₦airaland Forum

In a surprising twist ahead of the August 30, 2025, local government elections in Rivers State, both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have aligned to produce consensus chairmanship candidates across the 23 Local Government Areas. Abuja Formula 1 Grand Prix tickets

Most nominees are former council chairmen and loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, whose influence remains strong despite ongoing political tensions in the state

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However, some factional PDP and APC members have kicked against the process and vowed to boycott the election, saying it is an exercise in “futility.”

Spokesman of the Emeka Bekee-led APC, Darlington Nwauju, insisted that the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, has no constitutional right to constitute an electoral body, stating that only a democratically elected governor has the authority to constitute such board.

He said until the right thing is done, the primaries are a joke and a waste of state resources.

But justifying the coalition of PDP and APC at the primaries, former Obio/Akpor Local Government chairman, George Ariolu, said it is a normal thing for political families to agree on a consensus.

He said, “It is a normal thing to agree on a consensus candidate and it is enshrined in the constitution.

It is a matter of understanding; almost all the parties have such understanding in their constitution. The consensus is to tame acrimony and bitterness. When you have consensus as a family, it brings peace and understanding within the political circle. It is not just us; others do it to avoid political bickering.”

He confirmed that both APC and PDP agreed on the candidates.

He said, “Both PDP and APC came together and agreed on a candidate. Our leader, the Minister of FCT, is PDP but he works with President Bola Tinubu of APC, so we have the political understanding and love among ourselves.

He (Wike) has found love and favour before the President, so the political harmony is important.”

During the Saturday primaries, several candidates emerged across various local government areas (LGAs). In Asari-Toru, Onengiyeofori George was selected under the APC, while Ikwerre produced Charles Wobodo, also of the APC. Emohua saw Chidi Lloyd emerge as the PDP candidate, and Khana chose Thomas Bariere Ariar from the APC. Mbakpone Okpe clinched the APC ticket in Tai, while Akuro Tobin did the same in Okrika. Shedrack Chukwu was nominated by the PDP in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, and Uchechukwu Obasi secured the APC slot in Omuma. In Degema, Michael Williams was selected under the APC, while Port Harcourt chose Allwell Ihunda of the PDP. Vincent Nemioboka emerged as the APC candidate in Ogu/Bolo, and Owolobi Ofori represented the APC in Abua/Odual. Obio/Akpor saw Gift Worlu emerge under the PDP, and Etche selected Chima Njoku of the APC.

Meanwhile, several reactions have continued to trail the primaries and the proposed August 30 elections. The Rivers State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has threatened to take all necessary legal and democratic steps to halt the planned State Council polls.

However, political observers are watching to see how events unfold in the coming days.

Maxymilliano:
https://guardian.ng/politics/rivers-lg-polls-apc-pdp-unite-adopt-consensus-candidates/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwL8jG1jbGNrAvyMaGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEetI32ZU5972QA9mwZtTBdy7MwI1x5TEGtVlc_2G1A--hw4z8jdKPgmEj2OUA_aem_cg8zoPz4AmWPCgM3CZe3Ig

anonimi:
2023: PDP and politics of healing Wike’s self-inflicted injury

Then, the race began in earnest for three years now, reaching a frenzy with the works of the two PDP committees on zoning. The first was the Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi committee on the zoning of the PDP party offices. The Ugwuanyi committee quickly told the world the committee’s assignment did not cover zoning the office of the president. Though this was true, the question is: why didn’t the Ugwuanyi committee zone the PDP chairmanship to the North without aligning it to the divide that would produce the PDP presidential flag-bearer? The second committee headed by Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue state was specifically on the zoning of the presidential ticket and, with the votes of the representatives of all the 17 Southern states without any exception, the Committee unanimously recommended throwing open the PDP presidential ticket, which the PDP NEC simply upheld.

One thing irrefutably stands out – Wike shot himself in the leg. Here was a man who had an overarching influence on both committees but could not insist that the ticket be zoned South. Many had wondered why? The reason is also relatively in plain sight: the Southeast factor. As the clamour for zoning of the presidential ticket of the PDP to South reached its crescendo, many had pointed out the fact that though the PDP Constitution had prescribed zoning of the office of the president to be between North and South since the South-west and South-south had taken their turns in producing the president and the vice in this current dispensation in the persons of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, zoning this time around, should not just be to the South but the Southeast.

