Politics

APC’ll Lose Edo Gov Poll Like Kano Defeat – PDP

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

The Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday, told the All Progressives Congress to perish its thought of reclaiming Edo State in the upcoming September 21, 2024 governorship election.

The PDP was reacting to the vow by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and ex-Edo governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, that they were determined to reclaim Edo State, adding that the state belongs to the party.

While mocking Ganduje, the PDP said he and the APC were defeated in Kano State in the last governorship election, so would they be shamed in the upcoming Edo poll.

Ahead of the governorship election, the APC has fixed its primary to pick its governorship candidate for February 17.

The APC, through its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Mesoko, announced on Tuesday that the party had opted for direct primaries to produce its governorship candidate for the state.

Mesoko said, “After due consultations with Edo State APC stakeholders, the NWC has approved direct primaries as the mode of election to be used to produce the governorship candidate of the party for the state.”

The PDP, on its part, will pick its governorship candidate at a congress scheduled for February 22.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting late Monday night in Abuja, the APC National Chairman, Ganduje, said the party was ready to reclaim Edo State.

The APC was the ruling party in Edo State until 2020 when Governor Godwin Obaseki defected to the PDP and won his second-term election on the opposition party’s platform.

Ganduje, speaking on Monday in Abuja, said, “Edo is an APC state. Now we have to take Edo back. We have only one state from the South-South for the greatest party in Africa, it’s not acceptable. We were able to get only Cross River State. After crossing so many rivers, we succeeded in getting Cross River State. But Edo State, we must get it,” he said.

Ganduje declared that it would not be business as usual, adding that the APC was a progressive party with clear-cut objectives.

He stated, “We have to improve our internal democracy; we have to deepen and widen it. We need to understand the party and its manifesto; its rules and regulations. We need to understand its philosophy. We need to move towards having a party ideology so that we will not be an ordinary political association whereby everybody can come in just to win the election. You have to believe in the doctrine of the party, become a full member of the party.

“To widen it, we need to increase our followership. So internal democracy is very very important. We have to be transparent and at the same time, we have to also adopt a guided democracy where we can discuss issues so that we limit, if possible, the number of contests. Even though it’s not a crime if we have a large number, the party will get more revenue but that’s not the issue.”

On the number of APC Edo governorship aspirants, Ganduje said, “The issue is that if we can leave it through agreement, the better for us.

“Some know that at this material time, maybe because of the location; maybe because of some antecedents, they may not be the best candidate at the moment. That doesn’t mean they will never be a good candidate but through that consensus, we will be able to narrow down so that we have candidates.”

Also speaking, Oshiomhole alleged that the APC’s defeat in the 2020 governorship was caused by some party members.

He said, “We are particularly determined; as you can see, everybody here has a robust past and even present. We are determined to reclaim Edo State. I used the word reclaim because Edo is ours. We lost it due to several factors some of which were caused by some APC elements.

“Nobody needs to lecture Mr Chairman on this because even as a governor of Kano State you offered to lead the last campaign and even relocated. Almost all the Kano State executive council members relocated to Benin for days just to ensure that the last governorship election that we won it, but unfortunately not everybody believes in party participation to the extent that you did.

“On our part, we have tried to initiate dialogue among our aspirants. It is no secret, that at the time we had the dialogue, I think they (aspirants) were 27. I learned it has increased to 29 now. The process is ongoing, and the struggle continues. So we are looking forward to a healthy celebration.”

But reacting, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader,Timothy Osadolor, said Ganduje and Oshiomhole were living in the past.

The Edo State PDP chieftain said the APC and other political parties would come far behind in the poll.

He said, “The man, Comrade Aliyu Oshiomhole, is the man giving you the big and bogus talks. He should know that that era is long gone. That era was brought to an end by Oshiomhole himself and his dictatorial and godfatherism tendencies.

“The Edo people are a Republican set of people. They don’t bow to godfathers. They don’t take any nonsense from anybody who wants to serve as an overlord. The only overlord the Benin people recognise aside from God Almighty, I think is the Oba of Benin; every other person is equal before them.

“As such, if you need anything from them (Edo people), you must have the power of conviction and persuasion and not the power of coercion. The minute you start using coercion or intimidation, rest assured that the Edo man in every Edo man will rise and defeat you and that is what has happened to the APC.

“Ganduje and Oshiomhole are still living in the past. Edo is PDP, and PDP is Edo. As we speak today, 192 councillors in the last elections in the 192 wards were cleared by the PDP. The 18 local government councils of the 18 local governments in the Edo State were claimed by the PDP. It had never happened like that in the history of Edo State since 1999. So it shows an overwhelming confidence and capacity and belief in the PDP family by the Edo people.

“Let me remind Comrade Oshiomhole and his adventurous friend from Kano, Ganduje, and the APC that Edo is not Lagos.”

He queried how Ganduje who couldn’t win Kano for the APC, would win Edo for the party.

Osadolor added, “Edo people will vote for the PDP again and again because they are enjoying good governance today. Yes, the quality of roads, the quality of the health care facilities, and the primary health care facilities speak volumes. And the worldwide recognitions by world bodies speak volumes. And the governor in his frugal nature has made sure Edo is one of the most sustainable, most vibrant states economically in Nigeria today. So, all of these are things that are credited to PDP in Edo.”

