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  • ‘PDP will bounce back in Kwara in 2027’

    ‘PDP will bounce back in Kwara in 2027’

    Stakeholders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were at the weekend confident that the party would come back to power in the 2027 general election in Kwara State.

    They hinged their optimism on the party’s ‘impressive’ showing at the September council election in Offa Local Government.

    Kwara State Independent National Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner of the chairmanship election.

    PDP is challenging the outcome of the poll in court.

    Read Also: Clark Urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency on south-south roads

    The stakeholders said this in Offa at an empowerment programme for 200 youths and women.

    The programme was put in place by a stalwart of the party in Offa, Maruf Bukoye aka Bintinlaye.

    At the event, Kwara South Senatorial District Chairman of PDP, Bisi Fakayode, said Kwara people had learnt their lessons.

    He said “I know they will never make that mistake of voting for APC again. So many things are going on, but when we get to the bridge we will cross it.’’

  • Blame PDP if Nigeria slides to one party state – Osita Okechukwu 

    Blame PDP if Nigeria slides to one party state – Osita Okechukwu 

    A foundation member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu has declared the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the main culprit should Nigeria slide to a one party state.

    He dismissed the public outrage blaming the governing party and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of being responsible as a misplaced blame game.

    Exonerating the ruling APC, Okechukwu in a statement in Abuja on Sunday submitted that the PDP should be held responsible for the slide of Nigerian democracy to one party state. 

    He accused PDP of inflicting and planting humongous culture of impunity and bandits of multi-colours on our political culture in their sixteen years in power. (1999-2015). 

    Okechukwu appealed to Nigerians to go down memory lane and recall when the Tinubu led defunct Action Congress (AC) and the Buhari led defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) trudged on with one governor each despite enticing stomach infrastructure being offered by PDP government before the APC merger, that’s the hallmark of multiparty state.

    Read Also: Rivers governorship: APC, PDP in early muscle-flexing

    He retorted that Nigeria naturally will slide into one party state when PDP the major opposition party with more than ten governors were afflicted by stomach infrastructure syndrome. 

    “One without being immodest recalled how Engr. Buba Galadima, then National Secretary of CPC was arrested and hounded at eve of 2007 general elections and offered all manner of carrots to abandon CPC and by extension Buhari. Or how we trudged on with minimal family survival in the 13 years interval before 2015.”

    Okechukwu reminisced  that since our merger in 2013, PDP members even their presidential candidate converted the APC to Rehabilitation Center, instead of adopting the prerequisite ingredients of opposition – resilience, grit and patience. 

    He added that it was because of culture of impunity and bandit of multi-colours that made the PDP to off handedly jettison the rotation convention of president from north to south and even Section 7 of the PDP’s Constitution, which made rotation mandatory.  

    “Imagine the utter breach of rotation convention by the PDP leadership not minding the unintended consequences, with the erroneous thought that His Excellency Atiku Abubakar will unlock the northern electorate from their dormitory to vote PDP in 2023 presidential election. This is misjudgment pure and simple with its collateral damages one of which is One Party State. 

    “Or let’s not forget the adjunct outlier – Minister Nyesom Wike Masquerade.  They’re at it again with fake arithmetic of South 17 and North 11 years rule since 1999, as if Nigeria got independence in 1999.” Okechukwu adduced. 

    When asked what the APC is doing with economic hardship in the country, to justify its one party rule? 

    Okechukwu answered repeatedly that the PDP should be held culpable for slide into one party state and on the issue of economic hardship he submitted that there are lights at the tunnel. 

    “Am in league with IPMAN, TUC and host of others for reduction of fuel pump price, luckily it is already happening as NNPC has started the reduction process. 

    “Secondly, I held a meeting with our national chairman, Dr Umar Ganduje, where he assured me that the Livestock Ministry will find ranch solution to herders/farmers crisis which will allow farmers to access their farms. And also that Present Tinubu is in deep negotiations with investors in electricity chain, Eastern Corridor Standard Guage Railways, Deep Seaports etc.  

    “It is my candid opinion that with the new mandate Tinubu gave the development commissions  – South East,South West, South South,North West, North Central and North East – to shop for foreign investors the economic hardship will be alleviated.” Okechukwu finally submitted.

  • Rivers governorship: APC, PDP in early muscle-flexing

    Rivers governorship: APC, PDP in early muscle-flexing

    • Fubara will be returned in 2027, says Bala Mohammed
    • True Rivers people with us, gov boasts; hails judiciary
    • Ganduje: State is APC’s next target; we’ve secured Edo, Cross River

    The All Progressives Congresss (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to have kick started a mind game over the 2027 governorship race in Rivers State with either side yesterday boasting of its chances in the election.

    The PDP, which has produced all the governors that have ruled the state since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999, including the incumbent, Siminialayi Fubara, declared that the people of the state would have no difficulty reelecting the governor.

    The APC, still savouring its recent victories in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, said it was ready to add Rivers to the kitty.

    National chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, said having taken Edo and Cross Rivers states, the party was not about to relent in making further inroads in the South-South which has traditionally been controlled by the PDP.

    Fubara is currently locked in a face-off with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who played a huge role in installing him in office.

    Wike is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and controls the party’s state structure.

    He is also not in the good books of some PDP bigwigs in the state and the national level, including Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed who, yesterday, appeared to aim some digs at the minister during a visit to Rivers State.

