FRIDAY MAY 6, 2016 • T H I S D AY
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PDP CONGRESSES
Jerry Gana’s Group Urges Shift in National Convention Date Adamawa congress committee narrates ordeal
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Opposition against the May 21 national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gained more grounds yesterday with a group under the aegis of PDP Northern Elders’ Forum joining in the call for the postponement of the event. Another group known as Concerned Leaders of the PDP including former Niger State
Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, had asked the party leadership to postpone the convention to avert crisis. But toeing a similar line, the northern elders’ group led by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, which met in Abuja late Wednesday night, said the postponement would allow for reconciliation of aggrieved members.
Senate Adjourns Till Next Week for Congresses Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Senate yesterday suspended its plenary for one week as a result of the ongoing congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of its forthcoming May 21 national convention. The Senate was forced to adjourn plenary following its inability to secure the required quorum of one-third of membership of the chambers as PDP senators stayed away. Only four PDP senators were present at the session. The suspension of the plenary was in adherence to the provision in Senate Standing Orders which prohibits sitting in the chamber unless one-third (37) of the 109 senators are in attendance. But yesterday, only 25 senators
In their position read out after the meeting in Abuja, Gana’s group insisted that the present members of the National Working Committee (NWC) should vacate their officers on May 21. It decried the level of impunity and imposition in PDP, noting that for the party to return to the vision of its original founders, it must purge itself of these vices. The Northern Elders Forum also picked holes with the proposed constitutional amendment, noting that it violates the PDP constitution. The PDP National Executive
Committee (NEC) is to meet again next Wednesday to debate the proposed constitutional amendment. Some members of the forum who attended the meeting were former Deputy President of the Senate, Senate Ibrahim Mantu, former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Waziri Maina, Babangida Aliyu, former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, among others. Meanwhile, the members of the PDP congress and appeal committees that organised last weekend’s botched ward congress election in Adamawa
State have given account of their ugly experience in the hands of party officials and thugs who prevented them from carrying out their assignment. Addressing journalists at the national secretariat of the PDP, a member of the Appeal Committee, Mr. Moses Ibiyemi, alleged that key officers of the state executive of the party ordered thugs to surround their hotel and literarily force them to sign a ready-made report. “We were harassed, kidnapped and beaten by thugs organised by the chairman and his team. Because all the members of the
state executive wanted to retain their seats, the forced our secretary to sign documents already prepared by them. Ibiyemi said it took the intervention a team of riot policemen brought by one of the concerned stakeholder to rescue them from the hotel and take them to the office of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Yola, the state capital. According to him, no genuine congress took place in Adamawa State and as such the national leadership of the party should do the needful and cancel the exercise.
most of whom were members of All Progressives Congress (APC) were present. Besides four PDP senators, the only member of Labour Party, Ovie Omo-Agege, was also in attendance. Hence, after considering the votes and proceedings of Wednesday, Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, moved the motion for adjournment of the plenary to Thursday, May 12 to enable PDP senators fully participate in their party’s congress. The one-week adjournment followed the consideration of a letter addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio. The letter sought the leave of the Senate for PDP senators to participate fully in their state congresses by suspending plenary.
Niger PDP Elders, Others Endorse LECTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT L-R: Senior Partner, Punuka Attorney & Solicitors, Chief Anthony Idigbe SAN; former Head of State and Special Guest of Honour, Gen. Yakubu Tanko Beji as Chairman Gowon (rtd); Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Sonny Kuku; and Guest Lecturer from Harvard University, Prof. Robert Z. Lawrence, at the 2016 Laleye Dipo in Minna Elders, women and youth groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State have endorsed the incumbent Vice Chairman of the party, Tanko Beji, as its new chairman. The endorsement came ahead of the congress of the party slated for next week even as the leadership of the party also readopted the 1998 zoning arrangement for the sharing of party offices. THISDAY learnt from sources close to the party headquarters in Minna that the decision of the groups was reached at an emergency closed door meeting held in the state capital recently. It was gathered that before the endorsement of Beji, six others from the Niger East senatorial district where the position zoned, signified their intentions for the high office but the leadership was able to persuade five of the aspirants to step down for Beji. It was gathered that the sixth aspirant and former member of the state House of Assembly,
Abdullahi Baizegi, who refused to step down for Beji was still being persuaded to bury his interest in the overall interest of the party. The elders and other groups felt in arriving at the choice of Beji it would be bringing ‘experience, humility and acceptability’ to the office of the state chairman. THISDAY learnt that a former political office holder Alhaji Mohammed Santali could get the position of state secretary following the decision of the Niger south party members to rezone the slot to Lavun local government area of the state. The position of Vice chairman according to the source has not been amicably resolved in favour of Aminu Mohammed, the incumbent Secretary of the party in the state and a former member of the House of Assembly Hajia Saadatu Kolo. The leadership of Niger North where the position was zoned was told to resolve the impasse before next Saturday according to the source.
