JUST IN: Zoning: Wike camp boycotts, Makinde attends Southern PDP meeting - Newstrends
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JUST IN: Zoning: Wike camp boycotts, Makinde attends Southern PDP meeting

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JUST IN: Zoning: Wike camp boycotts, Makinde attends Southern PDP meeting

Southern stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday convened in Lagos to deliberate on zoning arrangements ahead of the party’s forthcoming national convention.

The loyalists of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, were conspicuously absent.

The meeting, held at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja, was summoned under the auspices of the PDP Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

It is expected to shape recommendations on the distribution of party offices and, by extension, the 2027 presidential ticket.
Among the politicians spotted at the meeting were Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, and Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara.

Also in attendance are former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Governor of Ebonyi Sam Egwu; former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; former Speaker of Oyo State House of Aassembly, Jumoke Akinjide.

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Others are Dr Ali Odefa, Chief Emma Ogidi; Hon. Nnena Ukeje, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, among others

Recall that PDP leaders aligned with Wike earlier in the day dismissed the Lagos meeting as “illegal” and “exclusionary.” In a joint statement, party chairmen from Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States—Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Venatius Ikem, Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka—alongside other key figures including National Vice Chairman (South-East), Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck, and House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, declared their withdrawal.

“Decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus,” the statement read, accusing organizers of sidelining several state chairmen, national officers, and former governors from the South-East and South-South.

The Wike camp argued that the Lagos meeting was premature and an attempt to pre-empt the report of the Diri-led zoning committee, which was inaugurated only last week by Acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum. The committee was mandated to harmonize positions ahead of the PDP’s elective convention, scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

While reiterating loyalty to the PDP, the dissenting bloc vowed to resist what it described as “clandestine maneuvers” aimed at manipulating the zoning process. They warned that any resolutions from Lagos would not be binding or reflective of the collective aspirations of Southern Nigeria within the party.

JUST IN: Zoning: Wike camp boycotts, Makinde attends Southern PDP meeting

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Politics

2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity

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2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity
Omoyele Sowore

2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has unveiled an ambitious agenda for the 2027 presidential election, promising a ₦500,000 monthly living minimum wage, 24-hour electricity, free education and the construction of one million public mixed-income homes if elected president.

Sowore said the proposals were part of the AAC’s 2027 agenda, which he described as a programme focused on improving living standards, expanding access to essential services and fundamentally changing the way Nigeria’s economy is managed.

At the centre of the proposal is a ₦500,000 minimum wage, which Sowore said would give Nigerian workers a more realistic income in the face of rising living costs.

He argued that workers should not continue to receive wages that are inadequate to meet basic needs while the cost of food, housing, transportation, healthcare and education continues to increase.

Sowore’s proposed wage would represent a substantial increase over Nigeria’s existing statutory minimum wage and would have significant implications for both public-sector finances and private employers if implemented nationwide.

The AAC candidate also promised to deliver 24-hour electricity, making reliable power supply a central pillar of his economic programme.

Sowore argued that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful industrialisation when businesses and households remain heavily dependent on generators because of unreliable electricity supply.

He said his administration would prioritise the power sector to ensure that electricity becomes a dependable foundation for industrial production, small businesses, job creation and economic growth.

The presidential hopeful also promised free education at all levels, arguing that poverty should not prevent Nigerian children and young people from accessing quality education.

He said his proposed education policy would seek to remove financial barriers that prevent families from keeping their children in school, while improving access to educational opportunities.

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Housing is another major component of Sowore’s proposed programme.

He promised to construct one million public mixed-income homes, saying the initiative would help address Nigeria’s housing shortage while providing more affordable accommodation for people across different income groups.

He also proposed reforms to the country’s tenancy system, including measures to address the widespread practice of demanding lengthy rent advances from tenants.

Sowore said his government would treat healthcare as a right rather than a privilege, with increased investment in the country’s health system and measures designed to reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for medical treatment.

His economic programme also includes plans to industrialise Nigeria, expand agriculture, improve infrastructure and create more dignified employment opportunities.

