Category: Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has presented the official results of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election to President Bola Tinubu in Abuja following his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

Hamzat, who was accompanied by his wife, Dr Oluremi Hamzat, visited the President in his capacity as the national leader of the APC.

Speaking after the visit, the deputy governor expressed gratitude to party members and supporters for the confidence reposed in him.

“I remain deeply grateful for the trust placed in me. Securing the party’s nomination for the 2027 governorship election is both an honour and a profound responsibility,” he said.

Hamzat stated that his aspiration is anchored on ensuring Lagos remains a state where families can thrive, businesses can grow, and young people can access meaningful opportunities.

“The energy and trust you have placed in this vision mean everything to us. The journey ahead is about turning that shared hope into meaningful progress for everyone,” he added.

Unlike several states where candidates emerged unopposed, Hamzat faced competition in the Lagos APC governorship primary and secured a landslide victory with 657,917 votes.

His only challenger, Olanrewaju Jim Kamal, reportedly polled one vote in the exercise.

JOS, Nigeria (NPA) — Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election in the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday titled “My Deepest Appreciation to Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Good People of Plateau State and Nigerians,” Mutfwang described his victory at the APC governorship primary as humbling and a renewed call to service.

The governor said the overwhelming support shown by party members across the 17 Local Government Areas of Plateau State reflected a collective desire for peace, prosperity, and progress. “I am deeply honoured by this victory. It has renewed my belief in our common destiny as a people in search of peace, prosperity, and the deserved place of honour for Plateau State,” he said.

Mutfwang thanked President Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, party leaders, security agencies, and supporters for their confidence and support throughout the primary process.

He also commended fellow aspirant Yilchini Jan Bida for his sportsmanship and urged party members to embrace reconciliation and unity ahead of the general election.

According to the governor, the conclusion of the primaries should mark the beginning of renewed collaboration within the party rather than division.

Mutfwang further appealed to aggrieved aspirants and supporters to remain patient while internal party mechanisms address grievances arising from the primary election.

The governor pledged to continue serving Plateau State with integrity, fairness, humility, and dedication, while promising to build a more peaceful, secure, inclusive, and prosperous state if re-elected.

He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for youths and driving sustainable development across Plateau State.

ENUGU, Nigeria (NPA) — Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 gubernatorial election in the state.

The governor, on Saturday, described his emergence as a strong vote of confidence from members of the party and pledged to deepen good governance and service delivery, and accelerate development across Enugu State.

“I accept this nomination with gratitude and a renewed commitment to deepen service and deliver greater value to Ndi Enugu,” Mbah said.

Reflecting on his administration’s performance since assuming office, the governor stated that his government had delivered on key campaign promises across critical sectors, including security, healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture, industrial revival, and infrastructure development.

According to him, his administration’s “Tomorrow Is Here” agenda has translated into safer communities, improved schools, modern healthcare facilities, revitalised industries, better roads, increased investments, and expanded economic opportunities for residents.

“What once seemed distant is now visible in the everyday lives of Ndi Enugu,” he added.

Mbah, however, stressed that his administration was not slowing down, noting that the journey towards building a more prosperous, secure, and globally competitive Enugu State was still ongoing.

Newpost Africa, earlier, reported that since assuming office, the governor has embarked on several major development initiatives, including the Enugu Air project, smart schools, innovation and technology hubs, rural road construction, and urban renewal programmes aimed at stimulating economic growth.

The administration is also pursuing an ambitious economic target of increasing Enugu State’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from $4.4 billion to at least $30 billion in four to eight years.

ABEOKUTA, Nigeria (NPA) — Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has approved the appointment of Olanrewaju Iskeel Saka as the new Head of the Ogun State Public Service.

The appointment follows the statutory retirement of the immediate past Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya.

Until his appointment, Saka served as the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Cabinet and Special Services.

According to a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, the appointment was in recognition of Saka’s dedication, commitment to duty, and outstanding service to the Ogun State Public Service.

Saka joined the Ogun State Public Service as a classroom teacher on Grade Level 08 on May 15, 1993, before transferring to the mainstream civil service as a Senior Administrative Officer on Grade Level 09 in 2006.

Born on February 15, 1968, the new Head of Service is described as an experienced administrator with extensive expertise in policy coordination and implementation.

