Politics
Last Fight: Anxiety as Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, APM begin battle at Supreme Court
President Bola Tinubu and his antagonists-Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi and the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, will resume the battle for the presidency, today, at the Supreme Court as Tinubu’s aides and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, expect favourable ruling at the apex court.
The Supreme Court communicated the hearing date through notices sent to all the parties, last Thursday.
Apart from faulting the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, which affirmed Tinubu’s election, Atiku also filed for permission to tender a copy of Tinubu’s academic records released by the Chicago State University, CSU, USA, which he said showed that Tinubu submitted a forged CSU certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The former vice president is also seeking to get a Washington, D.C. court to order the FBI to release documents on President Tinubu’s $460,000 forfeiture case.
We have confidence in S-Court
The PDP, yesterday, expressed optimism that its appeal will succeed at the Supreme Court.
Ologunagba said: “As the Supreme Court commences hearing on the February 25, 2023, Presidential Election Appeal, the PDP is confident that guided by the provisions of the law, the body of evidence, circumstances and facts presented before it, the apex court will deliver justice in the matter.
“The PDP believes that the issues of the February 2023, Presidential election; the bare-faced violation of rules and the laws, the brazen manipulations and falsifications in perversion of our electoral process have put our democracy in a precarious situation.
“Nigerians and indeed the whole world look forward to the Supreme Court for justice in the hope that the court will apply the laws, including the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines and Regulations in delivering substantial justice in the matter.
“The earnest expectation of Nigerians and lovers of democracy across the world is that the Supreme Court will use this case to firmly validate the maxim that the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man.
Atiku, Obi engaged in another propaganda — Onanuga
Meanwhile, Mr Bayo Onanugta, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, has accused followers of Atiku and Obi of allegedly trying “to stampede the Washington, D.C. court to change its earlier order on FBI to release documents on President Tinubu’s forfeiture case of 1993.”
In a tweet on X(formerly known as Twitter) on October 21, Onanuga said: “The Obidients and Atiku Abubakar’s followers have begun another round of propaganda and campaign of falsehood over the move Friday by Atiku-Obi and David Hundeyin’s contractor Aaron Greenspan, to stampede the Washington DC court to change its earlier order on FBI to release documents on President Bola Tinubu’s forfeiture case of 1993.
“Atiku had wasted tons of dollars hiring Angela Liu to check President Tinubu’s record at Chicago State University. What he got in the main was a confirmation that President Tinubu attended the school, passed out in flying colours and did not forge any certificate. The February 2023 election losers, Peter Obi and Atiku, are now attempting to cling onto another straw, hoping for magic at the Supreme Court.
“On Thursday, Peter Obi forwarded to Greenspan, the Supreme Court notice of hearing for the appeal that will begin on Monday 23 October. We do not know the brief Obi gave Greenspan, but Greenspan rushed to the District Court in the US capital, with an emergency motion asking the court to compel the FBI to produce documents on our President immediately. The FBI had earlier agreed to produce the documents at the end of October. His motion may be heard on Monday 23 October, if all parties agree.
“To support his motion, the American made some allegations against the judiciary in Nigeria, as fed by Hundeyin, Obi and Atiku. He claimed the Supreme Court hearing date which he labelled as sudden, was intended to front-run the release of the FBI documents. To him, the FBI documents are relevant to the case in Nigeria. After reading Greenspan’s motion, one is left with the impression that the guy is very ignorant of our laws and our democracy and he is nothing but an interloper, in a matter clearly outside US jurisdiction.
“To the Obidients, the easily excitable Hundeyin and Atiku followers, I will just implore you to wait until the DC District Court decides on the matter, rather than rushing to the social media space with wild conjectures and extra-judicial trial of Nigeria’s elected President. Mr Greenspan, who is your collaborator in the latest fishing expedition is not so excitable. On his Plainsite-org, he already posted a reply by IRS that it has no FOIA records on President Tinubu’s 1993 civil case. Just like the Chicago case, this one too in DC will lead to nothing.”
