₦airaland Forum

Political campaigns have stated and photos of campaign rallies are flying around.

One of the two major political parties in Nigeria, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have stated it nationwide campaigns.

The mammoth crowd that attended the campaign rally of the opposition party in North West geo-political zone generated reactions with some doubting the authenticity of photos from the rally flying on the internet.

A governor of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) had while doubting such crowd graced the event said the PDP rented the crowd from another country.

Some photos of the recently held South West campaign rally of the opposition party has been found to be fake.

Disseminating photos of the rally which held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the PDP Media Team has provided its own photos of the event.

BELOW ARE SOME OF THE PHOTOS

The APC is yet to commence its presidential rallies.

A spokesman of the ruling party in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, has been caught sharing fake photos of alleged rally of the party billed to hold over the weekend.

In the photo, sea of heads were seen with some risking their lives to climb places where they ought not be, all in a bid to show solidarity.

Yemi Osinbajo, vice president, has vowed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not be allowed to return to power again.

Mr Osinbajo made the vow on Saturday in Lagos while speaking at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Door-To-Door-Campaign flag off of the Professor Yemi Osinbajo (PYO) Support Group.

He said his principal, Muhammadu Buhari, who seeks a second term in office will not loot the resources of the country, as this is the different between the president and other presidential candidates.

“After 16 years of ensuring that the country did not make progress, they want to come back. They will never come back again. We are making progress and we will continue to make progress. We are going to the next level,” Osinbajo said referring to the PDP which governed the country since the return to democracy in 1999.

The opposition party’s bid to hold sway for 60 years was thwarted by the APC who won the 2015 presidential election.

“Our major problem in Nigeria is corruption; it’s not plans. There are so many plans. If you allow the resources of the country to be stolen, no plan can work. The difference between Muhammadu Buhari and any other president is that he will not steal and he will not allow stealing,” the vice president continued.

“The most important thing of all is that we will prevent a situation where people who have stolen our money in the past come back into government. If they do, there won’t be progress no matter what they say.

“The money of this country must be preserved so that it will benefit us all. Education, healthcare, jobs, if you don’t have money, you can’t do them.

“There are only two types of leaders in Nigeria, those who want to steal the money and those want to use the money for the common good.

“If we want progress for our country, we must make sure that we put in place those who want to use the money for the common good, not those who want to steal it,” he said.

Nigerians have been advised to choose their leaders from the two major political parties that have governed the country.

The advise is coming from former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, during the 27th Owu national convention held in Iwo, Osun state, on Saturday.

By this, Mr Obasanjo has advised Nigerians to ignore other political parties who are participating in the 2019 general election.

POLITICS TIMES recalls that while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had governed the country since the return to democracy in 1999, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015, terminated the speculated 60years lifespan the party would have ruled.

The APC which is heading to its fourth year in power seeks to extend it beyond 2019 with incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, seeking re-election.

The PDP gearing up to return to power has Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, as its presidential candidate.

The next year’s presidential race has about 30 candidates warning up for the top job.

Obasanjo who has governed the country democratically under the PDP urged Nigerians to open their eyes and wisely choose the party which will better the economy of the country.

“This is not a political gathering, but we can talk politics a little. Last year, we had this event in Ibadan. This year, we’re having it here in Iwo. Next year, we may go to Kwara because we also have Owu people in Kwara,” the former president said.

“Another election is near, open your eyes and vote wisely. Vote only the party that won’t add to your suffering.

“The economy must return to a better state. Look at parties that have governed this country and choose that one that will return Nigeria’s economy to a better state,” he added.

Although, he has endorsed Mr Atiku who served as his vice during his reign, Obasanjo says he is not and will never campaign for any party or candidate.

“I am not campaigning for any party or candidate and I won’t do that. But I urge you to open your eyes and vote wisely. Only credible leadership can guarantee good governance and that is what the country needs now,” he said.

Since he left office, the former Nigerian leader has always played a vital role ensuring those who enjoy his backing gets to the high office.

Mr Buhari, former presidents, late Musa Yaradua and Goodluck Jonathan, are those who have benefitted from his support.

Obasanjo in 2015 played a vital role in thwarting the second term ambition of Jonathan and the same fate may await Buhari who he had earlier advised not to seek a return to the exalted office.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which earlier stormed the residence of Doyin Okupe has finally invited him to turn himself in.

POLITICS TIMES had earlier reported how the residence, of the ex-aide of Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former president, was invaded without due process.

Mr Okupe had raised the alarm that the anti-graft agency without warrant ordered him to follow them.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain has again said the operatives has left his residence advising him to make himself available at their office.

The EFCC known for prosecution of financial misconduct is inviting him on alleged cyber crime, according to updates posted on Okupe’s social media accounts one of which is reproduced below.

“The officers finally agreed to leave on d promise I will see them Monday. Offence.. CYBER CRIME”

Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the EFCC could not be reached for comments on the operation carried out by his agency.

The government seems to have stepped up the fight against cyber crime. Recently a political activist, Deji Adeyanju, was arrested during a protest aimed at cautioning service chiefs of partisanship as the nation goes to elect its leaders in next year’s general election.