He is also a member of several professional bodies, including the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, and a Fellow of the Institute of Policy Management Development.

The Ogun State Government expressed confidence that Saka would bring his wealth of experience to bear in strengthening the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s public service.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that the collation and declaration of results for its 2026 presidential primary election will take place on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

According to a statement signed by Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, the party’s National Secretary, attendance at the event will be strictly by invitation. The release outlines that the declaration will be conducted by the Presidential Primary Election Committee, following the completion of collation across all states.

The categories of invitees include members of the National Working Committee, National Caucus, and National Executive Committee of the APC; serving members of the National Assembly and Federal Executive Council who belong to the party; as well as representatives of women, youth, persons with disabilities, media personalities, and social media influencers. Also invited are members of the Diplomatic Corps, INEC representatives, and other special guests.

Accreditation for guests will begin at 7:00 a.m. at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, from where they will be conveyed to the venue. The statement further directs all State Coordinators and Collation Officers to arrive in Abuja by Saturday evening in preparation for the collation process.

The event marks the final stage of the APC’s presidential primary process, setting the stage for the formal declaration of results ahead of the 2027 general elections.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of intimidation and political harassment following the refusal to grant party leaders access to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who remains in the custody of the anti-graft agency.

In a statement issued on Friday, the opposition party said senior ADC leaders, including National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee Secretary, Salihu Lukman, visited the ICPC headquarters in Abuja to see El-Rufai but were denied access despite prior communication and formal requests.

The party claimed that while the delegation waited for a response, tension escalated after three truckloads of armed police officers reportedly arrived at the premises.

According to the ADC, the heavy security deployment was unnecessary given that the visiting party officials were unarmed and peaceful.

“It is deeply troubling that a simple request by senior party officials to visit a detained colleague was met, not with professionalism, but with a show of force more suited to the suppression of civil unrest,” the statement said.

The party further alleged that state institutions were increasingly being used as instruments of political pressure and intimidation against opposition voices.

The ADC noted that its National Secretary had earlier written officially to the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, requesting visitation rights for El-Rufai amid concerns over his wellbeing and alleged restrictions on access to family members and medical personnel.

The statement also referenced allegations made by El-Rufai’s wife, Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, who reportedly claimed that her husband had been denied access to his doctor and that she was prevented from delivering food to him while in custody.

According to the party, family members had also raised concerns that even court-approved medical access was allegedly being hindered through administrative protocols.

While the ICPC has denied the allegations and maintained that due procedures were followed, the ADC argued that the continued refusal to allow party leaders access to El-Rufai only deepened public suspicion over the circumstances surrounding his detention.

The party stressed that El-Rufai voluntarily submitted himself to authorities and was entitled under the Nigerian Constitution to dignity, medical care, family access, and fair treatment under the law.

“What we are witnessing increasingly appears to be punishment by process, intimidation through isolation, and an attempt to break the spirit of a leading opposition figure,” the statement added.

The ADC called on the ICPC to immediately grant unrestricted access to El-Rufai by his family, lawyers, doctors, and political associates, warning that failure to do so would reinforce perceptions that state institutions were being weaponised against opposition figures in Nigeria.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Member of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State after winning the party’s primary election unopposed.

Announcing the result, the APC Returning Officer, Bitrus Kwamoti, said Chinda secured a total of 268,497 votes cast by party members across the state during the exercise.

Kwamoti described the outcome as a true and accurate reflection of votes collated from various wards in Rivers State, adding that the exercise was conducted peacefully and in compliance with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.

According to him, Chinda satisfied all constitutional requirements and conditions stipulated by the APC for participation in the governorship primary. “The exercise was free, fair and orderly. It was conducted in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines,” Kwamoti stated.

He commended party faithful and residents of the state for maintaining peace and order throughout the exercise.

Reacting to the outcome, APC chieftain Chief Felix Obuah described Chinda as a dependable and trusted administrator with a strong commitment to the development of Rivers State.

Obuah said the emergence of Chinda has strengthened the APC’s chances ahead of the governorship election, expressing confidence that the party had presented its best candidate for the contest.

“With the outcome of this exercise, I can tell you that Rivers people are united irrespective of ethnic background,” he said.

Chinda emerged unopposed following the withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and George Kelly from the race, paving the way for his emergence as the party’s flagbearer.