Hon. Benjamin Obinna Mbeke, a former Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Reduction in Enugu State, has officially returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the footsteps of his long-time political associate, Hon. Barr. Chijioke Edeoga, the former Labour Party governorship candidate in Enugu state.

Mbeke’s return was formalized at the Enugu East PDP monthly meeting held on Saturday, which Edeoga personally attended to witness the development.

In what appears to be a growing political realignment, several other notable Labour Party chieftains in Enugu East also rejoined the PDP.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that among them were Dr. Clement Okwor, Engr. Johannes Okolo, Chief Hon. Anike Nwoga, and many others.

Since Edeoga’s return to the PDP, the party has witnessed a wave of defections across the 260 political wards in Enugu State, strengthening its grassroots presence ahead of future elections.

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has downplayed concerns surrounding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that the ruling party remains focused and unshaken.

Ganduje made the comments while speaking to journalists after leading a delegation of APC stakeholders to visit Buhari at his residence in Kaduna.

He noted that the visit was meant to keep the former president informed about the party’s activities since his departure from office and to reaffirm loyalty to his legacy.

“We are not worried at all. We came to pay our respects to the former president and also to update him on the achievements of our great party since his departure. We assured him that we would continue to keep him informed regularly,” Ganduje stated.

Commenting on Atiku’s earlier visit to Buhari, which has stirred speculation about a potential political alliance, Ganduje dismissed any notion of concern.

“That visit is of no concern to us. It’s just another attempt at repeating history, but it won’t work. What they are trying to build is not viable. Some particles simply cannot come together,” he remarked.

Though he refrained from revealing specific strategies, Ganduje suggested the APC is fully equipped to respond to political maneuvers by the opposition, assuring Nigerians of the party’s preparedness.

“We won’t disclose our intricacies or technicalities, but we are equal to the task. The progress President Tinubu has made is strengthening the party even further,” he added.

Looking ahead, Ganduje said the APC is optimistic about expanding its influence beyond the 21 states it currently governs. He expressed confidence that more political figures and state governments would align with the party either through defection or at the ballot box.

“Some governors may join us, or we may defeat them at the polls. Either way, we are expanding our reach. We’re comfortable with where we are, but we are not resting on our oars,” he said.

Ganduje also dismissed the significance of recent defections from the APC, maintaining that the party continues to attract influential members from other political platforms.

“Bigwigs from other parties are joining us. The few who left don’t matter in the bigger picture,” he said.

On the controversy surrounding alleged imbalance in federal appointments under President Tinubu, Ganduje defended the administration, saying that efforts are being made to ensure equitable distribution.

“Appointments are dynamic. Over time, you will see balance. We are working on statistics to show there’s no bias in the president’s appointments,” he said.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia State and current senator representing Abia North, has declared that the South East region has resolved to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.

Kalu made this assertion on Friday while addressing journalists shortly after hosting a meeting of Abia political stakeholders at his Abuja residence.

Though President Tinubu is just nearing the halfway point of his first term, criticisms from opposition parties have continued to mount, with a recently announced coalition aiming to challenge him in the next general election.

Despite this, Kalu expressed strong confidence in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), asserting that the party would not only secure Tinubu’s re-election but also expand its grip on power in states like Abia, currently governed by Labour Party’s Alex Otti.

“We have a President that has done first term and will be going for second term. If he is doing a second term, Abia needs to also align to the centre because we cannot afford to be speaking differently,” Kalu stated.

“The consensus of the South East over 2027 is that the zone will do very well in supporting President Tinubu and I challenge them to mark my words,” he added.

Discussing the steps being taken to mobilize support across the region, Kalu revealed he had Tinubu’s backing to engage regional leaders and foster political alignment.

“I have been working and I am on ground. Remember when Mr President visited Enugu, I was not there physically, but I have his permission to visit all the governors in the South East and beyond, and I am doing that. We are working and not resting,” he said.

He also praised the strong political foundation built by leaders from his era.

“The President knows that there are few planners behind him and when we plan, we execute the plan. The class of 1999 governors is made up of very tough people and a very good class,” Kalu noted.

Echoing Kalu’s position, the APC National Welfare Secretary, Donatus Nwankpa, highlighted the objective of the meeting.

“The idea of this meeting is to come together for the purpose of redirecting the party and consolidating the gains the party has made in recent time,” Nwankpa said.

Sir Fidelis Tapgun, former Governor of Plateau State and a long-serving member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed deep concern over the lingering crisis in the party, stating it is unlikely the PDP will resolve its internal conflicts before the 2027 elections.

In an interview, Tapgun, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), traced the party’s troubles back to its convention in Port Harcourt, which he said became a turning point in the struggle for power within the party.

