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PDP in talks with Obi, other southern politicians — Jerry Gana

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A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prof. Jerry Gana, has disclosed that the party is holding discussions with the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and other prominent southern political figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Gana, a former Minister of Information and one of the party’s most respected elders, disclosed this during an interview on African Independent Television on Friday, as he reflected on the internal decisions that shaped the PDP’s past presidential primaries.

Following the report that PDP may zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, there had been insinuations that the party was wooing the former Anambra State governor to its camp.

The insinuations intensified last Friday when the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said, “Peter Obi is our product. We want to get him back, indeed, because he is a very, very great capital for any political party.”

When asked to confirm the discussion with Obi on the AIT interview, Gana said, “Yes, why not? He was our member. In fact, if I were the former Vice President, I would have in 2023 said, ‘No, Peter, you were my vice-presidential candidate in 2019. Now, I’ll support you.’ It would have been a strong statement.”

Gana, who is leading one of the party’s consultative delegations, said although formal talks with Obi had not yet occurred, discussions were underway with people close to him.

“I have met people. I have met him (Obi), and I have met people he would refer to, and I have sat with them for hours. We are moving step by step,” he said.

See also  PDP: Wike, Makinde camps lock horns ahead of March convention

Gana added that Obi was not the only figure being courted, as the PDP was exploring broader options across the southern region.

“We’re not just looking at one person. One, two, three, even more. You know, the South is full of talents,” he said.

The PDP chieftain also revisited the events leading up to the 2023 election, describing how the party rallied around Abubakar despite reservations from some quarters.

“If you ask many of our members, they’ll say we’re a quietly answered prayer, because really, there’s absolutely nothing else we’ve not done to show that we are brothers with Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

“He left in 2014 to go and form the APC with other people. He only came back to us towards the end. He requested for the party’s ticket in 2019. Do you remember who was our candidate? He was still a candidate. He didn’t get it.”

Gana said that in 2023, PDP leaders gave Atiku another opportunity based on his 2019 candidacy.

He also recalled convening a crucial meeting at his home in 2023, which both Atiku and then-Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, attended in an effort to unite the party before the general election.

“To be fair to both of them, they honored me. They came to my small house, and I said, ‘Look, Nigerians expect the PDP to win this election.’ So let’s resolve this matter, so that we win and form government,” Gana said.

According to him, there was an agreement to respect the outcome of the party’s convention. “Sincerely, this thing should have initially gone to the South. But now you’ve won the primaries, you’ve been elected. We’ll respect the will of the people,” he said.

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He disclosed that Wike, feeling sidelined after not being chosen as running mate, requested that the chairmanship be ceded to the South.

Gana emphasised that the PDP was focused on rebuilding its internal structure to serve as a credible alternative to the ruling APC, especially amid rising economic hardship.

 

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VIDEO: #OSUNDECIDES2026! Angry Youths Storm INEC Office, Chant “Fadahunsi Ole”

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August 16, 2026

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Some Osun youths gathered at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Osogbo, Saturday night, to monitor the collation of results from the governorship election.

 

In a video from the scene, the youths could be heard chanting “Fadahunsi ole, your plans will not work”.

The senator representing Osun East, Francis Fadahunsi, had earlier been captured in another video during the election, where he was seen confronting and allegedly threatening voters at his polling unit in the presence of a police officer.

The chant came as the collation of results from the election continued at the INEC headquarters.

Watch video below..

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Osun Election: EU Observer Hub Uncovers 323 Electoral Offences, 38 Security Incidents

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1 day ago

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August 16, 2026

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The European Union (EU) Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) has claimed that there were over 38 reported security incidents and 323 electoral offences and irregularities in the Osun 2026 election.

Naija News reports that the Union, which comprises the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), the International Press Centre (IPC), the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre (TKC) and Yiaga Africa, made the claim in a statement on Saturday.

The hub asserted that the 726 polling units monitored were disrupted by violent acts and irregularities.

They disclosed that they had deployed 823 accredited observers across polling units in all 30 local government areas to monitor the election.

The statement read, “Of 2,339,233 registered voters, 1,906,390, representing 81.50 per cent, had collected their Permanent Voters Cards and were eligible to vote.”

Speaking on the security incidents, the Union stated that there were 25 cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials and 9 cases of voter intimidation by security personnel.

The hub said, “It separately recorded 323 cases of electoral offences across the polling units observed, including 103 cases of vote trading, 85 cases of exposure of ballot papers, 31 cases of obstruction of voters, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 28 cases of inducement of polling and security officials, 14 cases of voter impersonation, 12 cases of multiple voting and 7 cases of misconduct by election officials.”

The Hub also identified specific cases of voter intimidation by security agents at PU 29-10-10-005, Igbon District Council School, Ejigbo, and PU 29-30-06-015, opposite No. 22 Oke Ola Street, Okanla Area, Osogbo.

See also  PDP: Wike, Makinde camps lock horns ahead of March convention

“During the accreditation process, 608 of 726 observed polling units, or 83.7 per cent, had polling officials with a full complement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials between 7:30am and 8:00 am. A further 75 polling units opened between 8:00am and 8:30am, and 42 between 8:30 am and 11:00am, while one polling unit remained unopened as of 11:00am due to the non-arrival of personnel and materials,” the statement read.

Source: naijanews.com

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Osun Poll: Full List Of LGAs Won By Adeleke

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1 day ago

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August 16, 2026

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The Governor of Osun State and candidate of the Accord Party (A), Ademola Adeleke, has been officially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the 2026 governorship election.

Naija News had earlier reported that Adeleke, who contested against the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Oyebamiji and several other candidates, had a total of 511,067 votes while Oyebamiji gathered 444,815 votes, a difference of 66,256 votes.

Adeleke won 19 local government areas, while his closest rival, Oyebamiji, won 11.

Here are the local government areas won by Adeleke:

Ede North: Adeleke — 35,427; APC — 10,283

Osogbo: Adeleke — 36,480; APC — 30,474

Ede South: Adeleke — 26,188; APC — 6,219

Iwo: Adeleke — 27,085; APC — 19,660

Ife East: Adeleke — 27,201; APC — 18,600

Ife Central: Adeleke — 21,171; APC — 15,913

Ifelodun: Adeleke — 21,107; APC — 18,396

Oriade: Adeleke — 21,343; APC — 14,863

Egbedore: Adeleke — 19,278; APC — 11,194

Odo Otin: Adeleke — 18,003; APC — 15,435

Ilesa West: Adeleke — 16,196; APC — 12,756

Ila: Adeleke — 16,211; APC — 12,934

Ayedaade: Adeleke — 16,681; APC — 15,719

Ife North: Adeleke — 13,879; APC — 9,613

Orolu: Adeleke — 12,352; APC — 10,622

Boluwaduro: Adeleke — 7,118; APC — 7,050

Ayedire: Adeleke — 11,073; APC — 9,910

Ejigbo Local Government Area and Ifedayo

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) has claimed that there were over 38 reported security incidents and 323 electoral offences and irregularities in the Osun 2026 election.

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Naija News reports that the Union, which comprises the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), the International Press Centre (IPC), the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre (TKC) and Yiaga Africa, made the claim in a statement on Saturday.

The hub asserted that violent acts and irregularities disrupted the 726 polling units monitored.

Source: naijanews.com

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