A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, elected party executives across states, including Bayelsa, Oyo, and Ekiti, over the weekend.

The development followed the Appeal Court judgment, which invalidated the November 15 and 16 convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as national chairman.

In its plan to organise its convention on March 28, in Abuja, the Wike-backed faction of the caretaker committee of the party had carried out wards and zonal congresses, while it conducted state congresses across states at the weekend.

With the emergence of the state executives of the party, the state is getting set for the national convention slated for March 28 in Abuja.

In Bayelsa State, Alabh Turnah emerged as the state chairman of the party through a consensus arrangement held at the newly inaugurated PDP secretariat in Yenagoa.

The congress, conducted by an electoral panel led by Austin Sor, was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission amid a heavy security presence.

Other members of the 20-man State Working Committee elected at the congress included Ato Ebibofayei as secretary and Biobelemoyei Goniwari as treasurer, among others.

Turnah, in his acceptance speech, said the party was determined to reclaim governance of the state.

“We thank our delegates, the panel, and the INEC observers. I accept this mandate on behalf of my team and the newly elected State Working Committee.

“We see it as a sacred mandate freely given to us by our people, and we will not betray the confidence reposed in us,” he said.

Turnah assured party members that the new leadership would serve with dedication and commitment.

“PDP is Bayelsa and Bayelsa is PDP. Do not be deceived by claims that PDP is now an opposition party in Bayelsa. That may be theoretical, but in practical terms, PDP remains the majority party in the state,” he stated.

He expressed optimism about the party’s chances in future elections.

“The same God that intervened for PDP in Bayelsa in 2019 is still the same God today. By 2027, under our leadership, PDP will make a strong statement and meet the expectations of our people. Creek Haven belongs to PDP,” he declared.

In Ekiti State, Mr Lanre Omolase emerged as state chairman of the PDP group backed by Wike and former governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose.

Omolase, speaking after his emergence, expressed readiness to rebuild PDP in Ekiti State and restore it to winning ways.

He said the new exco was set for the task of repositioning the party in the state and called for commitment among party members.

“I will lead the party with the fear of God and ensure that the party regains its lost grounds in the state. We have all it takes to achieve that,” Omolase said during the inauguration in Ado Ekiti on Saturday.

A PDP National Caretaker Working Committee member, Bisi Kolawole, said plans were ongoing to rebuild the fractured structure of the party and reposition it for future political success.

“No doubt, our party has experienced internal challenges in recent times, but the leadership at the national level is working diligently to restore unity, strengthen internal democracy, and rebuild the confidence of members across the country.

“Consultations are ongoing among party leaders and stakeholders to ensure that the PDP emerges stronger and more united.

“I charge the newly elected state executives to remain loyal to the party, respect its elders, and work collectively to move the party forward.

“Discipline, unity, and commitment to the party’s ideals are necessary for PDP to regain its strength and effectively play its role as a major political force in the country,” Kolawole said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the PDP State Congress Committee, Philip Adebiyi, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the congress.

“The next step is to bring all party members together for reconciliation,” he said, adding that the leadership was working in that direction.

Other members of the State Working Committee are Babatunde Akande, Deputy Chairman; Chief Tunde Ogunleye, Secretary; Femi Philips, Publicity Secretary; Lawrence Odunayo, Organising Secretary; Olugbenga Agbede, Legal Adviser; and Mrs Ayodele Oluwatoyin Bosede, Women Leader.

They also include Banji Femi, Youth Leader; Gani Bakare, Financial Secretary; Anike Folasade, Treasurer; Ajayi Joseph, Auditor; and Sunday Olowolafe, Adeniyi Adefemi, and Segun Olatunji as Senatorial Chairmen for South, Central, and North, respectively.

In Oyo State, the party elected Abdulrahman Akinoso, a lecturer in the Department of Food Technology, University of Ibadan, as state chairman.

Akinoso was elected during the party’s state congress held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, amid heavy security presence.

Other elected officers include Abiola Olaonipekun (Secretary), Latifah Latifu (Women Leader), and A. Adeleke (Youth Leader).

At the congress, INEC officials were also in attendance.

In his inaugural remarks, Akinoso said the immediate focus of the party would be preparations for the 2027 general elections.

He urged members to set aside internal differences and strengthen the party through unity and membership mobilisation.

“Party executives must focus on coordinating party activities, promoting harmony among members, and ensuring victory at the polls.

“Our immediate assignment is to key into the timetable for the 2027 general election as released by INEC. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of the party, our e-membership registration will commence next week, and we must fully participate in the membership drive.

“We must set aside intra-party differences and concentrate our resources on promoting the party. Through consultations and dialogue, we will work together to achieve victory in future elections,” he said.

