building virile nations that their future generations have always been proud of.  

    The PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has made an immeasurable success out of his life. From lonely, challenging poverty-stricken childhood, he has through a dint of hard work, diligence and grace of God, risen to become a fulfilled father and husband, a celebrated entrepreneur, cheerful philanthropist and a conscientious nation builder. He has however never failed to acknowledge that in addition to his business acumen and sheer brilliancy, it is the Nigerian society that has made it possible for him to excel in all he has laid his hands on. He has therefore over the years insisted that the society must also give upcoming generations the same platform to succeed as well. That was why since 1992 he has sought to serve the country at the highest level of governance. That was why on the February 23 2019, Nigerian voters who had bought into his vision of a properly structured, economically-sound and prosperous nation voted for him en masse before the enemies of the nation changed the result overnight.  

    Those who are cajoling, begging, intimidating, harassing and blackmailing Atiku not to go to court to challenge the curious figures that INEC boss, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, allocated to President Muhammadu Buhari, are indeed not fair to Nigerians. This is because INEC cannot set a rule and break the rule by itself and be allowed to get away with the grave injustice. The most shocking aspect of the electoral malfeasance put together by INEC which must be of significant interest to our learned justices must be the issue of card readers. The INEC boss emphasized that it must be used for accreditation or an entire polling unit will be cancelled. But when he was presented with the evidence that card readers were not used in most of the places they allocated huge numbers to APC, he threw integrity to the wind by seeking to change the rule in the middle of the game. He said the rule on card readers could be by-passed in the case of any ‘circumvention’ of the machines. Circumvention? How? Why? Where? By Who? And who should suffer the consequences of the so-called ‘circumvention of the card readers?

    Secondly, many of the figures reeled out by the inconsistent INEC boss did not add up and even though he promised to provide clarifications after the announcement, he has not done so nearly two weeks after the polls. There is no better way to detect dishonesty.

    While declaring Buhari as the winner, saying he polled a total of 15,191,847 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who scored 11,262,978 votes, Yakubu said 29,364,209 voters were accredited, while the total number of valid votes cast were 27,324,583 with total rejected votes of 1,289,607, putting total votes cast at 28,614,190. This means that a total of 1.6 million people were missing in the voter register, considering the fact that the number of registered voters was over 84 million, while the number of collated voters, according to the INEC chairman, was over 82 million.

    Thirdly, we have seen hundreds of videos which came out of Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, Kano, Katsina Sokoto etc where people gather in strange places and thumb printed massively for the APC. The ballot papers used for the election in these selected places must be subjected to thorough forensic checks. If this is done, it will shock Nigerians that in many cases, one person thumb printed hundreds of ballot papers. Why should such disservice to the electoral process be allowed to stand in the name of a narrow definition of peace? There can’t possibly be any real peace without justice and without real peace; we can’t make progress as a nation.    

    Having budgeted N27 billion for technology alone in the 2018 budget, every right thinking Nigerian interested in the credibility of the electoral process expected INEC to for the purpose of transparency and law, display the card reader details to party agents to show how many voters went through the machines. But they did not and this will continue to be a serious dent on the integrity of the election. The difference between the accredited voters and the votes cast, which came to about 750,000 votes is also very suspicious and INEC has some explanations to make.  The cancellations that took place in PDP strongholds impacting 2.7 million voters are also fraud-laden.

    The people who are mocking Atiku and saying his court case is a wild goose chase are not good students of history. These ignoramuses claim that because no presidential election has either been annulled or upturned in the history of the country, Atiku is wasting his time and energy. But we must inform them that the world does not revolve around Nigeria’s history, after all, we have not practised democracy consistently beyond 20 years. That was why some other obsessive historians said the change of guard of 2015 was impossible because it was unprecedented. The fact that that jinx or myth was broken in 2015 should open the minds of people to the reality of the moment that another jinx could be broken in 2019 even if it means Atiku would be the hero once again. But when this happens, would that be the first time Atiku would be setting records and breaking new grounds in the country’s judiciary? The answer is no.

