The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ajibola Basiru, has assured that the governorship primary of the party in Osun State will be free and fair.

He hinted that the governorship candidate may emerge through a consensus arrangement of the party leadership which will be acceptable to members of the party.

Speaking in Osogbo, during the inauguration of coordinators of his group, Alubarika Movement, on Sunday, the APC scribe noted that APC is a party of leadership and all interest will be taken care of, when it is time.

He said the inauguration of the state coordinating council in local government and wards for the Alubarika Movement was to work towards ensuring that APC unite to take over power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in 2026.

He said, “The primary election will be free and fair but I can assure you that the candidate may emerge from consensus arrangements by leadership of the party.”

On the allegation by the PDP that APC is dividing them, Basiru said, “Ambition of a few individuals is what is causing the rift within the opposition party and it is to the joy of us as a ruling party if they don’t get their house together. It is not our job to help them put their house in order.”

Asked whether the agitation within the APC will not divide the party, Basiru maintained that APC can not be divided, saying “Our party is a party of leadership and as I said, everybody that is a member of the party has legitimate desire to ensure that we have a candidate that will be able to deliver and defeat the PDP.

“In Ondo state for instance, there were 16 aspirants and we were able to get the right candidate that was able to deliver for the party. The same thing in Edo, we have more than 16 there and we resolved the matter. Everybody has the right to aspire to be leadership in the party,” Basiru said.

He said the PDP in Osun has failed in the area of education, health and empowerment, saying “Will it not suprise you that the budget of the governor’s house is far more than the budget of agriculture, education and health combined.

“It is a government that has no direction. Even the so called flyover they are doing, it’s being done without any project management sense and it shows lack of coordination, lack of leadership and lack of focus of the government.”

The state chairman of Alubarika Movement, Alhaji Kehinde Olagoke, said members of the APC in Osun are looking for how to get back to government house, and the only way out is to have the best and a good candidate on ground.

Daily Sun

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe, has urged President Bola Tinubu’s opponents to abandon any thought of contesting for the presidency in 2027.

Igbokwe said Tinubu would secure a second term and reposition Nigeria for the better.

He recalled how Tinubu had supported former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Nuhu Ribadu, as well as former President Muhammadu Buhari, before emerging as president himself.

Posting on Facebook, the APC chieftain urged the opposition to research Tinubu’s background before contesting against him in 2027.

According to Igbokwe: “Those who are interested in winning the 2027 presidential election should know who PBAT is—his background, his time with Mobil Nigeria, his tenure as a senator, his eight years as governor of Lagos State, and his role as one of the key figures in the formation of the SDP, AD, AC, ACN, and APC.

“The role he played, the resources he contributed, the energy and goodwill he displayed, and the bridges he built across Nigeria. It took him more than 25 years to prepare for this exalted office of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“He first supported Atiku Abubakar, Nuhu Ribadu, and PMB for the presidency, but only PMB succeeded. He threw his hat into the ring in 2021 and emerged victorious.

“He worked tirelessly, built strong alliances, and supported thousands, including me, across the East, West, North, and South. No Nigerian from any region can match PBAT in mentoring and elevating men and women across the country. His immense contributions to Nigeria speak for him every day, everywhere.

“Perish the thought if you are among those who believe he will fail or will not secure a second term. He will succeed, he will reposition Nigeria, he will advance the nation’s progress, he will grow the economy, he will fix Nigeria, he will retool and restructure it, he will elevate Nigeria, he will reform the system, and much more.

“If you want to challenge your opponents, conduct due diligence—study their backgrounds, ask questions, carry out a SWOT analysis, examine their antecedents, track records, and history.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum rose from its first 2025 monthly meeting held in Asaba, Delta State capital, on Friday, with a resolution backing the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which pronounced the former National Youth Leader of the party, Hon. S.K.E Udeh-Okoye, as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP and advised the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to implement the court decision accordingly.

The Forum equally advised the NWC to reschedule to 13th March, 2025 the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the party earlier fixed for February.

This was even as the party rued the hardship in the land and called on the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC, Federal Government to revisit its macroeconomic policies to mitigate the sufferings of the Nigerian masses.

These were contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, which had in attendance the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Diri Duoye of Bayelsa State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Governor Muftwang of Plateau State, Governor Agbu kefas of Taraba State, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, and the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barr. Bayo Lawal.

The communique rendered by the Forum’s Chairman read, “The Forum employed the occasion to review the performance of member states in particular and the state of the nation in general, as well as developments in the party, as at the end of 2024.

“The Meeting noted that the macro-economic policies of the Federal Government had inflicted hardship and pain on the polity; therefore, the Forum calls on the Federal Government to either revisit or rejig its macro-economic policies to ameliorate and stop the hardship/pains that they have inflicted on Nigerians as no meaningful/impactful achievements in the states will be achieved until the harsh policies are addressed.

“The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.

“The Forum having examined all the notices required by law to be given to validly convoke NEC advised NWC to reschedule NEC to the thirteenth (13th) of March 2025.”

The Forum went further to express concerns over what it termed the resurgence of non-state actors and called for the strengthening of the nation’s security architecture.

It enjoined Nigerians not to despair over the hardship in the land, as it would soon return to power to fix the nation.

“While commending the country’s valiant and patriotic Armed Forces and security agencies for maintaining the frontline in securing the country and the gains of our gallant personnel against bandits in parts of the country, the Forum viewed with deep concern the resurgence of brazen non-state actors. It therefore calls for the strengthening of the nation’s security architecture.

“Finally, the Forum enjoined Nigerians not to despair in the face of the prevailing hardships with the firm assurance that the PDP will remain committed to returning our great nation to the glorious days of pre-2015 era of manageable costs of living, security of lives and property and greater unity and prosperity for all citizens,” the communique further read.

The Forum commended governors of member states “for pursuing policies and programmes that not only ameliorated the plight of the people but were also aimed at creating the foundation for sustainable development in their various states.

It lauded Governor Oborevwori for the giant strides recorded by his administration in the areas of infrastructure, environmental remediation, people empowerment and combating insecurity in Delta State.