Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia North Senatorial District have expressed strong confidence in their ability to reclaim the governorship seat from Governor Alex Otti and the Labour Party in the 2027 general elections.

The leaders, drawn from the five local government areas of Abia North—Ohafia, Bende, Isuikwuato, Arochukwu, and Umunneochi—made their position known at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abiriba, Ohafia LGA.

They emphasized the importance of unity and urged members to set aside personal interests and work collectively to rebuild the party ahead of the polls.

The five PDP local government chairmen at the meeting affirmed that the party remains solid in their respective domains.

They highlighted increased unity among members and ongoing reconciliation efforts aimed at mending past grievances.

Speaking at the gathering, State PDP Chairman Elder Amah Abraham reaffirmed the party’s commitment to fielding candidates with strong grassroots support.

“In 2027, we will be giving party tickets to the choice of the people. When we do this, we are sure of victory of the governorship seat and majority seats in the House of Assembly. PDP is still very strong in Abia North and the other 12 LGAs.

“The saboteurs have left our party. Anybody who sabotages PDP again will bear the consequences. The only saving grace for such person is to leave the party. I have absolute confidence that the PDP will remain the Abia Government House in 2027. The party is well positioned to achieve this,” Abraham said.

PDP Abia North Zonal Chairman, Chief Gabriel Elendu, also expressed optimism, saying the party is on track to reclaim its winning streak.

He pledged that only candidates with credibility and electoral viability would secure tickets.

He stated, “The party could return to its winning ways, stressing that come 2027, the PDP would only give tickets to credible candidates who also have the capacity to win elections and would not disappoint the party.”

Encouraging members to remain steadfast, Elendu urged them not to be discouraged by recent challenges.

Similarly, Chief Mandela Obasi, member representing Ohafia North in the Abia State House of Assembly, dismissed speculation about his defection.

He pledged unwavering support for the PDP and reaffirmed his commitment to its resurgence.

“I am not leaving PDP, but would stand firm and support the party until it reclaims its lost glory,” Obasi said.

“My people, the Abiriba, are renowned warriors who do not retreat in the face of adversity.”

As the highest-ranking PDP lawmaker from Abia North, Obasi vowed to lead the charge toward the party’s revival.

Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi, who represents Bende South in the House, echoed similar sentiments, declaring loyalty to the PDP and encouraging leaders to act in the best interest of their supporters.

In response to recent defections in the Isuikwuato council area, key stakeholders including PDP Assistant National Legal Adviser Okechukwu Osuoha, Hon. Emmanuel Okoronkwo, and Chief Ndubuisi Etugo Ogah addressed the departure of Hon. Lucky Johnson to the Labour Party.

They insisted that his exit had no negative impact on the PDP’s structure in the area.

“The defection has galvanized greater support among party members, as the PDP in Isuikwuato council is stronger and better positioned since his exit,” they maintained.

A coalition of demonstrators, operating under the banner of Concerned Citizens Against Corruption (CCAC), staged a protest on Tuesday at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, urging the Attorney General of the Federation to initiate an immediate investigation into the tenure of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The protesters, led by Comrade Kabir Matazu, voiced frustration over what they described as government inaction following Kyari’s removal along with the NNPCL board by President Bola Tinubu on April 2, 2025.

Despite the high-profile dismissals, Matazu noted, “no step has been taken to investigate alleged corrupt practices under Kyari’s leadership.”

The group raised serious concerns over alleged financial irregularities related to the rehabilitation of government-owned refineries, asserting that billions of dollars were spent with minimal transparency.

Also at the center of the protest was a purported $2 billion debt the NNPCL allegedly owes Matrix Energy, which, according to CCAC, is being repaid through daily crude oil allocations.

“It is on record that this sack of the erstwhile corrupt leadership of the NNPCL drew applause from Nigerians, especially groups like our, which had been at the forefront of demanding accountability and transparency in the running of institutions,” Matazu stated.

“It is also of note that in Mele Kyari, the leadership of the NNPCL was plagued with countless and endless allegations of corruption due to what was described as a lack of transparency,” he added.

According to the group, Nigerians remain dissatisfied with the current approach.

