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Lagos PDP Chairman, Salvador Defects To APC With 15,000 Members; Accuses Bode George Of Destroying Party

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The chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Moshood Salvador has dumped the opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Salvador, who expressed displeasure over the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party towards affairs of Lagos PDP, said former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, is on a mission to destabilize the party in the state.

His words: “I am not happy to abandon the work I started because I began the journey with the full determination of winning Lagos, but when you are confronted with a leadership that doesn’t appreciate and encourage you, then you have to take your work to another place it would be appreciated.

“Today (yesterday), the Chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT) of PDP called me and I told him he should let me consult with the party members. The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, also called me today (yesterday) for the first time after my travail. He never called since I was put in jail, up till I came out two weeks ago; he was calling on Monday just to ask me why I want to leave.

“I told him it is not possible for me to be in the same party with Bode George. The national chairman of PDP should be more serious. We have over 8.5 million registered voters in Lagos State and yet they allow Bode George to destabilize the party.

“Bode George also cooked up things to put me in jail in the murder case of late Aborishade. Enough is enough. I am leaving the party with my supporters and I am taking them to APC, where they would be recognised and appreciated,” he said.

Speaking further, Salvador said: “I want the whole world to know that Bode George is the problem of PDP in Lagos. I have handed over to my deputy over a month ago. Immediately I was detained, I called my deputy and handed over to him. I wrote a letter to the national secretariat notifying the party that I’m handing over to my deputy.

“It’s not far fetching, in the last election, APC defeated PDP with about 100,000 votes, and that was why I mobilized heavily to beat the gap, PDP had 44.96 percent of the vote while APC had 51.96 percent. All the other parties put together had 1.08 percent.

I have to take my people to where they can get a life, where they can get jobs, and enjoy dividend of democracy, therefore we are going to APC.”

The embattled PDP chairman alongside 10 other party members was recently arrested and arraigned by the police on two charges of conspiracy and unlawful killing of the Apapa Local Government chairman of the party, Adeniyi Aborishade.

Aborishade was murdered on Saturday, July 21, during the PDP’s “visitation meeting” that held at Igbosuku Village, Eti-Osa Local Government Area. Salvador was final discharged based on advice by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution.

But, addressing the media earlier yesterday, Chief George; the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Dr. Remi Akitoye; former Lagos State deputy governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and wife of late Aborishade, Silifat, among others fingered Salvador in the death of Aborishade, calling on the Inspector General Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris and the Attorney General of the Federation to probe Aborishade’s killing.

At the conference, with the title: “Who Killed My Husband? Aborishade’s wife cries out,” which took place in Ikoyi, where a video clip of what led to the killing of Aborishade was played, George said Nigeria is a society of law and order, adding that protecting lives of individuals must be sacrosanct else life would be short and brutish like Hobessian State of anarchy.

He said: “The family of Aborishade has justifiably internationalized this issue. The United Nations Human Rights Commission is being notified. The International Criminal Court at The Hague is equally being addressed to help keep a proper watch on the proceedings.

“This cannot continue. The rule of law is the very pivotal balance of the justice system. It is the primary anchor that holds democracy together. Alas, see what they did to a peacemaker! He was murdered by evil men with premeditated devilry in their hearts. In a cruel, horrible coincidence, Aborishade was murdered exactly 12 years after the Omoluabi Eko, Funsho Williams was equally murdered on July 26th, 2006. The killers of Williams are still unknown. But they can never hide forever. The law of karma may be slow, but sooner Justice always catches up. Who brought the thugs to the scene? Who took them away after the murderous evil?”

George, while saying that he agreed with the DPP that the police should continue their investigation to unearth the murderers of Aborishade, however, noted sadly that “the police in Lagos State Command is not the fit and proper organization to carry out any conclusive, unbiased investigation in this issue.”

He, therefore, called on Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation to set up an impartial Special Investigation panel to probe into the circumstances and the culprits and their sponsors that killed Aborishade, even as noted that the family of the slain PDP chieftain had justifiably internationalized the issue.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the party has described Salvador’s defection as good riddance to bad rubbish. The party described its former chairman as an unstable politician whose inordinate ambition and penchant for falsehood will soon be discovered by the APC.

While playing down the claim by Salvador that he left the PDP because of George, the party said: “Salvador is economical with the truth as Chief Bode George is rather his benefactor who once ‘made’ him a senatorial candidate and now state chairman.

“The problem with Salvador is that he is not a team player and too ambitious, interested in all opportunities. He will very soon show the APC he belongs to. We will not be demoralised by his defection. He has never been a winner for the party. We are likely to feel concerned if some names touted go with him but for Salvador, he is just a loudspeaker politician.”

