Politics
Tension As Makinde Fights On To Rescue PDP From Wike In Today’s NEC meeting today
Credible sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the issue said that rival factions were actively mobilising and preparing to attend the separate meetings.
A reliable party source, said the Board of Trustees was also scheduled to meet today amid the ongoing turmoil.
Our correspondent gathered that on Sunday afternoon in Wadata, acting National Chairman Umar Damagum; embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); Vice Chairman (North West), Senator Bello Gwarzo; and two other members of the National Working Committee met and reaffirmed their position that an expanded National Caucus meeting should be held instead of the NEC.
In response on Sunday evening in Wadata Plaza, majority of the NWC members, including Deputy National Chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, National Vice Chairman (South East), Ali Odefa; South East Caretaker Chairman, Emmanuel Ogidi; National Woman Leader, Amina Darasimi; acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo; National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechin; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; National Financial Secretary, Woyengikuro Daniel; and National Vice Chairman (South West), Ajisafe Toyese insisted that the NEC meeting would go ahead today with Koshoedo remaining as acting National Secretary.
The camps of Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo) — which includes Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), 11 members of the National Working Committee and other senior party figures, also insisted that the NEC meeting must take place today as originally scheduled. This group is also firmly against the return of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
On the opposing side, camp of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike — including Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) — are advocating for Anyanwu’s reinstatement and for the NEC meeting to be postponed.
The PDP has continued to grapple with internal discord since its loss of power in 2015, facing leadership battles, mass defections, and unresolved congress issues in several key states.
To stabilise the party, Koshoedo was earlier appointed as acting National Secretary.
However, a fact-finding committee, led by Taraba State Governor Kefas Agbu, revealed that INEC still officially recognised Senator Anyanwu as the legitimate holder of the office.
Following this, the 99th NEC had agreed to schedule the 100th NEC meeting for June 30, and Damagum communicated this to INEC through a letter dated May 30.
INEC, however, declined the notification, stating that under PDP’s internal procedures, such letters must be co-signed by both the National Chairman and National Secretary. INEC advised the party to comply with its constitutionally mandated processes.
Amid the growing tension, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated at a press conference that INEC’s role was limited to receiving party notifications and not interfering in internal affairs.
However, Damagum distanced the party from Ologunagba’s remarks, labeling them as personal views lacking broader consultation and describing them as premature and regrettable.
This deepening rift became more evident just a day after Damagum led a delegation of party leaders to a high-level fact-finding meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.
Speaking at a press conference on June 25 at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Damagum announced the reinstatement of Senator Anyanwu as National Secretary and the postponement of the party’s 100th NEC meeting.
He described the move as a tough but necessary decision backed by the majority of party stakeholders, adding thay Expanded National Caucus will hold June 30th.
Accompanied by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other top party figures, Damagum announced that an expanded National Caucus meeting would now be held on June 30, replacing the earlier scheduled NEC meeting.
Meanwhile, six deputy national officers of the PDP — Timothy Osadolor (Deputy National Youth Leader), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Deputy National Publicity Secretary), Okechukwu Osuoha (Deputy National Legal Adviser), Hajia Maryam (Deputy National Woman Leader), Adamu Kamale (Deputy National Financial Secretary), and Chubby Eneh (Deputy National Treasurer) — endorsed Anyanwu’s return.
In a statement released June 25 they hailed his reinstatement as a victory for the party and affirmed their support for the June 30 National Caucus meeting.
In response, 11 out of 18 NWC members rejected Anyanwu’s reinstatement and reiterated their commitment to holding the NEC meeting on June 30 as scheduled.
However, the 11 NWC members opposed to Anyanwu, in a separate statement on Wednesday, stood their ground, insisting that the NEC meeting would proceed as initially planned on June 30.
The NWC 11 stated, “Furthermore, the claim by Amb. Damagum that Sen. Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the Party is therefore misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, 30th June, 2025, has not been cancelled or postponed.”
A top party source noted that majority of the NWC members and other critical stakeholders have made preparations to have the 1OOth NEC today as scheduled.
The source, who belongs to Makinde’s camp, stated, “It is a matter of survival for the major opposition party in Nigeria. PDP is bigger than any individual, and the most supreme organ of the party after the National Convention is NEC. And the 99th NEC on May 27 scheduled the 100th NEC for June 30.
“As we speak, we have printed all necessary documents needed for accreditation. We have made all necessary preparations to ensure that tomorrow’s NEC meeting will be a success.
“We understand some people are making efforts to stall it, but we are ready to uphold our party’s constitution and ensure that the party survives, so no matter what we are ready.
