Category: Politics

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.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially released the guidelines and committee lists for the conduct of its 2026 presidential primaries, reaffirming its commitment to a transparent and credible nomination process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a press statement signed by Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, the party’s National Secretary, the APC confirmed that the decisions were approved by the National Working Committee (NWC) in line with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. The primaries will be conducted through a direct voting system across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards, with results collated at local government and state levels before final declaration in Abuja.

The Presidential Primary Election Committee, chaired by Senator John Akpan Udoedehe, includes Senator Ken Nnamani, Senator Victor Ndoma‑Egba (SAN), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and Mr Sani Musa as Secretary. The Appeal Committee will be led by Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari (CON), with Mr Samuel Piwuna serving as Secretary and Hon. Patricia Obuqumiri Etteh as a member.

The party also announced the appointment of State Coordinators and Collation Officers across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Among them are Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna), Senator Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and Hajia Zainab Ahmed (FCT).

According to the circular, the primaries will culminate in Abuja on 26 May 2026, where the final results will be presented to the national committee. The process will adhere strictly to the “Procedure for the Conduct of Direct and Consensus Modes of Primaries” earlier submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under reference APC/HND/INEC/PRS‑DOCS/01‑05/26.

“The decisions were approved by the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in accordance with the Constitution of the Party, the Electoral Act, and APC’s commitment to a transparent and credible primary election process,” the statement read.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress has welcomed a Federal High Court ruling on deadlines for party primaries and other provisions contained in the electoral guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In a statement released on Thursday by Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the judgment as a vindication of its earlier objections to aspects of INEC’s regulations. According to the ADC, it had previously raised concerns over strict timelines relating to membership registration and the conduct of party primaries, arguing that some of the provisions contradicted constitutional principles.

“The decision of the Court on these issues, including those that directly contradict the Constitution, is therefore a welcome vindication of our position,” the party stated.

The ADC also praised the aspect of the ruling, which it said removed restrictions affecting politicians seeking to contest elections on alternative political platforms.

According to the party, the judgment strengthens freedom of association and protects the rights of politicians to align with political parties of their choice.

The opposition party further alleged that the earlier restrictions were designed to discourage defections from the ruling All Progressives Congress. “We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC,” the statement added.

The ADC expressed confidence that the court’s decision could trigger fresh political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Now that the court has ruled against it, we are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” the party stated.

The ruling is expected to shape political calculations among parties and aspirants as preparations intensify ahead of the next electoral cycle in Nigeria, especially those who failed to secure party tickets in the primary elections.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Presidency has dismissed as false reports circulating online alleging that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is planning constitutional amendments to change Nigeria’s name to the “United States of Nigeria” and abolish Sharia Law in the northern region of the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency described the viral report as fake, misleading and aimed at creating political tension ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the statement, the story, which allegedly cited anonymous sources, forms part of attempts by “desperate politicians” to create disaffection, destabilise the country and inflame the political atmosphere.

“The Presidency wishes to inform Nigerians and state clearly that there is no truth to the viral fake story,” the statement said.

The Presidency also denied claims that President Tinubu intends to transmit any bill allegedly code-named “Project True Federation” to the National Assembly by December 15.

According to the statement, a constitutional amendment is a serious legislative process that cannot be carried out unilaterally by the President or the National Assembly.

The Presidency explained that under Nigerian law, constitutional amendments require the approval of a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly of Nigeria as well as concurrence from at least 24 State Houses of Assembly.

The statement stressed that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing economic reforms and delivering what it described as tangible dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

The Presidency further urged citizens to be cautious of fake and divisive reports expected to intensify as political campaigns ahead of the January 2027 general elections gather momentum.

It warned Nigerians against falling for misinformation spread by individuals described as “agents of destabilisation and merchants of disorder.”

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The All Progressives Congress has announced the rescheduling of its governorship primary elections in Bauchi State and Kwara State to Friday, May 22, 2026.

The party also approved the rescheduling of State House of Assembly primary elections for Maradun I and Maradun II constituencies in Zamfara State to Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by Felix Morka, National Publicity Secretary of the APC.

According to the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, CON, the decision was approved by the National Working Committee of the party following consultations with relevant stakeholders.

The APC stated that the adjustment forms part of efforts to ensure a transparent, orderly, peaceful and credible primary election process across the affected states.

The party, however, did not disclose specific reasons for the postponement of the primaries.

The rescheduled elections are expected to determine the party’s candidates ahead of the forthcoming governorship and State House of Assembly elections.