    Speaking during the inauguration of the 14.1km Umuakali-Eberi Road in the state, Mohammed expressed confidence that the people of the state would re-elect Fubara in 2027.

    He described Fubara as a good, sincere and simple man and advised Rivers people to follow him because doing so “will lead to success and not destruction.”

    In a veiled reference to the face- off between Fubara and Wike, the Bauchi State governor said: “Mr. Governor, I must apologise for underestimating you. When you told me that there was no need to join issues and that there was no need to engage in unnecessary talk, I did not fully grasp it.

    “You are never provoked, and today I have witnessed the attestation of that. In the midst of all distractions, I see work being done. I watched on television, and now I see the impact mentioned by the Commissioner of Works on this road.

    “As a literary scientist, I truly understand the departure, the social impact, the change of mindset and the re-grooming or restoration of Rivers State as the cradle of modern politics in Nigeria.

    “When I used to urge you, ‘Sim, you are not doing anything’, you would respond simply and respectfully, ‘please, sir, there is God. Don’t worry’.  Today, I have every reason not to worry because of what I have seen.

    “You are doing very well; you are carrying the people along. All the elders are with you. Those that matter in Rivers State are with you, and the community has spoken. The traditional rulers have spoken, and as a member of a royal family, I understand how they felt before and how they feel now.

    Read Also: Olawepo-Hashim unites APC, PDP leaders in FCT for national unity

    “The young people who came here, the students, their euphoria was heartfelt, and they spoke from the depths of their hearts. You stopped me from joining issues with others, and through this, I’ve learned that the pedigree of individuals in politics should not be judged by the time they spend in politics or in limelight.

    “You have taught us that young people are indeed the hope of tomorrow—not even us. Good governance is being bequeathed to the people of Rivers State with humility and simplicity.”

    Mohammed, who also congratulated Fubara on the Court of Appeal judgement that restored the payment of revenue allocation to the state from the federal revenue, added:”This is also why I believe politicians should know when to step aside and give room for others to perform instead of sabotaging efforts or engaging in actions that negatively impact their immediate environment.

    “Such conduct is unacceptable to me and it is the reason we are parting ways with some individuals.”

    Mohammed called for respect for the Federal Government, saying the governors believe in President Bola Tinubu and the federation.

    But he asked the President to remove from his cabinet those he claimed were creating a bad image to make him fail.

    His words: “Some individuals in your cabinet are creating a bad image, making you fail. We do not want you to fail because we will all be affected.

    “In my religion and tradition, we are taught to pray for leaders, because when the leaders are good, the country and the communities will also be good.

    “We are still praying that you open your eyes, discard these excess baggage and bring in competent people. We mean well. We are not just criticising but calling for corrections so that you can succeed. If you succeed, we all succeed.”

    Turning to Fubara, he said: “Mr. Governor, you are succeeding, and I am very happy. I am returning contented and will no longer pester you with advice, because your performance speaks for itself. You seem more like a field marshal than a general. I respect you, and I always learn from good practices.

    “Omuma, which was once forgotten, is now mainstreamed. Justice and equity, community engagement, respect for constituted authorities, elders and youths, these are the hallmarks of governance under you.

    “With little resources, you have achieved so much despite distractions. This is why I end today on a good note.”

    In his remarks, Governor Fubara said the true leaders of the state were with him and that they were not inviting just anyone for project inauguration.

    The governor also hailed the judiciary for the latest judgement of the Court of Appeal that restored the state’s revenue allocations.

     He said: “We are not just inviting anyhow persons (sic); we are inviting people who have special grace. And the people that are following us are the true leaders of the state, who also have the grace that is bringing the pride of Rivers State.”

    He said people were beginning to see the reason why they should not for any reason depend on just one person for development.

    He alleged that the council was once under siege by one person but has been liberated by his administration.

    He said: “If not what God has done, where would these people have been today? So, we need to give God all the glory and even for those things we considered things, we have to say God thank you for making it happen.

    “In my place, we used to say let bad thing happen so that good things will happen. I can see that good thing is happening here today.

    “We are here. I don’t want to sing the praises of this administration because governance is about serving the people, providing services, protecting lives and property. But if we don’t tell our story, nobody is going to tell it for us.

    “So, I have decided to tell the world, to showcase what we are doing. When they thought we were being emasculated we were behind the scene working, and this is one of those things that we have done quietly to showcase that the interest of our people is paramount in our administration.”

    The ceremony came 24 hours after political associates and admirers of Wike joined him in celebrating his 57th birthday in Port Harcourt.

    Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who was Special Guest of Honour at a Public Lecture and Book Launch to mark the Minister’s birthday, faulted Fubara on his handling of the political crisis that has pitted him against Wike, the Speaker and the majority of the members of the State House of Assembly as well as many stakeholders in his own party, PDP.

    Ganduje: Rivers is APC’s next target

    Ganduje was no less optimistic about the chances of the APC in the Rivers State governorship election in 2027.

    Inaugurating the Tony Okocha-led executive council of the party in the state, Ganduje said the APC was making gains in a zone traditionally controlled by the PDP.

     “You are from the South-South geo-politcal zone where the zone was dominated by the PDP. But you are fully aware that during the Buhari administration, we were able to take one state, Cross River, from the PDP,” he said.