“So, in line with the 99th NEC schedule, we have sent out reminders and invitations to our people for the PDP 100th NEC. And only NEC members will be allowed access to the venue. Every other issue will be resolved there.”
Addressing a press conference on Sunday night, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Arapaja, flanked by other NWC members, insisted that the 100th NEC would hold today.
He stated, “We have called you to, through you, further update all members of the PDP and the general public on the activities of the Party especially with regard to the 100th meeting of the NEC statutorily scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, 30th June, 2025 and the National Convention scheduled for Thursday 28th to Saturday, 30th August, 2025.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC assures all party members that the 100th NEC meeting will proceed as scheduled tomorrow Monday, 30th June, 2025 (today) at the NEC Hall of the Wadata Plaza, PDP National Secretariat, Abuja.
“The 100th NEC meeting will among other things receive updates on the activities of the Zoning Committee and the National Convention Organizing Committee.
“As you are aware, the 100th meeting was unanimously scheduled by NEC at its 99th meeting held on Tuesday, 27th May, 2025.
“By virtue of Section 31(3) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) the Monday, 30th June, 2025 date for the 100th NEC meeting is binding on all Organs and members, and as such no Organ, group or officer of the Party has the power to alter, change, vary, veto or convert the already convened NEC meeting.
“Contrary to a purported notice being circulated on social media suggesting that the 100th NEC meeting has been converted to a Special Expanded National Caucus meeting, the NWC states in clear terms that the said notice did not emanate from the PDP and should be disregarded.”
Arapaja stressed that the PDP Constitution and party guidelines contained no provision for an Expanded National Caucus.
He added, “For the avoidance of doubt, Section 30 of the Constitution of the PDP is unambiguous in providing for a National Caucus for the Party with its composition, functions and meetings clearly spelt out, leaving no room for any form of expansion.
“The suggestion, proposal or announcement for a ‘Special Expanded National Caucus meeting’ is therefore unconstitutional and cannot take any decision for the PDP being not a recognised organ or body in the PDP.
“The PDP is a political party build on the foundation and pedestal of strict adherence to the Rule of Law, guided by the due process of our party Constitution and the ethos of internal democracy, which values must be protected and preserved at all time.
“The NWC acknowledges the support and solidarity of the members of the PDP and reassures that the 100th NEC meeting and the National Convention will go on as scheduled by NEC.”
Meanwhile, multiple sources from Wike’s camp insisted that today’s meeting was a National Caucus meeting, not a NEC session.
One of the sources stated, “The meeting tomorrow (today) is the National Caucus and not the NEC meeting. The acting National Chairman announced this last week after the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary.
“So, individuals cannot force the party to hold NEC when it could lead to crisis and even personal confrontation. But we will not allow that to happen; we will hold the expanded National Caucus meeting tomorrow.”
In a related development, Anyanwu stated in a notice on Sunday that participation in the expanded National Caucus meeting would be strictly by invitation only.
The invitation read in part, “The National Working Committee of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, wishes to inform and invite the following stakeholders to a Special Expanded National Caucus Meeting of our party scheduled to hold as follows:
“Date: Monday, June 30th, 2025, Venue: National Secretariat (NEC Hall), Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja FCT, Time: 2:00pm
“Invited guest are: Statutory Members of National Caucus, Deputy National Officers, BoT members, all state Ccairmen, all members of PDP NASS Caucus, former NWC members (still in the party), National Ex-Officio Members, all PDP former Governors (still in the Party), all immediate past gubernatorial candidates (still in the party).”
Leaders’ divergent views
In a related development, Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, says he stands by the position of the National Working Committee, NWC, the Board of Trustees, and South East Zonal Executive Committee, ZEC, of the PDP on the crisis rocking the party.
Mbah also expressed support for today’s NEC meeting, saying that while he was still a member of the PDP, he was “simply fed up with the shenanigans that have more or less made the party an endless circus.”
The governor, who made his position known to newsmen after a closed-door meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; and the South East Zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Ali Odefa, among others, at the Government House, Enugu on Sunday, maintained that the position of the South East ZEC of the PDP to review its future with the party if its stand on the issue of the National Secretary was not honoured remained sacrosanct.
“For the record, just as I stated during my interactive session with Fellows and Members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu at the weekend, while I am still a member of the PDP, the South East – and that includes me – reserves the right to review our continued membership of the party if the party is unwilling to put its house in order.
“That was invariably the position adopted during our last South East Zonal meeting held here in Enugu. During that meeting, the caucus noted that the party should not disregard the zone’s stand regarding the National Secretary position.
“To all intents and purposes, this has obviously not been the case. So, there is no doubt as to where I stand on the matter.
