Politics
June 12: IBB’s regrets annulling MKO Abiola’s victory belated – Afenifere
In the concluding section of the 12th chapter of his autobiography launched Thursday in Abuja, titled, ‘A Journey In Service,’ the former leader described the annulment of the election as an “accident of history.”
His remorse, however, attracted knocks and reactions from various individuals and pro-democracy groups, including the Afenifere, Coalition of Northern Groups, former Ogun State governor, Segun Osoba, Mike Ozhekome (SAN), and other prominent Nigerians.
However, the Abiola family was silent on IBB’s admission. Calls to Abiola’s children, including Hafsat and others, did not elicit any response.
The June 12, 1993, election, won by the businessman and politician, Abiola, was considered Nigeria’s freest and fairest.
However, Babangida annulled the results, citing concerns over national security.
The annulment sparked nationwide protests and political unrest, forcing Babangida to resign and leading to a prolonged struggle for democracy before the return to civilian rule in 1999.
Admitting his error, the ex-military leader said, “Although I am on record to have stated after the election that Abiola may not have won the election, upon deeper reflection and a closer examination of all the available facts, particularly the detailed election results…there was no doubt that MKO Abiola won the June 12 election.
“Upon closer examination of the original collated figures from the 110,000 polling booths nationwide, it was clear that he satisfied the two main constitutional requirements for winning the presidential elections, mainly majority votes and geographical spread, having obtained 8,128,720 votes against Tofa’s 5,848,247 votes and securing the mandatory one-third of the votes cast in 28 states of the federation, including Abuja.”
Nonetheless, Babangida noted that Abiola would have been eliminated all the same had he assumed the Presidency.
“Unfortunately, the forces gathered against him after the June 12 elections were so formidable that I was convinced that if he became President, he would be quickly eliminated by the same very forces who pretended to be his friends,” he added.
Speaking at the official launch of his autobiography and fundraiser for the IBB Presidential Library in Abuja, Babangida acknowledged that credible, free and fair elections occurred on June 12, 1993.
He observed, however, that the administration responsible for creating a near-perfect electoral system and overseeing those exemplary elections could not finalise the process.
He described this shortfall as a lamentable “accident of history” while noting that the nation was justifiably owed an expression of his remorse.
“Undoubtedly credible, free and fair elections were held in June, on June 12, 1993. However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process.
“That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my impression of regret,” said Babangida.
Accepting full responsibility for all decisions made during his leadership of the military government, the former Nigerian leader further noted that the events of June 12 unfolded on his watch, with errors, oversights and misjudgements occurring rapidly.
Nevertheless, he maintained that each action was taken in the overriding interest of Nigeria’s survival.
He also expressed regret that the country’s democratic progress was interrupted, yet emphasised that both Nigeria and its democracy endure.
“As a leader of the military administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch. And June 12 happened under my watch; mistakes, oversights and missteps happened in quick succession, but I say in my book, in all matters, we acted in the supreme national interest so that Nigeria could survive.
“Our nation’s march to democracy was interrupted, a fact I deeply regret. But Nigeria’s democracy is still alive, a testament to commitment,” he noted.
While reviewing the book, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo revealed that Babangida found the 1993 election arguably the most challenging chapter of his life.
“The June 12 elections were the most challenging of my life. If I have to do it all over again, I’ll do it differently,” Osinbajo said, quoting a section from the book.
The former vice president also quoted Babangida in the book as thanking former President Muhammadu Buhari for honouring MKO Abiola with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, the highest rank of the president of the country.
The book, which offers insights into key moments in the country’s history, also addresses other national controversies, including the 1976 coup attempt that led to the assassination of then-Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, and the 1986 letter bomb that killed investigative journalist, Dele Giwa.
While denying any involvement in Dele Giwa’s death, Babangida said he expected the truth to be unravelled one day.
He said, “The Giwa, like all mysterious murders, has remained unsolved after so many years. I keep hoping it will be uncovered in our lifetime or after us. More often than not, mysterious crimes are solved long after their commission.
