Politics

Why We’re Interested In Nigeria’s Elections – UK

Published

2 years ago

February 18, 2022

Editor

The United Kingdom is interested in Nigeria’s general election because they are crucial to the African continent and the global community, British High Commissioner in Nigeria Catriona Laing has said.

Laing spoke in Abuja yesterday when she visited the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The British envoy observed that one of the electoral challenges in Nigeria has been low voter turnout.

She suggested that the two countries should find means of collectively inspiring Nigerian youth to believe in their politics and in the future of their country.

Laing said: “We look forward to seeing how much this election matters. Nigeria has been on a democratic journey since 1999. And that, in itself is something to be very proud of.

“You are in a region, unfortunately, where democracy is backsliding. I know in Nigeria, your President has taken a very clear forward position on that and in ECOWAS and so on.

“So the world will be watching this election, and hoping it goes well. So it matters, obviously, for the people of Nigeria, it matters for Africa, and it matters for the world.

“You’re one of the largest democracies globally. And we want you to stay (part) of that global community.

“That’s a very important objective for our government to talk about building a network of liberty likeminded countries and also a democratic global alliance. That’s our hope and aspiration for Nigeria.”

The British envoy added that the UK’s aspiration was for the 2023 elections to be credible enough to win the confidence of Nigerians.

“We will not be taking a stance beyond that. Obviously, we’ll be following the interests, the manifestos and the policies.

“We’ll be hoping for a good policy that will enable Nigeria to move forward and take its rightful place in the global community,” she said.

PDP National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu said the party was strongly committed to the democratic process.

Ayu noted that the PDP charted the path to democratic culture during its 16 years in power, adding that the party still enjoys the support of majority Nigerians.

“We were able to win elections from the beginning in 1999. We led in building democratic institutions, quite a number of institutions that exist today.

“We also continue to win elections because of popular support that we received in Nigeria across the country, including the international community that came to support what we were doing.

“Along the line, in a commitment to democracy, we had an election which we lost. We accepted defeat because of our deep beliefs in the democratic process.

“So we are not happy to be in opposition for the last six years. No party wants to be in opposition.

“We have been working very hard to rebuild the party to make sure that Nigerians have confidence in us as a party.

“I want to say that the signs are there that Nigerians believe that we are the only organic party in this country.

”On that note, I want to assure you that we will not deviate from the democratic journey and we expect all other parties in this country to also try as much as possible to uphold the tenets of democracy which is free and fair elections.

“We expect all umpire institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, to carry out their work without bias against us as a major opposition party,” Ayu said.

NATION

Politics

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

Published

6 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.