Personality in Focus
2023: Why Tambuwal May Spring Surprise, Clinch PDP’s Presidential Ticket
As Nigeria’s main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) makes final preparation for its highly anticipated presidential primaries scheduled for this weekend in Abuja, the aspirants are also in final race to politick their way to pick the party’s coveted ticket.
For over three months now, aspirants have transversed the length and breadth of the country meeting party delegates to sell their ambition of being the party’s flag bearer ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.
One of the aspirants and a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi on Wednesday resigned his membership of the party and also pulled out of the race for the party’s ticket reducing the contenders to 14.
The 14 presidential aspirants as of Thursday include; former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, two former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim as well as Governors Aminu Tambuwa, Nyesom Wike, Bala Mohammed, Emmanuel Udom, of Sokoto, Rivers, Bauchi and Akwa Ibom states respectively.
Others are businessman, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Governors Peter Obi and Ayo Fayose of Anambra and Ekiti States, Chief Sam Ohunabunwa, Dele Momodu, Charles Okwudili, Chikwendu Kalu, Cosmos Ndukwe and Olivia Tarela, who is the only female among the PDP presidential aspirants.
However, while the race appears tight and competitive, the odds seem to be in favour of the incumbent governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.
Tambuwal controls largest share of delegates by region
In search of the best candidate to take PDP to victory come 2023, several speculations have been made in favour of Atiku with citation of his political record in 2018, during which he polled 1,532 votes at the PDP’s primaries to secure the party’s ticket and marched to keenly contest with President Muhammadu Buhari – he (Atiku) garnered 11,262,978 (41%) while Buhari Buhari of claimed 15,191,847 (56%).
For those on this lane, there are two points that have been gravely ignored, one of which is that the dynamics of politics in Nigeria today are unfavourable for Atiku and the second factor is that Tambuwal’s feat at the same 2018, where he trailed Atiku after securing 693 votes is highly underrated – not everyone is aware that the Sokoto State Governor continued to nurture his strength and political structure while Atiku on his side abandoned his political house after losing out in the last presidential election.
With President Muhammadu Buhari withholding assent on the Amended Electoral Act 2022, Tambuwal’s call to a new political glory was made more pronounced. This is because the Northwest Zone where he hails from would be presenting the highest number of delegates to the convention given the region’s superior number of local governments. The zone comprises of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States – and most of these states are in his pocket (Tambuwal).
Only 811 voting delegates are expected at the PDP convention, they include 774 national delegates (1 Per LGA and 37 special delegates (People with disability from each of the 36 states and FCT).
There is an aggregate of 186 national delegates in the Northwest and Tambuwal is the only candidate presented by the region. Firstly, there is no gainsaying that he (Tambuwal) will clear all the delegates’ votes in Sokoto. In Kano, Tambuwal has also become a favourite leader following the exit of a former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso in PDP. Jigawa, is controlled by Tambuwal’s ally, former governor, Sule Lamido who has seized the territory for his friend.
Tambuwal is also a force to reckon with in Katsina, although Wike’s man, Senator Garba Lado is also doing his best to get some votes. Tambuwal’s train is also strongly stationed in Kaduna and Kebbi but Atiku and Saraki will give him a fight here. In Zamafara, General Aliyu Gusau is supporting Saraki, however, Tambuwal and can’t be written off in the state.
A PDP chieftain in the region muted that power brokers are open to supporting a northern consensus candidate and Tambuwal, it was said stands a higher chance than Atiku as he is seen as very accessible and also enjoys the home advantage factor in this zone.
More impressively, Tambuwal isn’t that far from taking a win as other contenders will only jostle for leftover votes in other regions and he (Tambuwal) is still part of the party. Wike will be struggling at his own home front in South-South, and might not be able to pick more than Rivers and Cross Rivers. In North-East, Atiku has Tambuwal, Saraki and Wike to fiercely contend with. In North-Central, Saraki though will win his state may have to still battle for survival as Tambuwal, Wike, Atiku also take their own share. In the South-East, Wike will have an edge since he is working with some governors but besides the fact that votes here is not as sizeable as in other regions, Tambuwal still stands strong with the support he is getting from the former governor of Imo State Emeka Ihedioha.
Power brokers, stakeholders in the North are backing Tambuwal
With the defeat of the southern presidency agenda which paved way for an open contest for the PDP’s ticket, most power brokers in the northern part of Nigeria are settling for a candidate who is reasonable and not so difficult to relate with – Tambwual mien puts him miles above a high-and-mighty Atiku in this stance.
Only recently, when the gruesome murder of a defenceless student, Deborah of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto by her irate schoolmates had troubled Sokoto State and many had feared the tension escalate and spread to other states, however, it was Tambuwal’s responsiveness, liberality and willingness to work with others that saved the day and by a large extension doused the wake of a likely religious tension in the country.