Atiku Abubakar went a step further by offering to step down from the race if it would be agreed that the touted zoning to the South would mean micro-zoning to the Southeast. Wike and the rest could not take the Atiku challenge maybe because Atiku would likely back Peter Obi, who was his vice-presidential running mate in 2019 and an ally. The prospects of Peter Obi picking the ticket if PDP zoned South was so real compelling Wike to go for an open contest, believing he could pick it up ahead of Atiku, Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed, given his large war chest.

https://www.thecable.ng/2023-pdp-and-politics-of-healing-wikes-self-inflicted-injury/amp

Creamypie:
Just see mockery of democracy.

More like women of easy virtues colluding with armed robbers. Na the same wrapper tie them together

anonimi:
“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events.

He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics.

The slowpoke doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.”

― Bertolt Brecht

Creamypie:
Just see mockery of democracy. More like women of easy virtues colluding with armed robbers. Na the same wrapper tie them together

blamingthedevil:
Template for 2027 election

This is what is called Coalition

anonimi:
Wike is doing well for himself after getting rid of the Anambra wannabe godfather to make it easier for ebilokan to continue APC shege on the basis of 100% indirect votes for him in the five SE states.

iwaeda:
What they will do in 2027, APC and PDP will stand on its mandate. ADC, five steps ahead of them.

AviatorMoney:
Mister!

Where are the five south east state that Wike can give votes from? What power does he have in south east states?

jameshankss:
Arguing that Obi’s presidential bid would only work in favour of Tinubu, Soludo said, “Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign, because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP.”

Obi, according to Soludo, would only deplete the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pave the path for an APC victory.

He stated, “The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South-east has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a four-way race (it is a two-way race in the other five regions) thereby, ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/15/soludo-i-wont-succumb-to-bullies-obi-knows-he-cant-win/

DomPerignon:
I have long predicted that southern PDP will form a coalition with APC and adopt Tinubu as their candidate.

This Rivers coalition is just the begining.

anonimi:
Wike is doing well for himself after getting rid of the Anambra wannabe godfather to make it easier for ebilokan to continue APC shege on the basis of 100% indirect votes for him in the five SE states.

anonimi:
Wike is doing well for himself after getting rid of the Anambra wannabe godfather to make it easier for ebilokan to continue APC shege on the basis of 100% indirect votes for him in the five SE states.

anonimi:
What efforts has creamy pie made to reduce this situation from happening with women of easy virtues

poiZon:
I keep saying this, ugwanyi n Orton had the opportunity to decide where the pdp presidential candidate was supposed to be from, they messed up totally.

The same people now stood in front of camera be dishing out cheap lies cos they know their followers R illiterates.

Ortom headed the committee on zoning, he threw it open cos he was trying to be clever by not miccrozoning it to southeast against his Master's choice.

anonimi:
Ratio of public to private schools in Lagos State is one to 22 ― Commissioner
September 4, 2022

The Lagos State government has said the ratio of public to private schools at both primary and secondary school levels in the state is one to 22.

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, gave the revelation in her remark at the 2022 edition of the Total School Support Seminar Exhibition (TOSSE) held at Oregun in Ikeja between Thursday and Friday.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/ratio-of-public-to-private-schools-in-lagos-state-is-one-to-22-%E2%80%95-commissioner/

anonimi:
Not him.

Obi and his one way traffic tribal supporters gave ebilokan the 100% votes indirectly to plunge us into this extension of APC shege extreme poverty.

anonimi:
Do you think that the 150 governors of the 36 states are making us illiterate and uneducated deliberately since the return to democracy 26 years ago?

Even the progreThieves of Lagos have failed to make education free for all children in schools with adequate professional teachers and other staff who are well paid.

Can you imagine the level of failure in the 36 states despite Obasanjo/Atiku PDP administration’s establishment of UBEC to provide matching federal funds to the states to ensure nine years of free and compulsory education for all children?