Connect with us

Politics

We Must Renew Our Belief In Nigeria – Gov Ganduje

Published

on

Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has urged Nigerians to renew their beliefs in one united country.

He spoke on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th anniversary marked at the Kano Pillars Stadium, Kano.

Ganduje said this year’s Independence Day is by every reason, worth celebrating with songs and praises to God, for keeping us together as one indivisible people for 60 years.

He noted that Nigerians need the help of one another to survive and must aggregate its strengths and focus on making the country strong.

He explained that no region or a section of the country would have made it much as the country has collectively achieved if it were to operate alone as a dissociated unit.

Ganduje, who reassured of his commitment to serve the people of Kano, said in the last five years, the State has recorded huge achievements worth celebrating even in the face of COVID-19.

He added that the relative peace being enjoyed in Kano State alone is worth celebrating.

The governor, however, lamented that Nigeria was celebrating at a time when the global community is ravaged by COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought health casualties and economic difficulties, spreading fear and panic all over the world.

“Reflecting on our journey in the last 60 years as a nation, there is every reason to sing songs and praises to Almighty Allah, who in his infinite mercies, has kept us together, despite our challenges.

“We all need one another to survive. There is no one part of Nigeria that can do it all alone and still weigh or command the kind of influence Nigeria currently enjoys in the comity of nations.

“I wish to use this opportunity to make a passionate appeal more than ever before, that we must renew our belief in Nigeria and play our parts diligently.

“In this trying and challenging time, we must aggregate our strengths and be united in focus to make our nation stronger and stronger.

“I send hearty congratulations to all Nigerians on this day, as we justifiably celebrate our collective energies and sacrifices of our forebearers that led to this joyous moment.

“I urge all Nigerians, particularly the clergies in mosques and churches as well as traditional authorities to pray fervently to keep our nation safe,” he said.

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

PDP, APC Move Close To Alliance In Rivers, As Okpara, Secondus, Sekibo, Others Declare Support For Tinubu, Fubara

Published

on

…Wike Behind Crisis In Rivers, Says Pidomson 

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) appear to be moving towards an alliance long canvassed by the immediate Governor of Rivers State and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, following high level pledge of loyalty for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Simi Fubara.

Fubara who is Wike’s successor has rebuffed all attempts at a unification and refused to grant Wike his wishes to control the PDP machinery and have his loyalists take control of the state government.

This brewed a crisis that led to exchange of hot words and set the state on a path of political violence.

But despite the seemingly political differences with Wike, top PDP members in the state including its former National Chairman, Uche Secondus, a man Wike was blamed for his exit from office; and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections have pledged their support for Tinubu and Fubara on Thursday in Rivers State.

Among them were former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor of the state, Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee Maeba; and former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson. among others.

Speaking during a press conference on behalf of the group, Sekibo explained that, “The elections are since over and the Supreme Court has ruled on the finality of that contest, pronounced His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) as the duly elected President of Nigeria. We stand by that verdict.

“As law-abiding citizens, and responsible leaders of our party in Rivers State, we recognise the elected President of our country and pledge our full support for the success of his administration for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“In effect, we subscribe to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the President’s efforts at strengthening our economy, promoting peace and harmony in our dear country, Nigeria”, he said.

He stressed that Fubara’s emergence as governor and subsequent confirmation by the Supreme Court, “we have no choice but to give our dear Governor our total loyalty and support for the progress of our State.

“In that same vein, we urge our Governor and Mr President to work together for the good of Rivers people. With the elections over, now is the time for real governance for the progress of our nation.”

Speaking on the political crisis in the state, he attacked Wike, whom he called selfish, regarding him as one man’s attempt to control over seven million people.

He said in the last few months, “the peace of our state has been disturbed by the actions of one selfish man who believes that more than 7 million Rivers people are his slaves for electing him as their Governor for 8 years.

“Our people are not a conquered lot and would never subscribe to the mentality of conquest.

“We also refuse to be divided along tribal or ethnic lines. “Unfortunately, he has consistently abused the privilege that God bestowed upon him through the votes of the people, by committing crimes against the interest of the State.

“Lately, he has resorted to insulting our revered leader, and former Governor, His Excellency Sir Dr Peter Odili, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); and his wife Her Excellency Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili, CFR, JSC, DSSRS because they refused to support him in his failed attempt to impeach the duly elected Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Grand Service Star of Rivers State (GSSRS).

“We have nothing against Mr. President compensating Nyesom Wike with the office of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. However, we owe the President a duty to explain some facts and advise him on the character and machinations of his appointee.

“We wish to let the President know that this appointee ran a kleptocratic government when he reigned supreme as Governor of Rivers State, and may do the same in the Federal Capital Territory, if the President looks the other way.

“We strongly advise Mr President to keep a close watch on the FCT Administration”.

Blaming Wike, the former secretary to the state government (SSG) warned that “we the Rivers people will not standby while an individual decides that we will not sleep with our two eyes closed,” alleging the FCT minister has threatened publicly to destabilise the state.

He said, “The Holy book says ‘He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind’. if Wike troubles Rivers people, he shall surely inherit the wind”.

While telling the President that Fubara enjoys total support from the people of the state, he further warned that “will not allow an illegal and unconstitutional assembly of any sort, impeach him or disrupt the smooth governance of our dear state to cause a breach of the public peace”.

He noted the economic importance of the state, warning the president that it’s too strategic to be toyed with, especially at a time Nigeria should be looking to maximise her oil production to meet her OPEC quota.

While calling all Nigerians to support the president, he added that “we will collectively overcome these hard economic and security challenges facing us all”.

