The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described a splinter group which formed ‘Fresh PDP’ today in Abuja as noisemakers that is not capable of distracting it from returning to power in 2019.
The mainstream PDP reacted to the emergence of a factional group, by insisting that it will not be distracted by it.
The PDP’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondinyan, in a statement today, Wednesday, said that PDP is unperturbed by the development.
Earlier in the day, a group led by one Emmanuel Nwosu, at a press conference in Abuja, announced the formation of ‘Fresh PDP’ which he said is the authentic one.
Nwosu, who spoke in the secretariat, opened for the splinter group, at Tito Broz Street, off Jimmy Carter street, Asokoro, Abuja, complained that the emergence of the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee, (NWC) at the December 9 national convention would not stand. He called for the nullification of the party’s convention.[myad]
Vehicle abandoned by the fleeing Boko Haram Members
Soldiers on Operation DEEP PUNCH 2, designed to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists inhabiting remote islands in Lake Chad basin lying within Nigerian territory, have rescued some people captured by the insurgents and turned into slavery. They were forced to work on farms under harsh condition by Boko Haram insurgents. The soldiers, who are of 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, on Operation LAFIYA DOLE and supported by soldiers of the Armed Forces Strike Group, also recovered several weapons, vehicles and other items from fleeing members of Boko Haram. According to information coming from Deputy Director, Public Relations, of the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Timothy Antigha, the insurgents have been sneaking into Magumeri, Kauram and other locations to loot property and attack security personnel and villagers. The statement said that so far, 20 terrorists have been killed, even as 17 others have been captured and over 100 elderly men, women and children rescued. It said that preliminary investigation revealed that a large number of the rescued persons were held against their will and forced to work in farms under life threatening conditions and penurious wages. It said that more investigation and interviews will be conducted before the rescued persons are handed over for further action. The statement said that the operation, which is on-going has forced the terrorists to abandon their vehicles, arms and ammunition, as well as assorted equipment as the soldiers closed in on them. It listed items recovered from the fleeing insurgents as one Mercedes Benz Truck, three Toyota Land Cruiser Gun Trucks, five AK-47 Riffles, three Fabrique Nationals (FN) Riffles, two G3 Riffles and one Pump Action Riffle. Other items include one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tube, two Bombs, teo Very High Frequency (VHF) Radios and one Night Vision Goggle. The statement said that also recovered are recovered 55 Rounds of 5.56 X 45mm ammunition, five Bangalore Torpedo, Two 120mm Mortar Bombs, 1000 Rounds of 7.62mm Ball Metal Link Ammunition, 55 Rounds of 7.62mm Ammunition and 108 Rounds of 12.7mm Ammunition with links, as well as two memory cards, two Hydraulic Jacks and a 1.5 Amph Battery. The statement said that though no soldier was lost in the encounter, but that six of them sustained various injuries and have since been evacuated for prompt medical attention. [myad]
Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the 707 Special Forces Brigade, Major Oalekan Ayeni has, on behalf of the Nigerian Army, protested against an allegation that soldiers invaded communities and burnt down houses in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. “We wish to state that it was not the troops of the Nigerian Army that were involved in the alleged arson; such uncivilized act is against the ethics of the Nigerian Army.” The Army spokesman made it clear that none of the troops was involved in any unlawful act of invading any community, adding that such stories were false and untrue. “For the avoidance of doubt, there was an incidence of reported armed robbery at Agirigi Community in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State on Monday, 18th December 2017, where a discharged soldier traveling from Lagos to Katsina-Ala ran into unidentified suspected gunmen that fired at his vehicle and killed him. “Troops on Joint Task Force Operations Zyenda, immediately moved to the scene of the incident. “Unfortunately, the assailants absconded before the troops’ arrival. The body was recovered and moved to Markurdi, the State capital. “Patrols were also immediately intensified in the area of the incident with a view to arrest the suspects, ensure normalcy, restoration of law and order and to also give confidence to the locals to pursue their daily activities without fear. “Consequently, on the early hours of 18th December 2017, there was an intelligence report that some people dressed in military uniforms were burning houses in the general area of the incident. “Upon arrival of own troops, nobody was seen in the area, however, it was suspected that the same armed men returned to attack the community probably assuming the locals gave the security agencies information on their location. “Unfortunately, there have been allegations from various sources of media that Nigerian Army troops were involved in this terrible act. “This allegation is baseless and most unfounded as our soldiers have been conducting themselves professionally in line with established Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct for troops. “Therefore, we wish to reiterate that this assertion is completely untrue and targeted at tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Army amongst the citizens who have over the years developed strong confidence and trust in the Nigerian Army. “It is our constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and properties of the civil populace and ensure peaceful co-existence amongst Nigerians. Our troops are trained to ensure this without fear or favour. “We therefore wish to assure the locals of Agirigi Community and Benue State in general that Nigerian Army troops are on ground to protect them, their lives and properties. They should, therefore, have trust and confidence in the Nigerian Army.”[myad]
