Politics

CONVENTION: PDP Governors, Elders Head For Showdown Over Oyinlola

Published

4 years ago

October 29, 2021

Olagunsoye Oyinlola

Hours to the commencement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention, party leaders and governors are worried over the breakdown of the plan to pick officers through consensus.

Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola has refused to step down for Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja in the race for deputy national chairman (South).

Oyinlola is being supported by some founding fathers of the party while Arapaja, the National Vice-Chairman (Southwest), is the candidate of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

He is supported by other governors.

Because of this situation, governors on the platform of the party met last night.

At the session, it was learnt that the governors also considered options before the party after today’s Court of Appeal judgment.

Also, PDP governors — Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) —visited Ondo to woo the leader of the Zenith Labour Pary (ZLP), former Ondo State Governor Olusgun Mimiko.

In Benin yesterday, the Edo State judiciary said there was no court order barring the PDP Vice Chairman (Southsouth) Dan Orbih and 10 others from participating at the convention.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said plans to have a hitch-free convention and build consensus have failed.

The source said: “Apart from the case before the Court of Appeal, the governors met to think of alternatives if the appellate court gives an unfavourable judgment.

“The governors also considered contingecies in case the court asks PDP to go ahead with its convention.

“But more importantly, the governors were worried that they have not arrived at the consensus candidate for office of the Deputy National Chairman (South).

“This post is an issue that can cause confusion at the Convention. Our consensus has failed on this. Some governors, who hitherto supported Oyinlola, have backed out to support Governor Makinde’s favourite.

“The same Makinde, who persuaded Oyinlola to vie for the office, dumped him for Arapaja.

“But some founding fathers of PDP, ex-governors, former national chairmanship aspirants and some leaders of the party are insisting on Oyinlola.

“Oyinlola has insisted on contesting for the position. He was quoted as saying:” Even if I will vote for myself, I will contest.

“There are fears that the founding fathers may raise some dust at the convention. Those behind Oyinlola are heavyweights in the party. They have drawn the battle line against the governors. That is why they are opposed to consensus option.”

The NATION learnt that the governors were working on contingecies in case the party will go ahead with the convention.

“The court case has really affected plans for our convention. We need to have some contingecies in place.

“ We are preparing for the ruling of the Court of Appeal. Either way, the governors felt the party must be prepared, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party said.

(NATION)

Related Topics:Convention Elders Governors Oyinlola PDP

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Politics

Tinubu Sends Ex-INEC Chair, Former Oyo First Lady, 30 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees To Senate

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, just days after submitting an initial batch of three names.

In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President urged the upper chamber to consider and swiftly confirm 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.

The list includes four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.

Prominent names on the non-career list include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia State; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta); former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Others are former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau State Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; and former Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC, Yakubu K. Musa.

Also nominated are former Plateau senator, Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State.

Additional nominees include former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa senator, Grace Bent; former Abia governor, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State; and former envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).

The career ambassadorial nominees are Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi), and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).

Others include Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

The new nominees are expected to be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic diplomatic relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Their specific postings will be determined after Senate confirmation.

Recall that President Tinubu, last week, forwarded three ambassadorial nominees, Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France.

President Tinubu said additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.

Politics

Soludo Visits Tinubu, Goes Into Closed Door Session With President

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Thursday, paid a courtesy visit to the President, Bola Tinubu, GCFR at the State House.

Report by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Soludo, Mr Chris Aburime stated that President Tinubu received the Anambra State Governor with excitement, describing him as his long standing friend of over 22 years.

Aburime said, “The President used the occasion to further congratulate Governor Soludo on his landslide victory in the just concluded Anambra gubernatorial election.

“Recall that President Tinubu had earlier issued a congratulatory message to Governor Soludo immediately the governorship election was concluded.”

Governor Soludo was declared winner with 73% of the votes cast by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Other details of the meeting were, however, not disclosed as the press Secretary told DAILY POST that both men went into a closed door meeting after the reception.

Politics

2027: I Will Resign If Tinubu Loses In Edo – Governor Okpebholo

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholor has vowed that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election in Edo State.

Okpebholor in an interview captured in a viral video vowed to resign if the outcome of the 2027 election does not favour the president in Edo State.

According to him, the entire people in Edo State are ready to vote for the president, citing projects that his (Okpebholor) administration executed since the All Progressives Congress, APC took over the state.

He claimed that there is no opposition in the state, stressing that everyone is supporting the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said, “There is no opposition here in Edo everybody is for Asiwaju in this state.

“Tinubu is more popular than me in Edo state. If he doesn’t win the presidential election in Edo in 2027, I will resign.”