“When the Obasanjo civilian administration reopened the Giwa case at the Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights, I expected that the police and lawyers would come forward with new evidence as to their findings on the Giwa murder over the years. Nothing of such happened.”
The IBB book launch drew an elite gathering of past and present leaders who reflected on his legacy and the state of democracy in West Africa.
Discussions ranged from Babangida’s contributions to Nigeria’s political history to concerns over the resurgence of military coups in the region.
In his keynote address, former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo emphasised the importance of multi-party democracy in Africa’s development.
He warned against the growing wave of military takeovers, calling them a setback to democratic progress.
“Multiple parties are good for our continent,” Akufo-Addo said, urging leaders to protect democratic institutions.
President Bola Tinubu praised the former leader for his “unparalleled contributions to national unity and economic growth.”
Tinubu pledged, as President, to continue making decisions—no matter how difficult—in the supreme interest of the nation, following the example set by Babangida.
“I’m glad about the revelation on June 12…I’m not here to read a speech; I’m here to pay homage and say thank you for everything, for who you are, what you are, and what you have contributed to the history of this great country.
“All I can promise as the President is to strive to do the best, put the best forward, and make decisions, no matter how difficult they are, in the interest of the country.
“You have done so, and you have laid the example. Thank you very much,” he stated.
Former Nigerian Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd.), lauded Babangida’s rise from aide-de-camp to head of state, describing him as a “boss of bosses.”
Gowon also expressed gratitude for Babangida’s decision to restore his rank of General after it was stripped following the 1976 coup.
The former head of state said, “Thank you for restoring my rank,” reflecting on how Babangida’s leadership impacted his life.
Another former military head of state, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, shared personal anecdotes about his long-standing relationship with Babangida which, he said, spans over 80 years.
Abubakar recalled a childhood prophecy foretold Babangida’s rise to power and commended him for documenting his life’s journey.
“Your memoir will enrich the country,” he stated.
For his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan described Babangida as one of Nigeria’s most charismatic leaders and called for the creation of presidential libraries to preserve the country’s political history.
“IBB brought us here today to celebrate his book and library. His home has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site,” Jonathan noted.
Representing immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari, ex-Minister of Transportation, Jaji Sambo, delivered a congratulatory message, expressing hope that Babangida would continue offering valuable counsel to Nigeria’s leadership.
Reacting to IBB’s admission on the June 12, 1993 election, the pan-Yoruba political organisation, Afenifere, described it as belated and insufficient to address its far-reaching consequences.
In a statement by its Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, the group asserted that Babangida’s acknowledgement of the election’s credibility did not absolve him or his associates of the monumental and irreversible damage caused by the annulment.
“His belated acknowledgement that the election was indisputably free, fair, and credible merely reaffirms what Nigerians have known for over three decades—that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was the rightful winner of that historic election,” Omololu said.
“It does not restore the lives lost, nor does it atone for the enduring scars of oppression, bloodshed, and the suppression of democracy. The consequences of that reckless annulment remain irreversible.
“The Yoruba nation, and indeed all Nigerians, bore the brunt of Babangida’s self-serving power grab. His decision plunged the country into chaos and ushered in an era of state-sponsored terror against democracy activists, pro-democracy media, and innocent citizens who dared to demand justice,” it stated.
The group pointed to the monumental consequences of IBB’s annulment, including the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, the cold-blooded murder of Alfred Rewane, and the relentless persecution of Pa Abraham Adesanya, among others, which it said, remained an indelible stain on Nigeria’s conscience.
“Many distinguished Yoruba sons and daughters suffered grave injustices—exiled, imprisoned, or tragically eliminated—under the despotic military regimes of Babangida and Abacha, which were determined to silence the will of the people,” it added.
Afenifere reiterated its demand that all privileges and recognitions befitting a legitimately elected President be conferred on the late MKO Abiola.9
The group also emphasised that his family should be accorded the honour and recognition deserved by a leader whose mandate was unjustly stolen.
