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Anxiety In PDP Over Wike, APC Govs Meeting

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The decision of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to host some All Progressives Congress,APC, governors believed to be close associates of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has sparked fresh anxiety in the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP.

It was gathered that while leaders of the PDP are haggling over how best to handle Wike and his supporters, especially among governors elected on its platform, the move by APC governors took “only a few” of them by surprise.

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A member of the PDP National Executive Committee who pleaded anonymity so as not to “jeopardize fence-mending efforts,” said the party is bigger than every member.

He said: “PDP has been around since 1998. We have seen all kinds of members come and go.

“With due respect to everyone, membership of this party is by choice. We would like to have people on board, but we would be better off with those who believe in the cause of the party.

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READ ALSO: 2023: APC Fails To Upload Candidates For 25 NASS Seats

“I don’t think any sacrifice is too much for individual members to make for us to return to power in 2023.

“Yes, without doubt, Rivers State is one of our biggest strongholds and we have accorded and will continue to accord the state and its people the respect they deserve.

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“But no individual can hold the party to ransom. Politics is about interest and our interest as a party now is how to win the next election to rescue this country we all love so passionately from the precipice the APC has dragged us to.”

Another top-ranking member of the party who spoke in confidence said: “Thankfully, our National Chairman has returned and we expect our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to return after the Eid-el-Kabir festivities, I can guarantee you that we will meet and take appropriate steps to resolves all outstanding issues.

Asked if he was worried about the prospect of Wike and his allies jumping ship, the source replied, “of course, who won’t be worried? The 2023 election is just months away. We need all our committed members.

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A member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Maina Waziri, in an interview aired on Arise Television, on Friday, shed some light on some information available to party leaders on what some of Wike’s allies within the party’s fold were up to.

He pointedly accused one of Wike’s close associates, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose of anti-party activities.

Waziri said: “The first culprit for the failure of the PDP in Ekiti is Fayose, who worked for the APC. We know he is already with (Asiwaju) Bola Tinubu to work for the APC.”

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Speaking further he said: “I was in Turkey. I went to Turkey two Fridays ago for a long-

deserved holiday having gone through contentious preparations for the national convention.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: APC Govs In Closed-door Meeting With Wike

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“Five days after my arrival, we accidentally ran into one another with Governor (Nyesom) Wike, Gov. (Okozie) Ikpeazu and their entourage in the lift of the same hotel I was staying in.

“I was coming down, he was going up and it was a pleasant surprise. We exchanged banters and pleasantries with them and I jokingly told Governor Wike that ‘’God catch you, you’ve been avoiding me.’’ I said God has brought us together, let us use this opportunity to discuss and he agreed.

“Information at my disposal said Governor Makinde also came to Turkey to the same hotel and the three of them were locked in a meeting that went into the wee hours of the morning of Friday. We were not able to meet to discuss what will be newsworthy.”

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Also speaking about calls by some elements within the party who had started a subtle campaign for the ouster of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, Waziri dismissed such calls.

He argued that the PDP is a party built on processes and procedures, noting that the era of one individual orchestrating the removal of the party chairman was gone.

According to him, the fact that the party held its primary and the outcome didn’t go a certain way was not enough reason to remove the chairman.

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Maina said:”There is an understanding that should the President of the country of PDP extraction come from a region, the party chairman should come from another region.

“Have we got a President of PDP extraction? For us to go through the whole gamut of party leadership in the PDP, we are calling for another convention when we are five months to the election.’’

The PDP chieftain went down memory lane to trace Governor Wike’s role in the sack of two of the last three former chairmen.

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Waziri said; “With due respect to Governor Wike, why should he be in the vanguard of changing the national chairman all the time? I’m a dedicated and committed party man like him. I have been in this party since 1998.”

Last Friday, some governors elected on the platform of APC as well as close political associates of Tinubu, held a closed-door meeting with Wike at his private residence in Port Harcourt.

Speculations are rife that the visit was in connection with plans by the APC to win Wike over.

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READ ALSO: Tension In Delta Community As Vigilante Foils Herdsmen’s Attack

Wike and his supporters are aggrieved following what they claimed was the conspiracy which not only denied Wike the party’s presidential ticket, but also the opportunity to emerge as running mate to PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu led the APC delegation, which included Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, Governor Kayode Fayemi and Senator Olaka Nwogu among others.

