The Hood – Hearing from your neighborhood

PDP will win 2019 Presidential Election – Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday boasted that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party will win the 2019 presidential elections.

Saraki said this in Ilorin at a meeting with PDP members who came from the 16 local government areas of the state. He also expressed his confidence that his new party would emerge victorious in all the local government areas of Kwara State.

Saraki said that the victory of PDP at both federal and state levels would be beneficial to all the members in the state. The Senate President said that the future of PDP was now brighter than it used to be.

“If we emerge victorious at the federal level, all of us will be the beneficiaries. In the state, with your support we will win the state for PDP.

“All of you here are the key players in Kwara politics. With unity of purpose, no party can contest with you. “We are here to unite all of us under the party we belong to today. I am assuring all members that there will be equity, internal democracy and justice.

“It is not going to be winners take all. As far as I am concerned, everybody here today belong to our political structure. “There is nothing like old or new Peoples Democratic Party. We have all become one PDP.

“I want all of us to be united for the progress and development of Kwara State. “As par the politics of the state, nobody can wrest the power from us I if we are united. By the grace of God we will emerge victorious both at the federal and state levels.

“We will ensure that we work as one party because we have always worked together before. “We will see that all the wards and local governments’ popular candidates emerge based on their popularity and acceptability,” Saraki said.

He assured PDP members that there would be no anointed candidates in all the elective positions. “I don’t have any anointed candidate at all levels. I don’t have candidates for the state Assembly, National Assembly. It is the person you want in your constituency that I will okay.

“Don’t allow anybody to deceive you that I have endorsed any candidate,” he said. The Senate President implored party leaders and elders not to drop his name to impose unpopular candidates.

“All of us will collectively choose who becomes the next governor. We will ensure that there is no faction, but one PDP. “We will ensure that meetings in the local government areas take place in one venue. And we will all work together for the interest of the party,” he said.

Saraki appealed to all party members to start work for the party to emerge victorious next year. “I am sure many more will come back and join us because those that left under the wrong assumption that it will be different from what it used to be.

“They were misled that those coming are out to move them away. Nobody is moving you away because this place belongs to you too.

“Let us go back and start work closely together and by the grace of God we will all be victorious,” the Senate President said.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Rhetoric: My Response, by Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki

I have always restrained from joining issues in the media with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this is based on my respect for him. However, I will not allow him to create a wrong, false and mischievous impression about the reasons for my decision to exit the All Progressives Congress (APC) and present his prejudice as facts for public consumption.

I have been consistent in my complaints to all leaders of the APC, including Tinubu, that a situation where the National Assembly is not constructively engaged or carried along in key policy decisions, particularly those that will eventually require legislative approval, is not in the best interest of the nation. No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the Presidency will simply write a terse letter to the National Assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval. The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the Executive. To me, this is unacceptable.

In the same way, I find it very objectionable that many stakeholders who worked strenuously to get the administration into office have now been excluded in the government and not consulted on key decisions as necessary and expected. In fact, some of them are treated as pariahs. A party that ignores justice, equity and inclusion as basic pre-conditions for peace, unity and stability cannot sustain its membership and leadership.

Let me redirect the attention of the former Governor of Lagos State to the aspect of my July 31, 2018, statement announcing my exit from APC in which I emphasized that the decision “has been inescapably imposed on me by certain elements and forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist”.

In that statement, I further noted that those APC elements “have done everything to ensure that the basic rules of party administration, which should promote harmonious relations among the various elements within the party were blatantly disregarded. All governance principles which were required for a healthy functioning of the party and the government were deliberately violated or undermined. And all entreaties for justice, equity and fairness as basic precondition for peace and unity, not only within the party, but also the country at large, were simply ignored, or employed as additional pretext for further exclusion. The experience of my people and associates in the past three years is that they have suffered alienation and have been treated as outsiders in their own party. Thus, many have become disaffected and disenchanted. At the same time, opportunities to seek redress and correct these anomalies were deliberately blocked as a government-within-a-government had formed an impregnable wall and left in the cold, everyone else who was not recognized as “one of us”. This is why my people, like all self-respecting people would do, decided to seek accommodation elsewhere”.