The drum beat of 2019 is gathering momentum, with politicians engaged in consultation for elective offices in southern Kaduna. While democracy has been so gracious to us since 1999, our politicians have not done what is expected of them. In the years of democratic rule, we have produced a governor, deputy governors, senators, Reps, members of House of Assembly, including Ministers of the federal Republic. We have been appointed GMD NNPC, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of army staff (twice), Chief of Naval Staff, DG NIMASA, Dep Gov of CBN, among other countless appointments. Despite all these appointments, has SK felt the impacts of such appointments? Just like we witnessed the appointments of no fewer than eight military administrators during the military era, with no visible strides on ground, our people have been neglected and exploited, not by any external marauding forces but by those elected to represent them. That does not in any infer that nothing has been achieved. The role of late Isaiah Balat as Minister for state and senator provides a glimmer of Hope for us. As we set on yet another journey, I am concerned with the calibre of persons we are sending to both state and federal legislative houses. Considering the performances of our lawmakers in both houses, there is the urgent need to do a review and ensure that only the best are elected. We have most times experienced deafening silence from our lawmakers who should be seen to represent us at the most critical periods. In the calamity that has befallen us as a people, the failure of the political leadership to see us as a united political entity sharing the same crippled destiny has been obvious Let me at this junction salute the irresistable courage of those standing up for the people. Of a special meantion is our own erudite Bishop Joseph Danlami Bagobiri of the Kafanchan CATHOLIC DIOCESE. When most of our political representatives feigned ignorance, he refused being Nicodemus and told bitter truths to power that be. SOKAPU, led by Bar Solomon Musa, proved its mettle in the midnight of criminal silence from our elected reps over our collective tragedy. Barr. Jacob Mark led SK Professionals and CSOs to put issues on the front burners. It took divine intervention to rescue Luka BINNIYAT from prison, just as Gloria Mabeiam Ballason emerged triumphant in the two cases she instituted against the Kaduna State Government over rights violations. James Kanyip has remained a legal cornerstone on issues regarding human rights. Together with others, he secured a court judgement that declared illegal the closure of tertiary schools in Southern Kaduna. Mrs Charity Shekari drew global attention to the menace of attacks by herdsmen in not only SK but other parts of the country. She has remained a silent voice , so do many, I guess. These people, among many others, remain some of our finest in our trying periods. They shone so bright due the ineptitude of our elected representatives. Where mainstream media were muzzled, The KEFASONS, ZIGWAIS, OBIS, PETERS, SULEIMANS, MAKERIS, BOMBAS, among many others, refused to let go of issues on the social media platforms.. As we move into the trenches for yet another political battle, may the anger we carry in us push us to reject those who have turned us into merchandise for their political upliftment. These dealers in the power game have consistently known that with bags of money, they can continue their hold on us that have been impoverished by their devious and wicked ways. Let us for the sake of our children and generations yet unborn reject those who think with money, we can be bought. In this line, let us be angry enough to confine to dustbin the commercialisation of the political process. PDP and APC are not religions. Where money holds sway, we should identify with the platform that grants us the right to express our freedom of choice devoid of financial inducement. As a people, we must reject attempts to Balkanise and make us enemies of ourselves. We come from a heroic history. The blood of our forebears were used to water the unity of this country. Our area is endowed with the intellectual and economic prowess to be a shining bulb on a hill. What has fought against us is personal ego and selfishness of our leaders. We should broaden and expand our frontiers for participation. In a bid to come out of our Plato’s cave of despair, we must be angry enough to pelt away these demons behind our miserable conditions. More than any time, we should reach out to others to be key players in not only the state but the country at large. As long as we submit to these political merchants, so long we will continue being slaves to their evil machinations. Let us therefore resolve to be change agents in dealing a deadly blow to the monsters of money politics and ethnic bickering over who represents us in both state and federal law-making houses. May God grant us the grace to reject money politics in 2019.
