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  • 2027: PDP moves to reposition ahead of elections, sets focus on convention

    2027: PDP moves to reposition ahead of elections, sets focus on convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections, scheduling a series of strategic meetings this week to strengthen its position against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Over the weekend, PDP governors under the party’s Governors’ Forum met in Gusau to deliberate on plans for the November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan and other strategies to build a stronger opposition front.

    On Sunday evening, the National Working Committee (NWC) held a closed-door meeting at the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters to outline agenda items for the National Executive Committee (NEC), which will convene for its 102nd meeting on Monday.

    Key topics include reports from committees led by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri on the convention and Governor Douye Diri on zoning national offices, as well as discussions on possible disciplinary actions against FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for his open support of President Bola Tinubu.

    Read Also: No one can derail our national convention, PDP govs vow

    The party’s national caucus, including the Board of Trustees, governors, and other organs, is also meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja to decide which zones will produce the next set of party leaders and address lingering disputes.

    On Monday, the Board of Trustees, chaired by Senator Adolphus Wabara, will meet before the NEC session, where adoption of the Zoning Committee’s recommendations is expected to top the agenda.

    Between August 26 and September 1, PDP zonal executives will hold meetings across the country to begin mobilisation and align with the zoning arrangements ahead of the November convention.

    The party leadership has stated that media briefings will not be held until after Monday’s meetings.

  • No one can derail our national convention, PDP govs vow

    No one can derail our national convention, PDP govs vow

    • Ask members to resist anti-party forces

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  Governor’s Forum declared yesterday that the party was forging ahead with its November 15, 2025 national convention in Ibadan without let or hindrance.

    It vowed to resist “all attempts to derail the convention by anti-party forces”, a veiled response to threat  by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike that a fresh crisis could erupt in the party  if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.

    His supporters had also protested alleged exclusion from decision making  process, including last Thursday meeting in Lagos on the formula for the micro-zoning of party offices and the presidential ticket among the three geo-political zones in the south:Southeast,Southsouth and Southwest.

    The governors also said yesterday that no amount of defections would  destroy or diminish the party’s  strong grassroots support.

    These were some of the resolutions adopted at the Forum’s meeting in Gusau,Zamfara State.

    The meeting lasted about five hours.

    Wike, on Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction at the constitution   of  the South-South Caretaker Committee by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the retention of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).

    The FCT Minister  warned that a fresh crisis could erupt if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.

     Chairman of the forum  and Bauchi State Governor  Bala Muhammed  who read the communiqué said they reaffirmed  their  full commitment to the resolutions of  the party’s  101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in  July  on  the November 15 National Convention.

     The forum asked party members across the country to  ” see the PDP as the only democratic institution and viable alternative for restoring Nigeria along the path of good governance and national development.”

     Mohammed said the governors ” extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, security situation, the erosion of democratic values as well as ongoing efforts to reposition the party and make adequate preparation for his forthcoming National Convention.”

     They  expressed dissatisfaction at  the outcome of last by-elections in parts of the country in which the party performed poorly ,winning  only the Ibadan North House of Representatives seat.

    They  attributed the poor performance to  “serious intimidation and untold anti-democratic actions by the APC led federal government”, over-militarization of the election process and “ wide spread irregularities, vote buying and violence.”

    Read Also: By-elections results: PDP, others in panic review ahead of 2027

     They hailed party supporters  and leaders for  their resilience “ from orchestrated defections and distractions which cannot diminish our party’s strong grassroots appeal.”

    They urged  members and supporters of the party as well as the generality of Nigerians  to hold fast to the vision and principles of the PDP.

     On the security challenge in the country, the forum commended  the initiatives of the Zamfara State government in significantly curbing threats  within the state and called on the federal government to be more proactive in addressing challenges.

     It said:”We condemn the continued monstrous killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger and Benue s tates and other parts of the country and call on the federal government to be more responsive to the lives and properties of the citizenry.

     At the meeting in addition to Mohammed  and host Governor Dauda Lawal were Governors Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Douye Diri  (Bayelsa), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).

     It also had in attendance the Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum and the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo.

     Wike ,on Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction at the constitution   of  the South-South Caretaker Committee by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the retention of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).

    The FCT Minister  warned that a fresh crisis could erupt if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.

    He said, “Well, it is over for now. A few things are remaining, and I have told them that they must do it. Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. If they want to have another round of crisis, so be it. In that congress, Chief Dan Orbih emerged as the National Vice Chairman. They never wanted the congress to be held, but congress was held.

    “The so-called acting national chairman of the party wrote a letter to INEC after congress was held that the congress has been postponed. There is no two ways about it. The National Vice Chairman of PDP South-South is Chief Dan Orbih. If they don’t agree, that’s another round of crisis.”

    He similarly  rejected the zoning committee  led by Governor Diri.

    Besides,Wike’s supporters including  some PDP state chairmen, national assembly members and other leaders in the Southeast and Southsouth rejected Thursday meeting in Lagos   convened by Tombra Jumbo, the committee’s administrative secretary, at the behest of Governor Diri.

    The PDP leaders said any decision “reached in secrecy” would be rejected following “the inexplicable exclusion of several national officers, eminent leaders, and critical stakeholders of the PDP.”

    They added:“Shockingly, the minority leader in the national assembly and other principal officers of our party from the south-south and south-east were also deliberately sidelined and denied participation in a meeting where such far-reaching and sensitive decisions on zoning, power rotation, and political equity are to be discussed.

    “Equally concerning is the deliberate omission of most former governors from the South East and south-south, who, by every standard of history, pedigree, and institutional memory, remain critical stakeholders in any conversation about the future direction of our party.

    “Such a brazen disregard for established structures and statutory organs of the PDP not only offends the spirit of collective decision-making but also risks undermining the very foundation upon which our party was built.

    “The PDP, since its inception, has been anchored on the values of inclusivity, equity, consultation, and collective responsibility.

    “Any process that deliberately sidelines key stakeholders, ignores the legitimate authority of national officers, and excludes elected leaders and ranking lawmakers erodes trust, fuels division, and threatens party cohesion at a time when unity is most needed.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, we categorically dismiss any resolutions, communiqués, or outcomes purportedly emanating from this meeting as neither binding on, nor reflective of, the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.”

  • PDP still the main opposition

    PDP still the main opposition

    The diminution of the PDP did not start with their losses in the 2015, 2019, and 2023 elections. It started way back in the Olusegun Obasanjo years when the former president whimsically destroyed the party’s internal cohesion. If that long-lasting weakening is to be reversed, the party’s feuding leaders will have to inspire a deliberate rehabilitation of their party, its ideology, structure, and ambition. After many electoral debacles, however, it is uncertain that the party has learnt any lessons. Last Thursday, a section of the party’s leadership met in Lagos under the aegis of the PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit and ended up reinforcing their awkwardness at putting their house in order. Not only was the invitation to the summit lacking in rhyme or reason, it seemed to have been convoked to deliberate on the zoning subject agitating the party at every level. Much more troubling, there was no one among the summiteers who sounded placatory, accommodating, and circumspect.

    Nevertheless, as last week’s by-elections showed without a shred of doubt, the PDP still has so much going for it and can hopefully produce a leader worth his salt to reinforce their strengths, someone who has the spirit of the gods, a consensus builder capable of separating the wheat from the chaff. In the 16 seats contested in the by-elections, where the PDP not win, it came second in 11 constituencies out of 16. By winning just one seat (in the Ibadan North House of Representatives seat in Oyo State), the party clearly will be punching above its weight to think that after the destructions wreaked upon it by three distressing and epochal electoral losses, it could retake the presidency in almost one fell swoop. Politics is not magic. By coming second in 11 constituencies, the PDP, however, announced itself as the leading and undisputed opposition party in Nigeria. In contrast, the then Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had presumptuously tried to knock the PDP off that perch in 2023, though the upstart party was infamously hijacked purposely for the presidential poll, and its presumptive leader never really had any sense of proportion or structure, nor respected any ideology.

