Politics

2023: Why Oshiomhole Should Not Be Cleared For Primary – Edo APC Group

Published

4 years ago

May 21, 2022

Ahead of its primary elections—scheduled to hold from May 26 to May 30, 2022—some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State on Saturday warned the party against clearing its former chairman and presidential aspirant, Adams Oshiomhole, to participate in the exercise.

This is as they said the party risks losing grounds completely in Edo State whose governorship seat now lies with the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Stakeholders who held a protest outside the party’s secretariat in Abuja noted several pending legal cases and antecedents that the PDP could use to eventually disqualify Oshiomhole, should he emerge victorious in his dual bid for the presidency and the Senate.

In a statement read to journalists at Buhari House, the Coordinator of Concerned Afemai APC Members, Steven Asemah, said “We wish to draw the attention of our party to the serial controversies vis-a-vis legal burden hanging on Adams Alliu Oshiomhole, especially relating to his non-credibility to participate in the ongoing APC Nomination Exercise for the 2023 general election.

“In view of the precarious opposition status of APC in Edo state, wherein the ruling PDP under a draconic Governor Godwin Obaseki may lay ambush on the electoral prospects of APC if Adams Oshiomhole’s is considered for nomination, we, therefore, advise the APC Appeal Screening Committee to curtail avoidable technical losses of APC in Edo-North (which remains the only APC stronghold in Edo state).

“The Appeal Committee should review and stepdown Adams Oshiomhole from the ongoing 2022 APC nomination process.”

The statement was signed by CAAM Secretary, Ojo Evbouan, and is titled ‘The controversies of Oshiomhole’s credibility to contest APC primaries.’

Citing various cases, Asemah said: “Based on a subsisting indictment in May 14, 2020, by Justice Oyomire (retd.) Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report which indicted Adams Oshiomole on the gross breach of the Edo State Public Procurement Law in the N1.4bn Supply and Installations of medical Equipment by VAMED Engineering Nigeria Limited (January 4th 2015).

“And that on December 23, 2015 Contract Awards of N12.2bn to A&K Construction Ltd and another N2.5bn to Sageto Ltd for Constructions of a Teaching Hospital and Senate building respectively in the Edo University Iyamho, were also fraught with breaches of the State’s Procurement laws.

“The Constitutionality of the powers of state governors to institute administrative or judicial commissions of enquiry within their areas of jurisdiction is no longer contentious, because powers of state governments to legislate on matters is in the residual list of the 1999 Constitution. Furthermore, the Attorney-General of Edo state has powers to prosecute any person accused of committing state offences, such as the indictment of Adams Oshiomole.”

The group’s leader also said it is a dent in the credibility of Adams Oshiomhole if he has not disclosed his indictment in his 2022 APC Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms.

He noted that any such non-disclosure by Adams Oshiomhole will be contrary to article 7(iv) and 21.2(v) of the APC Constitution.

“The authenticity of Oshiomhole’s membership status after his suspension remains an unsettled fundamental issue. We recall that as of August 24, 2021 Justice D.Z. Senchi of an Abuja High Court sitting at Jabi, ruled that ‘Pursuant to the Motion on Notice, No. FCT/HC/M/8148/2020, dated and filed on 1/7/2020 discontinuing this suit at the instance of the Plaintiffs/Applicants and the Defendants/Respondents not opposing the application for discontinuance, the application is hereby granted and suit is dismissed.

“’Parties to bear their respective cost, if any.’ It was a suit filed by Comrade Mustapha Saliu, Oshawo Steven and four others over the purported suspension of the former APC National Chairman by his ward 10 APC executives, Etsako West L.G.A.

“An Abuja High Court had earlier asked Oshiomhole to Step Aside as National Chairman of the APC pending the determination of the substantive suit. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Lower Court, and Oshiomhole stepped aside,” the statement read.

On Oshiomhole’s alleged dual candidacy, the stakeholders said, “The validity of individuals picking dual nomination forms within the same nomination process of a political party is not a controversial political habit that is exposed to legal challenge anytime.

“Consequently, Oshiomole’s dual aspiration (for Presidency & Senate) within APC 2022 nomination process, is a disregard for internal democracy, APC constitution, INEC guidelines, Electoral Act 30,35,115d, 115k & 1999 Constitution.”

Politics

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

Published

14 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.”