The Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi and Delta states, on Saturday, elected new party executives.
On Saturday, 2,549 party delegates gathered at the Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi, to elect new leadership during a congress.
At the congress, Samaila Burga was elected as the state chairman of the party.
Until his election, Burga was the Principal Private Secretary to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Speaking after his swearing-in, Burga, who emerged unopposed, said the PDP was poised to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress at the centre and return Nigeria to days of glory.
“The days of the ruling All Progressives Congress at the centre are over by 2027. Our emergence as party leaders in the state is a victory for all faithful. It is a sign that PDP will secure the presidency, governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly seats in the next general election,” he said.
Burga, who reiterated that the beauty of a party was to win elections, lauded the immediate-past PDP leadership in the state for its tenacity and strategy that helped the party to win the governorship elections in the state in 2019 and 2023.
He appealed to other members of the executive to consolidate the success of the party by ensuring that PDP coasts to power in 2027.
He advised party leaders against discord in the party’s primary which may scuttle the plan to win the state in 2027.
“Let us be united and build the party to secure victory come 2027,” he assured
The congress was attended by the Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Suleiman Abubakar; Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Kashima, party faithful and delegates from the 20 Local Governments.
In Delta State, former governors, James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan, alongside the immediate-past deputy governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, were absent at the PDP congress held in Asaba.
However, 3,152 delegates, including the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori; Deputy Governor, Monday Onyeme, immediate-past Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the senators, Ned Nwoko and James Manager, and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, voted for the new leadership of the party at an exercise conducted by PDP officials from Abuja, led by Prof Frank Okafor.
The event was also supervised by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission and independent observers.
Okafor commended the peaceful conduct of the congress which, he said, was held following party rules.
The new state chairman, Chief Solomon Arenyeka; deputy chairman, Mr Moses Iduh, among other officials, emerged unopposed during the congress.
Speaking to journalists, Oborevwori described the event as peaceful and appreciated the unity within the party.
“You can see that the congress is peaceful. We also thank God for the good weather today. You can see that we are united in Delta State. That’s why you see there is no crisis,” the governor remarked.
He asked the incoming PDP State Executive Committee to prioritise unity within the party and work towards its continued strength, especially as the party looks ahead to the 2027 elections.