Politics
2023: South West PDP resolves to back Atiku, insists Ayu must go
South West leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday resolved to back the presidential aspiration of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, declaring however that the National Chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu must resign.
Oyo State Governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, who spoke on the details of the resolution of the South West PDP, said that the zone had classified its demands from Atiku into two, including pre-election and post-election demands, adding that for the party to feel reassured that the party is being inclusive, the lopsided sharing of its national positions must be reversed before the elections.
Makinde spoke on Wednesday, at the South-West PDP Stakeholders’ Interactive Session with the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Senate Ifeanyi Okowa, held at the Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, Ibadan, noting that the South West leaders believed that Atiku is capable of moving Nigeria out of the doldrums the All Progressives Congress (APC) had plunged it in seven years.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as describing Atiku as a unifier, adding that he was confident the party’s presidential candidate can reposition the country.
The statement, however, quoted Makinde as telling Atiku to look inwards by first supporting the restructuring of the party and uniting its members before the elections.
Governor Makinde, who explained that the insistence of Governors Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and himself, that the PDP must play a politics of inclusion by allowing the National Chairmanship post to move South, should not be seen as having a problem with the party or the presidential candidate, as according to him, the governors have left the issue of presidential primaries behind them.
He maintained that the message of the South-West PDP to Atiku is that the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, must step down and the Working Committee of the Party should be restructured to reflect national unity.
He said: “I want to thank everyone for coming for this meeting and I think, at this point, we have to tell ourselves nothing but the truth.
“What we will do here is to speak the truth to ourselves. Yes, others have spoken here about the positive side of things but we do have challenges and issues to address in our party. But one good thing is, that we can address those issues.
“Of course, I have seen people abuse me on social media, saying this issue is about Wike, Makinde, Ortom and Ugwuanyi, but the truth is we don’t have any issue either with our party or our presidential candidate.
“If there are challenges, we must bring them to the table so that we can address them to ensure that our journey is smooth and we can get to our destination. So, this is not about individuals.
“I see some people talk about what cropped up during and after the presidential convention when somebody was selected as vice-presidential candidate. Truth is, those are issues that are behind us. They have happened and they have happened but this is where we are. Are there issues coming out of those that we need to address so we can be successful at the end of the day? The answer is yes and we will address them. Integrity and honour must be a part of our national psyche.
“We have spoken about the movement; the youth and we have spoken about what they are looking for. Our people are in a state of hopelessness, which the APC brought upon us and it is the reality but we are supposed to give hope to our people. We want them to listen to us, to hear our message to them. For us to be able to do that, we must lay a good example.
“We say we want to rescue Nigeria. Our candidate is a unifier and he will unify Nigeria. We want to restructure Nigeria. I have listened to our candidate both publicly and privately and we have had several interactions. Our party is talking about a government of national unity because close to eight years of APC have left us badly divided. Well, the issue is, that we must practise what we preach.
“If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first. If we want a government of national unity, the faces of the PDP must reflect national unity. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to do what is right to bring inclusivity into PDP. Do we have the capacity? Do we have a candidate with the capacity? The answer is a resounding yes.”
In his speech, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar, said what Governor Makinde and others were calling for is achievable, but the party’s constitution, rules, regulations and procedures must be adhered to.
Atiku said: “I feel happy to be in Ibadan today to interact with you the stakeholders of our party in the South-West.
“The most important event facing us today is the election of 2023 and how to win. From what I have seen in Lagos and Ibadan, I can tell you that we can win the election if we want to and it is possible for us to take over all the Southwestern states.
“More so, the new Electoral Act has improved our electoral processes and has made it difficult for people to write results. They cannot do it anymore and they cannot rig. If they send thugs to snatch ballot boxes, they will not be counted. So, the era is over. The most important thing for you is to make sure you are registered to vote and protect your vote.
“PDP is the oldest political party in Nigeria and since the return of democracy. Over time, the PDP has developed its constitution, electoral processes, zoning of offices, power sharing and others, which will bring about the unity of the party and that of the country. I have no problem with wherever any of the members of the party comes from but it must be done by our constitution, regulations and practices.