Earlier, the spokesman of the Turaki-led NWC, Ini Ememobong, in a statement on Saturday, had cautioned that the alleged dissolution of the state excos in Ogun, Ekiti, and Ondo states by Wike’s faction could hinder the reconciliation process.

The statement read, “This dissolution, which is illegal and unwarranted, is an affront to the proposed reconciliation for which talks are underway. This further attempt to deepen divisions at the state and other levels is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

“We urge the state chapters, all officers of the party at the local government and ward levels, and indeed the public, to discountenance the said notice and continue to exercise their lawful duties.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our desire for peace must be understood in the context of the need for the salvation of the party for the purpose of the forthcoming elections, and not misconstrued otherwise.”

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Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Friday dismissed allegations by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, that he sought to recruit him into his 2023 presidential election campaign.

Obi said the accusation did not merit a response, insisting he had no dealings with Bwala and would not engage in what he described as “transactional politics.”

The former Anambra State governor made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, amid growing exchanges between political actors over events surrounding the 2023 general election.

The statement read, “Normally, we would not dignify Bwala’s baseless accusations with a reply, given his well-documented history of dishonesty. However, we feel it is necessary to address this matter for the benefit of the public, who may be misled.

“Obi has made it clear that he excludes individuals like Bwala from his political activities and any form of transactional politics that sustain people like him in political circles. The Obi that Nigerians know and appreciate will never engage in such practices. He would rather allocate resources to provide desks for children in Bwala’s village than pay him to concoct falsehoods for public consumption.

“Obi’s approach is rooted in the pursuit of good governance and the creation of a better society for all. He does not pay people to promote a cause; instead, he invites them to join him in believing in a shared vision. For the umpteenth time, we call on Bwala and others like him to count Obi out of their greed, repent, and join us in the quest for a new Nigeria”

The rebuttal follows recent claims by Bwala that Obi had attempted to enlist him in the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign.

Speaking in an interview with On-Air Personality Daddy Freeze, Bwala said the request was conveyed through former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a meeting in London.

According to Bwala, the conversation occurred while Obasanjo was at the Hilton Hotel with Obi’s running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and other political stakeholders.

Bwala said that despite his respect for Obasanjo, he declined the overture. He also claimed that Ambassador Amuchi Osuk had been appointed by Obi’s team to coordinate early campaign activities.

The presidential aide further addressed speculation surrounding his political stance at the time, noting that some critics assumed he would naturally support a Christian candidate instead of the Muslim-Muslim ticket that eventually emerged under the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The exchange adds to the ongoing political sparring between figures aligned with the current administration and opposition actors following the 2023 elections.

The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Thursday stopped the purported ambition of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to contest for a second term in office in 2028.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Dr Akin Egbuwalo, had filed a suit at the court seeking the interpretation of Section 137(3) of the Constitution regarding the eligibility of Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, to contest for a second term.

The suit had the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Ondo State Attorney General, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Aiyedatiwa, Adelami, and the APC as defendants.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Toyin Adegoke, the court held that Aiyedatiwa would be ineligible to stand for election in 2028, having been sworn in on December 27, 2023, to complete the tenure of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, and subsequently inaugurated on February 24, 2025, after winning the November 16, 2024, governorship election.

The judge declared that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, did not provide for a situation where an elected president, vice president, governor, or deputy would serve more than eight years in office, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Marwa v. Nyako.

The court ruled that the suit was not speculative or academic, emphasising that it had inherent jurisdiction to interpret any section of the constitution, being a creation of law and duty-bound to uphold it at all times.

Justice Adegoke also held that the processes of the third to fifth defendants were deemed abandoned, having failed to participate during the hearing of the suit, and that only the processes of the plaintiff and first and second defendants would be considered.

“If the third defendant is allowed to contest and serve another four years, that will be against the position of the law in Marwa v. Nyako, where the Supreme Court held that a president or governor cannot serve beyond eight years,” the court ruled.

The court’s verdict also stated that it found “merit in the case of the plaintiff and consequently granted all the reliefs sought.”

The PUNCH reported that on Monday, March 9, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed an appeal filed by Aiyedatiwa, challenging a ruling of the Akure Federal High Court in the suit questioning his eligibility to contest the next governorship election in the state.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court held that the trial court properly exercised its discretion when it granted an application by the plaintiff, Dr Egbuwalo, to amend his originating summons in the case.

Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, ruled that Aiyedatiwa failed to show that the Federal High Court’s decision to allow the amendment occasioned any miscarriage of justice or denied him the right to a fair hearing.

Aiyedatiwa was first sworn in as governor on December 27, 2023, after the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu died.

He was again sworn in as governor on February 24, 2025, having won the November governorship election in the state.

In his first anniversary interview, Aiyedatiwa stressed that only the Supreme Court would stop him from re-contesting the governorship in 2028.

With the defeat in the Federal High Court, Akure, the governor may consider an appeal of the judgment.

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