•PDP to consult stakeholders over national secretary logjam after INEC meeting
• Atiku promises game-changing strategy for 2027 polls
• INEC says ADA yet to meet criteria for political party registration

The opposition in the House of Representatives suffered another blow yesterday as two lawmakers defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress. The switch came as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following a closed-door meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, announced plans to consult its wider body of stakeholders before deciding on the status of its National Secretary.

Peter Akpanke, representing Obanliku/ Obudu / Bekwarra Federal Constituency of Cross River State, left the Peoples Democratic Party, while Prof. Paul Nnamchi, representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State, defected from the Labour Party.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read their letters of defection during the plenary. Akpanke cited unresolved crises within the PDP as his reason for leaving, while Nnamchi pointed to leadership challenges in the Labour Party.

Expressing gratitude to the PDP for the opportunity to represent his constituency, Akpanke noted, “The absence of peace in the party has necessitated my decision to move to another party.”

The defections come amid a series of recent moves by lawmakers from opposition parties to the APC. Three weeks ago, Okolie Lawrence of Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South Federal Constituency in Delta State left the Labour Party for the APC. Similarly, Akingbaso Olanrewaju, who represents Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency of Ondo State, defected from the PDP to the ruling party.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists after the meeting with INEC, PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, described the discussions as thorough and productive. He said the party would review the outcome with its stakeholders before taking a definitive stand.

“It (meeting) was a very, very thorough and fruitful discussion. Politics, you know, is dynamics. So, we’ll go back and meet our larger stakeholders and disseminate all the discussions that have taken place today, and we’ll come up with a position immediately,” Damagum said.

The meeting was convened in response to INEC’s June 13 letter rejecting the PDP’s notice for its planned 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was scheduled for June 30. INEC cited non-compliance with its 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, noting the absence of the mandatory joint signatures of the party’s Chairman and National Secretary.

PDP Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, attended the meeting. Other attendees included former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former governors Ahmad Makarfi (Kaduna) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), and former National Secretary Ben Obi.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, raised concerns over the PDP’s inconsistency in identifying its National Secretary, noting that the party had previously adhered to the dual-signature requirement for its NEC meetings.

“There are issues to discuss, and we look forward to this important clarification from the party as to who the Secretary is. In the last couple of months, we received letters from the party saying that one Mr Ude Okoye was the Secretary. Thereafter, the party changed its mind and said it was Anyanwu. Then again, the party changed its mind to say it’s Mr Okoye, and finally said it’s Anyanwu. The last letter from the party actually has no Secretary at all,” Yakubu said.

Damagum acknowledged the party’s internal challenges and noted that the consultation with INEC was an opportunity for constructive dialogue.

Atiku promises game-changing strategy for 2027 polls
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has stated that the 2027 general elections will not follow the familiar patterns of previous contests, as opposition forces are forming a coalition to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In a statement on his social media platform yesterday, Atiku described the coalition as “not a joke” and assured Nigerians that it would soon be unveiled.

“The opposition coalition being put together is not a joke, and it will soon be unveiled,” Atiku said while addressing a delegation of Kannywood personalities and prominent North-West opinion leaders at his Abuja residence. “The envisaged coalition is a deliberate effort to recover and rebuild Nigeria in line with the yearnings and aspirations of the people.”

The delegation, led by Dr. Aslam Aliyu, a Zamfara-based politician and head of the PAA 2027 New Media & Digital Communications Forum, included Kannywood members, the Zamfara Top 10 group, and other regional stakeholders. According to Atiku, the forum expressed regret over their support for the APC during the 2023 elections and pledged renewed support for the opposition’s unity.

“Some members of the forum, who played roles in the election of the President Tinubu-led APC government, expressed deep regrets about foisting an incompetent and clueless leadership on Nigeria,” Atiku said. “I assured the forum that 2027 will not be business as usual.”

Aliyu, speaking on behalf of the delegation, reportedly told Atiku that their renewed engagement stems from a critical review of the 2023 elections, where Bola Tinubu secured the presidency with 8.79 million votes. Atiku followed with 6.98 million votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party garnered 6.1 million.

Meanwhile, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai recently cast doubt on Tinubu’s chances in 2027, suggesting the President would struggle to secure even third place.

“Tinubu can’t win. In fact, he will be lucky if he is third,” El-Rufai said during a live interview on Arise TV, where he also dismissed recent defections to the APC as inconsequential.

INEC says ADA yet to meet criteria for political party registration
The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), which has sought registration as a political party, has not fulfilled the prerequisites for formal registration.

During an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun, explained that while the commission had received numerous letters of intent, none had met the qualifications required for formal application.

“The truth is that we have so many letters of intent presently and none of them is an application yet. They must first meet the criteria before submitting a letter of intent,” Olumekun said.

The ADA’s recent submission omitted “electoral” in addressing the commission, a development noted by INEC. The June 19 application was directed to ‘The Chairman, Independent National Commission (INEC), 436, Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja FCT.’ It was co-signed by Akin Ricketts, protem national chairman of ADA, and Abdullahi Musa Elayo, protem national secretary.

Key figures linked to the ADA initiative include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), former Senate President David Mark, and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi.

INEC emphasised that associations seeking political party status must strictly comply with the procedures outlined in the 2022 Electoral Act and the commission’s internal guidelines, cautioning against attempts to bypass the process.

Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, is set to meet with leaders of the 19 registered political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja tomorrow. The consultative stakeholders’ meeting will include representatives from the media, civil society organisations, and security agencies under the coordination of Yakubu and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who co-chair the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

A senior INEC official disclosed that Yakubu would address ADA-related issues during the meeting.