    Read Also: Adeleke commends Tinubu, Ribadu for busting terror cells in Osun

    When the PDP succumbed to the first of three election losses in 2015, no one doubted it was the main opposition party. It had been weakened by internal revolt and conflict, and abused and denounced by defectors, starting with former vice president Atiku Abubakar, but no loss was sufficient enough to obliterate its structure or wipe off the gains it had painstakingly accumulated since 1999. Hard as Alhaji Atiku and other coalition leaders have tried, they have been unable to assemble a force strong enough to overthrow the it as the main opposition party. Fortunately for the party, the coalition of anti-APC forces inspired, financed and directed by the former vice president and now domiciled in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has so far been unable to present a united front. Until the August 16 by-elections, coalition leaders could not determine whether to move en masse into the ADC or Social Democratic Party (SDP), or remain in either the PDP or LP. Confused, destitute of ideology, and discouraged by the uncertainties surrounding their parties and the unsavoury turn of events, they projected interests that intersected in the three parties which they plan to deploy against the APC in 2027.

    The PDP may lack a powerful unifier or even a collegiate of implacable consensus builders, and may yet be undone by those deficiencies, but they are clear in their minds that they remain the unassailable opposition party, a runner-up to the APC as it were, the second leading party which the ADC, SDP or any other party willing to sell its soul cannot overthrow. It will be ambitious of the PDP to hope that even if they manage to unite and zone their presidential ticket to the South they can find a worthy champion to fly their flag at the next poll, let alone win. For the PDP, the chances of reaching an understanding with the inchoate political coalition may exist theoretically, but it is hard to see them submitting themselves, their nationwide structure, their ideology so-called, and their legacy to an amorphous group of ambitious coalition politicians. They may sometimes feel suicidal, judging by their often inane choices, but they have enough believers in their midst who understand that there are some people by whose hands they must not die. They were desperate to win in 2019, believing that their loss in 2015 was a fluke; and were even more desperate in 2023 when they were willing to be suckled by the tiger, Alhaji Atiku, but they must now educate and persuade themselves on their almost inexistent chances in 2027. Instead of desperation, they should reinforce their capacity as the main opposition party, and go back and reform and rebuild – a task they had shrunk from since 2015 – in order to have any chance in 2031.  

  • APC will tower above PDP in achievements if Tinubu rules for eight years

    APC will tower above PDP in achievements if Tinubu rules for eight years

    Abuja-based legal practitioner, writer and political enthusiast, Muhammed Mustapha Belgore, is probably the hope of tomorrow’s youth. Blunt, upright and focused, Muhammed is well grounded in political analysis. In this interview with Gboyega Alaka, Mohammed opens up on current party politicking in Nigeria and how it affects the youths and the North’s position.

    You are no doubt a politically conscious youth. But do you think today’s youth are generally mindful of politics?

    Yes, I believe today’s youth are generally mindful of politics. As I stated before this interview, my generation is the golden generation that will save this country. While it may seem that not all youths may be fully participating, everyone is watching with keen interest, especially as policies directly affect their survival in the harsh situations we find ourselves in. They have no choice, Nigeria is home, and politics touches every aspect of life here.

    We have to tighten our belts. Our forebears have disappointed us. They preferred to teach us to kneel down to greet our elders rather than secure the institutions that would make our lives easier. Healthcare, electricity, pipe borne water, education, what have you, nothing. they just pocketed the billions. We can’t let our own children look at us in that manner. No.

    Do Nigerian youths care about who their political leader is, and should they really care, after being disappointed for so long?

    Absolutely, Nigerian youths care about who their political leader is, and they should care deeply. After years of disappointment, it’s understandable to feel disillusioned. But disengagement is not the answer. Policies shape our survival, and as I’ve said, we’re all watching keenly because there’s no escaping the impact. Nigeria is home, we must care to change it for the better.

    What is your impression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the man you commonly refer to as a political phenomenon?

    Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a political phenomenon who I adore. His track record is one of triumph, from building Lagos into an economic powerhouse to navigating national politics with strategic brilliance. He is a leader who understands the ubiquity of politics in Nigeria where everything is politics, and he has mastered it.

    We had the PDP in the political saddle for so long, and we have also had the APC in the saddle for quite a while now. Which can you say has done well or better?

    Between PDP and APC, I’d say APC has done better, especially under leaders like Tinubu. PDP held power for 16 years from 1999 to 2015, but corruption and inefficiency plagued their tenure. APC, since 2015, has focused on reforms, anti-corruption drives, and infrastructure, though challenges remain. But if Tinubu is the leg that APC stands on, at the end of his eight years tenure, I expect that APC will stand tall when compared with PDP.

    Is the formation of ADC really necessary, considering the fact that the political figures remain the same?

    The creation or rather the recent revival of ADC as a coalition is not necessary, given that the same political figures are involved. ADC was founded in 2005, but now in 2025, it has become a platform for opposition leaders like Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, Amaechi, and others to unite against APC. It’s the same recycled politicians shifting for power, not ideology. It won’t bring fresh change.

     In time past, when Nigerian politics seemed to have been about serving the masses, politicians defected from parties based on ideologies and desire to better the lot of the electorate. But today’s defections seem to be pocket-motivated. What do you think?

    Maybe I’m too young to know, but I can’t remember when it was ever based on ideologies and a desire to serve the masses. I think the egregiousness of the greed woven into the fabric of their sinister intentions is only more pronounced now. It’s always been about personal gain. Politics is ubiquitous in Nigeria. Everything is politics here, and that ubiquity often leads to self-interest over public good.

    Read Also: First Lady empowers Lagos residents, unveils plans for elderly support nationwide

    Let’s be factual here, can ADC really take power from APC?

    Factually, no. ADC cannot take power from APC. Maybe  2031. But 2027? There’s no magic they want to perform. Let’s be practical, even with the coalition of big names, the opposition is fragmented, and the APC’s hold, especially under Tinubu, is strong. The recent defections to the APC weakened the opposition further.

    Who would you say is the face of the ADC?

    ADC doesn’t have a single “face” right now. It’s a coalition. David Mark has been named interim national chairman, but key figures include Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and others who joined in 2025 to challenge Tinubu.

    Tinubu’s past, according to you, is a tale of triumph, but every man has a losing point! Do you think that applies to Tinubu whose track record you already know?

    Every man has a losing point. But for Tinubu, whose past is a tale of triumph that I know well, I don’t see it applying anytime soon. He’s not God; he’s failed in certain respects as well in the past, but he is resilient, strategic, and adored for good reasons. His track record in Lagos and nationally shows he’s built to win, even against all odds.

    Months before the 2015 general elections in which General Buhari locked horns with former president Jonathan, one already knew the position of the North. From your perception, what is the permutation of the North about 2027?

    From my perception as a youth, the North’s permutation for 2027 is not mainly about reclaiming power in 2027. Yes, there’s growing unity in the North against Tinubu’s administration, feeling marginalised and all that. But Tinubu will fix this grievance before 2027. The North will not be cheated, this is biblical. No, the North will not be cheated. As Brazil is to football, that is how the North is to politics, and Tinubu knows this. He will dot the Is and cross the Ts where necessary.

    There have been underground moves to recall a reluctant Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race. Do you see him jumping into the ring?

    I don’t see Jonathan jumping into the ring for 2027. If he wants to erase that fragile legacy he has as Nigeria’s democratic hero, then he can jump in. But he will drown; because the category of politicians we have now, he’s not their caliber. He should just sit down and enjoy his hero status. Unless he wants them to use him for their own selfish reasons. The truth is he will only be an expendable tool to them.

