Category: Daily Trust

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has reportedly completed plans to formally join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, November 3, 2025, in Yenagoa, the state capital.

A credible source at the APC secretariat in Abuja told the Weekend Trust in Abuja that preparations have been completed by the national leadership of the party to receive Governor Diri.

The governor’s decision to remain without a political platform for weeks had stirred controversy. They said this was probably the first time a sitting governor will continue to lead without being a member of any political party.

It was gathered that besides the governor, other notable members of PDP and their followers in Bayelsa will be received into the APC alongside the governor.

Governor Diri, now in the first year of his second term, resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 15, 2025. At the time of his exit, the governor did not announce where he was heading to.

He remained politically unattached, even as those monitoring political development predicted that indeed, he would join the APC.

‘Governor Diri was supposed to join the APC the same day with his counterpart in Enugu State, Peter Mba.

‘However, because of some strategic reasons, he was advised to tarry a while even though he has left the PDP.

‘The gale of defection to our party is a clear indication that Nigerians are satisfied with what we are doing as a government. The governors are satisfied with what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing.

‘The economy is getting better as attested to by the World Bank.President Tinubu is working hard to deliver all the promises he made to Nigerians.

‘Governors are also in tune with what is happening at the centre and this is why opposition governors are joining the APC,’ he said.

Asked if they were not afraid of turning Nigeria into a one party state, the APC chieftain said not at all.

‘But we need more members. We want to have more governors and more legislators to come to our party. Nigeria will not be a one party state simply because some governors are coming back to the APC. We have many examples where commissioners did not follow the governor to his new party.

‘Our goal is to ensure that all the political office holders that join the APC deliver the dividends of democracy to the people,’ he said.

Many sugarcane plantations in Kano State’s farming communities have been infested by pests, a situation that has pushed farmers in the state into a panic mode. The outbreak, which has affected farms in at least three local government areas, has destroyed many hectares of sugarcane and could cause a drastic drop in production this year.

Farmers who spoke to Weekend Trust in the affected areas described the situation as devastating, saying they only discovered the damage at harvest time.

They estimated losses from the worm attack at N2 billion, warning that many may not return to farming next season if urgent action is not taken.

‘We didn’t notice anything until we started harvesting. And by that time it was too late. The worms had eaten deep into almost every sugarcane farm in Dan Hassan, Garin Kaya, Tofa and Gamadan. We never expected the damage to be this bad,’ Malam Kawu Hayi, a sugarcane farmer from Kura said.

The damage has been particularly severe in Gamadan town, one of Kano’s largest sugarcane farming and trading hubs. And farmers there rely almost entirely on sugarcane for livelihood; hence many fear that the outbreak could push them into debt and joblessness.

Our correspondent who visited some of the affected communities reports that sugarcane stalks were blackened and eaten from within.

It was observed that farmers looked helplessly as some of them counted their losses, while others appealed for urgent government’s intervention.

Another farmer, Malam Isah Shu’aibu said, ‘This area is the biggest producer of sugarcane in northern Nigeria. We were preparing for a good harvest when the disaster struck. The worms have destroyed nearly everything. We invested everything we had, in terms of money, time and energy, but there is nothing to show for it.’

He warned that unless the outbreak is controlled, many farmers might abandon sugarcane cultivation next year for other crops, while others could quit farming entirely.

Weekend Trust reports that the impact is already spreading to markets, even as traders have reported scarcity and a sharp rise in price.

Danbaba Yunusa Dan Hassan, a major sugarcane dealer, said the market could soon run dry if nothing is done.

‘From all indications, if this continues, we may soon run out of sugarcane. The situation is beyond what farmers can handle. This type of worm attack is new to us and only a coordinated response can save the situation,’ he noted.

In a bid to finding a solution to the problem, farmers alerted agricultural authorities, an action that led to the deployment of extension workers to assess the situation and offer guidance.

Salisu Sa’ad, an agricultural extension officer in Kura, confirmed that his team had visited several affected farms to evaluate the situation.

‘The situation is alarming and requires immediate action. We have submitted our findings and recommendations to the government and other stakeholders to help contain the spread and minimise losses,’ he said.

Experts urge scientific intervention

Dr Wajiha Abdullahi Mu’az, a researcher at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), described the outbreak as a serious threat that demands an immediate response and preventive training for farmers.

She advised: ‘Farmers should seek expert’s guidance and apply recommended control methods carefully. They also need proper training on the safe use of chemicals to prevent misuse or over-application.’

The strange worms have continued to spread across Kano’s sugarcane belt, leaving devastated farms behind, as well as growing fear among farmers, who said one of the state’s most profitable agricultural commodities could face its toughest year.

The unprecedented number of trailers in every nook and cranny of Potiskum in Yobe State leads one to assume that the town is a giant mechanical workshop. There are trailers by the roadsides, in front of and within large mechanical workshops.

There are numerous workshops with trailers at various stages of construction, such that one can assume that all the trailers plying Nigerian highways started their journeys from Potiskum. The town has been noted for being a home for many articulated vehicles used for long-distance travels and movement of goods across the country.

Owners of some of the trucks told Weekend Trust that trailer business thrives in Potiskum due to its strategic location as a major hub for cattle trade in West Africa. They said trucks from various parts of the world converged on the town to load or offload goods, making it an essential centre for commerce and transportation.

