Politics
PDP Tasks Nigerians On Democracy
National Vice Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South-South, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, has urged Nigerians, especially politicians, to come together and work to protect Nigeria’s democracy ahead of 2019 general elections.
Ogidi, who made the call in Abuja, said that developments in the polity were endangering democracy in the country.
He said that though Nigerians and the political parties were ready for the 2019 elections, the coast appeared not clear for a credible election.
The party chieftain accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to rig the 2019 elections, saying it was against the principles of democracy.
He said that the Executive was using its powers to undermine the judiciary and the legislature, adding that both arms of government also suffered most as a result of successive coups in the country.
He said that though the judiciary was trying to get out of the wood, the legislature which was the symbol of democracy was not doing so as a result of the negative narratives about the organ.
Ogidi said that the legislature had been accused of corruption and that such had undermined its legislative duty of performing oversight functions on the executive.
”Democracy must be protected for it is now endangered specie in Nigeria, and the media must not let this happen.
“We need to protect this democracy; God will not forgive us if we do not protect democracy in this country; we are blessed with human and natural resources.
”The media must rise up and ask questions and should not be sectional about it.
“Look at the issue of mace at the Senate, it is simply executive rascality which should not be allowed in democracy,” he said.
Ogidi said that APC was not ready for governance and that it came to power by propaganda.
He said that if Nigerians knew what APC was up to, they would have fought to prevent it from coming to power.
The chieftain said that it was disheartening for the party to be blaming the PDP for everything while the nation degenerated under its watch.
On the fight against corruption, he said that it was good but that it became injustice when the government became selective about it.
He said it was against the constitution for someone to be treated as though he was guilty of an offence when the courts had not declared him so.
Ogidi said that in spite of Nigeria becoming largely militarised, killings had remained unabated across the country.
He said that inconsistencies in Federal Government’s approach to challenge were making many Nigerians to lose hope for a better future.
The PDP stalwart recalled that PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, had months ago apologised to Nigerians for the party’s past mistakes.
According to him, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, today, is made of men of proven integrity and are determined to ensure that internal democracy was upheld in its activities.
He said that PDP had put strategy in place to reposition the country and that its doors were fully opened to all Nigerians to participate.
Ogidi said that impunity had been eliminated from the party, adding that the hope of Nigerians were now in the PDP.
“We are not going to make that mistake again; we assumed too much and took Nigerians for granted in the past.
Nigerians are not even happy that we allowed the APC to come to power because they know that in spite of our failings, we are better off; we promise not to make the mistakes again,” he said.
The chairman said that PDP had put structures in place to ensure checks and balances on activities of those who would be elected on its platform.
He assured that the party was prepared to discipline both elected and appointed officers found derailing from its ideology.
He said,“power must return to the people and the PDP is the vehicle as it is ready to perform oversight functions to ensure that power returns to the ward level.”
Ogidi said that PDP had again returned to the disciplined path “because the bad eggs have all defected to other parties”.
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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