Edo Guber: Court nulifies PDP Primary poll

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has declared as invalid the People’s Democratic Party’s Primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as a governorship candidate. The primary election conducted on February 22, 2024 was voided on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP. The court invalidated the primary election on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by the aggrieved delegates. The suit marked THC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 was instituted by one Hon Kelvin Mohammed in a representative capacity. Justice Ekwo held that both the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and PDP Guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin. Details later.

Atiku Departs Nigeria 

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, departed Abuja for Europe on Wednesday. The former Vice President has faced significant criticism for often leaving Nigeria soon after each election. In contrast to the post-2015 and 2019 elections, Atiku stayed in the country for several months following the 2023 election. During this time, he engaged in party activities and consultations that many believe are in preparation for the 2027 elections. Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, stated on Wednesday that the former Vice President had gone on a brief foreign business trip accompanied by family members, friends, and associates. The statement read in part, “Nigeria’s leading opposition figure and former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has embarked on a business trip to Europe. “The former Vice President departed from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 11 AM on Wednesday, the 26th of June, 2024, for his first port of call. “He was accompanied to the airport by family members, friends, and associates. “This morning, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar proceeded on a short foreign business trip. He will be back in the country soon.

2027: PDP Speaks On Peter Obi, Atiku Alliance 

The Peoples Democratic Party has revealed that it is not engaged in any merger, fusion or amalgamation talks with any other political party or interest. Recall that 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi visited some PDP bigwigs including Atiku Abubakar in Abuja. The visit had sparked rumours of a proposed merger ahead of the 2027 election. But during its 587th meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party said the party is open and welcoming to all Nigerians including our former members who left for other parties. Debo Ologunagba National Publicity Secretary of the party in a statement said: “Our Party remains strong and formidable, capable of winning elections in a free,fair and transparent electoral process in our country. “The NWC acknowledges the influx of millions of Nigerians into our Party in the on-going Party Membership Drive in all the Electoral Wards across the country; which further confirms that the PDP remains the Party of choice for majority of Nigerians.  “The public, teeming members of our great Party, Democracy Institutions and of course the International Community should therefore disregard any report suggesting any form of merger between the PDP and any other political Party as such is not in the contemplation of our great Party”.

PDP To Elect New Chairman In August

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to elect a new national chairman in August 2024. This announcement follows the 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja yesterday, at which party stakeholders decided to extend Umar Damagum’s tenure as the party’s acting national chairman. Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who serves as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, shared this information with journalists during a press briefing held in Abuja yesterday. He said: “In the next two months we will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility. We said in September that we would have come out from our congresses. “We will look at the issue of leadership and look at the issue of our constitution where it will be and we will do it without rancour.” Mohammed emphasized that the smooth execution of the party’s NEC gathering demonstrated the absence of any disagreement or hostility within the leadership. “It was planned that the party will have an explosion. PDP is more than that, we have gone beyond all these idiosyncrasies. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality. “There were a lot of permutations and mischievous thinking outside there. But we looked at all the issues and we worked along our guidelines and constitution. There is no problem or dissension and problem among members,” Premiumtimes quoted the PDP chieftain saying. In his remark, the acting national chairman, Damagum, said that the leadership of the party was not a do-or-die affair. “This is not a matter of life and death. I am still an elected member of this NEC. Even if I revert to deputy national chairman I’m still a member of NWC. The issue of surviving or not does not emerge,” he said.

Why PDP failed to suspend Wike, Makinde, others over anti-party activities – George

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has reacted to calls for the the suspension of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike and other members of the G-5 group. According to George, the PDP is more focused on reconciling its members than punishing them over previous actions against the party. The PDP chieftain stated this during an interview with ChannelsTV on Thursday, April 18. Wike, now the minister of the FCT under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), fell out with the PDP hierarchy in the lead-up to the presidential election of last year. He and a group called G-5 including then-governors, worked against the PDP in the presidential election, insisting the southern part of Nigeria ought to produce the party’s flagbearer. While many have questioned Wike’s membership of the party with others calling for sanctions against him, Bode George says the PDP is working to settle its matters. “There is a standing committee. They are going to add more members to do a post-mortem analysis,” he said. “We don’t want to start firing because there are one or two people that are still thinking about the past. The party must move on.” “It is an issue in the party. It should not be resolved in the marketplace,” the PDP chieftain said, insisting “We are going to settle our own matters like a family.” The PDP was the runner-up in the 2023 presidential election, losing to the ruling APC. Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, was its flagbearer in that exercise and also in 2019.

