Politics

PDP Denies Apostolic Church Suspension In A’Ibom

Published

2 years ago

October 3, 2022

Editor

Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has faulted social media report that the state government has ordered the closure of Apostolic church Onna for hosting a Thanksgiving service for the Young Progressive Party in the state.

The report claimed that the leadership of the church announced the suspension of its pastor, E Henshaw, for hosting YPP’s Thanksgiving and Dedication service

Henshaw shocked everyone in the congregation when he announced that he had just received a suspension message for opening the church doors for YPP.

But the PDP in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Borono Bassey, on Monday titled ” The Apostolic Church Suspension saga: These Lies Will not be tolerated!, described the suspension story as untrue and intended to smear the good reputation of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

The statement reads in part, “On Sunday, October 2, 2022, while Nigerians and Akwa Ibom people were still in a reflective mood of our Nation’s Independence celebrations, a few agents of retrogression in their desperate bid to turn attention to themselves, went into their Falsehood Manufacturing Factory and immediately produced a completely untrue report claiming that a certain church in ONNA has been sealed on the orders of the Government.

“While those who trafficked the report were too afraid to expressly state which of the governments they were referring to in that attention-seeking drivel of a report, they however made innuendoes which were suggestive of the fact that they were making reference to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“Although it is gratifying to have seen the majority of the social media commentators, mostly of Akwa Ibom descent pick holes in the outrightly false story, we must however put it out in the public domain that immediately that tripe was put in circulation in the public domain, as a Party deeply interested in sustaining the God-given Peace we enjoy in Akwa Ibom State, several calls were put across to the leadership of the Apostolic Church in that field to ascertain the veracity of the story and the bewildered leaders stated that nothing of the sort happened.

“We however present the authors of that report with posers which we would want them to respond to? First, Is Governor Udom Emmanuel a clergy or member of any of the churches mentioned in that report to have directed the suspension of a priest? Second, Has the said Political party applied and paid for any public venue that is not encumbered and they were denied use?

“It is quite sad that if not for the wisdom of Akwa Ibom people who rose in unity to pick holes in that false report and call it what it is – A complete Hogwash, the authors of that report and their expected beneficiaries would have turned a hallowed place of worship – The Apostolic Church Nigeria into their first casualty in the series of things they plan to destroy in their journey to seeking elusive political offices.

“For a Governor who is making enviable, exemplary and applaudable efforts in delivering on the promises he made to Akwa Ibom people as encapsulated in his Completion Agenda, we will, in concert with millions of Akwa Ibom people, beginning from now, push back all forms of smear campaigns on Governor Emmanuel and other members of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State.

“We expect candidates of the opposition parties to steer the path of decency and concern themselves with issues throughout this electioneering period. With the new electoral act, this is not just morality, but the law.

“The PDP in Akwa Ibom State is confident that as it has been the tradition of Akwa Ibom people, they will together, in unison, tell off, those who seek to sow seeds of division amongst us through their selfish aspiration. They will also maintain a patriotic distance from candidates who in the bid to curry public sympathy degenerate to outright falsehood and traffic in painting the State in dark colours.

“Akwa Ibom has been on a journey of Progress with the PDP. With the trusted, unfailing support and consent of the people, we will continue on that journey”.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

7 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.