Politics
Senator Loses APC Return Ticket, Declares War Against Governor
The Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Jibrin Isah, has declared that “the battle line has been drawn” between him and Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, following his defeat in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election.
Jibrin, one of seven aspirants in the contest, alleged widespread irregularities during the exercise, accusing government agents of hijacking electoral materials meant for the primary election.
Speaking after the primary, the senator expressed shock that only two votes were recorded in his favour in his own ward, insisting that electoral officials never arrived at the venue for voting.
According to him, he had gone to his ward to cast his vote but discovered that no electoral officer was present, adding that similar incidents were reported across several wards in the senatorial district.
He said the absence of electoral officials and voting materials prevented many APC members from participating in the exercise in affected areas.
The lawmaker alleged that the situation was a calculated move aimed at frustrating his supporters and manipulating the outcome of the primary election.
Jibrin maintained that his performance and projects across Kogi East had strengthened the APC in the district and would guarantee electoral victories for the party, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also said he had remained loyal to Governor Ododo and the leadership of the APC, questioning why he was allegedly being targeted despite his contributions and commitment to the party.
The senator further alleged that the governor moved against him after receiving information that he intended to contest the governorship seat in the future.
“Well, with the latest development, I will now contest for the governorship position against Governor Ododo when the time comes,” he said.
Jibrin called on the leadership of the APC to investigate the alleged hijacking of electoral materials and ensure fairness and transparency in the party’s internal electoral process.
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 recent sentiments and narratives over the Chairmanship position of Enugu East Local Government Area deserve calm reflection, objective analysis, and historical honesty rooted in fairness, equity, and the collective interest of the Nike people.
Politics
‘I regret trusting elders in the community, I know how much I gave them, only 14 voted for me’ – Cubana Chief Priest
Cubana Chief Priest was seeking the APC ticket for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency of Imo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The socialite, who serves as the Imo State Coordinator of the City Boys Movement, lost to the incumbent lawmaker representing the constituency, Canice Nwachukwu, after reportedly polling 14 votes.
Reacting to the outcome, Seyi shared a message of encouragement to the nightlife promoter in a post on his Instagram page on Sunday, which Cubana later reposted.
“Bro, sometimes by losing a battle, you find a new way to win the war. Keep your head up @cubana_chiefpriest. We know what you are capable of achieving,” Seyi wrote.
“I’m a hustler, and I didn’t regret trying to contest for a position. My only regret was trusting the elders in the community.
“I know how much I gave them, but only 14 people voted for me in the primary,” he said.
Cubana Chief Priest’s defeat sparked reactions on social media, with some users mocking his inability to secure the APC ticket despite his public support for the president.
The growing unrest, which has triggered protests, collapsed consensus negotiations, and led to accusations of candidate imposition and reconciliation efforts across multiple states, comes as the APC leadership races to preserve party cohesion before the primaries gather momentum nationwide.
Concerned by the situation, President Tinubu has appealed to members, aspirants and party leaders to conduct themselves as sportsmen and women.
He warned that rancorous behaviour would only serve the opposition, and cautioned winners against gloating, while urging losers to accept defeat with grace.
In a personal statement he released on Thursday, the eve of the commencement of House of Representatives primaries, Tinubu said the exercises were not merely platforms to produce standard bearers but a referendum on the APC’s unity, resilience and strength as a party entering its fourth election cycle.
He said, “In every contest, there will be a winner and a loser. I urge the winners not to gloat in victory and the losers to show sportsmanship by taking things in their stride and preparing for another time.
“The ultimate winners are those who don’t choose to wreck the boat but rather work to prepare for another round. Our opponents are waiting for us to be against each other; we should disappoint them.”
The President made a pointed reference to a mode of political engagement he said the party had left behind, invoking it precisely to warn against its return.
“We should not play the politics of old, the do-or-die politics that we have put behind us. Politics should never be a zero-sum game. Any candidate that wins does so for all of us as a party,” he stated.
The President said wherever consensus had already been reached among aspirants, it should be maximised to reduce friction.