Reef is a media professional based in Abuja and can be reached via: simonreef927@gmail.com[myad]
FCT MInister, Muhammed Musa Bello and some official
The Secretary in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Education Secretariat, Senator Isah Maina has said that the Administration committed over N9.6 billion on Education development projects in the territory this year, 2017, Maina who spoke to news men today, Wednesday, in Abuja, said that education-related projects worth N2.8 billion were completed while projects worth nearly N4billion were awarded and would be completed in a few months’ time. The Education Secretary said that the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, approved the payment of the sum of N2.8 billion for counterpart projects between the FCTA and international partners. Some of the projects already completed and paid for by the Education Secretariat, Maina explained, are the construction and rehabilitation of over 400 primary and junior classroom blocks across the territory, fencing of three secondary schools, furnishing of classrooms, offices, transit and staff quarters at Abuja University of Technology, Abaji, and provision of laptop computers to secondary schools in Kuje and Jabi among others. Other projects worth N3.8 billion that were awarded and awaiting completion are the furnishing and equipping of science laboratories at GGSS Kuje and GGSS Abaji for computer based exam (CBE) Centre, ITVI, Utako, supply of laptop computers for students. He said that under the counterpart projects, the FCT minister authorized the release of the sum of N2.8 billion counterpart funds, which enabled the administration to access the UBE funds, including the unpaid arrears of 2014 for the Teachers Professional Development (TPD) fund. According to Maina, the FCT has been up to date in its financial obligations to UBEC having paid up to 2016. He said that the Administration approved the disbursement of N96 million under the FCT Education Assistance Scheme to clear the backlog of 5,450 students that applied for scholarships for the 2015 award season, which will commence after a pre-disbursement audit of the applicants soon. He said that the school feeding has been carried upward from N200 to N300 per student per day, to improve the quantity and quality of food for students in the boarding schools. He said that school heads have also been given the opportunity of rising to the position of grade level 17 as is the case in the federal ministries and some states across the country, adding that the FCT Administration has designated 20 schools as Grade A schools and their principals can now rise to the position of grade level 17. He said that 2,981 teachers, supervisors and quality assurance officers were trained, using the assessed UBE Teacher Professional Development Training (TPDT) funds. He said that the Board also carried out cluster sensitization of 1000 primary and junior secondary teachers while 50 junior secondary schools teachers were trained on entrepreneurial skills. He said that about 100 other primary and secondary school teachers were trained on the use of Classmate Computers for e-learning while 200 Quality Assurance Officers conducted local training for 1,400 teachers under the strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) programme to ensure that teachers have the required skills to function as 21st century science and mathematics teachers.[myad]
The Federal Executive Council, FEC today, Wednesday approved the award of a N155.7 billion Naira contract for the construction of a hybrid two-lane-six-lane road network that starts from Abuja and cuts through the heart of Northern Nigeria: Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria to Kano. This road project comes at a time when the administration has increased the pace of the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and is considering increasing the scope of work on it by, possibly up to N300 billion; the East-West expressway, Port Harcourt to Lagos and is pumping money into the realization of the Second Niger bridge. At the same meeting, the FEC approved the award for the rehabilitation of the Efire-Araromi-Aiyede-Aiyela road in Ogun State at the cost of about N14 billion, as well the contract for the augmentation of the contact for the rehabilitation of outstanding sections of Onitsha-Enugu expressway: Amansea Enugu State border in Enugu State and the full rehabilitation of Umunya section in Anambra. This contract was first awarded for N24 billion in 2014 but the scale of work done is, to say the least, appalling. This road, it will be recalled, is one of those that the leaders of the South-East brought to the attention of the President when they recently met him. The revised contract amount approved to do this work is now N62 billion. Infrastructure experts are already claiming that the road infrastructure sector is today enjoying its best moment for a long time. The first two years of the Buhari administration have seen a quantum leap in the funding roads infrastructure. In 2015, N19 billion was set aside the former administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan for all federal roads. The government under President Muhammadu Buhari has set aside N274,876,830,399.90 billion