“We reiterate our unequivocal demand that his (Abiola’s) name must be inscribed in the annals of Nigeria’s history, not as a mere political casualty but as the rightful President-elect who was denied the opportunity to serve.
“Anything short of this remains a continued affront to justice and historical truth.
“Afenifere salutes MKO Abiola as a towering symbol of courage, a visionary whose unwavering commitment to democracy was matched only by his willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for the emancipation of his people.
“Babangida’s so-called remorse rings hollow, for true atonement is measured not by words but by actions. His admission, far from being redemptive, serves only as a reminder of the grievous wrongs that remain unaddressed,” Afenifere said.
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, waived off IBB’s remorse, stating that he said nothing new.
Falae, who recalled how he was incarcerated for two years for fighting to uphold Abiola’s mandate, stated, “We formed NADECO to fight for the fact that Abiola won the election and should be declared president. I was detained for two years for fighting that cause.
“We gave the military an ultimatum to hand over Abiola’s mandate, but they started arresting us. I was kept in detention for two years. What he said is nothing new—we have always known and believed that Abiola won the election.”
A chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, Ayo Opadokun, also dismissed the ex-Nigerian leader’s admission, describing it as unsurprising.
According to Opadokun, it was already evident to him and many Nigerians that Abiola won the election.
Speaking on the consequences of Babangida’s decision, Opadokun said he was more interested in reading Babangida’s autobiography to understand the circumstances the former president claimed led to the annulment of the historic election.
“The fact that he admitted that Abiola won the election does not bring any new revelation. We had the documents immediately after the election; we knew that Abiola won,” Opadokun said.
“What matters now is the context of his admission. I want to read the book and see what Babangida is admitting and in what context. I watched him express regret over annulling the election, but that no longer holds any significance to me because of the monumental consequences of his actions, consequences that he is now regretting 32 years later,” he noted.
But the Coalition of Northern Groups praised the former military leader for having the courage to own up to his faults over the annulment of the June 12 presidential election.
The CNG, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, described Babangida as an exemplary leader who distinguished himself by taking responsibility for his decision.
“It clearly shows that IBB is an exemplary leader who distinguished himself from so-called leaders who shy away from taking responsibility for decisions made by their cabinet,” Charanchi said.
He also noted that Babangida’s statement reaffirmed his commitment to the unity and progress of the country.
Charanchi said, “It clearly shows that IBB is an exemplary leader who distinguished himself from the so-called leaders that shy away from taking responsibility for the decisions taken by their cabinet.
“It equally reaffirms his commitment to the unity and progress of the country, and we believe that they took the decision for the best interest of the country, he is a true and patriotic leader who leads with a philosophy of messengers of God.”
Former governor of Ogun State, Osoba, said Abiola would be “laughing his head off in heaven” following the confession by the former military president.
Osoba said he had always been a firm believer that time heals every situation.
He said, “Time is healing the wounds of the situation created by the military regime. On my part, I keep thanking God for the life of MKO Abiola whom I work for to win the June 12 election. Even the man himself will be happy in heaven now.
“He has left a legacy by paying the supreme price for the democracy we are enjoying today. So what is more important to me is the legacy he left behind.”
On whether he is certain time will indeed heal all the anger, trauma and deaths recorded in the wake of the annulment, Osoba responded, “I am not a prophet. I should not be guessing for anybody (on how they feel). As far as I am concerned, God is working His wonders.
“You know we were all friends. All of us, including Babangida, myself, MKO Abiola and those who were involved in the whole thing. We were all deeply close. So, as I said, MKO will be in heaven laughing at all of us and enjoying the whole thing.”
Former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, commended Babangida for admitting that Abiola won the election and expressing regrets for annulling it.
In an interview in Jos, on Thursday, Jang praised Babangida’s honesty, stating, “I want to thank Babangida for owning up to that fact of what he did and it shows we are making progress as a country where we can tell ourselves the truth.”
