WAFFI TV | Politics

PDP Condemns Move To Bar Natasha’s Resumption At Senate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned as “unconstitutional” the Senate’s move to prevent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her seat after completing a six-month suspension. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made this known in a statement on Tuesday. “This reported action smacks of a calculated attempt being orchestrated by the Senator Akpabio-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate leadership to abridge the right of representation of the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District and deny them a voice at the highest law-making body in the country,” the statement read. The PDP warned that using the National Assembly establishment against an elected senator was a “gross violation” of the 1999 Constitution and the Senate’s Standing Rules, describing it as “highly provocative” and a “clear and present danger to democracy and the overall stability of our country.” According to the party, the development was part of wider efforts by the APC-led government to “suffocate the opposition,” which it said “confirms the creeping totalitarianism in our country.” The statement also tied the controversy to “gender-based intimidation,” alleging that it “further brings to the fore the allegations of attacks on the right of women and sustained attempts to stifle their voices. Calling on Akpabio to “come clean on the various allegations,” the PDP insisted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had already been served. “The extreme persecution of six-month suspension unjustly imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, contrary to the Rules of the Senate, is more than enough,” Ologunagba said. The party cautioned the Clerk of the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, to withdraw his letter and “play by the rules by being neutral as a bureaucrat. It urged the clerk not to allow himself to be politically entangled and used as a tool to undermine democracy and the Rule of Law.” The PDP urged the international community, democracy institutions and rights advocacy groups to condemn what it called a renewed attack on the Kogi Central lawmaker. It also charged Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to “discountenance the reported letter” and prepare to resume her legislative duties unhindered.

9/10/2025, 7:14:36 AM

Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate Of 2027 Presidential Election

The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. The party said the decision was anchored on the President’s transformative policies and landmark projects, which stakeholders believe have brought unprecedented development and visibility to the South-South region. The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the APC 12th Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting held Tuesday in Yenagoa, and presented by party chieftain, Amb. Philips Ikrusi. According to the communiqué, Tinubu’s adoption stemmed from his “developmental strides across critical sectors and his appointment of Bayelsa indigenes into key positions.” It also cited his administration’s support for a South-South Senate President, the signing of the South-South Development Commission Act, and major infrastructure investments like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which are expected to unlock the region’s economic potential. Leaders at the meeting applauded the President’s economic reforms and governance style, describing them as pivotal to repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth. They emphasized that extending Tinubu’s leadership beyond 2027 would consolidate ongoing achievements and fast-track projects beneficial to Bayelsa and the South-South at large. Bayelsa APC Chairman, Chief Dennis Otiotio, explained that the meeting was convened to assess President Tinubu’s performance and determine if he deserved their endorsement. He said the President’s inclusion of Bayelsa indigenes in federal appointments was among the reasons for their support. Also speaking, former Bayelsa Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, expressed satisfaction with the unity within the state’s APC, noting that the presence of the party’s national leadership underscored its commitment to strengthening the chapter ahead of the 2027 polls. According to him: “Bayelsa APC is stronger than any other APC anywhere and commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for all their support to see that the party is strong and still standing tall in Bayelsa. On his part, the Managing Director, NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, said that the APC had gone through various challenges and they still remain united, as the national working committee had seen. According to him: “In life, there is always time of disagreement and agreement but in all settlement is always the key to every crisis. APC Bayelsa has already buried their differences. In his remarks, the National Chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said that more governors would still join the party ahead of the 2027 general election to support President Bola Tinubu. He noted that President Tinubu’s impressive performance had prompted several governors and senators to defect from their parties to the APC, strengthening the party’s chances of securing his resounding re-election in 2027. Yilwatda, represented by the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, added that Tinubu is determined to steer Nigeria to greater heights.

9/9/2025, 6:00:57 PM

Court Clears Jonathan To Contest 2027 Presidential Election

The Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ruled that former President Goodluck Jonathan remains constitutionally qualified to contest the 2027 presidential election. Delivering judgment, Justice Isa Dashen held that Jonathan’s assumption of office in 2010, following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was not through an election but a constitutional succession. He added that Jonathan had been elected only once—in 2011—well within the constitutional limit of two electoral terms. The court also clarified that the 2017 constitutional amendment, which came into effect in June 2018 and restricts anyone who completed another’s tenure from being elected more than once, does not apply retroactively to Jonathan’s case. With no appeal filed against the decision, the ruling paves the way for Jonathan’s possible return to the ballot in the February 2027 presidential race.