Tinubu himself will recall that during the various meetings he had with me at the time he was pursuing reconciliation within the APC, I raised all the above issues. I can also vividly recall that he himself always expressed his displeasure with the style of the government and also mentioned that he had equally suffered disrespect from the same government which we all worked to put in office. I also made the point that whatever travails I have gone through in the last three years belong to the past and will not shape my decisions now and in the future.

However, during those meetings, the point of disagreement between Tinubu and I is that while I expressed my worries that there is nothing on ground to assure me that the administrative style and attitude would change in the next four years in a manner that will enable us to deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a strong opinion that he would rather ‘support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher’ to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west. This viewpoint of Tinubu’s was not only expressed to me but to several of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

It is clear that while my own decision is based on protecting the collective national interest, Tinubu will rather live with the identified inadequacies of the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023. This new position of Tinubu has only demonstrated inconsistency — particularly when one reviews his antecedents over the years.

Again, let me reiterate my position that my uncertain and complex relationship with Tinubu has been continually defined by the event of 2014 when myself and other leaders of the APC opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket arrangement about to be foisted on the APC for the 2015 polls. It should be noted that he has not forgotten the fact that I took the bull by the horns and told him that in the interest of the country, he should accept the need for the party to present a balanced ticket for the 2015 General Elections in terms of religion and geo-political zones. Since that time he has been very active; plotting at every point to undermine me, both within and outside the National Assembly.

It is a surprise to me that Asiwaju Tinubu is still peddling the falsehood about the fact that my defection is about automatic ticket and sharing of resources. Members of the public will recall that when the issue of my decision to quit APC came to the fore and many APC leaders were holding meetings with me, a newspaper owned by the same Tinubu published a false report about the promise of automatic tickets, oil blocks and other benefits. I immediately rebutted their claims and categorically stated that I never discussed any such personal and pecuniary benefits with anybody. My challenge that anybody who has contrary facts should come forward with them still remains open.

It should be known that Democracy is a system that allows people to freely make their choices. It is my choice that I have decided to join others to present a viable alternative platform for Nigerians in the coming elections. Tinubu and leaders of the APC had better respect this decision or lawfully deal with it. As for me, Allah gives power to whom He wishes. Human beings can only aspire and strive to fulfill their aspirations.

Signed:

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON

President of the Senate

Hon. Igbalaye Wasiu Ayodele Felicitates With Muslims, charged them to pray for Nigeria.

House of Assembly Aspirant under the platform of Labour Party , Representing Abeokuta South Local Government, consituencey 2 , has charged Muslims of Ogun State and across the nation to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir festival to pray for the nation, “

Wasiu gave his advice to the Muslims faithful, he urged them to continue to pray for the peace and unity of state and Nigeria, particularly towards the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

While wishing them a merry Eid-el-Kabir, he enjoined Muslims to remain committed to the teachings of Islam imbibed during this festival season.

He said this while addressing the online publishers (Bloggers) in Abeokuta, the Ogun Capital on Saturday.

According to Igbalaye , he said i congratulate my fellow Muslim brothers and sister’s for successfully observing the last Ramadan Fasting, with its life-enriching lessons in the virtues of love, forbearance, unity, patriotism, self-sacrifice.

“In the last one month, I observed the piety and the spirit of giving associated with the month, and therefore urge our Muslim brothers and sisters to remain their brother’s keeper till eternity so as to make the society better for it.

While i will urged them to pray for our leaders, so that this country can be great again, hon. Wasiu igbalaye is an Admin officer Ecole Superieure de Technologie et de Gestion ( ESTG) university, he is also the CEO of igbalaye ayodele foundation and the CEO skippo and junior Concept.

He said, I vow to transform Abeokuta South local government, constituency 2 and make youths relevant in my government. I believe in grassroots and i want to run a youth oriented government if elected as house of Assembly member come 2019 general election.

