Politics
Despite A’Court Ruling, No Leadership Change Whatsoever, ADC Insists
The ADC specifically said that the ruling of the appellate court in the ongoing leadership dispute within the party did not in any way alter its current leadership structure and reassured its members that it remains united and focused,
The party, which made the clarification, dismissed what it described as “misinterpretation and deliberate controversy” as part of attempts by “anti-democratic forces bent on imposing a one-party rule on Nigeria” in order to create confusion within the opposition.
These were contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who pointedly said that the Court of Appeal’s decision was procedural and did not determine the substantive issues raised in the case challenging the leadership of Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
The ADC explained that the appeal was dismissed on procedural grounds, and the court did not grant any relief to the plaintiff nor did it issue any order affecting the party’s leadership positions.
In the words of Mallam Abdullahi; “The Court of Appeal did not determine the substantive dispute regarding the leadership of the ADC.
“The case challenging the emergence of Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary remains pending before the Federal High Court of Nigeria and has not yet been heard or decided on its merits”.
The ADC further said that the Court of Appeal directed all parties to maintain the status quo, meaning that the current leadership arrangement remains unchanged pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The party therefore urged its members and the public not to be misled by what it described as “inaccurate interpretations” of the judgment circulating in some quarters.
It also said: “The ruling of the Court of Appeal is purely procedural and does not affect the legitimacy or tenure of the current national leadership of the party”.
The ADC therefore urged its supporters nationwide to remain calm and committed to the party’s programmes while the matter continues before the court.
PDP FACTION ELECTS TURNAH AS CHAIRMAN IN BAYELSA, UNVEILS NEW SECRETARIAT
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the weekend, swore in its Acting State Chairman and South-South zonal Secretary, Barr. George Turnah, as its substantive State Chairman.
The Tide monitored the State Congress of the party and reports that prior to electing its substantive State Executive Council (SEC), leaders of the party unveiled its new State Secretariat Complex in the Okutukutu town axis of the Isaac Adaka Boro Express Way.
The Tide further reports that the party’s new SEC members were elected through affirmation.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Bayelsa PDP State Congress Electoral Committee, Mr Austin Sor, said he was elated to lead national and state stalwarts of the party for the conduct of the State Congress.
He lauded Barr Turnah and other party executives, as well as its teeming supporters, for keeping the party alive in the state, noting that the PDP was still the party to beat in future elections.
In his acceptance speech shortly after his swearing-in, Barr Turnah said Bayelsans knew no other party than the PDP, saying the party had given the State all it needed in the past and present.
He stressed that in 2019, even when all hope was gone, God did a miracle for the party and a governor emerged.
The party’s new boss said he was ready to partner all stakeholders and party faithful to regain lost grounds to the party in the State, come 2027.
The Tide reports that the PDP in Bayelsa State had recently witnessed many of its members defecting en masse to the All Progressives Congress (APC) owing to factionalization of the party and the defection of the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri to the APC.
Barr Turnah who also thanked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and its factional Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, as well as Senator Samuel Anyanwu for their leadership, expressed the hope that the party would emerge even stronger in spite of the crisis currently rocking it.
“All what is happening is just for the moment. The God that returned power back to the PDP in the State in 2019, even when everyone thought it was over, is still the same God doing great things beyond man’s imagination.
“The PDP has given so much to us and this state that we cannot leave it. I want to promise you that we’ll not disappoint or disrespect you. We’ll work together and take back out state come 2027”, he said.
Others elected as state executive council members of the party with Barr Turnah include, Tonye Gabriel, State Deputy Chairman, Ato Alfreder Ebibofayei, State Secretary, Mietoikumo Opuofoni, Assistant Secretary, Biobelemoye Igoniwari, Treasurer, Abrakassa Ebiegberi, Assistant Treasurer and Erempagamo Eke-Spiff, Financial Secretary.
Also elected were, Amgbare Fullpower, Assistant Financial Secretary, Godspower Toruyokotie, Organizing Secretary, Ogbeintari Okere, Assistant Organizing Secretary, Ikaebimo Mark, Publicity Secretary, Smart Gboriebie, Assistant Publicity Secretary, Barr. Awudumapu Agorodi, Legal Adviser, Effort Kai, Assistant Legal Adviser, Sola Yoko Amain, Auditor, Dimaro Felix Enakpotari, Assistant Auditor and Nicholas Eferebo, State Youth Leader.
While, Azikiwe Isau emerged as Assistant Youth Leader, Evelyn Bolouebi Odi emerged as State Woman Leader and Wolisi Kosioma took the position of Assistant Woman Leader.
Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has directed his legal team to resume all court proceedings against Mrs. Tracy Ohiri over her repeated allegations of indebtedness and other claims against him.
Mrs Ohiri had publicly accused Senator Umahi of owing her N280 million for campaign materials from his tenure as party chairman in Ebonyi State.
The allegations went viral on social media, where she also accused the Minister of sexual harassment.
Security agencies arrested Mrs Ohiri, and she was subsequently prosecuted. Her lawyer, Barrister Marshall Abubakar, intervened, leading to the deletion of all posts and a public apology, which also gained widespread attention online.
However, days after the apology, Mrs Ohiri resumed her claims against Senator Umahi.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, Senator Umahi said he had informed Barrister Abubakar during the intervention that if Mrs Ohiri could provide verifiable evidence, logs, and communications from the period in question, some of his associates were willing to contribute a sum of One Billion Naira (N1billion) to her, evidence which, he said, she had yet to provide.
“The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, has been monitoring the ongoing public discourse surrounding the claims and counterclaims by Mrs. Tracy Ohiri.
“Ordinarily, this would have been ignored, but in the interest of truth and public clarity, it is necessary to address the issues directly”, the statement read.
