Politics

Atiku, Ayu Under Fire For Shunning Ekiti PDP Campaign

Published

3 years ago

June 26, 2022

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and the party’s presidential candidate for the February 25, 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, have come under criticism by party members and chieftains for failing to go to Ekiti State to campaign for the party’s governorship candidate in the June 18 election.

The party stalwarts said their neglect of the candidate, Bisi Kolawole, contributed to the party’s loss at the poll as well as created a bad impression about the party and its candidate.

Kolawole, who polled 67,457 votes, came third, while Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party came second with 82,211 votes, and the winner, Biodun Oyebanji, of the All Progressives Congress scored 187,057 votes. Not less than 15 political parties partook in the exercise.

Ahead of the election, the party on June 9 constituted an 80-member National Campaign Council, but the council, like Ayu and Atiku, didn’t visit the state to campaign for the candidate.

But, conversely, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, led 14 APC governors to the state to campaign for Oyebanji. The party’s chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and its pioneer interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, were also present at the mega rally.

The PDP campaign council was to be chaired by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State was named as the deputy chairman, while Adedamola Adegbite was to serve as the Administrative Secretary. Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, and Samuel Anyanwu were among the members.

While expressing his dissatisfaction over the issue, a PDP chieftain in Osun State and immediate past deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Diran Odeyemi, said in a telephone interview with The PUNCH that Ayu and Atiku’s absence contributed significantly to the party’s loss in the election. He argued that the refusal to openly campaign for Kolawole before the poll created a negative perception for the party and its candidate.

He added, “Atiku, Ayu and PDP governors left the people of Ekiti, majority of whom supported PDP in the cold. They looked up to these personalities but they never showed up before or during the poll.

“The National Campaign Council constituted by Ayu was put in place just four days before the poll whereas Senator Bola Tinubu was in Ekiti with many APC governors, campaigning for Biodun Oyebanji.

“Now that the chances of PDP winning Ekiti have been thrown out by the Ayu-led national leadership, we need to remind Atiku, Ayu and other today’s leaders of the PDP that the fate of our party in 2023 election now rests on the outcome of Osun State governorship poll.”

However, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees from Oyo State, Dr Saka Balogun, blamed the party’s loss in the election mainly on leadership crisis in Ekiti State, noting however that if all the leaders had worked together, the result would have been different.

Balogun, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday, argued that the former National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, committed some blunders, as applicable to the state by relating with individuals instead of leaders, but that Ayu ratified the blunders.

He said, “In Ekiti State, the problem really has to do with leadership. With all the activities, dynamism, passion and courage which you can identify with former Governor Ayo Fayose, he appeared to be playing the role of a lodestar. Until we are able to resolve the leadership problem in Ekiti, I don’t think we are going anywhere.

“We are divided in Ekiti. How can PDP fail in Ekiti East Local Government Area, where Senator Biodun Olujimi comes from? We succeeded only in Efon Alaaye LGA (where Kolawole hails from). I think what happened was a collective tragedy for the PDP, including myself.”

Ogun leaders disagree

Meanwhile, party members in Ogun State expressed mixed reactions over Ayu and Atiku’s absence during the campaigns.

The youth leader of the party in the state, Sunkanmi Oyejide, said Ayu and Atiku’s presence would have boosted the morale of party members , but the party had other assignments.

He added, “The party raised a campaign council and the chairman can grace rallies in states, but that does not win elections; it is about reaching out to the grass roots. Also, the national chairman and Atiku cannot be everywhere. The party was busy with how to reconcile the aggrieved members after the convention. Atiku cannot neglect that. It is not about the national chairman not coming to the state. That election was not free and fair.”

A former member of state House of Assembly and party leader, Fasiu Bakene, disagreed that the absence of the two party leaders was responsible for the outcome of the election.

He added, “The party’s loss cannot be because they were not there. It was a one-day programme. Anybody who wanted to vote PDP must have developed that interest with or without the final rally. Their presence would have added colour to it but it would only ginger party members.”