Mr Adeyanju was also arraigned on alleged cyber crime among other charges.

He was later granted bail after spending days behind bars.

By Politics Times On Dec 8, 2018

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stormed the home of Doyin Okupe, an ex-aide of former president, Goodluck Jonathan.

This was made known by Mr Okupe on Saturday afternoon through his social media accounts, although POLITICS TIMES as at press time, could not independently verify the claim.

He said the anti-graft agency stormed his Lagos State residence without first. inviting him.

Okupe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, said the operatives asked him to follow them.

“Efcc just stormed my house in Ilupeju Lagos asking me to follow them. No letter . No letter of IV no warrant. Saturday,” he posted.

His son recently endorsed the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari against the wish of his father who supports Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate for next year’s presidential election.

Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa State, has narrated how the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) forced some opposition members to join its fold.

Mr Lamido, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spoke on Thursday while inaugurating eight election campaign committee in Dutse, Jigawa State capital.

He alleged that the ruling party is using alleged corruption indictment to hunt members of the opposition who have refused to join them.

The former governor said this was the tool used to force Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom and Musiliu Obanikoro, former defence minister to leave the party.

Messrs Akpabio and Obanikoro were members of the PDP until their defection to the ruling party. While the former governor defected in August, the former minister abandoned the party for APC last year.

“Now in this current political dispensation, if you steal public funds and ‘stash’ them in the bank and you are a member of opposition, they will tell you to come back to APC,” the former governor said.

“They will forgive you, but if you refuse, they will prosecute you. That is how Messrs Akpabio and Obanikoro were forced to leave PDP for APC,” he added.

Lamido also condemned the TraderMoni scheme spearheaded by vice president, Yemi Osinbajo.

“Nigerians are suffering. For three years, they did not do anything. Now that they sense defeat, they have started giving out money.

“This is not the type of politics we learnt. Previously, it is the people who financed their own cause and if a leader disagrees with the people, they will call him to order. Now, politics has become a business venture for politicians to make money,” Mr Lamido said.

He called on PDP members in the state who left the party for the APC to have a rethink and return to the party while urging those remaining to woo the state governor to the PDP.

“Also it is your responsibility to go and woo Governor Muhammad Badaru to PDP because he will not survive the task ahead,” he said.

Mr Lamido charged the members of the committee to work for the success of PDP in the state and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Ejike Mbaka, the spiritual director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, has apologised to those who felt he has offended them during the harvest activities of his ministry.

Mr Mbaka, a Catholic priest had come under criticism over monetary demands he publicly demanded from some influential politicians who graced the annual bazaar of his church.

Among those who graced the occasion is Peter Obi, vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The cleric had requested Mr Obi, a former Anambra State governor, to make monetary donations to his ministry on behalf of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.

The former governor declined to make the donation public against the wish of Mbaka who said duo will end in shame ”with the way they are going.”

The cleric’s comment drew criticism nationwide with the Catholic Church distancing itself from the Mbaka’s action.

But in a new video posted on YouTube, the cleric apologised to those who felt offended but added that God deserves money as that was his reason for making the demands.

“I want to tell you that all these things are caused by jealousy and envy. They are not fighting Mbaka for anything wrong. Everyone who came was blessed but they turned it against me, saying I am after money,” Mbaka said.

“God deserves money. If you don’t want to bring your own in your stinginess, hold it. I will give God all that I have and even if anybody wants to join them, you’re free to join them.

“Where God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are, there Fr. Mbaka will be. I will build this place for the church. Whoever felt insulted, I apologise. It was you who came for the bazaar,” he added.

Mbaka also said before making the demand he had finished celebrating Mass of the day. He said if donations were made secretly critics will accuse him of siphoning the donations.

“We do it outside, publicly because if I am silent, rumours will begin to spread that someone gave me $10 million and why did Mbaka keep quiet? They will abuse me even if I am silent because anytime they want to attack this ministry, they will start somewhere.

“If I am silent, they will attack; if I talk, they will attack it. And don’t forget that the liturgy was not tampered with. I finished the mass and even removed my priestly attire. No one can fault me,” he said.

HomeParliamentary

Buhari: Why I Won’t Sign Amended Electoral Bill Now
By Politics Times On Dec 8, 2018
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated why he will not assent to the amended electoral bill now.

Mr Buhari had on Friday made public his decision on the bill passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly. He declined appending his signatory to the bill sending it back to the legislative arm of government.

This was made known by Ita Enang, his aide on National Assembly matters (Senate), while addressing journalist.

Mr Enang said his principal has “taken a decision” on the bill and has communicated his decision to the National Assembly.

Stating his reason for not signing the bill, Buhari said doing so few months to the 2019 general election could cause “uncertainty and confusion.”

He stated this in a letter he sent to federal lawmakers.

“I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general election which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act, could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process,” the president wrote in his epistle.

“Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process,” he said.

The president also asked the lawmakers to clearly state that the amended section will be effective after the 2019 general election.

