Politics
Senate minority leader: G-5 Governors reject Atiku’s candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party and its standard bearer in the last election, Atiku Abubakar are on a collision course with the G-5 over the minority leadership in the National Assembly, particularly the Senate.
The PDP and Atiku had declared support for the ex-governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South) for the minority leadership seat but the G-5 was pushing for Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe (Cross River North ) for the same position.
Atiku and the G-5 comprising Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers); ex-Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue; his colleague in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)) had been at loggerheads since the ex-Vice-President emerged as the party’s standard bearer in the last presidential election.
While Makinde is still in office for his second and final term, the other members of the G-5 have concluded their eight-year tenure.
As governor, Wike led his four colleagues to work against the former vice president in his quest to succeed ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
As provided for by the relevant laws and rules of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, aside from the two presiding officer positions, eight principal positions are also to be occupied by elected lawmakers on the platforms of both the ruling and minority political parties.
On resumption of the plenary on July 4, the Senate President is expected to read the letter from the parties announcing their nominations for the minority leadership positions.
After the election of the presiding officers, both the majority and minority caucuses of the National Assembly are expected to appoint their leaders.
But the jostle for the Senate minority leadership position appears to be generating tension among the opposition senators following moves by some vested interests to impose a candidate on the Senate.
Lawmakers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that Atiku was behind the choice of Tambuwal as the minority leader.
PDP backs Tambuwal
A source said, “Tambuwal is Atiku’s choice as the PDP Senate leader while Wike is also pushing for Jarigbe as minority leader. Wike is looking for an opportunity to get back at Tambuwal over the presidential elections primary elections.
“He is still bitter. But the party would not allow him to try the same thing he did during the national elections with the National Assembly.”
With 36 senators in the upper chamber, the PDP is expected to take two out of the four minority seats comprising the Senate minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip, and deputy whip.
However, there has been tension in the minority camp of the PDP since the former Rivers State governor visited the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio at his office last Thursday for a marathon meeting which ended around 6:30 pm.
Sources revealed that the leadership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are, however, treading carefully on the matter.
A source stated, “Having assisted APC to win the presidential election in Rivers State in February and supported the aspirations of the now elected four presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly, making one of his loyalists a principal officer is his next plan.
“He is very serious about the plan and he is getting the required support from the leadership of the National Assembly as well as membership of the other minority political parties in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
Another lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the PDP was intent on enthroning Tambuwal as the senate leader.
The lawmaker added, “His Excellency, Senator Tambuwal is the one that the party has chosen as the Senate leader. The party at this time needs someone who can play the role of opposition very well and he is experienced having been a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. The party wants a competent person for that position and no doubt, he is one.”
Contacted the Media Adviser to Atiku, Paul Ibe, explained reasons the former Vice-President was supporting the aspiration of the former Sokoto State governor.
Ibe said if his principal aligned himself with the position of his party concerning the Senate minority leader position; the same should not be misunderstood, adding that Atiku had always been a party man.
He noted, “The position of the minority leader of the Senate should be taken by the biggest opposition party which is the PDP. The PDP will naturally vie for the role in consultation with other opposition party members in the Senate. This is how the minority leader will emerge.
“If the party is backing Tambuwal and Atiku Abubakar happens to support this, there is nothing wrong with that. It is the prerogative of the party to decide who they think can champion the interest of the party in the hallowed chamber. Normally, they will support someone whose competence they can vouch for.
“Ortom will support Wike and I can tell you that for Wike to identify with Senator Jarigbe, that means the man (Jarigbe) is the choice of the G-5. The group is intact and they make decisions together. All five of them are together. Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ortom, and Wike are together. They resolved to always stand together before, during and after the elections. Nothing has changed even after the elections,” he said.
Corroborating this, an ex-official of the party who served in the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee told The PUNCH that the former governors who formed the G-5 would oppose the choice of Tambuwal for any position in the Senate.
PDP warned
Speaking with our correspondent in confidence, the PDP chieftain who is of South-West extraction said, “There is no way the G-5 leaders will support Tambuwal. He betrayed other PDP presidential aspirants. Instead of staying in the race for the PDP presidential ticket, backed out to support Atiku. They will never support him on this.
“I hope the PDP will back out of this mission of pushing Tambuwal as Senate Minority Leader. If they insist he is the one they want, he will lose.”
