Connect with us

Politics

Defection : Diri , others are running away from mess created by them – Dickson

Published

on

…Supports nomination of Amupitan as INEC Chairman
By Hassan Taiye

Hours after the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ) , Senator Seriake Dickson ( Bayelsa West) , slammed the move by accusing the governor and other defected ones , of running away from mess created by them .

Senator Dickson who reacted to Governor Diri’s defection after Senate plenary on Wednesday, however threw his weight behind the nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan as new Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) .

Senator Dickson though admitted that Governor Diri , consulted him several times on his plan to dump PDP but said he was never convinced as there was no compelling need for that , particularly from a second term governor ..

Nigeria according to him, being a plural society , deserves functional and vibrant multiparty democracy and not one party one which breeds dictatorship and authoritarianism.

He said : ” I am where I have been. I am where I am. I don’t believe that Nigeria should be a one-party state. And as a soldier of democracy, I’m used to the ups and downs of democratic practices and democratic life, and political life especially. And I’m still as constant. As a northern star.

“Steadfast in the Peoples Democratic Party. and working with my colleagues and friends to ensure that problems in the party are solved.

“I hope that the governors and the leadership working committee who created this mess in our party, all of them, and who instead of showing leadership, have created this mess and ensured that it has persisted for this long.

“And they are the ones now bailing out after creating the problem that they could not solve or refuse to solve. It’s very sad. Very, very sad. It’s making Nigeria look small and making our country’s democracy look ridiculous.

” We don’t really know what they are pursuing or what is pursuing them. But whatever it is, it belittles our democracy and endangers our multi-party democracy.

” I believe in a multi-party Nigeria. A plural Nigeria can only thrive on a plural democratic environment. That’s what has happened. But on the specifics of Bayelsa, you know, since I left and handed over to all the members who used to be part of my team, and I left, unlike others who are godfathers, I’ve not been a godfather. Left everything. No requests, no demands, no pressure. Only being available for consultation and advice.

“As in this case, the governor consulted me several times to his credit. And I was not convinced because I didn’t see any compelling reason for a second-term governor to defect.

“I’m just using this to say that I am still standing. in the PDP that gave my people ( the Ijaw Nation ) and the Niger Delta people an opportunity to run election, to emerge as vice president of this country, acting president of Nigeria, and president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,

” This other party cannot do that. And I’m standing there with the PDP. If and when, if we don’t succeed in retrieving the PDP, in saving the PDP, then we’ll be part of a collective decision, which again, should not be the ruling party.

“Because I believe there must be opposition. A democracy without opposition ceases to be democracy”.

On Amupitan , he said President Tinubu has made a very good choice and he will fully support confirmation of his appointment anytime the Senate screens him .

“I will be casting my vote, I will be supporting the nomination. And as a member of the Electoral Committee, and also a member of the Senate, I will work with colleagues to ensure that the electoral reforms we are championing see the light of day, and that Professor Amupitan is confirmed as Chairman of INEC.

“We expect him, as a professor of law and a senior advocate of Nigeria, the first senior advocate to be so nominated, to understand his place in history”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

KAWU HAILS TINUBU’S LANDSLIDE APC PRIMARY VICTORY, DESCRIBES IT AS “A TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY ”

Published

on

By

Rt. Hon. Comrade Hafiz Kawu, OON, mni, Executive Commissioner (Technical) of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his overwhelming victory at the 2026 All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primary Election, describing the outcome as a clear endorsement of the President’s leadership and reform-driven administration.
Kawu, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State, said the President’s victory was not only historic but also a reflection of the growing confidence Nigerians have in the Renewed Hope agenda.
President Tinubu secured a massive victory in the nationwide direct primary election conducted across the country’s 8,809 wards, polling over 10 million votes to defeat his challenger, Mr. Stanley Osifo.
Reacting to the result, Kawu said the election demonstrated the strength of Nigeria’s democratic process and the willingness of Nigerians to stand behind a leader they believe is committed to national progress.
According to him, the President’s decision to participate in an open and transparent direct primary election despite being the incumbent leader showed rare courage, humility, and democratic conviction.
He noted that President Tinubu could easily have relied on the influence of incumbency but instead chose to subject himself to the will of party members and ordinary Nigerians through a grassroots voting process.
Kawu praised the President for championing reforms that strengthened internal party democracy, saying the direct primary system gave millions of Nigerians a sense of participation and ownership in the political process.
The PenCom Commissioner further commended the Tinubu administration for implementing policies and reforms aimed at repositioning the country’s economy, improving infrastructure, strengthening institutions, and enhancing workers’ welfare through measures such as the new national minimum wage.
He stated that many Nigerians were beginning to see the practical impact of the administration’s policies, adding that the outcome of the primary election reflected public appreciation for the President’s efforts.
Kawu also described Tinubu as a leader with a strong vision for national development and unity, stressing that the renewed mandate from party members should serve as further motivation to continue delivering democratic dividends to Nigerians.
He reaffirmed his support and loyalty to the President’s administration and prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and guidance for the President as he continues to steer the affairs of the nation.
Kawu concluded by expressing optimism that Nigeria would continue to witness growth, stability, and progress under President Tinubu’s leadership.

