Politics
Adebayo Adedamola Emerges Osun PDP Governorship Candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola, has clinched the party’s ticket for the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Naija News learnt that Adedamola secured 919 votes to emerge as the party’s candidate in the primary election held on Tuesday at Adolak Hall in Osogbo.
The chairman of the electoral committee, Humphrey Abba, said that 20 votes were invalid.
He said, “Void votes 20. We told you earlier that one of the aspirants withdrew.
The candidate that got the remaining votes is Adebayo Adedamola with 919 votes and stands elected and returned.”
Speaking on why Governor Ademola Adeleke’s name was on the ballot despite his resignation, the secretary of the electoral committee, Sunday Solarin, said the timing was too late to effect any correction on the ballot.
According to him, the governor announced his resignation on Monday night, after the ballot had already been prepared, and it was too late to produce a fresh one.
He noted, “There were two aspirants vying for the PDP ticket, but one of them, Governor Ademola Adeleke, resigned from the party late on Monday, and we couldn’t amend the ballot.
“So, as you prepare to cast your vote, bear in mind that only Adebayo Adedamola remains the PDP aspirant, as his opponent has resigned from the party.”
Adedamola’s victory came after Governor Ademola Adeleke, whose name had initially been listed for the contest, formally resigned from the PDP.
Former presidential adviser Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has predicted that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could suffer an implosion if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar secures the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general election.
Baba-Ahmed made the assertion on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke on the dynamics within the coalition-backed party and the ambitions of its leading figures. According to him, Atiku is strongly positioned to emerge as the ADC’s flagbearer if the party conducts a national convention, a development he believes would trigger an exodus of aggrieved aspirants and supporters.
“If ADC goes to convention, and it certainly will, because that’s what former Vice President Atiku wants, he will get the ticket,” Baba-Ahmed said. “And then, a lot of people will walk out because a lot of people are in that party only for the same thing. They want the ticket.”
He argued that the ADC is currently accommodating several high-profile political actors whose interests are bound to clash once the process of selecting a presidential candidate begins. Baba-Ahmed also referenced the posture of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, suggesting that Obi’s political style does not align with competitive party primaries.
“One of the reasons Peter Obi is saying, ‘Look at me, I’m not here for number two, I’m not here for convention, I’m here to fly the flag,’ is that he has people who were initially whispering politely to him,” he said. “But now they are saying, ‘Join the queue. You’re not the only one with ambition here.’”
He added that Obi was accustomed to being adopted as a consensus candidate rather than contesting against multiple aspirants. “Peter Obi doesn’t do convention. He just goes there to be anointed,” Baba-Ahmed said, suggesting that such expectations could fuel tensions within the ADC.
The former presidential adviser concluded that the outcome of the party’s convention could destabilise the coalition. “So, the ADC will bleed after its convention because almost certainly former Vice President Atiku will win the ticket, and when he does, some people will walk out,” he said.
A prominent northern political figure has outlined what he believes is the only realistic path for Peter Obi to emerge as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
The politician, Umar Ardo, said Obi’s ambition within the ADC depends largely on the decision of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
According to him, Obi cannot clinch the party’s ticket unless Atiku withdraws from the race.
Ardo, who convenes the League of Northern Democrats and once sought the governorship of Adamawa State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), shared his views during a televised interview on Tuesday. He maintained that the current political structure of the ADC strongly favours Atiku.
Moreover, He explained that Atiku remains the dominant force within the party and would easily defeat any challenger if a primary election were held today.
Ardo insisted that repeated primaries would still produce the same outcome unless Atiku decides otherwise.
“Well, the ADC, as it is currently constituted, if it goes for primaries a hundred times, Atiku will win a hundred times. There is absolutely no doubt about that. How Peter Obi and his supporters react is what will determine the election,” Ardo said.
“I am not saying that Peter Obi cannot be the candidate of the party; however, he can only be the candidate of the party if Atiku steps down,” he added.
Despite his position, Ardo acknowledged Obi’s political relevance and described him as a major asset to the ADC. He noted that the former Anambra State governor commands a large and loyal voter base across the country.
He said Obi’s popularity, which he estimated at over six million votes, is one of the reasons the ADC is keen on keeping him within its fold. According to Ardo, the party sees Obi as a strategic figure who can strengthen its chances in the next election.
Peter Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, recently aligned with the ADC after months of consultations with party stakeholders. His move sparked wide reactions within opposition circles and among his supporters nationwide.
Obi formally addressed his supporters during a political gathering held in Enugu on December 31, where he explained the motivation behind his decision to join the ADC. He described the move as a fresh political journey aimed at national renewal.
The ADC has recently attracted several heavyweight politicians from across the country. Among them are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Senate President David Mark.
These political actors are part of a growing opposition coalition seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
As a result, the group adopted the ADC as its common platform last year in a bid to present a united front.
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