They can’t beat us, says PDP chair Tukur

by: Gbade Ogunwale

A merger of opposition parties cannot defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections, PDP national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur said yesterday.
Reacting to the merging of four opposition parties yesterday, Tukur said the merger does not constitute any threat to the ruling party in future elections.
With palpably feigned enthusiasm, the PDP chairman described the merger as “beautiful”, adding “the more the merrier”.
Apparently trying to make light of the threat, the chairman said the PDP remained unfazed by the merger, inferring that the ruling party would always have its way.
Tukur said: “We are the only party. That shows the acceptance. It is the party in government now that is in the majority. It does not mean that we want to be one party without opposition. In fact, opposition is a charge to action.
“Let me tell you this. There is no polling booth in the whole of Nigeria where you do not have one member of the PDP. PDP is the only party in the country that fields candidate in every polling booth in the country.
“People tend to believe there is a threat when they see people (opposition parties) coming together. If they have the strength, why do they come together.
“When we came to form PDP, we did not tell anybody we wanted a one party state. It all depends on the Nigerian people. Nigerians should really be allowed to decide their fate.
“It is the electorate that will decide. Our party is a grassroots party. My job is to handover this party to the owners, they are there. They are the ones to decide from the ward, local government, the state, the zone up to the centre. PDP is the party that is steering the national government”.
Tukur likened the 2015 general elections to a football contest between the PDP on one hand and the coalition of opposition parties on the other.
He likened the performances of the PDP to the exploits of international football star and Barcelona Football Club striker and prolific goal scorer, Lionel Messi.
“If you go for a football contest, you have the top striker. You know Lionel Messi? PDP is Messi in that contest. They (opposition parties) are not a threat at all. It (merger) is better. It inspires the PDP to action. In that contest, tell them (opposition parties) that I said PDP is Lionel Messi”
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Labour Party Chairman, Mr Adejobi Peter yesterday said only purposeful leadership could ensure Nigeria’s progress not the merger of opposition parties.
He made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to him, the corporate existence of Nigeria is greater than aggregate interests of a group of individuals brought together by the inordinate ambition of wrestling power.
“We should not be thinking of what we can grab from the country,” he said.
The chairman urged politicians to eschew sentiments when Nigeria demands sacrifice from the political office holders irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Sentiments, be it of section, religion or tribe will not make us move forward in this country.’’
According to Peter, Labour Party is not part of the ongoing merger talks because similar exercises have never yielded any good result.
“The labour party is studying events, we are not condemning those in the merger, but we are just studying events as they unfold.
“We have not seen what will make us merge; when we see that politicians have turned a new leaf then we can start to think of merger.
“Check the history of merger in the country; initially, we have had very fantastic arrangements, but at the end of the day there was nothing to show for it.
“The parties in the planned merger, do they have programmes that are different from what the country has always had?
“Let them make known to Nigerians their programmes so that we will see if the merger will be a more credible exercise,’’ he said.
Peter urged the political office holders to build legacies from the people oriented programmes by shunning actions that would promote their selfish interests.
TheNation

Gbonigi, Falae, others accuse Jonathan of marginalising Yoruba

By REMI ADEFULU
Leading Yoruba leaders under the aegis of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of marginalising the Yoruba race in his administration Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday, they said specifically that of the 12 most strategic positions in government, the Yoruba was not represented at all.
According to the former secretary to government of the federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, who was the main speaker, there was a flagrant disobedience of the Nigeria constitution sworn to by the president. He said the committee set up by the president in October 2011 to review and work on the appointment of board members of federal statutory corporations and agency had no Yoruba person.
Falae observed that the few Yoruba in government held insignificant positions, as they had no representative in key offices, saying those who were lucky to be in offices were facing serious humiliation. Apparently putting the blame at the doorstep of the president, he reasoned that though some of the 12 key positions in government were elective, adding that Jonathan could have appointed Yoruba into some of them to reflect federal character.
Speaking further, the former SGF said the issue cut across economic, judiciary and other sectors. In the judiciary, for instance, he said no Yoruba was heading any of the judicial arms of government or any agency responsible for criminal investigation and prosecution. “The judiciary now seems to have been calculatingly structured to keep the Yoruba out of the position of chief justice of the federation for the foreseeable future, even though there has been no Yoruba occupant for the last 26 years.
“This is in spite of the leading position of Yoruba in the legal profession in the country,” Falae said Also speaking, leader of the forum, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi and Senator Tony Adefuye called for concerted effort among Yoruba to remedy the situation. Dignitaries at the event included former health minister, Prof. Adenike Grange; former Lagos State deputy governor, Mrs Kofo Akerele –Bucknor; Moshood Salvador, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Senator Femi Okunrounmu and Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa.
TheSun

