Politics
LG Poll: As PDP Campaigns In Degema
From the length and breadth, the nooks and crannies of the local government area, the faithful and sympathisers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area Council converged at the headquarters of the council, Degema. They milled out in their multitude from the towns, villages, the fishing and farming settlements. They even came from the cities and the metropolis across the state. They came in their numbers. They came in their colours. They came with jubilant drum beats.
They came singing songs of celebration and trumpeting tunes of inspiration and hopes of victory.
They traversed the tributaries and the rivulets. They crossed the creeks, the rivers and the seas, riding upon the storms and the waves to the consulate and erstwhileprovinvial headquarters to galvanise themselves into action, electoral action that is. They came under the umbrella to take back messages of hope, of new visions and of renewed commitments to deliver democratic dividends. They gathered knowing it is their election, their government, the one that is closest to them. The occasion was the party’s campaign flag-off at the local government area. The date was Thursday, April 1, 2021. And the venue was the Rt Hon. Tonye Harry Sports Complex, Degema.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Her Excellency Ipalibo Harry-Banigo in representative capacity, other top state government functionaries from the local government area, incumbent chairman of the council, Dr Tony Philmoore, Chairman of the party in the LGA, Mr Peter Abbey, Chairmanship candidate, Mr John Williams, the councillorship candidates in the 17 Wards, traditional rulers, chiefs, and opinion leaders of the LGA.
Describing the PDP DELGA Chairmanship flagbearer as tested, tried and, trusted the Rivers State Commissioner for Power, Hon. Damiete Herbert-Miller who represented the Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo at the occasion said that the choice of Mr Michael John Williams would usher in a new dawn in which the people of DELGA would be mobilized for a greater future.
Hon. Herbert-Miller described the PDP chairmanship candidate as detribalized, focused and coolheaded, affirming that “Michael John Williams, no doubt, will perform beyond expectation. He is a shining light and emerging good leader.
In his own address, the chairman of Degema Local Government Council, Dr Tony Philmoore who outlined his achievement in the nearly three years in office amidst cheers remarked that he had implicit confidence in the ability of Mr Williams in developing the LGA.
The council boss expressed hope that the PDP candidate would continue the projects initiated by his administration for the benefit of the people, adding that “John Williams is capable of providing innovative leadership where service in humility would be the hallmark”.
Dr Philmoore declared his total support for the party’s standard bearer and urged the people to continue to drum support for the “incoming administration”, while imploring the party faithful to deseminate the message to all the wards as his government was prepared to provide the logistics required to reach all the units in the council area.
In his own contribution, the chairman of PDP in Degema Local Government Area, Hon Peter Abbey opined that Mr Williams would replicate the legacies of Governor Nyesom Wike in Degema and called on the people of the area to vote massively for the PDP and its candidates come April 17 for them to have a taste of the Wike project experience.
“Michael John Williams will turn DELGA into a construction site as Wike turned the state into a projects’ site”, the LGA party chairman enthused.
In his own address, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Degema Local Government Area, Mr Michael John Williams pledged to reward all the communities in the LGA with people-oriented projects if elected into office on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
Mr Williams enjoined the people of Degema Local Government Area to go out enmass and vote for all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, assuring that his administration would ensure a paradigm shift in service delivery where the people’s interest will receive priority attention over and above any other consideration.
“Projects must be executed in all the communities that make up DELGA. The councilors will be integral part of the projects execution. The people must be carried along in consultation during policy decisions and my government must truly be government of the people”, he said.
The chairmanship candidate of the PDP further appealed to the people of the area for support while promising not to let them down or take them for granted in the management of their affairs and resources.
“I will not fail you people. Together we shall bring back our LGA on stream”, he pledged while extending an olive branch to all the aspirants of the party who could not make it through the primaries, calling on them to join efforts with him, not just to win the election but also to deliver a result-oriented and people-focused governance to Delgans.
Speaking exclusively to The Tide on the sidelines of the occasion, the Director-General of the Michael John Williams/PDP Campaign Organisation, Michael D. C. Ekineh described his principal as a man with a burning craving for projects and programmes that will uplift the living condition of the people.
“Michael John Williams is a listening leader. He has well articulated programmes of action, especially for the youths, which would be laid bare during the course of the campaigns,” the DG said, adding that he was confident of his candidate’s capacity and ability to deliver on all the promises made to the people of Degema Local Government Area.
