THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over the Friday closed-door meeting between the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, and the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Abba Kyari, at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The main opposition party in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, in Abuja on Sunday charged President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his personal ambition to push the nation into chaos.
It also cautioned the Yakubu not to succumb to pressure to manipulate the electoral process for President Buhari as such could cause serious crisis capable of disarticulating our nation.
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The party warned that President Buhari’s handlers, who it said are desperate to force him on an unwilling nation, are fast pushing the nation to the brinks and should be checked before it is too late.
According to the statement, PDP’s fresh caution to INEC Chairman is predicated on an alleged secret meeting he held with President Buhari’s Chief of Staff at the Presidential Villa last Friday.
The statement added: “Prof Yakubu should note that the polity is already tensed over INEC’s listing of President Buhari for election despite his failure to present the constitutionally required academic credentials like other candidates. This development casts a dark shadow on the credibility of INEC to conduct a transparent election.
“INEC is invited to further note that Nigerians are aware that by President Buhari’s declaration, in an affidavit, that his said certificates are with the military, his nomination documentation is therefore constitutionally incomplete, making him ineligible to contest the 2019 Presidential elections.
“Also, by failing to write to the military authorities to release his claimed certificates, Mr President leaves Nigerians with no option than to hold that he does not have the credentials and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not provide that affidavits can be used as a substitute for any candidate’s credentials.
“Moreover, Mr President’s affidavit also shows that he did not submit any certificate in 2015, making his candidacy for that election improper and defective under our laws.
“Prof Yakubu must have noted the heavy public criticisms that have been trailing his provocative declaration that Nigerians should go to court over the certificate saga. His statement betrays an electoral umpire who is under threats and heavy pressure to abdicate his statutory duty of enforcing constitutional requirements for elections.”
“The PDP holds that allowing such siege mentality on our democratic institutions to fester will surely spell doom for our nation. Nigeria is our country and we don’t have any other nation we can call our own.
“Now that Nigerians have rejected President Buhari’s affidavit and insisted on his certificates, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is left with no option than to accept its self-inflicted misfortune.”
It further stated: “Meanwhile, we are not unaware of the anxiety and apprehension in the APC but such is the price of being stuck with bad merchandise.
“On our part, the PDP is ready for election. Our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with his proven competencies, has met all the requirements for the election and is now enjoying the support of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians across all sections of our country.
“Nigerians are tired of a deceptive, dishonest and grossly incompetent Buhari administration, which has brought so much anguish and pain to our nation.”
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IN CASE YOU’VE FORGOTTEN, LET ME REMIND YOU…….,
In 2008, the former PDP chairman Ahmodu Ali suggested a new Headquarters should be constructed for their party, PDP. The idea was welcomed by all party members.
A 12 story building was agreed upon. The former Vice President who at the time was the Governor of Kaduna State, Architect Namadi Sambo, designed the structure of the proposed new secretariat.
The contract was awarded to BNL construction firm for N10billion with a delivery date of two and half years. First quarter of that year, Ahmodu Ali was kicked out of office.
Then came a new PDP Nat. Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, who keyed into the idea of the new Secretariat by his predecessor. He quickly rallied round party members on how to raise funds.
By November 14, 2008, Ogbulafor organized a fundraising dinner for the N10billion needed to execute the project. On that night, N6billion was generated cash down. ??
Femi Otedola was the baba olowo in attendance. He was the highest donor. You know Femi Otedola na. Don’t you? Ok! You remembered Farouk Lawal & subsidy money kwo? Ehen, na that Femi wey been dey swallow subsidy money that Farouk wanted to rope him before Femi come use akpako pass akpako on him. Femi single handedly donated N1billion to PDP on the night. No shaking! PDP! POWER!!!
This one no be dem say dem say, I watched that fund raising dinner live on AIT on that day. I saw the massive explosion of cheers when Femi announced his N1billion donation. ??
Back to my story jare.
So, five years later after the fundraising dinner, the secretariat was nowhere near 20% completion even though N6billion was raised for the project that was initially meant to be completed in 2 & a half years.
However, in October 2013, another former National Chairman of PDP, this time, it was Bamanga Tukur, he initiated fresh moves to re-mobilise the contractors back to site. How? Through fundraising of course. Are you a learner? ?
In December 2014 a combined fundraising dinner was organized to raise funds for Mr. Jonathan’s 2015 presidential election and for the building project. A mouth watering & mind boggling sum of N21 billion was realized at the event. Yes! You heard me right: N21billion. Is it ur N21billion? ????
I know a lot of us are not very good at mathematics, but let’s do this quick maths.
N6billion + N21billion = N27billion. Blood of Moses! Meanwhile, the secretariat originally was meant to cost “only” N10billion.
Lest I forget to tell you, only N2billion was given to BNL construction company as mobilisation from the N6billion that was raised from the initial fundraising. Balance from there was N4billion. Therefore; N4billion + N21billion?
The remaining N25billion was converted to yams & eaten up by goats of many breeds. Lol ???
At the time I typed this post at 02:37am this morning, the new PDP headquarters in Abuja is still not 50% completed.
This brings me to a saying by a character in the gods are not to blame; Odewole said;” If the crocodiles can eat up their own eggs, what can they not do to the body of the frog”?
I’m begging all my PDP friends to take this message to Secondus, Fayose & Wike, PDP should finish building their secretariat in Abuja first before they come to build the entire Nigeria. Tankiu!
lol! PDP desperation must be killing them.
Is INEC truly independent?