POLITICS
Ekweremadu, Abaribe Lose PDP Gubernatorial Tickets as Winners Emerge in Oyo, Adamawa, Benue, Delta, Enugu, Others

By Blessing Bature-Akpakpan, Abuja
Winners and losers yesterday emerged in the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), held across the states of the federation.
In Oyo, Governor Seyi Makinde emerged defeating Hazeem Gbolarumi, who was his only opponent in the primaries held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
Announcing the results of the election, the secretary of the PDP Electoral Committee, Alhaji Abdullahi MaiBasira, said that 1,048 delegates were accredited to vote out of a 1,086 delegates.
MaiBasira said Makinde scored 1,040 votes to defeat Gbolarumi, who scored only two votes; adding that six votes were voided.
Gbolarumi, was deputy to former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
In Adamawa State, Governor Amadu Umaru Fintiri was returned as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer to contest for a second term in the forthcoming general election in February 2023.
Fintiri who was the only contestant at the primary scored a total of 663 votes out of 668 accredited delegates from the 21 local governments of the state.
The election took place at the Mahmud Ribadu Square where delegates trooped in from across the 21 local government councils of the state.
Declaring the result, Chairman of PDP Adamawa State Governorship Congress Committee, Barrister Gebon Kateps said 668 delegates were accredited while 663 votes is counted to be valid and five were invalid vote.
The election was witnessed by Atiku Abubakar who is the front line presidential aspirant on the platform of the PDP among other top government functionaries and party chieftains.
In Benue, the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Titus Uba, picked the party’s ticket for the state governorship election in 2023.
The Returning Officer for the primaries, Mr Bode Ojomu said this when he announced the result of the election on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Ojomu said that Uba scored 731 out of the 851 votes at the event, adding that the deputy governor, Benson Abounu placed second with 81 votes, while Prof. Dennis Ityavyar got two votes to take the third position.
Governor Samuel Ortom, attributed Uba’s victory to God.
“A man cannot get anything unless given to him by God. God has done it and we return all the glory to Him.
“This victory is not Uba’s victory, neither is it mine but it is victory for Benue and PDP,” Ortom said.
In Enugu, Chief of Staff, to former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, Peter Mba, emerged winner in the gubernatorial contest.
Mba, who was also Commissioner for Finance in Nnamani administration, polled 790 votes in the primaries contested by nine aspirants.
His closest rival, Mr Chijioke Edeoga polled nine votes, followed by Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa with three votes while Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and Mr Chukwunta Gilbert with one vote respectively.
The other five contestants which included Prof. Hillary Edeoga, Mr Ken Onoh, Prof. Barth Nnaji, Sen. Gilbert Nnaji and scored zero vote.
It would be recalled that Ekweremadu had in a statement early hours of Wednesday announced his withdrawal from the contest.
In Abia, former Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University, Uturu, Prof. Uche Ikonne emerged the governorship candidate of the party.
Ikonne was elected at the party’s primary election held at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday.
He polled 468 votes to defeat five other contestants.
Mr Lucky Igbokwe came a distant second with 45 votes, while the only female contestant, Mrs Ngozi Merenge, scored five votes.
Other contestants, including Deputy Governor, Ude Oko-Chukwu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Emma Nwaka, had earlier announced their withdrawal from the race.
They were however credited with six, five and four votes, respectively.
Also, Prof. Greg Ibe, who formally defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance on April 17, was also credited with two votes.
Other aspirants that withdrew from the race were Chief Ncheta Omerekpe, Mr Enyinnaya Nwafor and Mr Chima Anyaso.
However, they were credited with three, four and five votes, respectively.
The Chairman of the Primary Election Committee and former Gov. Ayo Fayose thanked the delegates for their peaceful conduct during the exercise.
In Delta, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, emerged winner of the the contest.
Oborevwori polled a total of 590 votes to beat his closest rival, former Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief David Edevbie, who scored a total of 113 votes.