BIG STORY

BON Awards Hosts Memorable Book Reading Of Do As You’re Told Baji

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On November 24th, 2024, the Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards organized a captivating book reading of Do As You’re Told, Baji, authored by the renowned writer Lola Shoneyin. The event, held at 11 a.m. in Kwara State, celebrated the power of storytelling and the importance of fostering a culture of reading among families.

Among the distinguished attendees were the First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, alongside notable figures such as Wole Ojo, Cynthia Clarke, Chioma Okafor, Segun Arinze, and Kemi Adekomi, who added prestige and insight to the event.

In her remarks, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq highlighted the vital role of parents in fostering a love for reading among children. “Parents should cultivate the habit of reading with their children,” she said. “It’s not just about education—it’s about creating lasting memories and strengthening family bonds.”

The reading of Do As You’re Told, Baji showcased Lola Shoneyin’s vibrant and relatable storytelling, leaving participants inspired to embrace literature as a means of cultural and personal enrichment. The event also featured engaging discussions about the book’s themes, celebrating the depth and diversity of Nigerian literature.

This initiative reinforces the BON Awards’ dedication to promoting the arts, literacy, and the celebration of Nigerian creative talents.

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BIG STORY

An Aspirant Gave Each Delegate $30,000 During PDP Primary In 2022 — Dele Momodu

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Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, says he regrets spending about N50 million to buy the presidential nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2022.

Momodu spoke in a recent interview on Eden Oasis, published on Sunday.

The journalist and politician said the primary was heavily monetised, with a particular aspirant doling out $30,000 to each of the 774 delegates who voted during the election.

The politician stated that he would not vie for any party’s presidential ticket unless he is adopted as a consensus candidate.

“Experience is the best teacher. I have come to realise that there are powers that you can describe as principalities that control Nigeria,” he said.

“Unless a major political party decides to adopt me — where you have a consensus of people who say Dele Momodu is best suited to change and to lead Nigeria. Then I will consider it.

“But if I have to pick my money to buy a presidential nomination form of about N100 million… I spent about N50 million to buy the form for the last one.

“N50 million would have bought me a property. It was a waste. I didn’t get even one vote because everything was monetised.

“One of the candidates paid as much as $30,000 per delegate, and we had 774 delegates.

“So, how do you want to compete with them? They have stolen the country blind and are doing all kinds of deals to make money, especially those in the oil-rich areas.

“It is not easy. You can’t compete with them. That’s why they insult Nigerians anyhow because of the amount of money available to them in raw cash. There’s no country where people buy raw cash like Nigeria.

“The bulk of their money is not in any bank. So, they are not traceable to any bank. So, they have the money. If today you say to some politicians that you need $500 million to become a president, they will find it.

“So, people like us, where will I start from?”

Momodu was one of the presidential hopefuls of the PDP at the time. He did not secure any votes during the exercise.

Atiku Abubakar clinched the presidential ticket with 371 votes to beat his closest challenger, Nyesom Wike, now minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), who polled 237 votes.

Abubakar was defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.

Bukola Saraki, former senate president, scored 70 votes; Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, got 20 votes; Udom Emmanuel, former governor of Akwa Ibom, secured 38 votes; while Pius Anyim, former secretary to the government of the federation, polled 14 votes.

Sam Ohuabunwa, a businessman, alongside Momodu and Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti, received zero votes.

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BIG STORY

Nigeria Has Saved $20bn From Subsidy Removal, Naira Float Policies — Finance Minister Edun

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Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, says Nigeria has saved $20 billion from “petrol” subsidy removal and market-based pricing of the foreign exchange rate.

Edun spoke at a ceremony recently held to mark the first 100 days in office of Esther Walso-Jack, head of civil service of the federation, in Abuja.

“An amount of five per cent of GDP is what those two subsidies were costing when there was a subsidy on “PMS”; when there was petroleum product generally for a long time and when there was a subsidy of foreign exchange. Between them, they were costing five percent of GDP,” he said.

“If you say GDP was on average, let’s say $400 billion. We all know what five percent of that is – $20 billion of funds that could be going into infrastructure, health, social services, education.”

Edun said these flows now return into the government’s coffers for further deployment to the aforementioned sectors.

“The real change that has happened with the measures of Mr. President is that nobody can wake up and their target for the day or for the week or the month or the year is to get access to cheap funding, cheap funding exchange from central bank, which they can now flip,” Edun said.

“And overnight, they become wealthy from no value added for doing virtually nothing, except you know the right people. Similarly, they can no longer try and be part of a new peak market and very inefficient “petrol” subsidy regime as a way of making money overnight.”

On May 29, President Bola Tinubu said the “petrol” subsidy regime was over.

Three months later, TheCable reported that Tinubu was considering a “temporary subsidy” on “petrol” as crude oil prices and foreign exchange rates soared.

After several denials of the return of “petrol” subsidy by the authorities, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, on August 19, said the federal government owes it N7.8 trillion for under-recovery.

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