Politics
Presidential assessment: Results’ll shock you, Tinubu, Obi camps slam Atiku
The Labour Party and the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation on Friday berated the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, for saying he will win the election next year.
Specifically, the Director-General of Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation, Adebayo Shittu, said that the outcome of the 2023 general election would shock Atiku.
He said, “Talk is cheap. Tinubu will be waiting for him. Despite coming from Adamawa, Atiku’s people will prefer to vote for Tinubu.
“When people ask me why I think so, I tell them the evidence is there for all to see. What has Atiku done for his people in Adamawa since he became a politician?
“We in Tinubu’s camp have no fear and we will lose no sleep over the threat of Atiku. Our number one priority in the7y North-East is to beat him in his constituency in Adamawa. Our victory in 2023 will just be like the MKO Abiola’s election.”
Also, Valentine Obienyem, Peter Obi’s spokesperson, said Obi would win next year’s election.
“Things are not working well in Nigeria today, we have acute hunger in the land. Is it social media generated? We have many things going wrong in Nigeria, not because of social media.
“If it is not because of social media, you cannot say that it’s only those in social media that feel the impact. So, whether you’re in the social media, villages and wherever you are in Nigeria today, we are having the impact of hard times.
“Whether they’re in social media or not does not really affect the vote. I can tell you that 80 per cent of Nigerians believe that it is Peter Obi that will solve all these problems. So, his followership is not social media generated, but a product of the dysfunction that we have in the society today. Followers of Obi go beyond social media,” he added.
Earlier, Atiku had said although he is friends with the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu, he is determined to defeat him in next February’s election.
Atiku said these during an interview with Arise Television which aired on Friday.
“Of course, we are still friends but that doesn’t mean we will not have political differences. We have been having political differences since we became friends,” he stated.
When asked if he was determined to defeat Tinubu despite their relationship, the former Vice-President said, “Of course.”
He, however, disagreed with Tinubu for picking a Muslim as his running mate, adding that this would be a threat to Nigeria’s unity.
“I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe it is right for a country like Nigeria that is multi-ethnic, multi-religious and there should be balancing of interest,” Atiku stated.
He recalled that while he was running for President in 2007, Tinubu wanted to be his running mate but he dismissed the idea because they were both Muslims.
The former vice-president claimed that this made Tinubu to abandon him for the candidate of the PDP, Umaru Yar’Adua, who won the election.
“Remember I came out of the PDP on the issue of zoning and together with him we formed ACN and I was given a ticket in Lagos and he insisted on being my running mate and I said no, I am not going to have a Muslim-Muslim ticket. So he switched his support to the late Umaru Yar’adua. That was the departing point,” Atiku stated.
He also dismissed the argument that Tinubu’s choice of Kashim Shettima – who is also from the North-East like Atiku – could give him (Tinubu) an advantage.
Atiku noted that of the six states in the North-East, only Borno and Yobe are dominated by the Kanuri tribe of which Shettima is a part of.
“Certainly my prospects are much higher. If you know the composition of the North-East, you have Borno and Yobe. These are essentially two Kanuri states and then you have the other states which are essentially Hausa/Fulani. So, even if people are going to vote on that basis, I think I have a more favourable position from the North-East,” he stated.
The former vice-president also dismissed the chances of his former running mate, Peter Obi, who is now the candidate of the Labour Party.
Atiku argued that Obi’s popularity was mainly on social media and about 90 per cent of northerners are not on social media. He added that Obi’s candidacy would not split the votes of the PDP because he had no structure or politician to push his candidacy.
“I really don’t expect the Labour Party to take many votes from the PDP as people are speculating. They have no structure at all levels, with no governor, and lawmaker. It will take a miracle for the Labour Party with no structure at the grassroots to win the election.
“They had said through social media they have one million votes in Osun State but how many votes do they have in real life? In the northern part of the country, about 90 per cent of people don’t have access to social media. Most of the electorate are not on social media,” he said.
Atiku added that Obi never informed him of his intention to leave the PDP, adding that he was only informed a few days after.
When contacted for comment, the Director of Media of Tinubu’s Campaign train, Bayo Onanuga, said, “They are friends and Tinubu wants to reply to him (Atiku) personally. We’ll issue a statement tomorrow (Saturday) when Asiwaju replies him personally.”
But the LP said Atiku was restless over Obi’s growing popularity.
It said Atiku’s remark against Obi showed that the ex-Anambra State governor posed a threat to the PDP candidate’s presidential ambition.
The party’s acting National Publicity Secretary, Arabambi Abayomi, said on Friday that the fact that Obi was being constantly attacked showed that he had become a threat to the APC and the PDP.
“All that the presidential candidate of the PDP and its candidate talk about now are Obi and the Labour Party because Nigeria’s structure has changed for the Labour Party.
“I say so because, for the first time in history, we have the NLC and the TUC declaring that workers are members of the Labour Party. Our popularity has sent shivers down their spine; they are not only jittery; they are also confused,” he said.
Meanwhile, Atiku has dismissed claims by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State that the PDP committee set up to select his running mate, picked Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Atiku, who said he was ready to make the recommendations public, said the committee listed three names, including Wike.
He, however, said efforts were on to address disagreements in the party.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provided about ₦50 billion to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to support the expansion and upgrade of Ibadan Airport.
Wike made the disclosure on Monday during an appearance on TVC News’ Journalists’ Hangout, while dismissing claims that he was the only member of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) G5 governors to benefit from the Tinubu administration.
According to Wike, Tinubu also extended financial support to Makinde despite their political differences.
“The president has also extended his hand of support to the governor of Oyo State by providing funds for him to expand Oyo airport with a whopping sum of 50 billion naira,” Wike said.
The minister also cited former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who he said currently serve as Nigeria’s ambassadors to Spain and Greece respectively.
Wike argued that it was therefore incorrect to suggest that he alone among the G5 governors had benefited from the Tinubu administration, saying the President had supported other members of the group in different ways.
The G5 consisted of Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi and former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom. The group opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election and backed Tinubu.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
