The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week suspended the former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, for alleged anti-party activities.
The same week, the ex-National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, predicted President Bola Tinubu’s defeat in the 2027 general election.
These and three other stories we tracked dominated public discourse in the country last week.
1. PDP suspends Dino Melaye
On September 13, the PDP executives in Ayetoro/Iluagba Ward 1 of Kogi State suspended Melaye for alleged anti-party activities.
The committee said the decision to suspend Melaye was taken following the review of a report presented by a disciplinary committee set up to investigate the ex-senator’s actions.
The statement read: “The suspension of Senator Dino Melaye is a result of his alleged anti-party activities, which have been deemed detrimental to the party’s interests and unity.”
Why it matters
The suspension of the ex-lawmaker suggests that the party is yet to overcome the crisis that gripped it since 2022 despite the public posturing of its interim national leadership.
The frequent conflicts in the PDP and others lend credence to the fact that there would always be various tendencies in a political grouping, with each pulling at narrow interests.
All said, how the party handles the challenges and pulls its members together will determine how it fares in the years ahead and most importantly offer itself as a credible alternative to the disappointing All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2027 general election.
2. Salihu Lukman predicts Tinubu’s defeat in 2027 election
A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), North-West, Salihu Lukman, declared on September 11 that Nigerians would vote out President Bola Tinubu in the next general election.
Lukman stated this when he featured on Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.
He said the APC has failed Nigerians and does not deserve to remain in power beyond 2027.
“This country cannot continue like this. What I know is that something will have to give. Whether that act of giving will produce something that will correct all the mess around is what I am pushing.
“I guarantee you and I am confident that the same way we were able to get the military out of power, we are going to correct the current mess.
“We are going to get to a situation where we have a functional political party, and APC and President Asiwaju (Tinubu) will be defeated in 2027,” the party’s ex-chieftain stated.
Why it matters
While Lukman may have spoken the minds of Nigerians on the performance of the Tinubu administration since May 29, his constant criticism of the president and the manner of his exit from the APC suggests that he has a personal axe to grind with the people managing the party’s affairs.
If indeed his constant rhetoric is about Nigerians, why did he have to wait this long before expressing his displeasure about the running of the country by the APC? Or he is simply crying wolf because he felt short-changed by the party or Tinubu’s administration having worked for the party’s success in the last election?
3. Obi denies claim on VP role
The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, on September 14, denied claims that he expressed willingness to be a vice presidential candidate in the 2027 poll.
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Saturday, vehemently denied claims that he expressed willingness to be a vice presidential candidate to any particular candidate.
READ ALSO:QuickRead: Abdulsalami’s committee on 2023 presidential election. Four other stories we tracked and why they matter
He made the clarification in a post on his X handle following a recent interview with News Central TV, where he discussed his presidential ambition, the Labour Party, and Nigeria’s economic situation.
“I have been inundated with calls and concerns regarding the interview I granted to News Central TV… Some fifth columnists have resorted to propaganda, deliberately distorting the narrative,” Obi stated.
Why it matters
Obi like every other Nigerian is qualified to vie for the country’s highest political office under the 1999 constitution and with his performance in the last election where he defied expectations by polling eight million votes, he deserves another shot for the plum job.
Whether he will still enjoy the goodwill among Nigerians who are desperately craving a change following the misrule of the APC-led governments in the last nine years, by the time the next election window opens is another matter entirely.
4. Wike’s position on Fubara
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said on September 13 that he would never support the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, politically again.
He stated this in a Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.
The minister berated Fubara for lying against him.
Wike said: “I will never support Fubara in my political life again. Anybody knows me, it’s not about me. People laboured to put up a structure.
“People laboured, you wouldn’t have even taken the 50th position. I sacrificed to talk to the Ogonis, I sacrificed to talk to several other people who let us go this way.”
Why it matters
The minister’s remarks show that politics is an interest-driven game, casting light on how a supposed close friendship can quickly be jettisoned in the pursuit of political goals.
The strained relationship could cause a huge setback to the governor’s bid for re-election in 2027 with forces, including the APC in the state waiting to capitalize on the current bad blood between the two men to wreck the ambition.
5. DSS arrests Ajaero, invades SERAP office
The Department of State Service (DSS) on September 9 arrested the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, in Abuja.
The NLC chief was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while traveling to the United Kingdom for an official assignment.
The same day, the agency laid siege on the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja and demanded to meet with the organisation’s directors.
In a statement posted on its X handle, SERAP described the action as an “unlawful occupation” and urged President Tinubu to intervene immediately to protect the rights of Nigerians.
The statement read: “President Tinubu must immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation, and attack on the rights of Nigerians,” SERAP’s statement read. “This unlawful occupation is a clear violation of our rights and freedoms, and we will not stand idly by while our work is disrupted.”
Why it matters
The development shows that the government has become increasingly jittery as dissatisfaction grows over its poor handling of the country’s socio-economic challenges.
Therefore, it means the government will do all it can to silence perceived enemies using the state’s instruments.
While the government attempts to suppress dissenting voices using unorthodox approaches, it should be expected that the Nigerians will get more emboldened in their demand for good governance to improve their living conditions.
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