The Ukwa La Ngwa people of Abia State have donated ₦100m to purchase the nomination form for Governor Alex Otti’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Njoku Ukoha, on Saturday.

It was stated that the donation was announced on Friday during a grand civic reception organised in honour of the governor at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Ukwa La Ngwa Civic Reception and Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, disclosed that the amount had been raised collectively, adding that the group was ready to contribute more if necessary.

Speaking at the event, Otti thanked the people for the reception and endorsement.

“The time we came in here this afternoon, the mammoth crowd was intimidating. I want to thank all of you.

“Thank you for the endorsement. Thank you for the support. Thank you for the encouragement,” he said.

The governor said his administration would continue to prioritise the interest of the people, stressing that governance in Abia was no longer driven by self-interest.

“One thing you can take home is that because this is your government, your interest will always come first. This is not about party or partisan celebration,” Otti added.

He disclosed that Ovom Road would be commissioned on February 25, the same day the reconstruction of the Enyimba Hotel, a five-star facility to be handled by Radisson Blu, would be flagged off.

“Our style is not to flag off and go home. We want the five-star hotel to start functioning by next year,” the governor said.

Otti also urged residents of Aba to register for their Permanent Voter Cards and to take responsibility for security and cleanliness in their neighbourhoods.

“The number of people in Aba is ten times larger than the number of votes that come from Aba. The only way to show your strength is to get people to come out and register,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the occasion and Board of Trustees Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Adolphus Wabara, said the event was a reflection of the people’s verdict on Otti’s performance.

“This is not a political party rally; it is a people’s verdict. It is the collective affirmation of the masses to celebrate a man who has demonstrated that good governance is achievable and real.

“Let no one be deceived: Abians will never again surrender their mandate to any cabal. Any attempt to subvert the will of the people in 2027 will be firmly resisted,” Wabara said.

Also speaking, the Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, and the National Secretary of the Labour Party, Darlington Nwokocha, said Otti’s performance across sectors had earned him widespread support.

Earlier, the leader and spokesperson of the Ukwa La Ngwa people, Chief Theo Nkire, described the governor as “a great achiever” who had transformed Aba into “a world-class industrial hub.”

Traditional rulers from Ukwa La Ngwa also pledged their support, while the event featured cultural displays and was attended by several dignitaries, including the member representing Isiala Ngwa North/South Federal Constituency, Ginger Onwusibe.

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The Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has appealed the Federal High Court ruling that voided the party’s November 2025 convention and recognised a caretaker committee backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Addressing journalists on Friday, Turaki said, despite the court verdict, the party remained legally intact and unshaken as it awaits the pronouncement of the appellate courts.

The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan had, earlier on Friday, invalidated the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025.

The court also directed Turaki and others to stop presenting themselves as national officers of the PDP.

Justice Uche Agomoh further ruled that the caretaker committee headed by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu remains the only recognised National Working Committee of the PDP until a valid national convention is held.

The PDP governors had supported the Ibadan convention, at which Turaki and other members of the NWC were elected for a four-year term.

However, Wike, alongside Abdulrahman and Anyanwu, insisted that they remained in office as acting national chairman and national secretary, respectively.

Although the governors oversaw a smooth transition from the former PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, to Turaki before Damagum’s tenure ended on December 9, the Wike-aligned faction went ahead on December 8 to constitute a 13-member caretaker committee, appointing Abdulrahman, Anyanwu and others with a 60-day mandate.

As a result, both the governors’ faction and the Wike-aligned camp have been seeking recognition of their leadership by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which has so far declined to recognise either group.

Consequently, several court cases have been instituted to resolve the dispute ahead of the 2027 general election.

But reacting, Turaki described the judgment as an academic exercise, urging the Court of Appeal to consolidate all pending party-related cases to produce a single binding judgment for all parties.

Turaki said the NWC had filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution and would pursue the matter to its legal conclusion.

He explained that they went to court to seek an order of mandamus directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the Ibadan Convention and enable official party communications with the Commission.

Turaki said, “More importantly, the judgment is in material conflict with subsisting orders and previous judgments of courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

“Consequently, we have filed a Notice of Appeal as well as a Motion for Stay of Execution of the judgement, and we are determined to pursue this matter diligently and to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this judgment is only one among several decisions of the Federal High Court on this subject matter, and the core issues arising therefrom are already before the Court of Appeal. In that sense, this particular judgment is, technically speaking, academic, pending the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts.

“Let me assure all members of our great party that, notwithstanding this judgment, the National Working Committee produced by the Ibadan Convention remains legally intact, firmly in place, and fully committed to the ongoing rebirth of the Peoples Democratic Party.”

Turaki called on PDP members and supporters nationwide to stay calm and steadfast, emphasising that there was no reason for concern, and affirmed that the Rebirth movement continues to progress steadily.

When asked if he was concerned about the PDP cases pending in the Appeal Court, Turaki clarified that he was not, noting that the lawyers on both sides had filed their briefs on time.

He stated, “There are more than two matters pending before the Court of Appeal. First, there is the judgment of Justice Lifu. There is also the judgment of Justice Omotosho, and another judgment given by Justice Abdulmalik. In all these three matters, we were sued and defended those cases. We have appealed against the orders made against the party in those cases.

“On whether there is concern that the appeals have not yet been heard, there is no concern. There are processes required before an appeal is ready for hearing. Each party must be given fair hearing and must file briefs within the time stipulated by law. Counsel on both sides have commendably compressed the time for filing briefs and complied promptly. All briefs are now in the court files. Sometimes replies are also required, and those will be filed as needed.

“There are many appeals ready for hearing in the Abuja Division. The court previously implemented a special plan in the Lagos Division, where multiple panels were set up and over 500 appeals were disposed of. There are also over 400 appeals ready in Abuja, and it is hoped that similar special panels will be created there. If that happens, this political case should receive priority.

“It is also desirable that the appeals be consolidated so that one binding judgment will apply to all parties. Many of the PDP cases are interconnected, and determination of the key issues in one will likely resolve the others and bring closure to related matters pending in various courts across Nigeria. We are hopeful that the Court of Appeal will soon constitute a panel to hear and determine all these appeals.”

Meanwhile, Wike’s bloc has welcomed the court ruling, calling on all members to embrace unity, reconciliation, and adherence to due process.

The Mohammed-led PDP Caretaker Committee, through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungude Mohammed, on Friday, reaffirmed that the party’s legitimacy stems only from adherence to its Constitution, laws, and valid court orders—not from unlawful claims or impersonation.

The statement read in part, “The landmark judgment, which further nullified the conduct, outcome, and entire proceedings of the purported convention held in Ibadan on the 15th and 16th of November 2025, represents a decisive victory for the rule of law, constitutionalism, and internal party democracy. It reaffirms the long-standing position of the PDP that legitimacy can only be derived from strict compliance with the Constitution of the Party, extant laws, and valid court orders, as opposed to seeking self-help through impersonation or unlawful assertions of authority.

“The National Caretaker Working Committee therefore congratulates all its members and supporters for their patience, resilience, and unwavering faith in due process throughout this period, and further calls on all members to remain calm, law-abiding, and united as we move forward in the spirit of reconciliation, progress, and renewed commitment to the ideals of our great Party.

“We appeal to all aggrieved members to sheath their swords, as this victory belongs to the entire PDP family. Our doors remain open for genuine reconciliation and integration. This will strengthen unity, deepen internal cohesion, and refocus collective efforts toward building a stronger and more formidable PDP.

“We commend the Judiciary for once again rising to its constitutional responsibility as the impartial arbiter in political and constitutional disputes.”

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