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Protests Trail PDP House of Reps, State Assembly Primaries

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*No Votes for Statutory Delegates

* Parallel Primaries Hold in Edo

* Lagos PDP Seeks Cancellation of Polls

* Elumelu Wins Reps Ticket 

By Orkula Shaagee and Jude Opara, Abuja

The main opposition – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday conducted its primaries for the House of Representatives and the State Houses of Assembly primaries, without statutory delegates, including elected councillors, local government chairmen and their deputies, party chairmen in local government areas and six Abuja Area Councils, state and federal lawmakers, governors and their deputies, former Presidents and ex- Vice- Presidents, National Working Committee members, state party chairmen and secretaries, as voters at the primaries.

The primaries were also characterised by protests and disagreement  by aspirants and party leaders in some state chapters. 

In some f the state chapters, different factions held parallel primaries to signpost disagreement among party faithful.

In Edo State for instance, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday joined its counterparts across the country to conduct primaries to elect candidates for the state assembly as well as the House of Representatives.

However, reports said that parallel primaries were held by the two factions in the party simultaneously at different locations across the state.

From the faction loyal to Gov. Godwin Obaseki, only those who defected with him from the APC to the PDP had continued to emerge as winners.

Similarly, from the camp loyal to Chief Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman, South-South of the PDP, only the old PDP members emerged winners.

Officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the primaries by the faction loyal to the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South, but the same could not be said about the faction loyal to the governor.

A chieftain of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the primaries were not parallel.

According to the chieftain, the party primaries can only be done by the list certified by INEC for the purpose.

“You cannot build something on nothing. Elections were held to elect three adhoc delegates.

“It is only those three delegates that can participate in this election. And those three adhoc delegates elections were monitored by INEC, and they have the names of those who emerged.

“You cannot write names of people in Government House to now want to use to conduct election.

“Those on the list of the governor were never monitored by INEC in the election that led to their emergence. Where INEC is, is where primaries are being held,” the chieftain said.

Similarly, Adaze Ewanta, Edo Commissioner for Information, while commenting from the governor’s faction, dismissed reports of parallel primaries.

Ewanta described the exercise as free and fair.

Meanwhile results have begun to trickle in about candidates who emerged from the governor’s faction for some of the state assembly seats and House of Representatives.

Some of the candidates included Mr. Jimoh Ijegbai, House of Representatives Owan Federal constituency, Mr. Blessing Agbebaku, Owan West, Edo House of Assembly.

Others are Mr. Uyi Omosigho, Oredo East, constituency; Kaycee Osamwonyi, Uhunmwode constituency; Natasha Osawaru, Egor constituency; Mr. Sunny Aguebor, Oredo constituency, and Mr Aminu Okodo-Kadidi, Owan East constituency of the state assembly.

Lagos PDP Seeks  Cancellation of Primaries

The Lagos State chapter of the PDP, earlier yesterday urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to cancel the House of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries slated for Sunday in Lagos.

The PDP Chairman in Lagos State, Mr Philips Aivoji, made the call at a news conference he addressed alongside other state executives of the party, governorship aspirants and party leaders, in Ikeja.

He alleged the adhoc delegates’ list brought by the electoral committees for both primaries had been compromised.

Uncertainty and apprehension trailed the conduct of the primaries, as delegates and aspirants waited at various venues in local government areas for election officers from PDP national headquarters, who as at the time of filing this report, had yet to be seen at any of the venues.

“The entire executive committee of Lagos State PDP and five of the six gubernatorial aspirants reject in its entirety, the ad-hoc delegates’ list brought by the electoral committee to Lagos State for the purpose of conducting the primaries.

“We are all shocked to see that the list does not reflect the authentic elected ad-hoc delegates as conducted by organs of the party at ward level and supervised by the DSS and INEC.

“It is imperative to state that copies of the ad-hoc list that emanated from the state and submitted to INEC are completely different from the one brought by the committee for the purpose of the exercise.

“We realised that contrary to the provision of our great party and the electoral guidelines of the party, the election committee came to the state with list of venues and already chosen electoral officers,” Aivoji said.

According to him, this is the responsibility of the state executive committee of the party and, therefore, unacceptable.

He added that the chairman and secretary of the election committee meant to conduct the State House of Assembly primary election had not reported to the state chairman or state organ of the party.

“Up till this moment, we cannot reach out to the committee chairman and secretary, their telephones have either been switched off or unreachable.

“As law-abiding members of our great party, we collectively reject this list and we cannot guarantee, free, fair and credible party primaries that we have sworn to conduct.

“The processes have been compromised ab initio and skewed.

“We, therefore, call for outright cancellation of the election.

“Doing otherwise will jeopardise the chances of the party in the 2023 polls,” Aivoji said.

The chairman said that if the exercise would go on, it could lead to litigations.

He said that the process that brought about the authentic delegates’ list was done in consonance with the constitution of the party, as all relevant stakeholders were carried along.

“We want to know the person at the national level that gave them (electoral committee) the order not to consult the state executives in the exercise.

“We want to get this list right because, as we speak, we are toying with the lives of millions of Lagos residents.

“We have been in the valley for so long, this is an opportunity for us to get it right to win the general elections in the state.

“We must douse the tension now,” Aivoji said.

According to him, what the electoral committee intends to do is to cook up a list of candidates at a venue.

He said that if the party missed it now, it would be unfortunate.

Some of the PDP governorship candidates at the conference are Dr Ade Dosunmu and Messrs Olanrewaju Jim- Kamal, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and Adedeji Doherty. (NAN)

Elumelu Wins Reps Ticket 

Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, yesterday, secured a return ticket as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a third term to represent  Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta.

Elumelu on Sunday polled a total of 80 votes out of the total votes cast by 132 delegates at the House of Representatives primary election held in Asaba.

His closest rival, Princess Pat Ajudua, polled 35 votes while Mr Kanyinebi Mobushi got 17 votes.

The Returning Officer, Chief Funkekeme Solomon, declared Elumelu the winner of the contest for polling the highest number of votes in what he described as free, fair and transparent election.

According to Solomon, at the close of voting, 132 delegates were accredited, no void votes and all the votes were counted.

“At the end, Mr Kanyinebi Mobushi, scored 17 votes; Mrs Pat Ajudua, scored 35 votes while Mr Ndudi Elumelu, scored 80 votes.

” Elumelu, having scored the highest votes, is hereby declared winner and returned as the candidate of the PDP for the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the 2023 general election,” Solomon said.

Speaking after his declaration as the winner, Elumelu assured his constituents of more robust representation and dividends of democracy.

He said though he emerged top in the primaries, there was no loser as it was a family affair and not a contest.

Elumelu thanked the governor, the PDP and the people of the constituency for giving him the platform to serve.

He expressed confidence that PDP would win the general elections without hitch in the state and at the centre.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election was closely monitored by a combined team of security agencies, the media and other stakeholders. (NAN)

POLITICS

Osun 2026 Guber: APC Aspirants Should Not Waste Money Contesting Against Adeleke – Ex Party Chieftain, Jackson Ojo

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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.”

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POLITICS

Former DG of PDP Governors Forum Defects to ADC

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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.”

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POLITICS

Anambra: INEC Registers 96,085 New Voters, Extends CVR by Three Days

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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.

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