    “And in the present President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, we were able to win squarely in Edo State. Out of six states in the zone, we have recovered two. Rivers State is our target. Rivers, we are here for you. Rivers, you are on the way.”

    The APC chairman told the new APC leaders to work in unity and expand the party’s membership,

    “Use your political dexterity to ensure that our party moves forward. Strengthen the party in your constituencies. It is absolutely necessary.

    “It is your responsibility to ensure that there is peace and you must ensure an effective conflict resolution mechanism.

    “As leaders of the party I believe you are equal to the task,” he said.

  • Unending PDP BoT crisis

    Unending PDP BoT crisis

    There is little anyone can do to stanch the flow of blood in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Frustrated supporters and elected officials may not defect to other parties with the same avidity with which functionaries of the less endowed Labour Party (LP) defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but they have proved more resolute in fighting themselves to the finish over trivia. Once they lost the 2015 presidential election, and all other presidential elections since then, they had turned on one another with fiendish glee, slashing, lacerating, and devouring anyone that offered himself for leadership.

    For now, they give the impression that former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike and his lackeys in the party, chiefly the acting national chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, are the problem with the party. Once they are either got rid of or inoculated, party leaders think the demons that gnaw at their livers would be castrated. They are wrong. The more their stay outside power lasts, the more difficult it has been to rally themselves back from the brink. They will need money no one seems eager or able to provide to run the party, except someone steals from the public purse. And they need a mobiliser, who is not Mr Wike but in his mould, a role their former presidential candidate and ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar has been loth to play for strange reasons. In the past six months or so, they have seethed with one plot or another to unseat Ambassador Damagum and hobble Mr Wike. Each time, they had failed.

    Read Also: Ex-Reps Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, dumps PDP

    But they won’t rest until they achieve their regicidal objectives. It may leave them vulnerable and a little flummoxed, but they yearn to be independent of the two gentlemen they describe as their chief tormentors. It is not clear how soon they can achieve their goals, but if and when they reach that point of no return, they will quickly realise how empty their politics has been, and how awkwardly they had chased a chimera. They still have all of next year to reach that point, but they can’t wait to meet their fate.

  • APC, PDP and Ghanaian extrapolations

    APC, PDP and Ghanaian extrapolations

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has done its best to keep any thought of the next presidential election of 2027 at bay, but the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not let sleeping dogs lie. Ecstatic about the outcome of the December 7 Ghanaian presidential poll won by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) with a wholesome, unbridgeable margin of over 56 percent, PDP sympathisers simply extrapolated the victory and the margin, not to say the economic hardship factor that propelled the votes, and concluded that the opposition would win the next Nigerian presidential election. Chafing at the opposition insinuations, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, said last Sunday that there was no vacancy in Aso Villa.

    Putting it officially thereafter, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba last Monday argued that the Ghanaian poll presaged a massive repudiation of the APC in Nigeria in 2027. The link between the two polls, one this December and the other in faraway 2027, appears farfetched, but Nigerian politicians and their spokesmen have never been deterred by distance or illogic. According to Mr Ologunagba, “The victory of democracy on the platform of the opposition NDC is a clear demonstration of the triumph of the power of the people over misrule and oppressive policies of government as now being witnessed in Nigeria under the corrupt, rudderless and insensitive All Progressives Congress (APC). The verdict of the people of Ghana in this presidential election is a signal to the APC that its days in office are numbered as the power of the people in Nigeria, just like in Ghana, will surely prevail, end APC’s oppressive rule, and return Nigeria to the path of good governance, security, political stability and economic prosperity on the platform of the PDP in 2027.”

    Whether they like it or not, more than two years before the next elections, the APC will be dragged out of their lair to talk shop on politics. The ruling party has not yet made much sense out of an economy thrown out of kilter for decades, at least not yet, but its leaders are now fated to be distracted by talking politics well before they are ready. Formalising their response through the mouth of Mr Akume, the administration deadpanned, with a telling hint of sarcasm: “President Tinubu as a southerner should be allowed to have a second term, meaning that those eyeing the Presidency from the North in 2027 should look beyond that year by waiting till 2031. If it is the will of God for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be President of Nigeria, even at the age of 90, he can get it. But he and other northerners eyeing the office now should look beyond 2027.” It was hard getting the former vice president to reconcile himself at over 76 years old to his loss in last year’s presidential election; asking him at 80 years in 2027 to wait another four years until 2031 would crush his spirit. He won’t have it. Last year, he gave the presidential contest his desperate all, money and extraneous legal justifications; in 2027 he will give it his apocalyptic worst, everything of virtue and decency be damned.

    Read Also: First Lady to Nigerians: dream big and love your country

    Indeed, as a sign that his zeal and fanaticism would not flag, Alhaji Atiku said through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, that it was inequitable for southerners to occupy, by 2027, the presidency for 17 years while the North had occupied the seat for only 11 years. Should President Bola Tinubu run for a second term and win, the South would occupy the office for 21 years to the North’s 11. Alhaji Atiku does not for once believe in rotational presidency when his ambition is at stake. That is why he has run for president without break since 2003. That he contradicts himself by arguing against regional unfairness in the number of times the North and the South have occupied the high office is also of little consideration to him. He deliberately, provocatively and arbitrarily limited his power analysis to the pre-1999 cut off point, instead of making a holistic argument about power sharing and rotation in Nigeria, starting from 1960. Had that regression analysis been done, it would have been obvious to even someone as adamantly entitled and irredentist as he is that the North had occupied the highest seat of government for a whopping 48 years or so, of course with not much to show for their exertions and fecundity.

