Politics

Controversy Surrounds Delay Of PDP Campaign Funding

Published

3 years ago

November 9, 2022

A report of inadequate funding for the Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council may be true if the words of a member of the party’s National Executive Committee are anything to go by.

The South-West PDP chieftain who spoke with The PUNCH anonymously said he’s not surprised that funding has come up for mention, saying the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, deserves blame “in all this.”

He said, “There have been complaints that Atiku is unwilling to release money for campaigns. But Atiku once boasted in the presence of some governors that he had billions of naira to prosecute his campaign. That is why some of them are just looking at him and are not ready to contribute to his campaign.

“Some governors are not sure of their chances and are reluctant to open the purse. This might change in the weeks ahead, though.”

While dismissing insinuations that Atiku is probably broke, he added that “the presidential candidate wants to start releasing money towards the end of the campaign.

“He is learning from the experience of 2019. He lost that election, but he is probably wiser now. What I can’t say is whether things will pan out differently this time. He has told those close to him that he will release money at the appropriate time.”

Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, also told The PUNCH that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has been up and doing, funding the campaign council in the state.

“I can’t speak of another governor, but Obaseki has been doing his best, funding the campaign in the state. Perhaps, there are other governors I don’t know of. Everything about the campaign in Edo is being funded by the state chapter,” he added.

As it were, the governors of Rivers, Oyo, Abia, Benue, and Enugu states—Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, respectively—are likely to channel their states’ resources to help one another given their determination to stay away from the Atiku/Okowa campaign council.

Recall that Governor Wike recently donated 25 buses to the Benue state PDP chapter for the 2023 election campaign.

Meanwhile, the PDP, on Tuesday, in a report described as untrue, that the chairman of its Presidential Campaign Council, Udom Emmanuel, was threatening to quit his role owing to inadequate funds.

Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, the party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, describing the report, said, “That is fake news. It is not correct, and it is a creation of some people. Governor Udom Emmanuel, has even refuted it.”

Addressing party supporters at the Nest of Champions Stadium, Uyo, Governor Udom Emmanuel also dismissed the story, saying there was no iota of truth in the claim that he was considering resigning his position as Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.

In a separate interview with this medium, the spokesperson of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organisation and Commissioner for Information in Delta State, Charles Aniagwu, said reports of a lack of sufficient money to run around are not true.

However, Ibrahim Tsauri, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee, NEC, said if indeed Udom complained about the paucity of funds, “There’s indeed a problem.”

He said, “If it is true that the chairman of the campaign council complained about a lack of money, then, there is indeed a problem. Campaigns involve a lot of money because those who travel to Nigeria to talk to Nigerians don’t go by road; they fly.

“Maybe Udom is saying the money is not enough and it is important to look inward.”
PUNCH

Politics

Worst Of PDP Defections Yet To Come – Saraki Warns

Published

6 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Reconciliation Committee, and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has warned that more defections from the party may still occur, even as efforts continue to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Saraki made this known during an interview on Arise TV on Friday.

He said: “PDP would likely see one or two more defections, and we should prepare ourselves for that; there is a possibility.

“We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP. We would probably see maybe one or two governors who will defect, and we might see some senators who will defect.”

He, however, described the timing of the crisis as an advantage, arguing that it gives the PDP time to recover and rebuild before the election cycle begins in full swing.

“For some of us, this happening early in PDP is an advantage. We are lucky that this is not happening, let’s say, late 2026; we would not even have had time to recover and regroup,” he said.

“We have just under two years to the election, and we are lucky to have that. I think, with a lot of commitment and understanding, it is not a lost cause.

“A party with over 26 years of history that has been around, the largest party, we will definitely have low times like this.”

Despite the turbulence at the national level, Saraki said the PDP remains strong at the grassroots and across state structures.

He said: “When you go round the country, the state chapters, the local government chapters, the party is still very strong in the grassroots. In some areas in the country, they are not even aware of what is happening at our level, in Abuja.

“The reactions we are seeing at the grassroots give us a lot of encouragement. But what we need to do is to get to the bottom and start to build.”

He added that the party is already laying the groundwork for the 2027 elections but warned that the stakes go beyond just party survival.

“This is not just about resolving today’s issues. It’s about building for the future. The next convention must not be business as usual. We must bring in new, younger faces who represent the future of this party.

“If PDP fails, Nigeria edges closer to a one-party state. And that would be a disaster for democracy.”

Politics

CSO, PDP Bicker Over Fagbemi’s Stand On Osun LG Crisis

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

An Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the State Government to respect the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, regarding the leadership crisis rocking local government areas in the state.

The group said Fagbemi, being the number one law officer of the federation, his opinions on issues relating to law are not just official, but are also binding.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking with journalists at the monthly media briefing of the organisation held in Osogbo on Friday.

Oyedokun-Alli, who said accused the state government of disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, adding that the group has studied several legal positions on the Osun local government disputes and came to the conclusion that the government was swimming against the tide of clear court pronouncements.

“We are to point out, however, that the utter disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, by the Osun State Government is a matter of grave concern. Where we understand that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, is the number one Law Officer of the Federation, we must realise that his opinions are not just official, they are also binding.

“We have studied several legal positions on this matter, especially from highly revered silks who have dissected the pronouncements of the Court, and one thing remains obvious – the Osun State Government is swimming against the tide of clear Court pronouncements.

“The question that begs answers, however, is why the Osun State Government is so unwilling to work with Local Government Chairmen elected under a different political platform. Where we respect the principles of separation of powers, should we not be willing to work together even if the political parties are not the same? Has the APC-led Federal Government refused to work with the Adeleke Government because it is of the PDP?”, Oyedokun-Alli said.

Calling on the stakeholders to prevail on the Osun State Government to end the LG crisis, Oyedokun-Alli, however, urged the residents, regardless of party affiliation, to cohabitate in peace.

Responding to issues raised by the group, the spokesperson for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Oladele Bamiji, said TOM was a partisan organisation that has consistently supported the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Bamiji further said, “Their so-called ‘civil society’ posturing has long collapsed under the weight of its hypocrisy and shameless servitude to the dictates of APC in Osun and beyond, and it is sad they are dead to their dented image out there.

“TOM has again confirmed to the people of Osun that it is nothing but a busy body propaganda irritant of the APC, issuing monthly rankings, not out of civic concern but to earn its monthly stipend from its political sponsors.

“We find it laughable and frankly disturbing that any group claiming to possess civic literacy would hold binding the personal opinion of a political appointee like the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, over and above the ruling of a competent court of law.”
(PUNCH)

Politics

BREAKING: Confusion As APC Chair, Ganduje Resigns

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position, Saturday Vanguard has learned.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding his resignation remain unclear as of press time, a senior party official confirmed the development, stating simply, “Yes, it is true. He has resigned.”

Sources revealed that Ganduje’s personal belongings were earlier moved from his office at the APC national secretariat, further fueling speculation.

The development has thrown the party’s headquarters into confusion, with staff and visitors visibly shocked by the unexpected news.