Hon. Habeeb Ibidapo Whyte Felicitates With Muslims, Preaches peace At Eid-el-Kabir

House of Assembly Aspirant , Representing Abeokuta North Local Government has charged Muslims of Ogun State and across the nation to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir festival to pray for the nation, “

Habeeb gave his advice to the Muslims faithful, he urged them to continue to pray for the peace and unity of Sate and Nigeria, particularly towards the conduct of the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

While wishing them a merry Eid-el-Kabir, he enjoined Muslims to remain committed to the teachings of Islam imbibed during this festival season.

He said this while addressing the online publishers (Bloggers) in Abeokuta, the Ogun Capital on Saturday.

According to Habeeb , he said i congratulate my fellow Muslim brothers and sister’s for successfully observing the last Ramadan Fasting, with its life-enriching lessons in the virtues of love, forbearance, unity, patriotism, self-sacrifice.

“In the latest past months, I observed the piety and the spirit of patience that is associated with the month, and therefore urge our Muslim brothers and sisters to remain their brother’s keeper till eternity so as to make the society better for it.

While i will urged them to pray for our leaders, so that this country can be great again. Mallam Habeeb Ibidapo Whyte who is a Legal Practitioner, a youth advocate ,a recipient of the United Nations Award and a multi- national Award winner

He said, transforming Abeokuta North local government and making youths relevant in policy making is achievable. I believe in grassroots and I want to run a youth oriented and inclusive policies if elected as house of Assembly member come 2019 general election.

He persuaded both Muslims and Christian youths of Abeokuta North Local Government to drum support for him come 2019 election.

Put Our State First in your prayers: Gbolahan Macjob charges Muslims in Abeokuta

House of Representatives Aspirant under the platform of Young Democratic Party, Gbolahan Macjob has called on Muslims faithfuls from Abeokuta South local government, to put Ogun State at the heart of their prayers, upon the successful conclusion of the last Ramadan fast and commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

Gbolahan gave his advice to the Muslim faithfuls, urging them to continue to pray for the peace and unity of state and Nigeria, particularly towards the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

While wishing them a merry Eid-el-Kabir, he enjoined Muslims to remain committed to the teachings of Islam imbibed during this festival season.

He said this while addressing the online publishers in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital on Friday.

“I congratulate our Muslim brothers and sisters for successfully observing the last Ramadan fast, and hope the lessons in the virtues of love, tolerance, unity, patriotism and self-sacrifice have been learnt”

Gbolahan who has served as protocol officer in Ogun State under the past governments of Olofinmoyin , Osoba and Daniel said “I want to Represent the people of Abeokuta South at the federal constituency, so to transform and make our youths relevant. I call on every son and daughter of Abeokuta South to support me for real change.

Eid-el-Kabir: Guild Of Bloggers Nigeria (GBN) felicitates with Muslims

The Guild Of Bloggers,Nigeria (GBN), has felicitated with Muslims across the country, particularly the potential bloggers in Nigeria on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

He expressed prayer that the Almighty Allah would make way for them to be able to afford all they might need to celebrate the festival, despite the cash crunch currently battling the nation.

The president of the association Solanke Ayomideji Taiwo, in a statement signed by the Secretary of the association, Wale Abideen in Lagos State, on Saturday, also prayed for the safe return of Muslim faithful currently in Saudi Arabia observing the hajj, he said God would accept all they are doing as acts of Ibadah.

He enjoined Muslims to seize the auspicious moment to pray for Nigeria, particularly for the revival of its comatose economy and return of peace across the country.

“I want to seize this opportunity to felicitate with our Muslim brothers and sisters across the nation, the bloggers who engage in assignments on the occasion of this year’s Sallah; Eid-el-Kabir.

I sympathise with you for the pains you have to pass through to be able to get all the necessities for a sumptuous celebration, owing to the cash crunch that currently faces our economy.

“Be that as it may, it is my prayer that the Almighty Allah, the God of provision, will create ways where there is no way to give you the wherewithal to have happy celebrations. It is also important to remember the lessons of the Eid-el-Kabir.

“I cannot forget our brothers who are in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia right now performing the hajj rites. We pray that God sees them through, gives them safe journey back home and accepts all they are doing as acts of Ibadah.

