Politics
Guber Primary: APC may not take part in Ondo governorship election
All Progressives Congress(APC) in Ondo State may not participate in the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election in the state as Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) Electoral Officers declared that the party didn’t conduct governorship primary election on April 20, 2024 in the state.
Reports submitted by INEC Electoral Officers, who monitored the APC governorship primary election across the 18 local government areas of the state, revealed that there were no elections in the designated Registration Areas.
According to some reports in circulation signed and submitted by individual Electoral Officers which were received by one Dimas F. Emmanuel, ACLO, INEC headquarters, Abuja, dated 30 April, 2024, the Electoral Officers revealed that there were no election materials made available at the polling stations.
They revealed that members of the party came out en mass to perform their civic rights but were disappointed as there were no election materials and the election committee which ought to conduct the election did not show up.
According to Abai C.O (Mrs.), the INEC Electoral Officer, who monitored Ifedore Local Government Area, wrote that “The election of All Progressives Congress Governorship Primary was not held in presence due to the unavailability of the election materials to be used and the absence of the Electoral organising committee in all the 10 Registration Areas till Monitoring team left late in the evening.”
In her report, Owogbo O.O. (Mrs.), the INEC Electoral Officer for Akoko South-East Local Government Area, said: “In some of the Wards, the electorates arranged themselves in queues according to the number of contestants with representatives, counted the number of the electorates, but their efforts were rendered inconsequential as there were no election materials deployed for the conduct of the election.”
She gave the statistics of the Wards she wrote her reports on to include Epinmin I and Epinmin II Ifira, Ipe I, Ipe II, Ipesi, Isua I, Isua II, Isua III and Isua IV.
In Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, where the incumbent Governor Aiyedatiwa hails from, Okeniyi Bayo Fatai, the INEC Electoral Officer, who monitored the local government explained that “The party members in the Local Government all converged at the designated venues to exercise their civic responsibilities.
“Although INEC monitors were present in all wards for the assignment, but the event was characterized by non-availability of election materials across the 12 RAs in the LGA.
“In view of the above, Election did not take place in Ilaje LGA and results were not given to the monitors.”
Meanwhile, the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee led by Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi State, had declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa winner of the party’s primary election purportedly conducted on April 20 and April 21, 2024.
Governor Aiyedatiwa was said to have polled 2533 out of 3831 valid votes in Akoko South-East.
He also was declared to have won Ilaje, his local government with 2485 out of the 7213 valid votes.
Other 15 governorship aspirants on the platform of APC had cried foul, saying the party’s primary election never held.
None of the other contestants was able to vote for themselves in the purported primary election.
A video clip in circulation revealed that Governor Aiyedatiwa could not vote in his Ilaje Local Government Area as well.
Olusola Oke, SAN, Wale Akinterinwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Olugbenga Edema, Diran Iyantan, Prof. Faduyile Francis, Engr. Ife Oyedele and others insisted that there was no election on April 20 as claimed by Ododo-led Governorship Primary Election Committee.
The decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly complex in Dutse, the state capital, as the party continues to deal with the fallout from recent primaries.
The action comes amid a wave of suspensions across Jigawa APC following the recently conducted primary election.
Several special advisers and special assistants have already been suspended statewide over alleged anti-party activities from state level down to local government level.
Maigari, who doubles as the councillor representing Auyo Ward, was suspended after the House considered a motion by the Majority Leader, Lawan Dansure.
The motion sought disciplinary action against the lawmaker for conduct deemed harmful to party cohesion.
Moving the motion during the Assembly’s plenary session on Tuesday, Dansure urged members to support the suspension.
He said the House must act to protect the integrity of the ruling party ahead of 2027.
According to him, the actions of the Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
“His actions are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress,” Dansure told the House.
He argued that anti-party conduct at the grassroots level could undermine APC’s performance in future elections.
He said the House could not fold its arms while party discipline was being tested.