‘Absence, a setback’

Meanwhile, the acting chairman of the party in Ekiti State, Lanre Omolase, said in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday that the failure to hold the mega rally and the absence of the party’s leadership was a setback to the party.

He added, “Definitely, not having a mega rally and the absence of the leaders (to campaign in the state) affected the performance of the party because that would have boosted our morale more.

“The national leaders asked us precisely on Tuesday of that (election) week but it was already booked by the APC. They asked for Wednesday, there was no way we could use one day to prepare for a mega rally, and Thursday, being the last day for campaigns, was already booked by the SDP. There was no way the police commissioner could give two political parties approval for political rallies on the same day. It affected us and there was no sufficient time to prepare.

“Above all, we have put all those ones behind us and we have started moving on with the party because we know we still have crucial elections – presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly – coming up. We won’t leave anything to chance.”

Also, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Raphael Adeyanju, who corroborated the chairman’s account, added that there was no way the national leadership, the presidential candidate and the governors would have come since the rally didn’t hold.”

Speaking on the likely effect of not holding the rally, Adeyanju admitted that it could send a wrong signal that the party was not on ground and even affect the result because the majority of voters like to vote for parties they believe could win.

He added, “When voters see crowds, which would naturally have happened at the mega rally, it can sway them. The electorate believe that such a rally would show the strength or weakness of the party and they get on the bandwagon, believing that rallies that have crowds would win. So, it can be a factor for our loss.”

Corroborating him, a PDP member, Omotoso Okeya, said, “I can rightly adduce that (absence) as one of the reasons for the poor performance of the party because many party members actually expected that they would come. Parties like the APC and SDP had their mega rallies in which their leaders came to campaign for their candidates. That the PDP did not have such, no doubt, contributed to the poor performance of the party.

The Ekiti party leaders said Kolawole was duly elected as the party’s candidate, adding that insinuations that he was imposed by Fayose were false.

S/West leader speaks

The General Secretary of the party in the South-West, Rahman Owokoniran, said the party lost the election due to some internal crisis, noting that Atiku, Ayu and other leaders were absent because the party managers in the state did not plan the campaign properly.

He stressed that the party had begun reconciliation and consolidation processes that would ensure the party’s victory in the July 16 governorship election in Osun State.

He added, “There was some crisis within the party. As you can see, the campaign wasn’t as successful as it should have been. You also notice that (Segun) Oni’s movement to the SDP was the aftermath of the crisis within the party. That informed most of the challenges the party faced during that particular election and that was what brought us to the finishing line. So, we have to go back and reorder our steps and bring everybody together.”

Speaking to Atiku and Ayu’s absence, he stated, “It has nothing to do with Atiku and Ayu, it was the party’s managers in Ekiti that created a problem in the state. Atiku had won the primary then, so if the managers wanted Atiku, he would not be the one to organise the campaign, he would only be part of the process as a stakeholder, but the managers in Ekiti let themselves and the party down. That was what led to the failure of the party in Ekiti.”

‘We lacked funds’

Meanwhile, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, said the campaign council constituted for the election could not go to Ekiti due to paucity of funds.

He told one of our correspondents in an interview, “It is quite true that the party constituted a campaign council that will go for the Ekiti election. However, there were no funds at the time that would take care of them; therefore, they were unable to go.”

On the preparations for the Osun governorship poll, he said, “The party is very prepared to go to Osun to support the party’s candidate, unlike in Ekiti.”

PUNCH

Politics

Reps Raise The Alarm Over Terrorists’ Threat To Bomb N’Assembly Complex

Published

1 day ago

October 28, 2025

Editor

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Garba Muhammad, on Tuesday disclosed that the National Assembly has received threats from terrorists to bomb the complex and called for urgent fortification of the edifice as a proactive measure.

Garba disclosed this in Abuja at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate, which seeks to enhance security management, protect the lawmakers, staff members and visitors to the nation’s parliament.

The edifice housing the Senate, the House of Representatives and sundry offices, he said, has been facing security challenges, including cases of car and motorcycle theft, vandalism, fake identity cards, and infiltration by unregistered visitors.

