Politics

2023 Presidency: C’River Agog As Wike Consults PDP Delegates …Blasts Advocates Of Consensus Candidate …Says I’m Not Running For President To Negotiate VP Ticket

Published

4 years ago

April 15, 2022

Members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State rolled out the drums and laid the red carpet to celebrate the coming of Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to the state in continuation of his consultation visit across the country on his presidential ambition.
Thousands of ecstatic and excited party bigwigs and supporters, donning PDP hats, insignias, regalia and attires flooded the streets and roads, with their drums and trumpets to receive the leading PDP Presidential aspirant in the state capital, Calabar, last Wednesday.
Also, as a way of appreciating his efforts to boost the party in the state, officials of PDP displayed life-sized flex banners in strategic places to welcome the Rivers State governor.
One of the banners says: “We all say Thank You to His Excellency, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for supporting Cross River PDP”.
An official, Ernest Effiom said, “Wike has done well for PDP not only for Cross River State but he has a special interest in our party in this state. Don’t forget he is the leader of the party, at least, in the South-South.”
He disclosed that Wike was visiting them as part of his aspiration to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari of APC next year, and to address some internal PDP issues bordering on governorship aspirants.
On whether, the state Governor, Prof Ben Ayade was aware of the coming of his colleague into his state since there were some ripples in February when he entered Calabar, reportedly without informing Ayade, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade, Mr Christian Ita said Wike was coming in his personal capacity to consult on his presidential aspiration.
“I would not know whether Wike has reached out to his counterpart, my principal on a personal level that he is visiting Cross River State. But his coming cannot cause any implosion whatever.
“Wike is going round states to consult for his interest to seek for PDP ticket for next year’s presidential election.”
Addressing PDP delegates and leaders in Calabar, Governor Nyesom Wike faulted the arrangement for a consensus presidential candidate in the PDP.
Wike described the consensus arrangement as rubbish and fake news used in deceiving PDP members.
He said consensus could only happen through equity, justice, and fairness, and recalled telling a former Senate president that he would not support a consensus arraignment in PDP.
According to Wike: “I am not here for any consensus rubbish. I have told people not to deceive our party members with fake news about consensus. We all believe in consensus, but it must come with equity, justice, and fairness.
“When some of my colleagues led by the former Senate president came to me, I told them I would not fall into the consensus trap. If you want to run for election, please run, and if you are not ready, please go home.
“They want somebody who would come and bow down for them. But what the country needs now is fearless and courageous somebody.”
Wike further said his decision to run for the Presidency was not to negotiate the vice presidential ticket of the PDP.
The PDP presidential aspirant said he was in the state to meet party members and signify his seriousness to be Nigeria’s next president.
Wike also dismissed claims of picking the senatorial forms like other aspirants of the party have done secretly.
He said: “I am here to introduce myself to you. We have started the process, and I have made myself available to the people of Cross River State. I am running for the president, and I am not running for running sake. I will win the party’s ticket and win the Presidency of this country.
“I am not running to negotiate for vice president or for anything. I have not collected Senate form or any form in case I fail. Some people have sent in their cronies to collect Senate forms on their behalf in case there is a consensus.
“I came here for you to see me face to face. Some are sending people to talk to them. I have too much energy, and I am ready to go to every nook and cranny of this country. Trust people with energy and I have it.”
The likes of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, and some other aspirants have been clamouring for a consensus presidential candidate for the PDP.

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”