“Hon. Haruna Maigari is hereby suspended as Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council over alleged anti-party activities,” Dangyatin announced during plenary.
The Speaker also said the House remains committed to party discipline at all levels of governance in the state.
Dangyatin then constituted an investigative committee to look into the matter and report back within two weeks.
“The committee is expected to establish facts and recommend further action based on its findings,” he said.
The Speaker also directed the suspended lawmaker to hand over all official documents in his possession to the Deputy Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council.
He said the handover must be done immediately to ensure continuity of council business.
Meanwhile, the House also received a formal notification from Governor Umar Namadi regarding an official trip.
“The governor is billed to attend a two-day West African Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, Ghana,” the Speaker said during the plenary session of the Assembly.
Dangyatin, who explained that the governor’s foreign engagement will hold between June 2 and June 3, 2026, added that “the governor’s participation is aimed at attracting investment to Jigawa’s rice value chain.”
By Chinedu Sabastine
Mr. Samson Chukwu Nnamani has declared that he remains the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 election.
Nnamani made this known on Friday during a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Enugu.
Reacting to allegations that he was suspended from the party before the PDP governorship primary election, Nnamani dismissed the claim, questioning how a supposedly suspended aspirant could participate in the exercise and secure votes.
“The purported claim that I was suspended is very funny. If I was suspended as they claim, how can they attribute votes for me during their kangaroo primary,” Nnamani questioned.
Represented by his Media Director, Dr. Buchi Nnaji, the PDP chieftain said his authenticity derives from the present recognition of the Abdulrahman-led faction of the PDP by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of which he is a member.
The clarification followed the emergence of multiple claimants to the PDP governorship ticket in Enugu State.
Nnamani insisted that the party was no longer factionalised following INEC’s recognition of the Abdulrahman-led PDP leadership, noting that the panel which declared him winner where sent from their headquaters, Abuja.
Nnamani expressed gratitude to PDP leaders and supporters whom he said turned out massively on Sunday, May 24, 2026, to elect him as the party’s governorship candidate.
He pledged to reposition Enugu State through infrastructure development, job creation and people-oriented policies.
“As the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Enugu State, I remain committed to the ideals of good governance, inclusive leadership, economic development, youth empowerment, quality education, improved healthcare and enhanced security for all residents,” he said.
He added that his aspiration was to build “a greater Enugu State where opportunities abound for every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or social status.”
According to him, his administration would prioritise infrastructure development, industrialisation, support for small businesses and welfare programmes aimed at improving the lives of the people.
“We shall also review and remove policies and practices that are truncating the wellbeing, economic survival and social advancement of the citizens,” he stated.
Nnamani further called on stakeholders, party faithful, youths, women, traditional rulers and the people of Enugu State to join hands in building “a united, peaceful and progressive state.”
“Together, we can achieve the Enugu of our dreams,” he added.
The Presidency has reacted following the circulation of an alleged WhatsApp voice note in which President Bola Tinubu reportedly claims he begged opposition figure Peter Obi to step down ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The reaction came on Wednesday from Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President.
Onanuga condemned the audio file, labeling it a fabrication and called for legal action against popular social media critic VeryDarkMan who shared it.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform.,” Onanuga tweeted.
In the viral video, VeryDarkMan used the alleged leaked audio to urge Nigerians to vote against President Tinubu’s reelection bid in the upcoming 2027 polls.
Recall that just days ago, on Saturday, May 23, 2026, President Tinubu secured the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a landslide nationwide direct primary election.
During that contest, Tinubu faced a lone challenger, Edo State businessman and APC chieftain Stanley Osifo. The President won with 10,999,162 votes from the 12,643,306 registered party members, while Osifo secured 16,503 votes.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 election, is widely expected to fly the flag for the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). Both Obi and Tinubu hail from the southern region of Nigeria and are set to face last year’s runner-up, Atiku Abubakar, who is expected to lead the ticket for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, has accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of running the state like a personal family business.