Also, some pro-G5 lawmakers, who spoke to our correspondents, supported the position of the PDP chieftain, saying the party should not present Tambuwal.
Our correspondent could not get the position of the party as the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba was not available for comment.
But Senator Jarigbe denied being in the race for the minority leadership.
Jarigbe, who during his speech at the valedictory of the ninth Assembly thanked Wike for his support and called him his mentor, told The PUNCH on Monday that he had not been informed about the plan to make him the minority leader.
He also stated that the ex-governor had yet to discuss the move with him.
He said, “Such news is rumours and unfounded. Nothing like that happened. Even if there was such a thing, I am not aware because as we speak he and I have not had such a conversation.”
When our correspondent asked if Wike’s visit to the National Assembly last Thursday was in line with such a move, Jarigbe insisted that he was unaware as he also learnt of his mentor’s visit.
Jarigbe said, “Yes, I heard he was at the National Assembly last Thursday but we didn’t even talk. “
Tambuwal could not be reached for comment as he did not respond to calls and a message sent to him.
Meanwhile, the former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central in the eighth Senate, Shehu Sani, has warned the PDP not to allow the G-5 to take over the minority leadership slot as it would incapacitate it as an opposition party.
Speaking in an interview on Arise television monitored by our correspondent, Sani stated, “The main opposition PDP has to be careful because if they allow those who call themselves G-5 to have an agent who is going to be the minority leader, they have simply surrendered the role they are supposed to play in the National Assembly for the next four years.
“Naturally, a parliament is supposed to work in partnership with the executive but in the last four years, we have seen the legislature become an appendage of the ruling party, where the Ahmad Lawan-led Senate simply approves anything that was sent by the president.”
Sani noted that from the statement made by the new Senate President, he tried to provide a balance that they would work with the executive and at the same time protect the sanctity of the parliament.
He added, “Well that would have been a good thing to do but the signs that are coming in show that they want a stooge in the opposition as far as the leadership of the National Assembly is concerned.”
One of the PDP lawmakers interested in the minority leader position and the senator representing Osun East, Senator Francis Fadahunsi noted that the party had yet to reach a consensus on the matter and that it would be unfair for the North-West to get another position
He said, “The minority caucus of the Senate has not met and no one has been picked for the position. North-West cannot get Deputy Senate President, Speaker and you will still give them a minority leader. Are they the only zone available?”
PUNCH
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.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Anambra state chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC has described as false narrative the trending story that the trio of Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi, Sen Victor Umeh and Sen Tony Nwoye are currently at daggers drawn following the alleged doctoring of the list of candidates for the 2027 general election in Anambra North Senatorial District.
It is being alleged that the doctoring was executed by Sen Tony Nwoye representing the Senatorial District which resulted in the withdrawal of names of nominees of Nwoye for the Presidential Campaign Council of the party .
Dismissing this narrative, the Anambra state Chairman of the NDC , Hon Ikem Uzoezie stated that the report is not only fales but unfounded contending that it is a recipe for those who are apprehensive of failure in the coming election.
“One would have chosen to keep quiet over this issue but it is important to that we as a party make the following clarifications;
“There is no such thing in our great party the NDC and there can never be and the party is more focused in executing the 2027 general elections and we do not need to be distracted by the machinations of the opposition who are apparently awear of the obvious fact that they have lost the election ”
Uzoezie described the party as one that has respect for rules and guidelines in respect of the the nomination of candidates and we indeed did the needful which can be verified at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“For those who have chosen name dropping and name calling as a trade, we urge them to desist from such unlawful act and the party would not hastate to take appropriate actions in that regard”
Uzoezie advised party faithfuls not to allow themselves to be used as a tool in distabizing the party urging them to remain focused.
The Federal Government has approved a monthly transport allowance of N70,000 for public servants as part of measures to cushion the effects of the rising cost of living across the country.
The intervention, which will run for six months beginning in November 2026, is expected to provide eligible workers with a cumulative sum of N420,000 each by April 2027.
The approval followed a conciliation meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), held in Abuja on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
According to the memorandum reached at the meeting, the transport support will apply across all levels of the federal public service, while state and local governments are encouraged to participate in the intervention.
However, the agreement did not specify the exact payment dates, disbursement channels or whether beneficiaries would receive the allowance alongside their monthly salaries.
The N70,000 transport support is separate from the existing national minimum wage and is designed as a temporary intervention to ease workers’ transportation expenses.
