Politics
APC Senate Primaries: ‘Senator’ Attacks Journalists in Ebonyi, Rochas Crashes Out as Abiodun, Uzodimma, Bello Win
The exercise produced one of the most striking outcomes in recent party history, with several political heavyweights — including former governors and serving powerbrokers — losing out, while a new set of influential figures secured the party’s senatorial tickets amid a mix of contested primaries, consensus arrangements, and disputed clearances.
Former Ogun State governors Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East) and Ibidapo Amosun (Ogun Central) shunned the exercise while Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State triumphed over ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha in the Imo West senatorial primary on Monday.
In Delta, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa defeated incumbent Ned Nwoko in Delta North while Senator Ede Dafinone overcame ex-Senate Deputy President, Ovie Omo-Agege in a tense poll in Delta Central.
Bigwigs like Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Senate Leader Bamidele Opeyemi, Senator Ali Ndume, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole emerged as consensus aspirants in their various states.
Yahaya Bello wins
Former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello staged a major political comeback after emerging winner of the APC senatorial primary for Kogi Central with a landslide victory.
Bello polled 72,399 votes to defeat Ibrahim Yakubu Adoje and Momoh Obaro.
In Kano North, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin also emerged through affirmation amid a massive show of support from party leaders and delegates.
Speaking after the exercise, Barau praised President Bola Tinubu and urged party supporters to remain loyal to the APC.
In Edo South, confusion trailed the APC primary after two separate victory claims emerged from rival camps.
Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama was officially declared winner by the APC collation committee after polling 27,154 votes ahead of Senator Neda Imasuen and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
However, another faction reportedly declared Ize-Iyamu winner of the contest.
Imasuen rejected the entire process, describing it as manipulated.
“There is nothing satisfactory about this sham of an election,” he said. “Some ward chairmen openly told me the party had already adopted a preferred aspirant.”
In Oyo, the party recorded what officials described as a largely peaceful and orderly conduct of its senatorial primaries across the three senatorial districts of the state.
In Ebonyi State, the three APC incumbent senators — Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South), Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North), and Senator Kenneth Eze (Ebonyi Central) —were returned as the party’s candidates following what officials described as strict adherence to a consensus arrangement.
Their emergence came amid a relatively calm collation process in parts of the state.
However, tension erupted at the senatorial collation centre in Onueke, Ezza South Local Government Area, shortly after Senator Kenneth Eze was declared winner for Ebonyi Central by the electoral committee chairman, Senator Anthony Agbo.
The situation degenerated when journalists covering the exercise approached the senator for comments. Eyewitnesses said Eze became visibly agitated and accused some journalists of misrepresentation, refusing to grant interviews.
Attempts by the Ebonyi State NUJ Chairman, Samson Nwafor, to calm the situation reportedly failed, as suspected aides and loyalists of the senator allegedly attacked journalists and NUJ members at the venue, including Kizito Nwankwo.
The incident created panic at the collation centre, overshadowing what had earlier been described as a peaceful exercise.
In Ogun State, the APC senatorial primaries were marked by confusion over participation, high-profile withdrawals, and consensus arrangements across the three senatorial districts.
Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele, former Governors Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun were notably absent from the exercise in their respective senatorial districts, despite earlier indications of interest.
In Ogun West, reports indicated that only placards of Jimoh Ojugbele were displayed for voting, suggesting a consensus arrangement. A party source said all aspirants, including the deputy governor, stepped down for Ojugbele.
“It is about preserving party unity… everyone submitted to the party’s interest,” the source said.
Daniel’s media aide, Steve Oliyide, said the former governor stayed away from the primary for safety reasons, adding that the decision was to avoid violence.
“We don’t believe our ambition is worth the blood of anyone,” he said, noting that Daniel remained loyal to the party despite withdrawing from the contest.
In Ekiti State, all three incumbent senators secured return tickets for the APC ahead of 2027.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emerged as the consensus candidate for Ekiti Central. Senator Yemi Adaramodu defeated former senator Biodun Olujimi with 12,200 votes against 7,420.
