A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has declared that the party has not barred anyone from contesting its national chairmanship position in its November 2025 elective convention despite the push for a consensus candidate.

Speaking against the backdrop of the interest in the position by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, George declared that Lamido has every right to contest the PDP national chairmanship position.

He argued that despite the push for a consensus candidate by the party, every aspirant is free to pick the form and contest any position of interest.

George said the consensus option is not binding on any aspirant, and delegates would vote during the convention.

“This has been part of the practice in the PDP. The fact that some leaders converge to support one person as a consensus candidate doesn’t mean others cannot compete.

“You want to make the process seamless and non-combative. We’ve done this before, but the party has never told anyone they cannot contest. Governor Sule Lamido has the right to compete.

“He can get the form, fill it, and appear on the convention day. We will vote. That is the practice in our party,” George stated during Tuesday’s edition on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Naija News recalls that Lamido had declared interest in the PDP National Chairman position but lamented that he was denied the expression of interest and nomination forms when he visited the secretariat on Monday to purchase them.

He threatened to go to court if the PDP denies him the opportunity to contest in the forthcoming party convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Reacting to his threat, George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), submitted that while Lamido has every right to contest, heading to court without exhausting all internal party mechanisms for resolving such internal disputes may attract punishment.

“This party is not owned by any individual. Before taking the party to court, you must exhaust the internal dynamics of the party. If you fail to do that, you can be punished,” he said.

George stressed again that Lamido is free to contest but warned against going to court, assuring that the convention would be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.

“So, he is exercising his rights. But if he goes to court for this, he can be punished. Let him go, nobody will deny him any form, and he can compete. The final decision will be by delegates attending the convention, and it will be done openly,” George stated.

Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might lose Kogi State in the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu sidelines former Governor Yahaya Bello.

Gegu gave the warning at a political gathering at a Kogi Local Council.

He argued that Bello remains the architect of the state’s current political structure and a decisive factor in the ruling party’s continued dominance.

The speech, which he shared on his Facebook page, quoted the commissioner as saying, “If former Governor Yahaya Bello is not carried along, APC cannot win Kogi State. That is the plain truth.”

He dismissed social media’s criticism of a recent rally in Lokoja, insisting it was not about power play, but an expression of gratitude to Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for their leadership.

Gegu added, “The rally was a show of appreciation, not a protest. But let no one make the mistake, without Yahaya Bello, there’s no APC victory in Kogi.”

The commissioner credited Bello for laying the groundwork for political stability and federal visibility in the state, saying his influence still cuts across all districts.

A former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Saheed Popoola, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ending weeks of speculation about his political future.

The two-term lawmaker made the announcement on Sunday in Offa, Offa Local Government Area, where he was formally received alongside a large group of his supporters, Vanguard reported.

Popoola, who represented Ojomu/Balogun constituency, said his decision followed “deep reflection” on the state of the APC, which he accused of abandoning its founding ideals.

I was the first person to contest under the APC platform in 2013 in Nigeria. We started the APC together with a vision of justice and prosperity, but over time, the party lost its soul. Loyalty became to individuals, not the people,” he said.

Popoola explained that his move to the PDP was not out of desperation but conviction.

“I’m joining the PDP not as a desperate politician but as a believer in fairness, justice, and equity. The PDP is peaceful and remains the only viable opposition in Nigeria,” he said.Kwara in 2027, adding that the people were already disillusioned with the APC administration. “The PDP is going to take over the government and governance of Kwara State in 2027,” he said amid applause from his supporters.

Popoola also criticized the current government for the rising cases of banditry and insecurity in parts of the state. He said the development was a result of “misgovernance and poor leadership.”

“We have never seen banditry in Kwara since its creation in 1967. Hundreds of our people have been killed. Banditry existed in Niger State for years but never crossed into Kwara because the leaders then knew what they were doing. But the current Governor does not understand governance. He thinks only about himself and his ideas, that’s why we are where we are today,” he said.

Receiving the defectors, Kwara PDP Chairman, Hon. Issa Bawa, described Popoola’s return as a “homecoming,” saying his presence would boost the party’s strength ahead of the 2027 polls.

“What we have seen today shows clearly that PDP is regaining its momentum. Offa is for PDP in 2027. Offa will rise again and be great again,” he said.

Bawa praised Popoola’s courage, calling him “a man of integrity and conviction.” He also quoted former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who urged the people to “compare what PDP did for them with what the APC has done. The difference is clear.”

However, the APC dismissed the defection as insignificant. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Waheed Babatunde, said Popoola’s exit would not affect the party’s chances.

“The party won’t miss Saheed Popoola because his presence was never felt. He left long before the last general election and he’s only making it official today,” Babatunde stated.

He added that Offa remains a stronghold of progressive politics and would continue to support Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the APC in the 2027 elections.