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Tinubu’s Men Attack PDP Over N22.5bn Vote-buying Claim

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The ruling All Progressives Congress has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party to provide Nigerians with evidence of the N22.5 billion stashed old notes that it alleged the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, is desperately seeking to convert into new ones in Kano State.

This is even as the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council wrote off the claim as a silly figment of the imagination of the opposition party.

The PDP had claimed in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday that it received intelligence that Tinubu and some party leaders are striving to swap the alleged money to facilitate its vote-buying plans ahead of the 2023 general elections.

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The statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, further disclosed that the PDP was convinced about the earlier notion that the APC in conjunction with some APC governors is responsible for the biting cash scarcity currently rocking the country.

READ ALSO: Tinubu: APC Announces Indefinite Postponement Of Campaign Rally In Oyo

Ologunagba said, “The party is aware that the N22.5 billion in old N1000 notes was allegedly kept in a Kano State Government facility before being moved to a particular old generation and a certain new generation bank where the regional heads were contacted by the APC presidential campaign to swap the old notes with new ones.

“Further information revealed that the cash is being warehoused by the Tinubu campaign for alleged vote buying in Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Sokoto States. A particular APC state governor is reported to have taken delivery of N500 million new Naira notes to actualize the vote buying plot.”

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When contacted, the Chief Spokesman of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, stated that it would be a waste of time to reply to the allegation.

“I have only one sentence for that. It is an irresponsible statement that does not deserve a response,” he said.

The PCC Director of Media and Communication, Bayo Onanuga, debunked the report, saying the PDP is living up to its fame of coming up with frivolous claims.

He challenged the leadership of the opposition party to cut to the chase by providing concrete evidence to back up its claim.

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He stated, “Let them provide the evidence if they uncovered such. It is not enough to dish out cock and bull stories in the name of press Releases. Making senseless allegations every passing day which has become the hallmark of the PDP campaign is not how to win the election.

“Nigerians can’t forget a party of people that looted over $ 2 billion dollars meant for arms procurement when Boko Haram was killing our citizens and almost took over three states in the northeast.

“We challenge PDP to bring out any evidence of their latest allegation otherwise the party of looters should hide its ugly face in perpetual shame.”

READ ALSO: Who Told El-Rufai North Behind Tinubu, Bafarawa Asks

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Meanwhile, the Publicity Director of APC, Bala Ibrahim, urged the PDP to head to the court, security agencies and regulatory bodies like the Independent National Electoral Commission instead of its usual media trial.

Why issue a statement when you can prove your case in a competent court of law or a regulatory agent like INEC? There are statutory ways of dealing with it.

“I don’t know why people avoid using the court or investigative agencies to make their point. If they have proof, let them tender it. That’s why the courts, security agencies, and national financial units like EFCC and ICPC are there.

“It is obvious the PDP is seeing the sign of defeat and merely trying to rock the boat by coming up with all sorts of allegations to get public sympathy,” he stated.

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Edo Poll: PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant Resigns From Party

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Felix Akhabue, a former gubernatorial aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, Edo State election, has resigned from the party.

Akhabue was among the 10 aspirant who contested the party’s primary election in February and protested against the conduct of its ward and local government congresses.

READ ALSO: JUST-IN: Terrorists Kill Two, Abduct 18 In Fresh Kaduna Attack

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Akhabue, a former, chairman of Esan West Local Government Area as well as Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperative and Industry in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s first tenure, dumped the party in a letter dated May 6, 2024, and addressed to the Ward 7 chairman of the party in Esan West local Government Area.

 

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Edo Poll: Akoko-Edo PDP Leaders Meet Deputy Gov, Pledge Massive Votes For Ighodalo

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Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State Tuesday assured the Deputy Governor of the state, Marvellous Omobayo, of their preparedness to deliver block votes to the party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming September 21st governorship election.

The leaders who came from ward (4), (3) and ward (5) was led by Comrade Princeswill Ogunnubi (ward 4), said Akoko-Edo, since the appointment of their kinsman as deputy governor, Akoko-Edo is a no go area for the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, just as he predicted victory for the PDP.

