Politics

2023: PDP Delegates Raise Alarm Over Alleged Plot To Move Venue For Guber Primaries To Army Barracks

Published

4 years ago

April 26, 2022

Some delegates for the May 21, 2022 primary elections of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom State, have raised the alarm over alleged plot by the party to relocate the venue for the exercise from the usual Uyo Township Stadium to Army barracks Ibagwa in Abak council area of state.

The delegates described the move as unacceptable, a threat to democracy as well as a plot by the state government to disenfranchise perceived dissidents to their preferred aspirant.

Rising from a meeting held at Unique Gardens Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo on Tuesday, Mr. John Etefit, one of the statutory delegates, accused the state government of being desirous to impose its anointed aspirant on the party by forcing members to take the primaries to Ibagwa barracks.

He said, “After fruitless efforts to get most of us to support the aspiration of Pastor Umo Eno, hit a brick wall, subtle and open threats have been employed which we resisted and now the idea of taking the primaries to the barracks birthed.

“We were told by core supporters of the government preferred aspirant that their final joker is the barracks where only their supporters will be allowed access and others supporting other aspirants turned back and if they insist on getting in, then soldiers will be directed to unleash mayhem on them.”

Another statutory delegate, Mr Asuquo Ekanem, from Oruk Anam council area, lamented that democracy is fully under threat in the state alleging that “government is no longer appealing or lobbying us to accept their aspirant but asking us to wait and see if we will even have access to the venue, we were informed that we will hear our names mentioned but accreditation tags will be given to their men on ground and there is nothing we will do about it.”

Other delegates, who spoke with journalists at the end of the meeting, appealed to human rights groups, international community and other related bodies to turn their searchlight to Akwa Ibom state, “as the primaries may set the once peaceful state on fire and unprecedented carnage”.

Another delegate, Aniefiok Ekefre said, “Any venue outside the Uyo Township Stadium is not acceptable to us. It must be one man one vote at the primaries, let the popular and acceptable aspirant emerge. They told us that their preferred aspirant is the God’s choice for Akwa Ibom people, why arm-twisting the same people to embrace God’s choice? Akwa Ibom people are now wiser and ready to change the narratives, there will be no third term by surrogate and we are not leaving the party for opportunists.”

They further vowed to embark on mass protest and to petition the national secretariat of the party should the planned relocation of the governorship primaries to the barracks considered by the state chapter of the party hold.

However, the PDP state Publicity Secretary, Mr Borono Bassey, when contacted by our correspondent, said the matter is still in the realms of speculation.

“We are yet to decide on the venue for the primaries and so whatever you heard is purely speculation by outsiders at this moment. When the venue is released, we will communicate to members of the public,” Bassey said.

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Politics

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

Published

17 hours 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

2 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

2 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.”