Politics
Gov polls: IG undercover squads comb Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa flashpoint, hideouts
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has deployed undercover agents, who are currently carrying out covert operations to identify criminals’ hideouts and clamp down on them in the three states and neighbouring states.
President Bola Tinubu had approved the allowances for police officers deployed for the off-season elections in the three states, as well as other officers on special duties.
Governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa have in recent years been marred by several unsettling events, which led to avoidable loss of lives and property.
For example, during the last governorship election in the state held in 2019, the then governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, said 22 persons were killed. He said 10 out of them were members of the Peoples Democratic Party, while the 12 other residents were “beheaded, mutilated and actually butchered” before they were thrown into the sea.
Also, in Kogi State, no fewer than four persons were reported killed during the 2019 election.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and his counterpart in Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, are seeking re-election, while Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is rounding off his second term and is supporting the All Progressives Congress candidate, Usman Ododo, whom he anointed among the aspirants to win the party’s ticket.
Six days to the elections, it was learnt that the police commands in the three states had also finalised plans to deploy anti-riot equipment such as teargas canisters, water cannon, Armoured Personnel Carriers and drones to ensure adequate security before, during and after the polls.
The Force Headquarters also disclosed that the police were prepared for the elections, and that adequate deployment had been done in all areas.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, added, “We are ready and have prepared well for the elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states. Adequate deployments have been done to all areas, including the protection of Independent National Electoral Commission officials, accredited observers, media, materials and facilities. We have made arrangements for necessary escorts during the elections.
“The IG has ordered additional allocation of logistics, equipment and personnel to the states and other states that will support the concerned states. The IG was in Imo to address stakeholders on Thursday. We are good to go.
“Also, the allowances of our personnel for the election duty have been approved for payment. We are engaging all the stakeholders to maintain peace and be law-abiding before, during and after the elections.”
Adejobi told our correspondent in September that being off-season elections, the police would “deploy our equipment as well to make sure that each of the three states is fortified for free, fair and credible elections. We have enough equipment, arms and ammunition, teargas canisters, water cannons, armoured personnel carriers, drones and our plain clothes officers will also be on the field to gather intelligence for us.”
Confirming the police readiness on Friday, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said there was enough security on ground, adding that the state command had deployed undercover agents, officers in uniform and adequate equipment to enable the electorate to cast their votes under a secured atmosphere.
Parties oppose rigging
In Imo State, the two major opposition parties in the state, Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, have expressed optimism that they will defeat the governor, the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
In separate interviews with one of our correspondents in Owerri on Friday, they said the governor would lose the election, based on his performance in the last four years.
The LP Legal Adviser in the state, Emeka Ihejirike, said the APC administration brought nothing but hardship to the people, noting that the party’s candidate, Athan Achonu, was prepared to lead the state to the path of economic stability, security and infrastructural development.
Ihejirike said though his party had received intelligence that the APC administration was planning to use thugs to rig the election, the LP and the people of the state were prepared to resist the plot.
He stated, “The chances of the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Imo State are very bright, having taken its message across the 27 LGs, 305 wards and 4,720 polling units in the state.
“It is a known fact that Imolites are tired of the constant insecurity, which has not only driven thousands from their homes, but has sent so many to their early graves.
“They (incumbent administration) may try, but they will fail. It will be outright chaos if they try such nonsense (rigging); I am sure (President Bola) Tinubu will not like any part of the country to boil. Therefore, I think he will allow free and fair elections. Meanwhile, we have put things in place to check any attempt at rigging. Imolites should come out and vote; nobody will steal the votes. Even the people rumoured to have written results are desperately begging for votes.”
The Director, Media and Publicity, Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Chibuikem Diala, said the LP candidate was the party to beat in the election, noting that the people were desirous of sustainable development, effective leadership and quality life, which the Labour Party would provide.
He added, “The whole world is aware that the APC in Imo State is capable of doing anything to win the election. The memory of how the current governor got into government is still very fresh. Imolites have also vowed to resist any attempt by the APC people to perpetuate themselves in power because they have been rejected. Like a rolling stone, they will gather no moss.
“We expect Federal Government agencies, including the police, army and the Department of State Services, to remain neutral, professional and to do the right thing at all times. They must not deny the people their choice.”