The statement clarified that Barrister Abubakar acted in good faith and without any financial interest, motivated solely by a desire to assist Mrs Ohiri.
At no point did the lawyer discuss or negotiate any payment with the minister, although some well-meaning associates independently offered support”, the statement added.
Senator Umahi reiterated the conditions for resolving the matter: either the claims must be tested in court, or Mrs Ohiri must provide credible evidence, including all relevant communications, to substantiate her allegations.
The minister emphasised that Barr Abubakar conducted himself with integrity throughout the process.
“Following the failure to meet these conditions, particularly the inability to provide verifiable evidence, the Minister has directed his legal team to proceed with all court processes to ensure the truth is fully established,” the statement said.
Senator Umahi said despite years of public provocations and attacks, he chose to remain silent, focusing on national and state services.
He thanked Nigerians who had taken time to assess the facts and noted that “not everyone who presents themselves as a victim truly is one, and in some cases, narratives are deliberately inverted.”
The Minister affirmed that he will not be distracted by Mrs Ohiri’s allegations and remained committed to his mandate at the Ministry of Works.
“The focus remains on results, service, and ensuring that Nigerians continue to benefit from projects that improve connectivity, economic growth, and national development. This administration will continue to pursue its transformation agenda with dedication, transparency, and an unwavering sense of responsibility,” he concluded.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned proceedings in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions.
Justice Stephen Jumbo made the pronouncement during a recent sitting in Port Harcourt.
The suit, which borders on the legitimacy of the party’s leadership structure in the state, was instituted against the factional State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Aaron Chukwuemeka, alongside the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and other respondents.
Also joined in the matter are the PDP as a corporate entity, the Rivers State Government, as well as Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas, including their respective Vice Chairmen and Councillors.
The claimants, Enyi Uchechukwu, Wisdom Kalio and Uche Amadi, approached the court via an originating summons seeking judicial interpretation on the validity of actions taken by the Chief Chukwuemeka-led state executive committee of the party.
Central to the dispute is whether the said executive committee, whose emergence the claimants contend has been nullified by a subsisting court judgment, retains the legal authority to act on behalf of the party in critical electoral matters.
The plaintiffs specifically urged the court to determine whether the factional leadership could validly submit a list of candidates to RSIEC for the purpose of participating in local government elections.
They further questioned the legitimacy of the PDP’s participation in the August 30, 2025 local government elections, contending that any list purportedly submitted by the factional leadership was invalid and of no legal consequence.
In addition to the declaratory reliefs sought, the claimants also prayed the court to grant consequential orders addressing the outcome and conduct of the said elections across the affected local government areas.
At the resumed hearing, counsel representing the PDP and the affected local government councils informed the court that they had only recently been served with the originating processes and accompanying documents.
The defence team, comprising several Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), disclosed that service of the court processes was effected on March 13, 2026, leaving them with limited time to adequately prepare their responses.
Consequently, the defence counsel applied for an adjournment to enable them study the processes and address the legal issues raised, particularly as they relate to jurisdictional questions and points of law.
Counsel to the claimants, Glory Chizim-Chinda, did not oppose the application, following which the presiding judge granted the request and adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions, with a possible ruling expected ahead of the substantive suit.
By: King Onunwor
A former state lawmaker in the old the Rivers State, Professor Alex Eseimokumo, has described Nigerian opposition political parties as mere preposition political parties.
He also advised the country’s electorate against selling their votes during next year’s general elections.
The former legislator, who is also the president of the Institute for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Entrepreneurial Research, said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide on the sidelines of an event organized by the institute in Port Harcourt.
He said opposition political parties in Nigeria have been reduced to preposition political parties as most of them are not only dinning with the government but advising government on what to do to win election.
“The problem in Nigeria is we are not practicing politics the way it is supposed to be.The opposition are more in preposition.
“You see, opposition is supposed to find out things that are wrong in government but in our present day politics, you see opposition even dinning with the other group. So, there is basically nothing like opposition in Nigeria “, he said.
He lamented a situation where some individuals within the opposition are allegedly working hard to prevent their parties from fielding presidential candidates in the forthcoming election, adding that such individuals were only there to protect their personal interest.
Prof. Eseimokumo said as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he could not wish his party to fail in the election, even though nothing is impossible in Nigeria.
He noted that though the government in power has been trying it’s best, there was more to be done.
In his words, “I’m an APC member, so I don’t have the right to criticize my party but a word of advice: we still need to do more, more people oriented leadership where everybody will feel carried along.
“For now, I’m campaigning for APC to be re elected and if I stand here to say APC is not doing well, I’m not being fair to myself. But I think, with God all things are possible, there can be changes”.
On his assessment of the performances of governors of the Niger Delta states, Prof Eseimokumo said the governors were doing well within the limit of their resources.
” I don’t know what is given to them as allocation, but if what we are seeing in terms of window dressing is not window shopping, then they are doing well”, he said.
Meanwhile, Prof. Eseimokumo has advised Nigerian electorates against selling their votes during the forthcoming elections.
He said credible election could only be achieved when the electorates refuse financial inducement during the elections.
According to him, though Nigerian voters had been difficult to persuade, the time had come for them to stop selling their votes.
Prof. Eseimokumo said the forthcoming elections will serve as a litmus test for the Nigerian electorate to demonstrate their desire for changes in the country, stressing that free and fair elections will continue to be a mirage in the country until the was a change in the attitude of the electorate.
“If you want your vote to count, don’t take money from anybody; if you want your votes to count, don’t collect money for your vote. The moment you collect money for your vote, you have sold your conscience”, he warned.
He said his institute will continue to work for peace, not just in the Niger Delta region but across Nigeria.
By: John Bibor
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