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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, November 6, 2017
Politics
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Lagos PDP crisis: Bode George, Agbaje, others agree to share positions Iniobong Iwok As a way out of the lingering crisis which has engulf the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State for some years now, stakeholders in the party in the state, including Chief Bode George, Jimi Agbaje and Mrs Aduke Maina have agreed on a sharing formula for all positions and to bury their differences as the party finalise arrangement to hold its state congress later this month. This was disclosed by a chieftain of the party and the head of publicity of the caretaker committee of the party in the state, Femi Careena while speaking in a telephone interview with The Daily Times, noting that there had been a peace meeting with Bode George, Mrs Aduke Maina and Jimi Agbaje on the sharing formula for positions among themselves in the party. Careena identified greed by the leaders in the past, as reason for the lingering crisis and factionalisation of the party in the state, adding that the leaders often work for their personal interests instead of the overall interests
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of the party. He said the recent ward congress in the state was inconclusive in some local governments, adding that arrangement was being finalised to conclude the exercise. The party chieftain assured that the state would hold a congress and have an elected state executive in place before the party National Convention next month in Abuja, adding that the era of crisis in the state PDP was over. He said “There is an end in the crisis in the state, there has been a meeting among the stakeholders in the state,
we have spoken with Bode George, Mrs Maina, Jimi Agbaje on the modalities for sharing of positions in the state and they seem to have agreed to embrace peace and reposition the party in the state. “What is often the cause of the problem in the past is that either Maina, or Bode George often cornered the delegates to their favour. But we would have a chairman that is acceptable to everyone finally, and I can assure you that an executive would be in place in Lagos before the party’s convention next month,” Careena said.
Anambra guber: Focus on development agenda, not hate speeches, NNPP tells contestants Patrick Okohue Governorship candidates of the various political parties in the November 18 election in Anambra State have been advised to operate with an open mind and relate with each other and the electorates with the understanding that they all have equal stake in the future of the state and not as their inferior. Giving the advice in a statement signed by its Head of Media, Mr. Dipo Olayoku, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP), noted that, “It is our view that, this is not the way to go. The expectation is that contestants should discuss issues with clear vision on how best to develop and improve the living condition of Anambra citizens and Nigerians in general. “It shall be our advice that contestants should not turn themselves to tin-gods and/or judges on any matter that may be perceived as an obstacle to their intentions of winning elections. There are platforms of the Government where individuals should lodge their complaints for proper investigations. The idea of castigating or insulting the incumbent governor or other contestants on the pages of newspapers, electronic media and online publications are not good for our democracy as it portends grave danger capable of inciting violence in the polity
PDP chairmanship: Bafarawa affirms support for Daniel Patrick Okohue Former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa has assured Otunba Gbenga DanieI of his support in the bid for the national chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Receiving Otunba Daniel at his Sokoto residence, Bafarawa expressed his delight at the interest of Otunba Daniel to lead the PDP back to victory in 2019, according to press statement by the OGD media office. According to him, he deliberately decided to wait and receive the entourage in Sokoto when he learnt that Daniel chose to start his campaign in Sokoto. “Many politicians may say something and do another, but I’m not like that. We have discussed about your ambition before you came and I want to assure you that I will stand by what I told you. “The PDP of today is different from the past. There must be a
level playing ground where we allow the aspirants to meet the delegates instead of just sitting in Abuja and deciding who to vote for. That will be unfair to the party. “Now you are working hard and going round the country campaigning, that is a good development. I know you as a colleague and a friend and I know that if you can lead a complex state like Ogun, you can also lead the PDP. “You can see that someone who left his home state of Ogun to come and talk to delegates in Sokoto is a serious aspirant.” In his response, Otunba Daniel thanked the former governor for the grand reception and the assurances of his support stating that having consulted with major stakeholders in the party; he is convinced that the electorate is ready for the authentic change. “I have been going round the country and it is obvious that the people are regretting the decision to vote
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for change and they are ready to ‘change the change’. That is why I am in this race and my simple message is for all of us to start afresh together.” Earlier, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his team paid a courtesy call on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III where the front line
aspirant was received by the caliphate. The Sultan, who said Otunba Daniel has been his very good friend since the days he was governor of Ogun State said they are praying for him to succeed in his ambition enjoining him not to forget the people when he gets to position.
thereby threatening the peace of the state. “Accordingly the flag bearer of our great party, Mr. Charles Okafor is hereby encouraged to keep to the policy and philosophy of our party i.e. “politics without bitterness” and avoid any act capable of breaching the peace of the state and/or the ongoing electioneering campaigns.” The party noted that Anambra State is a very strategic state in Nigeria for obvious reasons. “It is the only state wherein wealth and riches are evenly distributed amongst families arising from hard-work and grace of God. It is for this reason and many others, that politics in the state is always pulsating and very interesting. “It is also highly competitive and emotional. The ongoing race for the Government House, Awka, is proving true to type as various contestants/candidates of the various political parties in the November 18, 2017 gubernatorial election try to outdo one another. “May we at this point remind us that it is only God that gives power and authority to serve for the good of the greater numbers. We have indeed observed that the ongoing campaigns for the gubernatorial election are characterised by avoidable blackmail and mudslinging among the contestants, especially the self acclaimed frontrunners. “And for the avoidance of doubt, it shall be mere rhetoric and an insult to the sensibility of voters for any contestant to use building of roads, digging bore holes for water, provision of electricity, agriculture and youth empowerment, etc as campaign promise, because it is statutory to do so as a Government. “It shall be more meaningful for a contestant to tell the Anambra people how he or she can influence trade policies of the government because the citizens of the state are predominantly involved in international trade and commerce. “How he/she will help the traders to engage in manufacturing and promote industrialisation with a view to increasing Internally Generated Revenue and most importantly creating employment. How they will develop skilled labour in Anambra State that can be exported etc. Among others they should showcase, how to aggregate laudable programmes to better the lives of Anambra people, promote welfare, put in place social security, and education trust fund thereby ensuring adequate security,” they advised.