Politics

Ondo: Three PDP Gov Aspirants Pick Forms As Consensus Attempt Fails

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2024

Editor

Three Ondo State governorship aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Monday, bought their Expression of Interest and Nomination forms in Abuja.

The PUNCH gathered that an attempt by the party to arrive at a consensus governorship candidate among the nine aspirants failed.

The three aspirants, who bought the N5m Expression of Interest form and N35m Nomination form on Monday were Adeolu Akinwumi, Olusola Ebiseni, and Otunba Bamidele Akingboye.

The sale of forms began March 7 and will end on March 21. Aspirants have a March 25 deadline for the submission of completed forms.

Last week in Abuja, during a meeting with party stakeholders and aspirants for the Ondo State governorship election, the PDP National Working Committee discussed the possibility of consensus and zoning, urging everyone to continue the discussion.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Monday, a former National Vice Chairman of the South-West PDP, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, disclosed that the attempt to select a consensus candidate had failed.

He emphasised that all contenders for the Ondo State governorship position believed they possessed the necessary qualifications and skills.

According to him, securing the PDP ticket won’t be achieved through shortcuts, highlighting the competence of all candidates and emphasising that the decision rested with the delegates.

Olafeso explained, “I met with all aspirants from the Southern Senatorial District on Friday, despite our appeal to them for consensus and to reduce the number, nobody has substantially shown interest in consensus. And the constitution of the party stipulates that people should be allowed to compete in that direction.

“We thank the party for allowing us to come up with a candidate, so they will compete with themselves.

“The proposed consensus has failed to work because they all see themselves as competent and qualified. However, the delegates’ votes will determine who will get the PDP’s ticket.

“This will not divide the party. If the leadership is not divided. If the primary is free, fair, and credible whoever loses, and whoever wins, wins. For us the leaders we are very united.

“They will have to work very hard. No shortcuts today, let them compete for delegates’ votes and show that they can change our state from the state it is today due to the lacklustre performance of the APC government.

“If we work very hard it is not impossible to win. This election is November, and I think Nigerians have seen a lot of APC, but it depends on how coordinated and how hard-working we are.”

On his part, one of the aspirants, Akingboye, shortly after obtaining his forms in Abuja, on Monday, confirmed that the consensus advocated by the leadership of the party had failed.

“It was suggested by the leaders and elders of the party that since the party has decided to zone to the Southern Senatorial District, and nine of us have indicated interest in the same election, they suggested that we should go back home and discuss with each other and see if we can prune the number of aspirants.

“We have tried it but sincerely, I don’t think that it is going to work out because every one of us believes that he is the best person to do the job. The truth is that if you are not tested or trusted, I don’t think that Ondo State is ready to entrust the mantle to someone who will not be able to carry the load at this particular time. So, by implication, the consensus advocated by the leadership of the party has failed.”

The PDP has fixed April 15 for a congress where its governorship candidate will emerge ahead of the November 16, 2024 governorship election.

Politics

Enugu Gov Mbah Set to Dump PDP

Published

22 hours ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, next week.

National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman, South-East, of the APC, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda and Emma Eneukwu, respectively, broke the news in Abuja on Friday.

The APC national leadership revealed Mbah’s imminent defection to the ruling party while swearing in the newly inaugurated members of the Enugu State caretaker committee, led by former state chairman, Ben Nwoye, at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The governor is expected to announce his defection at an event schedule to hold in the state next week.

Chairman of the newly inaugurated caretaker committee, Nwoye, who confirmed the development, said the governor will join the ruling party alongside all his appointees.

There are speculations that Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, is also set to join APC.

Politics

Makinde Calls Out Umahi Over Coastal Highway Cost Analysis

Published

1 day ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has weighed in on the cost of the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project that was approved by President Bola Tinubu.

Makinde, who spoke at an event in a viral video on Friday, said there was no need for the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to be “dancing around the cost” of the project.

The governor was reacting to a heated exchange that unfolded live on television between Umahi and Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni on Tuesday.

Oseni had requested the minister to analyse the cost of the project, kilometre by kilometre.

The request didn’t sit well with Umahi, who declared himself “professor” of practice in engineering while elaborating that the costs of the road in kilometres are not the same and would be too complicated for the journalist to understand.

He said, “These are elementary questions. And it makes no sense (sic). A process is ongoing, payment has been made, and you are saying, ‘how has this money been utilised?. The money is meant for the project, and it will be paid according to the work done.

