Politics

What I Told Aggrieved Govs – Bala Mohammed

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2022

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has said that he is highly connected to the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors.

Mohammed, who said this on Wednesday when the aggrieved governors paid him a solidarity visit in Bauchi, said he shared his fears and worries with the governors during the visit.

The governor hosted his Rivers, Abia, Benue and Enugu state counterparts-Nyesom Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was absent as he was said to be out of the country.

The governors arrived the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi in four chartered aircrafts – 5N- BZS, 5N-RSG, 5N-AOO and 5N-IZY, and were driven straight to the Presidential Lodge also known as Ramat House.

During their meeting, Mohammed bared his mind on the developments in the state chapter of the party as well as the personal issues he had with the PDP flag bearer.

The PUNCH reliably gathered that the governors would meet in Enugu on Saturday where they would witness the inauguration of the state PDP campaign council.

Mohammed is expected to attend the Enugu meeting where he would formally join the group of aggrieved governors.

A senior aide to Governor Ortom confided in our correspondent that the sole purpose of the visit by the five governors was to lure Mohammed into their fold.

Addressing the media shortly before going into their meeting, the governors described themselves as the bedrock of the party, adding that they were open to reconciliation.

In response, Mohammed, who was full of appreciation to the governors for the visit, noted that he was with them but they “excommunicated” him.

He said, “I am supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for reasons best known to them but I am highly connected to each and every one of them. There is hardly a day I don’t call or speak to one of them because in politics, you go with the people you share things in common with.

“This presidency (Presidential primaries) that we ran when my brother was defeated, who in turn defeated me, has brought us close and of course at the governors forum, we are very close. One thing I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges. They are not going back for a second term but they are always worried about others.

“Their own particular ideas, principles may be slightly different from mine, but certainly, I feel their pains as much as they feel my own pains. We share so much in common.”

Continuing, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said the governors knew his challenges which he said include what he described as the treachery in the state chapter of the PDP.

Mohammed said: “They know I have challenges in Bauchi, the challenges of anti-party, the challenges of undercutting, treachery and mischief. But of course, politics is about all these. And when you know that you have people of this stature and calibre behind you, you feel fulfilled.

“I’m happy they are here and I’ll have the opportunity of confiding in people that I believe I can confide in, some of my worries, fears, apprehensions and that of my state.

“So, I’m happy that you came because some of those things may not be said on the telephone, but to say that as PDP members from the same family, I always see you as fellow comrades in this journey of life. I thank you most sincerely for taking the trouble to come.”

In a brief interview with journalists, Mohammed admitted that he wrote to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyiorcha Ayu, to intimate him about the opposition to his second term ambition by some elements in the party.

He said that the letter was written by the PDP family in Bauchi state in order to express their displeasure about the way things were going on with him and the state at large.

Mohammed said that in response to the letter, the national headquarters of the PDP directed him to meet and discuss with the presidential flag bearer of the party, in order to find an amicable resolution to the problem.

The governor, however, did not disclose whether he reconciled with Atiku, adding that they discussed “extensively.”

Mohammed stated, “It is no longer news that I wrote a letter to the party on my position in Bauchi; what I have found out to be working against me as a leader and as a first term governor going for my second term.

“I wrote it with all honesty and sincerity and with a deep sense of humility and that was why the party invited me to go and discuss with the flag bearer of the PDP and leader, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we discussed extensively and I have gotten some explanations.

“The letter I wrote was not only written by me, it was written by the PDP family in Bauchi and the government of Bauchi and that was why I was there and we discussed extensively.”

Asked if he had decided to team up with the Wike camp, the ex-FCT minister replied, “As for the G-5 Governors, I always joke with them that I am a G-1, but I am inexorably connected with them. We have always been together and you know it: governor Wike, governor Ortom, governor Ugwuanyi and governor Ikpeazu, have been here several times and I have been with them several times.

“I think these are some of the takeaways I have as a governor, having friends for life. So, I am everywhere, but of course, it doesn’t mean that I am nowhere.”
PUNCH

Politics

Osun LG Crisis: INEC To Relocate CVR Centres, Releases Gov Poll Timetable

Published

3 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State said it will relocate registration points for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration exercise from local government secretariats currently under lock.

Osun LG secretariats have been shut since February 17, 2025, due to a tussle between the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over control of councils.

The APC had claimed that the February 10, 2025, decision of the Court of Appeal, Akure, had returned its candidates elected in the October 15, 2022, local government elections, but sacked by the Osogbo Federal High Court in December 2022.

