2 MONDAY , DECEMBER 4 , 2017
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Ex-VP Atiku rejoins PDP , Makarfi says ‘ I may contest ’
John Alechenu , Olusola Fabiyi , Eniola Akinkuotu and Olaleye Aluko
FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Sunday announced his return to the
Peoples Democratic Party . He made the announcement in a live Facebook broadcast . Atiku was among notable politicians who left the PDP in 2014 to form an alliance that transformed into the All Progressives Congress . In the broadcast , the former vice-president said in the last two years of President Muhammadu Buhari ’ s administration , three million Nigerians had lost their jobs . According to him , Nigeria needs a nonsectional party to run the Federal Government and not one that panders to regional sentiments . He said he decided to use the Facebook to announce his return to the PDP because he wanted to reach as many “ of our young people as possible as I have an important announcement to make about the future of Nigeria .” He described youths as the future of the nation . Atiku said , “ I have found in my travels across the country that the number one concern of young people is whether they will be able to get a job ; for without a job they have no means of sustaining themselves or starting a family . “ Without the security of a job , we cannot have security in our country . So without jobs , there is no future for you or for Nigeria . “ And I also know as a parent that the older generation is also concerned about jobs for their children and , too often today , for themselves as well .” He said he joined the APC because he had hoped that it would improve lives of Nigerians and that he was excited about the party ’ s manifesto to create three million new jobs a year . He lamented that the result had not been the change the people were promised , adding that in the last two years , three million Nigerians had lost their jobs .
‘ APC has disappointed Nigerians ’ The former vice-president said the APCled Federal Government had disappointed Nigerians , particularly youths . He added , “ Creating jobs is something I know about as I have created over 50,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect jobs in my home state of Adamawa and I also know how the government can create opportunities for jobs . “ In the last two years , almost three million Nigerians have lost their jobs and today we have a record 25 per cent of people within the age of 18 and 25 years unemployed . I can see how difficult it is for people to get jobs . “ The key to creating jobs is a strong economy and that is what we lack presently . Today , I want to let you know that I am returning home to the PDP as the issues that made me leave it have been resolved and it is clear that the APC has let the people , especially youths , down .” “ But rather than giving a long political speech on this matter , I thought it would be more helpful to invite you to ask me questions and share with you my answers .”
I initiated telephone revolution – Atiku Atiku said when he was the vice-president in 1999 , he was responsible for deregulating the telecommunications sector which he said enabled the country to increase the number of people who could access telephones from less than a million then to over 100 million presently . He said , “ This has resulted in the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs from the
HAVE A STORY FOR US ? CONTACT : Politics : 08033461633 politics @ punchng . com ; General News : 08165625046 Online : 08033430804 generalnews @ punchng . com ; Business : 07068835954 business @ punchng . com top-up card vendors you see on every street corner to the many new businesses that feed off the mobile phone revolution . “ Some of you may know that I was elected as the vice-president under the banner of the PDP , which is the political party I had helped to found some 10 years before . “ And some of you may also know that I left the PDP four years ago when I believed it was no longer aligned to the principles of equity , democracy and social justice upon which we had founded it . “ We need a party that speaks to national sentiments , not regional sisters with only one mother , which is Nigeria .” Atiku also dismissed the statement of the Minister of Information , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , who said he ( Atiku ) would never be President . “ Nobody knows the future other than God and to dictate what the future will be is not within man ’ s purview . Remember that the PDP said it would rule Nigeria for 60 years ; but did they ? But it is about Nigeria , not power .” Reacting to the demand by Nigerians on social media for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the police tagged , # endSARS , the former vice-president called on the Inspector-General of Police , Ibrahim Idris , to initiate reforms of the squad . Atiku noted that there was the need for the police and other Nigerians to improve the way they relate with one another . The former Vice-President said Nigerians were maltreated abroad because they were not
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• We believe that a system of self regulation , through a professional code of ethics under an well treated in their country . He added , “ We cannot complain about Nigerians being maltreated in Libya and then we maltreat Nigerians back home .’’
We ’ ll solve our problems without Atiku – APC The APC on Sunday said it would solve its problems without the former vice president . The ruling party stated that since the PDP had been able to “ solve its problems ” without Atiku , the APC would do so after his defection . The National Publicity Secretary of the APC , Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said during a chat on the telephone with one of our correspondents on Sunday . Abdullahi said , “ What reason did he give for leaving the PDP in the first place ? Have they ( PDP ) addressed their problems ? “ If yes ; so , they did it without him . If he has found PDP attractive now because they have solved their problems , it means we will also solve our problems without him ; then he can come back to our party .” Abdullahi also said the former vice-president had the opportunity to speak out while he was a member of the ruling party . According to the party , his assertions about happenings within the APC would have carried more weight if he was still a member . He said , “ I believe that if the former vicepresident had spoken out when he was in the party , perhaps , we would have made progress in that respect . To now begin to speak after he has left the party shows that there are some things that he should have done that he didn ’ t
CODE OF ETHICS independent body would best serve the interest of the profession and society .