Jang believed Babangida’s admission would help heal old wounds, saying, “I believe that will finally close some wounds that have long been open.”
The former governor also emphasised that the government should provide adequate compensation to the family of MKO Abiola, considering the government’s continuity.
“Since the government is a continuum, the MKO family should be adequately compensated,” Jang, who spoke through his Media Consultant, Clinton Garuba, said.
Speaking on the development, Ozekhome (SAN), said, I have read and listened carefully to General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida’s remorse and regret over the annulment of the 1993 presidential elections.
“I want to very quickly say that it takes a man with strong guts and a man who has become born again and has seen the face of God to publicly recount his earlier deed and offer apologies to the entire nation to heal and mend wounded hearts.
“I want to salute Babangida for owning up like a man that everything that happened during the June 12 crisis happened under him as the head of state and the president. He was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“I salute him for acknowledging that his government held unarguably the freest, fairest and most credible election in the electoral calendar in the electoral history of Nigeria which introduced option A4 from electoral books that were never known to Nigeria or the world.
“I believe that Nigerians should forgive him because to err is human and to forgive is divine. I personally have now forgiven him, because the June 12 crisis threw up all manner of challenges where, in my very youth, in my thirties, I found myself marching on the street of Lagos every day from Ikeja bus stop roundabout to Ikorodu road, up to Tejuosho market from there to Surulere to Mushin to Shomolu. Every day we were on the streets protesting the annulment.”
Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, welcomed the public expression of regret by the former military leader, saying it was a necessary admission that a grave injustice had been done to the Nigerian nation.
“That is an admission that, at some point in time, a wrong was committed against the Nigerian nation, against our democracy. Having expressed his regret, he should be forgiven, and the Abiola family should be compensated,” Shittu said.
A former President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachy Ugwummadu, said Babangida’s regret over the June 12 annulment “was good for the health and sanity of the country to find closure.”
He expressed concerns over the narrative presented in the book and the General’s apology, saying it was a failed attempt to rewrite the history of Nigeria.
At the book presentation, the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, praised Babangida for implementing policies that liberated the private sector in Nigeria during his regime.
Africa’s wealthiest man donated N8bn to the IBB Presidential Library, to be paid at N2bn annually over the four years allocated for the project’s completion.
He further pledged that if the project extends beyond this timeframe, he would continue to donate N2bn annually until it is finished.
Politics
Enugu NDC Passes Vote Of Confidence On Dr. Johnpaul Anih-Led State Exco, Warns Against Destabilisation
The Enugu State chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has unanimously passed a vote of confidence in the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led State Working Committee (SWC), reaffirming its confidence in the current leadership and warning individuals allegedly plotting to destabilise the party to desist.
The resolution was reached on Saturday during an expanded meeting of the state working committee, party stakeholders, candidates and members, who commended the state executive for its leadership, commitment and efforts at repositioning the NDC in Enugu State.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, the Chairman of the party in Isiuzo Local Government Area, Hon. Jonathan Ogbu, said the current state leadership had transformed the fortunes of the party in Enugu.
“This is the only leadership of the party that emerged through a valid congress monitored by INEC, and any attempt by Enugu politicians spending dollars in Abuja to destabilise the party will be firmly resisted”.
“Without the current leadership, nobody would be hearing about the NDC in Enugu State today. The Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led executive has given the party life and made it attractive through its programmes and grassroots mobilisation,” he said.
Corroborating his position, the Igboeze North Local Government Chairman of the party, Hon. Kingsley Ape and his Aninri counterpart, Hon. Stephen Ajah, stated that the achievements of the present leadership had positioned the party to participate effectively in the forthcoming local government elections.
According to them, without the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led executive, the NDC would not have been on the ballot for the forthcoming local government chairmanship and councillorship elections in Enugu State.
The party leaders declared that they remain firmly behind Dr. Anih and his executive, insisting that the State Working Committee enjoys the overwhelming confidence and support of the party’s grassroots structure across the 17 local government areas of the state.