As the people of Degema Local Government Area wait for Saturday, April 17, 2021 to cast their votes for the parties and candidates of their choice, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidates have since taken their messages to them (people) in the communities and electoral wards and units.
By: Opaka Dokubo & Iminabo Fyneface
The lawmaker representing Ethiope East/West Federal Constituency of Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has said that her defection to All Progressives Congress (APC) complied with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence there was no need for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to declare her seat vacant.
This is just as she filed an affidavit to support her originating summon, listing her reasons for dumping the PDP for the APC.
Deposing the affidavit at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja recently, the lawmaker listed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House and PDP as defendants.
She said her purpose for leaving the 3rd defendant was as a result of protracted crises in the party.
Ibori-Suenu said: “For over a year, the 3rd defendant has been enmeshed in a series of unresolved leadership crises at the national, which crisis has driven the party into two implacable camps.
“The 3rd defendant (PDP) started grappling with the internal strife before the 2023 presidential election, particularly after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries conducted for the election of the party’s presidential candidate.
“Upon the selection of the party’s vice presidential candidate for the presidential election in 2023, the internal disputes in the political party deepened resulting in division amongst the National Working Committee and creation of the (G-5). That is, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Seyi Makinde and Okezie Ikpeazu (then governors of Rivers, Benue, Enugu State, Oyo and Abia states, respectively).
“Following the decision of a High Court which restrained lyorchia Ayu from acting as the party’s national chairman, an Acting National Chairman was appointed for the party.
“But his appointment generated massive discontent, which further divided the party at the national level.
“However, the division in the national leadership lingered due to the continued stay of the Acting National Chairman of the Party and the inability of the party to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting for consideration of a replacement for the substantive National Chairman of the Party in compliance with Article 45(2) and 47(6) of the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).
“Attached and marked Exhibit IB 2 is the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).10. On October I1, 2024, the 3rd Defendant’s National Working Committee was embroiled in series of suspension and counter-suspensions amongst the members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced on behalf of a faction of the National Working Committee that the Acting National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, were suspended with the National chairman being replaced by Alhaji
The National Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, has urged members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to end the Supreme Court victory celebrations and focus on work in their respective states and localities.
The National Leader made this statement over the weekend in Abuja during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to mark the end of the fiscal year 2024.
Gov. Soludo also extended a hand of fellowship to Nigerians, inviting them to join APGA, which he described as “the most progressive party in Nigeria at the moment.”
Gov. Soludo said, “We want to unite all aggrieved members of the party for progress and the new Nigeria we all desire. I want to tell you that the Supreme Court victory is over and remains a call for unity.”
He expressed joy over the appointment of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as a cabinet member in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Under this administration, a member of our party is appointed a minister, and the President moves outside APC. We shall grow from strength to strength because APGA is built to last,” he stated.
Reflecting on his administration in Anambra State, Gov. Soludo highlighted efforts to leave behind a lasting legacy, including a free education policy and significant infrastructural development, which he described as “promises kept to walk the talk.”
The National Chairman of the party, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, while welcoming delegates from across the country, expressed optimism about the party’s future following years of struggle for survival and a protracted court case that recently ended at the Supreme Court.
While chronicling APGA’s journey, its founding dreams, and its role as a political voice for the South-East, Ezeokenwa noted that despite recent internal challenges orchestrated by “political merchants,” the party had grown from a regional movement to a national entity.
He acknowledged Gov. Soludo’s pivotal role during the party’s legal battles, describing the governor as an invaluable asset throughout APGA’s struggles.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has overruled the expulsion of Ikenga Ugochinyere by the Imo State chapter of the party.
On Saturday, Imo PDP announced the expulsion of Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing the Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, from the party.
The state’s party chapter said the legislator was expelled over alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.
However, a few hours later, the party’s NWC described Ugochinyere’s expulsion as “null and void and of no effect”.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, the party said the move by its chapter in Imo was not “consistent with the express provision of Sections 57 (7) and 59 (3) of the constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down rules of our great party”.
“Section 57 (7) of the Constitution of the PDP is clear in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, deputy governors, or members of the National Assembly,” the statement read.
“Also, Section 59 (3) of the Constitution of the PDP is unambiguous in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers, or member of any of the Legislative Houses.
“It is therefore clear that no ward, local government, or even state chapter of the party has the power to suspend, expel, or discipline a member of the National Assembly in any form whatsoever without due recourse to the National Working Committee as provided by the Constitution of the PDP”, it added.
The PDP NWC added that Hon Ugochinyere remains a party member with all rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations.
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