“This leads me to believe that it is in the best interest of the country and our democracy for the national assembly to specifically state in the Bill, that the Electoral Act will come into effect and be applicable to elections commencing after the 2019 General Election,” Buhari added.

He also pointed out other sections, as well as some terms used in the amendment bill which he felt needed to be revisited.

They include “section 5 of the Bill, amending section 18 of the Principal Act should indicate the subsection to which the substitution of the figure “30” for the figure “60” is to be affected”.

Others are: “Section 11 of the Bill, amending Section 36 should indicate the subsection in which the proviso is to be introduced.

“Section 24 of the Bill which amends Section 85 (1) should be redrafted in full as the introduction of the “electing” to the sentence may be interpreted to mean that political parties may give 21 days notice of the intention to merge, as opposed to the 90 days provided in Section 84 (2) of the Electoral Act which provides the provision for merge of political parties.

“The definition of the term “Ward Collection officer” should be revised to reflect a more descriptive definition than the capitalized and undefined term “Registration Area Collation Officer.”

As it stands now, the 2019 general election will be conducted based on the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, unless two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly vote to overrule the president’s veto.

President Muhammadu Buhari has again refused to sign the amended electoral bill.

This was made known by Its Enang, the president’s special adviser on National Assembly (Senate).

Mr Enang while addressing State House Correspondents on Friday at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) said Buhari has communicated to the National Assembly on the decision taken on the Electoral Act.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has taken decision on Electoral Act Amendment bill 2018 in accordance with his power under the 1999 Constitution and has communicated that decision to the Senate and House of Representatives in accordance with the law,” Enang said.

“The president has taken a decision in a accordance with the powers vested in him according to the constitution. And by convention that decision contained in the communication can only be revealed by the person to whom that decision is addressed. But the electoral bill has left Mr. President because he has taken a decision and has remitted it back.

“Thank You very much but this is all the law allows me to say by convention. Mr. President has sent that communication to the National Assembly,” he added.

yarimo:
The question PDP should be asking ATIKU is why is he afraid of going to AMERICA.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is afraid of its 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The PDP said the APC was afraid of its candidate because the former vice president popularly known as Atiku, is the only man who could rescue the country.

National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, made the comment on Thursday at the South West Zonal Campaign of the party which held at the Mapo Hall Arcade, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Since Atiku emerged the PDP candidate for the 2019 presidential election, stakeholders of the ruling party has been attacking him, with some tagging him as corrupt.

Those who are supporting the PDP candidate has also got their fair share with the latest of the attack on a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, an erstwhile principal to Atiku.

Before his emergence, the former vice president was a member of the APC prior to the 2015 general election. He had contested for the party’s presidential ticket then and lost to Muhammadu Buhari, then candidate of the party who eventually won the election. Atiku supported Buhari financially and morally.

Addressing supporters of the party at the campaign ground, Mr Secondus said the turn out of Nigerians showed the desire a change of leadership.

“We can see that your coming here, this afternoon, has confirmed that you want a change in government,” he said.

“But, one person the APC is afraid of is Atiku. Why are they afraid of Atiku? He is the only man who can rescue Nigeria, because Nigeria is in crisis.

“A man who has been tested, a man who has been tried, a man who has served and achieved a lot in the public service and, also, in the private sector.

“Don’t allow Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to manoeuvre and manipulate you, because the hunger in the land, today, is too much.

“APC took over in 2015, they came with hunger and insecurity, and people are being killed everyday in Nigeria. And the president is not aware,” Secondus said.

Rochas Okorocha, Imo State governor, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to caution Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Mr Okorocha made the call while reacting to verbal attacks on him by Mr Oshiomhole. The APC chairman had described the governor as political prodigal son while also attacking former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Messrs Oshiomhole and Okorocha recently fell off politically over the party’s primaries conducted in the state.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor advised APC official to help the party and its candidates by making his points without abusing people.

“We won’t take the pain to begin to talk about all the abuses, but to humbly plead with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party, to call Oshiomhole to order.

“APC is not known for rascality and abuses, and the earlier he is called to order the better for the party.

“Oshiomhole should be advised not to tow the 2015 PDP line.

“Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the former president of the country. And no matter the provocation or his political activities this time, Oshiomhole should have considered his status as the former president of the country in talking about him, and should have exercised caution in addressing him.

“Saying that God would punish the former President was never advisable. This should not be the language of APC.

“APC does not belong to Oshiomhole. He should therefore be advised to carefully select his words when he is talking about certain categories of Nigerians.

“And he should also find out why he is the only one talking about APC and no other member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party is doing so.

“The way Oshiomhole is talking has become nauseating to most Nigerians and the earlier he is called to order, the better.

“He should be talking about the achievements of President Buhari and APC as a party instead of using the opportunities he would have used to do that, to be insulting people.

“To say the least, few weeks to the elections, APC and its Candidates do not need Oshiomhole’s abuses or insults but the reasons Nigerians should re-elect President Buhari and elect APC Candidates,” Okorocha said.

Limitednow:
EFCC CHAIRMAN MAGU AT BUHARI'S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN EVENT