Politics

Weeks After Waiting, Amaechi Makes Tinubu’s Campaign List, Osinbajo, Dogara Out

Published

4 years ago

September 24, 2022

…Zack Orji, Kosoko, 22 Film Actors Enlisted

Following weeks of anxiety and serial postponements, the presidential campaign council list of the flagbearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was released with several notable names of party chieftains missing.

The 422-man list has names of political heavyweights including APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders.

In the latest list released by the Presidential Campaign Council Secretary, James Faleke, in Abuja on Friday night, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, retained his position as Director-General just as Deputy Director-General (Operations), Adams Oshiomhole, and Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga.

However, there are shocking omission of party stalwarts, many of whom have been at loggerheads or engaged in cold war with Tinubu over his preference for the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket.

They include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and one of Tinubu’s sweat merchant, Adebayo Shittu, who heads one of his biggest support groups — Asiwaju Tinubu-Shettima Coalition for Good Governance.

While the camp of Osinbajo had distanced itself from the former Lagos governor after his emergence as winner of the APC presidential ticket, the duo of Dogara and Lawal had remained a perennial thorn in Tinubu’s flesh for selecting ex-Borno Governor Senator Kashim Shettima, a fellow Muslim, as running mate.

Dogara had predicted on Tuesday that the adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket was a fruitless political effort that was “doomed to end in spectacular failure.”

The ex-speaker made the statement while delivering his keynote address at a summit tagged ‘Meet The Church,’ organised by the Nigeria National Christian Coalition.

Lawal, on the other hand, vowed that the introduction of a same-faith ticket by the APC was a deliberate plan to further create divisions in the north.

The disgruntled former SGF, who spoke during an interview on Arise Television, declared that he was working with about 40 Christian leaders in the north to ensure that the contentious APC ticket failed.

Despite defending his principal stoutly on all fronts including live political television programmes, Shittu’s sin remained largely unknown.

However, The PUNCH gathered that loyalists of the APC national leader have always seen the former Minister of Communications as an outsider because he “found his way into the party” through Congress for Progressive Change, one of the few political platforms that merged to form the current All Progressives Congress.

Shittu had told The PUNCH in a recent interview that, “Why I think people often regard me as an outsider was probably because I was never a member of Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress or Action Congress of Nigeria. Besides, it has not been on record that I have a fight with Tinubu, even though critics who are jealous of my current achievements in the struggle to ensure success for him, out of pettiness and rivalry, have been trying to paint me black and blackmail me with the same slogan of ‘I am one of Tinubu’s enemies.’

“But I am happy and proud to say that Tinubu, as an experienced politician who knows his onions, has always maintained that Shittu is not an enemy. The fact that we never worked together in the past does not translate to being an enemy. In any case, he is also somebody who appreciates what I have been doing.”

The inclusion of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who have been indicted of alleged anti-party activities in the last month has come as a surprise.

While Amaechi had subtly accused Tinubu of financially inducing delegates for votes at the last Convention, Aregbesola was believed to have worked for the victory of the governor-elect of Osun State , Ademola Adeleke, at the expense of the incumbent and fellow party member, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Faleke’s statement on Friday read, “We are pleased to announce the nominees of the leadership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, as per enclosed. All nominees are kindly advised to pick their appointment letters from the undersigned on Monday, 26th September, 2022 at 12noon.

“The venue is Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council on Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Area Abuja. All other members will be contacted by the leaders of their respective directorates.”
PUNCH

Related Topics:#Osinbajo #Tinubu Amaechi Dogara Jack Orji kosoko

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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.