PDP lashes media over senator walkout reports

The People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) refuted reports in the media that some senators walked out on its National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur when he visited the Senate to meet with ruling
party’s senators earlier this week.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said such reports were “totally false and deliberately planted by the enemies of the PDP to mislead the public and impede efforts by the leadership to
achieve total reconciliation in the party.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, no senator walked out on our National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur during the meeting with senators at the National Assembly on Wednesday. The leadership of our great party was well received and had a very peaceful and fruitful meeting with our members in the Senate. The fact remains that our elected and appointed officers including our governors share the same ideals and principles with the most administrators of the party and remain unflinchingly committed to the visions of the founding fathers,” he said in a statement.

The statement continued, “The PDP is not only a political party but a belief which cannot be easily jettisoned. It is a belief in National interest; a belief in the unity of the country and in satisfying the interests of the common man. These ideals remain greater than any personal interest and will outlive us all. In this regard, the National Working Committee restates its resolve to ensure that all
issues are handled along the lines of these ideals and in accordance with the provisions of the PDP constitution, the constitution of Nigeria and the laws of the land. We reiterate that no unlawful means will be used under any guise whatsoever in handling the issues.”

Metuh said the party was engaged in negotiations and discussions with all major stakeholders including the aggrieved governors.

He urged all its members to remain calm and focused adding that the party would emerge fro the current challenges stronger than ever.

– CAJ News

Governor Aliyu explains why he led "G-7 governors"

Minna - Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger said that the formation of the G-7 governors’ group was to reform the PDP, owing to
the party’s failure to adhere to
democratic principles.

Aliyu said this in Minna on Thursday when the International Federation of Women
Lawyers (FIDA), led by its Country Vice- President, Mrs Hauwa Shekarau, paid him a courtesy visit.

"For the benefit of those who may not understand; I led the so-called G-7 governors as a result of the reform which we were looking for in our party."

"The idea was not to leave our party but to reform it; along the line, some people found it more expedient to leave the party; that is their choice."

"Those of us who feel that if you want a reform and you want to do it within; I think our views should also be respected."

"People must not go and play politics in whatever form where it creates more problems."

"For us in Niger State, we welcome the development of a two-party system; rather than having so many parties that end up creating political prostitutes."

"I am seizing this opportunity to say this because there is a lot of misinformation out there," he said.

Aliyu also said that the G-7 governors’ forum was formed because "some people
within the party were taking the electoral success of the PDP since 1999 forngranted."
The governor said that there was a need to make the party to understand that it could not take people's support for granted.

"You need really to invigorate the
people’s support, so as to enable you to be properly accepted by them."
"For anybody who fails to remember, I have always said that my intention was not to leave the PDP but to reform it."

"I said that it is not a one-man show or about me; it also is not about my ambition, it is about the people."
"And I said that there is no way I will take any decision without coming back to my people."

"Majority of my people prefer that we stay in PDP and we will stay in the party and make it work," he said.
Earlier, the Country Vice-President of Sales FIDA decried the increasing rate of violence against women and children in the country.

"We at International Federation of
Women Lawyers will always join the
global train in efforts to eradicate
violence against women and children," she said.

Shekarau, however, called for the
enactment of appropriate laws to protect the wellbeing of women and children.
"There is need to ensure that peace
reigns in our society and this should start from our families," she said.
- NAN

PDP Negotiating With Amaechi, Other Aggrieved Governors, Metuh Reveals

The Peoples Democratic Party on
Thursday said that it was still
negotiating with the party`s major
stakeholders including the aggrieved governors who defected to the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was contained in a statement by Olisa Metuh, the party`s National Publicity Secretary.
The statement also debunked media, reports that some senators walked out on the party`s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, when he visited the Senate to meet PDP senators on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The party described the reported
walkout as "totally false and deliberately planted "by its enemies to mislead the
public and impede efforts by its
leadership to achieve total reconciliation of its aggrieved members.
According to the statement, the National Working Committee of the PDP had received solved to ensure that all issues were handled along the lines of the party's constitution and ideals, the 1999 constitution and other laws of the land.

The party therefore urged all its
members to remain calm and focused to enable it to come out of its current challenges stronger than ever.
Meanwhile, Amaechi and the other
aggrieved governors while reacting to Tukur's comment on their defection advised the PDP to face issues rather than chasing shadows.

They insisted that they had left the
PDP for good.

SEE What Wole Soyinka Has To Say About Nelson Mandela's Death

he death of former South African
President, Nelson Mandela, seems to have left Nobel Laureate, Wole
Soyinka, world acclaimed wordsmith,
short of words.
Photo He appears to be so shell-shocked and devastated.
In a rare and short tribute to former South African president and anti- apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela, Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka had this to say "

"The soul of Africa has departed, and there is nothing miraculous left in the world."

Mr. Mandela passed away Thursday night
at 95, throwing the entire world into unprecedented mourning.
Meanwhile, tributes have continued to pour following the death of the man who is credited for reconciling White and Black South African after the brutal apartheid era that saw the black majority suffering hideous human rights abuses under successive white minority regimes.

Mandela was born in 1918. He was
sentenced to life in imprisonment by the apartheid government for his armed struggle against a government infamous for killing unarmed protesters. He spent 27 years in prison before was released and elected first black South African president in 1993.

Nelson Mandela dies at 95

Freedom fighter, prisoner, moral
compass and South Africa's symbol of the struggle against racial oppression.
That was Nelson Mandela, who emerged from prison after 27 years to lead his country out of decades of apartheid.
He died Thursday night at age 95.