One of the owners of the biggest haulage companies in the town, Alhaji Abubakar Adamu Bazuwa, the managing director of Bazuwa Motors in Potiskum, told Weekend Trust that many businessmen in the town were influenced by originators of the business who thrived during their time.

”I have been in this business for over 30 years. I inherited it from our father, Alhaji Adamu Bazuwa, a well-known merchant in both haulage and livestock business.

”People like Alhaji Barau, Alhaji Yaro Gambo, Alhaji Hamza Dan-Agalam, Alhaji Isa Jajere and my father, Alhaji Adamu Bazuwa, were the backbone of these businesses. They combined farming, livestock rearing and haulage business to improve their income.

”These people were farmers and businessmen: they grew groundnuts, beans, maize, sorghum and millet. During harvest they sold crops and kept the remaining ones at home for their families.

”When they sold their harvested crops they bought rams and bulls at affordable prices in the livestock markets, fatten them with their harvested animal feeds, and sold them during Eid al-Kabir festivals. It is a lucrative business. They used to buy trucks and trailers with what they got from this business to improve their income.

”Potiskum town is blessed with trading, farming and the rearing of livestock. These business originators and wealthy individuals became competitors among themselves and groomed their children and mentees to take over from them. As time went by, death and old age befell these mentors, their children, mentees and drivers who saved a lot and took over the business.

”The good legacies they left behind have yielded positive results. Aside their children and mentees, many people have ventured into the business to earn a living. Right now, there are over 5,000 trailers and other trucks in Potiskum owned by Potiskum people.

”I am into haulage business, selling trailers and other trucks. And I have a workshop where these vehicles are repaired when they are damaged. I have over 200 people working under me daily,” he said.

Another haulage businessman, Alhaji Yakubu Yunusa, said that initially, the merchants were buying the trucks and trailers purposely to transport their agricultural products and livestock to the southern part of the country before they discovered the lucrative part of the business.

”Initially, these Potiskum businessmen were buying these trailers and trucks to transport their harvested crops and fattened rams and bulls to markets for profit-making, but as time went by, they realised that the business was lucrative, so they tapped into haulage.

”One of the advantages of this town (Potiskum) is that we have the largest cattle market in West Africa, so merchants from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic are trooping into this town. If not because of insurgency, by now the story would have been different.

”The foreign merchants who bought livestock and agricultural products from our market are taking advantage of the availability of the trucks to transport their goods to their countries. If one reckons with the economic importance of transporting goods from one part of Nigeria to another, then the importance of Potiskum to the economy is clear.

”If you are following federal government roads and major cities, you will see that some trailers are loaded with vegetables, cattle, dried fish and grains, ready to head in all directions across Nigeria. Some trailers are loaded with onions, some with rice and some with scavengers. The majority of these trucks are from Potiskum, and the owners of these trailers are indigenes of this town.

Weekend Trust gathered that the business provides jobs for different categories of people; hence a lot of people in Potiskum rely on haulage business as their means of livelihood.

Alhaji Garba Alele (Gado-damasin Fika), who serves as the secretary of the Shippers Association, told our correspondent that each trailer provides jobs for different categories of people – from driver to mechanics.

”Each trailer you see is providing jobs for more than 10 people, starting from drivers, their boys, truck washers, merchandisers, spare part sellers, panel beaters and other apprentices who depend on these trailers for livelihood.

”We have a lot of youths who graduated from universities but are making fortunes through this business. Some of these graduates have built their own houses, got married and have luxury cars or motorcycles. Potiskum people rely so much on transportation, farming and rearing of animals to earn their livelihood.

”When I was the chairman of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Potiskum Local Government branch, we had 3,800 registered members who owned trailers in Potiskum. It is important to know that there are people who own trailers but they are not NARTO members.

”We also have over 2 million registered trucks/trailers and tippers in Potiskum plying Nigeria’s highways. Some people have fleets of between five and 100 trailers. Some people inherited their trucks from their parents when they passed away,’ he said.

On women’s participation in the business, Alele said he had never seen a woman who owned a trailer or participated in the business due to the high price of the trucks.

”Most of the women you see in this business inherited their trailers from their parents. When I was chairman we didn’t have a female that owned a trailer in the whole Potiskum.

”Most of the originators of this business are not women; they are men. And up till now, the trailer business is owned by men. It seems that women are not attracted to it. I have more than five trucks currently,” he said.

Trailer owners are lamenting that the prices of trucks, bodies and diesel have affected the business badly, pushing many people to leave it and invest in other sectors.

Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, one of the haulage businessmen, told Weekend Trust that apart from the prices of trucks, bodies and diesel, the dilapidated condition of roads also affects the business negatively.

”One of the challenges we are facing is the skyrocketing price of these trucks. They are imported and the government is putting higher taxes on them.

”A truck we used to buy at N3 million or N4 million during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, moved to N9 million and 12 million during the Buhari era; and now, we are buying a truck head at N35 million.

”A fabricated trailer body we used to buy at N3 million to 4million now costs N22 million or N25 million. A new trailer and its body we used to own at a cost of N15 million is now N60 million.

”The price of diesel per litre is N1,100. If a trailer carried goods from Potiskum to Kurmi, it would swallow 1,500 litres, and if you calculate the amount, it would give you almost N1.6 million,” Muhammad lamented.

