By Okey Maduforo Awka

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Anambra State, Senator Emma Anosike, has criticised the judiciary for interfering in the nomination of political party candidates, warning that the practice is undermining internal party democracy and threatening Nigeria’s democratic process.

Anosike described the judgment that replaced Senator Hope Uzodimma with Rochas Okorocha as the candidate for an Imo West senatorial district as an “imperial judgment” that would have only a momentary effect.

He expressed concern that a person who did not participate in the party’s nomination process could emerge as its candidate through a court ruling, despite established procedures for screening aspirants, capturing their details and conducting primary elections.

According to him, the affected aspirant allegedly bypassed these procedures and produced his own documents, which the party subsequently reported to the police as forged.

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Anosike said the police investigated the matter and confirmed the alleged forgery, adding that the documents were presented before the court but that the party’s position and police findings were disregarded.

He questioned how a candidate imposed on a political party through a court judgment could successfully contest an election without the support of the party whose platform he was seeking to use.

“If the person is the candidate of the party, how would the election be conducted without the party? Every election is a party. If the party turns its back on the person, that is the end of the person,” he said.

He observed that the problem was not peculiar to Imo State, alleging that courts across the country had increasingly been determining who becomes a candidate for political parties, sometimes without adequate consideration of the parties’ internal nomination processes.

He warned that such interventions could create divisions within political parties, particularly when party leadership and members refused to support candidates who had not emerged through recognised internal procedures.

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“How will the person campaign if he did not pass through the party process? Will you force the party members to vote for the person? You are creating more problems because the state party can issue a statement that nobody should work for or vote for the person,” he said.

Anosike however appealed to the judiciary to exercise caution in political party nomination disputes, stressing that the courts remained vital to the survival of democracy but should not undermine the autonomy of political parties.

“The judiciary is key to this democracy, and political parties are also important. The rate at which the judiciary is getting involved in party nominations is negatively impacting our democracy,” he said.

He further alleged that similar cases had occurred in Anambra State, where individuals who did not participate in party nomination processes secured candidacies through court judgments.

As a state party chairman, Anosike said it was difficult to work with candidates who had not participated in the party’s internal processes, adding that such individuals often lacked the support and acceptance of party members.

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Anosike also commended Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for what he described as significant infrastructural transformation in the state, urging residents of the South-East to appreciate and acknowledge achievements in governance.

He said the improvements in road infrastructure and public buildings under Uzodimma’s administration had contributed to the state’s development, noting that journeys between Owerri and Enugu had become considerably shorter.

Anosike cited the reconstruction of roads and buildings, including police stations that had reportedly collapsed after being poorly constructed under previous administrations, as evidence of the current government’s efforts to improve infrastructure.

He described the governors of South East as competing constructively with one another and urged political leaders and residents to support efforts that would advance the region’s collective interests.

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Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has declared that there will be no political coalition in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that he and his supporters are fully committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor also assured the ruling party of victory across all elective positions in the state, warning against any political arrangement capable of undermining the party’s unity and electoral prospects.

Nwifuru made the declaration on Saturday at Okpara Square, Enugu, where he joined Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the flag-off of an empowerment programme for more than 5,000 women across the South-East.

The First Lady led the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council at the event, which was organised under the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Speaking at the gathering, Nwifuru said the party’s immediate priority was to ensure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and the success of all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

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“Our project is how to deliver our President, and that is our project for now.

“The APC is the only party that has an open manifesto. We can discuss our manifesto with you, unlike other political parties.

“We don’t have a coalition; we are for all APC candidates,” the governor declared.

He said the APC had put necessary arrangements in place to secure victory in the forthcoming elections, stressing that the party remained united and determined to achieve its political objectives.

According to him, the party would not entertain political arrangements that could weaken its collective strength or distract members from its electoral mission.

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The programme, themed “One Region, One Vision: Empowered for Progress,” attracted women and political stakeholders from across the South-East, with the aim of strengthening mobilisation and support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

In her remarks, the First Lady said the beneficiaries were women who had remained committed to the APC and consistently supported the party’s interests across the region.

She explained that the empowerment initiative was being implemented through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, was also among dignitaries who attended the event.

The Ebonyi governor is amongst APC governors said to be in the bad books of the FCT minister with the governor alleging plots to unsit him in the 2027 polls.

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The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned residents against what it described as an alleged campaign of alarmism and disinformation by the New Democratic Congress (NDC), urging them to remain vigilant against attempts to create distrust and political tension ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC Campaign Council’s Spokesperson and Director of Public Communications, Steve Oruruo, made the call in a statement titled, “Unmasking the Alarmism of NDC: A Clarion Call for Enugu’s Extra Vigilance.”