They further warned that any attempt to tamper with the existing leadership could trigger a mass exodus of members from the party in Enugu State.
The stakeholders also cautioned individuals allegedly fomenting crisis within the party, urging them to steer clear of activities capable of undermining the unity, stability and progress of the NDC.
According to them, any attempt to create parallel party structures or sow discord among members would be firmly resisted in the interest of preserving the party’s cohesion ahead of future political engagements.
The members equally expressed concern over what they described as the actions of the party’s national leadership, alleging that recent developments could further deepen internal disagreements if not handled with fairness and respect for due process.
They urged the national leadership to refrain from actions capable of escalating tensions within the party, stressing that internal disputes should be resolved in line with the party’s constitution and democratic principles.
Reaffirming their loyalty to the NDC, the stakeholders called on members across the state to remain united, focused and committed to building a stronger political platform.
They pledged their continued support for the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led State Working Committee and maintained that the Enugu chapter would continue to protect the integrity of the party while working tirelessly to advance its political objectives in the state.
Kwankwaso disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, saying the agreement was aimed at ensuring power returns to the North after a single four-year tenure in line with the party’s power-sharing arrangement.
The former Kano State governor said he had no reason to doubt Obi’s commitment to honouring the agreement.
“Oh yes, I personally believe him. I don’t think, based on what I now know about him, that he will change his mind when the time comes. We are all gentlemen,” he said.
Asked whether the understanding had been documented, Kwankwaso replied that both the party and the two candidates signed separate agreements.
“We have done one for the party, and we have done another one between the two of us,” he said.
Explaining the substance of the agreement, Kwankwaso said it provides for a single four-year tenure for Obi before the presidency returns to the North.
“The agreement is what you said, that for four years, we will work together, team together as a group, party, friends and brothers so that after his term of four years (2027-2031), it comes back to the North. That is the general agreement.”
“Together we felt that the presidency should go to the South for four years; thereafter it will come back to the North.
“We believe that should be the consensus of everybody in this country so that we can move together as a family, both North and South,” he said.
On whether he intends to contest the presidency in 2031, Kwankwaso said the party remained focused on winning the 2027 election while keeping its long-term political plans in view.
“We have a short-term plan which we are executing now and, of course, we also have our medium and long-term plans for the country, and that is what we are working on now,” he said.
Obi had in May announced that he would serve only one term if elected president, saying the decision was intended to promote political stability and strengthen national unity.
“I want to be a one-term president because of stability. I would not stay a day, with a gun to my head, longer than four years,” Obi had said.
The NDC has consistently defended its power-sharing arrangement, presenting the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a consensus aimed at balancing the country’s regional interests ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The leadership crisis rocking the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a fresh turn on Monday after the Federal High Court in Abuja granted a stay of execution on its earlier judgment that removed Sen. Emma Anosike as the party’s state chairman.
The order effectively restores Anosike to office pending the determination of the legal proceedings.
The dispute began after a faction of the party led by Ifeanyi Osegbo approached the court, seeking recognition as the duly constituted State Working Committee (SWC) of the APC. The application was opposed by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Following the initial judgment, the Anambra APC dismissed the ruling as a “kangaroo judgment,” alleging that the plaintiffs misrepresented facts before the court. The party further claimed that some individuals listed as plaintiffs were unaware of the suit and that their names had been inserted without their knowledge.
The party also argued that Anosike and the state secretary, Mr. Obi Okpala, were not joined as parties in the suit, making the judgment unenforceable against them.
Relying on the earlier judgment, members of the Osegbo faction reportedly took over the party secretariat in Awka, gaining access to the offices and holding a meeting there.
In response, Anosike, Okpala, acting on behalf of themselves and other elected executive members, filed an application challenging the judgment. They asked the court to set aside the ruling delivered on June 24, 2026, by Justice M.G. Umar, describing it as a nullity.
The applicants also sought an order staying the execution of the judgment pending the hearing and determination of their application.
