Politics
Atiku-Led PDP Faction Opts To Join Coalition
Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the 2023; election has opted to lead yet another breakaway group from the party to join the ongoing coalition.
The coalition is currently being driven by Nasir El- Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, with notable figures such as Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers state.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party LP, has also attended the meeting, even as it is not clear of he also will collapse his Obedient group in the Labour party into the coalition.
The group which met in Abuja on Tuesday, under the auspice of Concerned Leaders of PDP” was, according to them “called to discuss the disturbing condition the Party has sunk into.”
In a communique at the end of the meeting, the meeting which was Chaired by David Mark, a former Senate President, said they have decided to join “the coalition”.
The group traces the current challenges of the party to the exit of Iyorchia Ayu and the loss of the 2023 presidential election
” Since the loss in the last presidential election and the exit of Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman, our dear Party has never been the same again.
The group also blamed ” vested interests from within and the irresponsible actions of the APC led federal government which has been using State Institutions to stifle and destroy the Democracy knows no bounds!”
The group also noted that the inability of PDP leadership to lead the Party by its Constitution, rules and regulations led it into a chaotic and undisciplined Party!
“The vision of the founding Fathers for which the Party was established and the role it played in restoring Nigeria as stable and united country and key player on the regional, continental, and global stage has been washed away just as our roles as the leader of the black race is now overtaken by smaller and less endowed countries.
“Painfully, Nigeria is now a diminished country and an embarrassment on the world stage!”
The group said they took time to deliberate deeply on the issues of democracy, national unity, national security, economy, corruption, governance, and other concerns plaguing our country.
“Arising from the above, the meeting hereby resolved as follows that
“The APC government, which came into being on the false and evil propaganda, to save Nigeria from PDP is now a disaster to our nation and therefore must be voted out of power.
“All indices of development that support the comfort and quality of lives of the citizens have collapsed, and life is now hell in Nigeria
” The PDP, which is organic with the discipline, capacity, and history to lead and save Nigeria, is now a shadow of its old self. The heatwave unleashed by the APC Federal government through threats, blackmail and patronage has forced elected officers in government to abandon the PDP.”
The group resolved to ” encourage all well-meaning PDP Members and other patriotic Nigerians to join the coalition.
“All coalition partners must be united on the issues of NATIONAL UNITY, DEMOCRACY, NATIONAL SECURITY, NATIONAL ECONOMY, and the political will to stamp out corruption embedded in our institutions.
” The coalition partners to work out the modalities of winning all elections taking into consideration local and national peculiarities”
BusinessDay checks show that most of those attending the meeting were absent at the party’s 100th National Executive Committee NEC, meeting where Samuel Anyanwu was returned as the party’s National Secretary on Monday.
The meeting was Chaired by David Mark, who was recently named amongst those promoting All Democratic Alliance ADA.
Mark was a former Senate President and a member of the PDP Board of Trustees BoT.
Others include Uche Seconds, a former PDP National Chairman,.
Former Governors, Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi) are also attending the meeting.
Others include Ben Obi, Josephine Anenih, former PDP National Women Leader, former National Organising Secretary Austin Akobundu, ex-National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, and former National Youth Leader Abdullahi Maibasira, among others.
Recall that in 2013, Atiku Abubakar had led a group comprising the Governors of Rivers, Adamawa, Niger, amongst others to join the President Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu to form the APC.
He later abandoned the party in 2019 to contest the PDP Presidential election and lost to President Buhari
In 2023, he also contested the presidential election as the PDP candidate and lost.
Businessday.ng
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has appointed Bashorun Akinwale Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, as his new Chief of Staff, following the resignation of Segun Ogunwuyi.
Makinde also appointed Mrs Aderonke Adedayo, his Special Adviser on General Intervention and Donor Agencies, as Director-General of the Due Process Office.
The appointments were announced in letters signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde, on Monday.
Akinwole, a grassroots politician, previously served as Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Service Commission.
Adedayo will combine her new responsibilities as Director-General of the Due Process Office with her existing role as Special Adviser on General Intervention and Donor Agencies.
Both appointments take immediate effect.
The governor congratulated the appointees and urged them to discharge their duties with loyalty, commitment and dedication to the service of Oyo State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to release the final list of candidates contesting the February 6, 2027.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, with eight states excluded from the governorship poll.
According to The Nation, the commission is scheduled to publish the final list on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in line with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.
There are 8 affected states where governorship elections will not hold as part of the February 2027 electoral exercise because they operate on separate election schedules.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed during a world press conference and stakeholders’ meeting that 21 of Nigeria’s 22 registered political parties nominated 936 governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 28 states scheduled to elect governors in 2027.
The parties also nominated 9,692 candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections.
Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires INEC to publish the names and addresses of nominated candidates at least 60 days before an election.
The law also provides a procedure for political parties to notify the commission if a candidate’s name is missing from the published list.
Under Section 32(2), such notification must be submitted in writing, signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary, and supported by an affidavit within 14 days of publication.
Although governorship elections will not take place in the eight excluded states during the February 2027 exercise, State House of Assembly elections are scheduled across all 36 states.
The commission’s final list is expected to provide further details of the candidates and political parties participating in the elections.
INEC had earlier set September 19, 2026, as the deadline for substituting candidates and September 26, 2026, as the final date for submitting nomination forms.
The publication of the final list will be an important step in preparations for the 2027 elections, as political parties and candidates move towards the next phase of campaigning.
new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs).
The Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has approved the appointments of new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs).
The Governor also approved the appointment of Alhaji Moshood Kewuyemi as the Chief Imam of the Government House Mosque.
The new SSAs include:
Ms. Folashade Ogunoye, SSA Gender
Alhaji Aminu Saidi Tunde, SSA Islamic Religion Affairs
Rev. Tunde Ogunsuyi, SSA Christian Religion Affairs
Kemisola Obamoyegun, SSA Housing
Dr. Oluwatobi Aruwajoye, SSA Primary Health
Alhaja Mohammed Sikirat Idera, SSA Muslim Women Affairs
Mrs Ehuwa Victoria Olufunke, SSA Christian Women Affairs
Alhaja Fauzart Gidado, SSA Women Mobilisation (Central).
And, others.
The appointments take immediate effect.
JUST IN: Makinde Appoints New Chief of Staff After Ogunwuyi’s Resignation
Federal Government Approved Feeding Allowance For Corps Members
BREAKING: 8 State Governors Out as INEC Releases Final List for 2027 Election
FULL LIST: Top 10 “Tokunbo” Cars You Can Get For ₦3m–₦5m
Former Super Eagles Star Loses Life Savings, Duped By A Pastor of ₦1.2 Billion
