Politics

2023: Oshiomhole’s Loyalists, Serving Senate’s Aide Exchange Words Over Edo North Ticket

Published

4 years ago

March 2, 2022

The bid to unseat Francis Alimikhena, senator representing Edo North at the National Assembly took a twist Wednesday as loyalists of former Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, vowed to stop his (Alimikhena) third term bid.

The loyalists therefore urged the former Governor to contest for the Edo North Senatorial seat.

The group which met under the Platform of the South South Movement, Edo North chapter, told journalists that the incumbent National Assembly member has not met the aspiration of the people to deserve another shot at the senate.

Led by the former Executive Director, Ministry of Lands and Survey and Deputy Director of the group, Mustapher Buddy; and APC chieftain, Vitalis Eshokene, the group said that most of the projects executed by Alimikhena are merely ‘ceremonial’ in nature and not functional.

Eshokene, who spoke on behalf of the group said, “In my Etsako East Ward 9 and 10, the boreholes are ‘ceremonial’ because they cease to function after inauguration.

“He has boasted that the few individuals he has empowered would take him to the senate for the third term.

“We don’t have a problem with him giving Greek gifts to a few individuals in the name of empowerment. What we are saying is that he has failed to meet the collective interest of our people.

“He (Alimikhena) was a principal member of the Senate in his first term and there was no significant project he attracted to the area with this position. Look at what Prof Julius Ihonvbvere is doing in Owan federal Constituency with laudable people’s oriented projects.

“We are saying this because we hear he is telling people that he will be a principal member if he should be given another opportunity. For us, he has had his chances and failed to use it for the betterment of the district.

“To change this narrative is why we are routing and already mobilising for Oshiomhole to come replicate what he did as the governor in the area.

“People may want to say it is not the same thing being a governor and a senator, but experiences have shown that Oshiomhole sees the people as the center point of his policies.

“We are not just talking, we are already working the talk by mobilising fund both for the campaign and buying of the form for the former governor who has done a lot for not just people of Edo North senatorial district, but the entire State.

“We no longer want a sleeping senator , we want a working senator.”

However, aide to the Senator, Ben Atu, said those accusing the senator are political outsiders.

He said they were paid merchants and jobbers who have no idea of the development profile of the Senator in Edo North.

He said, “These people who are against the Senator are neither from Edo State nor from Edo North. It is only people from Edo North that can speak for the area.

“Those paid merchants from other states who are organising a press conference to abuse the Senator should come for a two-week development tour.

“The Senator is offering to personally take them for a tour. On the issue of boreholes that have stopped functioning, the fact that these critics admit that boreholes exist in the first place means that they are indeed ignorant of their claims.

“They are paid to criticise and they fail on their job by not doing proper research before criticising.”

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Politics

PDP Issues Certificate Of Expulsion To Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has issued certificate of expulsion from the party to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other 10 members earlier expelled from the party.

The party National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

The other members, according to him, include the embattled National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the Legal Adviser, Kamarudeen Ajibade, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

They also included Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah Nnanna, George Turna and Chief Dan Orbih, expelled during the party National convention in Lagos.

Turaki said that the original copies of the certificate had been dispatched to the owners through a courier service to serve as proof that they were expelled from the PDP.

“We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns on dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

“Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention, which is the highest decision-making organ of our party, has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion.

“So, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP.

“By that, those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party,” he said.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, and other government agencies, to take note.

“Very soon, members of the society will be informed via proper disclaimers that any person henceforth who decides to do business with them, any or all of them, does so at his or her own risk.

“They are no longer members of the PDP. They have been expelled,” he added.

He added that the NWC also reviewed some of the cases filed against the party and lawsuits instituted by the party, particularly the one that related to the “unlawful and illegal” closure of the party’s national Secretariat, the Legacy House, and the Wadata Plaza.

“The brief we received from our lawyers is that we are on sound ground, and that very soon, the law will take its course,” he said.

Turaki said the NWC was prepared to be saddled with the responsibility of performing its functions as the leading opposition party in Nigeria.

“We are going to provide a credible alternative to Nigerians. We are going to provide credible leadership to Nigerians by the special grace of God from 2027,” he said.

Politics

Adebayo Adedamola Wins Osun PDP Governorship Primary

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, popularly known as FRYO, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The primary election took place in Osogbo on Tuesday amid heavy security presence.

Announcing the result, chairman of the primary election committee, Humphrey Abba, stated that Adebayo secured 919 votes out of 957 accredited ballots, giving him a clear victory in the contest.

Explaining that there were 20 void votes following the withdrawal of one of the candidates, believed to be Governor Ademola Adeleke, Abba added, “The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and he stands elected and returned.”

DAILY POST reports that despite announcing his resignation from the party, Adeleke’s name appeared on the ballot paper for the PDP governorship primary.

Party officials said the exercise was conducted in accordance with established guidelines, with accredited delegates participating in the voting process.

Adeleke announced his resignation in a letter dated November 4, 2025, and addressed to the PDP leadership at his ward.

On Monday, Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, had announced that the governorship primary slated for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, has been postponed due to leadership crisis at the national level.

But a faction of the party went ahead with the exercise in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Politics

Gov Adeleke Resigns From PDP

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial primaries of the party.

Adeleke’s resignation letter, dated November 4, 2025, sighted by Tribune Online was addressed to the PDP ward chairman for Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, Ede, Osun State.

According to the letter, the governor’s resignation was based on “the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).”

According to the letter, titled: “Resignation of my membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’ read, “Due to the current crisis of the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my Membership of the People’s Democratic Party with immediate effect.

“I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party.”