Ganduje: 2027 Election a Done Deal

•Former Senate President says defection of a running mate unprecedented, a sign of how low we have sunk

Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Saraki, yesterday assured members of the opposition PDP that there was no cause for alarm in spite of the switching of parties by Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the former running mate to the PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, to the All Progressives Congress, the APC.

Okowa defected long with his protege, the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and the entire PDP political structure to the ruling APC. 

Saraki  stated that the rest of them in the PDP would reposition and strengthen it for the task ahead.

This was just as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday declared that the 2027 elections were already a done deal for his party, boasting that more governors of the opposition party  were still coming to join the ruling party.

His declaration was not unconnected with the continued depletion of the opposition’s camps, especially with Wednesday’s dramatic defections to the ruling party.

On his part, the acting national chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, has expressed sadness over the defection of Oborevweri, Okowa and other chieftains of the party to the APC.

This was as the Osun State chapter of the PDP has stated that the ruling party in the state was neither surprised nor disappointed by the defection of Hon. Wole Oke, a member of the House of Representatives for Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, to the APC, saying his decision, though unfortunate, was entirely in line with his history of erratic political behaviour and unstable loyalties.

At the same time, the Edo State Chapter of the party, has said the PDP in the state was strong and intact, calling on all genuine members to be wary of the antics of those who proclaim to be members of the party, but in reality were out to destroy the PDP in the South-South region and across the country.

Nevertheless, the coalition of political parties has said it was not distracted by the defection of Oborevwori, and Okowa defection to the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, the APC national chairman spoke yesterday in Abuja when he formally received some leaders of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kano State chapter, led by the Senator representing Kano South, Senator Kawu Ismailia.

Others were former Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Mohd Digol; a former Commissioner in Kano State Government, Hon. Abbas  Abbas; a former Commissioner in Kano State, Hon. Sha’aban Ibrahim Lawal; a former governorship candidate, Hon. Badamasi Ayuba Danbatta; and a former member, House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Dankuwa.

Also included were Hon. Kabiru Rurmum, Representing Rano/Kibiya in the House of Representatives; Hon. Abdullahi Rogo, Hon. Zubairu Massu, and member, Kano State House of Assembly, Dr. Baffa Bichi.

Ganduje, while addressing the new entrants into the party said more opposition governors were being expected.

“In APC, we believe in our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We believe in his economic reforms. We believe in his Renewed Hope Agenda and part of the political renewed hope agenda is trying to canvass for more followership into the party.

“We started by democratically electing governors, especially in Edo State, who was in PDP. We elected, we succeeded in winning the election. He is now in APC.

“Now, there is another channel that has been opened through advocacy, through dialogue, through convincing some highly and even elected governors to come into the party. And you can see what has happened now.

“The governor of Delta State is now in APC, including his cabinet, including all the members of the state assembly and House of Representatives, and the timber and caliber of PDP, now in APC, even including the former vice presidential candidate coming into our party.

“So, you can see that we are expanding. I don’t want to reveal our secret, but what I’m telling you is that APC 2027 is a done deal. More governors are coming into APC. I assure you, and places where we have elections, APC Insha Allah will win those elections.”

Speaking, Kawu described their decision to join the ruling party as  the coming together of like-minds in Kano State NNPP.

Asked whether his defection would make an impact for APC, he added: “I will refer you to the 2023 general election. Go and check the results. I mean, the presidential, senatorial, and House of Representatives elections, where we contested the same day, the same polling unit with Kwankwaso.

“That will give you the answer to your question. You will see my result, his (Kwankwaso) result, and various members of the House of Representatives on that very day.

“Then the subsequent election, the senatorial and state assembly members, you will see the difference and you will understand what we are telling you. “

Saraki: No Cause for Alarm, We’ll Reposition PDP

But allaying the fears of party members, Saraki, said, “Following the development in the Delta State Chapter of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I have been inundated with phone calls from leaders and members of our party as well as various youths, who have been active in promoting democracy and good governance in our country.

“Many of the callers want to know what my reaction is to the defection of top PDP leaders in Delta State and its impact on our party.

“My view is that those who want to leave the PDP should leave now and let the rest of us who want to stay concentrate on rebuilding the party and refocusing it to play the role of a viable opposition that will provide a better alternative for the good people of Nigeria.

