Politics

24 Hours After Atiku’s Ekiti Rally, PDP Factions Trade Blames Over Division

Published

3 years ago

January 18, 2023

Barely twenty-four hours after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar held his presidential campaign rally in Ekiti State, factions in the local chapter of the party are trading blames on the success or otherwise of Tuesday’s rally.

The rally was boycotted by former Governor Ayo Fayose, seven out of nine National Assembly candidates, many House of Assembly candidates and other leaders who are aggrieved over the current situation in the party.

The division in the party came to the fore during a radio programme on Wednesday monitored by DAILY POST in which the PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Raphael Adeyanju and one of the media handlers of Fayose, Mr. Omotoso Okeya appeared as guests.

While Adeyanju claimed that the Atiku’s campaign rally in Ekiti “was a huge success,” Okeya, countered that the rally “was nothing to write home about as the division in the party which was responsible for its loss in the last governorship election was yet to be addressed.”

Faulting Adeyanju’s claim that the presidential campaign rally was a success, Okeya revealed that Fayose, seven National Assembly candidates and many House of Assembly candidates boycotted the rally because they were held in contempt by the party’s leadership who believed that “they were not important in the party.”

Okeya also disclosed that many party faithful especially those in Fayose’s camp shunned the rally because they were shortchanged by the national leadership of the party in arriving at the choice of the Presidential Campaign Committee (PCC) members and the way and manner funds were disbursed for the exercise.

The ex-governor’s loyalist added that admittance of Social Democratic Party (SDP) members into the PDP and giving them roles in the local PCC has been creating bad blood within the local chapter, having not shown remorse for working against the party in the last governorship election which contributed to a woeful third position at the poll.

But Adeyanju countered by holding Fayose and his loyalists responsible for the dismal performance of the PDP at the 2022 governorship poll accusing the former governor of “selling out the party to the opposition.”

The Ekiti PDP spokesman said the party had no choice but to make overtures to members who defected to SDP to return to their former party to make it stronger ahead of the forthcoming general elections and avert another poor performance if it goes into the election in its present state.

Adeyanju said the SDP members were accepted back into the party on the strength of the fact that the party came second in the governorship election noting that the return would strengthen the PDP for a strong showing in the forthcoming polls.

Okeya fired back by saying it would be foolhardy for anyone to believe that the SDP members would be working for the PDP when their party (SDP) has presidential, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates like PDP insisting that their interest would be in the flag bearers of their party.

He said: “There was nothing to celebrate about the (Atiku’s) rally of yesterday (Tuesday). Apart from former Governor Fayose, out of nine National Assembly candidates, only two were there while seven of them were conspicuously absent so it was not only Fayose that was not there.

“Absolute majority of the candidates were not there and that’s one thing you need to understand. I found it extremely difficult why some people are deceiving themselves, why some people are celebrating the presidential rally. Is presidential rally the ultimate?

“We could still recollect what happened during the last governorship election, the PDP lost woefully when we should have sat down. We should have ruminated over the likely causes of that poor performance. Then we can now ask ourselves have we addressed some of the reasons led us to that poor performance? The answer is no.

“The lingering crisis in the PDP has not been resolved, the PDP had not identified the problems that made the party to come a distant third at the last governorship election. Comparing yesterday’s rally with the one held in 2019, you will see that it was nothing to write home about.”

Adeyanju said: “I agree that we have factions in the party, we have identified the crisis and we are trying to solve it. Do you know that our votes were divided into two in the last governorship election in the state?

“The people who felt aggrieved by the management of our party broke away to the SDP and we thought that if we had allowed them remain in that SDP, there was no way any of our candidates can win the forthcoming elections.

“Those who are in APC are still in APC and the majority of our party members are in SDP. Are you telling me that the remaining people in PDP can still win elections for your candidates at the grassroots level? The fact is that we need those people (in SDP) to come back home so that we can recover the votes that we lost the other time.

