Politics

Crisis Brews In PDP Over Convention Panel

Published

3 years ago

May 11, 2022

Trouble is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party, over the composition of the Presidential Primary Election Committee.

Vanguard gathered that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has registered his displeasure with the Sen. Iyiochia Ayu-led National Working Committee, for allegedly denying Rivers State a slot in the panel.

A source familiar with the matter who confided in our correspondent, said, “ Wike is very angry and he has made this known. In fact, he confronted the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who stood in as guarantor for Ayu at the time he was elected.

“ He told Ortom, ‘You brought this man, see what he is doing? ‘

“It was a serious oversight but Wike does not see it that way. And you can’t ignore his concerns because, how do you explain the presence of Representatives from Sokoto, Kwara and other states where other presidential aspirants come from, how else can you explain the absence of a representative from Rivers State which bears the golden egg?

“As far as he is concerned, the party chairman who is a known ally of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, maybe playing a dangerous game. “

It was equally gathered that this, among other issues, was responsible for the delay in the commencement of the Caucus, BoT and 96 NEC meeting.

The series of meetings were scheduled to begin with a caucus meeting at 10am but were shifted by a few hours to enable for wider consultations and resolution of the seeming impasse.

Another party source said, “You are trying to make a storm out of a tea cup. There is no issue here, whatever list is prepared, we will meet and agree on it before it is ratified by NEC, it is a none issue.”

When the meeting reconvened at 8:15pm, the atmosphere was more relaxed as members filed into the NEC Hall.

In his opening remarks before it went into a closed session, National Chairman of the party, Sen. Iyiochia Ayu, commended party members for their support for the changes brought about by the new leadership of the party.

He admitted that his team has been “under pressure “ to ensure that things are done properly to enable the party take its rightful place in the scheme of things.

Ayu promised to continue to improve on existing physical structures of the party as well and create a conducive atmosphere for the party to return to power in 2023.

Also, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwual in his remarks said, “The mood of the party now is that we are all being mobilized for a successful National Convention. We as governors of the party will continue to work towards success of our programmes.”

In his remarks, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, said, the meeting was convened to enable the party take “critical decisions on issues affecting our party in our march towards rescuing our country. “

Those at the meeting include: Former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, former Senate Presidents, David Mark, Bukola Saraki, Pius Anyim and Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), UdomEmmanuel (Akwa Ibom) among others. The meeting was still on as at 9:45 pm.

Politics

2027: Drama As Two ‘ADA’ Emerge In INEC’s List Of 110 Party Registration Bids

Published

3 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

Two political associations seeking registration as political parties have submitted identical acronyms to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

According to Vanguard, the first is the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, being promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts and said to be one of the special purpose vehicles that the anti-Tinubu coalition is seeking to use as a platform in the 2027 general election.

While the Ricketts ADA is 109 on the INEC list, the other ADA, Advanced Democratic Alliance, is 110, the last one the list unveiled by the electoral umpire.

This second ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman as Protem Chairman and Zipporah Pius Miracles as Secretary.

The Ricketts ADA has its national headquarters at Ground Floor, UAC Complex, Plot 273 Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT.

Suleiman’s ADA has its national headquarters at 1 Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, no fewer than 110 political associations have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking registration as political parties.

Politics

Damagum Is PDP’s Problem – Ex-Benue Gov Suswam

Published

14 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, on Wednesday declared that the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, is the problem of the party.

Suswam, who insisted that Damagum is not a leader, said the party has been drifting downwards since he assumed the role of acting National Chairman.

Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former governor said, “There is no integrity in the leadership of PDP, I’m happy that Wike said it.

Politics

Confusion In PDP As NWC Counters Damagum, Rejects Anyanwu’s Reinstatement

Published

16 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed claims that the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025, has been postponed.

A statement signed by key members of the NWC on Wednesday also denied reports that Samuel Anyanwu has been reinstated as the party’s National Secretary.

The NWC said the statement comes in response to a press briefing earlier in the day by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

DAILY POST reports that Damagum had announced the postponement of the NEC meeting and said Anyanwu is to resume as National Secretary.

Rejecting Damagum’s declarations, the NWC said his pronouncements were contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which scheduled the next NEC session for June 30 and referred all matters concerning the National Secretary’s office to that meeting.

“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the Party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC),” the statement read.

Citing Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), the NWC emphasized that NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party after the National Convention and that its resolutions are binding on all members and organs of the party.

The NWC described the announcement regarding Anyanwu’s resumption as “misleading” and reaffirmed that the matter remains under the jurisdiction of the forthcoming NEC meeting.

The statement was jointly signed by Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, National Treasurer, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, among others.