For the Director-General, PDP’s New Media Directorate in the state, Lancelot Obiaku, the forthcoming election would be a litmus test for Tinubu.
He said his party’s candidate, Samuel Anyanwu, was sure of winning the election and that the President must ensure that the people’s will prevailed.
While accusing the APC government in the state of plotting to subdue the opposition during the election, Obiaku added, “The PDP in Imo State and its governorship candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, have had a successful campaign in which every nook and cranny of the state was reached.
“The Imo PDP is confident of a clear and overwhelming victory, because the people are yearning for the party to come in and rescue the state from the ravages of insecurity, rising poverty, infrastructural decay and government rascality. We know the APC government must be plotting several undemocratic moves, including using fake security men and his private Ebueagu militia to cause mayhem and undermine the process.
“However, we expect that the Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should know that the Imo election is a litmus test for it. Strong doubts remain about the INEC in the state and the current Imo State police commissioner. We are hoping that the Inspector-General of Police and the INEC chairman will do the right thing. We have it on good authority that Imo people will resist any attempt to deny them their choice as they have suffered enough from Uzodimma’s regime.”
But the spokesperson for the APC in the state, Cajetan Duke, said the party was ready for the election and had no plan to hijack the electoral process. He said the claims by the opposition were because they had seen the handwriting on the wall that the greater percentage of the electorate want Uzodimma re-elected.
Duke stated, “The chances of our party, the APC, in the forthcoming governorship election in the state is very reassuring and overwhelming. The performance of Governor Hope Uzodimma over the past three years has earned him the trust and solidarity of the people of the state. We are very confident that with the support and backing of relevant stakeholders in the state, such as religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, local development partners as well as prominent political players across party lines, the process will be fair and we will win.
“The re-election of Governor Hope Uzodimma is going to be predicated on his phenomenal performance in the areas of infrastructural development, civil service reforms, urban renewal initiatives, health care delivery, education, agriculture and youth empowerment, among others. Under Governor Uzodimma, we have completely eliminated the monster of family interference in the business of governance in the state. We have seen maturity in leadership.”
“There is no such plan to hijack the electoral process, and we don’t have any machinery to do so; the propaganda by the opposition PDP is an acknowledgement of defeat before the commencement of the competition. The opposition in the state is aware that Uzodimma is the most popular political player on the stage at the moment with overwhelming goodwill.”
Bayelsa State
In Bayelsa State, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition parties are trading blame over the alleged deployment of thugs to intimidate voters during the election.
The state Publicity Secretary, PDP, Ebiye Ogoli, said it was not true that Governor Douye Diri and the party were plotting to use violence to achieve victory in the poll.
He said it was the opposition, particularly the APC, that was relying on thuggery to intimidate voters on the Election Day, describing Diri as a peaceful person who did not believe in violence as a means of winning elections.
While debunking allegations that the PDP was planning to deploy thugs to intimidate voters, Ogoli said, “Absolutely not (true). The reverse is rather the case. Recall that they threatened the PDP in Twon-Brass town where they called on their supporters to chase the PDP members into the sea and ensure that they die in the process. What is happening now is a follow-up to that order.
“The APC supporters have scaled up the level of intimidation and threat on our party members. The end result is to scare our supporters away, hijack electoral materials and write fictitious results for themselves on Election Day.
“The truth is that Governor Douye Diri is a peace-loving man and continues to preach peace. His message has always been that we are first brothers and sisters before political parties; and that the quest for power is not a sufficient reason to take the life of your brother or sister. But our main challenger cares less, believing that power acquisition should be by every means possible.”
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC said it would win the election if the exercise was free and fair, adding that the people were on the side of the party.
The state APC Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, said, “If the elections are free, fair and credible, the APC will win the election. The Bayelsa people are with us. They have never been with Senator Douye Diri. Don’t forget that he did not win the 2019 governorship election. The Supreme Court made him governor on the basis of alleged multiple names of the deputy governor-elect. Hence he calls himself ‘miracle governor’.
“His performance in office has been disgraceful. No wonder, he has not been campaigning on any known record of achievement. Instead, the incumbent government has been running from court to court, and resorting to self-help. Our candidate, Timipre Sylva, has a robust six-point agenda to move Bayelsa State forward. We have challenged Douye Diri to produce his programme. He has yet to pick up the challenge.