Also speaking, the former national chairman of the PDP, Secondus said, “We will return our Governor in 2027. Governor Fubara will control the structure of our party 100%. The Governor is the leader of the party in the state.

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

Despite NLC’s Opposition, Abure Re-Elected As LP National Chairman

Published

on

The embattled National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Julius Abure, has been re-elected for a second term by a unanimous affirmation of delegates.

His election took place despite opposition from the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC.

The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Mr Ikechukwu Emetu, declared Abure the winner during the party’s national convention that held on Wednesday in Nnewi, Anambra State.


Abure has been having a running battle with the NLC leadership led by Joe Ajaero.

The NLC has called for Abure’s resignation as party chairman and the immediate constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organise a legitimate and all-inclusive national convention for the party.

Loading

Continue Reading

Headline

ThePledge Big Story: Why Can’t Wike Be Expelled By PDP?

Published

on

By Augustine Akhilomen

Former Governor of Rivers State and now, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesson Wike never hid his preference on who to support for a few weeks to last year’s presidential election. Rather than being implicit, Wike was loud and clear that he will support the ambition of the All Progressive Congress’s (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.



He indeed called the bluff of the leadership of his party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who had picked former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate and former Delta State governor, Okowa as his running mate. This open defiance by Wike against the PDP establishment did not go unnoticed by political observers. Hence, many of whom were looking forward to the punishment that PDP will give the recalcitrant Rivers political strongman.



Eight months into the administration of Tinubu and the many sins of Wike, the main opposition party and its members still lacked the boldness to call the former governor to order talk-less of punishing him for engaging in anti-party activities. Why is the PDP finding it difficult to punish Wike? Is he bigger than the party and is the party aware that his continued presence in their ranks will be inimical to the growth and future of PDP? Are there no mechanisms for dealing with members like this, who are doing everything to put the party in disrepute? These are some of the pertinent questions that readily come to the minds of observers.



Even as the PDP is trying to put its house in order ahead of the next general elections, Wike has been carrying on as if nothing was amiss. He has indeed made a bold claims that he remains a bonafide member of the opposition party.



Besides, the FCT minister has been absent from major meetings of the party and has not been seen campaigning for them in recent off-cycle elections and he does not show any regret for his actions.



Just last week, Wike again reaffirmed his commitment to the opposition party, to further brush aside any attempt of expelling him from the party. His words: “I am a member of the PDP,” Wike said.



“Have you ever seen me change anything? The one I supported before, what happened? I have decided to take a break. As you see me now, everybody should carry their cross.



“I was in PDP and I did not hide it: I told them I was not going to support their presidential candidate. Is it that I spoke or acted in a way people did not understand? Discipline me for what? That I did what? I am an advocate of the party’s constitution. Assuming we lost the governorship election, will they be talking about Rivers as a PDP state?



“Now is the time for governance. Now is the time to do your assignment. The president has given me an assignment and I am busy carrying out my assignment. When the time for politics comes, we would know who is where and who is not where.”



This is the second time that the outspoken former governor will be making this bold statement. On August 31st, 2023, he asserted that he had yet to see any leader in the PDP who had the authority to expel him from the party.



“Who will discipline me? I should be the one calling for the discipline of these people who violated the party constitution,” the minister said.



In the buildup to the 2023 presidential election, Wike had lost the presidential ticket of the PDP to Atiku and the party’s vice presidential ticket to Okowa of Delta State, and became inconsolable.



He then led a group of five former PDP governors, who rebelled against Atiku. Not a few people were in doubt of the contributions Wike made to the victory of Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the APC. For sure, the rebellion led by Wike was said to have contributed to Atiku’s loss.



Meanwhile, former chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Capt Tunji Shelle, has given reasons why it’s difficult to suspend or expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike from the PDP.



“The PDP is ready to work together and speak with one voice but the likes of the Federal Capital Territory minister who puts one leg in PDP and the other leg in APC is an issue,” Shelle said.



“How do you reconcile a party in that way? And he is still influencing individuals who are within the PDP. He is still influencing some individuals within the National Working Committee of the PDP.



“These are the things APC is doing, planting bombs inside another party. So some people in the PDP might have compromised somewhere. Some people are working with him even within the party. Until a position is taken to suspend or expel him from the party, nothing will work but I am sure some people are already working on this.”



Again, the Acting Chairman of PDP, Umar Damagum, has said the National Working Committee under his leadership will not suspend or dismiss any ‘disloyal’ member.



“They are always telling you these people are not doing the right thing. But when you are in a position of leadership, you are bound by a set of rules, and these rules, even though they are itching you, you don’t apply them—not because of anything, but so that you don’t destroy the house.



“If I said we should start suspension, I will end up suspending many people because they were involved in anti-party activities. So, please bear with us. We intend to keep this party together and to manage it. This is my mandate.”



Many observers are also of the opinion that PDP’s inability to suspend or expel Wike could be due to his financial power and the large followers he commands, which portend so much strength for the party.



Considering the fact that the ruling party are waiting in the wings to bring the former Rivers Governor into their camp if the expected happens, PDP therefore knows they have lots to lose if they decide to take that bold step.



As it is, PDP may be taking its time not to overreact by expelling Wike, but the party must take a concrete decision on his membership or they will risk losing face. Time is running out for the party to deal with the Wike issue once and for all. That would serve as a warning to others or if they should continue to prevaricate over the matter, it would only be inimical to their chances of reclaiming Aso Villa.



“No person should be bigger than the party. Nigerians are watching and waiting to see how this Wike matter is resolved by the PDP. Because it will make or mar their chances in subsequent elections in the country”, says Demola Olusegun, a Lagos based political analyst.

Loading

Continue Reading

Recent Posts




JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Trending