“You would remember the controversy that trailed the convention of the party in Port-Hacourt. Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and initially, the National Working Committee (NWC), wanted the convention held in Abuja, but somehow, the then governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, was vehement that it must be held in Port-Hacourt for reasons which later emerged, that he was eyeing the vice presidential ticket of the party,” Tapgun explained.

“From what we gathered, his calculation was that a former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, was going to emerge as the presidential candidate. Wike had positioned himself to be the vice presidential candidate and wanted to showcase his strength in Port-Hacourt.”

Tapgun said the plan was upended when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the PDP’s presidential candidate.

“Muhammadu Buhari was in power then, and there were strong forces who said if Atiku didn’t stand, Buhari was going to win the presidential election again. So Atiku was supported by powerful forces in the party and he emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP. I think that didn’t go down well with Wike.”

He said Wike’s failure to secure the vice presidential slot led to his withdrawal of support and disruption of party unity.

“Wike was supporting the party financially, both at the courts and its national headquarters to enable them run their activities. And of course, he was sponsoring candidates all over the place. He was preparing himself for the 2023 elections from what transpired later. Again, he was positioning for the vice presidential ticket,” Tapgun said.

“Atiku said in an interview few days ago that after the 2019 elections, he was accused of not consulting widely within the party when he picked Peter Obi as his running mate. So he decided that the NWC should set up a committee to shortlist candidates for the slot of a running. Wike was working towards that and had positioned himself to make sure that even the members of that committee were his supporters.”

Tapgun added, “The committee came out with a report and shortlisted candidates, but the presidential candidate was at liberty to pick whoever he wanted among those shortlisted. So the final decision would be made by the candidate himself.”

“Wike had staked all his hope in life for that position, but Atiku did not pick him; he rather went for the then governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa. That was when hell was let loose by Wike. That is the beginning of the eruption of the party because he vowed that Atiku was not going to win that election and he was going to work against him. It was not hidden. That was what he did at every stage of the elections.”

Tapgun further alleged that Wike continues to exert influence over the party’s leadership.

“He got some governors to work with him and got himself into the present government and managed to hold key members of the NWC in his pocket. From the reports we get, he maintains them. And since the NWC cannot work in the interest of the party, it has become a problem. That is where we are now.”

He stressed, “The problem is Wike. He is pursuing the PDP and not just Atiku. Like I keep telling people, if he is the instrument the ruling party will use to dissipate the opposition, then it should be expected because it is a general thing all over the world that when one party is in power, it will make sure the opposition doesn’t get stronger so that they don’t alter the power structure. The moral issue is also there because if the NWC members are not morally strong themselves, then they would fall into every kind of trap.”

Asked why the PDP has not dealt with Wike’s influence, Tapgun responded:

“He has been able to position himself strategically within the party. Why did I say that? I remember vividly that when Walid Jibrin was the chairman of the BoT, he told us that Wike had sent a message to the board, stating that he would start commissioning projects and he would be inviting certain members to do it. Some of us didn’t go, but those that went said they came back with a lot. Whether it is true or not, I don’t know.”

He continued, “So I believe he has been able to get strong supporters in the party’s hierarchy. This is so because if those there cannot take decisions in the interest of the party, then you know there’s something there.”

On Ambassador Iliya Damagum’s continued stay as acting national chairman, Tapgun said:

“Ambassador Iliya Damagum is supposed to hold the position of the national chairmanship of the party in trust. When Iyorcha Ayu left, the position was zoned to the North and the constitution of the party is clear about that – when an official leaves certain position in the party before the expiration of his/her tenure, another person from the zone should take over.”

“So when Ayu left, someone from the North-Central was supposed to take over, but Damagum took over since he was the deputy national chairman. He has refused to leave and nobody has been able to do anything to him. We hear strongly that he is close to Wike. Whether it is true or not, I don’t know.”

“So it is a difficult thing because the human heart is very deep; only God can read it. If certain things are supposed to be done and they are not done, then you know that someone is controlling it from somewhere else.”

Tapgun also defended Atiku’s decision to contest the presidency in 2023 despite calls for power to return to the South.

“The argument then was that since Buhari is from the North, the PDP must zone the presidential ticket to the South, but we said ‘no’ because Buhari is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that is their own matter. Our own zoning was there and we were talking about the PDP, not the APC.”

“And as far as we were concerned, the last person that held that position in the PDP was Goodluck Jonathan from the South, so naturally, the next person after him should come from the North. If Jonathan had done two terms, the North would have taken it, but he didn’t complete the two terms, so that went. That was our argument and we still hold on to it. The question of saying it must go to the South was just sentiment. Atiku didn’t do anything wrong at that time and the PDP didn’t do anything wrong.”