How the business is creating jobs

Alhajin Officer, a trailer driver who has been in the business for 20 years, told our correspondent that he pays his bills through the business.

”The truck was purchased by Oga Abdullahi (Officer), the chairman of the NURTW, Potiskum Local Government. This business has done everything for me. It pays my bills. I help my parents and families. Even my neighbours are enjoying it.

”I drive my trailer to Mubi, Yola in Adamawa State. In the South, we enter Lagos, Rivers and Delta states. One of the pressing challenges we are facing is lack of good roads, especially in Niger State,” he said.

Another driver, Malam Ibrahim Bala Target, said truck owners and drivers were reviewing their contracts and payment terms and expenses to avoid disputes or misunderstanding.

”Some truck owners pay the entitlements of drivers on percentage. For example, when you take goods worth N1 million as a driver, you have 10 per cent of the money. If there are issues in the vehicle, the owner will fix it with his money.

”The business is not going as it used to be in previous times. I used to carry Dangote’s goods from Potiskum to Kano or Lagos, but now, he has bought his own trucks to carry his goods.

”We don’t have industries in the North where raw materials and goods would be transported or delivered, unlike southern Nigeria, where there are numerous industries and factories.

”Usually, we transport livestock and grains from northern markets to the South or some neighbouring countries like Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon.

Also, soldiers are extorting N50,000 and sometimes N80,000 at some checkpoints, especially in the southern part of this country. If not because of these challenges, the business is very lucrative when compared to others,” he said.

Our correspondent who went round the town saw over 20 trailer body fabrication workshops that provide jobs to thousands of teeming youths of Potiskum.

One of the fabricators, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, said he had been in the business for over 30 years and it had been providing food on his table and his workers’ every day.

”We used to fabricate 10 bodies of trailers within months because people are venturing into this business. We have consumers from Potiskum, Kano, Sokoto, Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Benin.

”I have over 400 people working under me, including students from various secondary schools, as well as graduates. We have numerous applications from people who want to work with us.

”Some customers will purchase metals themselves and bring them to us for fabrication and we will charge them for labour. Others will give us money to buy the metals and have us create the trailer body for them.

”The length of each locally made trailer body is 12 yards, which costs between N25 million and N30 million because fabrication materials are costly. The materials we use are mostly imported. And we buy them from Lagos, which makes them very expensive.

On women’s participation in the business, Alhaji Abdullahi said he had not seen them.

Alhaji Adamu Muhammad, who owns a workshop, told Weekend Trust that there are over 100 workshops that have employed and trained thousands of youths in Potiskum Local Government.

”I have been in this business for 22 years. And we have 107 registered staff working in this workshop daily. We have customers from Ghana, Cameroon and Benin Republic who come here to repair their trucks.

”There are over 120 workshops in Potiskum that employ people, mostly youths. In short, this sector of mechanics has a workforce of over 30,000 in Potiskum Local Government,” he said.

Weekend Trust reports that the Yobe State Government is constructing a Truck Transit Park in Potiskum to revolutionise the growing business in the town.

The Potiskum Truck Transit Park consists of, amongst other things, the provision of a mechanic workshop, fuel stations, hotels and shops, as well as roads, drainages, parking lots, firefighting stations, police outposts, mosques and recreation centres.

The project will accommodate over 7,000 trucks and provide 5,000 direct jobs when completed, as well as revolutionise the growing trucking business in Potiskum and other parts of the state.

The federal government has vowed to track all monies released for the implementation of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in its new 2.0 Guidelines.

Dr. Oreshoremi Ogbe, the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) Secretary,

stated this at the onboarding of State Oversight Committees (SOCs) from the North-West zone held in Zaria, Kaduna State.

He expressed concern that the 2023 BHCPF Audit Report showed persistent accountability issues, stressing the need for stricter oversight to ensure funds released reach the citizens in dire need.

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Dr. Ogbe assured that the Federal Government would follow due process to ensure that monies earmarked for the implementation of BHCPF benefit the most vulnerable layer of the society.

According to him, Guideline 2.0, recently inaugurated by the Minister of Health, aimed to improve implementation outcomes by enhancing transparency and accountability in the management of health funds.

‘Federal Government would follow due process to ensure that monies earmarked for the implementation of BHCPF benefit the most vulnerable layer of the society.

‘The revised guidelines will deepen the understanding of expanded roles defined in the new guideline, which places accountability and transparency at the center of the fund’s management.’ he said.

The MOC Secretary explained that the BHCPF 2.0 was designed to improve healthcare delivery, enhance the governance of health financing and ensure that funds reach the most vulnerable population.

He emphasized on accountability and transparency in the management of health funds while bringing more funding to the sector at the sub-national level.

In his remarks, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, National Coordinator, Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, noted that the BHCPF 2.0 represents a renewed commitment by the Federal Government to ensure improved governance of health financing.

Also commenting, the Acting Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Katsina State Chapter, Mallam Rabo Tambaya, pledged the association’s commitment to improve collaborations between SOCs and ALGON for smooth implementation of the new Guidelines.

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has faulted the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to label Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ over alleged persecution of Christians, describing the claim as baseless and misleading.

In a statement shared on his X handle on Saturday, Sani said the U.S. president’s position was the result of ‘outright falsehoods’ fed to him by ‘anarchists, lackeys, and apprentices of neocolonialism’ intent on sowing division and discord in Nigeria.