Odii made the remark shortly after emerging as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election following the party’s primary election conducted across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Speaking to party supporters in Abakaliki, Odii said the 2027 election would be about rescuing Ebonyi from poor governance and restoring economic growth and public welfare.
“Ebonyi can never be consumed. Ebonyi can never be conquered. Ebonyi can never become a personal family business, and we are here for the rescue of our dear state,” he stated.
The PDP flag bearer pledged to improve the welfare of civil servants and teachers while promising policies aimed at reviving the state’s economy.
Odii also dismissed fears over political opposition ahead of the election, insisting that his focus remained the development and progress of Ebonyi State.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The trio of Sen Stella Odua, Chief Dozie Nwankwo, Chief Chinedu Obidigwe among others emerged winners of the All Progressives Grand Alliance( APGA) primary elections in Anambra state.
Odua emerged as Senatorial candidate for Anambra North District, Dozie Nwankwo was nominated as candidate for Anambra Central District while Chinedu Obidigwe won the nomination for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency
Similarly Chief Emma Nwachukwu, Chief Paschal Agbodike, Mrs Mourine Gwacham were returned by the party members for the second term as candidates of the party for Anambra South District , Oyi -Ayamelum as well as Ihiala Federal Constituencies.
In a joint press briefing of the National Assembly and State Assembly Committees Mr Agunzi Victor (SAN) , described the exercise as transparent, peaceful and seemless adding that both the winners and aspirants who did not win appreciated the peaceful process.
Both Committees lauded the National leadership for creating a conducive environment for them to discharge their duties .
‘We will have to specifically commend the National leadership of our party and the Governor of Anambra state who is the National leader of our great party for providing the conducive atmosphere and also making the entire exercise free and credible devoid of any interference ”
“He has indeed demonstrated that he is a true democrat and we commend him for that and we hope that other leaders would emulate his attitude”
“He allowed us the member of the Committees to carry out the process that the winners of the primary elections reflect the wished of the members of the party”
In the case of Awka North and South Federal Constituency the committee had reasons to reschedule seven ward elections two in Awka North and five in Awka South local government areas as well as Dunukofia Njikoka Anaocha Federal Constituency.
“We have reasons to reschedule the supplementary primary elections across some wards within the state”
“We had supplementary elections in some wards in the Anaocha -Dunukofia – Njikoka Fed Constituency and Chinedu Oli was nominated ”
“We had another one within Awka North and South we had reason to hold supplementary elections within Awka North and South which led to the nomination of Chief Obi Nwankwo”
“Two in Awka North and five in Awka South”
“,In the case of Awka North and South Federal Constituency there is a provision in our party guideline they after the completion of the election there are places that election could not hold due to one reason or the other, we are to reschedule the another supplement election. so as to determine the winner within that Constituency”
“In this case the margin of wining after the first primary election of 23rd was quite lesser than the number of registered members within these seven wards ”
“Because the margin we had was about 200 votes but registered members of the party that did not vote is over 4,000 in those wards ”
“Proceeding with the results will amount to denying them the right to vote and the All Progressives Grand Alliance is determined to ensure that no member of our party is disenfranchised “he said.
-
Crime4 days agoNigeria’s Army General, wife kidnapped by gunmen
-
Foreign4 days agoNigerian Catholic priest convicted in US for sexual assault
-
Crime3 days agoOyo abduction: Teachers begin strike as Tinubu sends 1,000 forest guards to rescue victims
-
Education3 days agoEnugu East Chairman Celebrates Children’s Day with St. Ann’s College, Reaffirms Commitment to Education
-
News2 days agoDSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
-
EverydayNews Telescope3 days agoThree Years On the Saddle : The Governor Peter Mbah score card that is a tall order
-
Crime3 days agoUS Announces $3.5m Religious Freedom Initiative, Questions Nigeria’s Response to Attacks
-
Crime2 days ago2 Police Officers Shot Dead as Gunmen Attack Anambra Chief of Staff’s Convoy