    But perhaps the most curious of the PDP arguments, coming from both the opposition party’s spokesman and Alhaji Atiku’s media adviser, is their attempt to establish an implausible connection between the 2024 Ghanaian presidential poll and the forthcoming 2027 Nigerian presidential election. Conveniently ignored in the PDP analyses are three powerful reasons that make nonsense of any comparison. One is the fact that the opposition NDC candidate, John Mahama, won after having been president between 2012 and 2017, but was booted out of office after losing the 2016 poll due to economic downturn and hardship. Alhaji Atiku was never president. Two, President-elect Mahama is 66 years old, while by the next poll, Alhaji Atiku will be 80. And three is the fact that even before the votes were collated, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) conceded the election and congratulated the winner. Alhaji Atiku who claims to be a democrat par excellence never once conceded the six elections he lost. Extra proofs that the PDP extrapolations are misplaced relate to the 2024 Ghanaian poll turnout of 60.9 percent compared to Nigeria’s 26.72 percent in 2023 and 35.66 percent in 2019, and President Mahama’s nomination of a female running mate, Jane Nana Agyemang, a heresy the former vice president would never consider.

  • Rivers crisis: Akpabio knocks Fubara, PDP

    Rivers crisis: Akpabio knocks Fubara, PDP

    • Says gov can’t run state by ostracising Speaker, lawmakers

    • Explains why President made ex-Rivers gov FCT minister

    • Wike: I’m not bothered by criticism; Tinubu’s backing enough for me

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio yesterday faulted Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara on his handling of the political crisis in the state, which has pitted him against Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, the Speaker and the majority of the members of the State House of Assembly as well as many stakeholders of his own party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, said a wise governor or President must forge a close relationship with the legislature.

    The Senate President spoke as Special Guest of Honour at a Public Lecture and Book Launch held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to mark the FCT Minister’s 57th birthday.

    Wike himself said criticism from his political opponents meant nothing to him as “the support Mr President is giving to me is enough for me.”

    “I do not require anything. The moment I know that my Mr. President is happy, the moment I know that my family is happy, the moment I know that my friends and associates are happy, what is my own? I just go on,” he told the audience that spilled from the hall onto the popular Sani Abacha Road and adjoining streets in the Government Reservation Area.

    The lecture entitled Pragmatic Strides of a Visionary Leader and Contemporary Issues of Society, attracted thousands of Wike’s loyalists, friends and associates from different parts of the country and various walks of life.

    The event was organised by the NEW Associates, a new political movement coined from the initials of the minister’s names, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

    Akpabio, who recognised Martins Amaewhule at the event as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, reminded Fubara of the power of the legislative arm.

    Amaewhule leads the 27 state legislators loyal to Wike.

    Akpabio said he realised as governor between 2007 and 2015 that in a duel between the governor and the legislative arm, the governor could be hurt by the other side, hence he had to fashion out ways to work with the Speaker during his tenure.

    “For those of you who may not understand politics, we were taught that the parliament can turn a woman into a man and a man into a woman. As a governor, my greatest fear was my House of Assembly,” he said.

    Read Also; TARABA CHURCH CRISIS: Warring parties in fresh battle for control of headquarters

     “So because of that I never travelled anywhere without my Speaker. Any time I didn’t see him for a day, I would send somebody to his house to invite him to come and have a lunch with me, and I used ideas to look at his face to know whether he was happy with me or not.

    “The only place that can hurt a governor is the House of Assembly, and no court or democracy can stop that from happening. Any President that wants to survive like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must hold the Speaker and the Senate President very closely the way he is holding us.

    “Recently he conferred on us GCON, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger. Whether he loved it or not, he did it.”

    Akpabio wondered why, despite all the resources at the disposal of Fubara, he had not been able to woo some of the 27 lawmakers in the camp of Wike.

    He deplored what he called politics of betrayal and treachery, saying such trend was affecting sustainability in governance.

    His words: “I do not know what is happening in Rivers State, but I hope that the successor of Wike realises the fact that no matter how the bird flies, the legs are pointing to the ground.

    “Something must be wrong. Today is not for politics. Today is for Nyesom Wike.

    “But sometimes I wonder, I would never be the governor, given the resources of Rivers State, and then I disagree with my House of Assembly and I am not able to poach at least one member out of the other group.

    “If I do not do that, it means that there is something wrong with my political philosophy.

    “I do not care what people say. We must try to stop this politics of betrayal and politics of treachery, because it does not allow for good succession.

    “Prof Julius Ihonvbere (Guest Lecturer and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives) in everything you said here, the word that was missing was ‘sustainability’.

    “You cannot have sustainability in good policies and governance when the person taking over from you is interested in not destroying you alone but destroying everything that you built.

    “If you are a politician, note, you must have opposition as people oppose you, they are also the step you can use to go higher.”

    Akpabio, however, said when politicians served with dedication, passion, confidence and with open heart, God would lift them higher.

    Turning to Wike, he said he did not become the FCT Minister by chance but that the position came because of his hard work as governor of Rivers State.

