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PDP has not zoned presidency to North – Former National Legal Adviser

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not zoned its presidential ticket to the Northern part of the country, a former national legal adviser of the party, Mark Jacob has said.

Jacob, who is also a former attorney general and commissioner of justice in Kaduna state disclosed this when he appeared on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, on Monday.

“Nobody has discussed anything on zoning in our party. We have not zoned our party’s presidential ticket to the North. In fact, the feeling among members is that it should be zoned to the Southern part of the country”, he said.

 

According to him,  though it’s democracy and every member has the right to their opinion while the party would not take unpopular opinion from any of its members.

A national newspaper recently reported that there is a high likelihood that the PDP will pick its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections from the northern part of the country.

The paper also said the party’s stakeholders are set to zone the chairmanship position of the party to the South.

But during its 92nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the weekend, the party had announced that it would arrive at a zoning formula for the National Working Committee (NWC) at a meeting billed for September 9.

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This comes as the struggle for political power among the political gladiators hots up ahead of the party’s national convention slated for October 30 and 31, the paper had reported.

It will be recalled that as a way of resolving the contestation over which zone produces the presidency in 2023, the leadership of the PDP had earlier in the year appointed the Bauchi state Governor, Bala Mohammed as chairman of the party’s committee charged with a responsibility to review the factors that led to the party’s loss in the 2019 election and to make recommendations for the way forward.

One of the highlights of Bala’s committee report was the recommendation that zoning of the PDP presidential ticket for the 2023 poll be jettisoned.

The report however, added that the committee received numerous memoranda from diverse groups and interests calling for the party’s joint presidential ticket to be zoned to the Northeast and the Southeast.

It is believed that the contestation will be laid to rest after the October 31 elective convention where a new NWC will be produced.

In line with the North/South power zoning arrangement, should the North produce the chairmanship, then the South will be in a position to produce the party’s presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, a political commentator, Adetayo Balogun, has warned the PDP against zoning its presidential ticket to the North.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday,  Balogun said discussions about the region to produce the next President has begun and the PDP shouldn’t make the mistake of giving the ticket to the North.

“In searching for the next President, there’s a debated preference for a Southerner to emerge; however, a section of the populace and those in the political space have clamoured for a united approach to the determination of the next President”, he said.

But on his part, Katch Ononuju, the Director-General of the Heritage Centre, in an interview argued that there’s no politician of the northern extraction that can bring Nigerians together again.

Ononuju said many Nigerians would prefer to see a Southerner become President, as the current administration has shown a nepotistic obsession with the North, which may affect the chances of any Presidential candidate from the region.

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Wike Kick-Starts Campaign for 2027 Election, Urges Rivers Electorates to Vote Tinubu

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike on Tuesday urged the electorate in Rivers to support President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 to sustain the progress being recorded in the state.

Mr Wike made the appeal during his “thank you” visit to Degema Local Government Area of Rivers.

He cited the unprecedented attention Tinubu is giving to Rivers ranging from development projects, appointments, and human capital development.

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The minister, who said that the Rivers people ‘never had it this good’, urged the people to continue their support for Tinubu to sustain the gains.

He noted that although the due attention given to Rivers was attracting envy from every quarters, supporting the reelection of Tinubu would take Rivera to greater heights.

He explained that the visit was to thank the people for the continued support, urging them to replicate the gesture in 2027.

Earlier, Peter Abe, member representing Degema LGA in the State Assembly, thanked Wike for providing the needed leadership in the state.

Mr Abe said that all communities in the state were witness to what the minister did in 2023, which was beneficial to all people in the state.

He thanked Wike for steering the state to progress, assuring him of the readiness of the people to follow his directives in 2027.

The Chairman of council, Michael Williams, assured the minister of continued support, adding that all the community structures in the LGA would support the reelection of Tinubu.

Williams noted that Wike initiative to support the election of Tinubu in the state in 2023 has brought progress in the state, stressing that supporting his reelection bid would sustain the progress.

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2027: Ex-DSS DG, Lawal Daura to Contest Katsina Governorship

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

Former State Security Service Director-General, Lawal Daura, has announced his plans to run for the 2027 governorship election in Katsina State. He criticized the current administration’s performance and highlighted ongoing security issues as key reasons for his decision to enter the race.

During an interview with DCL Hausa on Tuesday, Mr. Daura stated that he has finished consulting about his political aspirations and will soon reveal the political party under which he plans to run.

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He said, “I have been making consultations on the platform to use to contest, and the consultations have been concluded. Very soon, I will make the platform known.

“Why do people serve for one or two terms? If they get it right, fine. But if the reverse is the case, then there is no point in seeking re-election. It is obvious the current governor is not capable.

“It is like putting a load on somebody and adjusting it. If he complains that the load is too heavy, you have to take it down to avoid destroying fragile items. For the current administration, we can say thank you for your efforts, but you should take a break because you can’t continue.

“I never saw myself coming out to contest. I admire politics, but I only participated from the background.”

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Court reverses dissolution of NNPP executives

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Kano high court has invalidated the dissolution of state, local and ward executive Council of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano, amounting the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) null and void.

In an exparte order granted by Justice Nasiru Saminu on Tuesday, the equally restrained the National Working Committee of NNPP from taking any further step regarding the leadership structure of the party in Kano until the hearing and determination of motion on notice filed by the plaintiff.

In a suit No. K/06/2026 instituted by one Abdullahi Zubairu Imam and five others (plaintiffs) on behalf of the executive Committee of NNPP at 44 local government areas of the state was filed against the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) as defendant, challenging their dissolution.

In the interim injunction, Justice Saminu also directed all parties to maintain Status-Quo-Ante as at 30th December, 2025, prior to the purported dissolution directive issued by the NWC of the party.

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“After hearing on the matter filed by K.K. Njidda Esq with S.A. Muhammad Esq counsels to the Applicants the court hereby order an interim injunction restraining the Defendant/Respondent either by himself, his agents, privies cohort, ad-hoc Committees, National Working Committee or any other persons acting on its Instruction howsoever described from appointing Caretaker Committees for the State, Local Government and Ward levels Executives of Kano State or taking any further step In respect of the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed before this court.

“An order of interim injunction mandating the Defendant/Respondent maintain STATUS QUO ANTE as at 30 December, 2025 prior to the purported dissolution of the Kano State, Local Government and Ward levels executives pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

“AN ORDER of this Honorable Court granting the Plaintiffs/Applicants to issue and serve the process in this suit on the Defendant at its National Secretariat situate at 11 Mahatma Gandhi Street, Area 11, Garki Abuja, Nigeria which is the outside the jurisdiction of this court”. A copy of the order as signed by Abba Sa’ad, registrar read.

Recall that the NWC of the NNPP declared the dissolution of the executive Council of the party across the party structure in Kano following the suspension of Hon. Hashim Dungurawa as Chairman of the party in the state. Dungurawa has been replaced by Abdullahi Abiya in acting capacity.

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