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National convention: What Buhari Rold APC Govs During Meeting At Ask Rock

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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, met behind closed doors with governors of the All Progressives Congress over the forthcoming National Convention of the party, slated for March 26.

A copy of his speech obtained by The PUNCH showed that the president told the governors 11 things during the meeting.

The president, who reiterated his stand on consensus candidates, directed that “all those who have bought forms indicating interest and have been dropped should have their money refunded without delay”.

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Here are some of the things he discussed with the governors:

– Your Excellencies, I would like to express my gratitude to you all for the work you have done and are doing and your continued partnership and fortified alliances with the Federal Government over the years.

– When we came together to form the All Progressives Congress, nearly eight years ago our goal was National Salvation, our resolve was unshakable, our motivation was patriotic and noble.

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READ ALSO: Electoral Act: Lawyer Gives Reason APC Convention May Be Nullified

– Consequently, by the Grace of God we were rewarded with victory in the 2015 General Elections in a free and fair election.

– Over the last seven years we have done our best to deliver good governance to the country. We have guaranteed national food security, we have provided modern infrastructure to kick-start economic growth and we have implemented the most comprehensive social welfare programmes in our history.

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– Along the way, our party has survived shocks and attempts to derail it. Our government has also had to endure the worst economic crisis with the free fall of oil prices from an average of $100 per barrel over 15 years of PDP government to an average of $30 – $50 until the recent energy crisis.

– We need to remind ourselves of these achievements and not be diverted by petty quarrels and unseemly jockeying for positions. It will be very sad and regrettable development if these manifest gains are frittered away as a result of internal dissent and rivalry. We must avoid narrow focus and inordinate personal ambitions at the expense of our party’s common good. We must stop frivolous and diversionary litigation when the Party’s reconciliation processes are available for settling disputes.

– We must restore sanity and purpose in the affairs of our party and lead ourselves to victory and safety.

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– As I remarked when I met Your Excellencies in February 22nd, our aim must be to hand over to an APC Government at the Center and the great majority of states. We must not, by default allow the PDP to get its dirty hands on Government again and return us to the Stone Age.

READ ALSO: APC Convention: Purported Zoning Of Chairmanship Position Fake, Sheriff Insists

– As I said at that meeting, our Party chose its leadership by consensus. I again plead that we choose our next leadership by consensus. This is consistent with the spirit of democracy, the Party’s Constitution and the Nigerian Constitution.

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– I have already given my own input and other recommendations on the way forward in both my 25th February, 2022 meeting with the Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee and my 13th March, 2022 letter to the Chairman of the APC Governors Forum.

– With the convention only two days away I implore you to come together and sort out all the remaining party positions so that within the next 24 hours we can arrive at a Unity List which we can take to the convention.

– Finally, all those who have bought forms indicating interest and have been dropped should have their money refunded without delay.

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PUNCH.

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2027: Details Of PDP Leaders, Jonathan’s Meeting Emerge

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Details have emerged regarding the recent closed-door meeting between the Tanimu Turaki-led national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under its newly elected National Working Committee (NWC), and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Turaki said that the visit was to introduce the new party leadership to Jonathan following their election at the National Convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.

Turaki described the former president’s response as “reassuring and very encouraging,” noting that Jonathan expressed a deep sense of obligation to the party.

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We have solicited, as usual, for his support, for his guidance, for his advice, as always.

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“We have his assurance that he’s still a card-carrying member of the PDP; he’s still active, and will even be more active these days in the activities and affairs of the PDP.

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“He has assured us that PDP has done everything for him that can be done to an individual, and that he still feels that he remains obligated to PDP.

“His remarks and statements are not only reassuring, but indeed they are very encouraging as we begin to prepare for elections; off-season elections in Ekiti and Osun this year and 2027 general elections,” Turaki said.

READ ALSO:VIDEO: Jonathan Breaks Silence On Guinea-Bissau’s Military Takeover

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Turaki maintained that in spite of current internal crisis, the PDP remains the “most veritable platform” for winning elections in Nigeria.

We still remain the leading opposition party in this country, and this new leadership of PDP is taking this party back to the people, who are the owners.

“In doing so there’s going to be level playing ground that’s going to be inclusivity. There will be no longer impunity and we are not going to allow people to take what does not belong to them,” he said.

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Fubara: Mistakes Of 2023 Will Not Be Repeated In 2027 – Wike Vows

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Amid renewed conflict between him and Rivers State governor Sim Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that mistakes made in the 2023 elections will not be repeated in 2027.

Wike made the vow while speaking during a visit to Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas on Tuesday.

He emphasized the importance of acknowledging past errors and taking corrective action.

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READ ALSO:Joe Igbokwe Reacts As Wike, APC Secretary Lock Horns Over Fubara

He stated, “As for Rivers state, let me make it clear what’s important in life is that you make a mistake and come out to tell people, ‘I made a mistake, and therefore I want to correct the mistakes we made.

“The mistake we made in 2023 will not be repeated. Where we voted in the state is not where we will vote again in 2027.”

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Tho comes after the minister declared “total support” for President Bola Tinubu, even as tensions brew between him and leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

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We Are Not Traitors, PDP Is Dead – Bagos

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Former Federal House of Representatives member, Dachung Bagos, has explained that his recent defection, along with other politicians, is a result of the Peoples Democratic Party’s failures.

Bagos made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after announcing his move from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We are not jumping parties for political ambition. We are jumping parties because of the platform that wants to give our people a voice, and leadership that says, ‘You can trust us to be able to address this very issue,’’ he said.

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His statement comes amid the increased wave of defections from the PDP to both the APC and the African Democratic Congress.

READ ALSO:Resign As Minister, Face Your Obsession With Rivers – APC National Secretary Slams Wike

Bagos, who served as the representative for Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, Plateau State, from 2019 until November 2023, officially joined the APC on January 4, 2026, alongside other key figures loyal to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

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This move followed Governor Mutfwang’s own resignation from the PDP and subsequent defection to the APC, citing the opposition party’s ongoing internal crises and the need for clearer direction.

Rejecting suggestions that the defections were motivated by sycophancy, Bagos emphasized principle as the driving factor.

“We are not jumping parties because of sycophancy. We are jumping party because the PDP has failed at this particular moment, and it is irredeemable at this particular moment, so the platform that we see that goes with our own ideology is where we are today,” he said.

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READ ALSO:What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Bagos explained that his decision to join the APC was based on the party’s agenda, which he believes aligns with the aspirations of the people of Plateau State.

He underscored that governance goes beyond party lines. “Governance is beyond party lines. It is about those agendas on the table that you can make your people believe and understand that, look, this is the solution,” he said.

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He highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s focus on key governance issues such as state police and local government autonomy.

READ ALSO:PDP Reacts To Fubara’s Defection To APC

“Our governance has now keyed into the issue of state police,” he said, adding, “If he has re-emphasised the issue of local government autonomy and to ensure that every state has local government elections.”

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Bagos also spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for ordinary citizens and engaging young people in politics.

We want the son of nobody to be a local government chairman, we want the son of a to be this and that, and we want to see the youth that have never believed in politics to believe in politics,” he said.

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