Politics

DELTA 2023: Ijaw Group Challenges Delta Central, Says No Guber Zoning Since 1998

Published

4 years ago

January 30, 2022

…Urges Okowa To Call Party Chairman, Amori To Order

The Delta- Ijaw 2023 Governorship Advocacy Group, DIGAG, in Delta State, Sunday, challenged leaders of Delta Central Senatorial District in the state canvassing zoning of governorship by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying since 1998, the party had never zoned governorship in the state.

The group in a statement by the director general, Augustine Okporu, picked on the state PDP chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso and Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Chief Ighoyota Amori, who they accused of “constituting themselves as aspirants to the Delta state governorship primary election.”

Expressing lack of confidence in the two leaders, DIGAG urged the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to “urgently call Esiso and Amori to order before they destroy the party,” adding.

“The two of them are occupying executive positions in the party which requires them to be neutral in all processes of elections within the PDP.

“However, the Delta state PDP chairman and the deputy national organizing secretary have chosen to throw their caps in the rings by openly canvassing for the interest of a particular senatorial district, the Delta Central senatorial district.

“Before Chief Amori was elected as the deputy national organizing secretary, he was the chairman of the 2023 governorship lobby group by name, DC-23. Having being elected into the national office of this our great party, we thought that he would resign from his lobby group since they are canvassing for support for his Delta Central senatorial district.

“To our utter dismay, Chief Amori is still seen leading his Urhobo people to negotiate for the unconstitutional zoning of the governorship office to his Delta Central senatorial district. He is now an unapologetic crusader of Urhobo people’s governorship ambition in a race that other senatorial districts/tribes are also scheming to contest.

“In a similar vein, Esiso who is the state chairman of the party has become the advocate of zoning of the governorship office to the Delta Central senatorial district. Esiso took such despotic adventure in flagrant violation of the known conventional practices in the state PDP.

“The party has been in power since 1999 till date. There was no time a state party chairman has openly canvassed for the zoning of the party’s office to a particular senatorial district. That is a sacrilegious act of impudence in breach of the oath of office and the ethical code of conduct in the party office.

“On the 21st of January, 2022, Kingsley Esiso, while at the Delta state PDP caucus meeting moved a motion to zone the governorship office to the Delta Central senatorial district as if he was an ordinary party faithful.

“His misguided motion would have torn the party in Delta state into shred if not the quick intervention of the governor of Delta state, Sen. Okowa.

“Considering the partisan interest of Esiso and Amori in the Delta state PDP governorship primary, we fear the fortune of our party in 2023. To save the party in the state from the likely precipice, we call on the National Working Committee to immediately suspend Chief Ighoyota Amori from performing the functions of his office. His dual offices within the party amount to conflict of interest.

“Similarly, we also call on Governor Okowa to prevail on the State Working Committee of the party to immediately suspend Esiso as he has veered from his neutral position to become an interested governorship aspirants.

“We have no problem whatsoever, if Esiso and Amori solicit for support for their Urhobo aspirants, but doing same with the toga of their offices is a serious violation of the party Constitution.

“If PDP must survive in Delta state in the next elections, then Esiso and Amori should be relieved of their offices. It is on record that the Delta state PDP has never zoned the governorship office to any senatorial districts since the inception of this democratic dispensation.

“The office is always thrown open for the interested aspirants to contest. If there had been senatorial district zoning arrangements in the party, why then has the Delta Central people always participated in all the party governorship primaries from 1998 to date?

“Chief Amori should tell the world why he canvassed for the support of Delta Central people in 2014 against the ambition of Delta North people if there had been senatorial district zoning in the state?

“Records in the archives have clearly shown that Chief Amori was one of the strongest anti-zoning crusaders of the governorship office in 2014. He clearly displayed his opposition to the zoning by canvassing for vote for his Urhobo brother, Olorogun David Edevbie who is from Central. Why that same man is now making a vault face?”, the group said.

(VANGUARD)

Politics

PDP Crisis: INEC Rejects Turaki-led NWC

Published

2 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

This was as contained in a letter dated December 22, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission stated that it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

According to INEC, its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

The electoral body further noted that it would be improper to recognise any factional officers while the matter remains before the courts.

Politics

Govt That Fails To Protect Its Citizens Has No Business Remaining In Office – Kwankwaso

Published

2 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has accused the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking the political will to tackle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Kwankwaso spoke on Tuesday in Kano while unveiling 2,000 operatives of the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Network.

He urged President Tinubu to “rise to the occasion and truly act as the Commander-in-Chief” in addressing banditry and other security challenges.

According to him, Nigeria’s military “remains one of the most gallant in the world,” having served in international peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Liberia, and other conflict zones.

However, he said the armed forces are not being adequately supported to perform optimally.

“Today, many innocent Nigerians are being killed, while the perpetrators walk freely as if nothing happened. The government must apologise to Nigerians for its laxity in the fight against insecurity,” he said.

Kwankwaso, who once served as Minister of Defence, added: “When I was Defence Minister, I knew the capability of the Nigerian military. They are courageous and professional but need clear direction, support, and political will to do the needful.”

He stressed that Nigeria’s armed forces had historically ranked among the best globally and urged the government to equip them properly to change the current security situation.

Kwankwaso also said that if elected president in 2027, he would recruit over one million additional military personnel to strengthen national security.

“Any government that fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens has failed woefully and has no business remaining in office,” he declared.

He further called on the Federal Government to integrate community-based security initiatives, like the Kano Neighbourhood Security Network, into the national security system to boost morale and improve intelligence-driven operations against criminals.

Politics

ADC Announces Temporary Closure Of Secretariat

Published

2 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC , says it has temporarily closed its National Secretariat as part of the end-of-year break.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said full operations are scheduled to resume in the New Year.

According to the statement, the secretariat will close on December 23, 2025, and reopen on January 5, 2026.

The party, however, said essential skeletal services will remain available throughout the period, while all other official activities at the National Secretariat will be suspended to allow staff and party officials observe the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“This is to inform the public that the African Democratic Congress National Secretariat will close for the year on 23rd December 2025 and will resume full operations on 5th January 2026.

“During this period, only skeletal services will be available, while all other official activities at the Secretariat will be temporarily suspended,” the statement said.

The party thanked its members, partners and supporters for their continued loyalty and cooperation throughout the year, noting that their support remains critical to the growth and stability of the party.

The ADC also said it is committed to its ideals and to democratic engagement as it prepares for activities in the coming year.