Politics
You’re part of Nigeria’s problem, Okorocha blasts Oshimhole
A former Governor of Edo State, Adam Oshiomhole, on Friday, shed light on his political differences with a former governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, saying it was purely on issues of obeying the law and nothing personal.
He also tackled former Senate Whip, Victor Oyofo, for alluding that former governors go to the Senate to display opulence.
Oshiomhole stated these at the first Senator Ekpe Moriri Lamai Memorial Lecture organised by Senator E. A Lamai Foundation where Okorocha who was one of the panellists jokingly alleged that Oshiomhole was one of the problems of Nigeria.
Okorocha had thanked God that Oshiomhole would be going to the Senate to fix the problems.
Drama ensued thereafter as the comment did not go down well with Oshiomhole
Oshiomhole said, “My brother (Rochas Okorocha) said I am the problem of Nigeria and he is happy that I am going to the Senate. I will take the last part. He is happy for me so he would organise a dinner in my honour. There will also be a dinner to mark your exit. So as you are going, I am coming in.
“When people say a small man like me because big people think that mere reference to their size should not obey the law when a small man is presiding.
“And when they say we are short, I hardly see what I am short of. There is nothing anybody has that I don’t have. When they talk about economies of scale, they don’t also forget to talk about dis-economics of scale.”
Turning to Okorocha, he said, “So, my brother, my brother, you know what caused our misunderstanding? You are my good friend until tomorrow. It is just that for me, laws are meaningful when those who are powerful are subjected to obey the law.
“So, sir, be rest assured, I appreciate you, I respect you but you must learn to obey the law.
“Don’t look at my size, particularly, when I am obliged to take an oath that I shall defend the constitution. Once we go out now, I am going to hug you and I must insist you organise a dinner for my coming to the Senate.”
Oshiomhole also responded to Oyofo who said governors retire to the Senate to live a life of opulence
He said, “Nigeria was already on its way to Zimbabwe when you have a life president. When President Obasanjo wanted to amend our constitution, which should have been the beginning and the end, no gun was shot, just the power of AIT and other media, covering the session life to the credit of the National Assembly, shut down that third term bid.
“But the other thing with my big brother. My pension is N1,250,0000. So when you talk of opulence and corruption is not something that is restricted to the government. For every government official that is corrupt, there are three, four, or five businessmen who are even much more corrupt. They are the treasurers of public officers.
“So if my brother left the oil industry wealthy, and went to the Senate to live in luxury, then why are you envious of me that left the labour movement? One kobo gratuity I did not receive, even my official car, I handed it over, because that is the rule of Nigeria Labour Congress. We used the word struggle.
“So, why make a sweeping generalisation about people living in wealth going to the Senate to live in luxury? When I knew you as a Senator, I did not see you in luxury. I thought you were working. Actually, that is what you told our people. It was only today you said that the place is for luxury.”
But, Oyofo, in his response, said a Google search should be made between himself and Oshiomhole to know who made money from the government.
He said, “Google my name and say what is the net worth of Senator Oyofo, and they will tell you. In the same manner, Google the name of Oshiomhole and say how much is he worth, and Google will tell you. Then, you can approach the issue of defining corruption. So it is not about just standing and making things look like a joke.
“The truth is that we are in the grip of corruption and unless we stand up to it and admit it, we are going to pay dearly. It is not a laughing matter or a joking matter. Anybody you know his name in Nigeria, ask Google what his net worth is and search for the profession they belong to and what they are doing whether they own a business. I worked for 30 years finding oil for Nigeria.”
Oshiomhole continued, “But let me just say that what I have enjoyed in all these conversations is the fact that we all agree that Nigeria has to change, and the change must begin with each and every one of us because senators are recruited from the larger society.”
Oyofo had earlier, in his opening remarks, advocated for part-time legislators for the country, saying the cost of governance is bloating every day.
The former Senate Chief whip of the Senate who chaired the lecture quoted #openNass, which stated that in 2017 alone, the lawmaker cost the taxpayers $54,000 each.
Oyofo, in his examination of how the country has performed since the return to democracy in 1999, said, “To be successful in this exercise, let us remember that the Romans began the Senate. It was a party’s occupation, and citizens were also appointed into this chamber. Such were appointed by the councils or magistrates, who, after serving their tenure, were elected into the chamber.
“We adopted the presidential system coming from America, but we do not have institutions that support the successful running of this political experiment.
“Therefore, the legislative arm, which was supposed to check the executives, and indeed its democratic arm, failed to mature or keep up to its objectives. After more than 20 years, it has proved ineffective and expensive.”
A former governor of Edo State, Oserhemen Osunbor, disagreed with him, saying that it was not the budget of the National Assembly that was responsible for the magnitude of the challenges confronting the country.
He stressed the importance of the Senate to democracy, saying it was what gives the states equal representation.
Another panellist, Senator Abubakar Umar Gada, said the problem is not the Senate but corruption, which has become endemic.