Trump had on Friday, via his Truth Social platform, announced Nigeria’s designation, alleging that Christianity was facing an ‘existential threat’ in the country.

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‘Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,’ Trump wrote, adding that the U.S. was ready to ‘save Christians’ in Nigeria and other affected nations.

Responding, Sani dismissed the claim as ‘misinformation and propaganda,’ insisting that insecurity in Nigeria was not rooted in religion.

‘The designation of Nigeria is founded on outright falsehoods and wholesale misinformation. Terrorists and bandits in Nigeria kill and kidnap their victims irrespective of their religious beliefs. The records are self-evident in the last 15 years,’ he said.

The former lawmaker argued that Nigeria’s religious diversity made it impossible for one faith to systematically persecute another.

‘Looking at the Muslim-Christian ratio in Nigeria, it’s technically impossible for one faith to persecute another. Nigeria is a Lion and Tiger situation, not a Lion and Zebra configuration,’ Sani added.

He accused those influencing Trump’s position of seeking personal gain through the exploitation of Nigeria’s complex social fabric.

‘Trump was misinformed by anarchists, lackeys, and apprentices of neocolonialism who aim to benefit from the seeds of division and discontent,’ Sani said, warning that ‘this particular weapon raised against this country shall never prosper.’

The senator called on the international community to offer genuine assistance to Nigeria in its fight against terrorism rather than amplify false narratives.

‘Nigeria, like all nations battling terrorism, needs support and assistance to tackle its security challenges,’ he stated.

On November 3, the coalition takeover of the ADC will be four months old. Many say the initial momentum has slowed. Are you worried?

No, we don’t feel the momentum is going down. What happened at the inauguration was that Nigerians got to know there’s now an opposition coalition under the ADC. After that, the real work began. You don’t build a political party by staying in Abuja or appearing on TV.

If you look across the country today, the ADC is planting its roots nationwide. That’s the most important work, building structures at the grassroots. So, if it seems quiet, it’s because much of the work is happening below the radar, not in front of the cameras. Building a political party isn’t a press conference; it’s sustained fieldwork.

Recent reports indicate that about seven or eight state chapters of the ADC are currently in crisis. What’s responsible?

That’s not unusual. We’re creating a new kind of political party, and people are coming from different backgrounds. Differences are expected.

Seven out of 36 states plus the FCT, that’s not bad at all. There are issues, yes, but they’ll be resolved. That’s why party leadership exists. A political party is essentially a mechanism for aggregating and managing conflicting interests. So, it’s our responsibility to address such issues, and we’re not worried about them.

Some accuse the national leadership of trying to hijack the ADC structure. In Adamawa, for example, your statement was seen as taking sides with a faction.

That’s not true. What the national headquarters approved was an interim management committee to run the state. Remember, the party as we knew it is no longer the same. The ADC today is much bigger than it used to be.

In many states, there may be chairmen, but they don’t have full executive structures. People are talking about the ADC today because of the coalition. Naturally, the structure must be redefined to reflect the party’s new status, ambition, and size.

That doesn’t mean we’re throwing anyone out. There are clear guidelines to accommodate everyone. Those who’ve been in the party must learn to welcome newcomers, and the newcomers must also respect those who were already there.

In most states, these transitions are being managed efficiently. So, where there are issues, it’s not because of anything the national leadership did wrong; it’s simply because local actors haven’t managed their internal differences well.

Critics say the coalition’s entry into the ADC is causing more chaos than unity. What’s your reaction?

That’s not true. As I said earlier, we’re talking about seven states out of 37. In most states, there are no issues at all. Politics is naturally about conflict and compromise; what matters is leadership’s ability to manage those conflicts so they don’t get out of hand.

Our statement on Adamawa was conciliatory, and we’ll continue to take steps to deepen reconciliation wherever needed. But internal disagreements are part of politics; they’re not necessarily a crisis.

But some key coalition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai have yet to formally obtain ADC membership cards despite repeated calls on them to formalise their membership. Why?

Because there are no new membership cards yet. The cards used before are invalid since the emergence of the new leadership. The valid cards are those signed by the new national chairman, Senator David Mark, and the secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

As we speak, I don’t even have a new card myself, although I’m registered. The process of producing new cards is ongoing.

So, are you confirming that Atiku, Obi, and El-Rufai are registered members?

Yes, they are members of our party. In Peter Obi’s case, we granted a waiver because of the Anambra election that’s about to conclude. The same applies to Nasir El-Rufai due to the recent by-elections in Kaduna. As for Atiku Abubakar, he has resigned from the PDP. What else would that mean if not joining the ADC?

Some insist Atiku is still in limbo because he hasn’t formally collected a membership card.

Limbo where? He’s not joining the APC. The moment our new cards are ready, people like Atiku will formally pick them up.

When should Nigerians expect the new cards to be ready?

It’s a national party, not a small one. Producing cards that will reach every part of the country takes time, but the process is already underway.

Some say the personal ambitions of these major figures are already causing rifts or slowing down the coalition’s progress. Are you concerned?

Not at all. We don’t see any evidence of that. Unless you point to a specific example, I don’t think personal ambitions have caused any lethargy within the coalition.

Peter Obi has said he’ll run for president in 2027, and Atiku Abubakar also says he’s not stepping aside for anyone. How will the party manage these overlapping ambitions?

