Politics
Kalu, Adikwuru Disagree Over PDP’s Decision To Throw Open Presidential Ticket
Two prominent People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains from the South East geo-political zones, Chief Emeka Charles Kalu, and Hon. Dennis Adikwuru, on Saturday disagreed over the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to throw open its presidential ticket instead of zoning it to the South in general or South East in particular.
The National Coordinator, Peoples Democratic Party Coalition (PDPCO), Chief Emeka Kalu, who hails from the Abia State and Hon. Dennis Adikwuru, a PDP Leader in Aboh Mbaise area of Imo State, have been very strong strategists in the party over the years.
In separate interviews with journalists over the weekend, Chief Kalu, one-time governorship candidate in Abia State, said that the PDP NEC’s action amounted to the scuttling of equity and ethnic inclusiveness, while Adikwuru, maintained that the decision was to broaden the scope of the aspiration to the presidency and to fully activate the fundamental right of individuals to seek the highest position in the land.
According to Kalu, the PDP NEC’s decision to toe the line of the recommendation of its Presidential Zoning Committee had brought a heavy downpour on the Southerners, especially the people of South Eastern Region, even as he called on the party’s stakeholders from the South to unite and unselfishly create a platform of solidarity to pick one consensus candidate from the aspirants from the region.
He said: “As the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People’s Democratic Party on unanimous decision threw open the party’s presidential ticket where every NWC certified aspirant across the six geo-political zones are qualified to contest, it brought a heavy downpour on the Southerners, especially the people of South Eastern region.
“One would begin to imagine what must have guided the recently constituted Presidential Zoning Committee under the sportsmanship and chairmanship of Gov Samuel Ortom, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Barrister. Aliyu Gausau, who functioned in chairmanship, vice and Secretary ship capacities a few months ago to help our great party achieve a milestone of success.
“Today, we had it on trending news that PDP has officially jettisoned zoning by creating a window where every screened and certified aspirant despite where he or she comes from is qualified to run for the party’s primaries.
“In line with the tenet of equity and frankness, PDP was supposed to have ceded her presidential ticket to South East where all contests from the said ethnic zones would be courageously testing his or her popularity in the our present day democratic settings.
“This is because the South East has been deep-rootedly marginalised, dating back from the time of Abraham and Metusellah.”
Kalu maintained that the PDP Coalition “vigorously” believed in the unity, togetherness and indivisibility of its members’ common bond as the largest party in Africa, and had politically matured beyond fluttering manipulations and gross political intimidation, knowing full well that it had been the party growing the nation’s transformation glory before it lost power to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said: “APC schemed, hatched and corruptly won election and took over power in 2015 of which the aftermath of her misrule has landed Nigeria into the dens of excruciating economic hardship.
“Here we are talking about a government of national unity while the monster pillar of ethnic bigotry and nepotism has not been crushed.”
Kalu asked: “How would Nigeria achieve a landmark success in nation building in the face of our defenseless children who are still languishing in the hands of their abductors without any formidable steps by the APC-led Federal Government towards securing their freedom?
“The cropping challenges likely to erupt and confront our great party in the face of throwing presidential ticket open, is that agitation, clamour and drives for Biafra State creation would unstoppably continue to increase on a higher degree of seriousness and determination.
“I am not affirming or portraying that if a South Easterner is not elected the next president of Nigeria that heavens will let loose, but painstakingly and deftly analysing the monumental risks of fragility likely to erupt when we have not been able to tackle the present crises plaguing the country.
“It is a pity that PDP having seen the militating bad eggs confronting Nigeria’s economic growth and national unity, still accepted the misguided inputs of some greed -trapped party stakeholders to have endorsed the presidential open ticket contest.
“We must strive to call a spade what it originally means if we actually want the desired change in our heart to manifest.
“Change is all about next level improvement in our expectations. Something that takes away twines of unbelief in man by manuring man’s consciousness towards result-oriented plans.
“In conclusion, Igbos are being cheated and swindled when it comes to power sharing and equal distributions of the scarce resources. Without any iota of doubts, PDP stands a better chance of winning the presidential election as she in turn works to uproot the jeopardising factors from its usual habitual undertakings that brings unnecessary rancour, rifts and differences among the concerned.”
Claiming that elections in the country are typically characterized by vote buying, Mr Nwosu said a repeat of such phenomenon would taint the credibility of the forthcoming gubernatorial poll.