In the statement, Oruruo accused the opposition party of spreading misleading allegations against the management of Amadeo Event Centre and the Enugu State Government over the controversy surrounding the proposed NDC town hall meeting involving its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

He traced the disagreement to an alleged breach of Clause 17 of a private agreement between the event centre’s management and Dr Sabastine Chuks Eze, whom he accused of presenting himself as the Registrar of the Nigeria Institute of Healthcare Givers and Medical Social Work Practitioners.

According to Oruruo, the clause empowered the management to suspend any activity, meeting or event that failed to comply with the terms of the agreement.

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He alleged that the disagreement was subsequently politicised, with the NDC accusing the state government of interfering with its proposed event.

The APC spokesperson said the management of Amadeo Event Centre had issued a rejoinder explaining its position, accusing the NDC and its Enugu East Senatorial candidate, Mrs Ada Ogbu, of unfairly linking the state government to the dispute.

He questioned the basis for dragging the government into the controversy, asking whether the standards of integrity and morality preached by the NDC’s presidential candidate were reflected in the conduct of the party’s members in Enugu.

Oruruo further accused the opposition of attempting to build a misleading narrative around the incident, warning residents against being drawn into what he described as political theatrics.

“We are condemned to view this latest slant from the precincts of a smokescreen, an unholy prelude and a failed alibi to validate future theatricals and nuisance targeting unsuspecting Enugu voters,” he said.

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He urged residents to exercise caution in their consumption of political information on social media, noting that although the platforms provide opportunities for public expression, they can also be exploited to spread misinformation.

“Ndi-Enugu must therefore prepare to rise above such barefaced antics, gimmicks and shenanigans from the pit of hell,” he added.

Describing the NDC’s political presence in Enugu as insignificant, Oruruo claimed that the party had struggled to establish a meaningful foothold in the state.

“Enugu NDC has failed on arrival. It is almost non-existent in Enugu and perhaps gains its only infinitesimal traction whenever the state government or the name of our erudite Governor is mentioned in its tales of woes,” he stated.

He maintained that the 2027 general elections should be determined by issues, policy ideas and the ability of candidates to deliver on their promises rather than what he described as smear campaigns and inflammatory political statements.

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“Ndi-Enugu, the 2027 Elections are about issues, ideas and the definitive capacity to deliver. Therefore, no amount of smear politics, incendiary comments, political calumny, or media frenzy can rewrite Dr Peter Mbah’s glowing credentials, deeply entrenched in the hearts of our electorate, who are watching in pleasant shock as the dividends of democracy are being positively re-imagined and re-engineered in their favour,” Oruruo stated.

He urged the people of Enugu State to critically examine political claims and remain vigilant against misinformation, while insisting that the state government had no involvement in the disagreement between the event centre and the organisers.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja on Thursday for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah, during which he will offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.
The Presidency announced the trip in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the visit will provide the President with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and devotion as he seeks divine intervention in the affairs of the country.
“While in Makkah, President Tinubu will perform the religious rites associated with Umrah, seeking Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people,” Onanuga stated.
The President’s planned pilgrimage comes amid mounting expectations from Nigerians for concrete government interventions to address prevailing economic hardship, insecurity and other challenges confronting the nation.
Before departing Abuja, Tinubu is expected to commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force to strengthen its operations at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The Presidency, however, did not provide further details on the newly acquired equipment or its operational capabilities.
Onanuga disclosed that the President would return to Nigeria next week after completing the religious exercise.
No specific date was given for his return, while the statement was also silent on whether he would undertake other official engagements during his stay in Saudi Arabia.

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has cautioned opposition political figures against making defamatory statements, dismissing allegations that he ordered a private facility to deny a political party access for its proposed town hall meeting.
The governor issued the warning while reacting to a viral social media video alleging that he personally directed the management of the facility not to host the opposition party’s event.
In a statement, Mbah described the allegation as baseless and a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his administration.
“My attention has just been drawn to a video circulating on some social media platforms, alleging that I gave an order denying a political party use of a private facility for their townhall event. This is preposterous and utter falsehood, because I did not,” he stated.
The governor criticised what he described as the opposition’s desperate attempt to attract public attention through unfounded allegations.
“This is shameful and reveals a desperate pattern adopted by the opposition to attract attention,” he added.
Mbah maintained that while democracy guarantees freedom of expression, such freedom should not be misconstrued as an unrestricted licence to malign or defame others.
“There’s no doubt that democracy guarantees freedom of expression. It should be noted, however, that it does not grant anyone the right to defamation,” he warned.
He further reminded political actors that democratic institutions provide legitimate avenues for seeking redress whenever they feel aggrieved, rather than resorting to what he described as defamatory accusations.
“Democracy also offers avenues to seek redress. So, let it be known that there are redlines that should never be crossed,” the governor declared.
Mbah reiterated that he had no involvement in the alleged denial of the facility, distancing himself from claims linking his administration to the controversy.