    Continuing, he said: “I was discussing with one of my colleagues and I told him I do not know why a man will quarrel with Wike; if he shouts while we are sitting here, by the time I get to that door he has forgotten.

    “He will be the one to carry his phone and call me and say ‘when are you coming to the house for lunch?’ And he has forgotten that we quarreled and I will tell him, after the quarrel?”

     Akpabio, whose remarks drew intermittent laughter from the audience, said the multitude of people at the occasion was a testimony to the quality of life that Wike lives.

    Citing the Minister’s performance in the FCT, the Senate President said Wike has transformed the federal capital by building roads in different parts of the city where such were never thought possible before.

    He added: “Born in tumultuous year of 1967 when the fabric of our nation was being tested in conflict, you emerged, not in the safety of calm waters but amidst the storm itself when Nigeria was just beginning the war.

    “The war entered inside you, the war of transformation, the war of infrastructural renaissance and the war of love for Rivers State.

    “If the Rivers people do not appreciate you, please begin to love Akwa-lbom State. We appreciate you. Niger Delta appreciates you and South-South appreciates you.

    “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, appreciates your work. The Government of APC appreciates you.”

    He then mocked the PDP, saying only a progressive party like the APC would honour the likes of Wike.

    “The truth is that in PDP, you do not deserve a man like Wike. That is why we are all waiting to grab him so you people can continue with those who would continue to betray,” he said.

    Turning to Wike, he said: “You might have chosen to arrive at a calm period but instead you came forth when Nigeria was at war.

    “It is perhaps this very fortitude that has shaped your character and had allowed you rise like an eagle, soaring high above the tempest that could defeat you.

    “Your dedication to lifting communities as a governor, now as a minister, has left indelible marks on our nation’s history. 

    “The bridges you have constructed stand as testament to your commitment to progress and unity.

    I recognised the fire within you long before when you became local government chairman of Obio-Akpor. You are indeed a great secret waiting to be unveiled; waiting for the nation to behold.

    “Your contributions to the political landscape of Nigeria, especially during your days as governor, shine like a beacon of hope. Many will now say that you have done better now as minister that when you were a governor.

    “As a leader of uncompromising integrity, speaking truth in every facet of life, even to higher authority, circumstances will not allow me to say all I would want to say. But one of them is ‘agreement is agreement’. 

    “You remind us that politics is not only about policies procedures but also about the people, about laughter, about comradeship, about remembering your friends but not forgetting your enemies and the shared joy of community and communal living.

    “May this birthday, my brother, bring you as much joy as you have bestowed on many others and may you embrace even more adventures in service to our beloved country.”

    I am not bothered about criticism, says Wike

    Wike appreciated the NEW Associates and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Senator George Sekibo, for putting the event together, saying he was not bothered about criticism from a few people.

    “For me, in life, what is important is, if you know what you want to do, and you know how you want to do it, then you go ahead. One thing that I can assure all of you here is that we will continue to make you proud.

    “I will never be distracted. I will still be focused to achieve the results that Nigerians will know that Mr. President means well.

    “Yes, so many people have talked about criticism. I can assure you, it is even people who inform me that people are criticising me.

    “Frankly speaking, because I do not see them and I don’t hear them and I cannot reply them.

    “I have told most of you, do not bother about criticism. What is important for you is to ask yourself if you are focused or you are doing what is expected of you to do.

    “I tell them, the moment your enemies see that you do not listen to them and you are focused and are there to achieve results, they will be tired. And when you are being distracted, you are worried they will say yes, they have now gotten you.

    “The only way that you can silence your critics is to show them your result. Show them your performance. I am happy that when we were coming last night, I saw the flyovers being painted, I said thank God, so there was work that they are now painting?

    “I said thank God there was work that is being painted now. I have said if you are not important, nobody will talk about you.

    “So, the support Mr. President is giving to me is enough for me. I do not require anything.

    “The moment I know that my Mr. President is happy, the moment I know that my family is happy, the moment I know that my friends and associates are happy, what is my own? I just go on.

    “If you cannot match up with what we have done, why not come out and say look, let the truth be told.

    “I do not see anybody that will intimidate or threaten me. I have not seen that person. At the appropriate time we will talk politics. Now is for projects and projects in the FCT.”

    We are standing by you, PDP tells Wike

    Speaking at the event, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of PDP, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, said despite the antics of some persons with entitlement mentality in the party, majority of the people in PDP love and appreciate the minister.

    He said such party members are with “one of the most committed and most loyal party leaders ever produced in PDP.”

    He said: “Our mentor and principal that we are celebrating today who has never left PDP for a day is one of the most committed, most loyal party leaders we have ever had. He has done well and he is doing well and we wish him well in future endeavors.

    “He is somebody who believes in equity, justice and fairness. Remember before the 2023 election, he sang a famous song.

    “I used to follow my leader and Osun State Governor Seyi Makinde. Our leader, I still remember the G5 and I am telling you that many people in PDP appreciate you.

    “We love you because you are always there for us not only when you need anything unlike some leaders who come running to us when they need something.

    “We know you and we always love you and we appreciate you. Some people believe in entitlement mentality. We will always stand by you because you led the G5. You are a man of integrity, a man of honour and you are a performer.”