    If you were to advise ADC, who would you suggest they give the baton to; Atiku, Obi or El-Rufai?

    What I will advise ADC to do will sound very absurd, but I’m telling you that it is how they will win. When I saw that they made Bolaji Abdullah their interim spokesperson, I felt okay, perhaps these guys may get it right. But I don’t know, I guess we’ll see. None of those bigwigs can win. But if they support a technocrat like Bolaji Abdullahi; Atiku, Obi, Amaechi, El-Rufai, David Mark, let them just decide that the goal is to win and sacrifice their own ambitions, and then support a candidate. That gives Nigerians the impression of a fresh start, then they will have a chance. Let them just unite behind a candidate Nigerians are not expecting, and then give it everything. But I know they won’t do that. Atiku will contest till thy kingdom comes.

    With a weakened G5 which APC had in 2015, don’t you think that APC has lost its legs?

    Yes, with a weakened G5, APC has lost some legs. The G5—Wike, Makinde, Ortom, Ugwuanyi, and Ikpeazu, supported Tinubu in 2023, but now the group is fractured. Some like Wike are in Tinubu’s government; others have lost influence post-2023. APC relied on them for southern support, but their weakness exposes vulnerabilities.

    Can one party system work in Nigeria?

    A one-party state is where only one political party is legally allowed to govern, controlling all aspects of power without opposition. It can work in stable, ideologically unified nations like China. But in diverse Nigeria, it would stifle democracy, breed corruption, and lead to authoritarianism. We need multi-party competition for accountability.

    Looking at it critically, Tinubu has 2027 in his pocket. But what does that say about the economy, and the future of the youths of Nigeria?

    If Tinubu has 2027 in his pocket, I even prefer it like that. See, democracy has a lot of challenges. Continuity is a problem. There are policies that take time to bear fruit. If someone else comes in and starts running the country de novo, we will go back to square one. Let him finish his eight (8) years. Let’s see the result of another uninterrupted eight (8) years of democratic rule. As for the future of Nigerian youths, is he not the first to initiate the student loan policy? Was their future looking better under his predecessors? Come on… let him put 2027 in his pocket and zip it up.

     You write and speak politics. When are you going into politics proper? Or are you already one of them?

     I write and speak about politics, and I feel like a politician already, even though I’m not particularly active with any party at the moment. Politics is ubiquitous, especially in Nigeria where everything is politics. I’ll step in when the time feels right to contribute more actively.

  • 2027: Governors in power game to pick successors

    2027: Governors in power game to pick successors

    • Abiodun, Makinde, AbdulRazak keep cards close to chest
    • Anxiety in states as aspirants intensify consultations

    All appears not to be well between many second term governors and party stakeholders over succession to government houses in 2027, an investigation by The Nation  has shown.

    The rank and file of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, and Nasarawa as well as those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo and Adamawa are worried that the governors are keeping them in the dark over their possible replacements.

    Alleged governorship aspiration of the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo on the platform of APC in Akwa Ibom State is generating tension of its own.

    Sources said Governor Umo Eno had been assured by the APC hierarchy of a second term ticket as a condition for his defection from PDP in June.

    Party members in the state are upset that the minister’s aspiration could threaten internal cohesion.

    Members of the APC in Lagos State are eager to know the party’s stand on its possible flag bearer in 2027 and the senatorial district he might come from.

    Since 1999, it could be said that only one party has maintained dominance in Lagos State.

    Eyes are on the Centre of Excellence for three reasons. The first is that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be completing his second term in 2027. Succession politics fills the air. Across the political parties, the nomination of candidates will follow the usual complex and challenging processes.

    The second is that Lagos is the base of the President, and at least, in the ruling party, the buck may stop at his table.

    The third is that the ruling party can hardly drop its guard, given its 2023 experience when the incumbency power and influence collapsed during the presidential poll with the Labour Party (LP) triumphing over the supposedly poll-confident APC.

    But the contemporary history of Lagos also attests to the mystery of its succession politics whereby since 2007, there is no member of ruling parties – AD, AC, ACN and APC – who vied for the ticket and got it without President Bola Tinubu’s backing.

    The governors who are Tinubu’s successors – Babatunde Fasola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sanwo-Olu – have one thing in common. In the real sense of the word, they are not politicians with solid personal structures, but technocrats – lawyer, chartered accountant and banker – who became outstanding in public service as Chief of Staff, Accountant-General and Commissioner.

    Whether that pattern of nomination of a competent and suitable candidate for the ruling party will be sustained or changed will depend on certain dynamics in the nearest future.

    Factors usually considered, apart from competence and acceptability to the electorate, are zoning,  which is not sacrosanct; religious balancing, which also may not be a strong issue in the Southwest; and gender parity, depending on the pre-determined outcome of the nominations, either through direct primary, indirect option or consensus which is now remote.

    The only sub-zone rooting for zoning or rotation in 2027 is Badagry Division in the Lagos West Senatorial District. The activities of some politicians from the area in this regard are visible in the media.

    Once the candidate receives the majority endorsement in the ruling party, post-primary crisis is nipped in the bud and party faces the election squarely.

    There will be no shortage of aspirants on the platform of APC, with the majority of them from Lagos East.

    Unlike in other states, however, the potential contenders are careful not to divert the attention of the governor and heat up the state. They are only intensifying consultations and underground mobilisation within the party structures.

     A source said four are in the race as a strategy to draw attention so that they can be considered for other positions if the governorship ticket predictably slips away.

    The potential Lagos APC aspirants are in four categories. The first category comprises former aspirants who are likely to throw their hats in the ring again.

    The first is Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who competed with Ambode at the 2015 primary, and was offered the running mate in 2019 before stepping down for Sanwo-Olu.

    Since he joined the Tinubu administration as a commissioner in 2002/3, he has always been in government. He served in the eight years of Fashola as commissioner before becoming Special Adviser to him while he was works minister.

    The second in the category is Tokunbo Wahab, Environment Commissioner. He is a lawyer. Before his current assignment, he had served as Special Adviser on Education.

    The third is the Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, who was preferred as successor to Ambode by some influential associates of Tinubu in 2015. A security expert, he was the campaign manager for Sanwo-Olu in the Independent Campaign Group in 2019 and 2023.

    The second category is made up of experienced politicians who are coveting the seat and putting up personal structures to actualise their dream. These include Presidential Chief of Staff and former House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who has sponsored empowerment programmes in Surulere Constituency and beyond; House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who was reinstated after his impeachment as head of the legislative arm; and former Governor Ambode, whose second term bid hit the rocks. They are all in positions to fund state-wide governorship campaigns.

    The third category is made up of young men and women of note and distinction who have excelled and earned good reputation in politics, public service and personal endeavours. One of them is Hakeem Muri-Okunola, a lawyer who had served as Head of Service in Lagos State before becoming Principal Private Secretary to the President.

    Also, mention has been made of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who is up and doing in his current assignment. A distinguished medical doctor, he is a former Minister of State for Health.

    Others include House of Representatives member from Ikorodu, Jimi Benson, and his predecessor, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who is the chairman of the Diaspora Commission.

    The last category is made up of technocrats in APC; patriotic, experienced in public administration, competent and loyal party stalwarts who mean well for the party, its leadership and the state, but who may not personally seek the governorship ticket unless they are called upon to take up the role in furtherance of their dedicated service to the state, the nation and humanity.

    In this mould, according to party sources, is Tokunbo Abiru, chartered accountant, banker and senator representing Lagos East District.

    He had resigned as Finance Commissioner in the Fashola government to take up the job of Executive Director at Syke Bank. He later became Managing Director of Polaris Bank. He succeeded Senator Osinnowo Pepper after his demise. Abiru was re-elected in 2023.