“I am convinced that it is important for all Nigerians to work for the sustenance of democracy. And to sustain democracy, there must be viable choices for people at every point. Also, there must be a viable opposition to keep people’s hope alive and create credible alternatives to keep the government on its toes.

“A one-party state as being disingenuously designed by some people will not augur well for a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and highly diversified society like ours. It is even more dangerous when we eliminate alternatives and make people hopeless.

“Therefore, it is in the interest of Nigeria and the survival of our democracy for the opposition to be vibrant and strong enough with the capacity to replace the ruling party at any point. Thus, my charge to our party members is that the PDP is merely experiencing a rebirth.

“Those who want to leave the party should go and let those of us remaining have a clear view of who we are talking to and where their political loyalty lies. All we need is for those who want to stay back in PDP to show commitment and we can all work to rebuild the party.

“This development has vindicated the stance of people like me who have decided to remain silent and watch events unfold. I have seen that there was no sincerity with supposed leaders of the opposition. One was not sure of the next person one was talking to.

“My appeal to PDP members nationwide is that we should know that the sustenance of democracy is not a sprint. Rather, it is a marathon. It is not a knock-out football match series. It is a league. 24 hours is a long time in politics and nobody can predict how the dynamics will evolve in the coming weeks and months.

“That is why PDP members across the country should not be discouraged, disillusioned, disappointed, or demoralised by the development in Delta State. We should stay strong and focus on strengthening the party. It is not necessary at this point to lament why they left,” he said.

According to Saraki, “Our party members should also refrain from blaming our woes on the ruling party. That would be a lazy approach. They are playing politics to win elections. It is our responsibility as party members to ignore their antics and seize the moment and momentum to make our party stronger and better.

“Yes, it is unbecoming and shocking for the running mate to the standard bearer of a leading party to abandon ship to join the ruling party. This is unprecedented and nobody should try to justify such an act with the talk of being put under pressure. It is simply a sign of how low we have sunk as a polity. The country is experiencing a collapse of leadership values.

“These developments in the polity are the reason why I have always canvassed the idea that we should emphasise building and strengthening our institutions and not individuals. With the defection of the governor of Delta State, even if the party has only ten governors in its fold, the PDP is still in a good position to win the next round of elections.

“Our numerous party members should know that the PDP is better with fewer members who are loyal, sincere, determined, dedicated, and committed to its ideas, ideals, and progress than to have so many who will identify with us in the afternoon and be romancing the ruling party in the night.

“We still have about two years before the next election. That is a long time in politics. We have enough time to brace up to the challenge. There is nothing that prevents us from getting some governors from the other parties to join our ranks.

“My appeal to our young party members is that this defection is just a mere challenge to us to further mobilise and put our house in order. Also, our women’s wing should seize the opportunity to help in the rebuilding mission. The PDP will come out stronger from this development.

“I am very sure the various leadership organs of our party will soon make public their reaction to this development and convey the necessary meetings to strategise on how to strongly and strategically respond to it. Therefore there is no cause for alarm.

“Our party members should not lose focus, hope, or the determination to win. We should see the current development as a challenge to rebuild and refocus the party. Tomorrow is very bright.”

PDP: 2027 Between Tinubu and Nigerians

The acting national chairman of PDP, Umar Damagum, has expressed sadness over the defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevweri, former governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa and other chieftains of the party to the APC.

Addressing reporters during the presentation of nomination certificate to the party’s governorship candidate, Jude Ezenwafor, Damagum, said, ‘’It’s very sad and unfortunate because to me, if there’s any state that should think that way, not Delta, because the party is very magnanimous.

‘’I thank God that in their message, they didn’t say that the party did anything wrong to them other than good.

‘’It’s a decision taken by them, but the pains will be in us not because of anything, but because we have given Delta State all our support, from the emergence of the governor to his predecessor, who also doubled as our vice presidential candidate.

‘’I think we’ve done it all for them in Delta State. We least expected this action from them.  All the same, this is a party that have seen more than that, but it’s still standing.

‘’I want to use this opportunity to say, we’ll take over our structures immediately by setting up a caretaker. We are still taking stocks and we will do that immediately. I also want to enjoin our members, both in Delta and the country in general, I want to remind us what happened in 2023. The PDP can still make it simple.

‘’Obi has no governor but he muzzled all those votes that he muzzled. This election in 2027, is not about how many governors you have or how many leaders. It’s about Tinubu and Nigerians will give you the result I believe that before 12 o’clock because you can coerce, persuade, and intimidate our members to come in to support you.