“We must use this August period to pray for the revival our nation. We must ask for divine revamping of our economy. And we must pray for the restoration of peace to all nooks and cranny of our great nation. Once again, I congratulate you,” Solanke said.

SIGNED:

WALE ABIDEEN,

SECRETARY GENERAL, GUILD OF BLOGGERS, NIGERIA

Hon. Okueyungbo Olumide felicitates with Muslims, Charged them to pray for positive change

House of Assembly Aspirant under the platform of Accord, Okueyungbo Olumide has charged Muslims to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir festival to pray for positive change in the nation, “so as to be relieved of the current hardship.”

Olumide gave his advice to the Muslim faithfuls, he urged them to continue to pray for the peace and unity of Pain State and Nigeria, particularly towards the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

While wishing them a merry Eid-el-Kabir, he enjoined Muslims to remain committed to the teachings of Islam imbibed during this festive season.

He said this while addressing online publishers (Bloggers) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital on Friday.

According to Olumide , he said “I congratulate our Muslim brothers and sister’s for successfully observing the last Ramadan Fasting, with its life-enriching lessons in the virtues of love, forbearance, unity, patriotism, self-sacrifice”.

I’m urged them to pray for our leaders, so that this country can be great again, Olumide a Registered Civil Engr and the MD/CEO of Price Green Arcot Limited. An experienced agronomist and landscape horticulturist. An advocate for youth inclusion in politics and governance. Said i want to Represent Ijebu North people at the State level, so to transform and make our youths relevant in my government. I believe in grassroots and i want to run a youth oriented government if elected as house of Assembly member representing Ijebun North East come 2019 general election.

He persuaded Muslims to vote for him come 2019 election under the banner of ACCORD.

Accord Party Chieftain, OSA, mourns Koffi Annan

A Chieftain of the Accord Party in Ogun State, Omooba Segun Adewale populary referred to as OSA, has described the death of former United Nations secretary-general, Koffi Annan, as great loss to the continent of Africa and the world at large.

Omooba Segun Adewale, in a statement released by his media aid, Oluwaseyi Babarinde, said the news announcing the death of the Ghanaian born former UN scribe was unexpected, adding that the entire continent will miss Mr Annan and his wealth of experience.

Adewale said: “The continent of Africa will miss this great illustrious son of the land. His wealth of experience will be missed, too. One cannot forget, in a jiffy, his giant strides while he held sway as the UN secretary-general for two terms. A peace keeper per excellence. Good night Annan!”

While joining other sons and daughters of Africa in mourning the one time recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for humanitarian works, Adewale also call on other Africa and world leaders to emulate the good humanitarian works recorded for the late Annan, especially by implementing some key United Nations Millennium Development Goals targets on Education, Health, Poverty eradication and others that are yet to be fully implemented in many African countries and some part of the world, which the late Annan pioneered during his tenure.

Political Gladiators turn OGUN East into battle ground

Leke Ojo reporting from Abeokuta

– Kashamu being wooed by ruling Party

– OGUN East Senate ticket in contention

– National Leader connection

THE Ogun East Senatorial District has been turned into a battle ground by political gladiators in a bid to achieving their long term ambition of occupying oke mosan come 2019.

The current Senator representing the district who was just expelled by the National Executive Committee of the opposition party PDP is being wooed by a National leader of the ruling party to decamp to APC.

This, no doubt is not unconnected with the need to increase the number of APC Senators in the red chamber to stop the alleged impeachment moves by the anti President Mohammed Buhari Senators

Although the Senator is not averse to the idea, he was said to have insisted that any parely to be held must involve the State Chief Executive, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and that he be guaranteed the minimum of his present ticket.

He also want assurances of the quashing of his extradition case.

The Senator is of the view that if he does not get the Governorship ticket which he was only interested in to get immunity and stop his extradition another way he can safe guard himself from extradition is by joining the ruling party and his case being dropped totally with an assured return to the Senate guaranteed in the deal.

His opponent in the Senate race in the 2015 election who contested against him from the APC, Chief Dapo Abiodun is said to be interested in the Governorship ticket of the ruling Party.

