Politics

Saraki Heads Seven-member PDP Reconciliation Committee

Published

1 month ago

May 12, 2025

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum and former governors have named former Senate President Bukola Saraki as the head of a seven-member reconciliation committee.

The PDP-GF Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, announced this while briefing newsmen after the forum’s crucial meeting with former governors on Sunday night in Abuja.

Mohammed said that the seven-member committee was mandated to reconcile aggrieved members ahead of the PDP National Executive Committee meeting schedule for May 27 and the forthcoming national convention in August.

“We are here with all the governors elected under the party, that are still in the party and a substantial number of former PDP governors, with our leaders, the chairman of the party, and some members of the National Working Committee.

“We discussed some of the issues relating to our party, some existential issues, of course that have been circulating in the media and among us, so that we will be able to navigate smoothly for the NEC scheduled to take place on May 27 and by August, we will have an early convention.

“So many issues and reports have been made, and it is an opportunity to close ranks, and to make sure that at least there is no ill feelings, there are no qualms, there are no misgivings between the leaders of the party.

“Governors of the party have reached out to our colleagues who have been there before, who have more experience.

”Whatever suggestions or opinions they may have will go a long way in giving an added impetus to the actualisation of our NEC, and our convention that is scheduled to take place on specific days.

“We want to reassure our teaming supporters that the PDP is working. The PDP is united,” Mohammed said.

Answering questions on the recent defection of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and others to the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mohammed said the party was working not only to strengthen it structures, but also reclaim its states.

“Well, this is some of the manifestations in a democratic set-up like this that we have, and this is what is forcing us to come together.

“Rather than diminishing and weakening, it is making us stronger, and we will make sure at least those chapters where we have history, where we have structure, are not left alone.

“They will be able to produce governors of the PDP by the grace of God because we will be providing the level playing field in the next convention that is coming up” he said.

On what specific issues were discussed at the meeting, Mohammed said:”I cannot tell you all the issues that we discussed.

”We discussed unity. Definitely, there are some ill feelings, and we are not here to hide things under the carpet. You know some of them.

“Some of the litigations in court, some of the misgivings between party members, and of course, we wouldn’t want to blame the APC for causing crisis, but they are likely to be the ones. We are not saying they are,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other members of the committee are governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Caleb Muftwang of Plateau, and Peter Mba of Enugu State.

Other members are Sen. Seriake Dickson, Sen. Ibrahim Dankwambo, and former governor of Abia State, Chief Okezie Ikpeazu.

Others in attendance of the meeting held at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, include governors of Enugu, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Osun and Oyo states.

Others are the Minister of FCT Nyesom Wike, and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi.

Others are Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, Sule Lamido, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom, Gabriel Suswam, Seriake Dickson, Sam Egwu, Liyel Imoke, Achike Udenwa, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Adamu Muazu and Idris Wada.

Also at the meeting were party acting National Chairman of the party, Urmar Damagum, and other members of the PDP National Working Committee, including the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade.

(NAN)

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

15 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.