The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed that it is concluding discussions with more state governors and members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of their decampment to the PDP.
In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said it has already concluded discussions with six APC governors and 27 APC members in the National Assembly, who have also drawn their consultations and secured the mandates of their constituencies to move to the PDP ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The PDP verifies that discussions on control of party structures in the affected states and senatorial zones have also reached advanced stage, and will be completed in a couple of weeks after which the governors and lawmakers will announce their defection to the PDP.
“However, in line with decisions reached at the discussions, the members of the National Assembly decamping to the PDP would cross-carpet at the reconvening of session in the two chambers, which will increase the PDP majority in both chambers.
“The party assures that all grey areas of the agreement, including issues of waivers and accommodation for participation in primaries, are being smoothened out by the former Governor Liyel Imoke-led PDP Contact and Integration Committee, which has been galvanizing our alliances among stakeholders across other parties, including those from the APC.
“The PDP also commends the spirit of tolerance, dialogue, accommodation and oneness of purpose that pervade the alliance among members”, the party said.
The party expressed its readiness to take back control of power at the centre as well as its traditional states of Plateau, Niger, Adamawa, Kano, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Imo, Edo as well as South-West states of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos states.
“The PDP, therefore, charges all members and supporters to remain steadfast and wary of the gimmicks of the deflated APC, which has resorted to sponsoring spurious publications filled with deceptions, fabrications and lies against our party.
“The PDP also commends Nigerians across board for their overwhelming support and solidarity with the repositioned PDP as expressed in the unprecedented interest in our tickets for various elective positions, particularly the presidency, governorship and National Assembly positions, in addition to spirited public discourse at all levels of political engagements across our country.
“These interests and movements from the APC to the PDP are indicators of the consensus by Nigerians to rally on the platform of the PDP to end the economic hardship, bloodletting, violence and infrastructural decay that have become the hallmark of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, and return our nation to the path of unity, national cohesion and economic prosperity, which the PDP is known for,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said that the purchase of N45million presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in the 2019 election violates the stipulations of the electoral laws of Nigeria.
The PDP also said that the purchase of the form for Buhari by a group it said was not registered smacks of fraud because, according to it, “Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.”
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, PDP said section 91 (9) of the electoral laws of Nigeria stipulates that “no individual or other entity shall donate more than One million naira (N1,000,000) to any candidate.”
It, therefore, held that, for a group to purchase a form of N45million for President Buhari amounts to violation of the country’s electoral laws.
The PDP said, “Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.”
Below is the full statement: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the use of a shadowy group as a front to purchase the N45million All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari as a worn-out stunt, smacking of fraud and worsening the already battered image of the President.
“The party said President Buhari can no longer play the pro-poor gimmick which his followers have always presented to Nigerians.
“Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015.
“Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelleries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians.
“Moreover, the PDP urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to note that the purchase of the N45million form by the group directly violates section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act which provides that ‘no individual or other entity shall donate more than (N1,000,000) to any candidate.’
“Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.
“Finally, it is unfortunate that President Buhari and his handlers, in their desperation to hang on to power, even when they have been rejected, have reduced themselves to objects of public ridicule with their many bloopers ahead of the 2019 general elections,” the statement added.
Similarly, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido has described as questionable, the integrity credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Lamido, who addressed journalists after submitting his nomination forms at the party’s headquarters, yesterday, said the party would be coasting home to victory if he is given the ticket of the party.
He said, “There have been integrity before Buhari, there have been honesty in Nigerian before Buhari. So, integrity is not an invention of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“Before Buhari, even our anthem says the labour of our heroes past. Before Buhari, we had Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aminu Kano, Tafawa Balewa and these are people of integrity. And Buhari has never for once, paid tribute to them.
“Wherever he goes, he destroys history, reinvent it, re-write it and say he is the only person with integrity. Before Buhari, there have been integrity, honesty and he is going to leave all these behind. Beyond and after Buhari there will be Nigeria. So, Buhari integrity is a fraud.”
On his chances at the polls if given the ticket, Lamido stated that his consistency stands him out among other aspirants.
“I am not bragging. This party has gone through hell. In 2015 hell was unleashed on us. So, here in this house we have been brothers and sisters, consistent, steadfast and we are ready to do everything to save Nigeria.
“And so in picking the Presidential candidate of the PDP, the choice is beyond PDP, it is also a choice of Nigerians,” he added.
In a related development, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disclosed of plan to reduce 13 presidential aspirants of the party.
The BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, made this known in Abuja yesterday.
Jibrin, however, assured that no aspirant would be forced to withdraw from the race, adding that the BoT would set up a committee to work on the aspirants with the view to convincing them to reduce their number.
He said: “We are recommending that we have to manage the situation very well to ensure that it does not lead to crisis. The presidential aspirants are 13 in number so we are trying our best to ensure a reduction in the number.
“But we are not going to force anybody to withdraw from the race, as consultations among party elders are still ongoing. We are going to bring out a committee that will work in the best interest of Nigerians.
“We are forming a committee to meet with the aspirants. After that, we will decide on what to do. We have decided to form a special committee to advise the National Working Committee ((NWC) of the party.
“We will ensure free and fair elections during the upcoming presidential primaries. There should be no impunity.”
Reacting, Segun Sowunmi, spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, hailed the development.
He told newsmen that “It is not surprising and we commend the wisdom of the party. We are confident of the chance of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar beating his mind his pedigree.
“However, it is general knowledge that all contenders in PDP for the presidental ticket are far better than President Buhari”.