Politics

PDP And Reward For The South- South

Published

4 years ago

March 25, 2022

Some of the delicate issues that the main opposition party in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will have to wisely resolve as it makes efforts to dethrone the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming 2023 general election came to the fore earlier this week.
The first one came on Monday from Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, where the South-South stakeholders of the PDP held their meeting.
Addressing the august gathering, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, was reported to have demanded a just, fair and equitable treatment that is commensurate with the South-South geo-political zone’s contributions to the survival, sustenance, stability and considerable success of the party as it distributes positions, and dispenses favours in the run-up to the 2023 election season.
“ The South-South is the pillar of the PDP. If the South-South is the pillar of the PDP, they must be treated with fairness, justice and equity. It is not only when it comes to work, it is not only when it comes to giving votes that we will all remember that the South-South is the pillar. When it also comes to sharing dividends of democracy, they should remember that this is the pillar of the party, ’ ’Governor Wike was quoted to have said.
To this end, the report said Governor Wike charged his counterpart governors, national and state legislators and other critical stakeholders in the zone to close ranks and be united in purpose towards achieving success for the party in the coming polls.
Just the following day, Tuesday, March 21, 2022, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, in what some have interpreted as a direct reaction to the demand by Governor Wike, was quoted to have said that the South-South is not in a position to win the Presidency for the PDP.
According to reports, Tambuwal made the assertion when he met with former presiding officrs of state Houses of Assembly and the House of Representatives in Abuja in the course of his consultation with stakeholder groups ahead of his official declaration to run for the office of President in 2023.
When emphasising the need for the party to work towards winning the elections, especially the presidency, Tambuwal is reported to have said that’ ‘‘Yes, we can share tickets and everybody can take his piece and go to his zone but you must plan to win the election. That’s the reality of it.
“ So, we must accept these realities as a party and work with these realities to win the election. After that, we can now say okay, let’s share power. Win the election first. Don’t win zoning! Win the election and then we’ll come and share power.’’
He is quoted to have requested the PDP to be strategic in its quest for upstaging the APC at the centre by jettisoning its zoning arrangement, especially as it affects the number one political office of the land, expressing the view that because the APC has ceded its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country, the PDP should go the opposite direction to stand a strong chance.
Reacting to the development, some members of the PDP in Port Harcourt told The Tide that the stance of the Sokoto State governor was not only insensitive but selfish and self-servicing and does not encourage sacrifice, loyalty, faithfulness and commitment to the party. “The statement of the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, is completely out of place,” Barr. Chimenem Wodi said, adding that the position of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives was aimed at furthering his personal interest as an aspirant for the ticket of the party.
He said in the history of elections in the country, the South-South had never been undermined and the North could not win any election in Nigeria without support from the South-South, pointing out that even in 2015, the APC had substantial assistance from South-South to emerge victorious.
While dismissing Tambuwal as one that is only testing the water, the PDP stalwart in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State said he could not be taken in by Tambuwal’s argument even viewed against the background that since former President Goodluck Jonathan only just left the office in 2015, it may be difficult to make Nigeria accept another person from the region so soon.
He said the fact that Jonathan spent only six years in office should make other regions concede the position to the South-South for it to be considered as having fully taken his share.
