POLITICS
Ayu, PDP Govs, Others Receive Lagos4Lagos Convener, APC members into party
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and five other governors on the platform of the party, on Friday, received the convener of the Lagos4Lagos Movement and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr.
Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran a. k. a Jandor, into the PDP fold.
The governors in attendance were: Makinde (as host governor); Rivers State governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike; Akwa Ibom governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel; Abia State governor, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu State governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Bayelsa State governor, Senator Duoye Diri.
The event, which had in attendance members of the National Working Committee of the PDP, including the Deputy National Chairman, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyawu, as well as former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George; former Governors Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko, was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.
Governor Makinde, while addressing select journalists shortly after the event, said the event signalled the beginning of a new dawn for the PDP in Lagos State.
According to the governor, the South-West PDP is now fully ready to lead the charge to rescue the zone and the country from the hands of APC, which promised too much but did so little to justify the trust Nigerians had in it.
“Today, I joined my brother governors in the PDP and other well-meaning members of our great party to welcome Mr. Jide Adediran of the Lagos4Lagos Movement to the PDP.
“Indeed, it is the dawn of a new era and our great party has shown through many ways, that it is ready to rescue the South-West and Nigeria from the maladministration of bad governance of the APC. The South-West, as I have always said, is strategic to Nigeria’s politics and we will definitely lead the charge to rescue Nigeria from the front.”
The national chairman of the PDP, Ayu, had maintained that the party would restore Nigeria’s glory come 2023 and that Lagos would also be rescued from the throes of bad governance.
According to Ayu, the APC deceived Lagosians and Nigerians with the promise of change, but residents of the state and country have not been happy because they not enjoying the change.
Ayu said: “PDP loves Lagos. We love Nigerians. We want Lagos to return to Lagosians and we want Nigeria to belong to Nigerians.
“Today, I know you are not happy. You are not happy that you gave your lives to people who deceived you about change. Are you enjoying the change now? How much is a bag of rice today?
“Today, we are happy to join Lagosians to welcome Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran to the PDP so that together, we can rescue Lagos State and rescue Nigeria from the throes of economic hardship.”
Similarly, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who spoke on behalf of the PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, welcomed Adediran and his team to the PDP.
Ikpeazu maintained that Adediran has joined a bus that will not stop until it gets to Aso Rock in 2023, charged him to join hands with existing members of the PDP in Lagos State to rescue the state and Nigeria.
In his response shortly after being presented with the PDP membership card by the chairman of the party in Ojoo Local Government and the chairman of the Lagos State PDP Caretaker Committee, Engr. Julius Akinsola, Adediran said he and his followers were joining the PDP to add value to the party.
Adediran, who stated that he drew inspiration from Governor Makinde, who took on a task that seemed unachievable and came out victorious in the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State, noted that he and his followers would put their numerical strength to test in Lagos.
“We once belonged to a party that was not ready for a contest. But we have now moved to the PDP, party that believes in the rule of law and in this party, we will put our numerical strength to test against the APC.”
By David Torough, Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the removal of petrol subsidy, accusing the administration of worsening economic hardship while retaining what he described as opaque costs in the petroleum sector.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Tinubu was wrong to describe his proposed petroleum-sector intervention as economically ignorant.
Atiku argued that the economic conditions that existed before Tinubu assumed office had changed significantly following the removal of fuel subsidy, the floating of the naira and rising inflation.
He said his proposal was not a return to the previous open-ended subsidy regime but a targeted, capped, budgeted and time-bound production-support mechanism that would be independently audited and linked to domestic production.
According to him, the government removed the benefit of subsidy from consumers while allegedly retaining substantial petroleum-sector under-recoveries and energy-security costs.
The statement cited figures from NNPC’s audited accounts, claiming approximately ₦17.5 trillion in energy-security costs and petroleum under-recoveries, including about ₦7.13 trillion classified as energy security and ₦8.67 trillion in under-recoveries.
“If subsidy is dead, why are under-recoveries alive?” Atiku asked, arguing that Nigerians had been left with higher costs while questions about government expenditure remained unresolved.
He also rejected the Presidency’s argument that increased Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to states represented a major benefit of subsidy removal.
Atiku said higher allocations to state governments should not be celebrated if they came at the expense of household purchasing power, citing rising transport costs, food prices and production expenses.
He further argued that increased FAAC allocations could encourage states to depend on federal transfers instead of expanding their productive economies, attracting investment and broadening their internally generated revenues.
The former vice president also demanded explanations for what he described as approximately ₦30 trillion in Federation Account revenues, deductions, savings and transfers, as well as ₦12.8 trillion allocated to the Service-Wide Vote in the 2026 budget.
Atiku said the administration should provide greater transparency over its finances rather than dismissing criticism of its economic policies.
He maintained that the success of economic reform should not be measured solely by rising government revenues while citizens experience declining purchasing power.
“The real ignorance is believing suffering is economic policy,” Atiku said.
He accused the Tinubu administration of transferring the burden of fiscal adjustment to ordinary Nigerians and warned against subjecting the country to another four years of what he called a failed economic experiment.
The statement was signed by Shaibu on behalf of Atiku, the 1999–2007 vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has cautioned Nigerian youths against being used for political violence, misinformation and digital intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections across the country.
Disu gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja during the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force to commemorate the 2026 International Youth Day celebration.
According to him, as we approach the 2027 electoral cycle, I urge you to remember a very simple, but profound reality that politicians contest elections, but you leave with consequences thereafter.
”He said that political actors often reconciled after elections, in spite of fierce campaigns, and might later become allies and guests of one another when political disagreements were resolved amicably over time.
Disu said the Nigeria Police Force recognised and respected the rights of youths to participate in politics, support parties, express opinions and campaign freely for candidates of their choice.
“Our responsibility is to create a security environment in which these democratic rights can be experienced freely and safely.
“We will protect citizens, facilitate peaceful campaigns, secure candidates, campaign venues and public spaces within the law.
“We will protect the integrity of the electoral environment, but will not protect violence, tolerate the recruitment or mobilisation of young Nigerians for political violence.
“I therefore appeal to everybody to be cautious as we approach the 2027 electoral process,” Disu said, urging collective responsibility in safeguarding peace and democratic values across Nigeria.
The police chief also urged youths to become drivers of national transformation rather than instruments of destruction through the spread of false information and harmful online content.
According to him, every young Nigerian using a smartphone should recognise that digital activities leave permanent records that could influence opportunities and shape future prospects significantly.
“You know now, the moment you go to the embassies for your visa, they are checking you on social media to see what and what you are doing.
“So, your footprints are very important, so before you forward a message, verify it and before you publish or circulate, establish the facts,” he advised youths nationwide.
The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) has called for immediate prosecution of all those found to have committed electoral crimes during last Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
The organisation, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Dr Yemisi Bamgbose in Abuja on Thursday, said that the prosecution would serve as a deterrent to others.
Bamgbose also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of a transparent, free, fair and credible governorship election in the state.
According to him, INEC, under Prof.
Joash Amupitan, has passed the real litmus test in Osun.He said that the outcome of the election, if improved upon, could serve as a model for subsequent elections in the country.
“INEC deserves commendation for deploying all that was required to ensure the realisation of a free and fair election,” he said.
Bamgbose also commended security agencies for providing adequate security which, he said, helped to minimise tension and criminality during the election.
“It is imperative that INEC ensures the prosecution of all persons who perpetrated electoral crimes to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We therefore call on INEC and other relevant agencies to ensure strict enforcement of electoral laws and prosecution of all offenders,” Bamgbose said.
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