Featured
2019: PDP Govs Pass No Confidence Vote On INEC …Fixes Presidential Primary Oct 15, Guber 27 Sept …Party’s BoT Guns For Consensus Presidential Candidate …As APC Adopts Buhari Sole Candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, yesterday, passed a vote of no confidence on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), questioning its readiness to conduct credible elections in 2019.
The forum also condemned the Federal Government’s alleged use of security operatives for political ends and the refusal by President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill.
“INEC needs to reinvent itself as a truly independent umpire of the electoral process in the country. For now, we have no confidence in INEC. The commission has conducted itself as a tool of the APC-led Federal Government, especially with the roles of the chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and a National Commissioner, Mrs. Amina Zakari,” the forum said in a statement by its Chairman, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
The governors denounced “in strong terms the politicisation of security agencies by the Federal Government. We observe that security agencies have become organs and tools of the APC-led Federal Government to harass and intimidate the opposition and dissenting voices.”
They decried the use of security agencies for the alleged perpetration of electoral fraud in Ekiti, Osun and Rivers states, and urged personnel to be non-partisan in the performance of their duties.
The forum also criticised “the flagrant violation of democratic ethos by operatives of this government as shown recently in the infamous act by the police at the residence of elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark, and the harassment of innocent Nigerians on frivolous claims.”
The governors described as unacceptable an alleged “surreptitious, selective and suspicious payment of N16billion purportedly from the Paris Club Refund. We are of the view that the money is to fund corrupt inducement of voters in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State on September 22, 2018.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said its presidential primary election and National Convention will still hold between Friday October 5 and Saturday, October 6, 2018 as earlier scheduled.
In the same vein, the party’s governorship primary will hold across the states of the federation on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.
A statement by the party yesterday said the governorship primary will be followed by senatorial primary on Friday, September 28, while House of Representatives primary will hold on Sunday, September 30, 2018.
The party had also approved Tuesday October 2, 2018 for House of Assembly primary across the states of the federation.
The party said the clarification was sequel to “inquiries from the public and vast majority of Nigerians who are now rallying on the platform of our repositioned PDP to vote out the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) and return our nation to the path of national cohesion and economic prosperity, come 2019.”
Also, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) disclosed that a committee has been set up to liaise with all the party’s presidential aspirants to produce a consensus candidate.
The BoT Chairman, Walid Jibrin, said the decision was reached during a recent meeting.
In another development, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Maimala Buni yesterday said that President Muhammadu Buhari is the sole candidate of the party for 2019 Presidential election.
But the APC scribe also said that interested party members in the presidential position were free to pick the nomination form but the National Executive Council, NEC, of the party has already endorsed the President.
He stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a group under the auspices of National Consolidation Ambassadors Network, NCAN, presented Expression of Interest, Nomination Form for the 2019 election to the President at the New Banquet Hall Presidential Villa Abuja.
The APC National Secretary flanked by the Chairman Buhari’s Campaign Media Committee, Festus Keyamo, SAN, said the NEC of the party had since endorsed the President and by extension, all members of the party have done so.
He said, “Once the National executive Committee NEC of the party passes a vote of confidence on the President, that President stands accepted because the NEC is the highest organ of the party and it met to take the decision, where every interest was represented so the National Executive Committee of the APC has passed a vote of confidence on our President and that means every APC member has endorsed him.”
The APC Secretary said Nigeria’s case was not exceptional because the same scenario obtains in advanced democracies. “In advance democracy, once the NEC of a party passes vote of confidence on the President, nobody contest against the President.
The President has been accepted.” He said that the President will be given the choice of first refusal and that as he had accepted the nomination form it meant that he was the party’s candidate in next year’s election.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that hotels, schools, and other establishments that accept payments in dollars from their customers are at risk of facing arrest.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said this in the agency’s publication called EFCC Alert on Monday, adding that action would be taken against individuals involved in the dollarisation of the economy.
According to him, the exception is if foreigners come in to transact business and the only means of transacting is their credit card and dollar but to charge local customers in dollars or other foreign currencies would no longer be allowed.
He said charging local activities and customers in dollars is against Nigeria’s constitution.
The EFCC chairman said, “Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not? You will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also affected some arrests.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has enjoined Muslim faithful to remain steadfast to the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Fubara stated this in his message of felicitations to Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, which marks the end of the one-month Ramadan fasting.
The Governor emphasised the importance for Muslims to also uphold the tenets of Islam by exhibiting the fear of God and showing piety in their daily work.
Governor Fubara said, “We must all continue in the good attributes imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan as directed by God through His Prophet, so as to ensure peace, unity and harmony in the society for a better future.”
While praying that the essence of the festival offers them happiness, peace and prosperity in all aspects of life, Governor Fubara said he recognises and appreciates the critical role that the Muslim community continues to play in the development of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigeria at large.
Governor Fubara charged them to remain unwavering and steadfast in their commitment and positive contributions to advance the development of the State and the country.
“I enjoin you all in the State to remain calm, be patient and continue to do what is right,” the Governor added.
He wished the Muslim faithful in the State and across the country a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
-
Environment4 days agoThousands Rendered Homeless As Storm Wrecks Havoc In Rivers
-
Politics4 days agoAPC Clears Ayedatiwa, 15 Others For Ondo Gov’ship Primary
-
News4 days agoFubara Laments Shortage Of Teachers In Rivers Primary Schools
-
News1 day agoMMA Customs Surpassed Monthly Revenue Target In Q1-Comptroller
-
Business4 days ago‘Inappropriate Insider Dealing’ Earns Julius Berger NGX Sanction
-
Niger Delta4 days agoGroup Tasks Fubara, Other South-South Govs On Food Prices
-
Business1 day agoIndigenous Refineries To Buy Crude Oil In Naira, Dollar -FG
-
Niger Delta1 day agoFormer Council Boss Seeks Support For Fubara