Beyond the transport allowance, the government also approved the settlement of outstanding peculiar allowance arrears, effective from May 1, 2026.
Payment of the arrears is scheduled to commence in November and will be spread across three equal monthly instalments.
In another development, the Federal Government agreed to clear 19 months of outstanding allowances owed to health workers within three months, beginning in December 2026.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission was equally directed to conclude its assessment of the financial implications of adjusting the Consolidated Health Salary Structure within three weeks.
On the lingering minimum wage issues, both parties agreed to establish a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee, which is expected to commence deliberations immediately.
The meeting also considered outstanding hazard allowances for agricultural officers, with the verification of eligible beneficiaries and associated financial implications expected to be completed within two weeks.
Similarly, a proposal seeking tax relief for workers will be forwarded to the National Executive Council for consideration.
The Federal Government and the NLC are expected to reconvene after one month to assess the implementation of the resolutions.
Meanwhile, workers in state and local government services may have to await further directives from their respective authorities, as the agreement does not automatically establish that all states have approved the N70,000 monthly intervention.
Politics
Nnamani, Nwobodo, Chime, Ugwuanyi, Arthur Eze, Get Advisory Roles As Mbah Unveils Campaign Council
…Council to Be Inaugurated Tuesday at Enugu International Conference Centre
The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled a formidable campaign structure ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Governor Peter Mbah emerging as Chairman of the Campaign Council comprising 51 directorates.
The council, unveiled on Monday, October 26, brings together prominent political figures, former governors, serving lawmakers, technocrats and party stakeholders in what appears to be a major political mobilisation drive ahead of the elections.
Among those listed for advisory roles are Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Jim Nwobodo, former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, former Governor Sullivan Chime, immediate past Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Professor Bart Nnaji, business mogul Arthur Eze, Frank Nweke Jr. and Madueke, among others.
According to the list jointly signed by the state APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, and Secretary, Hon. Chukwudi Nnadozie, Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, and Chukwunweike will serve as Vice Chairmen.
Chief Charlie Mbah was appointed Director-General of the Campaign Organisation, while Dr. Eric Oluedo will serve as Secretary-General.
The campaign structure also provides for three Deputy Directors-General representing the state’s senatorial districts.
They are Deacon Okey Ogbodo for Enugu East, Dr. Dan Shere for Enugu North and Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye for Enugu West.
In the media and publicity directorates, Barr. Steve Oruruo was named Campaign Spokesperson and Director of Public Communication, with Dr. Austin Okolie serving as Co-Spokesperson and Dr. Malachy Agbo as Secretary.
Two members of Governor Mbah’s media team, Mazi Uche Anichukwu and Dan Nwomeh, will head the Directorate of New Media and Strategic Communication and the Directorate of Mainstream Media, respectively.
Dr. Collins Ogbu will serve as Secretary of New Media and Strategic Communication, while Dr. Reuben Onyishi takes the corresponding position in Mainstream Media.
Other key appointments include Barr. Victor Udeh as Director of Administration, while former APC State Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, will head the Fundraising Committee, assisted by Arc. Uche Nwatu as Co-Director.
Former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla (Rtd.), was appointed Chairman of the Security Directorate, with former Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo (Rtd.), serving as Secretary.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology will oversee the Directorate of Government Appointees Coordination, covering federal and state appointees, while Prof. Chidiebere Onyia will serve as Secretary.
Former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh, was appointed to head Inter-Party Affairs.
For senatorial coordination, Senator Osita Ngwu will oversee Enugu West, Senator Ikeje Asogwa will coordinate Enugu North, while Senator Kelvin Chukwu takes charge of Enugu East.
Explaining the composition of the council, Chukwunweike and Nnadozie said the extensive campaign structure was deliberately designed to accommodate diverse political interests and ensure grassroots participation across the state.
According to them, the 51 directorates reflect the party’s determination to involve communities, wards, local government areas, professional associations, women, youths, elders and support organisations in its preparations for the 2027 elections.
They stressed that appointments into the council should not be regarded merely as political recognition but as responsibilities requiring commitment and measurable results.
“Appointment into the campaign structure is therefore not merely an honour; it is a call to duty, accountability and measurable contribution,” the statement read.
The unveiling marks a significant organisational step for the Enugu APC as it moves to consolidate its political machinery ahead of the next general elections.
The Campaign Council will be formally inaugurated on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
All appointed members have been directed to be seated before 3pm.
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