Continue Reading

Politics

Dogara Commends Tinubu’s Resounding APC Primary Victory

Published

on

By

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, CFR, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s landslide victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Dogara, who served as Bauchi State Coordinator and Collation Officer while also sitting on the national Presidential Primary Election Committee, said the outcome was not just a win for Tinubu but a triumph for grassroots democracy. He congratulated the President on behalf of Bauchi State and in his capacity as a member of the committee, calling the victory extraordinary, historic, and thoroughly deserved.

The final results revealed Tinubu’s overwhelming mandate: 10,999,162 votes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, compared to just 15,503 for his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo. For Dogara, this margin was more than a statistic; it was a declaration of trust from millions of APC members nationwide. He noted that nearly eleven million Nigerians had risen as one to affirm a leader who had earned their confidence, describing the outcome as a movement rather than just a result.

Dogara commended the election committee, chaired by former SGF Pius Anyim and including respected figures such as Ken Nnamani, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and Idris Wada, for ensuring transparency, credibility, and fairness throughout the process. He said the committee had been given a sacred mandate to guarantee integrity and was proud that it discharged that responsibility faithfully.

He also highlighted Tinubu’s decision to subject himself to direct primaries under the Electoral Act 2026, which abolished delegate voting and empowered millions of party members at the grassroots. Dogara stressed that Tinubu could have relied on the powers of incumbency but instead chose to stand before the people. He described this as humility and character, noting that Tinubu had signed the law, championed the reforms, and then submitted himself to the same process, proving his commitment to democratic principles.

In his closing remarks, Dogara urged Tinubu to carry the weight of the people’s confidence with integrity and purpose. He reminded the President that nearly eleven million Nigerians had entrusted him with their hopes, calling it a responsibility of historic proportions. He charged Tinubu to fulfill that mandate faithfully, declaring that history is watching and that Nigerians are proud.

Continue Reading

Politics

APC Reps Primary: Akpanke Wins Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Ticket

Published

on

By

Over the weekend, Hon. Peter A. Akpanke emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency in Cross River State after securing an overwhelming majority of votes cast across the three local government areas.

The primary election, monitored by party officials and stakeholders, recorded a total of 18,921 registered APC members and delegates across Bekwarra, Obudu and Obanliku Local Government Areas.

Official results collation which was made available to journalists showed that 16,564 valid votes were cast during the exercise, with no void votes recorded.

According to the results, Hon. Akpanke polled a total of 14,252 votes to defeat five other aspirants, with
Hon. Theresa Akwaji Ushie scoring 101 votes;
Hon. Martin Orim with 1,572 votes;
Anthonia A. Ally with 104 votes;
Dr. Vincent A. Ushie with 270 votes and
Dr. Godwin A. Agbor with 265 votes.

A breakdown of the constituency wide results showed that Akpanke secured 4,749 votes in Obanliku Local Government Area, 4,886 votes in Obudu Local Government Area, and 4,617 votes in Bekwarra Local Government Area, consolidating respectively.

Following the conclusion of the collation process, APC electoral officials formally declared Hon. Peter A. Akpanke winner of the party’s House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency.

The primary election was described by stakeholders, observers and party officials as peaceful, orderly transparent and credible, noting that the outcome reflected the will of party delegates and members across the constituency.

The primary election was conducted under the supervision of APC electoral officials who demonstrated true professionalism, with the official collation documents signed and dated May 16, 2026.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.