“Nigerians are disenchanted that the President has only stopped at removing the former leadership without taking steps to investigate how Kyari and his team ran the organisation.”

Referring to allegations surrounding the refineries, Matazu said “In this regard, a sore point is the alleged fraud surrounding the rehabilitation and the restreaming of the government-owned refineries. The figures and the facts simply do not add up.

“In addition to the billions of dollars that the Kyari-led administration claimed to have spent on fixing the refineries, it also claimed that an oil company, Matrix Energy Limited, invested $400 million in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. This is even as the Federal Executive Council had approved $1.5 billion for the repairs of the same facility.”

The group pointed out contradictions and raised several critical questions about the NNPCL’s financial dealings.

“But there are even more perplexing issues emerging. The NNPCL is now reportedly owing Matrix Energy more than $2 billion. This debt is being serviced through daily crude oil allocations to Matrix Energy that are not being paid for.

“There are consequently posers that require urgent clarifications. Why and how is the Federal Government, through the NNPCL, owing Matrix Oil $2 billion? Why is the debt being paid with a daily supply of crude oil? Who were the parties to the negotiations of this deal? Why are Nigerians being kept in the dark?”

According to the CCAC, resolving these questions is essential to ensuring accountability.

“The Concerned Citizens Against Corruption strongly believes that getting to the root of this matter will help the Federal Government to account for how public resources were spent on the controversial refineries’ repairs undertaken under the Kyari leadership.

“An investigation into the questionable transactions would also point the government in the direction of what funds to recover and from whom, which is sorely needed now considering Nigeria’s economic condition.”

The group emphasized that a full-scale probe would not only expose past misdeeds but also act as a preventive framework.

“Furthermore, investigating all that transpired will set the stage for holding even the current leadership accountable while equally identifying potential pitfalls for those who are now in charge so that Nigeria is not caught in a loop of repeating the same mistakes.”

In their formal petition to the Attorney General, the protesters demanded a review of all contracts and agreements entered into by the NNPCL under Kyari’s leadership.

“In view of the foregoing, the Concerned Citizens Against Corruption calls on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to immediately review all agreements entered by the NNPCL under the Mele Kyari administration.

“This investigation should find out how much the Federal Government has lost to such agreements and recommendations on to recover identified funds. We demand for an immediate judicial review,” they wrote.

In addition, the group called for a commission of inquiry to examine the awarding and execution of refinery rehabilitation contracts under the ousted board.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has declared that the party will not allow itself to be hijacked by former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, or any other opposition leader for personal vendettas against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking during the 50th birthday celebration of his wife, Queen Lillian Adebayo, on Monday night in Abuja, Adebayo stated that the SDP is not a platform for political conspiracies or personal revenge.

“Of course, my party knows that I’m running for the 2027 election. As for the coalition, we are listening to them. We don’t want to be a getaway car for a conspiracy and robbery we did not plan. That’s not available.

“If the coalition is for the Nigerian people, the SDP is available. But if it is just a crime centre for disappointed Tinubu followers, they should go back to him and resolve their differences there. Don’t come to SDP to borrow us for a fight we are not involved in,” he said.

His remarks come amid growing speculation surrounding El-Rufai’s departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he helped establish.

Adebayo also used the opportunity to call on President Tinubu to overhaul the country’s security strategy in light of the ongoing killings in Benue, Plateau, and other regions.

On the sidelines of the event, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, also weighed in, criticizing the emerging opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“I support coalitions and opposition. But not the kind that has people like El-Rufai. When the time comes, the moment they are offered what they want, they will go back to where they came from.

“The APC was a coalition. Did you forget? The people who are asking to form another coalition were former APC members. In fact, most of them were Buhari cabinet members who are supposed to be in prison forming a union of prisoners, not coalitions,” Sowore said.

Also speaking, Hon. Femi Olaniyi Ferrari, Chairman of the Forum of SDP State Chairmen and SDP Lagos Chairman, highlighted the SDP’s role in offering solutions to Nigeria’s pressing issues.

“We can all understand what Nigerians are going through. We asked for change, but the change has shortchanged us,” he said.