Politics

Tinubu Campaign Council Reviews Membership List, Adamu Absent

Published

4 years ago

October 4, 2022

A strategic planning committee of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council met behind closed-doors in Abuja on Tuesday evening to review its growing membership list.

The meeting, chaired by Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, who is also the Director General of the council, started a bit late at the PCC office in Abuja.

A source told our correspondent that the agenda of the political roundtable was hinged on the need to properly vet the nominees’ list to avoid another backlash as witnessed in the outrage of aggrieved All Progressives Congress’ governors and members of the National Working Committee after the list was unveiled.

This was also confirmed by the PCC Director of Media and Communications, Bayo Onanuga, who told The PUNCH that the meeting was called by Lalong to “take another look at the list.”

“But it is an internal meeting. It is just to take another look at the campaign list so people don’t complain again. That’s the agenda of the meeting,” he said.

However, no member of the NWC, including the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, was present at Tuesday’s meeting of the strategic planning committee.

When asked if any NWC member ought to be at the meeting, the source stated that unless an arrangement was agreed on, they also held sensitive positions in the newly constituted campaign council.

He said, “Are they not members of the PCC? Remember that Adamu is a deputy chairman of the council while national vice chairmen of the APC are equally deputy coordinators and zonal vice chairmen.

“But many of them were absent at the meeting. But I understand there will be a crucial meeting of the NWC tomorrow (Wednesday) to also deliberate on the list.”

The inaugural meeting of the PCC committee is coming six days after the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, failed to kick off its nationwide electioneering campaign in line with the directive of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Tinubu’s campaign team also called off Wednesday’s proposed solidarity march that was scheduled to commence from the PCC office on Herbert Macaulay Way in Central Business District to the Unity Fountain in Maitama.

The postponement, according to his supporters, became necessary after the former Lagos governor travelled to London for vacation.

Tinubu had unveiled a 422-man committee comprising political heavyweights and other notable members to pilot the various sub-committees of the campaign council to drive its strategy for electoral victory in the 2023 presidential poll.
PUNCH

Politics

PDP Loses Five Reps, APC Two In Fresh Defections

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

A fresh wave of defections swept through the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers realigned across party lines in what appears to be early positioning for the 2027 general elections.

At the resumption of plenary after the Easter break, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, read out a series of defection letters, reflecting a growing fluidity within Nigeria’s political space.

He dismissed concerns that the trend signalled an attempt to edge the country toward a one-party system, insisting instead that it underscores democratic freedom.

“This is to show the country that no party is stiffled. People are leaving the majority party to the minority parties and the minority parties to the majority party. This is the beauty of democracy,” Kalu said.

One of the notable movements came from Lagos, where Thaddeus Attah, representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, dumped the Labour Party for the African Democratic Congress.

In his letter, Attah attributed his decision to “the protracted crisis in the leadership of the LP,” which he said has hampered effective representation of his constituents in recent months.

The Peoples Democratic Party emerged as the biggest casualty of the latest round of defections, losing five members.

Among them, Abubakar Abdul from Niger State defected to the All Progressives Congress, while Yakubu Noma (Kebbi) joined the ADC and Ibrahim Mohammed (also from Kebbi) moved to the APC.

In Osun State, two lawmakers—Mudashiru Alani (Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa) and Adetunji Olusoji (Odo-Otin/Ifelodun/Boripe)—left the PDP for the Accord Party.

However, the APC also recorded losses. David Fuoh (Taraba) defected to the PDP, while Bashir Zubair (Kaduna) joined the ADC, highlighting the two-way nature of the shifting alliances.

Defections are not new in Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly as election cycles approach. With less than two years to the 2027 polls, lawmakers are increasingly recalibrating their positions in response to internal party disputes, electoral calculations, and evolving regional dynamics.

The current wave is partly driven by lingering leadership crises within parties—most notably in the PDP and LP—as both major and smaller parties intensify efforts to strengthen their ranks ahead of primaries.

For many legislators, party affiliation is often influenced by prospects for re-election, access to party structures, and alignment with influential political blocs at the state and national levels.

Since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in 2023, the APC has maintained a numerical advantage in the House, but opposition parties have continued to jostle for relevance through strategic defections and coalition-building.

The emergence of parties like the ADC as beneficiaries of defections suggests a gradual diversification of the political space beyond the traditional dominance of the APC and PDP.

Analysts say the trend may intensify in the coming months as parties finalise their internal structures and aspirants begin to test their popularity ahead of primaries.

For now, Tuesday’s developments reinforce a familiar pattern: in Nigeria’s legislature, party loyalty often remains fluid, especially when electoral stakes are high.

The House adjourned plenary to Wednesday in honour of Kano lawmaker Hassan Danjuma, who died on April 10, 2026, at the age of 66.

Politics

Delta North Youths Reject Okowa’s Senatorial Ambition

Published

3 days ago

April 19, 2026

Editor

A coalition of youths from the nine local government areas of Delta North has rejected the reported senatorial ambition of former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The position was made known at a press conference in Agbor, where the group’s spokesman, Benjamin Atagana Ofochi, accused Okowa of dominating the zone’s political space for decades.

The development comes days after political figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly urged the former governor to contest for the Delta North senatorial seat in 2027.

The youth group argued that Okowa should step aside to allow other aspirants to emerge, citing what it described as long-standing control of political offices in the state since 1991.

They also referenced allegations of financial misconduct currently being handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging him to focus on addressing those issues.

The coalition further raised concerns over what it described as an attempt to concentrate political power within one family, alleging that Okowa’s daughter is also seeking elective office.

According to the group, such developments could limit opportunities for broader participation in governance within the district.

The youths called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC leadership, and party delegates to ensure a transparent primary process for selecting candidates in Delta North.

They warned that they would mobilise against any perceived imposition of candidates, insisting on what they described as inclusive and competitive politics in the district.

Politics

VIDEO: I Will Beat Tinubu Flat In Free, Fair Election — Dino Melaye Boasts

Published

3 days ago

April 19, 2026

Editor

Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has stated that he would defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a free and fair election.

Melaye made the declaration during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On, where he criticised the current administration and expressed confidence in his chances if given a level playing field.

He argued that any presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would perform better than President Tinubu.

“Anybody among those interested in the presidency in ADC would do one million times better than Tinubu. They can never be a worse president than Tinubu. They can never be.”

Expressing confidence in his own chances, he stated, “Me? Dino Melaye. Let’s go. Let’s go on a free and fair election.”

Melaye further described the president as unpopular among Nigerians, adding, “Today, Bola Tinubu is the most unpopular politician in Nigeria.”

He insisted he would secure a decisive victory in an election against Tinubu if the process is credible.

The former lawmaker also called for an open electoral process, warning against any attempt to undermine democracy.

“Let him allow a free and fair contest. And if he doesn’t allow it, we will make him conduct our election because he doesn’t want election. He wants to be Kabiyesi. He wants to be Igwe. We will not allow that to happen in Nigeria. It will not happen.”

On political alliances in ADC, Melaye dismissed interest in joint ticket arrangements, emphasising his focus on unseating the current administration.

“My brother, I am not interested in any joint ticket or non-joint ticket. My own for now is that we must send Tinubu away.”

He added that he would support any candidate who emerges through ADC processes.