“The position of the South East with respect to the National Secretary of the party as issued in that communique is sacrosanct,” he stated.
Other PDP chieftains at the meeting include the former National Chairman of the party and BOT member, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; Senator Sam Egwu, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Senator Ben Obi, and Hon. Udeh-Okoye, among others.
Also, in an exclusive interview on Sunday, former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Olabode George, said regardless of the name the meeting is called, he would attend, given the need for the party to move forward.
He said, “When we get there, we will sort ourselves out. Whether they call it NEC, leg or head meeting, the most important thing is that we are meeting tomorrow (today). We will face one another and tell ourselves the truth, without rancour.
“Let us gather first, call it whatever name. This is an opportunity for everyone to bare his or her mind. We will all be there and I believe a decision on the way forward will be taken.
“I am set. I am already at the airport. I will be there. I won’t sit down here and allow people to destroy a party that was handed over to us by the founding fathers. One thing I am certain about is that the gathering will enable us resolve the crisis in the party.”
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ten communities that make up Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State are set for a showdown with their traditional rulers following the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement for the Anambra State House of Assembly elections.
Recall that on April 7, 2022, the traditional rulers, in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resolved that the House of Assembly seats for Anaocha I and Anaocha II constituencies would rotate among the ten communities, with each town occupying the seat for two terms.
The traditional rulers further resolved that the rotation would subsist irrespective of the political party through which lawmakers emerge, noting that the arrangement was aimed at ensuring that all ten communities have the opportunity to produce members of the State Assembly in the interest of equity and fairness.
However, the Anaocha Equity Forum, shortly after its meeting, expressed concern over the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement.
Speaking, the Convener of the Anaocha Equity Forum, Mr. Valentine Okoye, said the forum would not take kindly to what it described as acts capable of destabilising the council area, adding that any such move would be resisted.
“This is a Memorandum of Understanding signed by our traditional rulers, and it has been respected until now. We in the Anaocha Equity Forum see this as a slap on the sensibilities of the ten communities that make up the area,” he said.
“We urge members of the public, political parties, and stakeholders to disregard the alleged position of the traditional rulers, as it does not represent the views and aspirations of our people.
“Our traditional rulers should be mindful of their roles as fathers of their respective communities. They should also understand that they would be held responsible for whatever backlash or consequences may arise from this recent position.
“We call on Governor Charles Soludo to call the traditional rulers to order so that the peace currently enjoyed in Anaocha Local Government Area will not be disrupted,” he stated.
The exit of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, two prominent opposition figures, has weakened the African Democratic Congress across both chambers of the National Assembly.
The National Democratic Congress, which received Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday, recorded its biggest gains on Tuesday with the addition of 17 House members and a senator. Weeks earlier, its ranks expanded when Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to join the party.
The development comes a few days after several opposition parties resolved to present a single presidential candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The wave of defection to the NDC occurred 48 hours after Obi and Kwankwaso, two of the ADC’s most prominent figures, formally exited the party. These moves have significantly altered the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting the stage for shifting political alliances.
Additionally, the latest defectors, drawn from Kano, Anambra, Lagos, Edo, Rivers, and Kogi States, cited internal disarray within the ADC as a major factor that influenced their decision.
While reading their letters on the floor of the House, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary session, said the lawmakers blamed the party’s instability for their departure, noting that the crisis remained “unresolved starting from the ward to the national level.”
The defectors to the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Sani Adamu, Zakari Mukhtari, Kamilu Ado, Harris Okonkwo, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Peter Anekwe, Emeka Idu, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, and Afam Ogene. Others include Lagos lawmakers Thaddeus Attah, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, George Olwande, and Jese Onuakalusi, as well as Murphy Omroruyi from Edo and Umezuruike Manuchim from Rivers State.
In a separate move, Kogi lawmaker Leke Abejide defected from the ADC to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The coordinated nature of the defections is widely interpreted as a show of loyalty to Obi and Kwankwaso, whose switch to the NDC is already reshaping opposition dynamics.
Both men are influential political figures with strong regional bases—Obi in the South-East and Kwankwaso in the North-West—and their exit from the ADC appears to have triggered a ripple effect among lawmakers aligned with their political structures.
The ADC’s current troubles did not emerge overnight. In recent months, tensions within the party escalated over leadership struggles, strategy disagreements, and competing ambitions among top figures.
The situation worsened amid reports of irreconcilable differences between Obi, Kwankwaso, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was also a central figure in opposition coalition talks.
Efforts to build a united front ahead of 2027 reportedly broke down due to mistrust, zoning disagreements, and control of party structures.