Nobody is stopping Obi from running. And nobody is asking Atiku to step down. We can’t just handpick a candidate; that would make us like the other parties. We’ve said from day one that our process will be transparent, open, and fair to all.

When the time comes to choose our presidential candidate, it will be through a democratic process that Nigerians can see for themselves. That’s why I said there’s no real conflict of ambition.

Critics worry that if some of these big names don’t get their way, they might walk away. Does the ADC have a fallback plan?

That’s a hypothetical question. We have no reason to believe that would happen.

The ADC still doesn’t have a sitting governor. Does that bother you?

Not at all. We’re a new party.

Are you talking to some governors or trying to woo disgruntled elements from other parties?

I’m not going to answer that question.

But would the ADC be willing to accept any governor who decides to join?

We’re having conversations, but I won’t go into details. Those governors joining the APC, do you think they’re doing so out of conviction? Many are driven by fear or self-interest.

So what alternative are you offering them?

We’re not stopping anyone from joining any party. People have the freedom to choose. What we’re saying is that we have a political party to build. If anyone has the courage of conviction to identify with us, they’ll be welcome.

You just acknowledged that while ADC is trying to build its structure, serving governors and lawmakers are moving to the ruling party. Is the ADC worried about this trend?

Not at all. Anyone who experienced 2015 would know there’s no reason to worry. Governors don’t necessarily decide how their states vote; many who served eight years lost senatorial elections. So, the idea that governors control everything is a myth.

Even the APC chairman recently admitted that some governors received unprecedented funds but delivered little. He urged citizens to demand performance, yet those are the same governors his party celebrates for joining. That contradiction shows such governors don’t necessarily add value. A governor who failed his people cannot dictate how they vote.

For us, the key task is convincing Nigerians that we represent a genuine alternative to the ruling party. Nigerians are increasingly disillusioned with the APC; our job is to prove we offer a credible option.

Critics say most ADC leaders, including you, were part of the APC and PDP until recently. How will you convince Nigerians that you represent a new political direction?

Unless you’re ready to manufacture new politicians, you won’t find anyone who hasn’t belonged to another party. Since 1999, it’s been the same political class operating in different formations. I’m not proud of that, but Nigerians must still play Nigerian politics; we can’t import foreigners.

What matters now is what we do differently going forward. That’s where the real change lies.

So, are you admitting the problem isn’t the parties but the players?

It’s both. A strong party should have the discipline to shape its members’ behaviour. The rampant defections and indiscipline you see stem from the structural weakness of our political parties.

In the Second Republic, parties stood for something and enforced it. Take the UPN, for instance: every governor, no matter how weak, implemented free education. That was the party’s core identity. When you voted UPN, you knew what you were voting for. The NPN, as a conservative party, focused on mass housing. Each had clear ideological boundaries.

The rot began in the Third Republic when presidents and governors became ‘leaders of the party,’ eroding party supremacy. Now, we’re rebuilding differently in the ADC. As our chairman, David Mark, often says, the ADC won’t leave elected members to decide what to do with power. Before you even receive a nomination, you know the party’s policy positions.

We believe the party, not individuals, should define its mission. The system’s weakness has shaped the behaviour of politicians. Rebuilding strong, principled parties is the only solution.

Finally, what assurance can you give Nigerians who are sceptical about your coalition’s capacity to serve as a credible alternative in 2027?

The only assurance is that we cannot give up on our country. Nigerians should give us the benefit of the doubt. Yes, many of us have been in the APC or PDP, but we are now committed to doing politics differently.

Nigeria’s current problems are the direct result of the kind of politics we’ve played in the past. The only way forward is to change that politics. The burden of proof is on us, not Nigerians; we must convince them through our actions.

We have no other country, so we must build an alternative capable of rescuing it. If we can strengthen INEC to ensure real accountability, where voters can freely elect or punish politicians, we will have achieved more for democracy than in the past six decades.

The cynicism people express, that ‘they’re all the same’, comes from a weak electoral system. If Nigerians could truly punish non-performance at the polls, trust would naturally return. So, beyond asking citizens to trust us, Nigerians must also demand an electoral system that genuinely empowers them to decide who governs.

You have been the national chairman of your party the Action Democratic Party, ADP since inception, why?

I have been the chairman of the party all these while because our party, like others registered within the same period, if you look critically, it is the same chairmen that has been chairing the parties, they are still the same Chairmen that brought the parties to be. For example, if you look at YPP. But the other one that had problems was NRM, that I am aware of. Most of the parties that came into the political scene the same time as us, same with ADP, have had only one chairman since then.

Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC itself is aware that in the constitution of our party for instance, we are allowed to have a gestation period. Where by the National Working Committee, NWC that brought the party into limelight is allowed to manage it for a certain amount of time.

The issue is that if the party is allowed to be subjected to the rigorous process of elections, conventions and others, you might end up destroying the baby at that point. Changing the leadership at that infant stage of the party may not augur well for the party. This is not only for the ADP but other similar political parties.

Is what you have just explained constitutional?

Yes, it is in the constitution of most of these political parties. In our party for instance it is in the constitution that at least you are allowed to have your convention on a non elective basis. All the members can agree that, let the structure of the party be formed, and when you have the structures formed, you cannot go into elections immediately, otherwise you will scatter the party and its structures.

