Politics
SDP Leaders To Meet Over Appeal Court Judgement
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) National Working Committee is to meet and review the Court of Appeal judgement that recognised former Governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke as the the presidential candidate of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Alfa Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja while reacting to the Court of Appeal judgment recognising Duke at the party’s presidential candidate as against the claim by Prof. Jerry Gana that he is the authentic candidate of the party.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, yesterday in a unanimous decision returned Duke as the SDP presidential candidate.
The three-man panel of the appellate court in a judgment delivered on the appeal filed by Duke reversed the earlier judgment of an Abuja High Court which upheld Gana as the party’s candidate.
Duke had emerged SDP candidate at the presidential primaries held on Oct. 7, 2018 but Gana,who contested the ticket with Duke instituted a case against the result at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
On Dec. 14, 2018 the court presided over by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf delivered judgment in favour of Gana, declaring him as the right SDP candidate and directed the party to forward his name to INEC.
However, when the commission published the full list of cleared presidential and vice presidential candidates of parties on Jan. 17, the column of SDP was blank, with remarks “court order’’ and “party yet to submit name of candidate”.
Mohammed, while reacting to the Court of Appeal judgement on Thursday in Abuja said that the right to appeal the ruling at a higher court belonged to Gana and not the party.
“The right to appeal belongs to the candidate like Duke exercised his right to appeal when the first judgment was pronounced.
“So, the right to appeal the case lies with Gana and he will make some pronouncement in the next few hours.”
The national publicity secretary said that though there was an attempt by the party to commit the two claimants to the presidential ticket to an agreement against appealing the outcome of the the judgment of the court of appeal, Gana did not sign the said agreement.
“According to him, he found it suspicious that the party which did not find it necessary to initiate similar agreement when the matter was at the lower court.
“He questioned why the party should be asking for commitment at the court of appeal stage.
“Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the party is expected to summon a National Working Committee meeting within the next 24 hours to review the situation,” he said.
NAN reports that the Gana Presidential Campaign Team led by its Director-General, Mr Ike Neliaku, had on Tuesday decried an alleged bias by the leadership of the SDP against its principal in favour of Duke.
Neliaku frowned at the party’s refusal to submit Gana’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate as directed by a Federal High Court.
He specifically blamed the SDP National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, and the National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, for Gana’s travails.
The youth wing of the party also on Tuesday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Falae to submit Gana’s name to INEC.(NAN)
Senator Makarfi’s resignation comes on the heels of the national convention that saw the emergence of the new Chairman of PDP, Dr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
In his letter of resignation, which was addressed to the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday evening, the former governor said, “Chairman and Members of the Board of Trustees may recall that about two months ago I had resigned as Secretary of the Board and posted same on the Board’s WhatsApp platform.
“Mr Chairman, you may also recall that you personally urged me to stay on until after a convention that produced a Chairman.”
He added that the principal reason he initially tendered his resignation then “and now, was and is still my belief that the National Chairman of the Party and Secretary of the Board of Trustees should not come from the same geopolitical zone.
“Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it’s necessary to give him full space to do the needful. Accordingly, I hereby formally resign as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from today, November 17th, 2025.”
While commending the BoT Chairman for his support during his tenure as Secretary of the Board, he stressed, “I truly appreciate the very respectful relationship between us during my period as Secretary,” adding that, “I also appreciate all Board members for their support and the good relationship that prevailed during my period as Secretary.”
Meanwhile, Dr Turaki on Monday pledged to ensure that power returns to the Nigerian people, urging the judiciary to uphold the tenets of democracy.
Dr Turaki, while giving his acceptance speech after the swearing-in of new officers at the end of the Elective Convention of the PDP in Ibadan, assured that there will be “no more impunity, no more suppression of the will of Nigerians”.
The chairman appealed to the judiciary to uphold the principles of stare decision, abiding by the decisions of the Supreme Court, and not to “willingly or unwillingly put yourselves in a situation where, rightly or wrongly, it may be assumed, correctly or incorrectly, that you are part and parcel of the process to truncate Nigerian democracy.”
According to him, the new leadership of the party would be open to listening to the yearnings of members, with a view to aligning with their will, declaring that “No more monkey dey work, baboon dey chop,” adding that “if baboon wants to chop, baboon must be seated to work.”
He noted that the PDP has maintained its original name, motto and logo, unlike the other parties that started with it, making it a recognised brand anywhere in Nigeria.
Mr Agboke, in a statement on Monday, said that conducting party primaries in line with the law was important ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
INEC has fixed August 8, 2026, for the governorship election in Osun State.
Mr Adegoke appealed to all registered political parties in the state to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the commission’s guidelines and regulations for the conduct of their primaries.
“The commission emphasises the need for the conduct of free, fair, and peaceful primary elections that reflect the will of the party members as a panacea for the reduction of pre-election litigations.
“We observed that primary elections have often been a source of pre-election litigation, which can be avoided if parties follow the laid-down procedures and guidelines.
“INEC, therefore, urges all political parties to ensure that their primaries are conducted in a transparent, democratic, and peaceful manner. All aspirants should be given equal opportunities to participate,” he said.
Mr Agboke stated that, in line with the guidelines released by INEC’s national headquarters, the political parties’ primaries for the 2026 governorship election in the state are scheduled to take place between November 24 and December 15.
He said INEC was prepared to provide necessary support and guidance to parties to ensure that their primaries are conducted in accordance with the law.
“We call on all stakeholders, including security agencies, to support the commission in its efforts to ensure peaceful and credible party primaries.
“INEC will continue to monitor the activities of political parties and take appropriate actions within the ambit of the law against any party that fails to comply with the electoral laws and regulations,” he said.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum has strongly condemned the attack on the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu LGA, Kebbi.
The bandits’ attack led to the abduction of 25 female students as well as the reported killing of the vice principal of the school.
Reacting to the mass abduction on Monday, the chairman of the forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, described the kidnapping as tragic, senseless, and utterly unacceptable.
In a statement by his media aide on Monday, Gov. Yahaya stated that the continued targeting of schools posed a grave threat to the region’s stability and the nation’s educational future.
Gov. Yahaya, on behalf of the northern governors, commiserated with the government and people of Kebbi State, especially the families of the abducted students and those who lost their lives in the attack.
He assured Governor Nasir Idris of the forum’s solidarity and support during this difficult moment.
He said that schools must be sanctuaries of learning, not targets of violence, warning that continued assaults on educational institutions threatened to reverse gains made in improving school enrolment and curbing the out-of-school crisis in the region.
Mr Yahaya expressed deep concern over the trauma the abducted schoolgirls may be facing and called for an immediate and well-coordinated operation by security agencies to ensure their safe rescue and the arrest of the perpetrators.
Reaffirming the NSGF’s commitment to collaborating with the federal government and security institutions, Gov. Yahaya stated that the safety, education, and welfare of young Nigerians remain a top priority for the forum.
He urged communities to remain vigilant and cooperate with the security agencies in the collective efforts to rid the region of criminality.
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