Political parties are realigning ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Groups and political leaders are endorsing candidates.

Results of presidential and National Assembly elections have altered plans of candidates, leading to alliance talks.

That was the case in Oyo, Kwara, Ogun, Rivers, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Delta.

In Lagos State, alliance talks between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) were made public.

In Adamawa, LP’s governorship candidate, Umar Mustapha, dropped his ambition in favour of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Senator Aishatu Binani.

Although it is expected that more of the alliances would be more pronounced before the polls, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) cautioned its members, officials and candidates against forming alliances with any political party.

Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Hakeem Amode, who disclosed the opposition parties alliance talks, said the goal was to defeat the ruling APC.

Amode said: “We are talking with the LP, but cannot diffuse our structure; they are to join us. The talk is ongoing, but we have not concluded anything yet.

“We are also talking to Accord, ADC (African Development Congress), Boot Party and several others.

“Our candidate, Olajide Adediran has also made this known. So, what I can say is that we are talking to many parties and as many as are ready to work with us, we are ready to form an alliance.

“Once we conclude our talks, all we need to do is to come to the media and announce our alliance.”

A leading LP supporter in the state and Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, had said the party would consider available options to defeat the APC in the state.

However, an LP chieftain had earlier said the party was “not considering any alliance with the PDP.”

In Kwara, the PDP Chairman, Babatunde Mohammed, said other opposition parties in the state were united to work together and “vote out APC.”.

Mohammed, while unveiling a five-point agenda by the PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, in Ilorin, said: “We are on the same page with other political parties on the next election, with the exception of APC. We are working together already.

“The other political parties in Kwara State also believe in unison because they have agreed with us to work as a team as a strategy to oust the present APC in the state in the next polls.”

But the Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairman in the state, Abdulazeez Afolabi, said his party would go to the poll alone.

LP’s candidate in Adamawa, Mustapha, at a briefing in Yola, said he would work to ensure Binani’s victory on Saturday.

Mustapha, who is popularly known as Otumba, said: “I am confident that Binani will provide a people-centred leadership that will prioritise human capital and resource development that will prosper Adamawa State.

“That is why I am calling on all my supporters to come out on Saturday, March 11, and vote for Distinguished Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani as Governor of Adamawa State.”

He added that he had decided to put all the structures at Binani’s disposal.

The APC candidate, who appreciated the endorsement, said it would boost her chances of becoming the next governor of the state.

But in Oyo where the State Working Committee (SWC) of the LP, Tunji Sadiq, said the party would work with Governor Seyi Makinde, the LP candidate, Tawfik Akinwale, described the decision as strange.

Sadiq told a news conference in Ibadan yesterday that the LP SWC decided to back Makinde after an “unbiased assessment” of Akinwale revealed that he cannot win the election.

The chairman said: “On our thorough assessment of the various governorship candidates for the March 11, 2023 election in terms of character, competence, capacity, and compassion for people, His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, excels above the others.

“Therefore, we, at the LP Oyo State, have decided to use the entire structure of our party throughout the 33 local government areas to support his re-election for another four years.

“Tawfiq Akinwale is the candidate of the party but the party structure did an unbiased and dispassionate assessment of our governorship candidate and found out that, on a normal day, there is no way he will win that election.

“It will be unhealthy for us to know what will become of our aspiration and still go ahead.”

But Akinwale said he could not imagine that “some people, for a selfish reason, would say they are backing a party that the people of Oyo State have rejected due to its misrule and misgovernance at the expense of LP, which is the rave of the moment and party the people are looking up to.”

He added: “It is absurd. It is strange to all known political settings and reasoning. In fact, it is a beer parlour politics that can never hold ground. How can it be?

“I am still in the race as the governorship candidate of the LP in Oyo State and I have and will not step down for anybody.

“The people who did that are those who are irresponsible, shameless and don’t understand what they are doing because of selfish reasons.

“To set the records straight, Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale remains the legal and recognised Labour Party governorship candidate and has not stepped down for any party or any individual.”

Also yesterday, the APC in the state said no group within its fold endorsed Makinde’s re-election bid.

The APC was reacting to a media report, which claimed that some pro-Tinubu Support Groups like the Southern for Tinubu BAT Democracy, Yoruba Campaign for BAT and Tinubu Campaign Movement had ditched the party’s governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, for Makinde.

