Politics

PDP Crisis: Party Leadership, Wike In standoff — Source

Published

3 years ago

August 10, 2022

Editor

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not abate soon as indications emerged yesterday that the leadership of the party appears to be dilly-dallying with the request made by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, a situation that has led to a standoff between opposing camps in the party.

This came as PDP supporters from Delta State, under the aegis of Delta State Mandate Group, yesterday, drummed support for the Senator Iyiochia Ayu-led PDP National Working Committee, NWC.

Multiple sources, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, hinted that the dilly-dallying by the PDP leadership could be attributed to Wike’s recent outbursts.

Governor Wike had on Monday stated that he remained fully in charge of his state, warning that nobody can hold meetings against him in Abuja and be successful.

The governor also vowed that anybody who despised the political capability of the state would be visited with the same treatment.

Wike, however, chided perceived misguided Rivers politicians for twisting his assertions on Monday that the state is fully in his grips.

Party dilly-dallying with gov’s request

But in a chat with Vanguard, multiple sources said the decision by PDP leaders not to meet the demands of the governor might be responsible for his (Wike’s) invitation of All Progressives Congress, APC, governors and leaders into Rivers State.

Another source familiar with the workings of the party, warned that failure by the PDP leaders to meet Wike’s demands, might affect the fortunes of the party in 2023.

The source said: “The party is dilly-dallying over Wike’s request. He has given them his conditions to support Atiku. Before the reconciliation, some leaders of the party said Wike should be ignored and since he is sensing that the PDP wants to ignore him, he is also showing them that he is important by allowing the All Progressives Congress, APC, to make inroads into his territory.

“The party is now in a panic mode and expressing worry that if they ignore Wike, it will be to their detriment and may affect the fortunes of the party. That is why they want to make peace with him.

“Wike is also angry that the Atiku camp has shut him and his group out of the scheme of things because they have shared some of the positions among themselves.

“One of the conditions he gave is that Ayu must resign and that Atiku should prevail on him (Ayu) to step down but when they approached Ayu, he refused to resign and asked the Atiku camp to protect him.

“Ayu is insisting that if he must resign, other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, must resign and a restructuring of the party positions must take place.

“That calls for a new convention entirely but Ayu said there is no time for that and there is no way they can call for a new convention. He has vowed not to resign until after the election.

“The problem now is the party cannot deliver that message to Wike now because the meeting that was to be held to deliberate on Wike’s conditions was cancelled.

NWC members backing Ayu for survival

“Most of the NWC members decided to back the national chairman because it will also affect them and if they don’t meet his condition, Wike will not work with them.

“If Wike does not work with them, he will remain in PDP but work against the party and this will be too dangerous for the party.

“That is the true state of things now and there is crisis within the party. Unfortunately, Atiku’s camp will not remove Ayu because of their interest.”

Delta PDP backs Ayu, demand tough stance for anti-party activities

Meanwhile, PDP supporters, who stormed the party’s national secretariat in their numbers, yesterday, while expressing support for Ayu, also demanded punitive measures against another group which earlier demanded for Ayu’s ouster.

Spokesman of the group, Andaye Dagidi, said the mandate, in conjunction with over 15 other pro-PDP groups in Delta State, dissociated themselves from the activities of a group of persons claiming to be members of Concerned Deltans for Good Governance who were behind calls for Ayu’s sack.

A group of concerned Deltans had demanded Ayu’s sack over the decision of the NWC to deny David Edevie recognition as the party’s governorship candidate for Delta State.

Dagidi said: “Rising from a well-attended PDP stakeholders and support groups’ meeting in Delta State, the Mandate Group, MG, in conjunction with over 15 PDP support groups in the state at Ughelli on the 4th of August, 2022, critically appraised the case and effects of the ill-motivated and ill-conceived kangaroo shadow dissident group who wrongfully demanded the removal of the Sen Iyiochia Ayo-led National Working Committee of the PDP if they fail to comply with a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered in July 2022 by forwarding the name of David Edevbie to INEC.

“We, hereby, declare a vote of confidence on the national chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyiochia Ayu, and the National Working Committee, NWC, for, among other reasons, providing sound, impartial leadership to the party by conducting a peaceful, hitch-free PDP primaries at all levels across the country, especially that of Delta State gubernatorial primaries at Stephen Keshi Stadium.”

While declaring unflinching support for Ayu, NWC and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, the group called for disciplinary action against those involved in anti-party activities.

We’ll respond accordingly — PDP spokesman

In its response, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, who stood in for the national chairman, while addressing the protesters, said: “I have listened to you and I can see that Delta is united for PDP and that is very important for us, because we understand that the rescue mission led by our chairman and that this is coming from the heart of PDP, Delta State.