    It is on record that Atiku insisted on testing the Nigerian law in court when his ambition to run for President in 2007 was threatened by EFCC and other government agencies which sought to disqualify him on account of some phony indictments. Atiku went up to the apex court which agreed with him that it was only the judiciary that could find someone guilty of corruption and also disqualify any aspirant from seeking a political office. The landmark cases he won have been sources of references for scholars, Law students and politicians ever since. Since then no governor or President has been able to use state agencies to stop their political rivals from aspiring for any office of their choice.

    If Nigeria is truly a democratic nation, there is no way such malfeasance should be allowed to stand. It is actually easier and cheaper to operate a monarchical system and let a few households rule forever instead of spending billions of naira and losing lives just to conduct what will end up as a charade.           

    Again, Nigeria will not be the first to annul a badly conducted presidential election as there are precedents seen in Europe and even Africa. Ukraine annulled its presidential elections in 2004 after Victor Yanukovych, who had lost to Victor Yuchchenko after the second round, went to court seeking to annul the results over sundry irregularities.

    In Maldives, the country’s Supreme Court invalidated the results of 2013 first round presidential elections pitting former President Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen against each other. The later had won the election but the court described the poll as a sham which cannot stand in the sight of the law.

    Similarly, the Constitutional Court of Austria ordered a repeat vote after ruling that Austria electoral law was disregarded in 14 of 117 administrative districts in the 2016 election. In the polls, Alexander Van der Bellen had been declared the winner after beating Norbert Hoffer. It also ruled that 77,900 absentee ballots had been improperly counted too early. They ordered a repeat vote to be conducted in October 2016 but it was postponed to December 2016.

    More recently and closer home in Kenya; the Supreme Court in September 2017 nullified reelection of President Uhuru Kenyatta saying the polls were “neither transparent nor verifiable” and blamed the country’s electoral commission for the shortcomings. Kenyatta, the incumbent president, had won a second term by a margin of 9%, defeating his long-term rival, Raila Odinga before the polls were annulled.  

    Now that Atiku Abubakar has chosen a patriotic battle not only to reclaim his mandate but also expand the horizon of the country’s jurisprudence and improve the electoral process, all Nigerians of good conscience must irrespective of political affiliations rally round him and encourage him. Atiku’s ambition is not just to be President and rescue Nigeria from poverty and insecurity but to also place the country on map of civilized, democratic and progressive nations.

  • POLICE PRESS RELEASE – VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS SENSITIVE MATERIALS

    POLICE PRESS RELEASE – VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS SENSITIVE MATERIALS

    AZ:5250/EDS/PRD/VOL.23/212

    19/02/2019

    No. 004

    POLICE PRESS RELEASE

    VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS SENSITIVE MATERIALS

         The Command wishes to inform the general public following the appeal of the Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that the Nigeria Police Force, Heads of other sister security agencies, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) member of the various registered political parties, the branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Benin City met today 19/02/2019 at the CBN for the verification and confirmation of the 2019 General Elections sensitive materials that was safe kept at the CBN office Benin 

         The Commissioner of Police in charge Election duty in the State, CP DanMallam Mohammed Psc, fdc, who had earlier met with all the Heads of other sister security agencies in his office at the Police Headquarters, Benin City where they further brainstorm on 2019 General Elections strategies, moved with the officers to the Central Bank of Nigeria Benin for the verification and confirmation exercise.

         On arrival, the CP and other sister security agencies in company of the members of the registered political parties in the State moved to the office of the branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Benin City, whence all stakeholders moved to the CBN leading Bay room where all the INEC sensitive materials for 2019 General Elections were kept. The materials were inspected, verified and confirmed to be well secured by the CBN, Benin.

          Thereafter, it was unanimously agreed by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Benin, the Commissioner of Police, other Heads of sister security agencies, members of registered political parties and the branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Benin that all the 2019 General Elections sensitive materials would on Thursday 21st February, 2019 leave the CBN for Local Government Areas of the State in readiness for the conduct of the General Elections on Saturday the 23rd February, 2019.    

          Commissioner of Police DanMallam Mohammed Psc, fdc assures the INEC REC and the members of registered political parties the protection of lives and the sensitive materials to the designated areas, stating that adequate security measures have been put in place. The Commander 4 Brigade Headquarters of the Nigeria Army, Benin Brig. Gen. J.O. Omorogbe supporting the Commissioner of Police stated that his men at the various L.G.A in the State will join force with other security agencies in beefing up security where the Election sensitive materials will be kept.        

    DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, Police Public Relations Officer

    FOR: Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command

  • CUPP DECRIES FOUL PLAY BY APC LED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

    CUPP DECRIES FOUL PLAY BY APC LED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

    FROM CUPP

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

    February 19, 2019 at 9 am

    • Buhari orders DSS to arrest INEC Federal Commissioner in charge of Operations today.
    • Buhari planning to sabotage and shift Saturday election with instruction to DSS to massively arrest all INEC top leadership who refused to be compromised. 
    • DSS acting Buhari script to detain Prof. Ibeanu INEC commissioner in charge of operations to give room for his sister Amina Zakari to take charge of operations or emerge acting INEC chairman if Buhari APC succeeds in sabotaging Saturday election and forcing INEC chairman out.

    Buhari is planning to sabotage and shift rescheduled Feb 23rd Saturday Election and have directed DSS invite and detain the Federal Commissioner of INEC in charge of Operations Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu for refusing to help Buhari APC sabotage distribution and compromise of sensitive election materials. 

    The Refusal of INEC to proceed with staggered election during the aborted Feb 16 election which ruined Buhari APC rigging plan is the reason for the new offensive action against INEC to intimidate them into submission. The idea to detain the Federal Commissioner today was on the sole instigation of the former DG of the DSS Lawal Daura who still runs the agency by proxy and convinced Buhari to allow the use of the DSS to clampdown on INEC to force them to do their Bidding or sabotage the rescheduled election and stop it from holding.

    We call on all Nigerians to rise up on against this ongoing leadership abuse and madness which have the potentiality to throw Nigeria into an electoral violence that will enable Buhari execute his lawless order that Security agencies should publicly start killing people under the guise of Ballot box snatching. 

    Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere  CUPP Spokesperson

  • PRESS BRIEFING BY RT. HON. YAKUBU DOGARA, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

    PRESS BRIEFING BY RT. HON. YAKUBU DOGARA, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

    February 18, 2019

    1. This press briefing is to call the attention of well meaning Nigerians and the international community to the incendiary statements made by President Muhammadu Buhari, and Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national caucus of their party, earlier today.  

    2. At the meeting the President said: “Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, may be that would be the last unlawful action you would take. I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life.”

    3. Mr. Oshiomole also claims that the PDP was given prior notice of the postponement of the elections. 

    4. In this context, we categorically deny these false claims and unnecessary blackmail and regard the President’s statement as a call for extra-judicial killings considering the fact that there are adequate provisions in our laws to address electoral offenses. 

    5. These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a full blown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of the land which by his oath of office he is to defend and protect.

    6. Inview of this statement by the president, it is obvious that the military has been given a central role and coopted into the conduct of the election despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process.

    7. It should be noted that our party chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, was the first to call for an inquiry into why the elections were postponed last Saturday.  In reality, we support a genuine and transparent probe into why the presidential and National Assembly elections could not hold. We also hope that the president’s inflammatory statement is not a threat aimed at intimidating the electoral commission. 

    8. We also strongly condemn Mr. Oshiomole’s false, mischievous and inflammatory claims against our party, when he said INEC colluded with PDP to abort last week’s elections. This is a very surprising statement considering the fact  that the Federal government controls every institution and agency involved  in the electoral process, including the CBN, Nigerian Airforce, Aviation authorities amongst others.

    9. From our position, we strongly believe that the deliberate delivery of election materials to the wrong electoral centers, cancellation of flights, and other actions that undermined the logistics arrangement of INEC were deliberately done to sabotage and manipulate the process.

    10.  We are also very familiar with the pressure brought on INEC by top government officials and APC leaders to go ahead with the elections despite not being adequately prepared for the election. We are also aware the APC wanted the INEC chairman to conduct elections in some states and postpone in other states so as to have staggered elections. It should also be noted that the areas that would have been affected by inadequate delivery of materials were PDP strongholds.

    11. It is important to note that  the APC in its usual manipulative style is now shifting the blame on INEC leadership while absolving itself and the other institutions of government under its control of any blame.That is the common strategy that super villains always employ.

    12. Obvioulsy, we know they are doing everything humanly possible to discredit INEC, remove the chairman and stall the process conscious of the fact that they cannot win this election. 