Among the grounds for the application were alleged non-service of originating processes and hearing notices, denial of fair hearing, misrepresentation of facts, forum shopping by the plaintiffs, estoppel, and the court’s inherent jurisdiction to set aside a judgment obtained through procedural defects.
Speaking after Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the APC, Douglas Najime, alleged that the earlier judgment was secured through misrepresentation and without proper service on the affected parties.
According to him, the court’s decision to grant a stay of execution means that Sen. Emma Anosike remains the substantive chairman of the Anambra APC, alongside the existing executive committee, pending the outcome of the appeal.
He maintained that the stay of execution effectively suspends the enforcement of the earlier judgment and preserves the status quo until the legal dispute is finally resolved.
THE adage that pride goes before a fall may have caught up with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded Party Primaries in Abia state as the party displays arrogance, impunity and sense of unguarded pride which according to the adage ( …goes before a fall) Hiding under the cloak of a ruling party at the national level, the APC merchants may have actually dug a pit of hell for the party in Abia state where they aught to have deployed their first eleven.
Undoubtedly, APC story in Abia state as to the recent primaries could be likened to the arithmetic presentation known as ” improper fraction” where the smaller number carries the bigger number on its head thereby carrying unbearable load that is capable of breaking it’s spine. One wonders whether any sane person can prefer the least to the highest.
THE CAUSE OF THE MATTER
The APC in Abia state conducted their primaries in the Month of May 2026.The party at the National Level sent their representatives to the State to conduct the exercise. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also present, monitored and authenticated the exercise.
Few weeks after the exercise, it was later learned that the APC had set up a kangaroo Primaries Election Appeal Committee at Abuja and upturned the entire exercise and substituted genuinely elected candidates of the party from the Abia South Senatorial Zone of the state with names that came distance last according the results produced by the Primaries.
The Abia South Senatorial Primaries Election was won by Hon. Erondu Junior Erondu while that of Ukwa Federal Constituency was duly won by Hon. Chris Nkwonta, the incumbent member representing the constituency. The APC brazenly substituted the duo with Prince Paul Ikonne and Sam Nwogu. What a daylight goof by the leaders of the APC.
What could have caused this. The Primaries Appeal Committee of the APC conducted their mockery exercise without even hearing from the duo that were said to have been substituted. This was the beginning of the suspicions that there must be an unseen hand remotely involved.
Up till now, no known reason has been offered for the substitution of Hon Erondu and Hon Nkwonta. It is on record that the duo of Ikonne and Nwogu never featured in any of the congresses of the party in the state from the ward to the State level only to emerge from the blues to become candidates of the Party. What an impending disaster if the party allows this rubbish to fly . Of course that would be the party’s end as it has never been known to have won any election in that zone but had always ended distance 4th.
The life APC is enjoying in the Abia South Senatorial Zone today is the cross- carpeting of Hon. Chris Nkwonta who joined the party from the PDP after some months in the Green Chambers and the latest entrant ,Hon. Erondu also from the PDP. There is no APC in Abia South Senatorial Zone without Nkwonta and Erondu and other political parties have been in early jubilations praying that the duo are denied the Party’s ticket as it is already uhuru for them.
Hon. Nkwonta, since he joined the APC has single handedly bankrolled the party at the zone building structures and welcoming multitudes into the party and many have believed and followed him into the party because of the enormous love, support , good will he enjoys amongst his people. There is no doubt that Hon Chris Nkwonta is the most cherished and loved politician in Ukwa land because of his generosity, kindness, open door policy which has impacted immensely on his people even before his foray into politics.
Hardly will one go into any community in Ukwa land that you will not hear his positive testimonies from widows, Youths, adults and that has made him a household name in Ukwa land and as such has also caught the eyes of his envious negligible political opponents scared of his prominence and rising profile. A successful business man who has ever said it that he was in politics to make a difference and serve his people. And within the past three years in the Green Chambers, the difference is clear and shows in all corners of Ukwa land.
BUT WHO ARE THESE MISCHIEVMAKERS IN APC?