    More aspirants are expected when the whistle is blown by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    PDP

    The Lagos PDP chapter is not currently in a good shape. It is weakened by protracted crisis, more than its 2023 condition. The chapter is polarised.

    But the state executive committee is made up of officers loyal to the BoT member, Chief Olabode George, who is recognised as the leader by the national leadership.

    A source said the 2023 LP candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, is being wooed by the chapter ahead of 2027. Currently, LP is enveloped in crisis and there is no end in sight to the logjam.

    Rhodes-Vivour was the anointed aspirant until Jide Adediran defected from the APC to PDP, shortly before the last general election.

    LP

     The mass appeal of LP in the state seems to have evaporated after Rhodes-Vivour lost in the 2023 election. He now courts the ADC. The party is not attractive to politicians who may wish to borrow the platform because of its protracted crisis.

    ADC

    Lagos ADC is woven around anti-Bode George members of the PDP, including Alhaji Rahman Owokoniran and Funmi Onita-Coker. No aspirant is associated with the platform for now.

    But Onita-Coker said: “ADC will definitely field a governorship candidate.”

    Nassarawa

    The state is currently administered by APC Governor Abdullahi Sule who is over two years into his second term. The APC is the party to beat in the state and is not likely to be short of governorship aspirants.

    For now, the two most visible aspirants in the party are Senator Aliyu Wadada and retired Police Inspector General Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.

    Wadada, an immensely popular politician, currently represents Nasarawa West in the Red Chamber.

    He recently returned to the APC following his resignation from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on whose platform he got elected in 2023.

    He broke ranks with the APC in the run up to the 2023 elections when he was denied the senatorial ticket by the powers that be.

    He moved to the SDP and won.

    Read Also: 2026: Australia-based medical doctor joins Ekiti governorship race

    Adamu served as the 20th Inspector General of Police. He was appointed on January 15, 2029 and retired on April 6, 2021.

    Governor Sule is mute on his choice.

    Ogun

    Like Sule, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State is giving nothing out yet on his preferred candidate for the office that he will be relinquishing in less than two years from now.

    But that has not stopped several aspirants from his party-APC- from going about their consultations with the people.

    But the greater challenge lies in the reluctance of Ogun East (Ijebu and Remo areas) and Ogun Central (Egba area) to cede the ticket to Ogun West, which has not had its own occupy the office since the creation of the state in 1976.

    While Ogun East has produced the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the incumbent Abiodun, from Ogun Central came Chief Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun.

    Different interest groups are assembling teams, building relationships and scanning the political climate across the three senatorial districts ahead of the party primaries.

    The governor, who is interested in going to the Senate after his tenure, is currently locked in a battle with the incumbent Senator for Ogun East, Otunba Daniel, after the former governor accused Abiodun of planning to demolish his (Daniel’s) Asoludero Court private residence in Sagamu, and a hotel over alleged building regulation infractions.

    Their face turned ugly on Tuesday with the suspension of Daniel by the APC for alleged anti-party activities.

    Observers say having used pliant party structure to suspend the ex-governor, Abiodun may have set off a political storm that would keep him too preoccupied and distracted ahead of 2027 that his political goodwill could be adversely affected to make a strong representation on who should be his successor.

     So, governorship aspirants in the state seem to be looking beyond Abiodun for backers. They are taking cues from the fate of those who relied on his predecessors but failed in the end. The argument is that if more popular governors like Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun could not produce successors, what chances does Abiodun have to break the jinx?

    Governorship aspirants in APC include Ambassador Sarafa Isola, the immediate past Nigeria’s High Commissioner in London; Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu; Kayode Amusan, a former member of the House of Representatives; Senator Solomon Adeola; Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Representative Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; and Representative Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade.

    Isola, Salisu and Amusan are Egba while Salako-Oyedele, Isiaka, Akinlade and Adeola are from Ogun West.

    The Yewa, Awori and Ogu people of Ogun West are pulling all the strings to have the governorship this time around. They say they can no longer remain spectators while the Ijebu, Remo and Egba continue to dominate the seat.

    Observers believe that should APC stakeholders decide to concede the ticket to Ogun West, it will likely go to Adeola who appears to be well connected to the grassroots across the state.

    The governorship candidate of PDP in 2023, Oladipupo Adebutu, is also believed to be working underground to have another shot in 2027.

    Adebutu though from Iperu, Remo like Abiodun, is plotting to use the platform of Ogun Central to contest.

    He recently said he has Egba connection through a village in Odeda Local Government area of the state.

    Adebutu is reputed as the sole financier of the Ogun PDP and has taken firm grip of the party structure, using it to corner the governorship ticket to only himself.

    But the outing of his party and its candidate in the last by-election in his Ikenne/Sagamu Remo North Federal Constituency does not portray him as one with the kind of influence he claims to have.

    Moreover, notable members of the PDP including former chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Sikirulahi Ogundele and Adebutu’s running mate in 2023, Abdulkabir Akinlade, have deserted him for APC.

    The ADC and LP are practically non- existent in the state.

    Akwa Ibom

    Concerned by the alleged aspiration of Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo to contest the APC ticket with Gov. Eno, some party members petitioned President Tinubu, saying the party’s unity was at stake.

    The minister’s action, according to them, is “undermining the party’s unity and creating divisions that are detrimental to our collective success.”

    They accused him of being more focused on positioning himself for a future political contest than on delivering results for the party.

    The PDP which had ruled the state from 1999 until Eno’s recent defection is now a shadow of its former self.

    The rump of its membership are trying to find space in ADC.

    Oyo

    The result of the recent by-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency which went in favour of the PDP seems to have strengthened Governor Seyi Makinde’s grip on the party and the state.

    Members of the party and the people of the state are anxiously looking forward to January 2026, five months from now, when the Governor promised to reveal his preferred candidate.

    Speaking during the 11th Omituntun Ramadan lecture in Ibadan back in March, Makinde said: “In January 2026, we know that political activities will start. I will tell you the picture of the person that will be installed there.”

    But while the waiting game continues, speculations are rife about those aspiring for the position in PDP.

    They include Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; Adebo Akande, Executive Adviser to the Governor on International Cooperation Development and Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA); Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, businessman, politician, and philanthropist; and Niyi Aborisade, human rights activist and United Kingdom-trained lawyer

    From the APC are Power Minister Bayo Adelabu , Special Adviser  to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Mr Sunday Dare; Representative Remi Oseni;and Zacheaus Adedeji, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    The party’s governorship candidate in 2023, Senator Teslim Folarin, has been quiet lately.

    Members of the APC in the state say the party has immense goodwill but is in dire need of leaders in the mould of the late Abiola Ajimobi, who can seize the momentum and propel the party to the desired height.

    The ADC in the state is torn apart by internal challenges. Only recently, its leadership expelled some key members including former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, and ex-Senator Michael Koleoso, for alleged anti-party activities.

    Since the sack, not much has been heard from the party.

    Kwara

     In Kwara State, alliances are being formed and old tensions are resurfacing ahead of the governorship race.

    So far, some governorship aspirants from Kwara North have expressed their intention to seek APC’s governorship ticket for 2027.

    They are the Senator representing the zone Sodiq Umar, Hon Danladi-Salihu, Makama of Lafiagi Alhaji Tajudeen Audu and Haliru Dantosho Mahmud.

    Governor Abdulraman AbdulRazaq in his first term in office pledged power shift to the zone in 2027.

    Stakeholders from the zone are confident of getting the support of the rest of the state and recently convened a meeting to lay the ground for the emergence of the next governor from the zone.

    Speaking during the meeting, APC Deputy Chairman in the state Abdullahi Samari said it was to “put our house in order” and to enable the aspirants work together.