On the crisis surrounding the office of the national secretary, Tapgun said:

“The controversy surrounding the national secretary position is very unnecessary because the constitution of the party is very clear about that.”

“That national secretary position was zoned to the South-East; and our constitution states that if you hold a position and your term has not expired and you leave, somebody from your zone has to take over. That was what happened in this case.”

“Senator Samuel Anyawu resigned and left to contest for the governorship of Imo State. When he resigned, his people in the South-East nominated somebody to take his position, which was ratified by all the organs of the party. But he lost the election and came back and wanted to take the position again, contrary to the position of the party. That is what the party has been fighting.”

“Anyanwu knows that what he is doing is not right as it is against the constitution of the party. But he is the one that knows why he is doing it.”

Asked if all of these crises are part of a broader plot to destroy the PDP, Tapgun responded:

“Yes, it is still part of the plot to destroy the PDP. But you can’t blame the APC for doing what they are doing because nobody throws away power just like that. They are doing all they can to retain it and you don’t blame them.”

On what the PDP can do to reposition ahead of 2027, Tapgun said the situation is already beyond repair before the elections.

“From my assessment, the PDP cannot get back on its feet now until after 2027 because the ruling party will not allow it. And you can’t blame them.”

“The PDP is a very strong party on ground, so any party with power in its hands will try to ensure that it does not rise and is not being held by very strong officials. I don’t see the party getting strong for 2027 and nobody should deceive himself about that.”

Professor Haruna Yerima, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has denounced recent calls by a North-Central political group for the vice-presidency to be zoned to their region ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a strongly worded statement issued yesterday, Yerima described the demand as “ill-timed, diversionary, insensitive, and in poor taste,” warning that such agitation could destabilize the political equilibrium that has held since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.

“Between 1999 and 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo maintained Atiku Abubakar for eight years. President Goodluck Jonathan had Namadi Sambo for six years, from 2010 to 2014,” he recalled.

The former federal lawmaker also questioned the rationale behind the current agitation.

“When the APC won the elections in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari worked with Professor Yemi Osinbajo for eight years. Why change now?” he queried.

His remarks come on the heels of a statement by the North-Central Renaissance Movement, led by Professor Nghargbu K’tso, threatening to withdraw support for President Bola Tinubu unless a vice-presidential candidate from the North-Central is considered in 2027.

The group reportedly held closed-door consultations with prominent political figures including former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau; former senator John Danboyi; and the Onah of Abaji, His Royal Highness Alhaji Musa Baba Yunusa.

The group claims that the North-Central has endured 65 years of political marginalization.

Responding to the development, Professor Yerima warned against manipulating the president into making decisions under pressure.

“Blackmailing Tinubu to change his deputy is not only undemocratic but also insensitive. The choice of Vice President rests solely with the president. Therefore, pressuring him to pick someone he neither likes nor knows is counterproductive, based on political experience,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of political stability and respect for constitutional roles, urging political groups to focus on strengthening democratic institutions rather than engaging in divisive campaigns.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has dismissed allegations of imbalance in President Bola Tinubu’s appointments, asserting the administration’s firm commitment to fairness, equity, and national cohesion.

Akume’s remarks, delivered on Friday, come in the wake of criticisms by Senator Ali Ndume, who had accused the President of breaching constitutional provisions in the distribution of federal appointments, particularly with regard to the Northeast region.

In response, the SGF emphasized that all appointments made by the Tinubu administration align with the constitutional requirement for federal character.

“All appointments under the current administration led by President Tinubu are made in strict adherence to Federal Character Principle, as enshrined in Section 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Altered),” Akume said in a statement.

He maintained that President Tinubu “is a strong adherent of the unity of Nigeria and is guided by the ideals of fairness and tenets of justice in all appointments.”

Akume further stressed the administration’s commitment to inclusiveness.

“It is against this backdrop that the administration is dedicated to ensuring that all regions and demographics of the country are adequately represented in its institutions and agencies,” he stated.

His comments follow the release of a detailed breakdown of appointments by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who outlined the spread of appointments across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.

To counter growing criticism, Akume called on citizens to ignore misinformation and instead rely on official channels.

“Pokers of embers of hate and disunity who carry tendentious and unfounded allegations should never be taken seriously by Nigerians,” he noted.

He urged the public to verify any inquiries regarding appointments through his office. According to the statement signed by his Director of Information and Public Relations, Segun Imohiosen, “inquiries with respect to appointments should be channeled through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which is the official custodian of such actions.”

Akume reaffirmed that the government remains “steadfast in its pursuit of a prosperous, united and equitable Nigeria, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration.”