Politics

PDP Assures On Winning Senatorial By-Election

Published

5 years ago

October 19, 2020

The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Plateau State, Hon Chris Hassan, said former Speaker of Plateau State and former Member of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon George Daika, is credible and the best candidate for October 31 Plateau South senatorial by-election.

The State Party Chairman disclosed this at the weekend during the inauguration of the Campaign Council for the forthcoming by-election.

He noted that the Campaign Council would be headed by him, with members of the State Executive, National and State Assembly members and other stakeholders, cutting across the three senatorial zones of the State as members.

Hassan said the Campaign Council which comprises of over 100 critical political stakeholders in the State was to ensure that the party’s candidate in the 31st October, 2020, Rt Hon. George Daika emerge senator representing Plateau South.

Addressing stakeholders after inaugurating the Campaign Council, Chairman of the party in the State, Hon Chris Hassan, at the party’s Secretariat in Jos, the State capital, said: ‘The PDP has the most credible and qualified candidate for Plateau South senatorial by-election. It is our duty and responsibility to sell him among the people and ensure that we give Plateau South a credible voice in the National Assembly.

‘I appreciate the spirit of oneness exhibited by especially those who contested the primary election with our candidate. They have shown maturity and love for our great party the PDP, as you can see all the four of them are here ready to ensure that we emerge victorious in the election.

‘If politics is done based on qualification, then our candidate, Rt Hon Daika is more than qualified; because if you look at the process that led to his emergence, that informed the decision of those who contested with him to support him, because it was transparent.

‘And if you look at the positions he has occupied, he was a speaker of the State Assembly and a former member of the House of Representatives, compared to his APC, who has never even held a councillorship position, and was never a party person,’ he explained.

Hassan appealed to members to forget their differences and work towards the success of the party in the upcoming senatorial by-election, saying: ‘We must learn to forgive one another as far as we want to remain in politics.’

Also speaking on behalf of the National Assembly caucus, Senator Istifanus Gyang urged members to replicate what happened recently in the gubernatorial election in Edo State.

‘This is the time for us as party faithful to ensure that we emerge victorious in the forthcoming Plateau South senatorial by-election.

‘We have enormous goodwill in all the LGAs in Plateau South, this is an opportunity for us to leverage on that by working as an indivisible entity to ensure victory for our candidate and our great party the PDP.’

Chairman of Langtang North, who is the only elected PDP Council Chairman in the State, Hon Joshua Laven, said: ‘This party needs to come back to its original status, and I’m seeing that zeal in this forthcoming election.

‘Our victory in this forthcoming election is the first step to tell us that we are ready for 2023.’

A former ALGON Chairman in the State and a chieftain of the party from Shendam LGA, Hon Kemi Nshe, said ‘once our agents can stand firm in protecting the result, we will emerge victorious; but we need to support them morally and otherwise.’

Nshe maintained that ‘as stakeholders, if agents compromise, we should have ourselves to blame, because we need to put an eye on them.’

The Plateau South senatorial by-election which is to hold on the October 31, was necessitated as a result of the demise of Senator Ignatius Longjan, which occurred in February 2020.

Politics

Senate Receives Tinubu’s 2026-2028 MTEF/FSP For Approval

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

The Tide

The Senate yesterday received the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper from President Bola Tinubu, marking the formal launch of the 2026 federal budget cycle.

In a letter addressed to the upper chamber, Tinubu said the submission complies with statutory requirements and sets out the fiscal parameters that will guide the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

He explained that the MTEF/FSP outlines the macroeconomic assumptions, revenue projections, and spending priorities that will shape Nigeria’s fiscal direction over the next three years.

The letter was read during plenary by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the document.

“It is with pleasure that I forward the 2026 to 2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for the kind consideration and approval of the Senate.

“The 2026 to 2028 MTEF and FSP were approved during the Federal Executive Council meeting of December 3, 2025, and the 2026 budget of the Federal Government will be prepared based on the parameters and fiscal assumptions therein,” the President stated.

Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the fiscal projections, pegging the oil benchmark price at $64.85 per barrel and adopting a budget exchange rate of ?1,512/$1 for 2026—figures expected to significantly shape revenue forecasts and expenditure planning.

After reading the President’s letter, Jibrin referred the document to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), with a directive to submit its report by Wednesday, December 17.

The Senate adjourned shortly after to allow committees to commence scrutiny of the fiscal framework and continue the ongoing screening of ambassadorial nominees.

Tinubu’s communication to the Senate came less than 24 hours after he transmitted the same MTEF/FSP documents to the leadership of the House of Representatives.

The letter was read on the House floor by the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who also urged timely legislative action as required by law.

The MTEF and FSP are statutory instruments mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act and serve as the blueprint for Nigeria’s annual budgets.

They outline the government’s fiscal stance, macroeconomic assumptions, revenue frameworks, projected deficits, and sectoral priorities over a three-year period.

The Tide reports that approval by the National Assembly is a prerequisite for the executive to present the Appropriation Bill for the next fiscal year.

Politics

Withdraw Ambassadorial List, It Lacks Federal Character, Ndume Tells Tinubu

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

The senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s list of ambassadorial nominees, insisting it breaches the federal character principle and should be withdrawn ahead of this week’s screening by the Senate.

In a statement on Saturday, the former Senate Leader stated that the allocation of nominees across states and geopolitical zones falls short of the constitutional requirement for fair representation in the composition of the Federal Government.

The ex-Senate Whip warned that allowing the list to pass could deepen ethnic suspicion at a time when the administration should be consolidating national unity.

He highlighted disparities in the spread of nominees, noting that while some states have three or four slots, others have none. He also cited the inclusion of Senator Adamu Garba Talba from Yobe, who reportedly died in July.

“The entire North-East states have seven nominees in the list. Further checks revealed that the South-West geo-political zone has 15 nominees, while North-West and South-East have 13 and 9, respectively.

“North-Central region has 10 nominees in the list of career and non-career ambassadorial nominee while South-South parades 12 nominees,” Senator Ndume said.

According to him, such imbalances could heighten tensions and undermine Section 14(3) of the Constitution.

“My sincere appeal to President Tinubu is to withdraw this list. At this critical juncture in his administration, he should avoid missteps that could undermine national unity and foster ethnic distrust.

“I know him to be a cosmopolitan leader who is at home with every segment and stakeholder in the country. He should withdraw that list and present a fresh set of nominees that will align with the spirit of the Constitution on the Federal Character Principle,” Senator Ndume added.

Politics

PDP Vows Legal Action Against Rivers Lawmakers Over Defection

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the latest defection announced by some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing the move as a “defection from APC to APC” and an assault on democratic integrity.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the lawmakers had previously defected from the party, recanted their action, and have now “announced the same defection for the second time.”

According to Comrade Ememobong, the development comes as no surprise to the party.

“We have seen on various media platforms news of the redefection of some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who, for a second time, announced their defection from our party,” he said. “We recall that they had done so earlier and later recanted. These are people whom the world is aware are doing the bidding of their paymaster and demigod.”

He accused the legislators of undermining the sanctity of the legislature and acting as instruments of destabilization.

“The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have, by their actions since they assumed office, shown that they are political puppets and a clog in the wheels of democratic progress,” Comrade Ememobong stated, adding that “They will go down in history as enemies of democracy and those who made mockery of the legislature.”

The PDP spokesperson added that the lawmakers’ conduct fits a pattern of political absurdity.

“So the easiest way to describe their action is a defection from APC to APC,” he said.

Comrade Ememobong announced that the party would deploy constitutional provisions to reclaim its mandate from those who have “ignobly and surreptitiously” abandoned the platform on which they were elected.

“Consequently, the PDP will take legal steps to activate the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended) to recover the mandate gained under the banner of our party which these people have now switched to another platform,” he said.

He urged party members in Rivers State to remain calm and steadfast.

“We urge all party members in Rivers State to remain faithful and resolute, as efforts are underway to rebuild the party along the path of inclusiveness, fairness and equity,” Comrade Ememobong assured.