In Ekiti North, Senator Cyril Fasuyi also secured the ticket with 14,179 votes, defeating Senator Ayo Arise.
The exercise, which was held simultaneously across Oyo South, Oyo Central and Oyo North, covered nine local government areas in Oyo South, 11 in Oyo Central, and 13 in Oyo North, with voting taking place in hundreds of wards across the state.
Banigo-Harry, a serving senator and former deputy governor of Rivers State, described her exclusion as “an injustice to women and experienced legislators,” insisting she remained qualified to contest.
In contrast to the tension in Rivers, Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District witnessed a smooth and celebratory affirmation process, where Senate President Godswill Akpabio emerged unopposed as the APC candidate.
In Lagos State, the APC also returned all three serving senators, Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East), Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni (Lagos Central), and Idiat Adebule (Lagos West), through consensus arrangements.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State was declared the winner of the senatorial primary election for Imo West Senatorial District.
The declaration was made on Monday by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Primary Elections Committee for Imo State, Rear Admiral Kayode Williams (retd.), who also served as the Returning Officer for the exercise.
Announcing the result, Williams said Uzodimma polled a total of 230,464 votes to defeat former Governor Rochas Okorocha, who scored 1,098 votes in the contest.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, emerged as the candidate for the Kaduna North Senatorial District.
Yero secured the ticket after defeating two other aspirants in a primary election held in Zaria on Monday, in a process that party officials described as peaceful and orderly.
44 aspirants disqualified
Before the primaries, 44 aspirants were disqualified by the APC screening committee, a development that immediately triggered protests, confusion and allegations of manipulation in several states.
The list, released by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, showed that the affected aspirants were officially marked “Not Cleared” following the screening exercise conducted by the party.
Among the high-profile aspirants denied clearance was Oyo South hopeful, Mr. Kola Daisi, alongside several political heavyweights from Rivers, Zamfara, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Bayelsa, Cross River and other states.
The affected aspirants include Hamish Idris and Abdurman Kwacham from Adamawa North; Donald Daunemigita from Bayelsa West; Senator Benson Agadaga from Bayelsa East; Daniel Asuquo from Cross River South; and Oden Ewa from Cross River Central.
Others listed as “Not Cleared” include Dr. Marian Ogoh-Ali from Delta North; Senator Usman Wowo and Abubakar Abdullahi from the FCT; Adam Mohammed from Jigawa South/West; Senator Garba Mai Doki from Kebbi South; and Kollo Jiya from Kwara North.
The Oyo State chapter also recorded a wave of disqualifications involving Ademola Alli, Ajimobi Adegboyega, Faozey Nurudeen, Hameed Repete and Akinremi Bolaji.
Rivers State witnessed one of the heaviest casualties as prominent figures such as Chief Tamunobaabo Danagogo, Tein Jack-Rich, Ipalibo Banigo and Chief Barry Mwara were all denied clearance.
In the list released earlier, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and four others were among 47 aspirants marked ‘Not cleared.’
However, an updated list was later released which reduced the number of affected aspirants from 47 to 44, with no explanation offered for the deletions, adding to the confusion which has clouded the exercise.
Morka stated, “The All Progressives Congress hereby releases an updated list of Senatorial aspirants not cleared to participate in the Party’s Senate Primary Elections. The APC urges all stakeholders to uphold transparency, orderliness, and the integrity of the ongoing Primary Election process.”
Murray-Bruce, who had represented Bayelsa East in the Senate, was among the most prominent names on the initial list released earlier the same day. His removal from the updated list, without any statement on his clearance status, was not explained by the party.
Also dropped from the list were Chimzobam Kingsley Nnalue (Anambra North), Gyang Yaya Zi San. (Plateau North), Napoleon Binkap Bah (Plateau South), and Usman Ephraim Gar (Plateau Central).
Two new names were added, Ibrahim Bala (Nasarawa West), listed as not cleared, and Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana (Nasarawa West), who was recorded as having voluntarily withdrawn.
The updated list also revised the status of some aspirants previously marked as “not cleared.”
Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) and Donald Daunemigita (Bayelsa West) were reclassified as voluntary withdrawals, while Garba Musa Mai Doki (Kebbi South) was listed as having defected, and Adam Mouktar Mohammed (Jigawa South/West) was recorded as having failed to appear for screening.
In Borno State, the three incumbent APC senators, Ali Ndume, Mohammed Monguno and Kaka Shehu Lawan, all emerged unopposed after affirmation exercises conducted in Maiduguri.
The Oyo State Government has denied reports claiming it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the claim was “far from the truth” and accused “irresponsible bloggers” of deliberately spreading misinformation to confuse the public.
“Although both the Oyo State and Federal Governments have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted children and their teachers, no ransom has been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly,” Oyelade stated.
He urged residents to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.
The commissioner added that the Oyo State Government is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe release of the abductees and bring the incident to a successful conclusion.
The pupils and teachers were abducted on May 15 when armed bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area. The coordinated attack also claimed the life of a teacher.
The victims have remained in captivity since the attack, while the Oyo State Government, the Federal Government, and security agencies continue efforts to secure their freedom.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has dismissed reports that aggrieved aspirants who lost the party’s primary elections are plotting to work against its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Following the conclusion of the party’s primaries a few weeks ago, reports had alleged that some unsuccessful aspirants were considering supporting candidates of other political parties in protest, with the aim of undermining APGA’s chances at the polls.
However, APGA National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, described the claims as false, insisting that the party remains united after a reconciliation meeting convened by Governor Charles Soludo.
“I am hearing this from you. As a party, we have not received any report of such a plot. Let me state clearly that all the aspirants have resolved to work for the success of the party in the 2027 general elections,” Opara said.
He explained that during the meeting held at the Light House in Awka, aspirants and candidates openly discussed issues arising from the primaries, stressing that none of the participants accused the party of conducting an unfair or non-transparent process.
“Everyone expressed their views about the primary elections. No one alleged that the process lacked transparency. The only concern expressed was that each aspirant had hoped to emerge victorious.
“At the end of the meeting, every misunderstanding, anxiety and misgiving surrounding the primaries was resolved, and the party remains one united family,” he added.
Opara also warned opposition parties against what he described as deliberate attempts to spread falsehoods and create disaffection within APGA.
He cautioned individuals engaging in cyberbullying and name-dropping for political purposes to desist, warning that the party would not hesitate to pursue legal action against anyone found defaming its members.
“This is nothing but cheap blackmail by the opposition. They should be mindful of the legal consequences of cyberbullying and name-dropping. We urge our party faithful and the general public to disregard these spurious reports,” he said.
This version improves grammar, flow, attribution, and readability while preserving the substance of the original report.
Former Minister Uche Nnaji
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a court order permitting it to detain former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, for an initial 14 days as investigations into alleged certificate forgery continue.
The remand order followed Nnaji’s arrest on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after he arrived from Enugu aboard a chartered flight.
According to an official of the anti-graft agency, the court-approved remand will enable investigators to interrogate the former minister over the allegations, with the possibility of seeking an extension should further investigation require additional time.
Nnaji was apprehended following the execution of a bench warrant earlier issued by the Federal High Court after he allegedly failed to honour several invitations extended by the commission.
The ICPC subsequently confirmed the arrest in an official statement signed by its spokesperson, John Odey, stating that the former minister is in the commission’s custody as investigations continue into allegations bordering on the forgery of academic credentials and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate allegedly submitted during his ministerial screening process.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Despite the Federal High Court pronouncement against the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in Anambra state, the National Working Committee( NWC) of the party has issued nomination forms to candidates of the National and state Assemblies of the party .
Recall that the Federal High Court Abuja had ruled that Sen Emma Anosike is not the Chairman of the party; a judgement that is unsettling party in the area which the plaintiffs denied knowledge of the suit insisting that it is a kangaroo pronouncement.
The affected state executive members, Bright Osemeka, Mrs Ify Chinwoko Nzekwe and Amaechi Chinweze had contended that they never filed any action challenging the leadership of Sen Emma Anosike adding that they remain loyal to the Anosike led executive.