‘’The ordinary man is feeling the pinch and the decision is his. So, I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that it is their election. It is APC versus Nigerians.

‘’It’s not APC versus any governor or senator or anything but APC versus Nigerians. So I want to urge all of us to close ranks and rescue ourself from this hardship that is inflicted on us by design, not any coincidence. Policies are meant for people, no one else because you make policy and it’s not for the ordinary people’’.

‘’We will experience a lot of challenges but there is no challenge that is insurmountable. I thank God we are all people of faith.

‘’We know there is a limit to whatever one can do other than what God has designed. You may have your own tactics where you cannot outplay God. We leave our faith in the hands of God and we believe He will help us out of this great situation.

‘’If God wants to help you, he takes out all the thorns along the way. I know we have one united party in Anambra today,’’ the acting national chairman of the PDP said.

PDP: Wole Oke’s Defection a Predictable Move from a Fickle Character

The Osun State chapter of the PDP, has stated emphatically that the ruling party in the state was neither surprised nor disappointed by the defection of Hon. Wole Oke, saying his decision, though unfortunate, was entirely in line with his history of erratic political behaviour and unstable loyalties.

“It is public knowledge that for over two decades, Hon Oke enjoyed consistent goodwill of the PDP, securing multiple terms in the National Assembly under the party’s banner.

“Yet, rather than engage in transparent and competitive internal processes, he habitually resorted to wild goose chase, abusing privileges conferred on him by the party and the good people of Obokun/Oriade, always fighting the winds in his characteristic scheming to further his personal ambitions,” the party said.

In a statement in Osogbo by the Chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Sunday Bisi, he said, “Hon Oke has long conducted himself like a pampered political stakeholder, more interested in being spoon-fed than earning his place through rules of healthy competition.”

The statement further read: “His trademark has always been orchestrated discontents and divisive tactics, never genuine in party commitment.”

He posited that the  PDP leadership has remained “well ahead of his shenanigans, fully aware of his pattern of self-serving pontifications. His latest move only affirms what has always been evident – that he sees politics as a personal enterprise rather than a wheel of service to the people.”

Ikimi, Other Stakeholders Caution against Those Feigning Genuine Party Membership

The Edo State Chapter of the PDP, has said the party in the state was strong and intact, and therefore called on all genuine members to be wary of the antics of a few, who proclaim to be members of the party, but in reality, were out to destroy the PDP in the South-South region and across the country.

Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, made the remarks during a stakeholders meeting in Benin City.

Azeigbemi said the party had remained focused on reclaiming its mandate after it was stolen from Dr. Asue Ighodalo by the ruling party and would not be distracted with the scheming by enemies from both outside and within.

One of the leaders of the party in Edo, Chief Tom Ikimi, who lauded the commitment of genuine party members said the only way forward for the country was the survival of PDP and urged all and sundry to rally round the main opposition party in the country.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister, noted that the APC was hijacked by some forces, who were not working for the interest of Nigerians, but desperately working to destroy the PDP, saying “the only way for the country is the survival of the PDP.”

According to him, “My assessment is that the APC was hijacked by some forces and converted into a structure that was not of the best interest of our nation. We are all witnesses of their operations so far and indeed the disaster that we are going through. That party is now a collection of people possessing only personal interests.

“Take a look at the United States. When the Republicans do not serve the proper purpose, the Democrats take over, and in the UK, that is the same situation between Labour and the Conservatives.

“Despite the grave difficulties that our country faces today under the APC, it seems that all we are now presented with are just the desperate efforts to destroy the PDP so that the country may become a one party dictatorship.

“It is very clear to me that the only way forward for our country now is the survival of the PDP. History will certainly be kind to all of you gathered here. With the successful and appropriate adjustments at the highest leadership level, which I see now ongoing, I believe all will be well with the PDP and our country in a non-too distant future,” Ikimi said.

Coalition: We’re Not Distracted By Okowa, Oborevwori’s Defection to APC

The coalition of political parties, a group proposing formidable opposition ahead 2027, has said it was not distracted by the defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, and the running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

One of the leaders of the coalition and former National Vice Chairman, North West of APC, Dr. Salihu Lukman, said they were aware that some governors of the PDP were working with President Bola Tinubu.