• We subscribe to the Ombudsman mechanism established by the do .” On Atiku ’ s assertion that he would defeat Buhari in the 2019 election , Abdullahi said , “ I believe that the reasons Nigerians voted for President Buhari in 2015 are still pertinent . They voted President Buhari because they needed a leader who has integrity , strong on corruption and capable of defeating Boko Haram . If he stands for election in 2019 , we believe Nigerians would still vote for him ,”
‘ Atiku ’ s move to PDP doesn ’ t affect my ambition ’ The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Caretaker Committee , Senator Ahmed Makarfi , has said he could still contest the party ’ s presidential ticket despite Atiku ’ s defection . Makarfi stated this in an interview published in the current edition of The Interview magazine , noting that Atiku had earlier left the PDP and had come back . When asked about his interest to run , Makarfi said , “ By the time I leave as a caretaker committee chairman on December 9 or 10 , there will still be 10 months to the party primaries . By any law or the party ’ s guidelines , I ’ m not excluded .” Makarfi also said in the interview that Ekiti State Governor , Ayodele Fayose ’ s declaration of interest in the party ’ s presidential ticket , “ is uncalled for and unhealthy .” “ We are expecting a harvest of defections from the APC . Wait a bit and you will see the influx of people into the PDP ,” he added .
Convention : PDP removes ex-govs , deputies as automatic delegates
Olusola Fabiyi and Oladimeji Ramon
THE Peoples Democratic Party has removed former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party as automatic delegates to its national convention .
The national convention of the party holds in Abuja on Saturday .
It was gathered that the step was taken to make sure that the outcome of the convention was not subjected to another round of legal crisis that could overturn actions taken at the convention .
The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the party , Senator Ahmed Makarfi , was said to have taken the matter to the Thursday ’ s PDP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja .
According to a document obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday , Makarfi said there was the need to remove the former governors and their deputies as automatic delegates to the convention because of the ruling of an Abuja High Court .
Makarfi ’ s memo was titled , ‘ Ammendments / Addendum to NEC approved guidelines for conduct of ward , LGA , State , Zonal congresses and the National Convention , effective November 10 , 2017 .’ The memo was dated November 30 . In the memo , Makarfi stated that in “ paragraph 6.1 ( 13 ), page 11 of the guidelines , former governors were listed as delegates to the national convention in view of Section 33 ( 1 ) of the PDP Constitution , 2012 , which came into force as a result of amendments to the party ’ s constitution at the December 10 to 12 , 2014 national convention .
“ Since section 47 ( 6 ) of the PDP Constitution 2012 achieved at the 10-12 December 2014 national convention was nullified by an FCT High Court in FCT / HC / CV / 1867 // 2016 Jero Vs . PDP on the grounds that the amendment did not follow laid down procedure , in particular , that it was not registered with the Independent
National Electoral Commission within the period prescribed by law , it is necessary to remove former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party who are still members of the party as delegates to the national convention .”
Makarfi called on NEC “ to approve the deletion of paragraph 6.1 ( 13 ) at page 11 of the guidelines which made former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party who are still members of the party ( as ) delegates to the national convention .”
It was gathered that the NEC voted in favour of the memo and removed former governors and former deputy governors produced by the party as automatic delegates to the convention .
However , investigations by our correspondent showed that the issue was already being addressed in a fresh amendment being proposed by the party to its constitution .
The proposed fresh amendment was said to have been sent to state chapters of the party and might be one of the issues to be addressed at the convention on Saturday .
Meanwhile , aspirants contesting different offices at the convention , especially the office of the national chairman , have continued their campaigns .
The aspirants who are running for the office of the national chairman are Prince Uche Secondus , Prof . Taoheed Adedoja , Prof . Tunde Adeniran , Chief Olabode George , Chief Gbenga Daniel , Mr Jimi Agbaje , Mr . Segun Adeyemi and Senator Rasheed Ladoja
Adeniran said on Sunday that he was ready , adding that he had covered all the six geopolitical zones of the country .
Speaking through his Director of Media , Mr . Taiwo Akeju , Adeniran said , “ We are ready for the convention having covered all the six geo-political zones . We have nothing to fear ,” he said .
Also , Secondus praised the enthusiasm shown by Nigerians to the plan by the party to return to power in 2019 .
Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone , Secondus also said he had no issues with the names of those that would conduct the convention , which had just been released .
“ We must all have faith in members of our party to conduct an internal election .”
Suswam rejected as poll panel chair
A group within the PDP , Professionals for the Defence of Integrity and Equity , has written an open letter to the Chairman , PDP Caretaker Committee , Senator Ahmed Makarfi , rejecting the appointment of a former Governor of Benue State , Mr . Gabriel Suswam , as the Chairman . Electoral Panel Committee of the party .
In the letter issued on Sunday and signed by its Chairman , Tichus Zungeru , the group said it “ observes with dismay and total disgust , the purported appointment of Gabriel Suswan , a former Governor of Benue State , as the chairman of the very crucial electoral panel committee .
The letter read in part , “ Mr . Suswam surely does not represent a symbol of unbiased purity , the very image of sanitising wholesomeness without which we cannot have a clean , equitable , unsoiled election .
“ For one , Mr . Suswam is a known ally and sworn friend of Mr . Nyesom Wike , the Governor of Rivers State , who does not hide his brazen sponsorship of Uche Secondus for the national chairmanship position of our party .
With such an obviously compromised scenario , we do not need a soothsayer to tell us how Mr . Suswan will behave as chairman of such a very important committee . Naturally he will be working for Secondus .
“ Mr Suswam ’ s appointment is therefore unacceptable to us .”
The group further said Suswam had been tainted by various EFCC cases he had been battling with , saying , “ Surely , he is hardly the right person for such a very sensitive job . We therefore demand that the national caretaker committee should strike off his name immediately .”
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