Atiku, Obi, APM’s appeal
All the appellants are praying the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, which affirmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as the valid winner of the February 25 presidential election.
While Atiku, through his team of 67 lawyers comprising of 18 Senior Advocates of Nigeria led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, filed 35 grounds of appeal to challenge Tinubu’s victory, Obi, through his own team of lawyers, led by Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, filed 51 grounds of appeal before the Supreme Court.
On its part, the APM, lodged a 10-ground appeal to invalidate President Tinubu’s election.
Both Atiku, who came second in the election and Obi, who came third, are seeking to set aside the judgment of the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the PEPC, which had on September 6, dismissed their petitions against Tinubu.
Atiku contended that the verdict of the PEPC was not only “against the weight of evidence”, but occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice against him.
He insisted that the PEPC panel erred in law, when it failed to nullify the presidential election on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, even when evidence showed that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, acted in breach of extant laws and regulations guiding the conduct of elections.
Atiku accused the PEPC of reaching its unanimous decision based on gross misconstruction and misrepresentation of provisions of both the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Electoral Act, 2022.
He argued that section 64(4) & (5) of the Electoral Act, as well as INEC’s Regulations & Guidelines for the conduct of the election, which he tendered in evidence, made mandatory, the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines for electronic transmission of results of the election directly from the polling units to INEC’s collation system for the verification, confirmation and collation of results before announcement.
Atiku told the apex court that some of the presiding officers that personally handled the BVAS machines at polling units on the election day, had in their testimony before the PEPC, “confirmed the non-transmission of results of the presidential election electronically from the BVAS machines, whereas results of the National Assembly election that held simultaneously, were electronically transmitted without difficulty.
Atiku told the apex court that the non-compliance with the Electoral Act was nationwide, cutting across 176, 846 polling units in the country, a situation he said substantially affected the outcome of the election.
On constitutional requirement of one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the states and the FCT, Abuja, Atiku, argued that it was an additional and mandatory requirement to the provisions relating to the highest lawful votes and therefore a condition precedent to a declaration by INEC.
“The said FCT, Abuja, cannot be construed as the 37th state of Nigeria as done by the lower court in the light of the clear provisions of section 2(2) & section 3(1) of the 1999 Constitution. The lower court failed in its duty to interpret the material word ‘AND’ in the said sub-section.
“The provision of section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution is clear on the requirement that a presidential candidate must score at least 25% of the total votes in the FCT, Abuja.”
He prayed the Supreme Court to among other things, hold that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast in the election and also declare that he was not qualified to be declared the winner.
Aside from praying the court to declare him as the authentic winner of the election and order his swearing in as President, Atiku, in the alternative, urged the court to order a run-off between him and Tinubu or to nullify the entire poll and order INEC to conduct a fresh one. Cited as respondents were INEC, Tinubu and the APC.
Appeal Court erred —Peter Obi
On his own appeal, Obi argued that the PEPC panel erred in law and thereby reached a wrong conclusion when it dismissed his petition.
He alleged that the panel wrongly evaluated the proof of evidence he adduced before it and occassioned a grave miscarriage of justice when it held that he did not specify polling units where irregularities occured during the election.
Obi and the LP further faulted the PEPC for dismissing their case on the premise that they did not specify the figures of votes or scores that were allegedly suppressed or inflated in favour of President Tinubu and the APC.
They accused the Justice Tsammani-led panel of erring in law when it relied on paragraph 4(1) (d) (2) and 54 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2022 to strike out paragraphs of the petition.
He told the apex court that the panel unjustly dismissed his allegation that INEC uploaded 18, 088 blurred results on its IReV portal.
Furthermore, Obi, alleged that the lower court ignored his allegation that certified true copies of documents that INEC issued to his legal team, comprised of 8, 123 blurred results that contained blank A4 papers, pictures and images of unknown persons, purporting same to be the CTC of polling units results of the presidential election.