So, in a way, it strengthens democracy that is why some of us are still there as chairmen of these political parties. We had our first elective election last two years. All the other elections we had were not elective. Also, we just wake up to do it, it is stated in our constitution. If you look at it you will see it there. I want Nigerians to know that it is not that we are sit tight leaders or that, it is what we want to do, it is not so.

Even common sense dictates that you can’t just form a party and then start changing leadership. The party will not have a strong base. The party was formed in 2017.

Since 2017, how often have you held NWC, NEC and BoT meetings?

We meet always, for example, we meet every two years. We meet to have our congresses. In our constitution you can have non-elective congresses on two consecutive times, every two years which is four years.

Then after that any other convention will be elective. The last one, we had was the elective convention. So, I’m supposed to run my four years after four years, If I’m elected again. If I am not then somebody else will take over.

When will the current term you are serving end?

It will elapse, in 2027, We had this Congress two years ago. By the constitution I can run two terms in office. I am permitted to run again. So, if I like I can still run again but if I don’t want to someone else can contest.

What does the ADC constitution say, because at a point, you were also the presidential candidate of the party..?

That also is in correspondence with our constitution, that is what our constitution says; that you can be the chairman and be the candidate. All the constitution says is that you cannot hold two elective positions at the same time. You can hold two positions but not elective positions. Once you are elected as the president You have to relinquish the chairmanship position. But if you are just a candidate, that doesn’t make you a President.

What we are doing is in the interest of the party and democracy. Look at it, you form a party, in fact, before you get structures in place, it takes a while, takes a lot of money, energy and sacrifice.

But are there no qualified persons within your party that can hold this position?

You know better, that people don’t want to stay In parties that are out of power. They come and go. They are not consistent. But myself and other people that formed the party, have to be consistent So that at least we build it and after that, you can go.

What do you think about such situation, does it engender accountability?

Accountability? There is accountability. Nigerians are free to check our Constitution, what does the Constitution say? Constitution is the decision of the parties, at their convention Which is very clear, everybody is there to say yes, this is what we want for our party.

What are the challenges faced by opposition parties in Nigeria?

Well, I can speak about the opposition parties, like you know, we are approaching 2027, or by the Electoral Act amendments, can we say in 2026, when the process itself will start. Like you know, there has been a lot of agitations against the sitting government and the widespread disaffection amongst the populace is supposed to be a kind of catalyst that opposition parties can used to effect a change democratically.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to appeal the judgement stopping its planned national convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16.

The party, which described the ruling as an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process, urged its members to remain focused on preparations for the convention.

This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who said the party had directed its lawyers to take immediate steps to appeal the judgment, reaffirming its commitment to upholding, defending, and promoting multi-party democracy in Nigeria.

In a statement titled ‘PDP Planned National Convention Not Vitiated by Court,’ the party charged its members, chapters, and organs to remain steadfast and focused on preparations for the national convention.

The PDP said it was appalled by the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Kolawole Omotosho, describing it as ‘an assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.’

However, the party insisted that the judgment did not vitiate its ability to proceed with the processes and activities leading up to the national convention to elect new national officers for the next four years.

‘Our party notes the recent judgment of the Supreme Court which affirms the supremacy of a political party in the management of its internal affairs,’ the statement read.

The PDP reiterated that, as the leading opposition party committed to the rule of law, it had accordingly directed its lawyers to appeal the ruling, in its unwavering determination to defend and promote multi-party democracy in the country.

Court stops convention over notices

Earlier, the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the PDP national convention.

Justice James Omotosho held that evidence from INEC indicated the party’s national officers did not conduct congresses in about 14 states ahead of the proposed convention, in breach of the law.

The judge further noted that the notices signed by the party bore only the signature of the acting national chairman without that of the national secretary, violating the Electoral Act and rendering them invalid.

He also agreed with counsel to the aggrieved members, Joseph Daudu (SAN), that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21-day notice for meetings and congresses to enable INEC to perform its statutory duty of monitoring them.

Justice Omotosho held that the PDP’s non-compliance with the law had jeopardised the planned convention and advised the party to put its house in order before proceeding.

Counsel to Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and the National Working Committee (NWC), Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), had urged the court to decline jurisdiction, arguing that congresses and conventions are internal party matters.

However, the judge held that while party affairs are generally internal, the court could assume jurisdiction where there is a breach of electoral laws or regulations.

He therefore restrained INEC from receiving, publishing, or recognising the outcome of the convention scheduled for Ibadan on November 15 and 16 until the party complies with the law.

The suit was filed by three aggrieved members, Hon Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP secretary, South-South), who are believed to be allies of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who had vowed to stop the convention over unmet demands.

The nine defendants include INEC, the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), the NWC, the NEC, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi.

‘Anyanwu must sign notices’

By the court’s latest order, all party notices must be signed by National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, another known ally of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has been at odds with Acting National Chairman Damagum.

The three aggrieved members told journalists on Friday that they were only interested in ensuring compliance with the law and the PDP constitution.

‘Impunity has no place in internal party management, and we give God all the glory. We are not against the convention; the court only ordered that all steps preceding it must follow due process,’ Turnah said.

The plaintiffs, in the suit filed on October 7, contended that INEC could not recognise any convention or congress of the PDP that failed to comply with Section 223(1)(a) and 228(a) of the 1999 Constitution, Sections 82(1)(2)(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, and paragraphs 12-16 of the PDP’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.