    Arapaja, however, disagreed with some of the remarks made by Akpabio against PDP and wondered why the Senate President whom he described as a product of the PDP could attack his party of origin.

    He said: “I am surprised when someone who is a product of the PDP will come here and say those things. I do not understand.

    “Nobody can dispute the fact that the present Senate President was a governor of Akwa-lbom State under the PDP, and he performed.”

    In the lecture, Prof Ihonvbere said Nigeria’s main problems of insecurity, unemployment, poor infrastructure, corruption, religious and ethnic tensions as well as poor educational facilities were not beyond resolution.

    “Our problems can be solved. The Nigerian ruling class in fraction will be ashamed that it has not managed any of our problems successfully.

    “We have created millions and billions but their legacies are hardly sustained. It is not lack of resources but management. Fixing Nigeria is not rocket science. It requires focus and staying the cause.”

    The Chairman of the occasion and former President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), OCJ Okocha, described Wike as a superlative performer with a Midas touch.

    “This is a man that we have given to Nigeria and we are proud to be his friends and associates.

    “I want to thank us all for organising this public lecture in his honour. Knowing him, he would have opposed it, but I think the pressure on him was too much that his friends won the day and said let us honour you,” he said.

  • 2027: PDP in battle for survival

    2027: PDP in battle for survival

    Since it lost power at the centre in 2015, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been weakened by internal wrangling. Since the exit of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman in March last year, the party has not been able to elect a new chairman. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI captures the current challenges facing the party.

    The delay in resolving the internal problems plaguing the main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have weakened it. The party is falling apart daily as its members, particularly federal lawmakers, leave the fold almost weekly for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The latest to leave the party is former Delta State Governor James Ibori’s daughter, Mrs Erhriatake Obori-Suenu, who defected to the ruling party recently, citing divisions within the main opposition party. Her defection was announced on the floor of the Green Chambers of the National Assembly alongside those of four members of the Labour Party (LP) who also joined the ruling party. The spate of defections from the opposition parties to the ruling APC has increased as the battle for the 2027 general elections gradually gets underway.

    After losing three successive general elections and two off-cycle governorship elections this year, the consensus of observers is that the PDP, as it is presently constituted, is too divided and weak to challenge the ruling APC effectively. Stakeholders have called for the rebranding of the party by merging it with some opposition parties like the LP, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and some aggrieved members of the ruling APC to form a new political platform that can effectively challenge the APC during the next general election.

    One of the issues causing disaffection within the party is the continued occupation of the national chairmanship position by Umar Damagum who hails from the Northeast geo-political zone. Some stakeholders have been calling on the acting national chairman to step down to allow a member from the North Central to assume the position and complete the tenure of Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who was compelled to vacate the position in March last year after the party failed to win the last general election.

    Damagum’s posture as acting national chairman has not helped the PDP. The party is falling apart under his leadership because he has not taken proactive steps to address internal conflicts and unite members. The acting national chairman has been accused of being an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. For instance, the National Working Committee (NWC) has been accused of deliberately postponing the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to buy time.

    Read Also: How to sustain local carriers, by VP Shettima

    Convening the meeting, which has been postponed several times, has become necessary to resolve some of the party’s challenges, such as reconciliation and discipline and to chart a new path for the embattled opposition party. Based on the party’s rules, the meeting ought to be held regularly. Section 31 (4) of the PDP constitution, mandates the holding of the meeting, which is the party’s highest decision-making organ, every three months.

    The meeting, which comprises state governors, former presidents, former vice presidents, chairman and secretary of its Board of Trustees (BoT), principal officers of the National Assembly, all state chairmen, members of the NWC, former governors and founding members, was last held on April 18. At the meeting, which was the 98th in the series, it was agreed that a follow-up one would be held on August 15. Since then, it has been postponed three times. After failing to hold the meeting in August, it was shifted to October 24, later November 28 and now rescheduled for February next year.

    At the last NEC meeting, party leaders had approved the formation of a reconciliation and disciplinary committee, and the conduct of ward and state congresses. They had also instructed the North Central Caucus to hold consultations to replace the acting national chairman with a substantive one with a candidate from the zone. The rescheduled NEC meeting was to follow up on the above issues. Observers believe the Damagum-led NWC is determined to hold on to power for as long as possible, to destabilise the party’s preparations for the next general election.

    The recent BoT meeting paints a picture of a weak and divided party, particularly over  Damagum’s removal. In a communique issued after the emergency meeting in Abuja, members expressed disappointment over the continued shifting of the NEC meeting by the Damagum-led NWC. According to reports, the BoT meeting was convened to address the future of the acting national chairman and other pressing issues within the fold.

    However, the board members ended up almost pleading with members of the NWC to ensure the NEC meeting takes place by February next year as demanded by the party’s Governors’ Forum. BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara’s words: “The NWC must show leadership, honour its word and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025. Further postponements could worsen the challenges and have disastrous consequences for our party.”

    The former Senate president told reporters before the closed-door session that Damagum and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu were not at the secretariat for the meeting despite prior notice that it would be held that day. Besides, Wabara also disclosed that the party would continue its efforts to resolve the crisis by meeting with FCT minister, Wike in January, ahead of the new date fixed for the NEC meeting.