From his days as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2011 to 2015, he has continued to build bridges. Close and confidential sources around the Sokoto Governor describe him as one of the most down-to-earth politicians, meeting people on their own terms and engaging with them in a manner like never before. He takes his politics personal and is keen on maintaining quality conversations with people around him, never taking decisions on his own, which is why he had a balanced House of Representatives as Speaker, giving key positions to members of the House in an equitable manner. He also carried everyone along and made sure that consultation was the theme of the day before taking any critical decision.
Still, it’s worth emphasizing that it might be just a few days away from the d-day but in politics, there’s an incredibly wide range of results that are within the margin of error.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has died. He was aged 90.
Oba Olakulehin, who ascended the throne in July 2024, died in the early hours of Monday, July 7, 2025, after spending a year on the throne, and two days after his 90th birthday
Oba Olakulehin received the staff of office from Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde, on July 12, 2024, as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Oba Olakulehin ascended the throne from the chieftancy rung of Balogun Olubadan, following the demise of Oba (Dr.) Moshood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, who died at the age of 81 years on March 14, 2024.
Personality in Focus
Things Fall Apart Festival 2025: Chimamanda Adichie Calls for Igbo Unity, Honoured by ATPN
Global literary icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been inducted as an Honorary Fellow of theAssociation of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), in recognition of her remarkable contributions to promoting Nigeria’s cultural identity through literature. Her works, which have earned worldwide acclaim, continue to project Nigerian—and particularly Igbo—culture on the global stage.
The honorary induction took place during the Things Fall Apart Festival (TFA) 2025, held in Enugu and organized by the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo, with endorsement from the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and the ATPN, and in partnership with iTour Africa. The festival is a celebration of the legacy of Chinua Achebe’s timeless novel, Things Fall Apart.
Adichie, who chaired the festival, delivered a stirring address that emphasized the urgent need for unity and cultural pride among the Igbo people. Also present at the event were several dignitaries including Sir Ike Chioke, Managing Director of Afrinvest; Sir Emeka Mba, former DG of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and founder of Afia TV; and celebrated actor Chief Nkem Owoh (Osuofia).
Speaking on behalf of ATPN National President Omo-Oba Adetunji Femi Fadina, the association’s Deputy President II, Wilson Uche Ugwu, emphasized the vital role of cultural identity in tourism development. He urged Nigerians—especially the Igbo—to take pride in their heritage and support initiatives that preserve and promote indigenous culture. Ugwu also reaffirmed ATPN’s commitment to professionalism among tourism practitioners and the need to avoid distorting Nigeria’s rich history and traditions.
In her keynote speech, Chimamanda Adichie made a powerful call for internal reflection and unity within the Igbo community:
“Ndigbo k’anyi tetalu n’ura. Let us wake up. Ife emebigo n’ala Igbo. Things have fallen apart in Igbo land,” she said. “We often speak of political marginalisation, and indeed any honest assessment of post-war Nigerian history acknowledges that. But before we can truly challenge external forces, we must first ‘clean house.’ We are giving those who want to marginalise us even more reasons to justify their actions.”
She stressed that unity does not mean uniformity but a conscious choice to collaborate for a greater goal despite differences.
“If all governors and senators from the Igbo-speaking states come together and set aside party affiliations, it would bestow a significant bargaining power to influence policies beneficial to the region.”
Adichie also delved into the erosion of Igbo language and identity, lamenting the decline of Igbo literature and the increasing pride in raising children who do not speak their native tongue.
“Languages are beautiful, and the more languages a child can speak, the better. But what’s happening in Igbo land is not about the ability to learn languages—it is about the lack of value for what is ours. Even our naming culture is eroding. We now give names not for their meaning, but for how ‘Western’ they sound.”
She drew parallels with the Germanic tribes, who despite having multiple dialects, united to form a modern German state. In contrast, she warned that internal divisions within Igbo society, often rooted in political rather than cultural identities, are weakening the community.
“Igbo is Igbo. Nobody is more Igbo than another. The distinctions we make today—‘Anambra Igbo,’ ‘Delta Igbo’—are political, not cultural. Our strength lies in our unity.”
The Things Fall Apart Festival 2025 served not only as a celebration of Achebe’s literary genius but also as a rallying point for cultural rebirth and communal introspection. It was a fitting occasion to honour Chimamanda Adichie, a torchbearer of African storytelling and cultural preservation.
Famous American televangelist, Jimmy Swaggart, has died at the age of 90.
Jimmy Swaggart’s death was announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
He reportedly died two weeks after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Louisiana home on June 15 2025.
The once most recognized Pentecostal preacher in the United States, was brought down in the late 1980s by sex scandals.
The pastor of the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, was reportedly caught on camera in 1988 with a prostitute in New Orleans.
Jimmy Swaggart was embroiled in a prostitution controversy in 1988 after he accused Marvin Gorman, his fellow preacher, of infidelity.
In retaliation, Gorman hired a private investigator who caught Swaggart with a prostitute.
The development triggered a national scandal, prompting him to temporarily step down from preaching.
Addressing the incident during a tearful sermon in 1988, Jimmy Swaggart apologized to his parishioners.
“I have sinned against you. I beg you to forgive me”, he said.
After the scandal, he, however, continued preaching for decades, but with a reduced audience.
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