A counsel to the national officers, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that plans were underway to appeal the judgment next week.

‘It is the right of the defendants, and we will study the judgment carefully before advising them appropriately,’ he said, adding that the court should have considered the potential fallout if the national secretary refuses to carry out his duties.

Another court declines Lamido’s request to stop convention

Meanwhile, another Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to grant an application by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido seeking to restrain the PDP from proceeding with its scheduled convention.

Lamido, through his lawyer, Jeph Njikonye (SAN), had asked the court to grant an interim order halting the convention pending the hearing of his motion on notice.

Justice Peter Lifu, in his ruling, directed the PDP and INEC to appear within 72 hours to show cause why Lamido’s application should not be granted.

Lamido joined the PDP and INEC as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025, arguing that the party would violate its constitution and deny him the opportunity to contest for the position of national chairman if it proceeded with the convention.

He said the court had the inherent jurisdiction to preserve the subject matter of the suit and that failure to restrain the PDP could render his case futile.

Justice Lifu held that, in balancing the equities of both parties, the court would invoke its discretion under Order 26 Rule 8(c) of the 2019 Rules to compel the PDP and INEC to show cause before deciding whether to grant the reliefs.

The matter, which was the only one on Friday’s cause list, was heard in chambers, and the judge fixed November 6 for further hearing.

Lamido’s suit followed allegations that he was denied access to purchase the nomination form to contest for national chairman, alongside former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, who was endorsed by the party’s northern governors and leaders.

The former governor described the development as ‘unacceptable and undemocratic’ after his visit to the PDP National Secretariat on October 27 to obtain the form proved unsuccessful.

Osadolor: PDP needs stakeholders’ meeting to resolve crisis

A member of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), Timothy Osadolor, told Weekend Trust that members should see the judgment as an opportunity to address lingering internal issues.

Osadolor urged party leaders to immediately convene a stakeholders’ meeting to frankly discuss grievances and restore unity.

He noted that it would be unjust if the entire South East were not represented at the November 15-16 convention, stressing the need to revisit the zoning arrangement.

‘The court is simply asking us to do what is proper before the convention,’ he said. ‘The NWC’s tenure ends in December, so there’s still time to fix things. This is the moment for genuine dialogue about the future of our party.’

He urged members to put aside pride and reconcile. ‘We are already too divided; humility and sincerity are the only way forward,’ he said, adding that Acting Chairman Damagum had consistently advocated dialogue and inclusivity.

‘Damagum believes there’s always a meeting point. If we are sincere, there’s nothing we cannot resolve,’ he added.

He further warned that excluding entire zones from the process would be an aberration. ‘Zoning and access to contest must be transparent. Democracy thrives when everyone is allowed to participate,’ he said.

Background to the impasse

Since the 2023 presidential primaries that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP has been mired in crisis.

Atiku himself recently left the party, aligning with the coalition-led African Democratic Congress (ADC), though he is yet to formally declare his intentions.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who lost the 2023 primary to Atiku, vowed not to work for him until then National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu was removed. Wike and four other governors later backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for which he was rewarded with a ministerial position.

Ahead of 2027, Wike has openly declared his intention to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), though he insists he remains a PDP member.

The minister and several PDP governors have been locked in a power struggle over the party’s structure ahead of the elections. Analysts say Wike’s moves are aimed at weakening the PDP to ease Tinubu’s re-election bid, while governors loyal to the party seek to reclaim control.

National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, a Wike ally, has insisted that certain conditions must be met before the convention can hold.

Recently, Anyanwu accused members of the NWC of forging his signature on a letter to INEC, calling on security agencies to investigate and prosecute those involved.

The debate over state fiscal autonomy or resource control often assumes that if the federal government were to grant full financial control to states, they would all prosper similarly to some European countries. However, a review of recent data suggests that Nigeria’s fiscal landscape is far more uneven-and the implications of full autonomy would vary significantly across states.

Uneven internal revenue generation

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory generated a total Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N2.43 trillion in 2023, up from N1.93 trillion in 2022.

However:

This suggests that only a few states have meaningful internal revenue-bases; many states remain heavily reliant on allocations from the federation.

Allocation of federal revenue to states

According to Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), in 2023 the three tiers of government shared N10.143 trillion from the federation account: the federal government got N3.99 trillion (39.4%), states got N3.585 trillion (35.3 %), and local governments got N2.56 trillion (25.3 %).

For example, in the seven-month period of January-July 2025, the states received about N4.43 trillion, with the top five states (Delta, Rivers, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa) alone accounting for 35% of that total.

On the Value-Added Tax (VAT) front, the data are even more concentrated: in 2024, Lagos alone contributed 54% of the total non-import VAT pool for the states/FCT.

Implications for state autonomy

Taken together, these data underline a few points:

Towards balanced development

Rather than framing the autonomy question purely in terms of redistribution or ‘who controls what,’ the emphasis could shift to a dual strategy:

Strengthening the internal revenue-generation capacity of states (e.g., through industrial diversification, tax administration, formalisation of the informal economy).

Revising the fiscal federalism framework to reflect both equity and efficiency, recognising that states differ significantly in revenue capacity and development levels.

In short: granting states full financial autonomy without addressing the underlying disparities risks widening rather than narrowing the development gap among states. A more sustainable approach would be gradual, data-driven, and context-sensitive.