“I am aware that, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and our party’s constitution, leaders at various levels have initiated conversations to produce consensus candidates.
“It is a commendable option that would help in reducing rancour and bad blood among party members,” said Tinubu.
But where consensus fails, he said, members must conduct themselves with discipline.
“I urge us all to go into the primaries as brothers and sisters,” the President appealed.
Tinubu directed party governors and leaders to ensure a level playing field and rise above personal sentiment.
He said, “You must rise above sentiment to offer all aspirants a level playing field that guarantees participation without let or hindrance.
“While only one person will win for every seat contested, we should give eventual losers the satisfaction of a fair contest.”
He also directed that winners and party leaders at all levels reach out to those who did not succeed with olive branches, and urged aspirants who felt aggrieved to approach the party’s redress committees rather than destabilise the process.
The President called for the inclusion of women and youth, saying, “I appeal to voters in the primaries and leaders at all levels to give special consideration to our women and youth in the contest. We cannot afford to relegate the two significant demographics of our population.”
He also issued a firm directive to security agencies deployed for the primaries, urging them to limit their role strictly to maintaining peace.
According to him, “The police and other security agencies must remain professional and avoid acting as interlopers during this exercise. Your duties strictly centre on ensuring peaceful exercise. Nothing more.”
The APC primaries, kicking off with House of Representatives aspirants, are scheduled to run through to the presidential primary on May 25, 2026.
The primaries are taking place under the Electoral Act 2026, which reduced the statutory notice period for elections from 360 to 300 days, a change Speaker Tajudeen Abbas noted could allow Presidential and National Assembly elections to be held in January 2027.
Consensus talks collapse
Investigations revealed that while some APC-controlled states successfully adopted consensus arrangements for the primaries, others descended into intense disputes as aspirants resisted pressure to step down for preferred candidates.
The crisis has become particularly pronounced in states such as Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Yobe and Abia, where disagreements over direct primaries, endorsements and alleged automatic tickets have sharply divided party stakeholders.
In Abia State, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, moved to calm rising tension by dismissing speculations that certain aspirants had already been handed automatic tickets ahead of the primaries.
Speaking during a pre-primary stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in Umuahia on Thursday, Kalu insisted that the party would not impose candidates on members.
According to him, every aspirant seeking elective office under the APC platform must emerge through a transparent and democratic process.
“We are not going to impose any candidate. We want to ensure that after the primaries, the party is not going to disintegrate. We have worked hard and it is now time to harvest,” Kalu declared.
He added, “There is no automatic ticket and no list by anybody. The party has given us only two democratic options — consensus or direct primaries.”
The deputy speaker stressed that the wishes of party members would ultimately determine who emerges as candidates for the 2027 elections.
Also speaking at the meeting, former Abia State governor and senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, said President Tinubu had specifically mandated party leaders in the state to remain united ahead of the elections.
“The President told me clearly that the only gift Abia APC can give him is to deliver the state,” Orji Kalu said.
He added, “The President also told me not to quarrel with my younger brother. I have no problems with Ben Kalu anymore. The quarrel is gone. Abia APC is now united.”
The APC disclosed during the meeting that three governorship aspirants, nine senatorial aspirants, 24 House of Representatives aspirants and 64 House of Assembly aspirants purchased nomination forms in the state.
According to the state Organising Secretary, Emeka Okoroafor, only one House of Representatives aspirant was disqualified for not being a registered party member.
Meanwhile, consensus negotiations for House of Representatives tickets remained deadlocked in Kano State as party leaders struggled to avert divisive contests across the 24 federal constituencies.
Speaking on Thursday, the Kano APC Publicity Secretary, Auwal Soja, confirmed that consultations were still ongoing late into the evening.
“Consensus among the aspirants of the APC for the 24 federal constituency seats is still ongoing, which will hopefully be concluded by 10 pm today,” he said.
He, however, admitted that direct primaries would hold wherever consensus arrangements fail.
“As you know, the APC Constitution provides only for direct primaries and consensus as legitimate pathways for selecting candidates,” Soja added.