    Meanwhile, a source alleges that the Wike-led camp has hatched plans to deal with some vocal elements publicly criticizing the Damagum-led NWC, including suspending or expelling them from the party. The recent expulsion of the lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere was attributed to his criticism of Wike and the Damagum-led NWC.

    The challenges facing the PDP are many. For former Minister of Women Affairs and PDP BoT member, Inna Ciroma, the major problem of the PDP is the lack of internal democracy. She said the party has disappointed its members and Nigerians in general. Her words: “In the PDP today, we are not practising democracy as it should be practised. The party’s name suggests that it belongs to the people and is democratic. Besides, our slogan is ‘Power to the people’. But, as of now, power does not seem to belong to the people, as far as affairs within the party are concerned and PDP members are not happy.

    “We have national executives who are supposed to supervise the democratic process in the party. But, they are not doing it. So, everybody is concerned because it is affecting our politics nationally. In a democratic situation, you have a ruling party and you must have a strong opposition party to keep the government constantly on its toes.”

    Ciroma accused some PDP members of being manipulated by the ruling party. She said personal interest is the underlying factor fueling the current PDP crisis. She added: “Members in positions of authority do not care about the party and do not care about the country; they only care about their interest. We have a constitution to guide the conduct of our affairs. As the party’s conscience, the BoT is supposed to ensure that the constitution is adhered to strictly. But we are not adhering to the party’s constitution. The PDP has several forums: the governors’ forum, the former governors’ forum and the ministers’ forum. All these forums are supposed to support the NWC in doing the right thing. But, right now as we all know, there is serious disunity within the party; people are not united to make the right decision.” 

    Others say the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is not helping matters. He was the party’s presidential candidate in the last general election. Even after losing last year’s election, observers believe that Atiku, 78, is still interested in contesting for the party’s presidential ticket in the next general election in 2027.

    As former PDP Deputy National Chairman (Southwest), Chief Olabode George indicated recently, Atiku’s ambition to govern the country is another main challenge facing the party. As George highlighted, the inability to adhere to its traditional zoning arrangement is the major issue plaguing it. It has created challenges in selecting a new national chairman and maintaining unity within the party.

    The genesis of the current crisis rocking the main opposition party may not be unconnected with the abrogation of the power rotation arrangement that had subsisted between the northern and the southern parts of the country. The no-zoning verdict of the party before the 2023 presidential primary paved the way for the emergence of Atiku as the party’s flag bearer in the election. Going by the rotation or zoning, which had been in place since the return to civil rule in 1999, it was the turn of the South to produce the party’s presidential flag bearer ahead of the last general election.

    This was why the emergence of Atiku as the candidate divided the party and it went into the election as a divided house. The concept of zoning, which involves rotating key positions within the party among different regions, was meant to promote inclusivity and balance among the diverse regions within the party. Observers believe its loss in the last general election was self-inflicted because it refused to learn from the same mistake that led to the 2015 election defeat to the APC.

    One of the biggest criticisms against political parties in the country, including the PDP, is the lack of ideology or a coherent and compelling vision for the country. There is no difference between the ruling APC and other political parties like the PDP; this is why politicians elected on the platform of opposition parties easily jump ship to join the ruling party. This has made it difficult for opposition parties like the PDP to attract new supporters and mobilize existing ones. It remains to be seen how the PDP will navigate this crisis and whether it will be able to overcome the challenges currently facing it.

  • I joined APC because PDP wanted to kill my political aspirations – Ibori’s daughter

    I joined APC because PDP wanted to kill my political aspirations – Ibori’s daughter

    Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the representative for Ethiope Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, has described her defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the best decision for her political future.

    The daughter of former Governor James Ibori, Ibori-Suenu stated that the PDP had sought to undermine her political aspirations, leading to her departure. 

    She boldly declared that with her exit, the PDP should consider itself “dead” in the Ethiope Federal Constituency and across Delta State.

    She made these remarks during an empowerment program in Oghara, Ethiope West LGA, where she distributed various items to her constituents, including vehicles, motorcycles, sewing machines, and water pumps.

    She stated: “The wind and lightning that would destroy PDP is here. We will bury PDP in Ologbo River, the Bridge between Delta State and Edo State. I am already at home; APC is supreme. The people in PDP wanted to kill my political aspirations but thanked goodness that I have finally left.

    “l thank all of you for your support, God will continue to bless all of you, my leader, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, God will bless you, my leader, Hon. Halims Agoda, God will bless you, all my leaders, God bless you, God will bless all of you”.

    The immediate past Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege expressed joy that Ibori’s daughter had finally joined the APC, adding, “She is a political bulldozer and with her support and others APC would be able to take over Delta State come 2027 elections.”

  • 2027: Kwara PDP rejects zoning

    2027: Kwara PDP rejects zoning

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has declared that its 2027 governorship ticket will not be restricted to any specific senatorial district, opting instead for an open contest among aspirants from all zones.

    This position was made public on Sunday by the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, during a heated online discussion on a popular WhatsApp platform, Kwara Commission, where supporters and critics of the Kwara North 2027 agenda debated the issue. Adewara firmly stated that the opposition party would neither succumb to pressure nor be blackmailed into zoning its ticket to Kwara North.

    “The gubernatorial ticket of any party, including the PDP, is not the constitutional right of any senatorial district—whether North, South, or Central,” Adewara said. “It is the outcome of political strategies, where aspirants with strong connections and wide consultations emerge. Zoning is a gentleman’s agreement within parties, not a mandate dictated by law. I believe this is a fact well-known to all, especially legal practitioners.”