Their eventual defection to the NDC marked a turning point. Seen as a more viable platform for consolidating opposition strength, the NDC quickly became a magnet for lawmakers and political actors seeking stability and clearer leadership direction.
With the departure of key figures and a steady decline in its legislative strength, the ADC now faces a daunting struggle to maintain political relevance.
The loss of national figures like Obi and Kwankwaso, combined with the defection of lawmakers across multiple states, appears to have weakened its structure and electoral prospects.
Only last week, the party boasted 24 members of the House of Representatives, but it is now left with six.
Once the dominant opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party may equally struggle to retain its status.
Though still officially the most formidable opposition in the House, the PDP currently has 29 members in the Green Chamber, down from 116 members in its ranks at the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023.
Barely a year to the inauguration of the 11th National Assembly, the Senate on Tuesday moved to tighten its internal rules, effectively narrowing the path to its most powerful offices and edging out a class of incoming lawmakers, including serving governors and former senators eyeing leadership positions.
In a move widely seen as pre-emptive, the red chamber, after about three hours of a closed-door session, amended Orders 4 and 5 of its Standing Rules, restricting eligibility for both presiding and principal offices to ranking lawmakers with defined legislative experience.
The amendments come amid growing interest by outgoing governors and political heavyweights, many of whom are positioning to enter the Senate in 2027 to contest for top leadership roles such as Senate President and Deputy Senate President.
Under the Revised Order 4, the Senate reinforced a strict hierarchy for the emergence of presiding officers, stating that “Nomination of senators to serve as Presiding Officers shall be in accordance with the ranking of senators and shall be strictly adhered to.
“The order of ranking are (i) Former President of the Senate, (ii) Former Deputy President of the Senate, (iii) Former Principal Officers of the Senate, (iv) Senators who had served at least one term of four years, (v) Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives, (vi) In the absence of i to v, senators elected into the Senate for the first time,” it stated.
Beyond this ranking structure, the Senate introduced a more stringent provision in Order 5, effectively excluding first-time and non-consecutive lawmakers from contesting principal offices.
The amended rule states: “Any senator shall not be eligible to contest for any principal office of the Senate unless he has served as a senator for at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding nomination.”
The implication is far-reaching: senators-elect who were not members of both the 9th and 10th National Assembly would be ineligible to vie for key leadership roles in the 11th Assembly.
Presiding offices in the Senate include the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, while principal offices comprise Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Whip, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.
The rule changes come against the backdrop of an intensifying scramble for Senate seats ahead of the 2027 general elections, driven largely by governors completing their constitutionally allowed two terms.
No fewer than 10 state governors and several former governors are already angling to secure senatorial tickets, leveraging their influence over party structures to emerge as consensus candidates in their respective states.
At least 12 of the 36 state governors are in their second and final terms, with 10 set to complete their tenure by May 29, 2027.
The looming transition has triggered a wave of political realignments, with many seeking to maintain relevance and influence by moving to the National Assembly.
Eight of the affected governors are from the ruling All Progressives Congress, while Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed is aligned with the Allied Peoples Movement.
Those expected to exit office in 2027 include AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), alongside Makinde and Bala Mohammed.
Although Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma will complete their tenures in early 2028 due to off-cycle elections, both have been drawn into early permutations for Senate seats.
In Imo State, the political temperature has risen sharply following moves by the All Progressives Congress to position Uzodimma for the Imo West senatorial seat.
Party leaders in the state have already named him as the consensus candidate, even as the incumbent senator, Osita Izunaso, is reportedly seeking a return to the red chamber.
Last Saturday, APC leaders from the Orlu Zone (Imo West), led by the state chairman, Chief Austin Onyedebelu, purchased the 2027 senatorial nomination form for the governor, urging him to accept the ticket.
Onyedebelu, who presented the forms to Uzodimma’s Chief of Staff, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, called for pressure on the governor to “accept the plea of Orlu people by filling the forms so that it can be submitted before the deadline of 5th May, 2026.”
The state APC has also warned other aspirants against contesting the seat, insisting that Uzodimma remains the consensus choice.
Complicating the contest, former Governor Rochas Okorocha equally purchased nomination forms in a bid to return to the Senate, a move confirmed by one of his aides, Darlington Ibekwe.
The Orlu Political Consultative Assembly further reinforced Uzodimma’s candidacy, declaring him the sole candidate for the district in what it described as a “total, unanimous, and irrevocable decision.”
The unfolding contest is also shaped by internal power dynamics within the ruling party.
Last month, President Bola Tinubu reportedly rebuffed attempts by National Assembly leaders to secure automatic return tickets for lawmakers, instead reaffirming the authority of state governors over candidate selection.