Gada said the budget of the Senate is just 2.5 per cent of the national budget.
He, therefore, said that the problem with the country is the breakdown of moral values.
The documents, which were displayed at INEC offices across the country in line with the Electoral Act 2026, are yet to be uploaded to the commission’s website as of the time of filing this report.
The process allows members of the public and eligible persons to scrutinise the information submitted by candidates.
The publication was carried out in compliance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display the personal particulars and supporting documents submitted by candidates.
Full list of presidential candidates
Bola Tinubu – All Progressives Congress (APC)
Atiku Abubakar – African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Peter Obi – Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
Senator Sandy Onor – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Omoyele Sowore – African Action Congress (AAC)
Donald Duke – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick – National Democratic Party (NDP)
Chukwu Anita Zugwai – Young Progressives Party (YPP)
Rufai Adekunle Omoaje – Action Alliance (AA)
Adenuga Sunday – Boot Party
Memeh Samuel – Democratic Liberty Alliance (DLA)
Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
Okereke Sunday Chibuzor – Labour Party (LP)
Okereke Iken Esther – National Rescue Movement (NRM)
Abbas-Bin Aliyu – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Seyi Makinde – Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
Yusuf Kabiru – Action Peoples Party (APP)
Vice-presidential candidatesNigeria election countdown
Kashim Shettima (APC)
Rotimi Amaechi (ADC)
Rabiu Kwankwaso (NDC)
Shehu Hussaini (AA)
Egbeola Olawale Mertins (YPP)
Ike Chinazam (ADP)
Mustapha Usman Turaki (Boot Party)
Balogun Alex (DLA)
Chikwuemeka Uchenna Anthony (NDP)
Magashi Haruna Garba (AAC)
Umaru Babangida (PDP)
Konto Hajja Bintu (LP)
Hassan Khalid (ZLP)
Samuel Magdalene Gali (NRM)
Abubakar Isah (NNPP)
Buba Musa (PRP)
Bugaje Usman Mohammed (SDP)
Ibrahim Adamu Bala (APM)
Ofordile Peace Egobia (APP)
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Osun State governorship election and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has charged members of the council to focus on securing victory for the party, stressing that every other matter can wait until after the election.
Uzodinma gave the charge on Monday at a meeting of the campaign council held at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.
He described the campaign as a serious assignment, urging members not to treat it as an occasion for celebration or social activities.
According to him, the primary objective of the campaign council is to mobilise support and deliver victory for the APC in the August 15 Osun governorship election.
Uzodinma said the meeting was a working session and urged members to contribute meaningfully to the campaign.
“We have directed all the subcommittees to meet immediately and submit their ideas and proposals before Thursday. Every member of this council belongs to a subcommittee and has a role to play in ensuring our success in the August 15 governorship election,” he said.
He added that the purpose of the meeting was to formally mandate the subcommittees to reconvene and develop practical ideas and strategies that would strengthen the party’s campaign.
The governor directed chairmen of the various subcommittees to submit their resolutions and proposals to the council’s National Secretary, assuring them that the Central Working Committee would provide the necessary support to execute their assignments.
“I therefore urge all the chairmen of all the subcommittees to submit to the National Secretary of this committee all their resolutions and proposals that will enable them to work, and where they think the Central Working Committee will help them to actualise their mission,” Uzodinma said.
The APC campaign council chairman reiterated that the party had a single objective ahead of the election.
“We have only one mission, to win the election. Everything can come after the elections,” he declared.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has warned President Bola Tinubu against allowing the alleged manipulation of the August 15 governorship election in the state, cautioning that any attempt to subvert the will of the people could trigger a political crisis reminiscent of the violence that followed the disputed 1983 elections.
Adeleke issued the warning on Monday while addressing thousands of supporters at Orita-Sabo in Olorunda Local Government Area during a campaign rally ahead of the governorship poll.
The governor accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun of allegedly sponsoring political violence and intimidation, urging President Tinubu to call party leaders and security agencies to order.
“Mr President, I want you to take note of my words. I am the Chief Security Officer of Osun. You are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way,” Adeleke said.
Calling for a peaceful and credible election, the governor said his administration was only demanding a transparent electoral process.
“Mr President, all we demand is a free and fair election. If anybody tries to do otherwise, the political crisis of 1983, when some people tried to rig Michael Ajasin in Ondo State out of power, may repeat itself again,” he warned.
Adeleke also alleged that security agencies, particularly the police, were being used to harass political opponents, urging the President to uphold the democratic principles he once championed.
“Mr President, call your people to order. Call the police chiefs to order. I am the governor here, not any other person. Accord has already endorsed you as its presidential candidate, so why are we suffering again?
“You fought for democracy in Nigeria and you must not allow your people to destroy it. Wake up to your responsibility, Mr President. Stop the shenanigans going on in Osun,” he said.
The governor maintained that protecting the integrity of the election was essential to preserving peace and democratic stability in the state.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, urged residents of Osun to turn out in large numbers on election day and vote for Adeleke’s re-election.