for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of strategic roads across the country in 2018. In 2016, N73 billion was spent while in this financial year, 2017 alone, about N305,952,920,725 billion has so far been released. For this year, 2017, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola revealed that 63 roads were identified in 34 states of the Federation construction, repair and rehabilitation. “Noting that the road projects are spread out in such a way that no zone has been left out, Fashola listed the proposed priority highway projects in the 2017 Budget to include Kano-Katsina Road (Phase 1: Kano Town at Dawanau Roundabout to Katsina State Border), Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Yauri Road, Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani Road, Ilorin-Kabba-Obajana Road (Sections 1&11), Ibadan-Ilorin Road, Section11 (Oyo-Ogbomosho), Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Dual Carriageway, Sections 1&11 and Lagos-Otta Road. “Also included are Apapa/Tincan Port, NNPC Depot (Atlas Cove) to Mile 2 Accessd Road, Apapa-Oshodi Road, Third Mainland Bridge, Apapa/Tincan Island Port-NNPC Depot Access Road, Benin-Ofosu-Ore Ajebandele-Shagamu Road, Obajana Junction-Benin Road Phase 2: (Sections i-iv), Sapele-Ewu Road Sections 1&11, Second Niger Bridge, Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Amansea-Enugu State Border), Yenegoa Road Junction-Kolo-Otueke-Bayelsa Palm and Bodo-Bonny Road with Bridge. “Others are Odukpani-Itu-(Spur Ididep-Itam)-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway Sections 1&11, Ikom Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Sections i-iv, Calabar-Ugep-Katsina Ala Road, Vandeikya-Obudu-Obudu Cattle Ranch Road, Oshegbudu-Oweto Road, Oju/Loko-Oweto Bridge with approach roads, Nassarawa-Loko Road, Abuja-Lokoja Road Sections i&iv, Suleja-Minna Road Section 11. Kaduna Eastern Bypass, Kano-Maiduguri Road Section 1-1V, Hadejia-Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari Road and Kano Western Bypass. “Those listed as critical economic routes include Zaria-Kano Road, Abuja-Lokoja Road (Sections i-iv), Ilorin-Jebba-Bokani Road, Ibadan-Ilorin Road (Sections `1&11), Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Road (Sections1&11), Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajebandele-Shagamu Road and Obajana-Benin Road (Sections i-iv). “Also in the list are Onitsha-Enugu Road (Sections 1&11), Enugu-Port Harcourt Road (Sections i-iv), Calabar-Odukpani-Itu Road (Section1), Calabar-Ugep-Katsina Ala Road (Sections 1&11), Alesi-Ugup (Iyamoyung-Ugup) Road, Ogoja(Mbok Junction) Abuochichie Road, Otukpo Township Road, Kano-Maiduguri Road(Sections i-v), Kaduna-Zaria Road and Kaduna-Katsina Road.z.” The state of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano is in a serious distress and is in urgent in need of reconstruction. After 25-30 years of usage, the lifespan of road has expired. The pavement structure is unable to cope with the prevailing traffic. As stated by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola who made the presentation at the cabinet “this road is currently characterized by extensive pavement failures, alligator cracks, corrugation, underground pumping, rutting, longitudinal cracking, frost heaving, numerous potholes and slippage among others.” Consequently, the users of the road are frustrated by, not only the those bumps and potholes but holdups and the criminal activities of robbers and kidnappers. Yet, this is a road that is considered as one of the most important and busiest roads in the country. It links 14 states in Northern Nigeria to the Federal Capital, Abuja. Economically, this is the road that conveys all the grains, tomatoes, sorghum and goats and cows that feed the other parts of the country. This should translate into better and improved movement of agricultural products and facilitate commercial activities within and between the states of Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe States and the FCT. Politically, this road leads to seven million, one hundred votes, roughly about 50 percent of the votes that helped to put the Muhammadu Buhari administration in office. The benefits of doing this road include a reduction of road accidents and loss of life. It should improve socioeconomic life of the people around the road corridors and help to curtail increasing incidents of armed robbery, kidnapping, and other forms of criminal activities common to the road. Kidnapping has become a bane of the Abuja-Kaduna axis, as result of the decrepit condition of the road while Kaduna-Kano has a national record of accidents and deaths on a daily basis. Travel time which used be about four hours or less is now six hours. This has increased, not only travel time but also costs for transporters and commuters. Funding for the road project which was awarded to the famously efficient Julius Berger will be funded from 2017 and 2018 appropriations with additional provisions being made in the subsequent years appropriations covering the the lifespan of the project. This notwithstanding, the FEC directed that the Ministers of Finance and that of Power, Works and Housing meet to find the money for its completion within the stated three years to avoid the horrible fate that befell the East-West expressway. A robust roads infrastructure which just entered a higher trajectory is, in the vision of the Buhari administration, the key to increased efficiency of the movement of goods, persons and services across the country. It will boost investments and create jobs. These are things that we need to do to kickstart the economy. The first two years of the government have witnessed a drastic reduction of the number of stalled road projects and the commencement of new ones all over the country. At the rate it is boosting infrastructure investments, roads, rail and power, the Buhari administration has undoubtedly found the road to glory.[myad]