    He said:”Principally, APC has guidelines and that will be followed before a candidate will emerge. We want to assure Kwarans and Nigerians that those aspiring to govern the state from Kwara north are people with enough wisdom, experience, people with fear of God, love for the masses and have resolved to work together- so that whosever emerges as the candidate at the end of the day with support of our brothers and sisters from other senatorial districts- will cling the seat of power.”

    All the four aspirants took their turns to express their resolve to rally round any of them that emerges as the governorship candidate come 2027.

    Speaking, Senator Umar said the governorship seat is what the zone has been “hungry for in the interest of Kwara first and, of course, our region.

    “All we are asking is for Kwarans to trust us and give us this opportunity to also govern the state.

    “There is no division between us. We are all working together. Kwara north is united not divided. We are one people and the same family.”

      Former Senate President Bukola Saraki who is the leader of PDP in the state will be key in deciding the party’s flag bearer.

    The party is still reeling from its loss of power in the Otoogee rebellion of 2015 and the defection of some key members to ADC.

    ADC revs up in Adamawa

    The political influence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his home state of Adamawa is still strong, hence the movement of key politicians mainly from his former party PDP to the ADC.

    These include the 2023 governorship candidate of APC, Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani), former Governor Jibrilla Bindow , Senator Ishaku Abbo; and ADC governorship candidate in 2019, Senator Abdulazeez Nyako, each of whom is keen on being governor.

    The ADC has promised to take no sides when the contest starts.

    Chairman of the party in Adamawa State, Shehu Yohanna, told The Nation that everyone will have adequate accommodation to thrive.

    In the PDP, the political landscape is similarly populated by four formidable contenders.

    The four include immediate past speaker of the state House of Assembly and now Senator for the Central Zone, Aminu Iya Abbas.

     Like most in the race, he has not officially declared interest, but his associates are preaching his ambition on many of his social media handles.

    Iya Abbas who got into the Adamawa House of Assembly in 2019, became Speaker upon reelection in 2023 and got into the Senate in 2023, is a fast riser who is believed to be keenly interested in seeking to move up quickly again for a higher office, the office of Governor.

    The incumbent Secretary to the Adamawa State Government (SSG), Auwal Tukur, has the political legacy in a father, Bamanga Tukur, who served as both governor of the defunct Gongola State and then as National Chairman of PDP.

    Tukur who was member of the House of Representatives two decades ago, sought to go to the Senate in 2023 but failed to get the PDP ticket for Adamawa Central Zone.

    The current Commissioner of Works in Governor Ahmadu Fitiri’s cabinet, Adamu Atiku Abubakar, who is a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is also said to be interested but observers wonder why he would not prefer ADC where his father is now a leader.

    The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Amos Sunday, known for his ability to surprise his opponents, is also quietly in the race.

    Other contenders in the PDP can be described as new breed politicians who appear to command some following more for their fat purses than for political pedigree.

    One of them is Chief Maurice Vonobolki, a financial expert who retired as a bank assistant general manager.

     In APC, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, holds the aces.

    Ribadu who is the APC leader in Adamawa State by virtue of his NSA Office in Abuja, is also the one in the sure position to decide who gets the party’s ticket for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

    Who succeeds Bayelsa’s  Diri?

    The three senatorial districts in the state are rooting for a fresh look at the power rotation agreement among them.

    Some interest groups say with power having gone round all the senatorial districts, the 2027 polls should be an all comers affair.

    But this argument has not gone down well with some in Bayelsa East senatorial district, who argue that while the two other districts have had full tenures, it has only had a combined six-year tenure between ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Gov Timipre Silva.

    Ex-President Jonathan served one year into the second term of ex-Gov Dipreye Alamieseigha’s mandate before he was elevated to the office of vice president to ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua.

    Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, accordingly, served only one term after his bid for tenure elongation which he challenged at the courts failed.

    However conventional wisdom appears to favour rotation of power.

    Within the Bayelsa, All Progressive Congress (APC) top contenders from Bayelsa East said to be interested are incumbent Managing Director of Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, ex-Gov Timipre Sylva, Senator Ben Murray- Bruce,  Petroleum Minister (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpibiri, from Bayelsa West. His ambition will upset the rotation policy if he decides to gun for the top job.

    PDP Governor Duoye Diri has kept his preferred successor close to his chest, but there are speculations that he might settle for Benson Agadaga, the PDP senator representing Bayelsa East.

    Aside Senator Agadaga, it was learnt, Gov Diri could settle for his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo who hails from Bayelsa East senatorial district.

    The National Working Committee of the APC, led by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday met with leaders and stakeholders of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the party, reaffirming the Party’s commitment to inclusivity, unity, and grassroots strengthening ahead of future elections.

    Details of the meeting were not immediately available.

     Alia in the eye of the storm

    Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia is only two years into his first term but the odds are quite formidable against him already.

    But the Reverend Father who refers to himself as Gafa, meaning the powerful Eagle in Tiv, is determined to do two terms.

    He has been having running battles with politicians even within his own party, APC, including the state House of Assembly.

     At the burial of his traditional ruler in January, Alia said: “For now, I am the only governor of Benue State,” and “if you do not want me, leave the state until after eight years, after my tenure, you can return.”

    His Chief Press Secretary, Sir Kula Tersoo said: “Governor Alia has no serious challenger in the 2027 governorship.”

    Notwithstanding, several candidates are vying to challenge him in 2027. One of them is Chief Mike Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. He is in the APC.

    He has been consulting quietly and possesses a massive financial war chest.

    There is also Hon. Pastor Terwase Orbunde, a former House of Representatives member and Chief of Staff to former Governor Samuel Ortom.

    Prof. Terhemba Shija, a former Commissioner for Information and Culture in Benue State, has also been consulting to take a shot at the 2027 governorship race possible on the platform of ADC.

    Honorable Terkaa Ucha, a two-term member of the Benue State House of Assembly, wants to contest on the platform of PDP.

    The recent defection of former Senate President David Mark from PDP to ADC has left a vacuum in the PDP in the state.

    Those campaigning to displace Otti in 2027 are wasting their time — Says Umuahia Catholic Bishop

    The Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Dr. Michael Kalu Ukpong, says those campaigning to take over from Governor Alex Otti in 2027 are wasting their time, saying that the Governor’s performance  in two years has done the campaign for him.

    Bishop Ukpong stated this when he hosted the Governor to a lunch at Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia, to celebrate his impactful and remarkable achievements.

    ‎The Bishop said that things he thought would be impossible to happen in his lifetime in the state have been made possible by Governor Otti.

    He said: ”There was a time I sent you a text, telling you that for the first time, Abians are proud to be Abians. I have not been to Aba for a long time.

    “Those living there are telling stories of your good works in Aba, which the Catholic Bishop of Aba, Bishop Echema has also confirmed. We are saying, keep it up.

    “If we finish saying everything we are saying without mentioning Igwu (Omenuko) Bridge, then we have not started. Since I became an adult, travelling from Ohafia through Bende-Ohafia Road, once you get to Igwu Bridge, the journey becomes scary until you cross the bridge.

    “Once you cross the bridge, you know that you have started your journey. Coming from Umuahia, it was the same thing.

    “But now, nobody is scared of the bridge again because of the work you have done there. Hence, we say thank you. What I thought was impossible in the past is now possible.

    “I didn’t know that in my lifetime that the bridge would be like what it is now.”

  • Resist attempts to derail our convention- PDP Governors’ Forum

    Resist attempts to derail our convention- PDP Governors’ Forum

    The Chairman PDP Governor’s Forum and Bauchi Governor, Sen. Bala Muhammed said no amount of defections will destroy or diminish the PDP strong grassroots support.

    Muhammed stated this in Gusau the state Capital of Zamfara State shortly after the forum closed door meeting which lasted for about five hours in the Government House.