9/7/2025, 12:02:21 PM

Fubara Return Nears As Ibas Prepares Exit

Following a closed-door meeting last Wednesday between President Bola Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd), at the Presidential Villa, there are strong indications that suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member House of Assembly may be reinstated on September 18, 2025. According to Sunday Vanguard, that during the meeting, President Tinubu directed Ibas to prepare and submit a detailed handover report of his six-month emergency administration before the end of his ongoing 10-day vacation. According to a source familiar with the matter, the handover notes must clearly outline all funds inherited from Fubara’s administration, revenues generated during the six-month emergency rule, their sources, and how they were spent. The report is also expected to specify the projects executed within the period and how resources were allocated. The Wednesday night meeting effectively ended a push by influential figures in the National Assembly to secure a three-month extension for Ibas, which would have kept him in charge until December 2025. Proponents of the extension argued that it would allow Ibas to complete major projects such as the reconstruction of the demolished House of Assembly complex, the ongoing workers’ verification exercise, and the installation of sensitive government equipment. Had this plan succeeded, Fubara and other democratic institutions would have had to wait until January 2026 to resume office. However, with the peace deal now in place—though described as either “fragile or lasting”—the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has strongly opposed any such backdoor extension and insists that emergency rule must end on September 18. It will be recalled that on August 30, after casting his vote in the local government elections, Wike declared that the governor and Assembly members were ready to return to office. Two days later, the state APC chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, reaffirmed that September 18 remained a non-negotiable date. The source further disclosed that Ibas has been instructed to submit his final report to the President “two days before returning from vacation,” adding that Tinubu is expected to announce the lifting of the emergency rule on September 18—the exact day the emergency administration would clock six months. President Tinubu had on March 18, 2025, declared emergency rule in Rivers State to ease political tensions between Wike and Fubara.

9/7/2025, 10:49:47 AM

With Unity, No Party Can Defeat APC In 2027~ Oborevwori

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has expressed confidence that with sustained unity in the All Progressives Congress (APC), no opposition party would be able to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 general elections. Oborevwori made the assertion on Tuesday in Asaba during an enlarged meeting of party leaders at the ward and local government levels. He urged members across the state to step up efforts in mobilising eligible voters to take part in the ongoing voter registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The governor stressed the importance of encouraging all citizens who have attained 18 years of age since the last registration in 2022 to register, so they can exercise their franchise in the forthcoming elections. According to him, the meeting was convened to further consolidate the unity of party stakeholders. “With unity in our party, no other political party can defeat the APC. We are performing well at the federal level, and equally doing well here in the state. The issue of voter registration is very important, and we must take it seriously. From the ward level, ensure that those who could not register before are captured this time,” Oborevwori said. On his part, the State Chairman of the APC, Elder Omeni Sobotie, called on members to remain steadfast and continue working together to strengthen the party’s chances in future elections. Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Valentine Onojeghuo, noted: “Our first and most important takeaway from this meeting is the unity of the party because without unity, there can be no loyalty.”

9/3/2025, 6:06:41 PM

Insecurity In Nigeria Traced To Desperation To Unseat Jonathan~ Datti Baba Ahmed

The Labour Party’s 2023 Vice-Presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has attributed Nigeria’s current wave of insecurity to the desperation that fueled the removal of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. He made the remark on Tuesday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme. “I contested with the late former president Muhammadu Buhari in 2011. But ever since he made a security threat comment, I refused to go out with him. “It didn’t matter if I lost the Senate seat, but I won it eventually. Buhari said, you [will all be] soaked in blood. Kaduna is my state. There was serious violence in Kaduna. Many houses were burnt. “They went and brought people from neighbouring countries in readiness to remove Jonathan,” he stated.

9/3/2025, 6:50:22 AM

Anti Party Allegations Not Enough To Punish Wike~ PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clarified that former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, cannot face sanctions for alleged anti-party activities without a formal petition backed by evidence. Deputy National Legal Adviser of the party, Mr. Okechukwu Osuoha, explained on Monday in Abuja that although a disciplinary committee has been set up to handle internal misconduct, no member has been penalized so far because no official complaints have been lodged. He noted that the National Executive Committee had constituted the committee, chaired by elder statesman Chief Tom Ikimi with Eyitayo Jegede as secretary, but stressed that it has yet to sanction any member. “People often ask me specifically about the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike — why don’t we discipline him? Why don’t we take action? I tell them: It is not enough to merely say someone has committed an offence,” Osuoha stated. He emphasised that anyone accusing a party member must file a formal petition and be ready to testify and present evidence when the accused is summoned. “When that petition is written and presented, the petitioner must also be ready to come and testify. If the person accused is invited, you must come with your evidence,” he said. According to Osuoha, the challenges facing disciplinary enforcement are not unique to the PDP but reflect broader systemic issues in Nigeria’s political and legal institutions. “This is the same problem with our wider Nigerian system. It is not just about pointing out anomalies; the challenge is following them up to a conclusion,” he said.

9/2/2025, 9:01:05 AM

Bringing Peter Obi Back To PDP Will Destroy The Party~ Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has warned that speculations about Peter Obi’s possible return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pose a serious threat to the party’s stability. Some PDP stakeholders are reportedly making efforts to persuade the former Anambra State governor to rejoin the party ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the intention of fielding him as the party’s presidential candidate. Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party, recently declared that he would serve only one term if elected, insisting four years would be sufficient to reposition Nigeria. Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, have openly confirmed that the PDP is reaching out to Obi to secure his return. But in a media chat on Monday, Wike dismissed the move, describing the idea of Obi’s return as both dangerous and hypocritical. Asked about the possibility of Obi rejoining the party, Wike said: “To what? Bringing Obi to where? You want to kill the party? Obi that was abusing the party, saying it is rotten — so the party is now good enough for him? Ambition can make people even go to Satan’s house.” According to him, bringing Obi back to the PDP would further erode the party’s credibility and destroy any remaining ideological foundation. “If you want to destroy this party, dare it — bring Obi. There’s no way he will come back just because of ambition. No more ideology, no longer principle,” he added.