More than this, the party faithful emphasised that the only fitting position for the South-South region of the PDP, going into the 2023 general elections is the presidential ticket of the party, insisting that nothing short of that would adequately compensate the region for what it has given to keep the party alive and well.
“ After they lost power in 2015, the PDP was headed towards oblivion and we saw a lot of discordant and discomfiting rumblings at the national level.
“ In fact, at that time, we never heard about some of the “mighty men’ that are now parading themselves as presidential aspirants.
The likes of Atiku Abubakar, at some point, were not in the picture. However, one person stood out and became the rallying point towards the resuscitation of the party. The South-South region became a Mecca of sort and all the mighty men’ were trooping here for strength.
“ For instance, we saw the Governor of Rivers State taking it upon himself the burden to resolve all the major rifts in the party. The South-South clearly took the lead and the initiative to give the party a change to live.
“ I think it is on the strength of this that Governor Wike is saying that we should be rewarded according to what we have done for the party and you can not fault him on that,’’ he said.
“What would be a fair deal is for the South-South to be compensated with the presidential ticket of the party while other offices should be shared in a way that will give every other region a sense of belonging and inclusion so that the PDP can return to power and rescue Nigeria and Nigerians from the misrule of the APC,’’ he submitted.
In his reaction, Mr Reuben Izu (Jnr) said Tambuwal’s statement should not be taken seriously because any credible Nigerian from any part of the country can be President if he or she enjoys the overwhelming support of a political party that has the spread, presence and confidence of the majority of the voting population.
“ If he says that no one from the South-South can win, I can tell him as well that no one from any other part of the country can win.
Irrespective of where a candidate comes from, with support from other regions, he can win,’’ he said, adding that he will agree with the Sokoto State chief executive if his argument is that zoning the slot to any particular region may hamper the chances of the party to win without proper planning.
“ It is unfortunate that he had to single out the South-South for mention but there is no denying the fact that majority opinion within the party is that the presidential ticket of the PDP should be ceded to the Southern part of the country. And in the light of that, I will strongly advise that the party heeds the majority view while the choice of which part of the South the candidate should emerge from be left for the Southern caucuso determine based on where they could get the most credible, capable and acceptable candidate,’’ he argued.
According to the Ahoada West Local Government Area-born politician, Governor Wike did not exaggerate when he intoned that the power base of the PDP is the South and the strength of the party in the South is the South-South. Zoning the presidential ticket to the South- South therefore will not be a bad idea’’.
He expressed the confidence that the current seemingly divergent positions being canvassed by chieftains of the PDP on the subject matter is not sufficient to shift their focus on the ultimate goal of winning the presidential election next year, adding that ‘‘the fact Nigerians want the PDP back in power is obvious for the blind to see and loud enough for the deaf to hear.’’
He said, “A man who chased away his wife and took another in but realised soon after that the second is not as good as the first would readily and hurriedly go and take back his first wife with apologies. That is the situation in Nigeria,’’ stressing that all that is needed for the PDP to climb back to power is ‘‘to make Nigerians understand that we are coming with sincerity and determination to effect a positive change in their currently deplorable socio-economic conditions. Right now, we are asking Nigerians to give us a second chance so that we can correct the mistakes of the past.’’
With heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar already bought their interest and nomination forms and officially and publicly posted their ambitions, the PDP does not appear likely to come out with an effective zoning arrangement.
However, it will not be too difficult for the party to avoid an implosion and forge a commiment for the most coveted political seat in the country in 2023.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Senate Urges Tinubu To Sack CAC Boss

