Politics

Tinubu’s Campaign Council Holds Closed-door Meeting

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2022

Members of the newly constituted All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council will on Tuesday hold an emergency closed-door meeting in Abuja.

The development is coming five 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 camp 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.

A source told The PUNCH that members of the campaign team are planning to meet with Tinubu in one of its campaign office in Abuja.

He said, “We have been told that we will be having a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) but it is not something we are hoping to divulge to the media now.

“But I cannot confirm Tinubu will be there because I really don’t know if he is back in the country from his trip to London,”

On the essence of the meeting, the source disclosed that it has to do with a number of issues ranging from the fresh list of over 2,000 appointees for the presidential campaign council, the postponed inauguration and ‘workable’ strategies to kick start the campaign after Tinubu’s approval.

When contacted, the PCC Director of Media and Communication was hesitant about commenting on Tuesday’s meeting but confirmed that the former Lagos State governor is expected to arrive this week.

“He is arriving this week. I don’t have any update for you on the presidential campaign inauguration,” he stated.

But Spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the meeting.

He said, “Yes, but I don’t know whether it is with the candidate or not but I am aware the PCC is having a meeting”.

Keyamo did not, however, mention the venue of the meeting.

Tinubu had on Friday 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.

The list of members released by the Presidential Campaign Council Secretary, James Faleke, in Abuja, followed series of postponements and conjectures about those who would be saddled with the task of leading the ruling party’s bid to retain power at the federal level.

The campaign council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari has Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, as co-deputy chairmen.

Also on the PCC are APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders.

Zonal and state coordinators, advisers, campaign patrons, directors, deputy directors and secretaries of directorates were also named.

The sub-committees include media and publicity; support group coordination; national youth mobilisation; parliamentarian; trade and economic; agriculturists/commodities; campaign planning; civil societies; Diaspora directorate; election planning and monitoring; finance; fund raising; and humanitarian/social.

Others are ICT/data management; intelligence and security; labour; logistics and support service; medicals; policy research and strategy; protocol and events, and others.

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, retained his position as the director-general and Adams Oshiomhole as the deputy director-general (Operations), while Bayo Onanuga is the Director of Media and Publicity.

Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum was appointed the vice-chairman and state coordinator, while ex-Akwa Ibom State governor, Godwill Akpabio, is the vice-chairman, South-South.

A former female APC presidential aspirant, Uju Kennedy, is the council’s vice-chairman, South-East.

Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State is the regional coordinator and chairman for North, while his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, was appointed the regional coordinator for the South-East and Ebonyi State.

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River was also appointed the regional director in charge of the South-South and his state.

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is the zonal coordinator for the South-West and his state, while his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Bello, will coordinate the North-Central and his state.

Also on the list are Governor Muhammed Yahaya, who is the zonal coordinator for the North-East and Gombe State, and Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, who emerged as the zonal coordinator for the North-West and the state.

No fewer than 24 actors were also enlisted in the performing arts directorate and they include notable Nollywood stars such as Zack Orji, Jide Kosoko, Saheed Balogun, Foluke Daramola, Nuhu Abdullahi, Bimbo Akintola and Fatiha Balogun, among others.

PUNCH

Politics

JUST IN: El-Rufai Formally Joins ADC

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has formally joined the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, left the party earlier this year for the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

In his resignation letter from the SDP, dated November 26, 2025, the former governor stated that his focus is on contributing to the strengthening of a unified democratic platform that can offer a credible political alternative to the people of Nigeria.

“I wish to notify that I have resigned my membership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, effective 26 November, 2025,” he said.

Politics

Wike Bloc Asks Court To Nullify PDP Convention

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2025

Editor

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order nullifying the party’s convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16 by the faction aligned with the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

The suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/250/2025, has as plaintiffs the PDP, its Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.

They are asking the court to declare the convention and all resolutions “null, void and of no effect.”

They want the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the convention.

The move follows earlier legal actions by aggrieved PDP members who argued that proceeding with the convention violated the party’s internal rules, the Electoral Act, and other statutory provisions.

Previous complainants include Imo PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, Abia PDP Chairman Amah Abraham Nnanna, and South-South PDP Secretary Turnah Alabh George.

On October 31, 2025, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained INEC from recognising the convention.

In a separate suit, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido successfully challenged his exclusion from purchasing a nomination form to contest for national chairman, with Justice Peter Lifu ordering that the convention should not proceed unless he was allowed to obtain the form.

In contrast, Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, issued an interim order permitting the PDP to hold the convention as scheduled.

Despite the conflicting rulings, the party went ahead with the Ibadan event under heavy security, during which Anyanwu, Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and eight others were expelled.

In the new suit dated November 21, the plaintiffs listed 18 defendants, including INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Commissioner of Police, the State Security Service, and several PDP officials.

They allege the convention was conducted “in flagrant disregard” of three subsisting Federal High Court orders and seek to prevent recognition of the new officers, restore access to party offices at Wadata Plaza and Legacy House, and compel security agencies to enforce the earlier judgments.

The plaintiffs also request judicial determination on whether any authority can lawfully recognise the Ibadan convention in light of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the PDP constitution.

The suit has not yet been assigned to a judge, and no hearing date has been fixed.

Politics

Crack In Edo APC As Group Accuses Party Chieftain Of Acting Opposition’s Script

Published

2 days ago

November 25, 2025

Editor

All seems not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pro-APC group known as Sustainable Development and Progress accused a chieftain of the party, honourable
Luqman Mohammed of playing the script of the opposition parties to destabilise the APC in Edo North Senatorial District.

This, according to the group, is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.

A statement by the spokesman of the group, Peter Mohammed, the body accused Mohammed and “his cohorts of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the destabilization of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”

The cracks in the APC were sad to become obvious when Mohammed, who they claimed is an ally the immediate past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), allegedly led some leaders to suspend Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area (Edo North ) of the state.

This action, according to the group, worsed an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC, and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Mohammed.

The APC group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by the opposition leaders to destabilise the existing peace in the party.

The group alleged that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.

The group, while stating that Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” alleged that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”

Meanwhile, a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders
Etsako West Local Government Area, a resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members.

The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.

“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.

“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.

“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.

“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.

“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.

“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.

“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.

“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”

Reacting, Mohammed denied allegations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges.

The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.

While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel.

Mohammed said Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.