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Drama as PDP withdraws from Ondo LG poll
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*Cite electoral transparency lack of credibility of process
By Francesca Hangeior
The Ondo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party has announced its withdrawal from the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, January 18, 2025.
The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission had earlier screened 13 political parties, including the PDP, to participate in the council polls.
However, the PDP’s withdrawal leaves 12 parties in the race.
In a statement released on Thursday by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Leye Igbabo, the PDP expressed a lack of confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.
The statement was titled, “Ondo PDP Withdraws from Participating in the January 18th Local Government Election.”
According to the statement, the PDP’s decision followed extensive consultations with party leaders, stakeholders, and the National Secretariat.
“The Peoples Democratic Party, Ondo State Chapter, has withdrawn from participating in the 18 January 2025 Local Government elections organised by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC),” the statement read.
The party cited concerns about ODIEC’s credibility, alleging double standards and a lack of transparency in the electoral process.
“Our party fielded 15 chairmanship candidates in 15 local government areas and 131 councillorship candidates. But, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test.
“Recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election,” the statement added.
The party further stated that participating in what it described as a compromised process would undermine its commitment to democracy and credible elections.
“As a responsible political party committed to democracy and the rule of law, we cannot, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on this compromised process by participating in the election.
“We have, therefore, resolved to withdraw our participation in this exercise to uphold the integrity of our party and our unwavering belief in credible electoral practices,” the statement noted.
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, has declared that sitting with bandits to negotiate is not a good strategy.
He cautioned that negotiating with bandits would further enrich the terrorists, thereby worsening insecurity in the country.
He made the remark at a press conference on Tuesday in response to claims by the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Rabiu Kwankwaso, that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would hold talks with terrorists if elected into office in 2027.
According to Ganduje:, the role of the security agencies depends on the strategies that have been adopted. The Air Force helps to do its own due diligence, alongside the Army, Navy, the police, and the DSS. So, the issue of sitting with bandits to negotiate with them personally, I don’t appreciate that.
“Because, in Nigeria, having a gun without approval is illegal. How do you expect hundreds of bandits to come from the forests with their guns to sit down with local chiefs, chairmen of local governments, traditional rulers, or even the police and start negotiating? I think that system has failed, and it will continue to fail.
“This is because we are giving room to the bandits; we are arming them because the negotiation is that they should be allowed to operate here and there, they should be given money, transportation, motorcycles, and money for logistics. So, in a way, we are giving them an enabling environment to operate.
“And by so doing, they would enrich themselves through kidnapping, as that would give them more financial power to purchase weapons, which would be used against us to cause panic and then call them for negotiation. I don’t think that is a good strategy.”
Enraged Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, rtd, has said that he would take a legal action against whoever said he resigned from his position.
General Musa said this on Tuesday shortly after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Recall that there were rumours suggesting that the former Chief of Defense Staff had resigned.
He had earlier denied the rumour in a statement through his media aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde.
“I was shocked when I heard and saw that. I don’t know where that came from. But expect that there’ll be people that will not be happy when things are going on well.
“Security situation has improved, things are getting better. And so for them, it’s a sad point, and they will always want to make it look as if it’s not so.
“I’m not going anywhere. I have never discussed that with anybody. I don’t even know the person who brought that information. But whoever he is, we will take a legal action against him when we get him to come and who gave him such information.
“But I assure Nigerians that we are free. You can see I just came back from briefing the President on the current security situation, and he’s very happy with us.
“And now we’re going to continue doing well, and I want to seize this opportunity to appreciate Nigerians for all the support. The support has been massive, and you can see the changes.
“That’s where we say that to defeat terrorists and bandits is a whole of societal approach. And now Nigerians are keying into it, and things are getting better, and they will continue to improve,” he said.
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, retail outlets have increased the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol.
A market survey revealed on Tuesday indicated that the state-owned filling stations raised their petrol price to N1,270 per litre from N1,155 per litre in Abuja and environs.
This means that NNPCL has increased its fuel pump price by N115 per litre.
NNPCL and MRS filling stations in Abuja had closed, while other retail outlets raised their petrol prices on Monday amid heightened uncertainty in the country’s downstream oil sector.
In less than a week, depot owners and marketers have already increased their petrol prices twice.
Recall that last week, Dangote Refinery resumed the sale of refined petroleum products in dollars.
Daily Post
Ganduje to Kwankwaso: Negotiating with bandits’ll enrich them, not good strategy
Angry Defence Minister, Musa threatens to sue whoever said he resigned
NNPCL jerks up fuel price by N115 per liter
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