The spokesperson for the party in the state, Olawale Sadare, said: “We would like to state that there are no pro-Tinubu Groups registered with Oyo APC by the names mentioned above…..Southern for Tinubu BAT Democracy, Yoruba Campaign for BAT and Tinubu Campaign Movement

“The names mentioned in the fallacious news report are fictitious. The latest fake news came from the same unscrupulous elements who promoted one non-existing Alhaji Bashir Adeola as Oyo APC Chieftain purportedly supporting the governor.

“They (groups) are being sponsored to promote fake endorsement of the governor’s second term ambition with a view to mislead the electorate.”

In Ogun, scores of supporters of the former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the late Buruji Kashamu and Jimi Lawal, agreed to work for the re-election of Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Also, the Allied Peoples Movement candidate in the last Saturday National Assembly election for Ipokia/Yewa South Constituency, Kolawole Lawal, dumped the party for the APC.

One of the leaders of the late Kashamu group, Ola Kukoyi, said they no longer had a future in the PDP and hence, their decision to back Abiodun.

“When our leader died, we decided we couldn’t be looking. We searched for a candidate that is presentable for the state.

“We picked Jimi Lawal. We all know what is happening both from the national to the state level of PDP,

“We now decided to stand behind a person who means well for our state and therefore, we decided that the Joshua of our time who will lead us to the Promised Land is Prince Dapo Abiodun.”

Abiodun, while welcoming his endorsement, noted that he would look out for their success.

Rivers APC faction in alliance with PDP

A faction of the Rivers State chapter of the APC-led by Tony Okocha, at the weekend directed its members to work for the victory of PDP’s Sim Fubara on Saturday.

Okocha, a former Chief of Staff to former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said it was a payback time for Governor, Nyesom Wike, whom he claimed was instrumental in the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Rivers last Saturday.

He said: “We will reciprocate the governor’s gesture by supporting who the governor wants us to support.

“The governor told Rivers people to vote for someone that will support the state. He mobilised human beings and resources to ensure this victory.”

But the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Darlington Nwauju, countered Okocha, saying he was not in the position to speak for the party.

Obi-Datti groups endorse YPP, APC candidates

Many LP leaders in Akwa Ibom at the weekend endorsed the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bassey Akpan.

Apostle Otoabasi Asuquo and OtoAbasi Ntiah, on behalf of Obi-Datti groups, said in a statement that leaders of over 100 Obidient Support Groups were supporting the YPP candidate.

“We have finally seen a man that is competent to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

“We the directors and leaders of the Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom have decided to support a leader full of compassion and humility,” he said.

Also in Delta State, a group, Obidients Movement, said it would work with the APC candidate, Ovia Omo-Agege, ahead of the poll on Saturday.

The group which is led by Nnamaka Konyegwachie explained that the decision was taken because the state needed a breath of fresh air.

Konyegwachie said that the Obidient Movement decided to support Omo-Agege because he has “character and is a man of the people”.

Ex-governor Chime endorses Mbah

Former Governor of Enugu State Sullivan Chime endorsed the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Peter Mbah for Saturday’s election.

Chime, at an interactive session with Mbah, in Enugu, said: “Mbah is the best Enugu State can offer now”.

The former governor, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), added: “I have had interactions not just with him (Mbah), but also Frank Nweke, Chijioke Edeoga, and to me, looking at the field, Peter Mbah is the best candidate.”

“I have no reservations whatsoever in endorsing and supporting him. I believe, knowing Peter Mbah too well, that he will not disappoint Enugu”.

NNPP warns against alliance

The NNPP has warned its members, officials and candidates against allying with any political party to win the governorship and legislative elections.

The party gave the warning in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Agbo Major, in Abuja yesterday.

They advised the members to stay focused, campaign vigorously and ensure that their candidates emerged victorious.

Major said: “Our great party is not in any alliance with any political party in these elections.

“Accordingly, party officers, members and candidates at all levels are not authorised to discuss, negotiate or form any alliance with any political party to win the upcoming gubernatorial and legislative polls.

“Anyone who endorses a candidate of another political party will be sanctioned in line with the NNPP Constitution ranging from suspension from office, suspension from the party and possibly expulsion. “

But the NNPP candidate in Kaduna State, Suleiman Hunkuyi, called for an alliance between opposition parties in the state, to enable them to defeat the ruling APC.

Hunkuyi argued that realignment within 24 hours among the opposition parties was enough to sack the APC government.

However, LP said it was not ready for any alliance as its candidate Jonathan Asake is the best and will not step down for any candidate. (The Nation)

Update news