“The learned justices of the court below erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when they concluded that he failed to establish the allegation of corrupt practices and over-voting,” Obi added.
He said it was wrong for the lower court to rely on the legal principle of estoppel to dismiss his contention that INEC bypassed its own regulations when it refused to electronically transmit results of the election from polling units to the IReV.
Obi insisted that the PEPC overlooked evidence that established that President Tinubu was previously indicted and fined the sum of $460,000 in the USA over his involvement in a drug-related case.
The Ebonyi State Government has effectively restricted political campaigns and gatherings in Ezza South Local Government Area, directing political parties and groups to obtain prior approval from the council chairman before holding such events.
The directive, issued by the Chairman of Ezza South Local Government Area, Hon. Chinedu Mkpuma, follows a recent security breach in Amaezekwe community amid growing concerns over political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abakaliki, Mkpuma expressed dismay over the security situation and said the measure was necessary to protect lives and property, maintain public order and prevent further security breaches.
He acknowledged the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of association and peaceful assembly but warned that political gatherings in the local government area must henceforth receive prior approval from his office.
The chairman added that violations of the directive would attract appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party governorship candidate, Eze Oko, has condemned the reported killings and alleged attacks on opposition parties in the state, calling on political leaders to end violence and intimidation.
Oko questioned why opposition members were allegedly being targeted and urged youths to resist attempts by politicians to use them as instruments of violence.
He called for a level playing field for all political parties and candidates, insisting that political competition should be based on ideas, manifestos and records of performance rather than violence.
The LP candidate also cautioned political leaders against inflammatory statements capable of fuelling tension during the electioneering period.
He urged candidates seeking re-election to allow their achievements to speak for them instead of allegedly engaging political thugs to intimidate opponents.
Oko further appealed to youths to reject political thuggery and violence, while extending his condolences to the families of those reportedly killed in the incident.
The development comes as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with renewed calls for security agencies to investigate reported attacks and ensure that all political parties can operate without intimidation.
The Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, has declared that 2027 is not the South-East’s turn to produce Nigeria’s president, insisting that former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, is not the region’s best presidential candidate.
Umahi, who made the declaration during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, defended South-East political leaders supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, maintaining that their political choices should not be interpreted as betrayal of the Igbo presidential ambition.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” Umahi declared.
The minister faulted Obi’s approach to the 2023 presidential election, alleging that he failed to adequately consult governors and other influential political stakeholders in the South-East before pursuing his ambition.
“You cannot play politics in South East without consulting people like us,” he maintained.
According to Umahi, any presidential aspirant seeking to represent the collective aspirations of the region must first engage critical stakeholders and build the necessary political consensus.
He argued that Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election did not automatically make him the South-East’s most qualified presidential candidate, stressing that the region boasts several other capable political figures.
Umahi also questioned why Anambra State should be given preferential consideration whenever the opportunity arises for the South-East to produce Nigeria’s president.
Citing Nigeria’s first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who hailed from the area now constituting Anambra State, the minister maintained that Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo states equally deserve consideration in future presidential arrangements.
On the growing support for Tinubu among South-East political leaders ahead of 2027, Umahi dismissed allegations that those backing the president had abandoned the region’s political interests.
He insisted that the South-East’s path to the presidency lies in strategic negotiations, consensus-building and alliances with other geopolitical zones rather than presenting loyalty to Obi as the ultimate test of commitment to the Igbo cause.
The former Ebonyi governor had earlier challenged comparisons between himself and Obi during a political engagement in Benin City in September, declaring that he saw no area in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.
While expressing confidence that the South-East would eventually produce Nigeria’s president, Umahi maintained that the region’s opportunity had not yet arrived, insisting that “it is not yet our turn.”