Certainly, there are top ranking individuals within and outside the party in the state alleged to be behind this plot to deny elected party candidates their tickets and thereby drag the party into colossal failure, doom and darkness in the state.
Chief Paul Ikonne and Sam Nwogu are said to be members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a pro President Tinubu group with the lmo state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma as their leader. The group had been in rival conflict with the APC leadership in the state headed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ben Kalu. The cold war between the two APC Leaders in the South East is so conspicuous and is entrenched strongly in Abia APC. Both Camps produced candidates for all the elective positions in Abia state ,State House of Assembly, the National Assembly and the Governorship position. It has remained strong rumours in the state that followers of the lmo state Governor had in different fora boasted that Governor Hope Uzodinma will install the next Government in Abia state.
But this is exactly what is playing out in Abia South Senatorial Zone of the APC as candidates of the Imo state Governor continue to lay claim to a candidacy they lost at the Primaries insisting that the matter has been settled at the National Headquarters of the party at Abuja. There is obvious truth in their claim and glaring collaboration with leaders of the APC at the National Level.
If not, one continues to wonder the rush by the leaders of the APC at the National Level to conduct a kangaroo Appeal Panel Committee and quick substitutions and submission of lists to the INEC.
So ridiculous that an Appeal committee was set up simultaneously as the primary election committee was being set up. The appeal committee sat and cleared Hon Erondu and Hon Nkwonta but the NWC decided to go contrary to the report of the appeal committee. Obvious Confusions and suspicious of a hidden motive.
The APC at the state level had through the state Chairman, Hon Chijioke Chukwu recently in a press conference confirmed and affirmed the candidacy of Hon Erondu and Hon. Nkwonta assuring that they remain the party’s authentic candidates for 2027 Elections.
The people of Ukwa Federal Constituency of the APC also recently held a press conference aligning with the decision of the party at the state level.
In a communique recently released after an enlarged stakeholders of the APC in Ukwa East and Ukwa West Federal Constituency The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ukwa East and Ukwa West LGAs indisputably reaffirmed the candidacy of Hon. Chris Nkwonta.
The party leaders said “As the countdown to the 2027 general elections commences, the party has firmly established that Hon. Nkwonta stands as the rightful and duly nominated flagbearer for the Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency, a fact borne out of a resolute commitment to democratic integrity and transparency”
“The meeting was held at the Ukwa-East Party Secretariat in Akwete. The meeting veritably saw the convergence of vital constituents: the executives of APC at the LGA level, ward chairmen, youth leaders, women leaders, ward secretaries and influential senior stakeholders hailing from both Ukwa East and Ukwa West LGAs. Together, a collective voice was forged which resonated with clarity and purpose.
The communiqué bore the signatures of figures including Hon. Chiwuike Ekeke – Chairman of the APC in Ukwa East LGA, Hon. Success Enyinnaya – Chairman of the APC in Ukwa West LGA, Mr. Darlington Iwor – Secretary Ukwa East and Sir Joe Onyedi-Magnus – Secretary Ukwa West. Each signature, remains a will to the unity and steadfast support for Hon. Nkwonta’s candidacy”
“The purpose of this significant gathering was to confront what the party leadership deemed as a plethora of misleading narratives circulating within the vast realms of social media, casting shadows of doubt upon the party’s chosen candidate for the seat of the House of Representatives. In a robust defense of party’s integrity, the leaders articulated their full participation in a transparent primary election, executed in strict accordance with the sanctity of the Electoral Act and the party’s own guiding constitution. The party proudly asserts that on the defining day of May 16, 2026, Hon. Nkwonta emerged victorious, celebrated across the expansive canvas of 20 electoral wards of Ukwa East and Ukwa West LGAs.
With untiring conviction, the party leadership emphasized that the announcement of Nkwonta’s victory was officially heralded by none other than Barr. Erasmus Cishak, the Chairman of the Abia State National Assembly Primary Elections Committee, as constituted by the National Working Committee. The party’s assertions remained fortified with an insistence that Hon. Nkwonta’s candidacy had neither been substituted nor withdrawn at any juncture in this honorable journey.
