2027: We’ll support Tinubu, Bayelsa PDP chair tells Gov Diri

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the South South zonal Secretary and caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, George Turnah, has insisted that the party will support President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even if the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, does not.

The PDP Zonal leader said almost all the governors from South-South supported Tinubu, irrespective of their party affiliations.

Turnah, who is the lead convener of the New Associates, a pro-Wike group inaugurated in Bayelsa State over the weekend, also called on Governor Diri to immediately declare where he stands.

He said he decided to organize last Saturday’s rally in Yenagoa to thank President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the Niger Delta.

He said: “I want to formally call on Governor Douye Diri to immediately announce his stand regarding the 2027 presidency, so that Bayelsans can know where they stand.

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“If he is supporting President Tinubu, he should come out and tell us. But if he wants to align with other candidates, let him say so. Then we will know whether to follow him or not. The leader who has openly declared support for President Tinubu is Nyesom Wike. If our governor comes tomorrow and says he supports Tinubu, we will work with him. If he says otherwise, we will galvanize support for Tinubu ourselves.

“In 2019, the Southern Governors met in Asaba and agreed that power should return to the South. Despite that agreement, some decided to act otherwise. But in all, Tinubu from Southern Nigeria became President.

“Tinubu is not from my party, PDP, but once a leader is elected, he becomes the President of Nigeria, and we must support our leader.

“Opposition is not about plotting for leaders to fail. If a leader succeeds, the people benefit. Opposition should uphold leaders to deliver for the people. If a leader is performing, there should be no rush to remove him. When the time comes, PDP will make its decisions.”

2027: We’ll support Tinubu, Bayelsa PDP chair tells Gov Diri

Wike, Bode George, PDP govs working for Tinubu’s 2nd term – APC chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples’ Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has suggested that the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike; Chief Bode George; and some PDP governors may be working behind the scenes to influence President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

In a statement released to newsmen in Port-Harcourt on Sunday, Eze, the former spokesperson of the defunct nPDP, pointed to recent statements by Wike, Bode George, and the PDP governors, which he believes may indicate support for Tinubu’s re-election despite the challenges Nigerians are facing under the current APC administration.

Eze also noted that if Atiku Abubakar had chosen Wike as his vice-presidential candidate in 2023, Wike would have worked towards securing Atiku’s election as president. He added, “For Atiku to have listened to me and many other patriotic Nigerians in rejecting Wike as his vice president, he has done a great relief both to his life and that of Nigerians.”

Rather than focusing on forming a coalition, Eze emphasized that the Tinubu administration should prioritize effective governance that will directly benefit Nigerians and improve the economy, rather than focusing solely on the 2027 elections.

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In response to Chief Bode George’s comments that the PDP would be “finally buried” if Atiku secures the party’s presidential nomination, Eze suggested that Nigerians should carefully consider George’s views. He questioned who in the PDP, besides Atiku, could mount a serious challenge to a well-coordinated figure like Tinubu.

Eze also pointed to challenges faced by the PDP and Labour Party in Lagos during the 2023 general elections and expressed concerns that George might attempt to influence the 2027 elections in a similar manner.

Regarding the PDP governors, Eze suggested that their goal may be to either prevent the party from presenting a viable presidential candidate in 2027, or to field a candidate who might struggle to gain significant support.

Eze stressed that opposition parties need to unite and form a strong platform to challenge the APC in 2027. He also supported Atiku’s assertion that a coalition is crucial to unseating President Bola Tinubu.

In response to the PDP Governors’ Forum, which distanced itself from the coalition proposal, Eze remarked, “The position of the PDP governors highlights systemic challenges in leadership. It is now clear that some of the PDP governors are prioritizing personal interests over addressing the impact of current administration policies on Nigerians.”

Eze concluded by challenging the PDP governors, asking, “If opposition parties and blocs do not unite, how can the APC be dislodged in 2027?” He urged the governors to reconsider their strategies.

Wike, Bode George, PDP govs working for Tinubu’s 2nd term – APC chieftain

Tinubu smashes opposition, four more PDP govs set to decamp

President Bola Tinubu’s determined push to weaken opposition ranks appears to be yielding results, with strong indications that four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Fresh investigation has revealed that Tinubu, long on the defensive against opposition attacks, has intensified efforts to consolidate power by targeting key figures in rival parties. His moves, insiders said, triggered the current wave of high-profile defections.

While sources within the APC and the Presidency attributed the looming defections to Tinubu’s aggressive political strategy, some opposition figures have accused the President of using inducements and blackmail to lure defectors. The president’s allies, on the other hand, have argued that his leadership style has made the APC increasingly attractive.

Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abba Yusuf (Kano), and suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara have been named as the next big catches for the ruling party.

“It is not a rumour. It is happening; those four governors – Eno, Mbah, Yusuf and Fubara — are on their way to joining the APC,” a senior party source confirmed.

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Officials at the APC national secretariat in Abuja also corroborated the development, pointing to an aggressive recruitment drive spearheaded by the President and top party leaders.

The anticipated defections come on the heels of last Wednesday’s surprise defection by Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP structure in the state to the APC. Their move was announced by Senator James Manager after a six-hour meeting at the Government House in Asaba.

Meanwhile, concerns have emerged over the tactics allegedly employed to secure these defections. A senior source cited the alleged Tinubu’s secret meeting with Fubara in London as a possible example of backroom pressure. The meeting reportedly took place at Fubara’s request following his suspension and the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

A source familiar with the situation said, “It was at that meeting that we believed Fubara must have been coaxed into considering the idea of defection as part of the arrangement to return his mandate. We also have reasons to suspect that Governor Eno’s potential move to the APC is linked to his predecessor and godfather’s alleged corruption case with the EFCC.”

Regarding Kano, the source stated that Tinubu had intensified reconciliation efforts between former Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Rabiu Kwankwaso to pave the way for Yusuf’s defection.

“In the coming days, the news of Abba Yusuf’s defection will be made public because he will officially move to the APC with his mentor. We all know Kano is too big a state for Tinubu to ignore politically,” he added.

Tinubu smashes opposition, four more PDP govs set to decamp