But the PDP insisted that the officials who emerged on February 22, 2025, are legally recognised to manage the affairs of council areas in the state.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, said the affected INEC offices had been identified and would be moved to alternative locations to ensure the CVR proceeds without disruption.

Agboke said, “The CVR will start on the 18th day of August, 2025, with online registration.

“By this, the prospective registrant will visit www.cvr.inecnigeria.org to supply the necessary information about himself or herself.

“Thereafter, he or she will generate a slip to take to INEC local government office within his place of residence.

“Later on the 25th of August 2025, the registrant will visit the local government office for his or her biometrics, i.e the fingerprint and the facial.

“INEC offices located inside local government secretariats are not shut down.

“However, INEC has harvested the number of those local government offices. We want to bring them out of the LG secretariats. We are working on that. Our headquarters had requested for their details and we have forwarded to them.”

Agboke also announced that activities for the August 8, 2026, Osun governorship election have officially begun, with notices posted in all INEC LG offices.

Party primaries are scheduled between November 24 and December 15, 2025, while submission of candidates’ particulars will run from January 15 to February 9, 2026.

He stated, “This is necessary to enable political parties democratically nominate candidates for the election as required by section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022. The submission of forms EC9 ( personal particulars of candidates) and EC9B (Names/list of nominated candidates) online at the nomination portal of the commission at 9 am on the 15th day of January, 2026, to 6 pm on the 9th February 2026.

“Access code for the submission of nomination forms shall be available for collection on 15th December, 2025, at the headquarters of the commission. I implore all the political parties and other stakeholders to follow the timetable for the 2026 Governorship Election for Osun State with a view to tracking the various activities contained therein. Copies of the timetable shall be made available to the political parties at this meeting in a short while. The 2026 Governorship election shall be conducted on the 8th day of August,2026.”

He appealed to political parties and other major stakeholders to work against the menace of vote buying, saying the electorate should be educated not to sell their votes.

The REC also called on all stakeholders to continue supporting INEC in the state for it to deliver a credible election, noting that the commission alone cannot deliver a peaceful and successful election without their cooperation.
(PUNCH)

Politics

JUST IN: Total Loyalty Non-negotiable, PDP Tells Members

Published

4 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party has warned that it will not tolerate disloyalty from any member, stressing that total commitment to the party’s cause is non-negotiable.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the party will rely on its constitution to ensure members remain committed to its cause.

Responding to a question about the recent conditions set by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the success of the November 15 and 16 National Elective Convention, Ologunagba emphasised that the PDP is about the people, not any individual.

He said, “We have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. We expect and demand total loyalty from all our members. Anything short of that will not be tolerated, and we shall invoke the relevant sections of the party’s constitution to enforce this.”

Details shortly…

Politics

By-Election: APC Correcting PDP 8 Years Of Underdevelopment In Edo, Days Idahosa

Published

1 day ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

The deputy governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa says the Monday Okpebholo-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state is correcting the eight years wrong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Idahosa, however, urged more support for the administration and the APC to attract more developmental projects across the nook and cranny of the state.

Idahosa made this statement when the campaign train stormed Usen and Ugbogui wards of Ovia South West Local Government Area.

He urged the people to come out enmass to exercise their civic duty on Saturday in support of the APC candidate, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion.

Idahosa said support for the party would mean more developmental projects for the area that had lacked same from the immediate past administration of the PDP.

“The present APC government led by Sen. Monday Okpebholo is the one that has started transforming your area within nine months in the office.

“He can only do more with your support, especially by voting for his party’s candidate on Saturday,” he pleaded.

On her part, the APC candidate, Omosede Igbinedion, promised to synergise with the governor his deputy to attract more developmental projects to the constituency.

Similarly, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, said the government has put measures in place to ensure no students is sent home for want of school fee.

According to him, the state government has concluded plans to pay bursaries for students while market women would enjoy soft loans.

Meanwhile, Elawure of Usen, Ovia south west local government ,have advised Politicians to be united in their pursuit of common goal of delivery dividends of democracy to the people.

Oluogbe II gave this advise when he received the campaign team of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the state deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.

The traditional ruler expressed joy in the unity between Idahosa and the APC candidate for the Ovia federal constituency bye-election scheduled Saturday, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion.

He noted that the present unity and synergy between the former political foe would bring nothing but victory for their party, as well as development to the people of the federal constituency.