Recall that on May 4, 2021, a similar incident was rumoured when security alert warned lawmakers of a planned Boko Haram attack on the National Assembly complex and other VIP/government locations in Abuja. In response, security measures were intensified, including strict vehicle checks that caused significant congestion at the gates.

Lawmakers were advised to use the less-congested presidential gate for safer access. The alert underscored concerns over Boko Haram’s growing threat, with insurgents reportedly operating as close as Niger State, near the Federal Capital Territory.

Following the alert, the National Assembly limited members’ presence on the premises for safety, and security experts called for stronger federal protection of national infrastructure and assets.

Garba said, “We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly Complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly.

“Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who gain easy access to their offices without any formal appointment.

“It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, it will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly. If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all — and that will destabilise legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.

The Kano lawmaker noted that robust security management requires a holistic and coordinated approach, integrating multi-layered approaches to secure the National Assembly environment to enable lawmakers to discharge their duties in an atmosphere of peace.

“That is why this bill is important. It seeks to address all the challenges as aforesaid and adopt the world’s best practices of parliamentary security procedures and architecture.

“The need for effective security measures in the National Assembly cannot be overemphasised because parliament has to remain accessible to the public. However, this bill is committed to ensuring the best security architecture in the National Assembly — to protect legislators, staff, visitors, and property,” he said.

He urged State Houses of Assembly to take urgent steps to protect their complexes nationwide.

He called for support among stakeholders to ensure the quick passage of the bill, describing it as a major step toward securing Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

“I wish us a peaceful and fruitful hearing that will ultimately bring a turnaround in the National Assembly’s security architecture,” he said.

Politics

N’Assembly committee Approves New State For S’East

Published

3 days ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geo-political zone.

According to a statement by the media unit of the committee, the resolution was reached on Saturday at a two-day retreat in Lagos, where it reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country.

The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state for the region.

Kalu, who joined other lawmakers to champion additional state creation for the region, argued that a new state would give the people a sense of belonging.

When created, the South-East will be at par with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East zones, each having six states.

The South-East is the only geo-political zone with five states comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

The North-West comprises seven states: Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Jigawa.

According to the statement, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State) at the retreat.

“The motion received the unanimous support of committee members and was adopted,” the statement read in part

Similarly, the committee also established a sub-committee to consider the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geo-political zones, noting that a total of 278 proposals were submitted for review.

Speaking at the event, Jibrin urged members to rally support among their colleagues at the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolutions sail through during voting.

“We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process.

“By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders—from both chambers and the state Houses of Assembly,” the Deputy Senate President was quoted as saying.

Politics

PDP Unveils 13-member Screening Panel For National Convention

Published

4 days ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

According to a statement issued on October 25, 2025, by the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) and signed by its Chairman, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who is also the Governor of Adamawa State, the screening exercise will take place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

The committee will be chaired by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), a former Ondo State governorship candidate and respected legal luminary.

He will be assisted by Hon. Mohammed L.S. Diri (SAN) as Deputy Chairman, while Mr. Asue Ighodalo, Esq., will serve as Secretary. Jacob Otorkpa was named Deputy Secretary.

Other members of the committee include: Emmanuel Enoidem (SAN), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Chief Mrs. Aduke Maina, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Achike Udenwa, Haj. Maryam Inna Ciroma, HM. Felix Hassan Hyat, HM. Zainab Maina, and Chinedu Nwachukwu, who will also serve as Administrative Secretary.

The statement noted that the selection reflected the PDP’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and internal democracy in the build-up to its national convention.

“The NCOC notes and expects that the exemplary conduct and strict adherence to rules and regulations during this very crucial assignment will justify the confidence reposed by the Party in members of the Committee,” the statement read.

Fintiri assured party members that the screening process will be conducted with the highest standards of fairness and impartiality, underscoring the PDP’s resolve to strengthen its democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This exercise is crucial in ensuring that only credible, competent, and loyal members emerge to steer the affairs of our great party,” Fintiri stated.