    The Forum also reaffirmed commitment to the resolutions of its 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 2025 regarding the November 15 National Convention.

    “Resist all attempts to derail the convention by anti-party forces; but to see the PDP as the only democratic institution and viable alternative for restoring Nigeria along the path of good governance and national development,” he urged party members.

    “The Forum extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, Security situation, the erosion of democratic values as well as ongoing efforts to reposition the party and make adequate preparation for his forthcoming National Convention. Bala said.

    The Forum further expressed dissatisfaction on the outcome of last bye-elections and wegratitude to the members of their party for their support and courageous resilience.

    “We appreciate supporters of the PDP Nationwide for their state fast loyalty in the face of serious intimidation and untold anti-democratic actions by the APC led federal government in the last bye- election. The PDP Governor’s Forum Chairman said.

    The PDP Governor’s Forum also commended the resilience of the PDP leaders and members in overcoming massive defections to the ruling party.

     “Your resilience from orchestrated defections and distractions which cannot diminish our party’s strong grassroots appeal is worthy of recommendation and the growing public yearning for the return of affordable living and relative security experienced under PDP-led administrations will soon bounce back,” he assured.

    “Nigeria and Nigerians from the divisive governance style of the APC, whose policies have continued to cause more hardship and misery on the people. Sen. Bala said.

    Those in attendance are the host Governor, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Governors Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo and the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo.

  • Oyo Speaker engages Ibarapa East PDP stakeholders

    Oyo Speaker engages Ibarapa East PDP stakeholders

    Oyo Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin has convened a stakeholders engagement with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across all strata in Ibarapa East Local Government Area.

    He said the meeting was aimed at reinforcing party unity, grassroots mobilisation and preparations ahead of future elections.

    Held in two sessions across separate venues in the Constituency, the engagements attracted a wide array of party stakeholders, including political functionaries, ward and local government executive members, top political leaders and grassroots party leaders in the area

    Speaking at the meetings, Ogundoyin conveyed the message of Governor Seyi Makinde, emphasising that the PDP remains one united family in Oyo State and particularly in Ibarapa East. 

    He assured party faithful that there would be no division, no parallel congresses, no parallel lists, and no imposition of candidates in the build-up to the next political season in the Local Government.

    “The message from His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, is very clear. PDP is one. We are united in purpose and we will work together to win all upcoming elections. Candidates will emerge through consensus, not imposition,” he said. 

    Ogundoyin harped on the urgent need for increased voter registration among eligible citizens in the constituency. 

    “We must not joke with the ongoing voter registration. This is our future. Every vote will count, and every new voter strengthens our party’s chances,” the Speaker emphasized.

    Other chieftains who spoke at the engagements including Hon. Moses Ojoawo, a former Commissioner and member of the Oyo House of Assembly Service Commission who is the Chairman of the Stakeholders forum; Chief Adewale Atanda Alase, a member of the Oyo State Advisory Council; and others also stressed the urgent need for increased voter registration among eligible citizens in the constituency.

    They charged party members to actively mobilize youth and first-time voters, as well as assist individuals who need to correct or update their voter information.

  • By-elections results: PDP, others in panic review ahead of 2027

    By-elections results: PDP, others in panic review ahead of 2027

    • ADC Rep Abejide predicts collapse of coalition by Sept
    • Says failure in recent by-elections ominous sign
    • APC hails Nigerians for vote of confidence

    POST mortem on last weekend’s by-elections in parts of the country has begun in earnest for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) both of which posted dismal performances at the polls.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), which won 12 of the 16 seats at stake, yesterday expressed gratitude to Nigerians for reposing confidence in the party and President Bola Tinubu.

    The PDP, which had only its victory in Ibadan North Federal Constituency to show for its efforts, has drafted its state governors to Gusau, Zamfara State for an immediate review of the party’s performance.

    One of the early arrivals for the Gusau meeting scheduled for last night and today was Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

    Writing on his X handle Gov Ademola Adeleke @AAdeleke_01 last night, the governor said: “I just arrived at Zamfara State Government House for the @OfficialPDPNig Governors’ Forum meeting this evening. “Together, we are ready to chart a new course to advance the future of our great party.”

    The only member of the ADC in the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, declared yesterday that the party’s poor performance was a clear sign that the party’s involvement in the coalition of opposition politicians against Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections was doomed.

    The party won no seat at all in the by-election.

    Sources in PDP said yesterday that the party’s outing last weekend was too bad to be glossed over.

    “We can’t approach 2027 in this shape. We must sit up,” one source said  

    Also on top of the agenda of the PDP Governors Forum meeting in Gusau is preparation for the party’s national convention scheduled for Ibadan in November.

    Stakeholders are already expressing concerns over the planned convention following the escalation of tension between supporters of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and his antagonists who want him sanctioned for alleged anti-party disposition.

    The anti-Wike PDP members accuse the minister and his supporters of making demands on the party that some governors and members of the party’s National Working Committee find either unworkable or too difficult to meet.

    Although  Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde told reporters in Lagos on Thursday that efforts would be made to address Wike loyalists’ complaints over alleged marginalization in the constitution of the  committee on zoning of party positions across the south, the governors and  NWC members have largely ignored the minister’s demands that the South-South PDP zonal congress that elected Chief Dan Orbih must be upheld instead of the continued recognition of the Chief Emmanuel Ogidi-led South-South Caretaker Committee.

    Besides, the FCT Minister does not want Chief Ali Odefa recognised as National Vice Chairman (South East) as the courts have invalidated his right to claim the position.

    While some anti-Wike forces within the party are contemplating the possibility of invoking sections of the PDP constitution against him, others – including some NWC members and governors – are pleading caution to avert potentially disastrous consequences through litigations that can hold up plans for the November national convention in Ibadan and even the preparations for 2027 elections.

    ”Legal landmines may have been laid already before Wike begins to talk. He waits and allows his detractors to make mistakes, and by the time he brings up a few issues in court, some people will once again begin to run helter-skelter and others will be wondering how he keeps coming out victorious in most legal battles he chooses to back,” one source told The Nation.

    He added:“One of the recent examples is that of what initially appeared to be a resolute position against the return of Wike’s associate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu to the position of National Secretary, even though the PDP Governors’ Forum and members of the NWC made elaborate efforts to stop it.”

    Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, host of the PDP Governors Forum meeting, hopes it can help in resolving some of the party’s current knotty issues and strengthening party unity in preparation for the forthcoming national convention.

    The governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said after arrival and dinner on Friday night, the governors would sit down for a closed-door session today.

    Idris said: “Governor Dauda Lawal extends a warm welcome to his counterparts, the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State.

    “The governors are convening today for an important meeting of the PDP Governors Forum. Governor Lawal will host a dinner for the governors tonight, before the closed-door meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

    Read Also: PDP declares three days mourning for late pioneer Chairman

    “This meeting will provide party leaders with the opportunity to discuss pressing political issues, plan for party unity and collaborate on developmental initiatives within their respective states.

    “Additionally, the governors will address key concerns in preparation for the national convention organised by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.”

    It was gathered that the meeting might consider a response to Wike loyalists’ allegations of deliberate marginalization in the zoning arrangements across southern states.

     After a strategic meeting in Abuja on Wednesday night, Wike’s loyalists, led by Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Kingsley Chinda, had alleged “brazen disregard for established structures and statutory organs of the PDP that not only offends the spirit of collective decision-making but also risks undermining the very foundation upon which our party was built.”

    Citing last Thursday’s meeting convened on the party’s zoning of offices, Wike loyalists alleged that the minority leader in the House of Representatives, several former governors and other principal officers of PDP from the South-South and South-East were deliberately sidelined and denied participation in the meeting where far-reaching and sensitive decisions on zoning, power rotation, and political equity were being discussed.