Many parts of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) witnessed what can be described as strange heavy downpour in the wee hours of today, Wednesday.
The heavy rain, accompanied by strong wind, lightening and thunderstorm, started around 1.40am and did not subside until 2.10am.
The unusually heavy rain woke up many people from sleep in Kuje, one of the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Though experts are yet to explain the effect of the rain in December, especially in a place like Abuja which witnessed the last rain in 2017 in the early September, it was feared that Nigeria may witness drought next year as a result of the early cessation of rain this year, leading to many crops wilting and dying off. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to apply appropriate penalty on those found culpable in the Osborne Towers scandal but that such punishment will not jeopardize national security.
The President, who received the report of the panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), described the discovery of monies in the flat at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April this year, as an ‘‘unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry.’’
‘‘All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the Vice President’s Committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.
‘‘However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence Agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.
‘‘Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistent with our anti-corruption policies,’’ the President said.
President Buhari commended the Presidential Review Panel on NIA led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, for completing their assignment expeditiously.
He expressed the hope that the recommendations of the panel and that of an earlier Committee headed by the Vice President to look into the Osborne matter will assist Government in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall National Security architecture.
‘‘Your Panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.
‘‘The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath has also brought to the fore the need to review the entire National Security Architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.
‘‘Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment.”
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was present at the presentation of the report by the panel which has Chief Albert Horsfall, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim and Ambassador Ezekiel Oladeji, as members. [myad]
Councilors have banned President Donald Trump of the United States of America from entering Greenwich in the United Kingdom.
Greenwich Council said that it had adopted a motion for the state visit not to go ahead, and that “should a state visit go ahead, President Trump would not be welcome in the Borough.”
Reuters reports that the Councillors in Greenwich, have voted to ban Trump from the borough ahead of his proposed state visit.
The Labour-run council called on the Government to abandon its plans to host the President in the New Year.
The council expressed “alarm at the decision of President Trump to retweet islamophobic propaganda” and showed “sadness at the President’s bigoted attitude towards women and ethnic minorities.”
The leader of the council, Councilor Denise Hyland, said: “On a daily basis we work hand in hand with residents from all communities to ensure this borough is a peaceful and welcoming place that celebrates difference and diversity, but in the case of President Trump we are willing to make an exception.
“We are one of 32 London boroughs, all different, all individual but all home to people from across the world.
“This diversity strengthens our borough. It enriches our lives on a daily basis. And it reminds us all that we have so much more in common than divides us.
“As one of the most multi-cultural London boroughs, we are a place that has worked tirelessly to break down barriers. We have no time for people who want to build walls, when we have done so much to break them down.” [myad]
The new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has asked members of the party to be ready to sacrifice personal agenda for the greater good of the party as the nation prepares for the 2019 general elections.
He said: “we must be ready to compromise on personal agenda where necessary as well as make sacrifices for the greater good of the party. As a party in opposition, we must be ready to forgo certain deserving privileges for the good of the party.”