“We know as a matter of fact that the PDP is desperate about this election. But fear is out of the question. We have the capacity within the limits of the law to face, contain and defeat them. We call on armed and security forces to do their work according to the laws of our land.”
When contacted, the Labour Party in the state promised to get back to one of our correspondents, but it had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Kogi candidates speak
In Kogi State, the PDP and Social Democratic Party in Kogi State have expressed hope of winning a free and fair governorship election on Saturday.
The Director of Communication, SDP, Faruk Adejoh-Audu, urged the President to provide adequate security for the election.
Adejoh-Audu stated, “The major problem we have is violence, but as we can see, that is being taken care of. The President is deploying soldiers to every nook and cranny of the state, who will tackle political thuggery during the election. All we need is a level playing field and this can be achieved if the President keeps to his word; soldiers are everywhere, thugs are not allowed to move freely with guns, and of course, if there is no compromise.
“Our confidence level of winning this election is very high because already, we are sure of 25 per cent votes from all the local governments, so we are sure of winning. We are winning this election no matter the manipulation. And we are doing our best to make sure that those manipulations don’t work. We will police our votes from the polling units to the collation centres.”
Also, the spokesperson for the PDP campaign council, tagged Dino-Deen Campaign Council, Yemi Olumudi, said, “The whole world is concerned because of the 2019 incident, not just our party. As I speak to you, there is already a heavy military presence in some parts of the local governments just to forestall possible breakdown of law and order.
“We are very confident that we are going to win the poll, because the people of Kogi are tired of suffering. The fact is there for all to see. And the candidate of the PDP, Senator Dino Melaye, is the most qualified and most experienced. There are only two parties in Kogi State that have structures – the PDP and the APC – all the other parties don’t have structures and we are very confident that we will emerge victorious at the poll.”
Reacting to the claims that the party planned to instigate violence during the election, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Usman Suleman, said, “Violence is not part of us and we don’t have any plan to instigate violence. We know we are on the ground, so why are we going to create violence? You know you are going to win, why will you be fighting again?
“Our confidence in winning this election is 100 per cent sure. I am giving you my assurance that the APC is going to win this election because some of the leaders of some of the opposition parties like the PDP have started defecting to our party. So, I am not doubting our victory.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, has announced that parties and stakeholders involved in the Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa off-cycle elections will sign the Peace Accord on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
In a statement on Saturday, Abubakar stated, “The NPC hereby wishes to announce the signing of the Peace Accord on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 by political parties and other election stakeholders in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. This is to pledge their commitment to peaceful, transparent and equitable elections in their respective states.
The chairman noted the need to commit to a peaceful and conducive environment, adding that the elections in the states provided an opportunity “to underscore our unwavering commitment to peaceful democratic transitions, setting an inspiring example for the entire nation”.
He urged stakeholders in the various states to play their part in keeping the peace before, during and after the elections, adding that peace was the responsibility of everyone. He also called on citizens to exercise their franchise in electing their leaders, in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The statement added, “The responsibility for peace belongs to each of us. We appeal to citizens in these states to exercise their rights to vote, choosing their leaders according to the provisions of the law. Remember, your vote is your voice, and with your participation, we can collectively build a better state.”
He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and other concerned agencies to be transparent, particularly because the entire nation and the world are watching.
He added, “We extend our best wishes to the residents of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. Your collective efforts to ensure the electoral process, epitomising the spirit of progress and hope, will set the standard for unity and growth in our nation.”
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.
Why the Igbo Must Choose Political Strategy Over Emotional Politics
By Emma Igwe
There comes a moment in the political history of every people when sentiment must give way to strategy.
For the South-East, 2027 may be that moment.
The question before the Igbo nation is not whether an Igbo man should one day become President of Nigeria. Of course he should. The question is whether the Igbo people are prepared to do the difficult political calculations required to make that aspiration a reality.
And that is where the 2027 presidential election becomes more than a contest between political parties.
It becomes a referendum on the political intelligence of the South-East.
Will the region continue to vote primarily to satisfy ethnic emotions and demonstrate loyalty to its own?
