Politics
Ekweremadu, Others Hail New PDP National Officers
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, congratulated the newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and other 20 officers elected during the just-concluded National Convention of the party.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, UcheAnichukwu, in Abuja, Ekweremadu, said the emergence of Ayu and other national officers would give the PDP the much-needed renewed vigour and focus required to rescue Nigeria.
He equally commended the Elder Yemi Akinnwonmi-led leadership of the party and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for the seamless and transparent elections, saying the PDP has disappointed her evil wishers.
“This is hearty congratulations to the newly elected national officers of our great party, the PDP. Given the pedigree and antecedents of our national chairman-elect and his team, I have no doubt that we got it right.
“Nigeria is in dire need of rescue from the clutches of divisiveness, criminal cartels, vaunting bandits and insurgents, collapsing economy (to put it mildly), and secessionist agitations occasioned by injustice and marginalisation.
“There is no doubt that we have in place a highly promising team led by a widely-accepted, disciplined, experienced, and pan-Nigerian politician in the person of Distinguished Senator IyorchiaAyu, that will help mobilise party faithful and Nigerians at home and the diaspora for the success of this mission,” he said.
On the just-concluded convention, the lawmaker, who also chaired the Screening Appeal Panel of the convention, said: “I must commend our party leaders and elders as well as the Governor AhmaduFintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for giving the party a highly transparent, seamless, and credible convention. The party has disappointed the evil wishers.
“The first task before the elected national officers even before their inauguration is to work with the incumbent party leadership and elders to extend hands of fellowship and assuage party members, who are aggrieved for one reason or the other.
“We are one big family and the larger national and party interest should always prevail, especially at a time like this when the nation is seriously threatened”.
He wished Ayu and his team a highly successful tenure.
Also speaking ahead of the 2023 elections, the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon Aminu Tambuwal expressed optimism that the party was set to reclaim its glory.
According to Tambuwal, despite the antics of detractors to roll back the 16 years impressive credentials of the party, the party was still in the forefront and endearing.
“Analysts and observers agreed that there are attempts to scuttle our unity as a party and as a people. There are people working to present us as weak and in disarray.
“But I am happy to report that contrary to the naysayers the PDP is today the strongest and most cohesive party in Nigeria.
“I am happy to report that those who want to divide and weaken us are the ones failing and we are winning,” the governor said.
Enumerating the problems of the country and the continent of Africa as: challenges of insecurity, unemployment, rising cost of energy, food and other essential items for living decent lives,” he said the PDP as “the best platform to move the country forward” was poised to embark on intensive membership drive that will soon “welcome new members… (and) other patriots and concerned Nigerians to join us… to move Nigeria forward.”
Emphasising the need to harness the potential of young people and provision of succour to old people, he noted that “the current state of the nation is a far cry from the need of our people across the country.”
Tambuwal said the PDP is undaunted by the myriads of challenges “made worse by the (COVID-19) pandemic affected other issues across the world,” he advocated that the PDP should remain “united, disciplined and focused on finding ways to bring out the best of our people and building systems and institutions that aid not destroy.”
He reeled out the achievements of the PDP when it was in power for 16 years.
These include: liberalisation of telecommunications, diffusion of GSM, building of the institutions of drug administration, anti-graft, health insurance and the creation of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other achievements he listed were introduction of card readers, conception of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Bank Verification Number (BVN), new pension scheme, modern driver’s license, and restoration of the Abuja-Kaduna rail and location of more airports across the country.
The SokotoState governor said the PDP ‘negotiated and settled…foreign debts, fast paced the country’s economy, implemented bank reforms and stabilized the Naira.
Acknowledging that “governing Nigeria is not an easy task,” Tambuwal chastised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government that is “carrying a burden that is making it wobble.
“It is time to relieve them of that burden,” he stated.
In his remarks, Adamawa State Governor and Chairman of the convention committee, Hon AhmaduFintiri commended party faithful for what he described as a successful National Convention.
Earlier, the former Senate President, Dr.IyorchaAyu had emerged the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ambassador TaofeekArapaja also emerged the National Deputy Chairman (South).
Ayu, who was the consensus candidate at the party national convention in Abuja, got 3,426 affirmative votes out of 3,511 accredited voters.
However, Arapaja secured a total of 2,004 votes to defeat his only rival, former governor of Osun State, Prince OlagunsoyeOyinlola, who polled 705 votes, while invalid votes were165.
Also, Umar Damagum scored a total of 2,222 votes to defeat his sole rival, Mrs. Inna Ciroma, for the position of Deputy National Chairman (North), who polled 365 votes.
The position of National Youth Leader was won by Mohammed Suleiman with 3,072 votes, while his co-contestant, UsmanElkudan, had 219 votes.
Efforts to achieve consensus candidates for all 21 elective national offices of the party suffered a setback as agreement could not be reached for three offices.
The three offices were the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Deputy National Chairman (North), as well as the National Youth Leader of the party.
Those returned unopposed with uniform votes of 3,426 were Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; Ahmed Mohammed- National Treasurer; Umar Bature as National Organising Secretary and Daniel Woyegikuro as National Financial Secretary.
Other returned elected by the Returning Officer, Governor AhmaduFintiri of Adamawa, were Stella Effah-Attoe as National Woman Leader; KamaldeenAdeyemiAjibade as National Legal Adviser; DeboOlogunagba as National Publicity Secretary; and Okechukwu Daniel as National Auditor.
Also elected were SetonjiKosheodo as Deputy National Secretary; Ndubisi David as Deputy National Treasurer; Ibrahim Abdullahi as Deputy National Publicity Secretary; and IghoyotaAmori as Deputy National Organising Secretary,
AdamuKamale was elected the Deputy National Financial Secretary; HajaraWanka as Deputy National Woman Leader; Timothy Osadolor, as Deputy National Youth Leader, OkechukwuOsuoha as Deputy National Legal Adviser; and Albdulraman Mohammed as Deputy National Auditor.
The new members of the National Working Committee are expected to assume offices after the tenure of the incumbent members expires on December 9.
In his appreciation remarks, the incoming National Chairman of the PDP, Senator IyorchiaAyu said that the PDP was back to take over Nigeria and develop it.
The national chairman-elect said the PDP did it before and would do it again.
“I want to sincerely appreciate the PDP family. Today is simply a “thank you” address. When we started this party 23 years ago, we never in any way imagined that the journey would get us to this stage.
“A stage where we ruled for 16 years, we went into rough times, but for anybody who bothers to see, PDP is back.
“I want to appreciate all of you who have taken time as delegates as observers, as supporters, as members of the media as members of the security services who have made this event such a wonderful event.
“Many people imagine that this convention will lead to the break-up of PDP. Those people who are dreaming like that, their dreams were misplaced.
“Those who have lost hope should know that Nigeria is not a divided country. A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria.
“PDP will come back to unite our people, put them together, north and south, east and west.
“We will move ahead to develop this country. We did it before. We are going to do it again. I want to thank the governors,” Ayu said.
Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.
The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.
At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.
According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.
Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.
Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.
At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.
He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.
Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”
He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.
Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.
He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.
The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews
protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.
The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.
According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.
They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.
Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.
Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.
“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.
“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.
“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.
“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.
In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.
“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”
Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.
According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.
“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.
“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.
A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.
The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.
The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.
“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.
The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.
It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.
“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.
The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER
All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”
The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.
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