Sowore said agriculture would receive greater attention under his proposed administration, particularly through increased local production, processing and value addition.

He has argued that Nigeria should move away from excessive dependence on the export of raw commodities and instead develop industries capable of processing its agricultural and mineral resources locally.

The AAC candidate also promised reforms in the security sector, including improved welfare for security personnel and greater use of technology in combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality.

He proposed the deployment of modern technologies, including drones and intelligence systems, as part of efforts to strengthen security operations.

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Sowore has positioned his campaign as an alternative to Nigeria’s established political order, arguing that successive governments have failed to adequately tackle poverty, corruption, unemployment, inequality and poor public services.

He said Nigeria’s resources should be used to improve the quality of life of ordinary citizens rather than being concentrated among a relatively small political and economic elite.

The AAC candidate has also said his campaign would seek financial support from ordinary Nigerians, rather than relying heavily on wealthy political patrons.

According to Sowore, a people-funded campaign would allow the party to maintain greater independence and remain accountable to citizens rather than powerful sponsors.

His proposals come as political parties and presidential candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 Nigerian presidential election.

Sowore is seeking to build on his previous presidential campaigns and present the AAC as a distinct alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and other established political parties.

The scale of his latest promises is likely to generate debate over their cost, funding and implementation.

A ₦500,000 minimum wage would significantly increase personnel costs for governments and could also place additional pressure on private-sector employers. Its implementation would therefore require careful consideration of productivity, inflation, government revenue and the ability of businesses to absorb higher labour costs.

Delivering 24-hour electricity would similarly require substantial investment in power generation, transmission and distribution, as well as reforms to address longstanding challenges involving gas supply, infrastructure, electricity pricing and distribution efficiency.

The proposed construction of one million homes and the provision of free education would also require significant public funding, planning and institutional capacity.

Sowore’s campaign is therefore placing a combination of higher wages, reliable electricity, free education, affordable housing, healthcare, industrialisation, job creation and security reforms at the centre of its 2027 message.

As the political contest gathers momentum, the feasibility and funding of competing candidates’ promises are expected to become important issues for voters assessing the various options ahead of the election.

2027: Sowore Promises ₦500,000 Minimum Wage, Free Education, 24-Hour Electricity

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“Beyond 100%”: Governor Dauda Lawal Backs President Tinubu for 2027

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Zamfara leadership commits full support to the re-election bid as Campaign Director-General Abdul’aziz Yari meets with local stakeholders.

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Opinion

2027: Competence, Not Zoning, Should Decide Nigeria’s Next President — Imasuagbon

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Nigerians should look beyond ethnicity, region and the longstanding debate over rotational presidency when choosing the country’s next leader, according to a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Imasuagbon.

The former Edo State governorship aspirant said the priority ahead of the 2027 election should be finding a president with the ability to confront Nigeria’s economic, security and infrastructure challenges.

Speaking to journalists in Benin, Imasuagbon argued that presidential rotation is not a requirement of the Nigerian Constitution and should therefore not outweigh the question of competence.

He said voters should be more concerned about replacing poor schools with better ones, improving healthcare and addressing hardship than debating where the next president comes from.

Imasuagbon specifically appealed to voters in the South to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is contesting the 2027 presidency on the ADC platform.

According to him, Atiku has demonstrated the experience and determination needed to improve the country, describing the former vice president as someone capable of promoting national unity and fairness.

He also accused the Bola Tinubu administration of worsening economic pressure through policies including the removal of fuel subsidy, while expressing concern about the condition of roads, electricity and other infrastructure.

Imasuagbon argued that the next administration must focus on practical improvements in areas such as power, transportation, employment, security and public services.

The ADC chieftain also dismissed the idea that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would automatically benefit from its incumbency advantage in 2027.

He maintained that the electorate ultimately determines the outcome of an election, arguing that voters could change the political direction of the country if they were determined to do so.

Imasuagbon further criticised what he described as regional and ethnic considerations in the distribution of political appointments and opportunities, insisting that the next president should give Nigerians across different parts of the country a sense of belonging.

His comments come as political parties and their candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

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