Or will it begin to think several political moves ahead—like a chess player who understands that sometimes the best way to capture the king is to first control the board?
THE HARD TRUTH THE SOUTH-EAST MUST CONFRONT
Peter Obi has demonstrated something remarkable.
He has shown that an Igbo politician can generate extraordinary enthusiasm among millions of Nigerians, particularly young people. His political movement has changed the conversation about presidential politics and created a new generation of politically conscious voters.
But enthusiasm is not the same thing as electoral mathematics.
The South-East must ask a difficult question:
Can regional popularity, without a sufficiently broad and durable national coalition, deliver the presidency?
That question is not an attack on Obi.
It is the central question of Nigerian politics.
The same principle applies to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. His influence in Kano and parts of the North is considerable. Historically, Mallam Aminu Kano demonstrated how powerful regional political mobilisation could become.
But regional strength alone has never been enough to guarantee the Nigerian presidency.
Nigeria is a federation of competing interests.
The presidency is won by coalition.
And the Igbo must learn to build coalitions without surrendering their identity.
AZIKIWE, EKWUEME AND THE POLITICS OF REALISM
History provides the South-East with a political textbook.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was one of Nigeria’s most influential nationalist leaders. Yet his enormous stature and regional influence did not automatically translate into the presidency.
Alex Ekwueme took a different route.
In the Second Republic, he became Vice-President through a political arrangement that placed an Igbo leader at the very heart of the federal government.
That distinction is important.
Zik represented the grandeur of the national dream. Ekwueme demonstrated the power of political positioning.
The lesson is not that the Igbo should abandon presidential ambition.
The lesson is that presidential ambition must be accompanied by political architecture.
This is precisely why the David Umahi argument deserves a more sophisticated examination than the usual name-calling that accompanies it.
UMAHI’S POLITICAL GAMBLE
Like him or hate him, David Umahi understands one fundamental principle of politics:
You cannot negotiate from the margins if you want to control the centre.
His decision to work with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attracted criticism from many quarters of the South-East.
But political history will ultimately judge whether that decision was merely opportunistic or whether it represented a calculated attempt to reposition the South-East within Nigeria’s governing establishment.
As Minister of Works, Umahi is also uniquely positioned to make the infrastructure argument.
The Federal Government says major road and bridge projects are currently being executed across Ebonyi and the wider South-East, including sections of the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja corridor and the Ndi-Egbe Bridge linking Ebonyi with Cross River.
Umahi has repeatedly argued that the Tinubu administration is reversing decades of infrastructure neglect in the region. In June 2026, he specifically cited projects that he said had remained unrealised for decades.
These claims should be scrutinised, not blindly accepted.
But neither should they be dismissed simply because they come from a politician whose political position many people dislike.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOVING TINUBU
Here lies the fundamental misunderstanding.
The argument for the South-East supporting Tinubu in 2027 does not have to mean that every Igbo man suddenly becomes an APC loyalist.
It does not mean that every policy of the Tinubu administration must be applauded.
It does not mean that the South-East should surrender its independent political voice.
It means something much more sophisticated:
The South-East should negotiate with power instead of permanently positioning itself outside power.
There is a difference between loyalty and strategy.
A political party is not a religion.
A presidential candidate is not a tribal deity.
Politics is transactional.
Every serious political region negotiates.
The Yoruba negotiate.
The North negotiates.
The South-South negotiates.
Why should the Igbo be the only people expected to vote purely from emotion?
THE 2031 CALCULATION
This is where the debate becomes particularly interesting.
If Tinubu wins in 2027, the political conversation will inevitably move toward the succession question.
Who takes over after Tinubu?
Which region?
Which coalition?
Which political bloc has accumulated sufficient goodwill, influence and bargaining power to negotiate the next presidential arrangement?
The South-East cannot wait until 2031 before asking these questions.
The political preparation must begin in 2027.
That is the strategic argument behind Umahi’s position.
If the South-East becomes a critical component of the governing coalition in 2027, it potentially creates a stronger negotiating platform for the future.
That does not guarantee an Igbo presidency.
Nothing in Nigerian politics comes with such a guarantee.
But it may create a better platform from which to negotiate one.