    The spokesperson explained that while the PDP honored the zoning arrangement in 2023 by fielding a candidate from Kwara North, the region failed to deliver adequate support for its own candidate. He argued that the Kwara North agenda had proven to be more of an elite-driven political scheme than a genuine grassroots movement.

    Read Also: Tension in Osun PDP as Reps member Oke criticises Adeleke’s leadership style

    “It is unfair to blame the PDP for listening to Kwara North’s demands in 2023 and implementing a zoning formula, only for the region to fail in rallying sufficient support for its candidate,” Adewara said. “The outcome exposed the agitation as a tool of political elites seeking to exploit zonal sentiments for personal gain. This is a lesson learned by the PDP and other political stakeholders.”

    Dismissing accusations from proponents of exclusive zoning to Kwara North, Adewara described their demands as “unfounded cries” by politicians unwilling to engage in open competition. He reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to prioritizing competence, electability, and merit over regional considerations.

    “We have reviewed the realities on the ground and concluded that the ‘Kwara North lokan’ narrative lacks substance. The party will focus on fielding candidates with the capacity to win elections and govern effectively, regardless of their zone,” he added.

    The PDP’s decision is expected to spark strong reactions, particularly from advocates of the Kwara North agenda, who have long called for equitable power rotation among the state’s three senatorial districts. While the 2023 elections marked a historic moment with the PDP zoning its governorship ticket to Kwara North, the eventual loss to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) underscored the challenges of translating zoning policies into electoral success.

    As the PDP positions itself for 2027, the rejection of zoning could reshape internal dynamics and influence the party’s strategy to regain power in Kwara State. However, the broader debate over zoning and fair representation remains a contentious issue that will continue to shape political discourse in the state.

  • Tension in Osun PDP as Reps member Oke criticises Adeleke’s leadership style

    Tension in Osun PDP as Reps member Oke criticises Adeleke’s leadership style

    • …accuses governor of neglecting the Ijesa people
    • …Oke’s claim is a misrepresentation of fact—Osun govt

    A crisis appears to be simmering within the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Oluwole Oke, a member of the House of Representatives for Ijesa North Federal Constituency, has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of neglecting the Ijesa people.

    Oke, who serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is a fifth-term lawmaker under the PDP, alleged that Adeleke has abandoned the Ijesa North region since his victory in the 2022 gubernatorial election.

    In a Facebook post titled “Ijesa North People Are Not Stupid” on Sunday evening, Oke outlined previous contributions to the region by past administrations. 

    He praised the efforts of Chief Bisi Akande of the Alliance for Democracy (now APC) for fixing roads, and Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s administration for establishing a university.

    He also highlighted federal projects approved during the presidencies of Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, including the Armed Forces Games Village and the Armed Forces Physical Education Institute in Esa Oke, as well as the Air Safety Training Institute in Ipetu Ijesa.

    Oke commended former Governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola for projects like the Bola Ige Mechatronics Institute in Esa Oke and strategic appointments of Ijesa natives to key roles.

    However, Oke criticized Governor Adeleke’s administration, claiming that its only visible impact in his constituency (comprising Obokun and Oriade local governments) was a 1.5-kilometer road in each area. 

    He accused the governor of neglecting the region in terms of development and appointments.

    He further warned of the electoral significance of Ipetu Ijesa, stating that its 54 villages with over 10,000 votes are critical to winning any election in the state.

    “No son or daughter of that community hold any prominent position in our Government yet some of our Members want me to keep quiet. 

    “For our upcoming young politicians who are playing eye service to HE Gov Ademola Adeleke, I pity you. Ijesa North people will speak and they will speak louder at the appropriate time. You don’t know them as much as I do. You all met me here.”

    He advised that Adeleke has more time to correct his style of governance as the party chairman, Sunday Bisi is from Ijesa land. 

    Read Also: PDP crisis: Disagreement lingers over plot to remove Damagum

    “I have won elections 5 times through the support of my people. It will be a course for me to keep quiet. I told my younger Brother IBK Ibukun Fadipe Chairman SUBEB some of these things nothing happened. Ditto COS and SSG Teslim Igbalaye nothing happened. I won’t keep quiet. We must get what belongs to us.”

    In response to Oke’s criticism, a statement jointly signed by three of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commissioners—Bayo Ogungbangbe (Cooperatives and Empowerment), Mayowa Adejorin (Environment), and Tola Faseru (Agriculture)—rejected the allegations as baseless.

    The commissioners described Oke’s claims as a misrepresentation of facts, stating, “It is disheartening and reprehensible to see a long-serving representative of our people spread misinformation that could potentially mislead our constituents.”

    The statement highlighted Adeleke’s achievements in Oke’s constituency, including the appointment of three commissioners and 15 other political appointees, an ongoing 1.5 km road project, the renovation of 13 primary health centers, and the construction of classrooms in more than eight schools across Oriade and Obokun local governments. 

    “All 22 wards in Ijesa North Federal Constituency have significantly benefited from the Ward-Based Cooperatives initiative launched by this administration.“

    “We urge Hon. Wole Oke to refrain from actions and statements that could potentially mislead our constituents and disrupt the unity of purpose needed for further progress.”