The Electoral Act 2026 permits political parties to adopt either direct primaries, where all registered party members vote, or consensus arrangements backed by written consent from cleared aspirants.
Despite the reconciliation efforts, indications emerged that consensus talks in Kano may face resistance in some constituencies, especially Kumbotso Federal Constituency, where supporters of rival aspirants have openly demanded competitive primaries.
In Taraba State, the party’s consensus initiative suffered a major setback after several aspirants refused to withdraw from contests across strategic constituencies.
The collapse of the arrangement forced the APC to prepare for direct primaries in multiple National Assembly and state assembly constituencies ahead of today’s exercise.
In a statement issued by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Aaron Artimas, the party disclosed that the State Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa, had reconstituted another committee to continue negotiations with aggrieved aspirants.
According to the statement, “The committees achieved a tremendous amount of success, as many aspirants have already agreed to step down in the interest of party unity.”
The statement added that the fresh committee would continue engaging aspirants “who may still be holding out for one reason or another.”
However, reports submitted by zonal committees showed that consensus collapsed in constituencies such as Takum, Donga, Ussa, Kurmi, Nguroje and Wukari, where aspirants insisted on testing their popularity through direct primaries.
Former lawmaker, Tukur El-Sudi, who chaired one of the reconciliation committees, disclosed that many aspirants rejected appeals to step down for incumbents.
“All aspirants in Nguroje declined to withdraw for the incumbent lawmaker because they insisted the process must remain competitive,” he said.
Similarly, Dr Philip Duwe, who chaired the Southern Zone Consensus Committee, revealed that many aspirants initially feared that the consensus arrangement was merely a strategy to impose candidates.
According to him, “Several aspirants believed the process was designed to favour certain individuals, but the consultations later became useful platforms for dialogue and reconciliation.”
He further disclosed that huge financial investments made by aspirants for mobilisation and consultations also contributed to the breakdown of consensus talks.
The APC state chairman, Bawa, however, defended the process, insisting that disagreements should not be viewed as failure.
“The inability to achieve consensus everywhere is not a failure. It simply reflects internal democracy because aspirants are expressing themselves freely,” he stated.
In Yobe State, the APC is equally preparing for the House of Representatives primaries following the failure of party stakeholders to settle disagreements through consensus.
A senior party source disclosed that Governor Mai Mala Buni had returned to the state to personally supervise reconciliation meetings aimed at salvaging consensus talks before the primaries.
“The governor has arrived in the state and is expected to meet with party stakeholders to decide whether consensus can still be achieved or whether the primaries will proceed,” the source said.
PUNCH
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement.
The governor made this known on Thursday at the joint mega-rally of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement held at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, the state capital.
“The time to reset Nigeria is now. Therefore, today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, announce my candidacy for the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Makinde said the country’s situation has “continued to deteriorate, putting the majority of Nigerians on survival mode daily.
The governor added that government officials responsible for citizens’ welfare have abdicated their duties.
“This is why, for the past several months, one question has been at the top of my mind: where do we go from here? Is this how we should continue as a nation?
“We have been pushed to the wall with the belief that we will turn against ourselves or worst still, that we will become too weary to survive on a daily basis to fight back.
“They said opposition cannot unite, but I am here today to say that it is a miscalculation. The opposition in Nigeria is not just a political party. The opposition is the everyday Nigerian for whom the country does not work,” Makinde said.Makinde said the alliance between the PDP and APM would enable the former ruling party to field candidates for all positions in the 2027 general election.
“So today in Ibadan, the first grand alliance is formed. The alliance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
“This handshake will allow us to field candidates at all levels. We will field candidates from top to bottom. We will field candidates from the presidency to state assemblies, and everything in between,” Makinde said.
Makinde had earlier led the Taminu Turaki faction of the PDP in Oyo State to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the APM as part of a strategic alliance for the forthcoming elections.
The governor and the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, signed the agreement on behalf of both parties.
Under the agreement, candidates of the PDP faction contesting for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly seats are expected to run on the platform of the APM rather than the PDP in the 2027 elections.
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