Delving deeper into the tenets of democratic processes, the stakeholders articulated that the provisions of the Electoral Act delineate precise procedures for candidate nomination and submission, rendering any attempts at undermining this process through social media propaganda or political maneuvering utterly futile.
The sanctity of the APC primary election was further validated by the vigilant oversight of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ensuring that Nkwonta’s position as the party’s standard-bearer for the impending 2027 general elections stands robust and unassailable”
The party leaders appealed to both party members and the broader public, the Ukwa East and Ukwa West APC to disregard what they characterized as the insidious fabrications of pranksters and scamps. Reaffirming their steadfast dedication to upholding the rule of law, due process and the pillars of internal democracy.
However, the APC leadership of Ukwa East and West extends heartfelt congratulations to Hon. Nkwonta for his significant achievement and pledged a united front to secure his triumph at the poll in 2027.
The party leaders equally expressed their deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the National Executive Committee of the APC, the revered Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and APC luminary in Abia State, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, along with Hon. Chijioke Chukwu—the Abia State APC Chairman and other party leaders for their abiding commitment to principles of justice, due process and democratic integrity.
They reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC and articulated an unshakable support for President Tinubu’s administration, exuding confidence that the party would emerge resoundingly victorious in the upcoming elections.
It is expected that the APC leadership in Abia under Rt Ben Kalu, the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives in his usual characteristics should demonstrate political will and insist that the choice of Abians in his party’s are affirmed and not thwarted. He is the leader of the party in the state and witnessed the entire process during the Primaries so cannot allow an intruder assume leadership position or upturn the wishes of his party members in the state.
It is also very important to let the APC at the National Level know that those masquerading as Ambassadors of the party in Abia are non-performers who wear a robe of discipleship but carry the mark of Judas Iscariot as their actions are totally in variance with the name they profess and their plot will spell doom to APC in Abia state. The authentic list of the party’s candidates as uploaded from INEC should be made public as secrecy surrounding the release does not portray the party in good light.
Members of the party in Abia South Senatorial Zone are watching and waiting. The APC should put its house in order and chart the right course, or risk facing serious political consequences and the looming catastrophe that lies ahead.
Maduforo Ekeke. Writes from Aba. Abia state.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a split decision of two to one, the three-member panel affirmed the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, holding that the congresses organised under the caretaker committee violated an existing court order.
Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the lead judgment, ruled that there was no basis to set aside the restraining order issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on April 29.
The appellate court also upheld the lower court’s decision barring the caretaker leadership from interfering with the functions and tenure of the party’s duly elected state executive committees.
According to the court, the ADC Constitution vests the responsibility for conducting state congresses in the elected state executive committees, not the national caretaker leadership.
Justice Donatus Okorowo concurred with the lead judgment, while Justice Abba Mohammed dissented, arguing that the matter was an internal affair of the political party and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The suit was filed by aggrieved members of the ADC, who challenged the legality of committees established by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership to conduct state congresses. They argued that the appointments breached the party’s constitution, insisting that only duly elected party organs had the authority to organise state congresses.
In its earlier ruling, the Federal High Court held that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remained valid until fresh congresses and a national convention were properly conducted.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that neither the 1999 Constitution nor the ADC Constitution empowered the caretaker committee to appoint committees to conduct state congresses.
While noting that courts generally refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, the judge held that judicial intervention is justified where constitutional or statutory provisions are alleged to have been breached.
Affirming the lower court’s decision, the Court of Appeal declared the state congresses and national convention conducted by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership null and void for being carried out in defiance of an existing court order.
The appellate court stressed that once a dispute raises constitutional issues, it ceases to be merely an internal party matter and becomes subject to judicial review.
Consequently, the court dismissed the ADC’s appeal, upheld all the orders of the Federal High Court, and awarded ₦10 million in costs against the party.
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