“That is what we have just done that those who went to SDP, we need to call them together so that we can have a common front. Are you telling me that with the present state of PDP without SDP members, can we win the election? We need to bring them back and if we have done that, what wrong have we done?”

Politics

Wike Bloc Asks Court To Nullify PDP Convention

Published

13 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order nullifying the party’s convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16 by the faction aligned with the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

The suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/250/2025, has as plaintiffs the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

They are asking the court to declare the convention and all resolutions “null, void and of no effect.”

They want the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the convention.

The move follows earlier legal actions by aggrieved PDP members who argued that proceeding with the convention violated the party’s internal rules, the Electoral Act, and other statutory provisions.

Previous complainants include Imo PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, Abia PDP Chairman Amah Abraham Nnanna, and South-South PDP Secretary Turnah Alabh George.

On October 31, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained INEC from recognising the convention.

In a separate suit, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido successfully challenged his exclusion from purchasing a nomination form to contest for national chairman, with Justice Peter Lifu ordering that the convention should not proceed unless he was allowed to obtain the form.

In contrast, Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, issued an interim order permitting the PDP to hold the convention as scheduled.

Despite the conflicting rulings, the party went ahead with the Ibadan event under heavy security, during which Anyanwu, Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and eight others were expelled.

In the new suit dated November 21, the plaintiffs listed 18 defendants, including INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Commissioner of Police, the State Security Service, and several PDP officials.

They allege the convention was conducted “in flagrant disregard” of three subsisting Federal High Court orders and seek to prevent recognition of the new officers, restore access to party offices at Wadata Plaza and Legacy House, and compel security agencies to enforce the earlier judgments.

The plaintiffs also request judicial determination on whether any authority can lawfully recognise the Ibadan convention in light of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP constitution.

The suit has not yet been assigned to a judge, and no hearing date has been fixed.

Politics

Crack In Edo APC As Group Accuses Party Chieftain Of Acting Opposition’s Script

Published

1 day ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

All seems not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pro-APC group known as Sustainable Development and Progress accused a chieftain of the party, honourable
Luqman Mohammed of playing the script of the opposition parties to destabilise the APC in Edo North Senatorial District.

This, according to the group, is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.

A statement by the spokesman of the group, Peter Mohammed, the body accused Mohammed and “his cohorts of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the destabilization of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”

The cracks in the APC were sad to become obvious when Mohammed, who they claimed is an ally the immediate past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), allegedly led some leaders to suspend Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area (Edo North ) of the state.

This action, according to the group, worsed an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC, and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Mohammed.

The APC group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by the opposition leaders to destabilise the existing peace in the party.

The group alleged that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.

The group, while stating that Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” alleged that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”

Meanwhile, a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders
Etsako West Local Government Area, a resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members.

The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.

“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.

“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.

“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.

“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.

“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.

“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.

“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.

“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”

Reacting, Mohammed denied allegations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges.

The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.

While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel.

Mohammed said Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.

Politics

Oshiomhole Blasts Amaechi, Says He Built Railway To Niger Republic Instead Of Port Harcourt

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole on Monday criticised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of poor judgment and misplaced priorities during his tenure in office.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oshiomhole said: “Rotimi Amaechi is the most terrible. Look at the choice of language. A guy who shut down Rivers judiciary because he wanted to appoint his own personal favourite as chief judge of Rivers State. Once he couldn’t have his way, the Rivers State judiciary was shut down for almost two years.

“Look at the crisis in the railway system that he superintendent over for eight unbroken years. He was unable to get the priorities right, playing to the gallery.

“Now he rather constructed a rail, not to Kano, not to Port Harcourt, where he came from, but to Niger Republic.

“Which goods are we sending to Niger Republic? He was a minister. And if you were a minister under Buhari, you will be fair to him, life or death, that Buhari gave anyone he appointed free hand to do the job he assigned to you. That is what Buhari was.”