Jonathan Not Behind APC Govs’ Woes-PDP The People’s Democratic Party has said President Goodluck Jonathan should be left out of the ongoing crisis rocking the ranks of some governors of the All Progressives Congress. It listed the impeachment of the former Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd.), and the plan to also sack the Governor of Nasarawa state, Tanko Al-Makura, as examples of such states having problems. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had accused both the PDP and the Presidency of bribing the lawmakers in Adamawa to impeach Nyako. While debunking these allegations, the PDP said bad governance was responsible for the woes that befell Nyako and the one it said was on the way for Al-Makura, who were both elected on the platform of the APC. The National Auditor of the ruling party and its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju and Chief Olisa Metuh respectively, stated this in separate statements in Abuja yesterday. In his statement, Adeyanju also debunked the alleged involvement of the ruling party in the last week’s impeachment of Nyako by the State House of Assembly. He said, “I challenge the APC and its leaders to come out with their facts that President Jonathan was involved in the impeachment saga so as to convince Nigerians and the international community that they were sure of what they are saying or shut up and stop feeding the members of the public with tissue of lies. “The questions we should be asking ourselves are, did the lawmakers follow the Constitution of the land? “Did they follow due process? Were they served with impeachment notices for them to defend themselves? “This is a mere accusation and it will not work. Nyako was served with impeachment notice to appear before a seven -man panel to defend himself against all the allegations levelled against him and he refused to obey. “Instead of doing this, he went ahead to declare two days holidays for reasons best known to him while his deputy resigned when he knew that the game was up”. He said in the case of Al-Makura, the House wanted to serve him impeachment notice on several occasions but he refused service before the lawmakers went ahead and published it in the newspapers. Metuh, in his statement, also described the sacking of Nyako as act of democracy. He said it was a constitutional right granted exclusively to the people of Adamawa State and that they exercised such through the votes of the overwhelming majority of the elected members of the State House of Assembly, who he said, also accorded rule of law and due process the rightful place in removing Nyako. Metuh said it was unfortunate that the APC that claimed to champion the rights of the people to choice of leadership was the same party turning against the constitutionally guaranteed right of the people to withdraw legitimacy through impeachment and recall. He said, “It is really an irony but what does one expect from the APC that is undergoing febrile seizure over the furious collapse of its imagined dominance of Nigeria’s political space? “It is not surprising that the drowning, who is striving to clutch on any available straws would turn the PDP into a scape goat”. He advised the APC to look inwards in finding answers to its alleged woes and leave the PDP out of it. Metuh said, “If a sitting governor, who has spent over seven years in office, could be removed by more than two-third of the members of his state Assembly, reasons should be located to fundamental factors within, rather than the trite excuses of external influence. “How did almost the entire members of the state assembly, some of whom were his allies, turn against Nyako? “Those who buy into the APC’s wild allegations of external influence and monetary inducement will only submit to the illogical because of the impossibility that there is no member among the 24 out of 28 member assembly with conscience to reject such influence. “And if the APC insists that Nyako’s decampment is the reason for his impeachment, we also ask why the Adamawa electorates whom he had served for over seven years raised no hoot in defence of him. “The APC must therefore go back to the reasons tabled by the Adamawa Assembly instead of desecrating and discrediting the citadel of democracy which has been its hobby for some time. “That the sins of Nyako were not punished earlier until ‘yesterday’ as it argued, does not make them less, even obviate or offer remission. The law, it is said, has a long arm. The time it catches up with an offender is immaterial to the gravity of the offence”. Meanwhile, Senate President, David Mark, has dismissed as a ruse, rumours making the rounds that the People’s Democratic Party has traded off some Senatorial and House of Representatives’ seats to the opposition political parties ahead of the forthcoming 2015 general elections. Mark made the clarification on Saturday while addressing stakeholders at Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state, in company with his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. The Senate President, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, yesterday, stated this against the backdrop of rumours that National Assembly seats in the state had been traded off to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in an alleged accord to get the party’s support for 2015. Mark said, “There is no such deal with any opposition party anywhere. Nobody should deceive you into believing that PDP has an agreement with any opposition party. PDP has a manifesto and only an elected PDP candidate can implement it. “It is false and unfounded. Rumours making the rounds in the state that National Assembly seats including Anambra North Senatorial seat currently being occupied by Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo has been negotiated out to APGA for 2015. “Nobody has negotiated out any position to any opposition party. I am not aware of it and I am not a party to it. PDP is steady and stable. We have no need for that.” The Senate President, who is a member of the PDP National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, counseled the party faithful to remain united and work as a team. He said, “There are many warlords in Anambra State PDP working at cross purposes. If you agree to unite and work as a team , you will reclaim your stronghold of Anambra politics.” Mark paid glowing tributes to one of his predecessors, the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, whom he described as very intelligent, flamboyant and vibrant senator even as he urged the people to rally round Okadigbo’s wife to enable her to excel. Leaders of the embattled Anambra PDP stakeholders, Chief Mike Nwakalor and Obi Chukwu had told Mark that the party was facing frustration in the hands of APGA. He said the APGA leaders were going round to say that the National Assembly seats have been negotiated in favour of their party in the forthcoming elections. The Igwe of Ogbunike HRM, John Ositadimma Umenyiora, bestowed on the Senate President the Chieftaincy title of Eze-Udo (meaning, King of Peace) for his meritorious services to his father land. The Igwe enjoined Mark to continue to work for the peace, stability and unity of Nigeria. Vehicles, ambulances, motor cycles, refrigerators, sewing machines and other household utensils were distributed to about 700 beneficiaries in Anambra North Senatorial zone under the Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo’s Constituency empowerment scheme. Mark and Ekweremadu distributed the items to the beneficiaries which included 100 widows and scores of physically challenged members of the society. Okadigbo explained that her mission is to work hard to uplift the standard of living of her people saying that given more opportunities, she would do more.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 00:31:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015