Politics

Atiku: Rivers PDP Takes Swipe On Wike

Published

2 months ago

February 2, 2023

The Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council in Rivers State has taken a swipe at the state governor, Nyesom Wike, over the cancellation of the approval granted for the party’s presidential campaign in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The spokesman for the PDP PCC in the state, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, also said the governor lacked integrity for not naming his preferred presidential candidate in January as he promised.

Nwibubasa said from all indications, the governor was increasingly frustrated.

On Wednesday, the state government cancelled the approval given to the PDP for the rally of its standard bearer to hold in the state on February 11, 2023.

The cancellation was contained in a letter signed by the state Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green, and addressed to the Director General, PDP PCC, Aminu Tambuwal.

The letter said credible information available to the state government showed that the PDP PCC was working in collaboration with a faction of the All Progressives Congress in the state led by Tonye Cole.

It added that information at the government’s disposal show that activities of the APC in the state have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflicts within the party.

It added, “The Rivers State Government is unable to risk damage to or destruction of the very valuable and priced asset, the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, which your use of the same in collaboration with your Tonye Patrick Cole APC faction will expose it to.

“In the circumstance, the Rivers State Government has come to the painful but inevitable decision to withdraw the approval earlier given to you for the use of the stadium and the said approval is hereby withdrawn.”

Nwibubasa, while confirming the development, described the state government’s earlier approval as a Greek gift.

Berating Wike, Nwibubasa further said the governor was not a good fighter, because a good fighter knows when to quit.

Nwibubasa stated, “We are not surprised when certain decisions are taken because it all amounts to the fact that the level of frustration is increasing.

“We will only appeal to him that he should return to his party and return to the part of peace. And that is part of honour. No one fights a war and refuses to evaluate the same war, and knows when to call it quits. He is not a good fighter.

“For the presidential candidate of the PDP, we are very certain that Rivers people are happy with him. They are in love with him and they are going to vote for him en masse come February 25, 2023.”

Asked what he thinks about Wike’s inability to name his preferred presidential candidate as he had promised, he said it shows the governor has no integrity.

“His inability to name his preferred candidate as publicly announced in January, again is a pointer to his level of instability and incoherence.”

“It tells of his integrity that he cannot match his words with action. So, for us, it is painful that we have a governor who says one thing and does the other.”

Advertisements

Politics

What Abians Should Expect From Me – Governor-elect, Alex Otti

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

The Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti, on Thursday revealed that Abians should expect general restructuring of the state once he assumes office.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Otti said in the next few days he would appoint a team that would help him, adding that he would create a bigger and more robust economy in Abia.

He added that payment of salaries would be one of his main priorities.

Otti said, “In the next few days, I will appoint a team that will be sworn in on the 29 of May. I will appoint the right people who will help me.

“We will look at a lot of things, but we will take it step by step, including revenue.

“As of yesterday, I have already started engaging banks. Things they will expect is a general restructuring of Abia.”

He added, “There is no problem in taking loans, but the problem is what you do with the loans. Payment of salaries is my priority.”

“We will create a bigger economy, a robust economy, we will do everything possible to ensure our economy grows.”

Otti scored a total of 175, 467 votes cast to beat his closest rival and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe, who polled 88,529 votes to come second position.

NEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, declared Otti the winner on Wednesday evening after the resumption of the final collation of governorship election results in Umuahia.

Advertisements

Politics

Those Arrested For Electoral Malpractices In Kaduna Released Without charge – Shehu Sani

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

A former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has alleged that some persons arrested for different offences during the just concluded elections in Kaduna State were released without being charged to court.

In a tweet on Thursday morning, Shehu Sani said a woman arrested with multiple Permanent Voters Cards and other men arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have all been released.

He wrote, “The woman who was arrested with multiple PVCs and paraded by the EFCC during the presidential election.

“And the men who were arrested for vote buying and paraded by the EFCC during the governorship election in Kaduna have all been released without charges and now at home”.

DAILY POST reports that operatives of the EFCC had, on February 25, during the presidential and National Assembly elections, intercepted a woman with no fewer than 18 voter cards in a sting operation at the Badarwa area of Kaduna, Kaduna State.

The woman, identified as Maryam Mamman Alhaji, who is a member of the support group of one of the leading political parties, also had in her possession a 17-page list containing names of eligible voters, their bank details, and phone numbers as accredited under Badarwa/Malali Ward 01 and 08, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the State.

Advertisements

Politics

Abia Governor-elect Alex Otti Sends Message To PDP’s Okey Ahiwe, Others

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2023

Editor

The Abia State Governor-elect, Alex Otti, has sent a clear message to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe, among others, that his government would not seek revenge.

DAILY POST reported that Otti got a total of 175,467 votes cast to beat his closest rival, Ahiwe, who polled 88,529 votes to come second position.

NEC Returning Officer in the state, Prof Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, declared Otti the winner of last Saturday’s Abia Governorship election on Wednesday evening after resuming the final collation of the gubernatorial election results in Umuahia.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday, Otti, who noted that Ahiwe is yet to congratulate him for his victory, said revenge is not important.

Otti said, “If there is no sin, there will be no forgiveness. I will have four years in the first term and another four years.

“We are not going to try and take revenge [on the opposition parties] because it is not important.

“I have received a congratulatory message from Ikpeazu and I thank him for that.”

He added, “The votes that were cast were authentic votes. I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from candidates even before INEC announced the results yesterday [Wednesday].“I thank them for their maturity because they are not going to court. I’m yet to receive a congratulatory message from Okey Ahiwe, the PDP candidate, he is my brother.”