Secondus, in his opening remarks at the PDP retreat for leaders in Abuja today, Tuesday, further reminded the stakeholders that the new PDP is being built around youths and women as catalysts for the rebuilding process, even as he said that as the new leaders of the party, they should brace up for the huge challenge.
He stressed that the time for individualistic ideology is over, “and moving forward, we all must collectively channel our energy and resources towards achieving the party’s present goal, as our ability to win in 2019 has implications not just for us as a party but also for the entire country. It is based on this reason that we are starting on a fresh note.”
The chairman said that the only way to achieve what they had set out to do is by bringing all the stakeholders to work together as one larger family.
“The mandate they gave to us is special and of a very great size, to rebuild and re-position our party with a view to regaining the power we lost in 2015. Rebuilding trust is not an easy task but that is exactly what we have been charged to do by our teeming members across the country and in diaspora.
“When there is a disaster, the work of recovery and rebuilding is usually a long term but in our case the disaster of losing power in 2015 is such that we do not need a long period for recovery more so when the ruling party APC has shown clearly by its actions that it never came to govern.
“Our members and indeed Nigerians wants a quick fix for PDP and the huge challenge is on us gathered here. The time is now and it’s ripe. In accepting this mandate to pilot this project, I have wholeheartedly surrendered my 120% service to this enterprise and I demand same of all of you.”
According to him, the point where the party is at the moment “is at the cross road about to take the critical decision of which direction to go right or left. Our choice should be swift, clear and unambiguous we are going right and it leads us straight to Aso Rock. Already we have given the ruling APC quit notice and we have no intention of withdrawing it.
“We must therefore begin to invest in our party with the aim of repackaging and eventually unveiling a reformed PDP to the Nigerian electorate, so as to regain their confidence. We must redefine who we are in the minds of Nigerians, down to the grass-root level. We must let the people know that we are ready to reignite the fire that once made Nigeria a shining beacon in Africa and the world over by returning this party to the real owners, the People. It’s not for nothing that our founding fathers chose the slogan- ‘power to the People. These actions are necessary for us to reclaim the territory we have lost across all 3 tiers of government.
“I believe that I speak your mind if I declare that the new NWC are here to SERVE this party and will continue to promote the principles of Democratic Practice, Progressive Politics, Good and Effective Leadership, and National Interest within our party.
“Conscious of the enormous challenges ahead, I have the intention of bringing in a team of communication experts, to help reignite and develop an effective strategy that will set us on the right path and drive our party towards surpassing even where we were before 2015.
“In underscoring the importance of such experts in our midst at this moment may I publish this advisory to the PDP soon after we lost election by the resident Country Director of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Mr. Sentell Barnes, that as opposition Party, PDP, need to re-strategize in order to gain the trust of Nigerians again.
“The director said that the party (PDP) lost the election because of its inability to recognize the power of social media and its failure to harmonize its communication channels and charged them to re-strategize if they must bounce back in future elections.
“Barnes said that no party building task is more important than the development of a successful communications programme because it affects everything a party does.
“No matter what a political party does, if it does not have effective communication, it can’t achieve much. PDP needs more strategic engagement to lose and unbundle any negative impression already created by the opposition.’’
“This 2-day retreat is therefore self-reawakening; to give everyone a say in the outcome, a chance to fully participate in crafting the key strategies to move the party forward. This is critical for obtaining buy-in. If they helped build it – they own it.”
He took a look at what he called “pessimists in our midst who are still day dreaming thinking that PDP cannot resurrect to defeat an incumbent APC in an election in 2019,” saying that after the party’s successful National Convention, such pessimists should have a rethink, especially as politics is a game of variables.
“For such people I like to share this story of Helen Keller, an American author, political activists and first blind-deaf person to earn a degree in Arts in that country, and lived from 1880 to 1968 who said after getting her degree “While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done” and back home in Osun state in July while Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his APC group were swearing and saying PDP cannot win in Osun our own candidate Distinguished Senator Ademola Adeleke danced his way to victory and is now in the Senate.”[myad]
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described a splinter group which formed ‘Fresh PDP’ today in Abuja as noisemakers that is not capable of distracting it from returning to power in 2019.