    13. Embarrasingly, this is the first time that we have witnessed a ruling party play victim, which is a clear indication that they have lost the plot. Evidently, their recent actions and statements clearly show they are panicking and desperate to cling onto power, even when the people have rejected them.

    14. Also, opinion polls conducted by the APC, and other international agencies clearly indicate that the APC will lose this election, anytime it is conducted; we believe that is why they are resorting to desperate measures of arm-twisting the electoral commission,  undermining the entire process and planning to unleash terror on the country.

    15. Finally, let it be known that the PDP, with the support of every well meaning Nigerian, will employ every legitimate means to resist  attempts by the APC and the Federal government to undermine and compromise the electoral process and truncate our democracy. 

    16.  The PDP believes in a united and democratic Nigeria and will continue to do all within its means to protect the country, her people and constitution from undemocratic elements. 

    17. We call on all Nigerians not to despair, but turn out en mass on Saturday to vote and defend their votes. We also urge the international community and their observers that are in the country to monitor the election and be vigilant because their presence as impartial arbiters is important in ensuring we have peaceful, credible, free, fair and transparent elections. The security agencies are also enjoined to be impartial and remain loquat to the constitution of the Federal Republic.

    Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker, House of Representives Federal Republic of Nigeria

  • OSHIOMHOLE’S CALL FOR INEC CHAIRMAN’S RESIGNATION: A BLACKENED POT CALLS KETTLE BLACK!

    OSHIOMHOLE’S CALL FOR INEC CHAIRMAN’S RESIGNATION: A BLACKENED POT CALLS KETTLE BLACK!

    In the last couple of days, I’ve battled the urge to join issues with the erstwhile Governor of my home-state, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on his alleged call for the resignation of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. As a well-brought up son of Edo land, and one schooled in the nuances of my culture and tradition that frowns at the unedifying pursuit of hurling insults at elders, I am indeed constrained. But as a Nigerian, a Midwesterner, and one who has in recent past, tasked our (mis)leaders to be more forthright and accountable to our people, it has become too difficult to keep quiet.

    It is no longer news that the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has called for the resignation of the INEC Chairman. Mr. Oshiomhole is not ignorant of the fact that such action will further heat up the polity, while throwing the entire election process into needless disarray, and avoidable crisis. 

    While not defending the inexcusable failings of INEC, and the attendant postponement of last Saturday’s election, I must plead with the perennially loquacious ex-Governor to elevate his pronouncements and diatribes, at least for once! It is shameful that Mr. Oshiomhole of all people should be the one voicing such gross demands. We all don’t have short memories. Barely a few months ago, he superintended over what was generally alleged to be the worst intra-party Election Primaries in recent history; one that prompted no less a person than the wife of the nation’s President (who is the Leader of his party) to chastise him publicly in a 6-paged tweet on her official Twitter handle! To refresh the memory of the diminutive ex-labour leader, Dr. (Mrs) Aisha Buhari berated the self-styled Comrade for duping hundreds of APC aspirants in the Primaries and she wondered why “such impunity could take place under his watch”! 

    It is baffling that Mr. Oshiomhole, who failed to conduct a transparent intra-party selection process within the APC, and whose monumental failure midwifed the largest ‘decamping’ exercise in the nation’s political history, could call for the INEC Chairman’s resignation. It is akin to a charred and blackened, ugly-looking and weather-beaten pot calling a kettle black!  It is on record that Oshiomhole’s monumental failure robbed the APC the chance to field candidates at all levels in both Zamfara and Rivers States! 

    As an Edo man, I am ashamed of the continued, albeit unchecked, boisterous and Mephistophelean disposition of a man who had the rare privilege to be Governor of my home State. All Edos are a proud people with a distinguished heritage that reverberates along concave shores of the world. It beats me: what peculiar strain constitutes the ex Comrade’s DNA?

    My dear Comrade Sir, since the APC continues to harbor and accommodate you as its National Chairman, please do well to remember the proud and dignified mien of the Edo people from whence you supposedly descended. Maybe (Just MAYBE) that will guard and guide your public pronouncements and vituperations going forward. I wish you a more dignifying comportment during the coming elections. 

    Ògbòo Sir.- Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.