By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Damagum camp of Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday, November 15, launched its 2025 Elective National Convention, tagged #Ibadan2025, at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, Ibadan.

“Over 3,000 delegates, governors, National Executive Committee members, Board of Trustees (BoT) members, and party stakeholders from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory converged to witness the historic event.

“The two-day convention, which runs November 15–16, will culminate in the election of a new National Working Committee, including a National Chairman, tasked with steering the party toward the 2027 general elections,” Babangida Umar writes for the party in a release on the party’s official X account on Saturday.

The convention followed delays, factional disputes, and attempts by some parties to involve INEC and the courts to prevent it from taking place.

“Ibadan, with its modern infrastructure and world-class facilities, was celebrated as a fitting host, evoking memories of the party’s transformative 1998 Jos convention,” the statement concluded.

Further updates from the PDP convention are expected as the event progresses.

The Police have grilled Alwan Hassan, who accused the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, and his Deputy, Barau I. Jibrin, of receiving $10 million to halt the confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat as Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Alwan had, in an interview in Kano last week, told journalists that Akpabio and Barau were bribed by key players in the country’s power sector with $10m to stop the confirmation of Ramat.

Alwan told newsmen, ” As usual, Nigerians must enjoy the services they pay for. In doing that, the Gencos and Discos became jittery. There is a strong allegation that the Gencos and Discos, the players in the industry, bribed Akpabio and Barau $10 million to subvert his (Ramat) confirmation. ”

It was reported that the police invited Alwan to substantiate the allegations levelled against the two presiding officers of the Senate.

” It is based on the allegation against the President of the Senate and his Deputy. Let him expatiate further on the allegations; who are the industry players; when and where the money was given? Let him furnish us with all this information,” a source said.

You recall that penultimate Friday, the Senate denied allegations that its leadership received a whopping $10 million bribe to frustrate the screening and confirmation of Ramat.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), described the claim as baseless and mischievous.

Senator Adaramodu explained that the Senate decided to suspend Ramat’s screening and confirmation due to “a baggage of public and private complaints” raised against his nomination.

“The Senate is statutorily bound to pause consideration of any nominee facing serious public petitions or controversies. Many nominees in the past have been stepped down for similar reasons. Mr. Ramat’s case is no exception,” he said.

The Senate Spokesman stressed that the upper chamber would not succumb to blackmail or allow individuals to undermine its integrity through false allegations.

“No one can drag the National Assembly into disrepute with unfounded claims in an attempt to arm-twist the legislature. “We will engage Mr. Alwan in court to provide Nigerians with evidence to support his assertions,” he added.

The Nigeria Police Force has detained Alwan Hassan, convener of the Grassroots Initiative Concept, days after he publicly accused Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin of obstructing the confirmation of Abdullahi Garba Ramat as chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

It was gathered that Mr Hassan was taken into custody at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, in Abuja after honouring a police invitation on Friday.

Details of the petition or allegations prompting the invitation remain unclear as of press time.

Mr Hassan, a former presidential aide, had recently alleged that the Senate leadership was deliberately stalling the confirmation of Mr Ramat, a Kano-born technocrat, despite his successful screening and endorsement by the Senate Committee on Power.

He further claimed that Senate officials demanded a $10 million bribe from the NERC nominees before their confirmation could be approved—an allegation the Senate swiftly dismissed as baseless and defamatory.

In a statement earlier in the week, the Senate denied any wrongdoing and threatened legal action against Mr Hassan for what it described as “spurious and malicious accusations” capable of undermining the integrity of the National Assembly.

Efforts to get an official comment from the police were unsuccessful.

Calls and messages to the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were not returned at the time of filing this report.

Daily Nigerian