Chief Abiodun, a buissness man of immense wealth was said to have vowed to use every financial resource and human capacity available to him in securing the ticket in APC.

He is said to have had a falling out with his former ally the state Governor, Ibikunle Amosun hence his resolve to give the race all he has.

This situation has turned OGUN East into a battle ground with all gladiators involved hell bent on having their ways.

Another angle to the intrigues is the alleged plot to impeach the President, necessitating the need to get as many Senators to decamp from the opposition to the ruling APC and reduce their number to less than forty before the September resumption.

This plan sources said is the brain child of a National leader of the ruling Party.

The battle of wits is sure to intensify in the run up to next years elections and more twists and turns expected.

ADC Splits Into Two, As N-ADC Emerges

ADC Splits Into Two, As N-ADC Emerges

ABUJA – Some aggrieved members of the newly formed political party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), announced in Abuja on Tuesday that, they have pulled out from the party to form New African Democratic Congress (N-ADC).

The Interim National Chairman of the group, Chief Precious Elekima, made the announcement at a news conference in Abuja.

He said that the group withdrew from ADC because the ADC leadership joined Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), without consulting other major stakeholders.

Elekima said that the formation of the group was to keep alive the mission of ADC to free Nigeria from backwardness, which the party (ADC) wanted to truncate by joining the coalition.

He recalled that CNM, which he claimed now had no fewer than five million members across the country, was formed after the publication of the “famous open letter’’ by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in January, 2018.

He said that by joining the alliance, the ADC defied the clarion call by Obasanjo for the rejection of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).

Elekima said that without collecting any money from the former president or any of his associates, Nigerians organised themselves from the wards to state level, toiled and sacrificed towards salvaging the country.

“On May 10, without any form of consultation with the components of the federation, that is the states, the teeming members of CNM fused into ADC as the third-force with the mandate to salvage Nigerians from oppressive leadership.

“These teeming Nigerians believed in the good intentions as set out in the clarion call so meekly embraced by the ADC.

“They gave flesh and blood to the ADC, reinvigorated and rebranded it to aspire as the third-force in the political landscape of the country.

“This again, they did without any sponsorship from the former president or his associates. They invested their time and resources to building the ADC whose star was on the rise.

“Suddenly, without any consultation with the party chairmen and stakeholders in the 36 states and Abuja, the ADC was taken into a place for unholy intimacy with the PDP.

“As if that was a small matter, defectors from the APC were also called in to take part in this unholy political orgy clothed as Memorandum of Understanding for the CUPP on July 16.’’

The N-ADC chairman said that with respect to Obasanjo, Nigerians and the international community were not being informed about cleansing in APC and PDP, to certify fit for ADC to be in alliance with them.

According to him, Nigerians cannot be fooled as ADC has become just another vehicle for recirculation of the people that were common problem of the nation.

“Since majority of the members in the ADC never set out to deceive Nigerians, it has become necessary for the sake of these innocent members and the hope held for Nigerians that we step out of the ADC.

“It has become necessary to step out with the mission and mandate of the clarion call and leave behind those leaders who for reasons best known to them have become like those in APC and PDP.

“We are, therefore, happy and proud to announce that these gallant Nigerians who believe in the Third-Force for Nigerians have now constituted themselves out from the former ADC as the New–ADC.

“We call on members of ADC nationwide, the CNM and all progressives to rally round the N-ADC as we set out on a mission to free Nigerians from their slave masters,’’ he said.

Elekima, who was Coordinator of CNM in Rivers, apologised to Nigerians, saying that his group was not part of decision to join CUPP.

He disclosed that the factional group had already written the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to notify it of the formation of N-ADC, with temporary National Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.

This, he said, was important in order to meet up INEC’s time table for 2019 general elections.

“We will come out with a decision that will be all-embracing and will create a path way for Nigerians to follow.’’

Reacting to the development, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Chief Anayo Arinze, said that Elekima was not a card-carrying member of ADC, and could therefore, not form faction of the party.

Arinze added that Elekima and his group could not be consulted on the party’s decision because they were not members of ADC.

“Should we go about the streets and be consulting people who are not our members before we make decision as a party?’’ he asked.

(NAN)