Osifo’s Biography for Launch The public presentation of the book ‘From Machine Boy to Managing Director,’ the biography of Mr Felix Ogbeyewebor Osifo, former Executive Director of UAC Plc and Chairman of Osiquip Nigeria Limited will take place tomorrow at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Amuwo-
Odofin, Lagos. The book written by Professor Hope Eghagha, literary scholar at the University of Lagos and immediate past Commissioner of Higher Education of Delta State will be reviewed by Mr, Sam Omatseye, the Chairman of The Nation Newspaper editorial board.
Punuka Annual Lecture in Lagos ....yesterday
Kolawole Alli
Sheriff Writes INEC over LG Congresses Stakeholders in Anambra hail outcome
Charles Onyekamuo in Awka
For instance, former Minister for Aviation and a leading PDP The National Chairman of the stakeholder in the state, Chief Osita Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chidoka, told THISDAY at Obosi Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has urged in Idemili North Local Government the Independent National Electoral Area that the party was putting Commission (INEC) to abide by its acts together and working the party guidelines, rules and towards getting things right. Other stakeholders like constitution as the party conducts its congresses in the states preparatory Chief Chris Uba, Hon. to its national convention billed to Tim Egboka, Hon. Rebecca hold in Port Harcourt, the Rivers Udorji, Chief Emma Nweke hailed the e congresses as State capital on May 21. Sheriff’s letter to the INEC which re-assuring. Hon. Rebecca Udorji, told was made available to THISDAY in Awka yesterday was signed THISDAY at Igwebuike by Sheriff as the party’s national Age-Grade Hall, Umunagu village, chairman and Prof Wale Oladipo Achalla, venue for Awka North Council Area that the exercise was as secretary. But it was all praises by the the best the party could hold over PDP stakeholders in Anambra the years and described the Ejike State yesterday as the party held Oguebego-led executive committee its congresses in the 21 local of the party in the state of having worked hard to achieve a hitch-free government areas of the state. Some of the stakeholders in the congress quite unlike before. According to her, the state chapter 21 local government areas in the state hailed the national office of of the party would not have been PDP of getting it right this time plunged into crises if the previous around, describing the congresses as congress of the party had been as hitch-free, grassroots-oriented and peaceful as the one held yesterday. In Idemili North in Anambra lacking in undue rancour. Party people who spoke with central zone, the Chairman of THISDAY while monitoring the the party, Chief Uzor Epundu congresses said the hitch-free nature said enough measures were put of the congresses was commendable, in place logistically and security describing it as a sign of good things wise to ensure a hitch-free congress. At Ihiala in the state’s southern to come.
zone, the chairman, Mr. Sam Anyakora, said it was long time since the party worked together in harmony to achieve peace and concord during congresses, adding that it was a sign that the crisis in the state chapter had finally been laid to rest. The state chairman of the party, Oguebego, who spoke to THISDAY, also praised the exercise describing
the level of concord exhibited by both the stakeholders and party supporters in the state as satisfactory. “We did not receive any form of trouble anywhere in the course of this exercise across the 21 local government areas of the state. “We are happy that peace has returned to Anambra PDP especially after the Supreme Court verdict of January 15 this year,” he said.
Former RECTAS Boss, Ogunlami Dies at 72 A former Chief Executive of the Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS), Mr. Julius Adeoye Ogunlami, has died. A highly regarded and decorated surveyor, Ogunlami, who died on the 27th April, 2016 at the age of 72, had a greatly distinguished career in the various capacities, particularly in the field of aerial surveys. He had his early education at the St Patrick’s School, Lagos and St. George’s School, Bukuru near Jos, between 1950 and 1958, and his secondary education at the prestigious CMS Grammar School, Lagos where he passed
his West African Schools Certificate in Grade One. The late Ogunlami obtained a Bachelor in Engineering, First Class Honours degree in Surveying from University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Cananda between 1965 and 1970 under a Canadian Government Scholarship. He also later got a Master in Engineering degree in Photogrammetry/Remote Sensing and G.I.S, at the International Institute for Training in Aerospace Surveys, at Enschede, Holland in 1979, under a scholarship from the Netherlands Fellowship, passing with Distinction.