As the country prepares for another round of elections and some parties struggling to get their leadership right, there are parties, whose chairmen have remained the same since they were formed. In some of the parties likely to participate in the 2027 general elections, it is hard to distinguish between the parties and their national chairmen. This stems from the fact that some of the chairmen have held unto the position for long.

Analysts contend that party structures are relevant as they are the only platforms that can present candidates for elections.

Though there have been clamour for independent candidates, the demand is yet to see the light of day.

In the 2023 general elections, 18 political parties participated, fielding candidates at various levels to compete for political offices including that of president, governors as well as national and state assembly seats.

On Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cleared eight associations to move on to the next state for registration as political parties.

If all get the nod of INEC, it will bring the number of parties that will be contesting for various seats in 2027 to 26.

With some parties retaining their national chairmen for more than a decade, some say the political space may be constricted as it gives only a few the chance to contest.

Observers say further to that, it makes it difficult for internal democracy to thrive.

The trend, our correspondents observe, is obtainable more in the parties usually classified by Nigerians as smaller parties for having the least number of elected officials after elections. The bigger parties which dominate the scene through either having won or are occupying the presidency, many governorship, National and House of Assembly seats are, however, not included in this category as they go through the process of holding elective congresses and rotating positions and according to geopolitical zones.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) for instance, has had no less than nine national chairmen since inception while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has had cause to change its chairmen a record 14 times.

Parties such as the Social Democratic Party; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP; All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; Action Democratic Congress, ADC etc have also democratized positions in line with what the majority of party members expect.

Parties like the African Action Congress, AAC; Action Democratic Party, ADP; Peoples Redemption Party, PRP; Zenith Labour Party,ZLP and Young Progressives Party (YPP) fall into the category of parties with longest serving chairmen.

Some of them have had changes in their parties’ structure only once since inception while others have not bothered to effect any change.

A political scientist at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Isa Saidu, said this is against the tenets of democracy as parties because Nigeria is practicing a multi-party democracy.

He said, ‘This in my view will lead to the diminishing of democratic ideals, especially the liberal democracy that we practice in Nigeria, which is supposed to give opportunities and provide spaces for all citizens, especially members of political parties.’

National chairman of the ADP, Sani Yabagi, however, explained that it is in the bid to strengthen new parties that their leaders are enabled to stay for long.

‘Our party for instance; it is in the constitution that at least you are allowed to have your convention on a non-elective basis. All the members can agree that okay, let the structure of the party be formed, and when you have the structures formed. You cannot go into elections immediately, otherwise you will scatter the party and the structures.

‘So, in a way it is meant to strengthen democracy that is why some of us are still there as chairmen of these political parties’, he said.

In both the 1st and 2nd Republic many founders of political parties held on to the leadership of their parties.

Incidentally, the ownership of political structures is one of the reasons former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, decided that it was better for the government to establish parties for politicians to enroll so that no one could claim them.

During the General Sani Abacha era, the government infiltrated the five existing political parties and they were on the verge on adopting the then head of state as their presidential candidate before his demise.

The government of Abdulsalami Abubakar handed over three parties to the succeeding political administration in 1999.

But before 2007, the space was freed enabling more parties to participate which enabled parties such as AC, PPA, APGA, DPP and others to be established.

Along the line, the number of political parties became so many that some had to be deregistered.

The high interest in registering parties is said to because the government then was paying the parties certain amounts of money ahead of elections.

After the deregistration due mainly to inability to win a single seat in elections, the number thinned.

But it ballooned again in 2019 with more association’s coming forward to be registered.

By the 2019 elections, the number of parties on the ballot papers was no less than 90 when in reality only five were active or participated fully in the elections. This was later scaled down to 18.

In the current dispensation where people freely forward their political associations for registration to the electoral body some have remained within the grip of certain forces.

The parties insist there no constitutional impediments against holding national chairmanship for long.

The parties

The AAC was founded in 2018. It had Leonard Nzenwa as its pioneer chairman.

He was, however, replaced by Omoyele Sowore who more or less is the face of the party. Sowore has been running as the party’s presidential candidate and has remained the national chairman.

Attempts to speak with Sowore on the matter failed as he directed our correspondent to the party instead.

ADP

Yabagi Yusuf Sani has been the national chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) just as he has been the presidential candidate.

Founded 2017, the party has been participating in elections since then.

Yabagi insists it is in the interest of the party that he holds the position of the natural chairman, saying it facilitates stabilisation of the party.

He says, ‘But even common sense dictates that you can’t just form a party and then start changing leadership. The party will not have a strong base.’

YPP

Emmanuel Bishop Amakiri is the founding chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) after he co-founded the party in 2017.

He says, ‘So long as the party members vote you, fine. And we had a convention in 2019 where I was elected unanimously, for first term.

‘Then 2023 was the same thing, you know. I’m now serving my second term. And according to the party constitution, I’m not restricted to a second term.’

ZLP

Dan Nwanyanwu was chairman of Labour Party, LP, for ten years. He later resigned his membership of the party after serving as chairman of its Board of Trustees.

He joined the Zenith Labour Party in 2018 and remains the national chairman of the party.

Efforts to speak with him proved abortive due to constant breaks on the line the several times our correspondent tried to reach.

He promised to take a look at the message sent to him as he was busy but did not get across up to the time of filing this report.