Politics

Why PDP Loses Gov Elections In Lagos — Ex-chairman

Published

4 years ago

March 24, 2022

Editor

The immediate past Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, says the party now has a grassroots structure and state executive to win the 2023 elections.

Doherty said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos.

He said that lack of structure at the grassroots and candidate imposition had resulted in the failure of the party in previous elections.

According to him, the Feb. 27 Elective State Congress of the party remains a watershed for the party to recruit executive members bent on nothing but winning elections in the state.

“After serving as chairman in Lagos state, I can categorically say that disunity is not the problem of PDP winning election in the state but nonexistence of structures at the grassroots level, which has now been created in the last state congress.

“We have between 500,000 and 600,000 registered people now as members of PDP in Lagos.

“We lost elections because we don’t have the structure; if you don’t have the structure, you cannot spend money in the right place.

“The structure is already on ground to win election. We are working now. We are galvanising people and everybody has to be onboard,” Doherty said.

He said that imposition and selection had been the major setback for PDP, adding that they always created divisions and disunity in the party.

“In Lagos state PDP, the norm up till the last state congress has always been imposition and selection and this led to failure in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.

“Those of us that have been in the party for over two decades decided to come together and change the narrative because we cannot be doing the same thing, getting a particular result and believe that if we continue doing the same way, we will get a different result,” Doherty said.

According to him, the last ward, local and state congresses of the party revealed the voices of the majority of the party members and the way forward for the party.

He said that those casting aspersions on the outcome of the congress because consensus failed to work, did not want the progress of the party.

“There was consensus, but no harmonisation and consultation, hence the call for elective congress which produced the new executive,” he said.

The former chairman said the new executive would do everything possible to reconcile with whoever was aggrieved by the outcome of the congress, adding that the new Chairman, Mr Philip Aivoji, had commenced reconciliation process.

Expressing confidence in the Aivoji-led executive, Doherty, who is eying the governorship ticket of the party, said that the new executive had started galvanising people at the grassroots to win elections for the party.

“Now, they are thinking ‘win’, and nothing in their head than ‘win’. This is a sacrifice we have to make to build. Now, we have goal-getters and result-oriented excos,” he said.

Doherty said that Aivoji has the credentials, capacity, competence, and network to rebuild the party as a former party zonal officer, former commissioner, and council chairman.

NAN reports that some party leaders condemned the outcome of the state congress over imbalance and lack of level playing field for all contestants, and called for a new state congress.

NAN/PUNCH

Politics

JUST IN: Former APC National Youth Leader Dumps Party

Published

22 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Sadiq Abubakar, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Leader has announced his decision to dump the ruling party.

Abubakar who disclosed this in an interview with Newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday, explained that his decision was unconnected with the hardship faced by many Nigerian homes due to difficult policies and programmes by the APC.

According to him, the move was also driven by an objective of securing free and fair victory in future election primaries so as to continue to serve the people with strength and integrity.

He stated that his decision followed a series of consultations with family, friends, political associates and stakeholders saying this was after a careful reflection on recent developments within the party structure and internal arrangements.

“It is high time to adopt a party with a more clear vision and the compassion to help the common man.

“The APC processes are not working, the party is not just and fair. I’m leaving the party because there is no fairness in the electoral processes of the party as well as the consensus.

“And I know that they are not going to be fair in the forthcoming primaries but they will only use the power of incumbency.

“Also, what the party is doing to every family is becoming something else as it’s becoming too hard to put a three square meal on the table,” he said.

The Former APC National Youth Leader however, affirmed that he would soon reveal the new political party of his destination in no distant time.

Politics

Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.

Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.

The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”

Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

7 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”