“Therefore, what Governor Makinde is calling for is achievable under our constitution, rules, regulations and procedures. So, those institutions must serve as guides to whatever changes we make. That is why we cannot do anything outside the constitution unless it is amended to reflect what we want them to be.
“Of course, we don’t say people should not have different views but all views must go through our constitution, rules and practices. Otherwise, we cannot give this country the kind of leadership they want. So, it is time for us to return the PDP to power.”
Earlier, the vice-presidential candidate, Senator Okowa; chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke and the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Iliya Damagun former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senator Biodun Olujinmi all spoke on the need for the party to forge ahead as a united front adding that the PDP has demonstrated the readiness to win the Presidency and liberate Nigerians from the hardship brought upon the country by the APC.
A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, has been sworn in as the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging members of the party to rally support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo formally assumed office on Friday following the inauguration of the newly elected State Executive Committee members who will manage the affairs of the party in the state for the next four years.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the party’s State Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, marked the climax of the party’s 2026 congresses in the state.
The South-West Zonal Legal Adviser of the APC, Kolawole Majaro, administered the oath of office on Adeyemo and 35 other members of the State Executive Committee.
The executives had emerged through a consensus arrangement during the March 3, 2026 state congress held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, under the supervision of a committee led by Amos Gombi from the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
In his acceptance speech, Adeyemo described his emergence as a renewed call to service, pledging to strengthen the party and sustain unity among members.
He appreciated party leaders within and outside the state for ensuring a smooth and successful congress process.
Adeyemo also commended members of the Local Organising Committee, particularly Fatai Ibikunle and Afeez Bolaji Repete, for their contributions to the success of the exercise.
He said, “This new State Executive Committee under my leadership is being put in place to add value and strengthen our great party in view of the challenges ahead.
“We have used the opportunity of the congresses to showcase our collective commitment to unity and harmony as progressives and democrats.”
The new chairman expressed optimism that the atmosphere of peace within the party would be sustained ahead of future party primaries and the 2027 elections.
According to him, the party’s target is to secure 90 per cent of the votes in Oyo State for President Tinubu while also reclaiming the state’s Government House in 2027.
Adeyemo praised the President’s leadership, saying the administration was delivering on its promises.
“President Tinubu is, no doubt, performing beyond our expectations and the best way to appreciate his good work is to retain him in Aso Rock until 2031,” he said.
“Against all odds, the President is pursuing his Renewed Hope Agenda with vigour and passion, while the positive results are being felt across sectors of the economy and national life.”
Other members of the newly inaugurated executive include Taofeek Lamidi as Deputy Chairman, Fatai Adesina as State Secretary, Adekemi Opatunde as Woman Leader, Olawale Sadare as Publicity Secretary, Olalekan Oladejo as Youth Leader, and Remi Adepoju as Organising Secretary.
Also inaugurated were Ajiboye Akinsanya as Treasurer, Sunday Aborisade as Legal Adviser, Tinuade Adigun as Auditor, Lukman Owonikoko as Assistant State Secretary, Fatimah Hassan as Deputy Woman Leader, and Jimoh Osundara as the Leader of Persons Living With Disabilities, among others.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and member representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the newly elected State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
The party, at its state congress held on Tuesday at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, elected a former Deputy Governor of the state, Moses Alake Adeyemo, as its new chairman alongside other state executive members.
Oseni, in a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, described Adeyemo’s emergence as well-deserved, noting that his experience and longstanding commitment to the party would further strengthen its structure in the state.
He said the peaceful conduct of the congress demonstrated the party’s commitment to internal democracy and progressive leadership.
The statement said, “I congratulate our newly elected State Chairman and leader, His Excellency, Moses Alake Adeyemo, and other members of the State Executive Committee on their emergence. This victory reflects the confidence reposed in them by party members across the state.”
Oseni further expressed confidence that the new leadership would reposition the party for greater cohesion and electoral success.
According to him, “This is a critical moment for our party in Oyo State. It calls for unity, reconciliation, and renewed commitment to the ideals that bind us together as progressives.”
The federal lawmaker assured the new executives of his support and cooperation in advancing the programmes of the party and strengthening its grassroots structures.
He urged party members to rally behind the new leadership to ensure stability and secure future victories for the APC in the state.
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