He stressed that their defection was unexpected, saying the signals had been there that some governors are going to decamp.

“You also know the situation in PDP. The party is clearly a shadow of its own self. Although we acknowledge there are people, there are leaders in PDP who are optimistic they can rescue the party.

“But if you remember, when the governors issued a statement against the coalition, what was our response? Our response was that many of them are working for Asiwaju.

“And shortly after that, you saw the statement from Akwa Ibom, and of course the Delta governor. It’s not only him, if you check the comments, there are many more that are being expected and on two sides — on the side of people who genuinely worry for the country, are expressing fear about a one-party state. And on the side of the government and APC, they are jubilating.

“All that one can say is that  the beauty of democracy is about competition. The whole initiative to begin to negotiate the coalition is to ensure that in 2027, Nigerians are presented with options,” he said, boasting that the coalition being out together to challenge Tinubu in 2027 has gone far.

“What has happened in terms of some governors and some leaders moving into APC is not going to distract us at all. Not long from now, the full details of the coalition will be unveiled to Nigerians. And the structure and the strategy in terms of how the election will be contested will be clarified.

“We are just hoping that leaders of PDP who genuinely are working to rescue the party are thinking in the direction that rescuing the party should mean rebuilding the party so that the culture of imposition is a thing of the past in PDP. If that happens, we will regard the new PDP that will be born as a partner in the project of the coalition to rescue the country.”

A former Presidential Adviser on Political Matters seconded to the office of the Vice-President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, it would be recalled, had yesterday, accused President Bola Tinubu of giving the impression of an isolated leader running an insular administration, and therefore urged him to step aside in 2027 for a new generation of leaders with better ideas and energy.

Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), who recently resigned his portfolio, warned the president that if he shifted attention to electoral ambitions, he risked losing both governance momentum and public goodwill.

In an open letter to the president, Baba-Ahmed, who urged Tinubu to shelve his re-election bid, said, “Step aside — not for your opponents, but for a new generation of Nigerians who can carry the nation forward with fresh energy and ideas.

“Our generation has done its time. It would be a masterstroke if you and your party yielded the field to new voices and new leadership. That way, you could catalyse a peaceful, historic transformation and inspire a new political culture rooted in merit, unity, and progress.”

While noting that the president must reflect on how he wanted to be remembered, Baba-Ahmed said, “You hold what your opposition lacks: the power to reduce the harshness of life for the average Nigerian. Use it well. Watch 2027, yes — but don’t become consumed by it.”

He acknowledged that the administration inherited an ailing economy and a fatigued populace but faulted Tinubu’s “inability” to turn inauguration goodwill into “effective leadership”.

The ex-NEF spokesperson said the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda was “a set of campaign promises, not a coherent governance plan.”

He added that more than half of Tinubu’s cabinet “has no business managing an administration tasked with improving security, livelihoods, or public trust.”

Baba-Ahmed, who said he never met Tinubu during his 18-month stint in the presidency, warned against prioritising re-election over governance.

“Two years is a long time — you can still achieve much. But if you shift attention now to electoral ambitions, you risk losing both governance momentum and public goodwill.

“If you win again without reforming your style and strategy, you may spend four more years preserving failure. If you lose, your legacy could be wiped out in an instant.”

He said Nigerians across the regions were dissatisfied with the Tinubu government, noting that, “The north is drifting from your leadership under the weight of economic hardship, insecurity, and alienation.

“The east remains politically disengaged, while the south-south is fragmented. The south-west has been lukewarm, and its privileged position may become a burden. The north-east is deeply wounded and can no longer be taken for granted.”

He said the administration should focus on addressing the country’s most pressing problems, describing Tinubu’s leadership as “disconnected and exclusive.”

His words: “Your closed-door style of leadership, your apparent indifference to complaints of ethnic bias in appointments, and the perception that you frequently run the country from abroad while attending to personal matters have created the image of an isolated leader heading an insular administration.

“Your inner and secondary circles do not reflect the discipline or inspiration necessary to transform Nigeria,” he said, adding that the government lacked a clear communication strategy.

According to him, “You needed a strong engagement strategy — one capable of building national consensus or at least neutralising hostility. Instead, you’ve appointed a crowd of spokespersons, who often confuse rather than clarify your policies.”

Baba-Ahmed had recently said the north would unveil its position on the 2027 presidency in the next six months.

“We know nobody will become president without the north,” he added.

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