Other aspirants are Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro who scored nine votes and the immediate past Attoney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor who also polled nine votes.
Sen. James Manager (83); Mr Fred Majemite (six); Ejaife Odebala (three); Chief Abel Esievo, (two); Dr Braduce Angozi; ( two ); Sir Bright Onajefe-Gift, ( three); Mr Chris Iyowaye, ( zero); Lucky Idike, (one); and Chief Ikie Agbarianovwe scored no vote.
The PDP Returning Officer, Mr Ndubisi Nwobu and his team, while declaring the result, announced Oborevwori winner for scoring the highest number of votes in the primary election.
According to him, the elections committee accredited a total of 824 delegates for the primary elections but 822 votes were cast with three void votes.
“Oborevwori scored a total of 590 out of 821 valid votes to emerge winner and he is hereby returned as the Delta PDP candidate for the 2023 general election.”
POLITICS
Osun 2026 Guber: APC Aspirants Should Not Waste Money Contesting Against Adeleke – Ex Party Chieftain, Jackson Ojo

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
A former Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has advised those in the race for the APC ticket not to waste their resources as the victory of Governor Isiaka Adeleke is practically a done deal.
In a video post on his Facebook page, Jackson Ojo said Governor Adeleke has won the heart of the people of his state with his transformation of all the 30 local governments in the State and prompt payment of workers and pensioners.
According to him, the achievements of Governor Adeleke has already done 80 percent of his campaign ahead of the election.
Jackson Ojo, who is a Security Expert and global affairs analyst, from Osun State, stressed that he has always advised political office holders to perform while in office as this is the greatest strategy and tactics to win future elections.
He stressed that the abysmal performance of the APC at the Federal level and the poor performance of previous APC governors in Osun state will count heavily against any candidate that is presented by the party to contest against governor Adeleke.
The former APC chieftain added that he is not patronizing the governor for any personal gain as there is nothing that the governor can give him that God has not already given him.
He stressed that his intervention in the Osun governorship race is to stop opponents of the governor from wasting their resources for an election they can never win.
His words: “Two weeks ago I resigned from partisan politics, so I am no longer member of any political party in Nigeria. When I speak now I am not speaking in favour or against any political party. So, I am very free to air my views
“This is my views on the forthcoming governorship election in Osun state. I still see some people struggling for governor in Osun state come 2026.
“That is highly impossible for an APC aspirant. What is the APC government doing at the national level, what are the doing in the Senate, what are they doing in the House of Representatives to encourage Nigerians?
“If we are in a place like America or United Kingdom (UK) APC will not be able to win ordinary councillorship again in this country. Is it in the management of economy, education, health, security and others?
“In all these areas put together they have not scored up to 10 percent. I can boldly mark them today they they have woefully failed in area of agricultural development, educational development, health development, security, economy and infrastructural development. In all ramifications this party has failed.
“Look at the antecedents of the APC in Osun state. Aregbesola tried a bit, yes, but then Aregbesola left the State aground.
“When Baba Jeje, Mr. Go Slow, the unfortunate Minister of Blue Economy or whatever they call it, came there was nothing to write home about during his tenure as governor of Osun State. He came, he bartered the state, he rubbished the State, he insulted the state, he disgraced the State on the platform of APC.
“Now another APC is coming out now thinking of winning? Winning where, defeat who?
“Governor Adeleke does not know me, there is no benefit Adeleke can give me that God has not given to me. I can’t be a Commissioner in Osun state. No. I can’t be Special Adviser or whatever. I can’t even take their contract. I don’t think they can award the kind of contract that I need to an individual.
“But then, Adeleke has tried. If you go to my community you will see the way he has positively turned the community. Even if I am the governor of Osun State I don’t think I can do what Adeleke has done in my town and that transformation cuts across all the 30 local government areas of Osun State. All the communities, all the local governments, all.