Mr Nwosu is among the 16 governorship candidates listed by INEC in a June 4, 2025 statement to participate in the November 8, 2025 election in Anambra State.
His party, the ADC, will battle it out with other parties to unseat incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Mr Nwosu, in a statement on Saturday, said it was baffling seeing voters openly selling their votes to party agents and other representatives around polling units on election day.
According to him, “such practices not only derail the true will of the people but also reduce elections to an auction, where the state is effectively handed over to the highest bidder.”
Mr Nwosu urged INEC to introduce secure voting cubicles that would safeguard the legitimate rights of voters and uphold the sovereignty of democracy.
“INEC must provide secure voting cubicles to ensure ballots remain private and secret. Currently, many polling areas are too exposed, allowing others to see the voting process. This not only encourages vote buying but also undermines the integrity of the elections.
“Voting must remain secret. Nigeria already has strong electoral laws which, if properly enforced, can deliver outcomes that truly benefit society”, Mr Nwosu said.
He held that the Anambra governorship election was another opportunity for INEC to secure the trust of Nigerians about its commitment to transparency and fairness during polls.
He also noted the role of security agencies in tackling the menace of vote buying on the day of election.
He said, “The success of any political activity depends largely on security, because security is key. While it is not solely INEC’s duty to ensure elections are properly conducted, the Commission must create an enabling environment that allows citizens to participate freely, conduct themselves properly, and exercise their right to vote.”
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, called on the relevant security agencies to investigate the attackers and their sponsors.
“The Labour Party is perplexed by the physical attack on our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, by agents suspected to be working for anti-democratic elements who have tried unsuccessfully to wrestle the leadership of the party from him.
“Few hours ago, a prominent member of a known political family, Ms Precious Oruche, alias ‘Mama P’, accosted Barrister Abure while on a queue at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja, boarding a Max Air flight en route to Benin, and attacked the Labour Party’s National Chairman unprovoked.
“The attacker, Madam P, who is also a known content creator, continued the attack all through the duration of the flight, defying all attempts by the Max Air flight attendants to calm her.
“The assault, which attracted a large population of onlookers, continued unabated on disembarkment at the Benin Airport while she continued recording the scene.
“It took the intervention of the security agents on hand to whisk Abure to safety while the attacker was handed over to the police for questioning.
“In one of her films released, the lady, who is a prominent member of the ‘Obidient’ and claimed that she has contacts with the highest police hierarchy, boasted that nothing will happen to her.
“She vowed that she will not stop attacking Abure or any member of the Labour Party executive because, according to her, ‘you have killed Labour Party and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party.’
“The leadership of the Labour Party is completely troubled with this cyber-bullying and the consequences of the action of this political agent on the party. We are by this statement calling on the Inspector General of Police to thoroughly investigate this suicidal aggression against the leadership of the Labour Party and Barrister Julius Abure in particular.
“We sincerely believe that the lady-agent was on an assignment to accomplish the desires of her paymasters. Assault and cyber-bullying are severe crimes under our laws and we think that the Police must fish out her sponsors and cohorts, and bring them to book.
“We are calling on the members of the Labour Party to be calm, even in the face of this unwarranted provocation and wait for the outcome of the investigation on the unprovoked attack against the leadership of the party,” the statement read.
Speaking during the party’s congress in Yola, the state capital, on Saturday, Mr David Lorhenba, the chairman, Adamawa Congress Committee, described the exercise as hitch-free.
He said that a total of 2,656 delegates from 21 local government areas came out and elected 39 officials.
Mr Lorhenba commended the delegates for conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
“The conduct of the congress is very successful, all the delegates come from 21 Local Government Areas and cast their votes peacefully.
“We have a total of 2,656 delegates and we have announced the winners very successfully”, he said.
In his remarks, Alhaji Attahiru Shehu, the outgoing chairman, congratulated the new executives and charged them to continue on what they have already done for the party to remain strong.
According to him, they started as opposition in the state and produced Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri who is serving his second term, opining they “he has done well for the state.”
In his acceptance speech, Mr Madagali thanked the delegates for the confidence they reposed in him.
He promised to run an open door policy in manning the affairs of the party.
“Let us continue the legacy of good governance and prepare ahead for 2027 with focus, discipline and unity.
“To those outside our party, especially the youths and women of Adamawa, we invite you into our party.
“PDP is your home. Our doors are open to all who wish to contribute positively to the development of our state.
“Our party will continue to be a shining example of people-focused on leadership,” he said.
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