According to the Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the party Mr Emeka Okafor ;
“The Federal High Court pronounent did not mention the nominated candidates of the party for the National and state Assembly elections and we have issued nomination forms to the candidates”
“Again the matter neither joined the nominated candidates nor had any legal position on the primary elections of the party in Anambra state hence the nominated candidates remain our candidates for Anambra state ” he said.
Recall that Sen Emma Anosike as at the period of the primary elections was the Chairman of the party an exercise that was adjudged peaceful and transparent by the National Working Committee of the party and the Election Committee sent to the state by the Leadership of the party in Abuja .
Similarly, the expelled members of the party did not take part in the election following the suit filed by them against the party in Anambra state.
They were suspended by the party because the party found out that they did not explore the laid down avenues of conflict or dispute resolutions before heading to the Court which the party stated that it is against the constitution of the party which also stipulates outright expulsion.
Meanwhile it is not clear if the said Chairman of the party who the Court endorsed has taken over the party Secretarate in Awka , nor has he convened any meeting of the party; a development that has deepened the unsettled state of affairs of the party .
It is however gathered that sustained legal battle is on in Abuja over the said judgement as the crisis lasts .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Structures belonging the trio of People’s Democratic Party PDP, All Progressives Congress APC and Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC have been collapsed into the candidacy of Chief Chukwudi Oli of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Dunukofia – Njikoka -Ananocha Federal Constituency.
The development followed the adoption of his candidacy by a group made up of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Njikoka LGA, which is part of federal constituency.
Members of the group declared their support for Oli during a consultative meeting they held with the APGA House of Representatives candidate’s campaign organisation held at Abagana yesterday.
Members of the campaign organisation which is headed by a former chairman of Njikoka LGA as the Director-general (DG), Hon. George Ozor present at the meeting received the three structures into the fold of the organization.
In their separate speeches on behalf of members of the group, the leader, Ozo Ejiamatu, and , chairman, Mr. Onyenechi Ezeaso stated that they decided to throw their support behind Oli because of his proven passion and commitment toward the progress of the various communities within the federal constituency, and, humanity at large.
”In this our group, some of us are members of the PDP, APC, NDC, and, other political parties.
”But we decided to come together, to support you because we are convinced that by supporting you, we are working for ourselves because we know that you are going to work for the progress of DNA (Dunukofia/Njikoka/ Anaocha federal constituency) when you get to the House of Representatives.
”We don’t want to allow selfish politicians who have been deceiving our people to win election in this federal constituency, again, because they have deceived us enough “, Ejiamatu stated further.
Also, in his speech, Ezeaso made it clear that the group was not an APGA political group, adding that the support of the members for the party’s House of Representatives candidate in the federal constituency did not mean that the members of his group have adopted all APGA candidates.
Expressing gratitude to members of the group for trusting him, Oli pledged that he would not disappoint them if elected.
He said that his political mantra was anchored on “accountability, transparency, togetherness, and, touching lives”.
He vowed that if elected into the House of Representatives he would not use his position to pursue personal gains, but, would deploy his capacity and influence to the development of the federal constituency while awaiting for the divine reward.Stating that he would be guided by the philosophy of his mentor, the state-born popular oil mongul and philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze, Oli pledged that when elected the ordinary people in the federal constituency would breath fresh air, and, life made worth living for them.
Chairman of the campaign organisation, Chief Ozor, and, chairman of APGA in Njikoka LGA, Hon. Chinedu Anakwe eulogised members of the group for the confidence they reposed in Oli.
”We know that this federal constituency election will be one of the toughest elections in Anambra state, but, because we know the capacity of your leader, Ozo Ejiamatu, and, some of you we have no doubt that the fight has been made a lot easier and our victory assured”, Ozor stated.
The APGA chairman in Njikoka described the support of members of the group as a source of great courage, and, moral boost for the party and the House of Representatives candidate, and, indeed, other candidates of the party in the area, including for the senate , Hon Dozie Nwankwo.
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