“When a certificate is generated, and it is approved through a process in the Ministry of Works, it will then be given to the funders, who will, in turn, check if the works were done. How can you be asking for cost of kilometre? The prices are different. The next kilometre is different from the next kilometre.

“Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I’m a professor in this field. You don’t understand anything. I understand engineering very well. You have no knowledge of what you ask. You have no knowledge of what you’re asking.”

Oseni, who also refused to back down, responded, “Minister, it’s alright, keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”

However, justifying the journalist’s question to the minister, Makinde said, “They asked a minister how much is the coastal road is, and then you (Umahi) are dancing around and going to say that no, the next kilometre is different from the next kilometres. Then what is the average cost?

“When we did the Oyo to Iseyin road then, it was about N9.99 billion, almost N10 billion. About 34 or 35 kilometres, average cost is about N238 million per kilometre.

“But when we did Iseyin to Ogbomoso, that was 76 kilometres, it was about N43 billion, average cost is about N500 million per kilometre. And we had two bridges, one over the Ogun river and then one at Ogbomoso end.”

The PUNCH reports that last year, the Federal Government announced the commencement of construction work on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which spans nine states and includes two spurs leading to the northern states.

Umahi made the announcement during the official handover of the first phase of the project, made up of 47.47 kilometers of dual carriageway, to Hitech Construction Company Limited, and which is to be constructed in concrete pavement.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media), Uchenna Orji.

According to him, the Minister who was in company with the Federal Ministry of Works’ Controller in charge of Lagos State, Mrs O. I. Kesha, emphasised the need for all contractors handling Federal Government’s road projects to deliver within a record time, noting that the government would not allow variation arising from delays or slow pace of work once mobilisation had been done.

Politics

2027: Oyo Gov, Makinde Speaks On Successor

Published

2 days ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said that the choice of who would succeed him in 2027 rests solely with the people of the state, not with political godfathers or entitlement claims.

Makinde said this on Thursday in Ibadan while flagging off the zonal stakeholders’ consultative forum and engagement meeting on the 2026 Budget.

According to the governor, the decision of who becomes the next governor of Oyo state rests on all eligible voters in the state.

“Oyo State has gone beyond the era of politics based on entitlement or propaganda.

“Rather, the people of the state are now more politically enlightened and they will only support leaders who present credible plans and demonstrate capacity for development,” he said.

Makinde, while reflecting on his own experience before coming into office in 2019, noted that leadership must be about accountability, not entitlement.

He recalled that many people doubted his capability when he first sought the governorship position, because he had not held any political office.

“In 2018, when I was consulting to become governor, there was no yardstick to measure me. I had never been a councillor or a local government chairman, but I asked the people to trust me and judge me by my actions,” he said.

The governor urged political leaders to focus on policies and projects that directly impact the lives of citizens rather than engaging in political theatrics.

He said his administration’s approach to challenges has been to present a clear roadmap for Oyo State’s development, “one that people can read, evaluate, and hold us accountable to.”

Makinde expressed optimism that the people of the state would continue to support leaders who prioritise progress, inclusivity, and the well-being of citizens over personal ambition.

Speaking at the 7th Stakeholders Consultative Forum, the governor said that his administration would continue to consult and engage with residents of the state on the making of the state’s annual budgets, with a view to knowing their aspirations and prioritising their needs.

He maintained that the stakeholders’ engagement was to enable his government to serve the residents of the state better through a bottom-up approach to development, noting that his administration began the tradition in 2019.

According to him, his government first separated the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning from the Ministry of Finance in order to ensure better management of the state’s resources and to avoid discrepancies.

He stated that the stakeholders’ engagement had resulted in better budget performances and economic development of the state.

Makinde reiterated that his government would continue to serve the interests of the people of the state by putting in place institutions that would ensure that the environment was safe and ready to attract investments.

He added that the state was growing rapidly and that this development had stopped rural-urban migration with the construction of Moniya-Iseyin Road, Iseyin-Ogbomoso Road, Oyo-Iseyin Road, among other infrastructural projects, which have opened rural communities.

Makinde is currently serving as governor for the second time.

The governor, whose term ends in 2027, had earlier this month advocated a single term of five or six years for elected political office holders across all levels of government in Nigeria, against the current double term of four years each.

He said a single term of five or six years is enough for any government to focus and serve the people and deliver on its mandate.

(NAN)