Skip to main content

Ondo: PDP needs more time to select, screen agents – Makarfi

Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of Peoples Democratic Party

Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of Peoples Democratic Party

The PDP has restated its call for the extension of the Ondo governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 26, to enable it “screen and select agents for the exercise”.

The Court of Appeal, on Wednesday in Abuja, dropped the party’s candidate, Jimoh Ibrahim, and replaced him with Eyitayo Jegede, who was the flag bearer before being substituted.

Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman of the party’s national caretaker committee, has described the judgment as a “massive step forward”, but argued that the party deserved “a little more time to select its agents in the interest of fair play”.

“Victory comes from God, however, a bit of extension of time will be fair, especially considering the fact that it is only now that the party will begin the process of selecting its agents,” Makarfi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos on Thursday.

Makarfi urged INEC to consider the party’s request in view of the protracted battle that had trailed the party’s candidacy.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Felix Hyat, Chairman, Kaduna chapter of the PDP, suggested a two-week extension to allow time to select and submit names of agents.

“Agents at the election and collation centers are very crucial to fairness in any election.

“If INEC insists on conducting the election, the PDP will certainly be at a disadvantage from the polling units to the collation centers at the wards, local governments and the state levels,” he said.

Hyat commended the judiciary for restoring justice to Jegede and the PDP, and declared that the judgment had revived the party from “a near fatal situation”.

The former aviation minister called on Alhaji Modu Sheriff, former National Chairman of the party, to embrace the Makarfi group toward rebuilding the party.

“Sherriff has always vowed that he will not give up till the court rules. Now that the court has ruled, he should demonstrate party loyalty by linking up with others toward a cohesive opposition force,” he said.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...