Video: Pandemonium at PDP HQ as thugs invade BoT meeting
January 29, 2025
Pandemonium broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday as thugs allegedly invaded the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, causing chaos at the venue.
The meeting, presided over by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, was attended by several key party members, including National Secretary Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, Senator Ben Obi, BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, Board Secretary Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and former Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye.
Tensions flared when Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, both vying for the position of PDP National Secretary, clashed at the start of the meeting. Ude-Okoye had arrived at the meeting venue before Anyanwu and Acting Chairman Damagum but was forced out after Anyanwu’s arrival.
Recall that in 2023, the PDP’s South East zone nominated former National Youth Leader Sunday Ude-Okoye to replace Anyanwu as National Secretary after he was selected as the party’s candidate for the Imo State governorship election. The South East PDP argued that Anyanwu should step down from the position due to his candidacy, fueling additional controversy within the party.
An Appeal Court sitting in Enugu on December 20, 2024, upheld a previous High Court ruling removing Senator Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary and affirmed Sunday Ude-Okoye as the legitimate officeholder.
However, last week, the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a restraining order, directing Anyanwu to remain in office as National Secretary until the Supreme Court resolves the ongoing appeal.
Interesting but inaccurate headline - “Illiterates in leadership” – El-Rufai slams APC, says party has abandoned its ideals
Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
“Illiterates in leadership” – El-Rufai slams APC, says party has abandoned its ideals
Jerry Wright-Ukwu January 28, 2025
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken a swipe at his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.
Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.”
El-Rufai lamented the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the APC, saying, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
The former governor criticized the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing it to unqualified delegates.
“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” he said.
El-Rufai urged political parties to set higher standards for candidates and delegates, noting that the constitution’s minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate should not suffice for party nominations.
Reflecting on the party’s foundation, El-Rufai said the APC was originally established to combat corruption, rebuild the economy, and enhance security. He, however, said the goals have been abandoned.
“The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening,” he revealed.
El-Rufai also urged opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party and protect democracy.
“There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues. Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with.’
“There seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties,” he alleged.
Citing a poll that revealed 75% of registered voters might abstain from the 2027 elections, El-Rufai warned of an impending crisis.
“This is dangerous. For those of us who lived half our lives under military rule, we know what it is. We don’t want a military rule, but we also don’t want civilians behaving like the military in their babbar riga and suits,” he said.
He appealed to opposition parties to set aside their differences and form a united front to save democracy.
“This is a national emergency, and we must act before history repeats itself,” he concluded.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed speculations suggesting he plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 2-day National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Tuesday, El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling party, reaffirmed his commitment to the APC, emphasizing that he has no intention of quitting the party.
“I have no plans to leave the party,” El-Rufai said, adding that he expects improved performance from the APC.
El-Rufai, who has been critical of the party since being excluded from the ministerial list last year, strongly refuted claims about his possible exit when questioned after the conference.
“I am not leaving the APC. I don’t have such plans.,” El-Rufai declared
“But why are you so hard on the party lately?” the former Federal Capital Territory Minister was asked.
“No, no no, I want them (APC) them to change,” he responded and moved away.
But on Monday at the national talk-shop El-Rufai accused APC of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.
He complained of lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the party.
According to him, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
El-Rufai noted that the APC was originally established to combat corruption, rebuild the economy, and enhance security.
He, however climes that the goals have been abandoned.
“The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening,” he hinted
Everybody, come and see, people are arguing with Musiwa!
Meanwhile, the word censor does not work on thread titles! The name of his website appeared on the title of this thread! The name of that website has been censored/banned on Nairaland for more than 15 years.
It’s never too cold for an interview at World Economic Forum, Davos.
Just wrapped up an interview with @KennethIgbomor , Market Editor, West Africa @cnbcafrica, at #WEF25 in Davos.
This year’s theme, Industries in the Intelligent Age, is especially relevant to the future of energy and how innovation can help us meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Oando to deploy 5,000 electric buses for public transport in Lagos – Wale Tinubu
The Group Chief Executive Officer of OandO Plc, Wale Tinubu has disclosed that the oil firm is partnering with the Lagos State Government to deploy 5,000 electric buses for public transportation in the state.
Tinubu, said this in an interview with CNBC Africa, on the sidelines of the just concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
He said the decision to invest in electric vehicles, particularly for public transportation, is informed by the company’s commitment to adopting cleaner energy solutions as part of its ‘just’ energy transition drive.
He makes a case for a ‘just transition’ over decarbonisation in Africa as the continent “is actually a victim of global warming,” bearing the brunt of climate change while contributing only about 3% of global emissions.
He stressed that Africa cannot decarbonise or abandon its large deposits of fossil fuels for clean energy sources while the majority of its citizens wallow in energy poverty.
“The arguments for decarbonisation are as important as the arguments for a just transition, and that transition has to recognize the fact that Africa has 45% of the people who have no access to electricity or energy products so our first step really must be to use what we need, which means that we need to use our gas as part of the energy mix to service the needs of our continent and that we need to do so as a transitional fuel whilst we work with an energy mix”
He noted that Oando, being a major player in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is deploying EVs as a “carbon capture technique” to contribute to the global decarbonisation campaign.
“For every modicum of carbon we put into the economy, into the world and the environment, we are also taking that out by ensuring that we have carbon capture techniques as well as ensuring that our clean energy offering to as part of our products and services is high so we’re focusing a lot on e-vehicles,”
he explained.
He disclosed that the company will deploy 5,000 electric buses to Lagos in its contribution to helping Nigeria transition its public transport system from combustion engines to electric vehicles.
“We are using gas as a transitional fuel to create electricity to generate the power to power buses, transport is 10% of global emissions so if we tackle public transport we would be able to reduce emissions by 5% almost immediately and the first step we’re doing now is also working on a public system of being able to transit the bus system in Nigeria from diesel or petrol to electric vehicles starting with a project which we’re working on with the Lagos state government as a pilot case where we expect to see up to 5,000 buses, e-buses being deployed in our streets.”
Oando to deploy AI in next oil drilling campaign
Tinubu also hinted at the potential deployment of artificial intelligence in the company’s next drilling campaign, as the company aims to enhance operational efficiency through technology.
He explained that the deployment of AI has become necessary to effectively utilise resources, and improve overall performance in Oando’s upcoming projects.
“It (AI) is a big game-changer. For example in our drilling operations, we have to make serious decisions which have a high impact on cost. And being able to throw in all the potential answers to our questions based on old experiences, by having a whole sequence of possibilities which can be taken through artificial intelligence. So it is something we are looking forward to deploying in our next drilling campaign,”
he disclosed.
What you should know
⚫️In August 2024, Oando PLC acquired Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) from Italian oil giant, Eni in a deal worth $783 million. The acquisition increased Oando’s oil and gas reserves and doubled its oil and gas reserves.
⚫️Earlier this year, the company announced that its subsidiary, Oando Energy Resources (OER), was awarded the operatorship of Block KON 13 in Angola’s Onshore Kwanza Basin.
Politics › Re: Fight At PDP BOT Meeting In Abuja (Video) by naptu2(op): 12:01am On Jan 30, 2025