The stance has strengthened governors’ grip on party structures, enabling many of them to influence senatorial nominations as they prepare for life after office.
Against this backdrop, the Senate’s rule amendments appear designed to preserve institutional hierarchy and prevent an influx of first-time lawmakers, many of them politically powerful, from immediately taking control of the chamber’s leadership.
For ambitious entrants like Uzodimma and others plotting a return or debut in the Senate, the message from the red chamber is clear: experience within its ranks, not political clout outside it, will determine who leads in the 11th National Assembly.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state has finally submitted the first batch of the list of Commissioners made up of 18 nominees to the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Recall that this reporter had predicted that the Governor would announce the list of his Cabinet members on or before the end of this week.
According to the Special Assistant to the Speaker of the Assembly on New Media Mr Franklin Osankwa , the Speaker Hon Somtochukwu Udeze has already sent the list to the Screening Committee of the legislature.
A breakdown of the list indicates that only four former Commissioners who worked with him during his first term in office were returned .
They include the Commissioner for Health Dr Afam Obidike , Professor Offonze Amucheazi Ministry of Lands , Mr Patrick Agba , Youth Development and Commissioner for Information Dr Law Mefor .
Similarly the list of Special Assistants and Senor Special Assistants and Advisers is being awaited .
No fewer than 10 state governors and former governors are actively working to replace incumbent senators ahead of the 2027 general elections, in what appears to be a sweeping political realignment reshaping Nigeria’s legislative landscape.
The sitting governors, whose tenure will expire by May 2027, are leveraging their control of party structures in their states to secure Senate tickets—largely through “consensus” arrangements.
At least 12 of Nigeria’s 36 incumbent governors are currently serving their second and final terms. Of that number, 10 will complete their constitutionally mandated eight years on May 29, 2027, setting the stage for a high-stakes political transition that is already unsettling party structures nationwide.
Eight of the affected governors are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Seyi Makinde of Oyo State belongs to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State is affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party, contrary to earlier claims linking him to the Allied Peoples Movement.
Governors expected to complete their tenure in 2027 include AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), alongside Makinde and Bala Mohammed.
Although Governors Douye Diri of Bayelsa and Hope Uzodimma of Imo will also finish their second terms, their exit dates fall in January and February 2028, respectively, due to off-cycle elections. However, their extended timelines have not excluded them from early succession and Senate calculations.
Last month, President Bola Tinubu, during a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly, rebuffed lobbying efforts by lawmakers seeking automatic return tickets ahead of the 2027 elections. Instead, he reaffirmed the authority of state governors over candidate selection in their respective states.
Sources familiar with the meeting revealed that senators had approached the President to seek assurances for automatic tickets.
“The meeting was to plead for automatic tickets, but the President insisted that governors, as party leaders in their states, must have a decisive say on who gets the ticket,” a source disclosed.
Less than 24 hours later, Tinubu convened another meeting with APC governors, where he reportedly gave them a free hand to conduct party primaries in accordance with the Electoral Act—either through consensus or direct primaries.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago confirmed this, stating that the President had effectively empowered governors to drive the primaries process.
Investigations across several states—including Yobe, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Ogun, Gombe, Bauchi, Kwara, and Imo—indicate a growing pattern in which party stakeholders endorse governors or their preferred candidates as sole contenders. In many cases, rivals are pressured to step aside, while primaries are either avoided or reduced to mere formalities.
In Yobe State, Senator Musa Mustapha (Yobe East) stepped aside to support Governor Mai Mala Buni after a stakeholders’ meeting in Damaturu. He also withdrew from the governorship race, pledging full loyalty to party leadership decisions.
Similarly, in Gombe State, former governor and Senator Danjuma Goje lost his bid for a fifth term following a zoning arrangement favouring a candidate aligned with Governor Yahaya.
In Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma has been endorsed as the consensus candidate for Imo West, despite the interest of incumbent Senator Osita Izunaso. The move has triggered tension, with former governor Rochas Okorocha also entering the race.
In Ogun State, the consensus model has broken down into open conflict, as Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Senate ambition has put him at odds with incumbent Senator Gbenga Daniel.
In Adamawa, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has emerged as the consensus candidate for Adamawa North, with the incumbent senator stepping aside in his favour.
Similar developments have been recorded in Nasarawa, Kwara, Delta, and Kogi states, where governors and former governors are positioning themselves to take over Senate seats—often displacing incumbents.
Meanwhile, in Cross River State, former governor Ben Ayade revealed he had been asked to drop his Senate ambition following high-level consultations, a decision he described as painful and unjust.
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