Politics
No Candidate Was Endorsed at South-South ADC Meeting – Jackie Wayas
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and National Deputy Publicity Secretary (Conventional Media), Jackie Wayas, has clarified that no aspirant was endorsed at the recent meeting of party leaders in the South-South region.
In a statement on Saturday, Wayas said the meeting was convened to deepen unity and strengthen the party’s structure across the region, not to confer support on any presidential hopeful.
She explained that the session brought together key stakeholders and party leaders to assess the party’s progress and chart a coordinated path forward.
According to her, former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, formally notified the regional leadership of his intention to contest for the party’s presidential ticket during the meeting.
She described Amaechi’s declaration as a consultative engagement with his geopolitical zone, in line with party tradition and due process.
“However, consultation must not be misconstrued as endorsement. Engagement does not amount to adoption,” Wayas said, stressing that the purpose of the meeting was to consolidate unity and strengthen the party’s base rather than to back any aspirant.
Wayas added that former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, also reiterated the South-South chapter’s commitment to cohesion and strategic growth, emphasizing that the objective remains the stability and expansion of the ADC at both regional and national levels.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no candidate was endorsed at the meeting. At no point before, during, or after the gathering was any motion introduced, resolution passed, vote conducted, or consensus reached in support of any aspirant,” she stated.
She further dismissed claims that party elders acted outside established procedures, describing such suggestions as unfounded.
Wayas noted that leaders such as former Edo State Governor, John Odigie-Oyegun, have longstanding records of respect for due process and institutional order, making allegations of procedural breaches implausible.
She reaffirmed the ADC’s commitment to internal democracy, stressing that the power to nominate and elect candidates rests with constitutionally recognised organs of the party and its members, not with a handful of leaders at a zonal consultation.
The meeting, she said, ended with a shared resolve among South-South leaders to continue working together to build a stronger and more united ADC capable of advancing its vision across the country.
Leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the South-South region have declared their support for Rotimi Amaechi’s bid for the presidency in 2027, signalling a significant boost for his campaign.
The announcement was made by former Edo State Governor John Odigie-Oyegun during a consultative meeting of ADC South-South leaders held on Friday in Benin City. Odigie-Oyegun said Amaechi formally informed party officials of his presidential ambitions, prompting a unanimous decision to endorse him.
“We are pleased that our son, Rotimi Amaechi, has officially shared his intention to contest the presidency,” Odigie-Oyegun said.
Amaechi, who had earlier stated in July 2025 that he would serve a single term if elected under the ADC, has consistently advocated for a southern candidate, arguing that the South should complete its eight-year tenure before power rotates back to the North. He also highlighted that a strong southern candidate would strengthen the party’s appeal in the region.
While pledging to support whichever candidate emerges as the party’s flagbearer, Amaechi encouraged the ADC to select someone capable of convincing Nigerians that meaningful change is possible.
The South-South endorsement marks a key moment in the early political alignments shaping up ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has dismissed speculations that he is planning to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following his meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking with journalists after the closed-door meeting on Friday, Mohammed said his visit was strictly focused on governance and security cooperation, not politics or party realignment.
“I am a PDP man. I am not here for politics or defection. I am here for governance and partnership,” the governor stated, describing reports linking his visit to a possible defection as unfounded.
He explained that he briefed the President on the deteriorating security situation in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where banditry has escalated due to ungoverned forest areas surrounding the Daji Dam.
According to him, he had earlier visited affected communities with security officials to assess the situation and subsequently submitted a detailed report to the Federal Government seeking urgent intervention.
Mohammed said President Tinubu responded positively and issued directives aimed at strengthening security operations in the area.
The governor also called for enhanced interstate collaboration to address banditry, proposing a joint security summit involving Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau and Gombe states.
Reiterating his longstanding support for the establishment of state police, Mohammed argued that although the initiative would be financially demanding, it would ease pressure on federal security agencies and improve accountability at the state level.
“We are very ready for state police. We have always supported it because it will reduce the burden on the Federal Government and make governors more responsive and accountable,” he added.
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in the state on November 15, 2025.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled in a suit filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi, granting the reliefs sought by the claimant.
In a certified true copy of the judgment, the court held that the PDP satisfied all necessary conditions to conduct its national convention, regardless of whether it was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The judge resolved all issues raised in the suit in favour of the claimant, declaring that once properly convened, the convention was validly constituted and its resolutions binding on all relevant authorities and individuals.
The defendants in the suit included the PDP, its National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and Governor Umar Fintiri of Adamawa State.
The claimant had sought an interim injunction restraining any action capable of disrupting the convention, as well as an order directing the party leadership to adhere strictly to its guidelines, timetable and schedule of activities.
The case forms part of a series of conflicting court decisions surrounding the convention. While the Oyo High Court had earlier directed the party to proceed with the event, a Federal High Court in Abuja reportedly issued a restraining order shortly before the convention.
During the convention, new national officers, including the national chairman and members of the National Working Committee, were elected.
However, a subsequent judgment by a Federal High Court in Ibadan nullified the convention and barred the elected officials from parading themselves as party leaders.
The latest ruling further intensifies the legal battle over the PDP’s leadership and the legitimacy of its national convention.