Oyewumi said the governor’s performance had earned him another term, urging eligible voters not only to cast their ballots but also to remain vigilant in protecting their votes.
“The good work of Governor Adeleke is enough reason for the people to return him to office. We urge all eligible voters to come out en masse, vote and protect their votes,” he said.
No fewer than 10 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are receiving treatment in various hospitals across Ebonyi State after suspected political thugs disrupted a party rally in Ikwuator Idembia, Ezza South Local Government Area, leaving several people injured and property destroyed.
The violence occurred on Saturday afternoon during a reception organised to welcome former All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Ifeanyi Nworie, into the PDP.
The event was initially scheduled to hold at a roadside village square in the community. However, eyewitnesses said suspected thugs wearing T-shirts bearing the image of a federal lawmaker stormed the venue, forcing the organisers to relocate the gathering to Nworie’s private residence.
The relocation, however, did little to prevent the violence, as the attackers reportedly traced participants to the new venue, where they allegedly unleashed another wave of attacks.
Several PDP supporters sustained varying degrees of injuries, while canopies, plastic chairs, public address systems and other valuables were vandalised during the incident.
Addressing journalists in Abakaliki after the attack, Ebonyi State PDP Chairman, Chukwuma Igwe, condemned the incident, describing it as a calculated assault on democracy and an attempt to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Igwe alleged that the attack was part of a growing pattern of intimidation against PDP members in the state, claiming that party supporters had faced repeated threats and assaults in recent weeks.
He said vehicles were damaged and several people were attacked with dangerous weapons, adding that at least eight victims were receiving medical treatment following the latest incident.
“We have called this press conference to draw the attention of Nigeria and Nigerians to undemocratic actions deliberately orchestrated to undermine the conduct of the 2027 general elections in Ebonyi State,” he said.
The PDP chairman called on the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Armed Forces and other security agencies to discharge their constitutional responsibilities by protecting all political parties and ensuring a level playing field ahead of the elections.
He maintained that the PDP would not be intimidated by what he described as anti-democratic forces, regardless of those allegedly behind the attacks.
“As political activities commence in the coming days, we urge our members to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“We also call on the Ebonyi State Government to play by the rules of democracy, bearing in mind that no one has a monopoly on violence or misconduct,” Igwe stated.
He further urged security agencies to remain impartial in the discharge of their duties and safeguard citizens’ constitutional rights to freely associate and participate in political activities.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State chapter of the APC has denied involvement in the incident.
Responding to the PDP’s allegation, APC State Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, described the party as a peaceful organisation guided by the leadership of Governor Francis Nwifuru, whom he said strongly opposes political violence.
According to Emegha, individuals dissatisfied with Nworie’s political decisions may have masterminded the attack rather than APC members.
“So far as it has to do with APC in Ebonyi State, we watch the body language of our dear Governor. He doesn’t want to offend anyone. As such, we must toe his path.
“There is no time APC will have a hand in violence because if anyone gets involved, the governor will abandon such a person,” he said.
He added that Governor Nwifuru believes political disagreements should not degenerate into violence, stressing that political opponents could become allies in the future.
“People who are no longer comfortable with Ifeanyi Nworie’s political behaviour may be responsible for the incident,” Emegha added.
The violence also affected journalists covering the event.
No fewer than 10 journalists travelling in the official vehicle of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, were reportedly attacked while on their way to the rally at the invitation of Nworie.
The assailants allegedly smashed parts of the NUJ-branded vehicle in an attempt to gain access to it and reportedly searched for fuel with the intention of setting it ablaze before the driver successfully manoeuvred out of the area.
One of the alleged attackers, Friday Agbom, an APC chieftain and legal practitioner, reportedly warned the journalists against returning to the community, describing them as “political journalists.”
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued an official statement on arrests or an investigation into the incident.
Politics
Breaking: Court of Appeal Sets Aside Judgement Ordering Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Parties
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court which ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and three other political parties.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision on Tuesday, declared the judgement ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the parties “null and void.”
Recall that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had ordered INEC to deregister the parties over their performance in the 2023 general elections.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the affected political parties — the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) — approached the Court of Appeal seeking to nullify the Federal High Court judgement.
However, the three-member panel of the appellate court, presided over by Justice Abba Mohammed, held that the trial court lacked the judicial power to entertain the case in the first place.
The Court of Appeal also faulted the Federal High Court for proceeding with the delivery of the judgement despite an order by the appellate court directing a stay of proceedings, which included the delivery of the judgement.
The appellate court described the Federal High Court’s decision as “a nullity,” stating that the action of the trial court amounted to “judicial impertinence” or what the Supreme Court had described as “judicial insubordination.”
The court further held that the first respondent lacked the locus standi to institute the action in the first place, and consequently set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court.
“The evidence before the court clearly shows compliance with Section 225A of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The judgement of the trial judge was perverse,” the Court of Appeal held.
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