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Saraki, Tambuwal, Fatai, Others To Dump APC For PDP
The mood at Wadata, the edifice housing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, was that of excitement owing to what a source described as the imminent defection of prominent politicians “very soon,” including Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Governors Aminu Tambuwal, Samuel Ortom and Abdulfatai Ahmed of Sokoto, Benue and Kwara States, respectively, among others.
In a chat with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, the source credited the PDP Contact and Integration Committee and the Reconciliation Committee led respectively by former Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke and Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson for a job well done, noting that leaders across the various political parties were unanimous that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration should be voted out of power in 2019.
Asked if the party regards the imminent return of the aforementioned as sufficient compensation for its loss of Ekiti to the APC; the source said, doing so would amount to acceptance of fraud as a way of life, adding that the PDP has already taken a decision to reject the governorship election results which saw the declaration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the APC as winner.
He also called on Nigerians to expect more defections into the fold of the party in the months leading to the general election, arguing that the past three years of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has left the country more divided that it has ever been “since the attainment of independence in 1960.”
He said: “By now, Nigerians are aware that Senator Saraki and some governors are perfecting plans to return home. Mind you, I didn’t say returning to a party because I believe and they know that the PDP is their home. They belong here and this is where they can be what they want to be, politically.
“It is not just these governors but more governors and members of the National Assembly, both from the Senate and the House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly. This is good news for Nigerians who have watched their country drift toward anarchy and despondency in the last three years.
“The Ekiti episode is being addressed but I don’t want to think that we need lose one to win two or three as the case may be. What happened was robbery as attested to by local and international observers. But in the meantime, we are making inroads into the polity that will position the party on a solid footing to win the Presidential elections in 2019.”
It would be recalled that, last Wednesday, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus alongside River State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Presidential hopeful, Sule Lamido, met with Saraki and Kwara State Governor, Ahmed AbdulFatai in Ilorin as part of efforts to woo the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) members back to PDP formally.
Meanwhile, Secondus, Lamido, Baraje and others have held secret talks on the way forward.
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus; and a presidential aspirant of the PDP, Alhaji Sule Lamido, last Wednesday night, held a private meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, had on Tuesday said it was premature for him to declare whether or not he would contest for president in the 2019 general election.
Saraki, while on his first visit to Kwara State since his Code of Conduct Tribunal victory at the Supreme Court, had also said it was not time for him to declare whether he would defect to the PDP or any other political party from the APC.
Other notable politicians who attended the meeting behind closed doors included the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom; a former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, who also led the new PDP bloc of the All Progressives Congress; and the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, among others.
Also present at the meeting were the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal; Senator Lawal Shuaibu and Senator Barnabas Gemade.
According to sources at the meeting, though some of the politicians had joined the eighth Fidau prayer for Baraje’s late mother, Aishat, they later converged at Saraki’s house, where they were joined by other politicians, including Lamido, Secondus and others who reportedly could not attend the Fidau.
The sources said they strategised on the 2019 election politicking. There were also unconfirmed reports that the politicians discussed strategies for the speculated defection of Baraje, Ahmed, Saraki and his loyalists from the APC to the PDP.
Ologbondiyan, who confirmed the meeting, claimed that though it was a brotherhood meeting, they also discussed political issues.
According to him, they discussed how to move Nigeria forward.
He said, “It was a brotherhood meeting. Our leaders met and they shared thoughts on the future of Nigeria and how to improve the living condition of Nigerians and how to make Nigeria a better place for all to live in.”
The Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has assured the commitment of Rivers State government to workers’s welfare and industrial harmony in Rivers State.
The Sole Administrator gave the assurance after meeting with leadership of organized labour unions at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Ibas reaffirmed government’s policy of prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees, stating that all local government employees are not receiving the approved minimum wage.
He disclosed that approval has been given for payment of newly employed staff at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the Judiciary, while medical workers in Local Government Areas will now receive correct wages.
Ibas explained that, Government is reviewing implementation challenges of the Contributory Pension Scheme ahead of the July 2025 deadline, adding that Intervention buses have been reintroduced to ease workers’ transportation ,with plans to expand the fleet.
He said specialized leadership training for top civil servants will commence within two weeks, while due consideration is being given to implementing the N32,000 consequential adjustment for pensioners and clearing outstanding gratuities.
Ibas commended Rivers State workers for their dedication to service and called for sustained partnership with labour unions to maintain industrial peace.
“This administration recognizes workers as critical partners in development. We remain committed to addressing your legitimate concerns within available resources,” he stated.
The State NLC Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, thanked the Administrator for the steps taken so far with regard to workers welfare while appreciating his disposition towards alleviating the transportation problem faced by workers.
He also expressed appreciation for the government’s openness to dialogue and pledged continued cooperation towards achieving mutual goals.
The Rivers State Government assured all workers of its unwavering commitment to their welfare and called for continued dedication to service delivery for the collective progress of our dear State.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers Council, has called for policies that will improve the economic situation of the country in order to ensure enhanced living standard for workers.
The State Chairman, Mr Alex Agwanwor, made the remark on behalf of the unions affiliated to Labour Congress during the 2025 workers day celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Agwanwor highlighted the demands of the Unions which included the immediate payment of pension arrears, implementation of the N32,000 minimum wage for pensioners, and payment of gratuities and death benefits without further delay.
“We are calling for the regulation and protection of e-hailing drivers, implementation of increments and promotions, and resolution of long-standing issues in the polytechnic sector,” he said.
Agwanwor on behalf of the unions appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He stressed the importance of democratic governance and good working relationship with elected representatives.
According to him, the unions expressed disappointment over the imposition of taxes, increase in electricity tariff, and high cost of goods and services, which have further worsened the plight of workers.
“We urge the federal government to take measures to alleviate the suffering of citizens,” he said.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.
Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.
He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.
The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.
“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.
” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”
He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.
According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.
Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.
“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”
The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.
” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.
The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.
Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.
” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.
“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”
Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.
“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.
Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.
The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.
He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.
Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.
He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.
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