Merger: A new party is born

…Opposition unveils All Progressives Congress to sack PDP in 2015
•Anambra APGA kicks, as Tukur dismisses alliance
From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja and DOM EKPUNOBI, Onitsha
A new opposition party emerged yesterday. It is called All Progressives Congress (APC), midwifed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). It is a consummation of the merger talks among the main opposition parties.
At a Press conference yesterday in Abuja, Chief Tom Ikimi, Alhaji Garba Mohammed Gadi and former Kano State governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, all chairmen of the merger committees set up by the three parties, announced the formation of APC. Senator Annie Okonkwo represented the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In attendance at the briefing were governors, federal lawmakers and chieftains of the parties involved.
But the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, dismissed the merger, saying it is a sign of weakness by the opposition parties. Chief Ikimi told reporters that the merger was informed by the resolve to form a political party committed to the principles of internal democracy, focused on serious issues of concern to our people, determined to bring corruption and insecurity to an end, determined to grow our economy and create jobs in their millions through education, housing, agriculture, industrial growth and stop the increasing mood of despair and hopelessness among our people.’’
Ikimi noted that the new party would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of peace and prosperity in the country.” The resolution of these issues, the restoration of hope, the enthronement of true democratic values for peace, democracy and justice are those concerns which propel us. We believe that by these measures only shall we restore our dignity and position of pre-eminence in the Comity of Nations.
This is our pledge.’’ While they were, however, silent on the logo of the new party and when it would be unveiled, Ikimi told journalists that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be formally informed in due course about the formation of the new political party.“We shall immediately communicate this decision to the appropriate authority, so that the process of registration could commence.’’
Reacting to the alliance, Tukur said it was indifferent to the new party, as he noted that the PDP remained the most formidable party in the country. “Beautiful! The more, the merrier. Let me tell you, there is no ward in the whole Nigeria where you do not have one member of PDP. PDP is the only party in the country that fields candidate in every polling booth in the country. “There is no polling booth in Nigeria where you will not find one member of PDP. We are the only party. That shows the acceptance. It is the only party in government now that is in the majority. It does not mean that we want to be a party and there is no opposition, in fact opposition is a charge to action.
If they have the strength, why do they come together? They (opposition parties) are no threat at all, it is better, it inspires PDP to action.’’ In what could be termed a crack in the alliance, APGA dissociated itself from the talks. Opposition to the merger came from the Anambra State chapter of APGA, saying, the party has stated categorically that it has not merged with any political party or group of parties. A statement issued yesterday by the Commissioner for Information, Chief Joemartins Uzodike, described the purported merger as a figment of the imagination of some people and therefore, null and void.
He said that APGA had neither gone into nor did it intend to go into any merger talks with any political party, let alone the ones mentioned in the merger. He stated that neither the National Executive Council (NEC) nor a National Convention of the party had been summoned to discuss or ratify any proposal for a merger. According to him, “APGA is a national party and is guided by both the Constitution and electoral laws of Nigeria.
“Furthermore, our governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has never mentioned any issue regarding APGA merging with any political party in the executive council meeting of the state either for discussion or for information as was His Excellency’s practice on issues of such importance and magnitude. “I have equally consulted with the state chairman of our party, Chief Mike Akunwata Kwentor and he is in total agreement with this assertion that APGA has not merged with any political party or parties.” Uzodike said that APGA was part and parcel of the Jonathan administration where the party enjoys ambassadorial and other executive appointments/privileges and should therefore, not be seen as working against the administration.
According to him, those who were clamouring for merger were only after their ego and self-aggrandizement. The APGA family, he said, could not be in a merger with parties whose manifestos, ideologies, beliefs, culture, ethics and conducts were not in tandem with that of APGA. The commissioner said it was regrettable that some of those championing APGA merger were people who could not boast of winning their wards in a political contest while some of them were those who masquerade their drivers as party chairmen in their states and their wives as women leaders.
He called on members of the public to disregard the so-called merger and go about their normal businesses. Meanwhile, attempts by Daily Sun to get the reaction of APGA Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, yesterday were not successful as one of his aides refused to pick his calls. Daily Sun wanted Umeh to clarify the statement credited to Anambra State faction of APGA that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who represented the party at the merger talks was on his own even as it was learnt that the governor received Umeh’s nod to attend the meeting.