    They branded the meeting illegal and divisive and asked the National Working Committee (NWC), the National Executive Committee (NEC) and all stakeholders of the party to “disregard any outcome of the said meeting.”

    They added: “TAKE NOTICE that where any iota of regard is given to the outcome of the purported meeting, we shall not hesitate to take appropriate steps in line with our party constitution to resist same with full force.”

    Signatories to the statement read by Hon Kingsley Chinda included: Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (state party chairman, Imo State and chairman of all PDP state party chairmen); Hon. Elder Abraham Amah (state chairman Abia State); Barrister Venatius Ikem (State Chairman, Cross River State); Hon. Aniekan Akpan (State Chairman, Akwa Ibom State); Hon Aaron Chukwuemeka (State Chairman South-East); Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck (PDP National Vice-Chairman, Southeast); Barrister Okechukwu Osucha (Deputy National Legal Adviser); Hon. Mike Ahumbe (Southeast Zonal Organising Secretary); Senator Igwe Nwagu; Senator Mao Ohabunwa; Senator George Sekibo; Senator Mike Ama Nnachi; Chief Mudi Erhenede (ex-Ebonyi State legal adviser); Hon. Onwe S. Onwe, former Acting National Secretary); Rep. 0. K. Chinda (Minority Leader, House of Representatives))

    Coalition against Tinubu will collapse by Sept, says ADC Rep Abejide

    Reviewing last weekend’s by-elections, Representative Leke Abejide (Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro, Kogi State), described  the party’s  poor performance as the “beginning of the end” of the coalition of opposition politicians against Tinubu ahead of 2027.

    He said the coalition would collapse by next month following its failure to win a single seat out of the 16 in contention.

    “You can see that the coalition collapsed last Saturday; all over the country, they could not even win one seat. That was the beginning of the end,” he said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief

    Abejide, who described himself as the ‘landlord’ of ADC, added: “By early next month, the coalition will collapse completely, because you cannot come to somebody’s house, hijack his house, and think the person will just be looking at you.”

    He was referring to the take-over of ADC National Executive Committee by defectors from other parties including former Senate President David Mark, who is now protem national chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.

    Abejide, who claimed to have been instrumental in sustaining the ADC, said: “I will let them know that I am the landlord. I didn’t establish the party, but I am the one who made the party remain where it is today.

    “I have never decamped to a big party; I have used it [the ADC] to contest all my elections and brought people, apart from myself, to the National Assembly and the state assembly.”

    Abejide said the coalition was unsustainable and its promoters lack legitimacy within the ADC structure.

    APC thanks Nigerians

    The APC in a message to voters yesterday on last Saturday’s by-elections expressed gratitude for the ‘massive votes’.

    APC Nigeria @OfficialAPCNg in an X post said: “THANK YOU NIGERIANS FOR OUR MASSIVE BYE-ELECTION VICTORIES. Your massive votes were not just for our candidates in the various constituencies, but also a vote of confidence in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu @officialABAT , and an endorsement of our Renewed Hope Agenda.”

    Secured by the ruling party were one senate seat, four in the House of Representatives and seven House of Assembly seats.

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) took one Senate and one House of Assembly seats while PDP won one House of Reps seat.

    ADC won nothing.

    Just before the polls, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi told The Nation that the party should not be judged by its performance in the contest as it was coming late into the show.

    “You see, there’s a tendency for people to want to use this by-election as some sort of measure of our party’s strength or weakness. For us, that’s not the case,” he said.

    He added:”This is part of a process that began long before our party came on board. That’s why we’ve allowed some members to complete the process under the platform of their original party.

    “We are supporting our candidates, monitoring the process, and giving them all the necessary backing.

    “But the outcome will not be an indicator of future elections. Regardless of what happens, we’re looking ahead with great hope.

    “By 2027, our party will have a clear direction. Once we complete our congresses, hold our convention, and produce a candidate, you’ll see a different picture.

    “Right now, much of the real work is going on below the radar. What you see are press statements and routine reactions as any opposition party should do.

    “But behind the scenes, systems are being set up across the country, and we will be fully ready when the election comes.”

  • PDP Convention threatened by leaders’ battle over zoning

    PDP Convention threatened by leaders’ battle over zoning

    • S’south, S’east party chiefs reject Diri/Makinde stakeholders Lagos meeting decisions 

    The proposed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention is being threatened by a deep-seated rift among its leaders.

    It is over the zoning of party offices and the 2027 presidential ticket, it was learnt yesterday.

    The November 15 and 16 elective convention is scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    A 110-member National Convention Committee headed by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has been inaugurated by the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

    Although the mood in the opposition party tilts towards the zoning of the presidential slot to the South, there is division among leaders from the three geopolitical zones over which zone should produce the candidate.

    At the PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit in Lagos convened by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, leaders from the South resolved to propose a formula for the micro-zoning of the party offices and the presidential ticket among the three geo-political regions – Southeast, Southsouth and Southwest – at the next NEC meeting.

    However, some Southsouth and Southeast leaders are kicking against the plan by the Diri/Makinde group.

    The group of Southsouth and Southeast leaders is made up of state chairmen, serving and former lawmakers and other party elders.

    They accused those behind the micro-zoning plan of harbouring the agenda of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s return or for Makinde to contest for President.

    Sources explained that the group may organise a parallel convention if the rift is not properly resolved.

    ‘We are committed to micro-zoning’

    Makinde, who spoke with reporters after the meeting, said micro-zoning of the presidential slot was on the agenda, adding that the outcome of the parley and further consultations would be forwarded to the NEC for consideration.

    He noted the objection to the Lagos meeting by some chieftains, saying that it is normal in a democracy.

    Makinde said: “We just finished the consultative meeting of the PDP Zoning Committee for the South, and nothing should stop us from consulting.

    “Democracy is about the minority having its say and the majority having its way.

    “So, we’re democrats. The South has taken far-reaching decisions, and in the days ahead, wider consultations will also take place.”

    The governor said those saying that PDP is either dead or has become a carcass should pull the brake, stressing that PDP serving governors, elders and leaders, including the former Senate President and BoT chairman (Adolphus Wabara), have reiterated their commitment to its survival.

    Makinde added: “They are all here and committed to PDP taking back its rightful position in Nigeria.

    “So, in the days ahead, some of the things discussed here, you’ll see them in place.”

    The governor, who debunked the allegation of exclusion, said: “Governor Adeleke was here. He came back into this country, I believe, this morning, and went straight to Osogbo to address some governance issues. But he said whatever we decide, he is with us.

    “Governor Diri is here. Governor Peter Mbah, who couldn’t make it physically, sent the deputy governor. You have the chairman of our board of trustees here.

    “You also have no fewer than 12 of the 17 members of the zoning committee from the South here.

    “It is one per state. So, you have 12 states here. You have in each zone, you have House of  Representatives members here, you have senators from each zone in the South, the three zones.

    “You have BoT members from the three zones in the South. So, yes, I won’t say maybe, the organisers will score 100 per cent. You don’t score 100 per cent in politics.”

    Makinde said consultation is a continuum, assuring that the Southern PDP leaders would reach out and engage more members to drive a consensus.

    He stressed: “We’re trying to get all stakeholders, all tendencies in the PDP together so that we can give a credible alternative to Nigerians in the years ahead.”

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    Makinde, however, clarified that the decision of the Southern PDP Zoning Summit is not final, stressing that it would be subject to ratification by NEC.

    He said: “This consultative meeting is not statutory in the constitution of PDP. But democracy is inclusivity, reaching out and ensuring that all stakeholders are carried along, which is what we’ve done today.

    “NEC is on Monday. Today is Thursday. You will definitely have a decision.”

