.. Claim millions of Nigerians join party within 48 hours.

… Warns against suppression of opposition

Former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Kennedy Peretei, has emerged as the pioneer chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the state.

Chairman of the Congress Committee, Emmanuel Alli, while declaring the results, said the exercise was conducted in line with directives from the party’s national headquarters and reflected the collective will of members across the state.

With the party electing a new executive committee to pilot its affairs in the state for the next four years, Oluwole Akinmuyisan was announced as deputy chairman and Babatunde Daudu as secretary.

Other elected officials include Ayodeji Joy as State Woman Leader, Samuel Olutosin as Organising Secretary, Owolola Adebola as Publicity Secretary, Asiwaju Bernard as Vice Chairman (South), and Olutubosun Isijola as Vice Chairman (North), among others.

The congress held in Akure, the state, saw 150 delegates from the 18 local council areas of the state ratify the emergence of the new executive council through consensus.

While speaking shortly after his emergence as chairman, Peretei stated that the country was currently at a political crossroads, declaring that the NDC was already gaining unprecedented national momentum.

Peretei claimed that over 10 million Nigerians had registered as members of the party within 48 hours, describing the development as a reflection of growing public frustration and desire for political change ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He also alleged the federal government of attempting to suppress opposition voices, insisting that Nigeria’s democratic space must remain open to all political tendencies.

He said, “Anybody can go to the NDC website and confirm this. NDC has registered about 10 million Nigerians in 48 hours. It is an expression of the frustration going on in the country. People want something different; people want something better than what they are experiencing now, and that is what will translate into votes in 2027.

“There is a deliberate attempt to strangle opposition, but opposition believes that this country does not belong to anybody. This country belongs to all of us.

“The political space must be enlarged so that people can express themselves. That is why the NDC coming on board registered more than nine million Nigerians on our website within a very short time, so much so that the website almost collapsed.

“We are already a strong opposition. Having concluded this congress peacefully, those in government know there is now trouble in the political arena. They will be held accountable to the people.”