And that is the difference between political fantasy and political strategy.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE WOULD BE TO TURN OBI AND UMAHI INTO ENEMIES
There is perhaps a more important question.
Why must Peter Obi and David Umahi be treated as political enemies simply because they have chosen different routes?
They are both prominent Igbo political figures.
One has demonstrated extraordinary grassroots mobilisation and national visibility.
The other currently occupies one of the most influential positions in the federal infrastructure establishment.
One understands mass political mobilisation.
The other understands the mechanics of government and federal power.
Why should these strengths not be brought together?
Why must the argument always be:
Obi versus Umahi?
Why can’t it become:
Obi and Umahi—what is the best strategic route for the Igbo nation?
The two men do not have to belong to the same political party.
They do not have to endorse the same presidential candidate.
They do not even have to agree on every issue.
But they can sit down as Igbo leaders and discuss the future beyond their personal political ambitions.
That conversation is long overdue.
THE SOUTH-EAST NEEDS A POLITICAL RESET
The greatest danger facing the South-East is not that it supports the wrong candidate.
It is that it continues to approach Nigerian politics primarily through the prism of emotional solidarity.
Every election becomes:
“This is our turn.”
“This is our brother.”
“This is our son.”
But Nigeria does not operate on sentiment.
The presidency is a national institution.
To occupy it, you need national numbers.
To acquire national numbers, you need alliances.
To sustain alliances, you need political relevance.
And to achieve political relevance, you must be present where national decisions are being made.
That is the political centre.
THE PRICE OF PERMANENT OPPOSITION
The South-East has spent years complaining about marginalisation.
Yet political marginalisation cannot be defeated by political isolation.
That is the paradox.
You cannot complain that Abuja is ignoring you while simultaneously refusing to develop a sustainable strategy for influencing Abuja.
You cannot demand inclusion while permanently behaving as though participation in the governing coalition is a betrayal of your identity.
The Igbo are too politically sophisticated for that contradiction.
The region must move beyond the politics of grievance to the politics of negotiation.
WHAT SHOULD THE IGBO DEMAND FROM TINUBU?
If the South-East is to support Tinubu, it should not be a blank cheque.
It should be a contract of political expectations.
The region should demand:
accelerated completion of strategic federal roads and bridges;
stronger federal presence in industrial and economic development;
greater political inclusion;
protection of businesses and investments;
improved security and regional connectivity;
greater representation in national appointments;
deliberate inclusion in future national power-sharing negotiations; and
a credible pathway toward greater political participation in the post-2027 era.
That is how mature politics works.
You do not merely vote. You negotiate.
UMAHI’S MESSAGE MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE—BUT SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED
Umahi has reportedly urged South-East political stakeholders to rally behind Tinubu in 2027, and has even framed the choice in terms of continued access to federal development projects.
That formulation will certainly provoke controversy.
But perhaps controversy is precisely what the South-East needs.
For too long, political debate has been reduced to accusations of betrayal.
Anyone who disagrees with the dominant regional political position is quickly labelled an enemy of the Igbo cause.
That mentality must end.
A political argument should be defeated with a better political argument—not with abuse.
If Umahi is wrong, prove that his strategy cannot deliver greater political influence.
If Obi is wrong, demonstrate why his strategy cannot build the coalition necessary to win the presidency.
But let the debate be about strategy, not personality.
THE CHOICE BEFORE THE SOUTH-EAST
The South-East now stands at a crossroads.
One road offers emotional satisfaction.
The other offers strategic uncertainty but potentially greater access to the political centre.
One says:
“Let us vote for our own because he is our own.”
The other asks:
“What political arrangement gives our people the greatest bargaining power?”
The second question is the question of statesmen.
The Igbo presidential dream should not be abandoned.
It should be redesigned.
It should be negotiated.
It should be built upon alliances stretching across the six geopolitical zones.
And if supporting Tinubu in 2027 can place the South-East in a stronger bargaining position for 2031 and beyond, then the question should not be whether such a strategy is emotionally satisfying.
The question should be whether it is politically intelligent.
LET UMAHI AND OBI SIT DOWN
Ultimately, this debate should not end with Tinubu.
It should begin with the future of the Igbo nation.
David Umahi and Peter Obi should sit down.
Not for a television debate.