    ‘I won’t be dragged into gutters by low people’

    Makinde clarified that no chieftain has been picked from the South as an anointed presidential candidate for 2027.

    He said: “We haven’t even gotten there. We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates.  If we don’t have a party, anything that you’re trying to do will fall flat.

    “So, our efforts right now are directed towards having a viral and united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and again they will believe in.”

    Makinde took exception to party members from the South who attacked the organisers of the summit.

    He said: “Personally, when people go low, or they go into the gutters, I don’t go with them.”

    However, he said all stakeholders would be engaged to make contributions.

    He added:” We will reach out to them. I mean, that is democracy. We will reach out to them. I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here.

    “It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching. We want to give a formidable PDP to Nigerians. In Oyo, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead.

    “In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second in each of those states. It’s some indication to us that if we continue to work hard, if we continue to strive hard, if we continue to bring our people together, we will get to a point where Nigerians will really start listening to us.”

    Chinda: summit resolution can’t stand

    Spokesman of the Southsouth/Southeast leaders’ group and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, disowned the Lagos meeting.

    He insisted that many stakeholders from the South were not consulted.

    He said the lack of wide consultation and exclusion of many stakeholders had eroded the legitimacy of the meeting.

    Chinda, who protested being sidelined by the organisers, said the meeting was divisive and unconstitutional.

    He told reporters in Abuja that any party meeting where zoning, power rotation and distribution of offices are to be discussed should be all-inclusive.

    Chinda said the meeting has brazenly disregarded the statutory organs of the party and violated the criteria of inclusivity of democratic participation.

    He said: “We dismiss the resolution and outcome of the meeting. It is not binding and not reflective of the opinion of the generality of stakeholders.”

    Chinda said any decision reached in secrecy and seclusion cannot be consensus-driven, adding that it would be resisted in accordance with the constitution of the party.

    He urged members of the party to disregard the outcome.

    State chairmen reject summit

    Also, some party leaders, including state chairmen, former governors, federal lawmakers, serving and former members of the National Working Committee (NWC), dissociated themselves from the meeting.

    They said: “Any resolution, communique, or outcome purportedly emanating from this meeting is neither binding nor reflective of the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.”

    They also said in a statement that “decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus.”

    Signatories to the statement were state chairmen – Austin Nwachukwu (Imo), Abraham Amah ( Abia), Venatius Ikem (Cross River), Aniekan Akpan (Akwa Ibom) and Aaron Chukwuemeka (Rivers).

    Other signatories are National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Chidiebere Goodluck, Senators Igwe Nwagu, Mao Ohuabunwa, George Sekibo, Mike Ama Nnachi, former National Secretary, Rt Onwe S. Onwe, Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, and former Ebonyi State Legal Adviser, Mudi Erhenede.

    The statement titled: “Re: Purported Meeting of PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit,” reads in part: “The attention of the undersigned state Chairmen of the PDP from the South and some critical stakeholders has been drawn to a meeting ‘nichodimously’ summoned in Lagos today 21st August 2025 by some persons purporting to do so on behalf of PDP Members of the South tagged: ‘PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit’ convened by the Administrative Secretary, Zoning Committee of the PDP at the behest of the Chairman Zoning Committee, H.E Senator Duoye Dirii, at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

    “The said meeting, tagged ‘a summit’, was allegedly convened in the name of the three geo-political zones of Southern Nigeria — Southeast, Southsouth, and Southwest.

    “It is highly regrettable and indeed, deeply disturbing that such a meeting was convened without the courtesy of inviting state chairmen from the Southeast and Southsouth, as well as the duly elected National Secretary and Deputy National Legal Adviser of our great party.

    “Even more troubling is the inexplicable exclusion of several national officers, eminent leaders, and critical stakeholders of the PDP.

    “Shockingly, the Minority Leader in the National Assembly and other principal officers of our party from the Southsouth and Southeast were also deliberately sidelined and denied participation in a meeting where such far-reaching and sensitive decisions on zoning, power rotation, and political equity are to be discussed.

    “Equally concerning is the deliberate omission of most former governors from the Southeast and Southsouth, who, by every standard of history, pedigree, and institutional memory, remain critical stakeholders in any conversation about the future direction of our party.

    “Such a brazen disregard for established structures and statutory organs of the PDP not only offends the spirit of collective decision-making but also risks undermining the very foundation upon which our party was built.

    “The PDP, since its inception, has been anchored on the values of inclusivity, equity, consultation, and collective responsibility.

    “Any process that deliberately sidelines key stakeholders, ignores the legitimate authority of national officers, and excludes elected leaders and ranking lawmakers erodes trust, fuels division, and threatens party cohesion at a time when unity is most needed.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, we categorically dismiss any resolutions, communiqués, or outcomes purportedly emanating from this meeting as neither binding on, nor reflective of, the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.”

    “Decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus.”

  • PDP Southern leaders disown Lagos zoning meeting

    PDP Southern leaders disown Lagos zoning meeting

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sunk deeper into crisis over plans by a section of the party to micro-zone its presidential ticket to a particular zone in the south without wider consultations.

    Although some stakeholders in the south are clamouring for zoning, there is no consensus on the zone that would produce the candidates among the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth. 

    Also, some stakeholders have rejected the agitation for zoning to the South, saying that the ticket should be open to the six zones. 

    Today, a meeting has been slated for Lagos to discuss the proposal for zoning, with the aim of micro-zoning the ticket to either of the three zones. 

    The meeting, tagged the “PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit”, was convened by the party’s Zoning Committee at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja.

    There are allegations that some chieftains are rooting for micro-zoning to either Southwest or Southsouth. 

    There have been calls on Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race. 

    But irked by the micro-zoning move, PDP state chairmen, former governors and National Assembly members disowned the Southern zoning meeting, describing it as divisive and unconstitutional. 

    PDP House of Representatives Leader Kingsley Chinda said the Lagos meeting has excluded and sidelined critical party leaders. 

    Read Also: PDP asks court to sack four Osun lawmakers over defection

    He told reporters in Abuja that any party meeting where zoning, power rotation and distribution of offices are to be discussed, it should be all-inclusive. 

    Chinda said the Lagos meeting has brazenly disregarded the statutory organs of the party and violated the criteria of inclusivity, consultation and participation. 

    He said, “We dismiss the resolution and outcome of the meeting. It is not binding and not reflective of the opinion of the generality of stakeholders.”

    Chinda said any decision reached in secrecy and seclusion cannot be consensus-driven, adding that it would be resisted in accordance with the constitution of the party. 

    He therefore, urged members of the party to disregard the outcome.

    Also, state Chairmen, former governors, National Assembly members, and other key party stakeholders from the South East and South South zones said they were neither invited nor consulted.

    In another statement, the state Chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers—Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Venatius Ikem, Rt. Hon Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka—alongside National Vice Chairman (South-East) Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck and Chinda, said the meeting’s outcomes should not be recognized.

    The statement read, “The PDP has always stood for inclusivity, fairness, consultation, and collective decision-making. Any meeting that ignores key leaders and elected officials breaks trust, causes division, and threatens party unity. We therefore, reject any outcomes from this summit as neither binding nor representative of the PDP in Southern Nigeria.

    “The meeting is also premature and seems aimed at serving the interests of a few, especially since the Zoning Committee has not yet submitted its report for party approval.”

    “We remain fully committed to the unity, stability, and success of the PDP. We urge all leaders and stakeholders to resist any attempts to manipulate zoning through secretive or unfair methods.

    “The Southeast and Southsouth, together with the South West, stand united in promoting fairness, justice, and equity. As custodians of our members’ mandate, we will defend the integrity of the party and ensure that any decisions affecting Southern Nigeria are made openly, consultatively, and inclusively.”