Politics
2027: APGA, APC Set for Joint Meeting in Anambra to Mobilise Support for Tinubu’s Re-election
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State have scheduled a joint meeting for November 1 to strengthen collaboration and mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
The planned meeting comes amid claims that the two parties are not working together in the state to advance Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The meeting, convened by Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, in his capacity as the state coordinator for Tinubu’s re-election campaign, is expected to bring together leaders and members of both parties, including serving and former political officeholders and members of their respective national and state working committees.
The APC State Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, also confirmed the meeting, telling reporters that he would lead members of his party to attend the gathering.
The development is expected to counter claims of disunity between the two parties over the president’s re-election project in Anambra State.
According to an announcement dated October 22 and signed by Dr Ben Nwankwo, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Coordinator of the Secretariat for the Presidential Campaign Council in Anambra State, the meeting will take place at the International Convention Centre, Awka.
Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., while accreditation will commence at 10 a.m. Participants have been directed to arrive early, as the doors will be closed once the meeting begins.
Attendance is restricted to duly accredited invitees drawn from designated categories of political officeholders, party officials and other stakeholders who remain members of APGA or APC.
Those invited include serving and former governors and deputy governors of Anambra State; members of the national, zonal and state working committees of both parties; and serving and former members of the National and State Assemblies from the state.
All APGA and APC candidates for the 2027 general elections who are members of either party have also been invited.
Other participants expected at the meeting include serving and former political appointees in the state and federal governments, members of the PBAT/APC Presidential Campaign Council from Anambra State, as well as serving and former elected local government chairmen, mayors and transition committee chairmen affiliated with either party.
The invitation list also covers current and former members of the boards of trustees of APGA and APC from Anambra State, coordinators of Tinubu support groups, and serving local government chairmen, secretaries, women leaders and youth leaders of the two parties.
Elected councillors, ward chairmen of APGA and APC, as well as members of the state working committees of the Accord Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are also listed among the invitees.
The announcement further stated that selected stakeholders nominated by the state chairmen of APGA and APC, alongside individuals nominated by the state coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council, would attend the meeting.
It explained that the notice was intended to ensure that all eligible stakeholders were informed of the gathering, adding that anyone who falls within the specified categories would be deemed invited.
The joint meeting is expected to provide a platform for the two parties to coordinate their political activities in Anambra State ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Strengthen the headline and opening
Trim the lengthy invitation list
Make the report more neutral
…Unveils 17 Buses for Grassroots Mobilisation
…Expresses Confidence in Tinubu, Mbah’s Victory
Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, is set to unveil his grassroots mobilisation and political support group, As Tinubu and Mbah Move (ATM), ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The minister has also expressed confidence in the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.
Udeh disclosed this on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during a strategy meeting at the group’s secretariat, where he unveiled 17 branded Toyota buses to support the movement’s grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Addressing members, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria urged them to work towards securing victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the presidential and governorship elections.
He said the buses were provided to facilitate mobilisation and strengthen the movement’s presence across communities, wards and polling units.
Expressing confidence in the electoral prospects of Tinubu and Mbah, Udeh said the movement must distinguish itself from political groups that generate publicity without translating their activities into electoral gains.
“I want this group to be different so that it will not end in noise-making. The aim is to make APC win from top to bottom, especially the President and the Governor,” he said.
He charged members to take responsibility for delivering their respective polling units and wards, stressing that grassroots engagement remained crucial to electoral success.
“Politics is local. Everybody should work to ensure that APC wins in their respective wards and polling units,” he added.
Udeh explained that ATM was established to provide members with a platform to connect with political leaders and contribute to the activities of the party.
According to him, active participation in grassroots mobilisation could also create opportunities for members to engage government officials and seek assistance in addressing challenges facing their communities.
The minister, who described himself as not being a career politician, said integrity and the fulfilment of commitments were central to his dealings with people.
He also pledged to spend more time in the South-East during the campaign period to coordinate the movement’s activities.
