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.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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