Politics

PDP Loses Five Reps, APC Two In Fresh Defections

Published

20 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

A fresh wave of defections swept through the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers realigned across party lines in what appears to be early positioning for the 2027 general elections.

At the resumption of plenary after the Easter break, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, read out a series of defection letters, reflecting a growing fluidity within Nigeria’s political space.

He dismissed concerns that the trend signalled an attempt to edge the country toward a one-party system, insisting instead that it underscores democratic freedom.

“This is to show the country that no party is stiffled. People are leaving the majority party to the minority parties and the minority parties to the majority party. This is the beauty of democracy,” Kalu said.

One of the notable movements came from Lagos, where Thaddeus Attah, representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, dumped the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress.

In his letter, Attah attributed his decision to “the protracted crisis in the leadership of the LP,” which he said has hampered effective representation of his constituents in recent months.

The Peoples Democratic Party emerged as the biggest casualty of the latest round of defections, losing five members.

Among them, Abubakar Abdul from Niger State defected to the All Progressives Congress, while Yakubu Noma (Kebbi) joined the ADC and Ibrahim Mohammed (also from Kebbi) moved to the APC.

In Osun State, two lawmakers—Mudashiru Alani (Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa) and Adetunji Olusoji (Odo-Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe)—left the PDP for the Accord Party.

However, the APC also recorded losses. David Fuoh (Taraba) defected to the PDP, while Bashir Zubair (Kaduna) joined the ADC, highlighting the two-way nature of the shifting alliances.

Defections are not new in Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly as election cycles approach. With less than two years to the 2027 polls, lawmakers are increasingly recalibrating their positions in response to internal party disputes, electoral calculations, and evolving regional dynamics.

The current wave is partly driven by lingering leadership crises within parties—most notably in the PDP and LP—as both major and smaller parties intensify efforts to strengthen their ranks ahead of primaries.

For many legislators, party affiliation is often influenced by prospects for re-election, access to party structures, and alignment with influential political blocs at the state and national levels.

Since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in 2023, the APC has maintained a numerical advantage in the House, but opposition parties have continued to jostle for relevance through strategic defections and coalition-building.

The emergence of parties like the ADC as beneficiaries of defections suggests a gradual diversification of the political space beyond the traditional dominance of the APC and PDP.

Analysts say the trend may intensify in the coming months as parties finalise their internal structures and aspirants begin to test their popularity ahead of primaries.

For now, Tuesday’s developments reinforce a familiar pattern: in Nigeria’s legislature, party loyalty often remains fluid, especially when electoral stakes are high.

The House adjourned plenary to Wednesday in honour of Kano lawmaker Hassan Danjuma, who died on April 10, 2026, at the age of 66.

Politics

Delta North Youths Reject Okowa’s Senatorial Ambition

Published

3 days ago

April 19, 2026

Editor

A coalition of youths from the nine local government areas of Delta North has rejected the reported senatorial ambition of former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The position was made known at a press conference in Agbor, where the group’s spokesman, Benjamin Atagana Ofochi, accused Okowa of dominating the zone’s political space for decades.

The development comes days after political figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly urged the former governor to contest for the Delta North senatorial seat in 2027.

The youth group argued that Okowa should step aside to allow other aspirants to emerge, citing what it described as long-standing control of political offices in the state since 1991.

They also referenced allegations of financial misconduct currently being handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging him to focus on addressing those issues.

The coalition further raised concerns over what it described as an attempt to concentrate political power within one family, alleging that Okowa’s daughter is also seeking elective office.

According to the group, such developments could limit opportunities for broader participation in governance within the district.

The youths called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC leadership, and party delegates to ensure a transparent primary process for selecting candidates in Delta North.

They warned that they would mobilise against any perceived imposition of candidates, insisting on what they described as inclusive and competitive politics in the district.

Politics

VIDEO: I Will Beat Tinubu Flat In Free, Fair Election — Dino Melaye Boasts

Published

3 days ago

April 19, 2026

Editor

Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has stated that he would defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a free and fair election.

Melaye made the declaration during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On, where he criticised the current administration and expressed confidence in his chances if given a level playing field.

He argued that any presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would perform better than President Tinubu.

“Anybody among those interested in the presidency in ADC would do one million times better than Tinubu. They can never be a worse president than Tinubu. They can never be.”

Expressing confidence in his own chances, he stated, “Me? Dino Melaye. Let’s go. Let’s go on a free and fair election.”

Melaye further described the president as unpopular among Nigerians, adding, “Today, Bola Tinubu is the most unpopular politician in Nigeria.”

He insisted he would secure a decisive victory in an election against Tinubu if the process is credible.

The former lawmaker also called for an open electoral process, warning against any attempt to undermine democracy.

“Let him allow a free and fair contest. And if he doesn’t allow it, we will make him conduct our election because he doesn’t want election. He wants to be Kabiyesi. He wants to be Igwe. We will not allow that to happen in Nigeria. It will not happen.”

On political alliances in ADC, Melaye dismissed interest in joint ticket arrangements, emphasising his focus on unseating the current administration.

“My brother, I am not interested in any joint ticket or non-joint ticket. My own for now is that we must send Tinubu away.”

He added that he would support any candidate who emerges through ADC processes.