Ogunnubi, who spoke during a courtesy call on the deputy governor at his office on a solidarity visit, noted that the visit was imperative to assure the number two citizen of the state of their readiness towards the continuity of the PDP in the state beyond 2024.

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READ ALSO: Pandemonium During Church Service As Man Pulls Gun, Attempts To Shoot Pastor [VIDEO]

He said. “We are not just here today in solidarity with you on your appointment but to also assure you of our unalloyed support to deliver on the political trust and confidence reposed in you by the governor on your appointment.

“You can see that since your assumption as the deputy governor the youth of the state that forms majority of the voting population are excited and solidly behind you to see that you succeed and as a people are eternally grateful to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“It is on record that we have never had it this good apart from the statutory elective political offices. The time has come for us to compensate the governor by delivering Barrister Asue Ighodalo as the next governor of the Edo State.”

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Also on the visit, Mr Ernest Akpaja, another leader, stressed on the need for all party members to close rank and join forces in the task ahead.

READ ALSO: Man Dies On Top Of Married Woman In Akure

This appointment is a testament to the Governor’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. We believe Deputy Governor Godwin will make significant contributions to advancing the governor’s development agenda,” Akpaja said.

Omobayo who was elated at the visit, appealed to the leaders to sustain the unity of purpose in ensuring that Akoko-Edo is solidly “PDP and PDP is Akoko-Edo.”

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While thanking the leaders remarked, “Without mincing words, I can assure you that Akoko-Edo will get more positions under the PDP if voted back into power. More better days ahead for our people.”

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PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

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Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has explained why some notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are resigning the membership from the party.

Lamido blamed the current crisis in the party on the procedures of the court.

He said if the supreme court did not overturn the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Imo Governor, he would have remained a sitting governor of the state.

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He added that the PDP mass resignation was as a result of frustration occasioned by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.

Lamido stated this in an interview with This Day.

Recall that there has been an ongoing resignation by members of PDP especially in Imo and few other small states.

The former governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.

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READ ALSO: BREAKING: PDP Crisis Deepens, Nat’l Chair, Ayu Suspended With Immediate Effect

Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.

“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.

“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.

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“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.

“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”

READ ALSO: Why I Wrote UTME Again, UNIZIK’s Best-graduating Student Reveals

On the defection of the former Governor of Katsina the APC, Lamido said the State was formally under the control of the All Peoples Party (APP), adding that it was the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that made the PDP to win the state in 2003.

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He, however, said with the influence of former President Muhammadu Buhari and all his political associates it went back to the APC.

He stated, “I see it as he wants to meet them. I don’t believe that he went to APC because of the EFCC. Though, I remember what the former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole said that when you defect to the APC, all your sins are forgotten.”

Speaking further on the situation in PDP Imo State, he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair.”

On the role of the judiciary in the plights of the PDP, he cited the case of the Supreme Court on Ihedioha’s case, arguing that, “if not the ignoble role of the Supreme Court, Ihedioha will still be governor and the same courts was used to support Anyanwu retaining the office of the National Secretary and the Governorship candidate.

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“When the history of the PDP is to be told, the role of the courts must occupy a special place. This is especially with the southeast geopolitical zone.”

When asked if he was likely going to join the APC, he said, “No, they will not accept me. Go and ask President Bola Tinubu, if he and his APC will accept me.”

Meanwhile, those that have left the party in the State include former Military Administrator, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor; Former Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona; Former Ministers of the Federal Republic, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, Chief Chuka Odom and BOT member of the party – Chief Chris Okewulonu.

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Former NEC member of the party- Chief Henry Ekpe; Former elected members of House of Representatives – Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, Hon. Mayor Eze, Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, Hon. Obinna Onwubuariri and Hon. Jonas Okeke.

Others that have dumped the PDP included Chairman PDP elders’ committee – Prof. Jude Njoku; Secretary PDP elders’ Committee – Prof. Obioma Iheduru; Members of the South-east Zonal Executive Committee, Chief Stanley Ekezie; Chief Augustine Elochukwu; Two senatorial candidates of the party in the last election- including Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, former local government chairmen, several House of Assembly candidates of the party.
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