News
2027: Opposition Group Woos Obasanjo, Gowon, Other Southern Bigwigs For Alliance
A former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, is leading the northern elite to woo southern bigwigs for an alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections, Sunday PUNCH reports.
Sources said former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, are among supporters of the group.
Our correspondents gathered that Shekarau, a leader of the League of Northern Democrats, had been discussing coalitions with political leaders in the South-West, South-East, and South-South.
The Convener of the LND, Dr Umar Ardo, had on January 5, declared the group’s readiness to transform into a political party, citing the need to create a unified and credible national political platform
According to Ardo, the LND plans to transform into the League of National Democrats to provide Nigerians with a viable alternative for leadership and governance.
“This new political platform seeks to provide a credible alternative by institutionalising meritocracy, promoting accountability, and ensuring the emergence of leaders with proven competence and integrity,” Ardo stated.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that Obasanjo and Gowon advised the group’s leaders to make it a national platform and incorporate southern politicians.
Obasanjo had late October 2024 urged the LND to consider changing its name to the National League of Democrats because the ideals the group espoused should cut across the nation.
The former president, who received the 20-member delegation of the LND led by Shekarau at his penthouse, inside Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, said he would not mind being the group’s patron.
“It is high time we began working for the national interest. Yes, you have identified your group as the League of Northern Democrats, but how I wish you call your group National League of Democrats, because where you come from should not be a problem,” he stated.
Umar Sani, a former spokesperson for ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is a pioneer member of the LND, told Sunday PUNCH that both Obasanjo and Gowon were among the backers of the group.
Sani confirmed that Shekarau was leading discussions with prominent southern politicians.
He said, “We’re talking with some southern politicians, but I don’t know who they are. Shekarau and others are making the moves and doing the talking.
“But when we met Baba Obasanjo, he said the initiative should be made national. General Gowon also said it should be national, and other influential Nigerians gave similar advice.
“When we engaged politicians in the South-East, South-South, and South-West, they began suggesting that this movement be turned into a political party. While we were briefed in meetings, the leaders didn’t disclose the names of the southern politicians they were speaking to.”
Sani clarified that the LND had not yet been registered as a political party, as consultations were still ongoing.
The spokesperson for the group, Dr Ladan Salihu, said discussions were ongoing with southern leaders, including former governors, senators, and ministers.
According to him, even before they set out to approach the politicians, the LND had already been contacted by key political clusters from the South-East.
“We’ve been contacted by notable politicians from the South, especially from the South-East, who indicated plans to form the League of Southern Democrats.
“Similarly, respected politicians from the South-West have shown interest in joining the LND if it becomes a national platform, or they may even form the League of Western Democrats.
“This is a political metamorphosis that will culminate in the creation of what will eventually become the League of Nigerian Democrats,” he stated.
While declining to name southern politicians the LND leader had been in contact with, Salihu confirmed that the group was in regular communication with “respected southern leaders”.
“We are in constant, almost daily contact with them because they share our vision of rescuing Nigeria. This is not just a rhetorical platform; it’s a serious movement based on real action,” he stated.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
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