I’m an agent of change say goodluck

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday declined to reply to Atiku Abubakar’s scathing attack saying, “I won’t join issues with him.” Jonathan who described himself as agent of change, however, cautioned delegates to vote wisely in the larger interest of the party and Nigeria.

In an off-the-cuff address to delegates shortly after similar addresses by his two opponents, the president described the PDP as the envy of other parties in the country. “Every other political party believes PDP is the party to set transformation agenda for this party, that is why non-PDP members show interest in our activities.”

You do not govern a country by luck –Atiku

Speech by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former vice president, Federal Republic of Nigeria and presidential aspirant at the special convention of of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Eagle Square, Abuja
Thursday, 13 JANUARY, 2011

(Protocol)
I welcome all of you to this historic gathering of our party’s delegates to elect a candidate to contest the presidential election in April. At great risks to yourselves you have come from far and near. You have come because of an idea, an idea so powerful that it breaks down walls and frightens those who like to impose their will on others. You have come because you believe in democracy, in freedom and in the rule of law. I also believe that you have come because you believe in the truth, integrity, fairness and equity, and that the unity, stability and development of this country are paramount.

Nkem Owoh, K.O.K lose mothers

Leading Nollywood actors, Nkem Owoh and Kanayo O Kanayo started the New Year on sad notes respectively, by loosing their dear mothers to the cold and wicked hands of death. We exclusively gathered that hilarious Owoh, from Enugu State who recently breezed in from a very successful tour of Malaysia, painfully lost his mum on January 7, after a brief illness.

While Kanayo’s mum demise was communicated to us by the bereaved entertainer via sms this Wednesday morning. According to Kanayo,“ this is to notify you of the passing on to glory of my dear mother, Ezinne Isabella Onyekwere. Burial arrangements will be communicated soon.”

Confirming the demise of his own mother, bereaved Owoh, who’s still holed up in his Udi country home said his late mother was over 80 and would be buried as soon as the entire family concludes the burial arrangements. “Yes, I lost my mother on January 7, which was very painful. We are yet to fix a date for her burial because the family is still meeting and consulting. Once that is sorted out, we will announce the burial plan officially. No doubt, she would be greatly missed by all of us…”

Goodluck Jonathan gets it over atiku

President Goodluck Jonathan has clinched the Peoples Democratic (PDP) presidential ticket at the primaries held at the Eagles Square in Abuja.

Jonathan was coasting home to victory as at the press time early this morning, having defeated his main challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in all the states which votes have been counted.

atiku not all

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar on Monday survived two-law suits seeking to stop his presidential ambition.
In the first suit challenging the waiver giving to him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Justice Ishaq Bello in his judgment threw out the suit describing the plaintiff, Alhaji Sadiq Jada as a meddlesome interloper and busy body who had no legal right to file the action.

In the suit, Jada approached the court for an order of the court to disqualify former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from contesting the party’s primaries scheduled for this weekend in Abuja.
A member of the party, Alhaji Sadiq Jada dragged the former vice president to court seeking an order disqualifying him from contesting the PDP primaries on the grounds that Atiku was not a card carrying member of the PDP and also added that he was still being investigated by authorities in the United State for alleged fraud.
Justice Bello in his ruling on the objection filed by the PDP and Atiku said the plaintiff had no legal right to approach the court with the suit.

Smooth sail for Yuguda, Shema, Wamakko Dakingari as Orji, Shinkafi emerge amid confusion

The results of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries which held across the country yesterday have continued to favour the incumbent political office holders, even as the exercise has been springing up surprises in certain areas. Many of the Governors who aspired to return to office had continued to have easy pick of the party tickets, just as there was confusion in Abia and Zamfara States where the helmsmen emerged amid controversy. Meanwhile, there was a radical development in Akwa Ibom, where many of the National Assembly lawmakers lost their bids to retain their seats.
Bauchi

PDP primaries fallout: Senators plot against Jonathan

Senate President, David Mark appears to have incurred the wrath of his colleagues for failing to ensure that a good number of them clinched the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to return to the National Assembly. The senators were angry that the Senate president did not get firm commitment from President Goodluck Jonathan on their securing return tickets to the National Assembly before leading them to support the president’s ambition, which had cost them their seats.

kalu for a purpose

Going by the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the 2011 elections will kick off in April with the National Assembly elections. Already, the electoral umpire has commenced concrete arrangements to ensure the conduct of free and credible elections as promised by its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. The first in a series of arrangements towards the staging of the elections is the voter registration that starts on January 15 and ends on January 29. As scheduled, the Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines have begun arriving in the country, preparatory to their deployment to the states. 

Atiku asks Jonathan to explain conduct of aide

The Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain what the chief of research & strategy of his campaign, Mike Omeri, was doing at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters. It alleged that the president’s aide tampered with the list of PDP Special Congresses and National Convention Electoral Panels for the election of national delegates.