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PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South

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The Peoples Democratic Party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the existing National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention.

Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja on Monday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

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Recall that during the 2023 elections, the PDP threw its presidential ticket open, leading to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.

However, some southern leaders, led by then Rivers State Governor and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, opposed him over what they saw as an unfair power-sharing arrangement for the South.

READ ALSO:Prove You Are Not Terrorist Organisations, Falana Challenges APC, PDP

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In the end, the PDP candidate lost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

After declaring the zoning arrangement, Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, Chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November 2025.

Ologunagba, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, National Assembly caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.

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The communique read in part, “NEC received and after extensive deliberation approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern Region of the country remain in the Northern Region.

READ ALSO:Anenih’s Son Dumps PDP, Gives Reason

That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern Region of the country remain in the Southern Region.

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“That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern Region of the country, the Presidential Candidate of the Party for the 2027 General Election is hereby zoned to the Southern Region.

“That the Regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its Region for implementation.

“NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various Organs and Chapters of the Party for further inputs.”

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Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilising the party, pending the National Convention.

READ ALSO:PDP Announces National Convention Zoning Committee Inauguration Date

He continued, “NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.

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“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent bye-elections especially in Kaduna and Taraba States as well as Zamfara State where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five Polling Units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency.

“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian One-Party State which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.

“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defense of the interest and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027.”

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Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman

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The Edo State Chairman
of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has explained why his party did not boycott the 2023 local government council election in the state despite intimidation and obvious efforts to compromise the exercise by the then government.

He said the party allowed its candidates to contest the local government election in order to gather momentum for the governorship election which was some months away as at then.

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Tenebe spoke on Monday when he received the chairmanship candidates of the APC in that election at the party secretariat, Benin City, where he assured them that their labour would not be in vain.

He commended them for their determination, confidence and belief in the party despite being in an opposition at that time contesting against an incumbent government led by former governor Godwin Obaseki.

READ ALSO: Why Peter Obi Must Get Security Clearance Before Coming To Edo — APC Chair, Tenebe

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Tenebe said “People never believed that APC should contest that election but I believed that we should enable us to gather momentum for the governorship election which was coming then.

“Consultations began with party leaders and we all later agreed that the party should contest that election which was keenly contested.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Godwin Obaseki wrote the results of that election.

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“You people did your best in the election and campaigned vigorously for senator Monday Okpebholo to win the governorship election in the state.

READ ALSO:Opposition Will Collapse In Edo Before 2027, Says Okpebholo

“You work hard to ensure APC win the governorship election as that is the only way your stolen mandate will be returned.

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“The party will stand with you and not allow your labour to be in vain. The party will not allow you to work alone as the party will work with you. The governor is very much aware of your support”.

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Enahoro Aikpokpo said they contested at a very difficult time to keep the party alive despite the intimidation and challenges they faced.

He called on the party to consider them and give them the right of first refusal as they are interested in the forthcoming local government election in the states.

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[BREAKING] Edo: APC Suspends Ex-senatorial Aspirant Of Party

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The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has suspended a chieftain of the party and a former senatorial aspirant, Hon. Valentine Asuen.

A statement signed by State Party Publicity Secretary, Barr. Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, and Made available to journalists on Monday, said Asuen was suspended from the party in “accordance with the provisions of the APC Constitution 2022, as amended.”

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The publicity secretary added that “this disciplinary action became necessary following his conduct, which runs contrary to the spirit of unity, loyalty, and collective progress enshrined in our constitution.”

According to Uwadiae-Igbinigie, “His actions have been deemed to amount to inciting division within the Party, thereby undermining the cohesion and discipline expected of every member.”

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In line with Article 21:2 (ii) & (v) of the Party Constitution 2022, as amended, such conduct constitutes a violation of the obligations of a member. Furthermore, as clearly stipulated in Article 21:5 (a), (c), (d), (e), (f) & (h), these infractions are punishable offences, warranting disciplinary measures including suspension.

“The APC remains committed to internal democracy, discipline, and the protection of its integrity. No act capable of destabilizing the Party or inciting disaffection amongst members will be condoned.

“Let it be clearly stated that all appointments made thus far by His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo, have been evenly distributed across the state, including Oredo Local Government Area, without any undue influence from the Party’s Secretary, Engr. Lawrence Okah,” the statement reads.

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