Politics
Ekweremadu, Others Hail New PDP National Officers
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, congratulated the newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and other 20 officers elected during the just-concluded National Convention of the party.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, UcheAnichukwu, in Abuja, Ekweremadu, said the emergence of Ayu and other national officers would give the PDP the much-needed renewed vigour and focus required to rescue Nigeria.
He equally commended the Elder Yemi Akinnwonmi-led leadership of the party and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for the seamless and transparent elections, saying the PDP has disappointed her evil wishers.
“This is hearty congratulations to the newly elected national officers of our great party, the PDP. Given the pedigree and antecedents of our national chairman-elect and his team, I have no doubt that we got it right.
“Nigeria is in dire need of rescue from the clutches of divisiveness, criminal cartels, vaunting bandits and insurgents, collapsing economy (to put it mildly), and secessionist agitations occasioned by injustice and marginalisation.
“There is no doubt that we have in place a highly promising team led by a widely-accepted, disciplined, experienced, and pan-Nigerian politician in the person of Distinguished Senator IyorchiaAyu, that will help mobilise party faithful and Nigerians at home and the diaspora for the success of this mission,” he said.
On the just-concluded convention, the lawmaker, who also chaired the Screening Appeal Panel of the convention, said: “I must commend our party leaders and elders as well as the Governor AhmaduFintiri-led National Convention Planning Committee for giving the party a highly transparent, seamless, and credible convention. The party has disappointed the evil wishers.
“The first task before the elected national officers even before their inauguration is to work with the incumbent party leadership and elders to extend hands of fellowship and assuage party members, who are aggrieved for one reason or the other.
“We are one big family and the larger national and party interest should always prevail, especially at a time like this when the nation is seriously threatened”.
He wished Ayu and his team a highly successful tenure.
Also speaking ahead of the 2023 elections, the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon Aminu Tambuwal expressed optimism that the party was set to reclaim its glory.
According to Tambuwal, despite the antics of detractors to roll back the 16 years impressive credentials of the party, the party was still in the forefront and endearing.
“Analysts and observers agreed that there are attempts to scuttle our unity as a party and as a people. There are people working to present us as weak and in disarray.
“But I am happy to report that contrary to the naysayers the PDP is today the strongest and most cohesive party in Nigeria.
“I am happy to report that those who want to divide and weaken us are the ones failing and we are winning,” the governor said.
Enumerating the problems of the country and the continent of Africa as: challenges of insecurity, unemployment, rising cost of energy, food and other essential items for living decent lives,” he said the PDP as “the best platform to move the country forward” was poised to embark on intensive membership drive that will soon “welcome new members… (and) other patriots and concerned Nigerians to join us… to move Nigeria forward.”
Emphasising the need to harness the potential of young people and provision of succour to old people, he noted that “the current state of the nation is a far cry from the need of our people across the country.”
Tambuwal said the PDP is undaunted by the myriads of challenges “made worse by the (COVID-19) pandemic affected other issues across the world,” he advocated that the PDP should remain “united, disciplined and focused on finding ways to bring out the best of our people and building systems and institutions that aid not destroy.”
He reeled out the achievements of the PDP when it was in power for 16 years.
These include: liberalisation of telecommunications, diffusion of GSM, building of the institutions of drug administration, anti-graft, health insurance and the creation of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other achievements he listed were introduction of card readers, conception of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Bank Verification Number (BVN), new pension scheme, modern driver’s license, and restoration of the Abuja-Kaduna rail and location of more airports across the country.
The SokotoState governor said the PDP ‘negotiated and settled…foreign debts, fast paced the country’s economy, implemented bank reforms and stabilized the Naira.
Acknowledging that “governing Nigeria is not an easy task,” Tambuwal chastised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government that is “carrying a burden that is making it wobble.
“It is time to relieve them of that burden,” he stated.
In his remarks, Adamawa State Governor and Chairman of the convention committee, Hon AhmaduFintiri commended party faithful for what he described as a successful National Convention.
Earlier, the former Senate President, Dr.IyorchaAyu had emerged the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ambassador TaofeekArapaja also emerged the National Deputy Chairman (South).
Ayu, who was the consensus candidate at the party national convention in Abuja, got 3,426 affirmative votes out of 3,511 accredited voters.
However, Arapaja secured a total of 2,004 votes to defeat his only rival, former governor of Osun State, Prince OlagunsoyeOyinlola, who polled 705 votes, while invalid votes were165.
Also, Umar Damagum scored a total of 2,222 votes to defeat his sole rival, Mrs. Inna Ciroma, for the position of Deputy National Chairman (North), who polled 365 votes.
The position of National Youth Leader was won by Mohammed Suleiman with 3,072 votes, while his co-contestant, UsmanElkudan, had 219 votes.
Efforts to achieve consensus candidates for all 21 elective national offices of the party suffered a setback as agreement could not be reached for three offices.
The three offices were the Deputy National Chairman (South) and Deputy National Chairman (North), as well as the National Youth Leader of the party.
Those returned unopposed with uniform votes of 3,426 were Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; Ahmed Mohammed- National Treasurer; Umar Bature as National Organising Secretary and Daniel Woyegikuro as National Financial Secretary.
Other returned elected by the Returning Officer, Governor AhmaduFintiri of Adamawa, were Stella Effah-Attoe as National Woman Leader; KamaldeenAdeyemiAjibade as National Legal Adviser; DeboOlogunagba as National Publicity Secretary; and Okechukwu Daniel as National Auditor.
Also elected were SetonjiKosheodo as Deputy National Secretary; Ndubisi David as Deputy National Treasurer; Ibrahim Abdullahi as Deputy National Publicity Secretary; and IghoyotaAmori as Deputy National Organising Secretary,
AdamuKamale was elected the Deputy National Financial Secretary; HajaraWanka as Deputy National Woman Leader; Timothy Osadolor, as Deputy National Youth Leader, OkechukwuOsuoha as Deputy National Legal Adviser; and Albdulraman Mohammed as Deputy National Auditor.
The new members of the National Working Committee are expected to assume offices after the tenure of the incumbent members expires on December 9.
In his appreciation remarks, the incoming National Chairman of the PDP, Senator IyorchiaAyu said that the PDP was back to take over Nigeria and develop it.
The national chairman-elect said the PDP did it before and would do it again.
“I want to sincerely appreciate the PDP family. Today is simply a “thank you” address. When we started this party 23 years ago, we never in any way imagined that the journey would get us to this stage.
“A stage where we ruled for 16 years, we went into rough times, but for anybody who bothers to see, PDP is back.
“I want to appreciate all of you who have taken time as delegates as observers, as supporters, as members of the media as members of the security services who have made this event such a wonderful event.
“Many people imagine that this convention will lead to the break-up of PDP. Those people who are dreaming like that, their dreams were misplaced.
“Those who have lost hope should know that Nigeria is not a divided country. A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria.
“PDP will come back to unite our people, put them together, north and south, east and west.
“We will move ahead to develop this country. We did it before. We are going to do it again. I want to thank the governors,” Ayu said.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.
He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.
Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.
“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.
“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.
“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.
“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.
“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.
Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.
“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.