June 25, 2012

PRESS STATEMENT

The attention of the People's Democratic Party has been drawn to misleading headlines in a section of the media purporting that His Excellency the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria  Dr Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) has violated sections of the PDP manifesto by not publishing his declaration of assets.

The reference to the PDP manifesto is baseless, as provisions compelling elected officials to publicly declare their assets are nonexistent in our approved manifesto or in any of the official documents of the Party. For the avoidance of doubt, the said document which formed the basis of the report is not an official document of the PDP and cannot therefore be used to mischievously tarnish the well earned reputation of the President of Nigeria.

In order to set the records straight, we wish to state that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has duly declared his asset in compliance with the provisions of section 140(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has completed the relevant documentations and submitted same to the Code of Conduct Bureau. It is important to note that there is no further legal requirement in this regard as it concerns the declaration of assets.

June 25, 2012.

 PRESS STATEMENT 

WHY PDP DECLARED AKPABIO AS MODEL OF PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK - METUH 

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made further clarifications on the reasons behind its recent declaration of Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State as a model governor for the Party’s policy of good governance and quality service delivery. 

In a communiqué it issued last week after a National Retreat that took place at the Ibom Le Meridian Hotel Uyo, the PDP said it would continue to monitor the activities of public officers elected under the Party to ensure that they are delivering dividends of democracy to their people. The Party also recognised Akwa Ibom State as a model state that is worthy of emulation. 

“The Retreat resolved that the Party must keep faith and work in the interest of the Nigerian people. The National Working Committee must therefore set up appropriate monitoring mechanism to ensure that elected party members at all levels deliver the dividends of democracy as the fundamental of their electoral mandate. The Retreat therefore recognised Akwa Ibom State as aptly representing a model of PDP performance benchmark,” the communiqué said.

25^th JUNE 2012

PRESS RELEASE 

The Peoples Democratic Party has described the Amnesty to the Niger Delta Militants as one of the most ingenious and successful innovations that tackled the persistent crises in the region and a clear test of the success of the progammes of the Peoples Democratic Party. 

Reflecting on the three years of the programme which was declared on the 25th June 2009, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said the decision of the PDP led government under late President Umar Musa Yard' Adua to declare the amnesty and the strong resolve of Present Jonathan to implement the programme to the letter, has not only restored peace to the region but reinvigorated the economic base of the nation.

"Not only did the militants enthusiastically lay down their arms, they have adequately, reciprocated governments good faith by demobilizing their combatants and reintegrating them into the larger society." 

"It is to the credit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) that today; a lot of successes have been recorded in the Amnesty prgramme. For instance, cases of bombings of oil pipelines and flow stations are virtually non-existent at the moment.

JUNE 24 2012

RESS RELEASE 

PDP to ACN: Who is fooling who? 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) as a brood of dictators whose deceit and  pretence to democracy  are consistently hobbled by its habitual disregard for the rudiments of democratic process.

Reacting to the denial by the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Lai Mohammed that his party was yet to choose its gubernatorial candidate for the October 20 election in Ondo State, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh  urged the ACN to emerge from its cocoon of deceit to own up to its artful preference for the undemocratic style.

 " Who is fooling who? The ACN apparatchiks under its Pontifex Maximus met in Lagos in clear aberration of all known tenets of democracy and handpicked Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association as its candidate. The facts are there."

JUNE 23 2012

PRESS RELEASE

PDP FLAYS ACN OVER INTERNAL DEMOCRACY

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has questioned the Action Congress of Nigeria’s commitment to democracy. Reacting to the emergence of the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu as the gubernatorial candidate of the ACN for the October, 20 governorship election in Ondo State without due process, the PDP said it was unfortunate that internal democracy was still alien to the ACN that parades itself as the champion of democracy.

"The Action Congress of Nigeria has once more demonstrated it's inability to imbibe basic democratic practices. This is a party that consistently preaches strict adherence to the tenets of democracy , yet is engaging in acts that deepen the culture of electoral impunity."

In a statement in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said it was unfortunate that a leading opposition political party such as the ACN would engage in such practices of dictatorship and decried its negative consequences on the growth of democracy. 

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A THREE-DAY INDUCTION/POLICY RETREAT ORGANIZED FOR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY HELD AT Le’ MERIDIEN HOTEL AND RESORT, UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE FROM JUNE 17 – 19, 2012

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its efforts to reposition the Party as a vehicle for prosperity for the Nigerian people organized a 3 – day Retreat at the Le’Meridien Hotel, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from June 17 – 19, 2012. The Retreat had as its main theme, the 3 Rs Policy: Reconciliation, Reformation and Rebuilding. Papers presented and discussed at the Retreat were made up of 3 broad sub-themes:

i.              Membership Drive

ii.             Strategy for Funding, and

iii.            Party Democracy and Discipline

The Retreat, after exhaustive deliberation articulated practical and pragmatic roadmap to accomplish set objectives and resolutions.