TheSun

ANPP, ACN, CPC, APGA Form New Party; We Will Dribble Them Like Messi, Says PDP’s Bamanga Tukur

By SaharaReporters, New York

Several Nigerian political parties, including the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change, and the All Progressive Grand Alliance have merged to form one party. The new coalition party adopted the name of All Progressive Congress.
The coalition’s new name was unveiled to journalists at a press briefing organized by earlier today by the leadership of the four political parties in Abuja.
Tom Ikimi, the chairman of ACN’s merger committee, spoke on behalf of other members of the collaborative parties.
“At no time in our national life has radical change become more urgent,” said Mr. Ikimi, a controversial former Foreign Affairs Minister during the dreadful regime of deceased General Sani Abacha. He added: “And to meet the challenge, we, the following political parties, namely ACN, ANPP, APGA and CPC have resolved to merge forthwith and become All Progressive Congress and offer to our beleaguered people a recipe for peace and prosperity.
“We resolve to form a political party committed to the principles of internal democracy, focused on serious issues of concern to our people, determined to bring corruption and insecurity to an end, determined to grow our economy and create jobs in their millions through education, housing, agriculture, industrial growth etc, and stop the increasing mood of despair and hopelessness among our people.”
Mr. Ikimi further remarked: “The resolution of these issues, the restoration of hope, the enthronement of true democratic values for peace, democracy and justice are those concerns which propel us.
“We believe that by these measures only shall we restore our dignity and position of pre-eminence in the comity of nations. This is our pledge.”
The other parties were represented by Annie Okonkwo (APGA), Garba Sadi (CPC), and Ibrahim Shekarau (ANPP).
Responding to the merger, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bamanga Tukur, vowed that his party would dribble and dominate the new party with the wizardry of international football sensation, Lionel Messi. Mr. Tukur declared that the PDP remains the Messi of Nigerian politics.
“If you go for a contest, you have the striker – you know Lionel Messi?” said Mr. Tukur. He added: “PDP is Messi in that contest. We will dribble them like Messi. Tell them [the] chairman said PDP is the Messi (of Nigerian football).”
 

No more kele kele love: Tiwa Savage’s manager proposes to her [PHOTOS, VIDEO]

By Phillip Eta

The suspense is over. After months of speculations and rumours, Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage and her manager/business partner, Tee Billz, are now engaged.
The pair had constantly denied any romance between them before yesterday, but at her private party organised to mark her birthday on Tuesday night, Billz went on bended knees and proposed to Miss Savage.

DailyPost

2015: Opposition Coalition Floats New Party, All Progressive Congress (APC)

The Four major opposition political parties, ACN, CPC, ANPP and APGA after a meeting in Abuja some few hours ago, announced the emergence of a new political party -  the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The  chairman of ACN merger committee and the spokesman of the coalition told journalists that with the formation of the new party, the opposition parties would commence the processes of registering it with INEC.
InformationNigeria

Priest Kidnapped, ransom demanded from church

THE pastor in charge of St Paul’s Anglican Parish, Umunachi in Dunukofia local government area, Rev James Achigbu and the wife of the Anambra State chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Emmanuel Ekwesianya have been kidnapped at two different locations in Anambra State.
While Rev Achigbu was kidnapped along Umunachi – Eziowelle road at about 8.00 pm as he was returning home, the wife of the NMA chairman was abducted at about 7.30 am as she was about to drive her children to school in Ihiala.
Venerable Obi Ubaka in charge of Ogidi Archdeaconry said, Tuesday, that Rev Achigbu was with his wife, Uju, at the time of the incident.
He said: “Rev Achigbu and his wife were returning home in their Honda Accord car after visiting St. John’s Church, Eziowele when the kidnappers blocked them along the Umunachi –Eziowele road and forced him into their vehicle. One of the kidnappers forced his wife out of the Honda car. ”
According to Ubaka, the kidnappers have since then been demanding for ransom from the parish, adding that the church has consistently been telling them that it would not be involved in such transaction and appealed to the kidnappers to release the priest.
Police public relations officer, PPRO, in the state, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incident and said that effort were being made to effect the release of the pastor.
Elsewhere at Ihiala, the kidnappers of the NMA chairman’s wife have demanded ransom of N50 million.
Mrs. Ekwesianya had prepared her children for school and as she opened their gate and drove out, the kidnappers blocked her with an SUV vehicle and forced her into the vehicle, leaving the children stranded.
Twenty four hours later, the abductors established contact with her husband, who is the director of medical services at Anambra State University, Uli and demanded payment of N50 million ransom.
NaijaCenter