“Since 1999, Delta State has been solidly PDP and we believe that from this presentation that Delta State is solidly PDP.

“To that extent, we have taken note of what you have said, your concerns and consistent with the position of this NWC, we shall look at it and respond accordingly.

“I must thank you for the confidence you have expressed, the support for Dr Iyorchia Ayu-led NWC, consistent with his mission to continue to be fair to all members of the party and all the decisions have been in accordance with the constitution.

“We are a law-abiding party. We respect court order and we act on them and we want to reiterate that this party will remain so, running according to its constitution.

“However, the issue should be what do Nigerian people need? We want to be able to reject the APC, the sadness they have brought to this country.

“The only way we can do that is to be united and you have demonstrated that, that we are united, from the heart of the PDP which is Delta State. We urge you to continue to be united so that next year, we can celebrate the victory of PDP.”

Politicians twisted ‘I’m fully in charge of Rivers votes’ declaration — Wike

Meanwhile, Governor Wike, yesterday, accused perceived misguided Rivers politicians of twisting his assertion, on Monday, that the state is fully in his grips.

He, however, boasted that his widely acknowledged outstanding stewardship in office is a reflection of his personal capacity and passion to deliver enduring development to Rivers State people and nothing to do with the PDP.

Wike, who said this during the commissioning of the dualised Ogbunuabali-Eastern By-Pass Road project in Port Harcourt, said: “Take me away today from PDP to another party, I will still perform. So, it is not because I’m in PDP that I’m performing.

“Leadership is not about party; leadership is about individual. Party is only a vehicle to actualise your ambition, to be able to tell your people I have this capacity, I have this quality to render services to you.

“It is because I have that passion for my people, have the commitment to serve my people. Take me to YPP, allow me become whatever I will become there, I will perform. Take me to any party, I will perform. So, it is not party that makes you to perform.”

Chiding perceived misguided Rivers politicians for twisting his assertion, the governor said: “Because some people went to school late, they don’t understand when somebody says I am in charge of this state.

“I never said I am in charge of votes in this state, but I know I can talk to my people and my people will listen to me. Some people say I have only one vote, I agree. I can’t vote two times. I will only vote once but because of the services I have rendered to the people of this state, the state will listen to me.”

VANGUARD

Politics

Umahi Fires Back At Makinde Over Lagos-Calabar Highway Cost

Published

9 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has fired back at Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his recent comments questioning the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the governor misunderstood the technical details of road construction and cost evaluation.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the Keffi Bridge and the Nasarawa–Toto Road projects, alongside the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Saturday, Umahi said the cost of the highway had been carefully computed in line with global engineering standards and should not be reduced to “political soundbites.”

Governor Makinde had queried the minister’s estimated figures on the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is one of the signature infrastructure projects of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

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.

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.

Responding to the inspection tour, the former Ebonyi governor described Makinde as “a brother and friend” but said it was improper for him to publicly accuse him of “dancing around” figures.

“I heard that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde of Oyo state, said something about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to join issues with him. I think he is an engineer, I think he is an electrician, they call it ‘elect-elect’. But this road construction matter, ‘elect-elect no reach there’,” Umahi said.

He continued, “I am his senior both in governance and in engineering practice. So, anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask. I have great respect for him as my friend and brother, but he should withdraw the statement that I’m dancing around. I never danced around. If he insists, he should come for a debate, which is very important.”

Defending the project further, Umahi explained that there was no ambiguity in determining the cost per kilometre, stressing that it must be understood in both estimated and average terms.

“There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometre,” he said. “I am teaching them that cost per kilometre can be divided into estimated cost, which has elements of variance, and average cost, which is definitive. The average cost of a definitive project and the estimated cost are probable elements.”

He explained that the estimated cost includes allowances for contingencies and variation of price, which may not eventually be utilised.

“When the project is completed, and you remove what you didn’t use, such as contingencies and VOP, then you have your actual cost,” he added.

Umahi expressed amusement that some critics had resorted to asking Artificial Intelligence to explain the difference between estimated and average cost, only for the AI’s response to align with his explanation.

“When somebody who is dangling without knowledge goes to ask AI what the difference is between cost per kilometre and average cost, I’m happy that AI told him exactly what I said,” the minister quipped.

He also cited the National Universities Commission’s clarification on who qualifies as a professor, noting that practical experience in the field also counts as expertise.

“I’m happy that the NUC programme on who is a professor also made me right. You can become a professor by the reason of your practice. And I think God has made me one when it comes to practical, field engineering programmes, that’s what it is; you can’t take it back,” Umahi said.

Politics

Enugu Gov Mbah Set to Dump PDP

Published

2 days 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

2 days 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.