The resolutions of the Retreat are as follows:

1.    The Retreat resolved to pursue vigorously the reconciliation processes that are on-going in the Party.

June 18, 2012.

Press Release

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its dismay over the relentless terrorist activities which have resulted in the death of several innocent Nigerians. In its reaction to the coordinated incidents of suicide attacks in Zaria and Kaduna over the weekend, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Chief Olisa Metuh said that understandably the level of killings and attack were bound to cause despondence in Nigerians but also assured them that this situation will soon end. The Party called on Nigerians to stand strong in the face of adversity. He said “we survived the civil war, we survived the military dictatorship and we have over the years overcome several challenges which would have brought a weaker country to its knees. Nigeria will remain strong and united until this too passes.”  

Chief Metuh also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for remaining resolute in the fight against terrorism inspite of the concerted efforts to undermine the unity and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. The PDP spokesman called on Nigerians to stand firm and defeat the agents of retrogression in Nigeria saying "it is time for all well meaning Nigerians to rise up and demonstrate the true Nigerian spirit by refusing to be provoked into taking irrational reprisal attacks against one another which will further exacerbate the problem rather than solve it."

JUNE 15^TH 2012

PRESS RELEASE

PDP Holds National Retreat for Officers

As part of the ongoing reform programme of its new leadership, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will on Sunday, 17^th June 2012 commence a three-day retreat for the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the six Zonal Chairmen of the Party.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said the retreat is the first step in the line up of reform programmes intended to prepare the new officers for the challenge of re-engineering the Party as a formidable, people oriented, issue based and united political Party.

He said, “recall that on his acceptance speech after our election in March, our National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Turkur assured Nigerians that the opportunity given to us by the Party to serve is a historic moment to re-build  not only the Party but the entire nation. We have remained focused to this commitment. This retreat therefore is an induction, a baptism of sorts; meant to suffuse the Party with all the ideas necessary to take the Party to the intended destination.”

11th June 2012 

Press Release  

PDP RAISES ALARM, CONDEMNS ACN PENCHANCE FOR VIOLENCE 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as despicable, shameful and unacceptable the unwarranted resort to violence by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the last weekend's local government election in  Akwa Ibom state. The Party decried the high level of hooliganism and electoral malpractices perpetrated by the Action Congress which resulted in loss of lives. 

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh regretted that anti- democratic practices as witnessed in the latest electoral violence in Akwa Ibom State has become the signature tune of the ACN and warned the Party to desist forthwith. According to the PDP, “it is unfortunate the ACN has deconstructed the word “Action” in their name as being synonymous with war, fighting, blackmail, abuse and intimidation. The ACN has relied on these archaic, barbaric and guerrilla tactics to gain undue political advantage in the past." The PDP warned "that this tactics will no longer work starting with the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State."  ”This is a promise", the PDP said.

5th  June 2012

Press Release

PDP calls for a Re-instatement of Values in our Society 

Following the series of tragedies which have befallen the nation in recent times, the Peoples Democratic Party called for a return to basics and the re-establishment of values which will result in a well grounded society. 

The National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur said in a statement that “the entire nation is traumatized by the tragic events of the past three days. Several Nigerians have lost close relatives, friends and colleagues; we are a nation in mourning. But in our grief we should seize this opportunity to revaluate our focus and reinstate the values that will make us a great nation. The election is over therefore we should refocus our energies on building rather than competing. Wiping out corruption from our society should be a priority rather than engaging in lengthy political battles. Training our youth to be model and patriotic members of society should be our aim rather than employing them as political thugs. Improving our educational system and instilling the importance of family values in our children should be our main concern. These are the things that we should focus on now until 2015 when we return to the polls. This unhealthy obsession with politics can only serve to derail the nation and prevent us from achieving the greatness for which we have great potential”

June 1, 2012.

PRESS RELEASE

The Peoples Democratic Party has declared the future of the Nigerian child as one of its cardinal objectives.

In a release by the National Woman leader of the Party, Amb. Dr. Kema Chikwe , the PDP said its new leadership is restructuring its programmes  to bring the welfare of the Nigerian child to the front burner.

“We are repositioning the PDP as a Party that cares for children. We want to create avenues for us to directly interact with them. We are creating programmes that will enable us mould their character as true leaders of tomorrow."

In line with this objective, the Party will on Sunday, 3rd June, 2012 hold the first edition of its annual Children's Day celebration. The programme will take place at 'A' Class Park, Kashim Ibrahim Way, Abuja.

The occasion which will have the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur as the Special Guest of Honour, will also have in attendance all female members of the National and State Assemblies, female members of the Federal Executive Council as well as female State Commissioners. Others include PDP state woman leaders and other top members of the Party.  

Amb. Dr. Kema Chikwe