Earlier, the ATM Coordinator, Igboke Onyebuchi, said the meeting was convened to establish and ratify the movement’s structures ahead of the planned commencement of local government-level mobilisation in November.
Onyebuchi described ATM as a political movement rather than an ordinary group, explaining that some members were motivated by their desire to support Governor Mbah and acknowledge his role in Udeh’s ministerial appointment.
“We are doing this to support the governor for giving such a smart young person the opportunity to be a minister. This has not happened in recent times,” he said.
He explained that the movement comprised community mobilisers, union leaders and individuals from the civic space, many of whom were not career politicians but were willing to contribute to the political process.
According to him, ATM plans to adopt an innovative, community-based approach to mobilisation, focusing on reaching rural residents and strengthening the APC’s existing grassroots structures.
He added that a community map had been developed to guide the movement’s engagement with residents.
Onyebuchi thanked Udeh for providing members with a platform to participate in the political process, expressing hope that the movement would encourage greater political opportunities for young people with strong professional and intellectual backgrounds.
Politics
One Feared Dead, Several Injured as Thugs Attack Ebonyi NDC Assembly Candidate, Burn Campaign Vehicle
…Ebonyi Democratic Movement Blames Police Commissioner, Demands Immediate Redeployment
The campaign convoy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Ezza South State Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Barr. Rollins Offia Nwali, has reportedly come under armed attack at two separate locations in Amaezekwe Community, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, leaving one person feared dead and several others injured.
The attackers, suspected to be political thugs, also reportedly set ablaze a 2024 Toyota Hilux vehicle belonging to the campaign convoy.
According to preliminary accounts, trouble began when Nwali, who was scheduled to meet with his polling unit canvassers, received information that some government officials allegedly accompanied by armed hoodlums had stormed the meeting venue.
The officials reportedly warned that they had received orders from above to prevent opposition candidates from holding campaign activities during the swearing-in ceremonies of local government chairmen in the state.
Sensing danger, Nwali reportedly directed his convoy to turn back a few metres from the venue.
However, suspected political thugs riding motorcycles and tricycles allegedly opened fire on the convoy, resulting in an exchange of gunfire involving security personnel, including operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to the candidate.
About five persons reportedly sustained gunshot injuries, while one person was feared killed during the confrontation.
The casualty figures could not be independently verified.
In another attack a few metres away, a separate group of suspected hoodlums, reportedly operating in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle and tricycles, allegedly intercepted the retreating convoy, opened fire and set one of its Toyota Hilux vehicles ablaze.
A state government appointee was accused of leading the second group of attackers.
Reacting to the development, Chairman of the Ebonyi Democratic Movement, Chief Emmanuel Igwe Chidi, condemned the incident and accused the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police of failing to address what he described as recurring political violence against opposition figures in the state.
Igwe alleged that the failure of the police to prosecute individuals previously implicated in electoral violence, despite several petitions submitted to the state command and the Inspector-General of Police, had emboldened suspected political thugs.
He recalled that the movement had earlier organised a nationwide protest over alleged persecution of opposition members and the deteriorating security situation in Ebonyi State.
The EBM chairman consequently called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately redeploy the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, arguing that the measure had become necessary to restore public confidence in the neutrality of the police ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the Amaezekwe attacks, insisting that all those found culpable must be identified and prosecuted irrespective of their political affiliations or positions in government.
Igwe further urged security agencies to guarantee adequate protection for opposition candidates and their supporters, stressing that no government official or political interest has the authority to prevent citizens from exercising their constitutional rights to political participation.
He warned that democracy would be endangered if political competition was allowed to degenerate into intimidation, gunfire and destruction of property rather than being determined through the ballot box.
The allegations against government officials and the police, as well as the circumstances surrounding the reported death, remain unverified. The accounts provided did not include responses from the Ebonyi State Government or the Police Command.
Separate reported facts from allegations
Tighten the casualty and attack sequence
Use a more legally cautious headline
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