Nigerian Newspapers
PDM’s emergence: In whose interest?
The registration of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), without any iota of doubt, has changed the political calculation toward the 2015 general elections.
Prior to the registration of the party, many must have concluded that 2015 elections would be a straight fight between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the product of the merger of major opposition parties – Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).
That thought must have, however, been proved wrong by the entrance of PDM. Speaking shortly after his party’s registration, PDM’s interim national chairman, Bashir Yusuf, said that with the registration of PDM, politics in Nigeria will not remain the same again. His words: “The registration of PDM is a good development. Politics in Nigeria will never be the same again.
PDM is the real alternative Nigerians have been waiting for because I have no doubt in my mind that it will change the present decadent order and try to fix Nigeria for all of us, not for sections, religion or tribes but for all of us.”
Before it was registered as a politi-cal party, PDM was a respected political group in Nigeria. Founded by one time Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, it was instrumental to the emergence of late Bashorun MKO Abiola as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) flag bearer for the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Despite the annulment of the June 12 election, PDM became too visible for any student of politics and power game not to note.
A great blow was dealt on the group when its leader, Shehu Yar’Adua was sentenced to life imprisonment by a military tribunal in 1995. He later died in captivity on December 8, 1997. After Yar’Adua’s death, PDM leadership fell on the shoulder of one of his lieutenant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The political structure later grew in strength and most of the leading members of PDM were the founding members of the PDP in 1998 in preparation for the present Fourth Republic.
Prior to the 1999 general election, former Head of State, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was backed by PDM as PDP flagbearer. The backing was given as a compensation to the Yoruba over the death of Bashorun MKO Abiola.
Indeed PDM was reputed to have provided the platform upon which Obasanjo rode to power in May 29, 1999 with Atiku Abubakar as his running mate. The group later became a strong caucus within the PDP. PDM also provided a solid platform for Obasanjo and Atiku to return for a second term in 2003. In the middle of their second term in office, Obasanjo and Atiku parted ways, particularly over Abubakar’s quest to succeed his boss.
The tussles between the two gladiators divided PDM members into two camps. Majority of the founding members of PDM were loyal to Obasanjo and remained in PDP while some defected to Action Congress (AC) with Abubakar. However, despite flying the AC presidential flag he came a distant third in the election.
During the 2007 elections, Obasanjo against all odds, influenced the emergence of Shehu Yar’Adua’s younger brother, Alhaji Umaru Yar’adua, not only as PDP presidential candidate but also as eventual winner of the general election, thus succeeding him. Yar’Adua later died in office in May 5, 2010 and his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, took over.
Jonathan was later elected as president during the 2011 general elections. Though Abubakar returned to PDP after losing the presidential election to Yar’Adua, he was not able to return with all his loyalists as many of them refused to leave AC, which later metamorphosed into Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now, to APC.
The former vice president’s quest to run for presidency in 2011 on the platform of PDP was also scuttled as he lost the party ticket to the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan, during PDP primary. To many analysts, the drama that surrounded the emergence of late Umaru Yar’Adua ahead of Abubakar and the ex-vice president’s inability to pick the PDP ticket during the party’s 2011 presidential primary created a great division within the PDP. Considering the political undertone that Jonathan might run for a second term in 2015, there have been several plots by some Northern leaders to stop Jonathan.
The Southern leaders, especially the people of the South-South, where the incumbent president hails from are also not leaving any stone unturned in their efforts to make Jonathan retain the seat. Against the background of the spirited moves of the North to ensure that one of their own get is the occupant of the presidential villa in 2015, many are of the view that the registration of PDM may not be far from the desperation of the North.
Despite the denial of involvement in the registration of the PDM by Abubabar and some of the founding members of party, there is a strong belief in some quarters that some of them cannot be, indeed, dissociated from the party.
Saturday Mirror gathered that the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, and other PDP gladiators such as Alhaji Lawal Kaita and Ambassador Yahaya Kwande were among delegates from all the 36 states of the federation and Abuja that attended the August 29, 2012 rejuvenation meeting of the PDM at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. During the meeting Atiku, through Kaita, apologised for his absence and pledged his unalloyed commitment to the group.
Therefore, with the presence of some of the PDP gladiators at the event and the party being registered almost a year after the meeting many people believe strongly that PDP cannot distance itself from PDM.
According to some school of thoughts, PDM is out to divide ranks. It is believed that many founding fathers of PDM who were presently in PDP may retrace their step back to PDM if their expectations are not met during the party’s primary.
Irrespective of the way many people may look at it, PDM’s emergence will likely affect PDP and APC’s chances in 2015. Considering the North alleged stiff opposition to Jonathan’s return, political analysts are of the view that the emergence of the PDM is a deliberate plan to frustrate PDP and Jonathan’s ambition to get re-elected.
The political calculation in some quarter is that since APC seems to have zoned its presidential candidate to the North, PDM may play a destructive or supportive role for APC in ensuring that a Northerner emerges as next president or allows the status quo to remain if President Jonathan runs in the election.
Since APC is more popular in the South, especially in South-West, it is believed that PDM’s support, in conjunction with the popularity of the former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari, and other APC Northern chieftains, will be an added advantage for the APC.
Such a support from PDM may pave way for anybody that APC presents as its presidential flagbearer in 2015. But if both PDM and APC decide to present separate presidential candidates from the North in 2015, then PDP would benefit from the division and gain more strength. On the other hand some are of the view that PDM is PDP and that the party may have been founded to boost PDP’s chances and weaken APC’s chance in 2015 election.
The calculation may afterall be that PDM will throw its weight behind the PDP and campaign vigorously for anybody that the party presents as its presidential candidate, irrespective of where the person hails from, to weaken APC.
Despite Abubakar distancing himself from the PDM and insisting that he remains a PDP member, some are of the view that the former vice president may use the PDM platform to seek for the office of the president if he intends to run for the presidency in 2015. But since there is no permanent friend or enemy in politics, some are of the view that with the popularity of the APC, the registration of the PDM may be a ploy between President Jonathan and Atiku to weaken the newly registered APC, especially in the North.
Irrespective of the way it is viewed, there is no way the former vice president can be dissociated from the PDM. Speaking on the registration of PDM and its effect on Nigeria politics, renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) said that the emergence of the PDM was of paramount significance because it could change the dynamics of politics in Nigeria, especially in the Northern region of the country as the 2015 general elections draw closer. Sagay also noted that PDM’s emergence would lead to splitting of votes in the region as no single party will amass majority votes during the 2015 polls.
He stressed that any political party the PDM merges with between the PDP or APC would garner the highest votes in the Northern region. His words: “PDM is going to cause splitting of votes in the North. In other words, the Northern votes will be scattered independently. Also, if the PDM collaborates with any of these two, then that group will dominate. If it decides to cooperate with APC, then APC will dominate the PDP.
And if it cooperates with the PDP, which I doubt, then PDP will triumph. I think that is the main impact the PDM is going to have. Any party it cooperates with will control northern votes.” While Sagay believes that PDM could change the dynamics of politics, the Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Inter-party Relations, Senator Ben Obi, is of the view that neither Jonathan nor the PDP was greatly worried about the seeming threat of PDM and APC in 2015.
“PDM don’t portend any danger. It can even be used to enhance the chances of PDP. I don’t see any governor or even Atiku abandoning PDP for now. Time will prove me right. You don’t jump from certainty into uncertainty in politics,” he said. From all indcations, it is certain that events will continue to unfold in months to come. And until all the cards are lay bare on the table, many may not be able to say what some key politicians and groups have up their sleeves.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: National Mirror Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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