Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Saturday stormed the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, venue of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The officials were conspicuous in their red vests with the commission’s acronym boldly displayed on them.
They moved around the arena hosting thousands of party delegates who were waiting for the commencement of the primary election to elect the presidential candidate of the party in next year’s election.
The anti-graft agents were thought to be in the arena as a deterrent to aspirants who may want to distribute cash to influence the outcome of the election.
Nobody was known to have been apprehended by the agents at the time of this report.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had turned Nigeria into the poverty capital of the world and the most terrorized country.
Ayu observed that the recent bye-elections in the country were a referendum on the APC, noting that the PDP would have done better but for the militarisation of the exercises.
While noting the difficult process of the last elective party congresses, he said: “We followed up with free and fair Area Council primaries in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT). The result of that was the superlative performance of our great party in the council elections that followed.
“We swept the polls in their entirety. In the end, we were forced to share our electoral wins with the ruling APC. It is because we believe INEC failed its
independence test. But it also means we must continue to awaken the electoral umpire to its sacred duty of impartiality.
“And we have done fairly well in the bye-elections that have been held across the country.
“If we competed on level playing-grounds, if INEC were more resistant to external pressures and if security agents did not militarise some of the election-
environments, your great party, the PDP, Nigeria’s only organic party, would have done much better.
“But the bye-elections serve a very important point: they are a referendum on APC’s misrule. The outcomes of the elections show that Nigerians want us back to power. And the reasons are obvious.
“Nigeria is now both the poverty capital of the world. Also, Nigeria is the third most terrorised country. The
economy has collapsed. Government now prints or borrows money to pay salaries. Unemployment is about 35 per cent. Government now shares sovereignty with terrorists. Bandits now regulate domestic travel – be it by road, rail and air.
“The litany of woes is endless. So, the return of the PDP will be daybreak.”
He urged urged Nigerians not to lose hope as the PDP was poised to rescue the nation.
In his remark, the Chairman of the 2022 National Convention Planning Committee, Senator David Mark, told the delegates that history beckoned on the main opposition party to rescue Nigeria, noting that the convention was the first step.
He stated: “Today, our students are at home for over three months on account of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike for failure of government to address issues affecting the education sector.
“Fellow country men and women are today in captivity with kidnappers and our government looking overwhelmed and unable to rescue them. Sadly, the APC government has mortgaged the future of Nigerians by ceaseless borrowings with nothing tangible to show. Nigeria is now the poverty capital of the world.
“The intractable insecurity situation, rising unemployment, poverty, ineptitude and corruption, and above all the poor management of our diversity have become the hallmark of the APC administration. These have made living in Nigeria worthless.
“Today’s convention is beyond the ordinary, it is a call to salvage Nigeria from the brinks. Nigeria has had socio-economic and political problems but never has it descended so low.
“The 2023 election is not a contest between the PDP and other political parties, it will be a moment of historic decision of all Nigerians to right the wrongs of the misrule by the APC. For Nigerians, it is a struggle for survival. But thank God Nigerians have found solace and faith in the PDP as the vehicle to redeem the situation and give them a hope to live again.
“No wonder, our logo, the umbrella, is a veritable shade and shield for Nigerians and Nigeria as an entity.
“It is therefore a call to patriotic national service, for all delegates to make the wise decision which will ultimately save Nigeria. All our presidential aspirants are nationalist of proven integrity.”
Governor Aminu Tambuwal announced that he was stepping down from the presidential race and directed his supporters to vote for former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
He told delegates just before the commencement of voting that he came to the conclusion after a wide consultation across the country.
He became the third aspirant to step down in under 24 hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and Nwachukwu Anakwenze.
Addressing the delegates, Tambuwal said having consulted widely, he had come to the firm belief that as leaders, time may come in their sojourn to make sacrifice.
United States-based medical doctor and one of the 14 presidential aspirants in the race for the ticket, Nwachikwu Anakwenze, had also announced his withdrawal from the race and told his supporters to vote for the best candidate.
He did not name any aspirant.
Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is a member of the Convention Committee, announced that a total of 767 delegates were accredited to vote at the convention.
and then