Protesters storm PDP secretariat, demand Wike’s suspension

Some protesters, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reform Vanguard, have besieged the party’s secretariat in Abuja to demand the suspension of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. The protesters also called for the resignation of Umar Damagun as acting national chairman of the PDP. The group arrived the headquarters on Thursday morning ahead of the scheduled national executive council (NEC) meeting of the PDP, while demanding that Wike should be suspended for alleged anti-party activities. Speaking with reporters, Usman Seidu, convener of the group, said Damagun and Wike have “undermined our collective efforts and jeopardised our very existence as a formidable opposition force”. “We commend our former National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu for his demonstration of unwavering loyalty and love for our party by withdrawing all pending suits against the party in the court,” Seidu said. “His actions have paved the way for our great party to move forward, to cleanse our ranks and restore integrity to our leadership. However, the presence of individuals like Amb. Iliya Damagun and Mr. Nyesom Wike within our midst remains a cancerous growth on the body of our party. Their actions, tantamount to betrayal, have undermined our collective efforts and jeopardised our very existence as a formidable opposition force. “The time has come for the NEC to act decisively. Amb. Iliya Damagun must be removed from his position as acting national chairman, in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution. “He must be replaced with a loyal member from the north-central, someone who embodies the spirit of our party and will work tirelessly for the advancement of its course. “Furthermore, we cannot turn a blind eye to the continuous presence of Mr. Nyesom Wike within our ranks. His romance with the APC has been handsomely rewarded with his appointment as minister of the FCT and as such, his stay is a slap in the face of every loyal member of our party. ”If the party fails to take decisive action against those who have betrayed our trust, then it risks losing the faith and support of it’s loyal members across the country.” Wike attended the national caucus meeting of the PDP on Wednesday.

PDP May Present Female Presidential Candidate For 2027 Election

National chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has expressed optimism about Nigeria potentially electing its first female president in 2027.  He said this at an event marking the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration in Abuja. Damagum, represented by PDP national secretary Samuel Anyanwu, voiced his belief in the capability of women to lead, highlighting the disappointment in current male leadership. Damagum underscored the significant role of women, particularly mothers, in society, stressing the need for increased female representation in political leadership.  He praised the PDP for providing opportunities for women to advance without financial constraints, positioning the party as a champion of women’s rights and political participation. Echoing Damagum’s sentiments, PDP National Woman Leader, Amina Divine Arong, emphasized the importance of gender equality in political participation and leadership for achieving sustainable development goals by 2030.  Arong highlighted the positive impact of women in leadership roles, citing their resilience during times of financial crisis and their contributions to economic, social, and political progress. Arong called for continued advocacy and support to encourage women to pursue leadership roles, emphasizing the need for training and preparation to ensure their success.  She urged women already in leadership positions to facilitate access to opportunities for growth and development, fostering a culture of inclusivity and empowerment.

Enugu Rerun-Election: Labour Party Calls For Cancellation

The Labour Party, LP, has described the House of Representatives re-run election in Igbo-Eze/Udenu federal constituency, Enugu State, as a sham and called for a total cancellation of the exercise. The national secretary of the party, Umar Farouk, who led its monitoring team to polling stations involved in the by-elections on Saturday, told journalists that due process was not followed. He said that accreditation was compromised, result sheets were hijacked, and BVAS machines were disregarded while voters were not allowed to exercise their right to vote. The LP national secretary, who addressed the press in the company of the party’s House of Representatives candidate, Dennis Agbo, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately cancel elections in areas where illegalities have been reported. In his comments, Dennis Agbo also called for the immediate and total cancellation of the supplementary election. He accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of using the local government vigilante to intimidate LP supporters. Agbo said LP members were chased away from polling booths by the local vigilantes and further alleged that INEC officials took instructions from PDP officials and allowed voting to take place in private houses.