9/1/2025, 1:35:57 PM

I Have Done Maths For 2027 Elections, Tinubu Will Emerge Third~ El Rufai

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has forecast that the 2027 presidential election may head into a runoff, stressing that President Bola Tinubu is unlikely to advance to the second round. Speaking during Channels Television’s *Sunday Politics*, El-Rufai maintained that the contest stands a strong chance of remaining unresolved in the first ballot. "I was governor of Kaduna state; I was one of Bola Tinubu’s biggest campaigners, but I couldn’t deliver the state to him,” he said. "If you want to engage in self-delusion, you are free to do so. I will not tell you how we are going to win, but I tell you very clearly — the worst-case scenario in the 2027 elections is that no winner will emerge in the first round." He stated that the electorates "may have to go for a runoff, and Bola Tinubu will not be on the ballot for the runoff, because he will, at best, be third in the election." Speaking further, he noted that Tinubu "has no pathway to win. I have done the maths, I have done the analysis; he cannot — he will, at best, be third." El-Rufai dismissed assumptions that Tinubu could secure victory by relying on state power and resources. "But he can deceive himself; he may think, oh, you know, I have money, because they have taken all the money in the country, I have INEC, I have the police, I have the army. You know what, President Tinubu, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for a chat, and ask him if he didn’t have all this in 2015, and we got him out. Is the case still the same? Similar to 2015? It’s worse." He further argued that Tinubu’s political strength had been overstated. "It’s like those who say Tinubu has never lost an election. That can be contested, but it’s okay. He’s a political strategist, he’s this, he’s that. Wait. “I naturally have said, if you want to learn some lessons, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for a chat over coffee, and ask him what happened in 2015. That’s all,” he said. El-Rufai now a member of African Democratic Congress and a former ally of Tinubu, is now a staunch critic of the government who has continued to grow to unseat him in 2027. Saharareporters

9/1/2025, 10:31:18 AM

2027: Keyamo Warns PDP Against Fielding Jonathan, Obi

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has cautioned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could face major setbacks in its 2027 presidential bid if it fields either former President Goodluck Jonathan or ex-Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, as its candidate. The PDP, however, swiftly dismissed Keyamo’s warning, insisting that the minister had no authority to dictate its choice of flagbearer. In a lengthy post on his X handle yesterday, Keyamo maintained that the opposition party remained in a “non-enviable position” following its failure to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the South—a decision he claimed weakened its support base in the South-South and South-East. He further argued that presenting Jonathan as candidate could trigger constitutional hurdles under Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which, according to him, may disqualify anyone who has already been sworn in twice as president. “If he is fielded, the party runs the risk of not having a candidate at all,” Keyamo wrote, warning that the Supreme Court would ultimately decide such a legal challenge. He stated further: “The constitutional amendment was made after the court judgment which cleared him (Jonathan) to run in 2015, so nothing is decided yet on that new amendment, hence I use the word ‘risk’ advisedly. ‘’All the arguments as to whether the section can be interpreted to affect him will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court. “If he is barred from running after nominations have closed and the PDP is declared as having no candidate, nobody should scream ‘judiciary is corrupt’ because such a large party saw the judicial danger ahead and deliberately ignored it.” He added that the party would bear responsibility if it ignored the legal risk and lost its candidacy after nominations closed. “All the arguments … will not be decided on social media, but at the Supreme Court,” he said. He also dismissed the likelihood of a successful South-West flagbearer for the PDP, saying “if the PDP decides to field its most attractive S/West candidate, no other region of the country will vote for a fresh Yoruba candidate who would be eligible for a fresh two terms in office. “That candidate will battle with the well-oiled APC structures in the S/West. You need a majority of at least three to four regions in Nigeria to win the Presidency.” On Peter Obi, the minister said bringing the former Labour Party candidate into the PDP fold would not solve the party’s problems. He suggested doubts about Obi’s credibility, adding that his past one-term pledge could dilute support among his core followers. “The principled ones among the ‘obidients’ will see him as going back to his vomit … and may not be too vociferous in their support anymore,” Keyamo wrote. Concluding his assessment, the minister blamed the PDP’s current predicament on what he called its “original sin” of not zoning the 2023 ticket to the South. He added: “The young social media warriors may lampoon anyone talking about these zoning sentiments, but that is the reality of our politics.” He said unless “something extraordinary’ happens, the party might have to wait till 2031.

9/1/2025, 8:10:51 AM

Subscribe to our newsletter

advertisement