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

The Senate yesterday urged President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Hussaini Magaji, over what lawmakers described as a persistent refusal to appear before its Committee on Finance.

The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu during a session where members of the President’s economic team were present for engagement with the committee.

Tension rose at the commencement of the meeting when agency heads were introduced and senators observed the absence of the CAC Registrar-General, who had been invited to account for the commission’s activities, particularly on revenue matters.

Moving the motion, Kalu expressed anger over what he termed repeated disregard for legislative oversight, accusing the CAC boss of consistently avoiding invitations to appear before the committee.

He said, “Since I came to the Senate, this CAC man has always given excuses that he is in the Villa or going to London. He is not above the law. This man is not coming to the Senate. Look at the ministers of finance and budget. They are both here. We summoned them and they came.

“But this man thinks he’s bigger than the Senate. We’re not going to take that rubbish again. He had refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee. We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.

“I move a motion that the man should be reported to Mr President and ask for immediate removal because we cannot continue with him. Is that what we’re doing here? He should come and give us an account of what he had done.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, corroborated the concerns, pointing to unresolved discrepancies in the reconciliation of the commission’s revenues.

He noted that despite several invitations, the registrar-general had failed to show up to address the issues raised by senators.

“The registrar-general of the Corporate Affairs Commission has refused on so many occasions to honour the calls, invitations or summons of this most important committee.

“There are only about three committees that are in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Committee of Finance is one of those committees. Sections 88, and 89 have given us these powers.

“And as registrar-general, we have issues with the reconciliation of their revenue. Anytime he is invited, he will give us one reason or another, and he will send junior officers to come and talk to the Senate. That cannot be accepted,” he said.

In a further show of frustration, Senator Adams Oshiomhole proposed that the Senate escalate the matter by withholding approval of the CAC’s 2026 budget pending the registrar-general’s personal appearance before the committee.

Oshiomhole also suggested that the commission be restrained from spending its internally generated revenue without prior approval of the national assembly.

“This senate should decline to appropriate anything in the 2026 budget until we are satisfied that he has accounted for previous money and spending properly.

“And should he spend money that is not appropriated, he should be heading to Kuje prison,” Oshiomhole said.

The motion urging the President to remove the CAC Registrar-General was subsequently put to a voice vote and adopted.

The development underscores renewed assertiveness by the Senate in exercising its constitutional oversight functions, particularly over revenue-generating agencies.

The Corporate Affairs Commission, which regulates companies and business registrations in Nigeria, is a key contributor to non-oil revenue, making accountability and transparency central to its operations.

News

Amend Constitution To Accommodate State Police, Tinubu Tells Senators

Published

3 days ago

February 27, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the leadership of the 10th Senate to amend the constitution to provide a legal framework for the establishment of State Police to tackle insecurity nationwide.

President Tinubu made the appeal during an interfaith breakfast with senators at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

The president said that the creation of State Police has become urgent to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, strengthen grassroots policing, and enhance states’ capacity to respond swiftly to threats within their jurisdictions.

He noted that a decentralised policing structure would complement existing federal security architecture and promote intelligence-led, community-focused law enforcement.

“We are facing terrorism, banditry, and insurgency. But we will never fail to make a right response to this cause. What I will ask for tonight is for you (Senators) to start thinking how best to amend the constitution to incorporate the State Police for us to secure our country, take over our forests from marauders, and free our children from fear,” he said.

The president commended the cordial relationship between the Executive and the Senate, saying that unity is needed to defeat terrorism and banditry in the country.

“It is a good thing that we are working in harmony, we are looking forward to a country that evolves, a country that takes care of its citizens and protects all.

Tinubu thanked the Senate for its unflinching support towards achieving various economic reforms of his administration, especially the fuel subsidy removal and tax reform policy.

“I have a lot of credit for bold reforms. Without your collaboration and inspiration, those reforms would not be possible. We are reformists together. What we gave up and what we stopped is monumental corruption in the subsidy system. We don’t want to participate in monumental corruption and arbitrage foreign exchange.

You don’t have to chase me for dollars; you could see what Nigeria is today. You should be proud, and I am glad you are. What we are enjoying is a stable economy, and prosperity is beckoning us. We need to work hard, and this attendance means a lot to me,” the president said.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, commended the president for hosting the leadership of the Senate to the Interfaith breaking of fast.

He commended President Tinubu for providing the visionary leadership the nation needs at this critical time, stating that the administration’s bold reforms have now brought more revenue to governors at the sub-national level for the development of critical infrastructure.

The Senate President prayed for the administration, and for the nation’s peace and prosperity.

Politics

FCT COUNCILS’ ELECTIONS: PDP WINS GWAGWALADA CHAIRMANSHIP AS APC SECURES AMAC, BWARI

Published

7 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.

Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.

Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.

“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.

“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.

Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.

According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.

He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.

Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.

“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.

According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.

The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.

INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.

According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.

A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.

In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.

In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.

In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.

In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.

In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.