The new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has asked members of the party to be ready to sacrifice personal agenda for the greater good of the party as the nation prepares for the 2019 general elections.
2019: Let Us Be Angry, By Musa Simon Reef
The drum beat of 2019 is gathering momentum, with politicians engaged in consultation for elective offices in southern Kaduna. While democracy has been so gracious to us since 1999, our politicians have not done what is expected of them. In the years of democratic rule, we have produced a governor, deputy governors, senators, Reps, members of House of Assembly, including Ministers of the federal Republic. We have been appointed GMD NNPC, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of army staff (twice), Chief of Naval Staff, DG NIMASA, Dep Gov of CBN, among other countless appointments.
Despite all these appointments, has SK felt the impacts of such appointments? Just like we witnessed the appointments of no fewer than eight military administrators during the military era, with no visible strides on ground, our people have been neglected and exploited, not by any external marauding forces but by those elected to represent them. That does not in any infer that nothing has been achieved. The role of late Isaiah Balat as Minister for state and senator provides a glimmer of Hope for us.
As we set on yet another journey, I am concerned with the calibre of persons we are sending to both state and federal legislative houses. Considering the performances of our lawmakers in both houses, there is the urgent need to do a review and ensure that only the best are elected. We have most times experienced deafening silence from our lawmakers who should be seen to represent us at the most critical periods. In the calamity that has befallen us as a people, the failure of the political leadership to see us as a united political entity sharing the same crippled destiny has been obvious
Let me at this junction salute the irresistable courage of those standing up for the people. Of a special meantion is our own erudite Bishop Joseph Danlami Bagobiri of the Kafanchan CATHOLIC DIOCESE. When most of our political representatives feigned ignorance, he refused being Nicodemus and told bitter truths to power that be. SOKAPU, led by Bar Solomon Musa, proved its mettle in the midnight of criminal silence from our elected reps over our collective tragedy. Barr. Jacob Mark led SK Professionals and CSOs to put issues on the front burners. It took divine intervention to rescue Luka BINNIYAT from prison, just as Gloria Mabeiam Ballason emerged triumphant in the two cases she instituted against the Kaduna State Government over rights violations.
James Kanyip has remained a legal cornerstone on issues regarding human rights. Together with others, he secured a court judgement that declared illegal the closure of tertiary schools in Southern Kaduna. Mrs Charity Shekari drew global attention to the menace of attacks by herdsmen in not only SK but other parts of the country. She has remained a silent voice , so do many, I guess. These people, among many others, remain some of our finest in our trying periods. They shone so bright due the ineptitude of our elected representatives. Where mainstream media were muzzled, The KEFASONS, ZIGWAIS, OBIS, PETERS, SULEIMANS, MAKERIS, BOMBAS, among many others, refused to let go of issues on the social media platforms..
As we move into the trenches for yet another political battle, may the anger we carry in us push us to reject those who have turned us into merchandise for their political upliftment. These dealers in the power game have consistently known that with bags of money, they can continue their hold on us that have been impoverished by their devious and wicked ways. Let us for the sake of our children and generations yet unborn reject those who think with money, we can be bought. In this line, let us be angry enough to confine to dustbin the commercialisation of the political process. PDP and APC are not religions. Where money holds sway, we should identify with the platform that grants us the right to express our freedom of choice devoid of financial inducement.
As a people, we must reject attempts to Balkanise and make us enemies of ourselves. We come from a heroic history. The blood of our forebears were used to water the unity of this country. Our area is endowed with the intellectual and economic prowess to be a shining bulb on a hill. What has fought against us is personal ego and selfishness of our leaders. We should broaden and expand our frontiers for participation. In a bid to come out of our Plato’s cave of despair, we must be angry enough to pelt away these demons behind our miserable conditions. More than any time, we should reach out to others to be key players in not only the state but the country at large.
As long as we submit to these political merchants, so long we will continue being slaves to their evil machinations. Let us therefore resolve to be change agents in dealing a deadly blow to the monsters of money politics and ethnic bickering over who represents us in both state and federal law-making houses.
May God grant us the grace to reject money politics in 2019.
Reef is a media professional based in Abuja and can be reached via: simonreef927@gmail.com[myad]