Politics
PDP Governors’ Forum Pays Condolence Visit To Makinde …Over Demise Of Elder Brother
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, was in Oyo State on yesterday, to commiserate with the State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, over the demise of his Elder Brother, Engr Sunday Makinde.
Governor Fubara was on the trip with the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
Speaking at the visit, Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, said they were in Oyo to condole with him and his family over the loss of Engr Sunday Makinde.
Senator Mohammed, who described the demise of Engr Makinde as a huge devastation to the family, however, urged the Oyo Governor to take consolation in the fact that all mortals will one day return to God, noting that his Elder Brother while on earth, contributed his quota to the growth and development of the country and left indelible footprints in the sands of time.
He said, “Your Excellency, we are here on behalf of the PDP Governors’ Forum to commiserate with you, to condole you over the loss of your elder Brother, Engr Sunday Makinde. We saw the news in the media, and we spoke on the phone, but in our tradition in Africa, we have to come to show you solidarity.
“We know the devastation is huge. We know you to be a strong character, strong person, you will bear all these losses. As a man of God, you know we are all here temporarily. We will all go back to our Creator. That is why we are consoled that your brother gave us a good name and for the country before he retired meritoriously. So, you should be consoled that this man came and conquered and contributed positively to the growth and development of Nigeria.”
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, admonished Governor Makinde to see the demise as one of life’s irreparable losses, and bear it with courage, just as he assured him of the PDP Governors’ support, and prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest in His bosom.
He added, “So, on behalf of my colleagues, especially my brother who had had to come from Rivers to Bauchi to pick me, that shows how important you are. We have come to commiserate with you and the family, and say please, take this as one of those irreparable losses, and exercise patience and have the courage to bear it.
“Please, don’t be left with any doubt that we are with you. May God give our brother a repose in the bossom in the Lord. May you as a family and siblings have mercy from God so that they can even do better than what you have done, including us,” he noted.
Responding, Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, noted how painful the death of his elder brother, Engr Sunday Makinde, was to the family at the age of 65 after retirement, as he was expected to settle down and enjoy life.
He described the demise as sudden, as according to him, his brother fell from the bathroom, but could not be revived by doctors, saying they cannot question God, but have taken to heart that He is the giver and receiver of life.
He added, “We thought our elder brother is just about to start life because he was just 65. We thought after going all over the world and settling down, this is the time for him to take some rest. But we cannot question God. We have to accept that God giveth and taketh without asking from anybody any form of validation.
“It is also painful for us because it was quite sudden. He fell in the bathroom and was rushed to the hospital, but they couldn’t revive him.”
Governor Makinde thanked the PDP Governors for the visit, which he noted, meant a lot to his family, and prayed God to grant the family members long life on earth before answering the clarion call of God.
He said, “But this visit means a lot to us. So, I want to also on behalf of the people and Government of Oyo State, thank you for the visit. Our prayer is that we don’t want to use this kind of visit as a payback. I pray that in our various families, people will grow old before God calls them back.”
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.
-
Editorial4 days agoEnough Of Xenophobic Attacks On Nigerians
-
Sports4 days agoOparaodu Urges Rivers United To Win Katsina United
-
Education4 days agoUNIPort Senate Grants Two-Year Amnesty to U2010–U2018 Students
-
Nation4 days agoRSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Holds Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria
-
Oil & Energy4 days agoRivers PETROAN Elects 12-Member Executive
-
Politics4 days ago
APC Group Protests Ex–Presidential Aspirant’s Disqualification From Rivers Senatorial Race
-
Sports4 days ago” Nigeria’s best domestic players are not in NPFL”
-
Politics4 days ago
Reps Speaker Secures APC Return Ticket For Fifth Term