The Coalition Of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex sociopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone after a meeting of its leadership have perfected arrangements and plans to organize a 5 million man grand endorsement rally in support of our esteemed president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Distinguish Senator representing Abia North senatorial zone in the Senate , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, in the upcoming elections come 2027.

In an official press statement signed by Comrade Goodluck Ibem (President General) and Comrade Okey Nwaoru (Publicity Secretary) which was made public on Monday, 14th April, 2025, the group noted that Kalu has impacted the lives of people in the southeast via his leadership prowess and henceforth it was time to pay him back by mobilizing and overwhelming support on his behalf.

You will recall Kalu has won the best Performing Senator in Nigeria, an award given by Senate Press Corp. He has won this award three times consecutively.

COSEYL through the letter confirmed that they will mobilize, sensitize and deliver over 90% of votes to Kalu in Abia North and President Tinubu across the Southeast geopolitical zone.

“The rally is scheduled to take place in Abia State, and we will mobilize 5 million citizens from across the South East geopolitical zone. Our group is committed to ensuring a well-organized event that will serve as a platform to highlight the outstanding leadership of President Bola Tinubu and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu .

“We aim to mobilize the masses, showcasing the positive transformations led by Senator Kalu in Abia North constituency and reinforcing the president’s vision for our nation’s continued progress.”

This event is crucial in building momentum for the 2027 campaigns and ensuring that the South East remains a strong pillar of support for the President and Senator Kalu come 2027 general elections.” The Group opined.

The group further said that the huge and novel infrastructural developments Klau has attracted to Abia North and by extension Southeast has never been felt by the people of the zone.

“Truly, the people of South East are very pleased and very certified with the exceptional leadership and transformational contributions of Distinguish Senator Orji Uzor Kalu the Senator representing Abia North senatorial district in the Senate, which have significantly impacted the South East geopolitical zone, and will contribute immensely to securing a 90 percent electoral victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming elections come 2027.

“Senator Orji Kalu has proven to be a beacon of progress, consistently working toward the betterment of our region through building and renovations of schools, massive road construction, huge investment in agriculture for food sufficiency, youth empowerment programs and other democracy dividends too numerous to mention.

“Their unwavering commitment to the people has led to notable improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other areas, fostering a sense of unity, trust, and development that has resonated deeply with constituents.

“Given this track record of success, it is clear that the Senator Kalu’s efforts have laid a strong foundation for ensuring that our geopolitical zone will overwhelmingly support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next election come 2027.

“Their transformational performance has created a groundswell of support, positioning us to achieve a remarkable 90 percent electoral victory in favor of the President.

“We are confident that with Senator Orji Kalu leading the way, the future is bright for both our region and the nation as a whole. Together, we are poised for success in the upcoming election, and we look forward to the continued progress under President Tinubu’s leadership,” COSEYL asserted.

A political spat has erupted between the sons of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed over their fathers’ presidential ambitions.

Atiku’s son, Mohammed Abubakar, accused Governor Mohammed of failing to support the ex-VP in both the 2019 and 2023 elections.

Mohammed, who also chairs Atiku’s Presidential Support Organisation, alleged that Governor Mohammed’s presidential ambition is at the heart of the PDP’s internal crisis.

Atiku’s son was reacting to an earlier statement by Governor Mohammed’s son, Shamsudeen Bala, who said his father would not back Atiku’s presidential bid again.

Shamsudeen had on Friday accused Atiku of undermining Governor Mohammed’s 2023 re-election campaign by aligning with the opposition and rallying political elites in Bauchi against him.

“Honestly, it would be difficult,” Shamsudeen said. “Because even if he (Atiku) wins, there’s nothing he would do for us except settle old scores. He didn’t support us in 2023—he backed the APC candidate and used Bauchi elites to oppose us. We barely survived it. He’s made it clear he doesn’t value us enough to engage in dialogue.”

But reacting on Monday, Atiku’s son fired back, accusing Governor Mohammed of secretly working with the ruling APC and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“Let it be known to Shamsu that never has Atiku dissipated an ounce of energy towards his father’s political travails,” Mohammed Abubakar said in a statement. “Atiku’s politics transcends such shenanigans—he has always remained above the fray.”

He added that any political tension Bala Mohammed faced in the lead-up to the 2023 election was purely local and had no link to Atiku.

“At no point has Shamsu’s father ever supported Atiku Abubakar in his political journey,” he said. “On the contrary, Nigerians still remember the ignoble role he played in 2023, when he clandestinely worked against his party’s presidential candidate.”

Atiku’s son also referenced recent comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who claimed that Governor Mohammed worked behind the scenes to thwart Atiku’s 2023 bid.

According to him, the Bauchi governor’s personal presidential ambition has impaired his leadership of the PDP Governors’ Forum and weakened unity among the governors.

“We are also not unaware of his secret hobnobbing with Tinubu’s government,” the statement continued.

Concluding, Atiku’s son advised Shamsudeen to focus on constructive political dialogue.

“The focus of every patriotic Nigerian should be on promoting political discourse that moves our country forward—not on needless rantings.”

A member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, says his party will meet its end if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar secures the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

“If he (Atiku) picks it (PDP’s ticket), that is the end of this party. If he picks it by manipulation which was what was done the last time, we will not accept it,” the octogenarian said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.

Atiku, PDP’s 2023 flag bearer, came second after ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last poll. The former vice president has been in a race to become Nigeria’s president for over three decades and has been the presidential candidate of different parties for six times.

Of late, Atiku championed an inter-party alliance that birthed a coalition on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The opposition arrowhead, alongside former Anambra governor Peter Obi, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, amongst others, announced the coalition as a springboard to oust incumbent Tinubu whose administration has been accused of mismanaging the economy, with all-time high inflation and unprecedented cost of living.

The coalition is banking on the numerical strength of the votes recorded by Atiku and Obi in the last poll. In 2023, PDP’s Atiku and Labour Party’s Obi came second and third respectively with combined votes of over 12 million, more than four million above the total votes recorded by Tinubu who was declared the winner by electoral umpire INEC.

In a twist, PDP governors on Monday, April 14, 2025, rejected the coalition spearheaded by Atiku, ruling out any plan by the party for mergers or coalition.

George, during the television programme on Monday, applauded the PDP governors for putting on their thinking caps and rejecting the coalition led by Atiku.

The PDP BoT member said Atiku has not shown himself to be a leader of the party because he has not waded into the intra-party squabbles that have befallen the party in recent times.

“No, if he is the leader of the party, he would have waded into it (the crisis),” George said. “The fact that he was the presidential candidate of the party at the last election doesn’t mean he is a bona fide, fixated leader of the party. If he’s running for his private interest, it’s different from the interest of the party.”

Asked whether Atiku could be the flag bearer of the PDP in 2027, the PDP chieftain said,

“He cannot be. This is what I am saying. There was eight years in the north, there should be eight years in the south. That is the dictate, that is the doctrine of the PDP. I can’t say he cannot contest; he can go to any party because it is his constitutional right but as far as we are concerned, he cannot be the candidate.”

“There are rules. Section 7, Sub-section 3C of our constitution. It states that once the presidential candidate has been in the south for eight years, it had to go to the north. And after another eight years, it would come to the south. Is Atiku from the South-West, South-South or South-East?” George asked.

The PDP chieftain said he equally doesn’t want Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, adding that he wants his party to win the next election with a southern candidate.