Not for political combat.
Not to determine who is more popular.
They should sit down as two influential Igbo sons and ask one question:
“How do we get the Igbo nation back to the centre of Nigerian political power?”
If the answer requires supporting Tinubu today, let them say so.
If the answer requires another route, let them articulate it.
But let the South-East have the conversation.
Because the real tragedy would not be losing an election.
The real tragedy would be winning the argument for ethnic pride while losing the opportunity for political power.
The Igbo do not need another election of emotional satisfaction.
They need a political strategy.
And perhaps, for the first time in decades, the South-East must learn to choose not merely the candidate it loves—but the political arrangement that can take it where it wants to go.
National relevance must become more important than ethnic ego.
That is the uncomfortable conversation 2027 demands.
The African Democratic Congress has unveiled its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections in 28 states.
The party announced the candidates in a statement on Friday, saying they would fly the ADC flag in the various states and provide Nigerians with what it described as a credible alternative in the forthcoming elections.
Among the prominent candidates unveiled are Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos State, Isa Mohammed Ashiru in Kaduna, Great Ogboru in Delta, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, in Kebbi.
Other states where the party has fielded candidates include Adamawa, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Plateau, Zamfara, Enugu and Ebonyi.
The ADC said the candidates were selected as part of its efforts to present credible leadership and offer Nigerians a “real alternative” ahead of the 2027 elections.
The full list is as follows:
- Abia: Kalu Kalu Agu — Governor; Alozie Ogadinma Darlington — Deputy Governor
- Adamawa: Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu — Governor; Aguwa Kevin Iliya — Deputy Governor
- Akwa Ibom: Akpanudoedehe John James — Governor; Nsien Mkpombuk Tommy — Deputy Governor
- Bauchi: Senator Halliru Dauda Jika — Governor; Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir — Deputy Governor
- Benue: Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe — Governor; Abba John Abba — Deputy Governor
- Borno: Babagana Buhari — Governor; Mamman Dauda — Deputy Governor
- Cross River: Nkoyo Toyo — Governor; Okwoche Andrew Adagbor — Deputy Governor
- Delta: Chief Great Ogboru — Governor; Afiari Gloria — Deputy Governor
- Ebonyi: Ukpai Mba Udeh — Governor; Onwe Daniel Ede — Deputy Governor
- Enugu: Ocho Obodoeze Chukwuma — Governor; Eze Arinze Christopher — Deputy Governor
- Gombe: Bala Bello — Governor; Bala Sani Isa — Deputy Governor
- Jigawa: Sabo Mohammed Nakudu — Governor; Musa Ya’u Balarabe — Deputy Governor
- Kaduna: Isa Mohammed Ashiru — Governor; Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku — Deputy Governor
- Kano: Ibrahim Ali Amin — Governor; Shehu Abdulkadir Bari — Deputy Governor
- Katsina: Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita — Governor; Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed — Deputy Governor
- Kebbi: Abubakar Malami — Governor; Zagi Musa Mohammed — Deputy Governor
- Kwara: Zakari Mohammed — Governor; Olawuyi Julius Olayide — Deputy Governor
- Lagos: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour — Governor; Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere — Deputy Governor
- Nasarawa: Nuhu Angbazo — Governor; Ahmed Yusuf — Deputy Governor
- Niger: Dr Mohammed Kpautagi — Governor; Musa Mamman — Deputy Governor
- Ogun: Biodun Collins Ogundipe — Governor; Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi — Deputy Governor
- Oyo: Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke — Governor; Wahab Adeniyi — Deputy Governor
- Plateau: Brig. Gen. John Sunday Sura — Governor; Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus — Deputy Governor
- Rivers: Gabriel Pidomson — Governor; Okumgba David Amapakaye — Deputy Governor
- Sokoto: Manir Mohammad Daniya — Governor; Isah Bello Ambarura — Deputy Governor
- Taraba: Abubakar Umar Tutare — Governor; Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan — Deputy Governor
- Yobe: Kassim G. Gaidam — Governor; Kori Lawan Mohammed — Deputy Governor
- Zamfara: Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf — Governor; Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal — Deputy Governor
The party said the candidates would work under its platform to advance its agenda and present voters with an alternative ahead of the 2027 governorship elections.
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