“This man is no longer paying half salary of quarter salary. This man is not owning workers, he is not owning pensioners. This alone has spoken, this alone has done 80 percent of his campaign.
“If you perform well in office that is the highest strategy and tactics that you can use to win the heart of the people.
“Come 2026 whoever is putting money on ground in Osun state to go and contest governorship in Osun state, honestly that person has money to waste. It is sadaka, the money they have stolen they want to come and do sadaka. It is Adeleke till 2030.”
POLITICS
Former DG of PDP Governors Forum Defects to ADC

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Former Director General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon C.I.D Maduabum has resigned from the party and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement made available to Daily Asset in Abuja on Sunday, Hon Maduabum said he is dumping the PDP because the party has been “hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.
”Part of his statement read: “After deep reflection, extensive consultations, and careful evaluation of the current political realities within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.
“As a committed democrat, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, and former Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, I have dedicated significant portions of my political life to building the PDP as a platform for democratic consolidation and national development.
“However, the soul of the party I once served with pride has been hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.
“The PDP today is a shadow of its former self. It has descended into chaos, internal betrayal, and systematic destruction by diverse forces who have no regard for the principles upon which the party was founded. Sadly, voices of reason are no longer welcome, and genuine reformers are vilified or silenced.
“I can no longer in good conscience remain in a house that has been stripped of its moral compass and overrun by opportunists.
“In light of this, I am proud to announce that I am joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party that now stands as the only credible democratic alternative for Nigeria.
“The ADC is emerging as a beacon of hope for good governance, integrity, accountability, and inclusive politics. It offers the opportunity for principled politics, genuine people-oriented leadership, and a platform for rebuilding our nation from the grassroots up.
“The ADC Coalition includes progressive minded people like Mr. Peter Obi and others.
“I join the ADC not merely as a defector but as a reformer committed to helping build a new political culture — one based on merit, ideology, discipline, youth inclusion, and national unity.
“The time has come for all well-meaning Nigerians to take a stand against the decay in our political system. I call on all patriots, especially those disillusioned by the dysfunction in the traditional parties, to rally around this movement for a new Nigeria through the ADC.
“I remain committed to the democratic ideals of justice, equity, and service to the people. The struggle to rescue Nigeria and restore its promise continues — and it begins now on a new, firmer footing.”
POLITICS
Anambra: INEC Registers 96,085 New Voters, Extends CVR by Three Days

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has registered 96,085 new voters in nine days and extended the exercise by three days in Anambra.
The commission disclosed this in a statement by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Thursday in Abuja, after its weekly meeting.
He said that on the preliminary stage of the CVR, 56,017 representing 58 per cent of new registrants were female while 50,429 52 representing 48 per cent were young people between the ages of 18 and 34.
“The commission is pleased with the turnout of registrants in Anambra and the peaceful conduct of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in all the 326 registration centres in the state.
“As of yesterday, Wednesday, 96,085 new voters have successfully registered in nine days. On average, the Commission registered over 10,600 voters per day.
“In addition, 12,595 voters applied for transfer of their registration both within and outside the state while 7,061 persons applied for the update of their records or the replacement of their damaged or lost Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
“The CVR in Anambra ends today. However, in response to appeal from citizens, the Commission hereby extends the exercise for three more days. It will now end on Sunday, July 20,” he said.
Olumekun said that the commission would thereafter display the register for claims and objections by citizens as provided by law.
This, according to him, will be followed by a further clean-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
“Subsequently, the detailed breakdown of the new registrants by age, gender, occupation and disability will be published for public information,” he said.
Olumekun also disclosed that INEC had received five more letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.
According to him, the new application brings the number received so far by the commission to 134.
Olumekun stated that the details of the new associations, indicating their proposed names, acronyms, logos, addresses and interim leaderships were already published on INEC website and other platforms for public information.
He said that INEC would continue to keep the citizens up to date on all its activities.