Category: Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has defended its celebration of a recent Supreme Court judgment, dismissing criticisms that the ruling amounted to a “pyrrhic victory” for the opposition party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, described attempts to downplay the significance of the judgment as misleading and dangerous.

According to Abdullahi, the ADC operates within a highly contested political environment where opposition voices are frequently pressured and underestimated. “We do not need conspiracy theories to understand the environment in which we operate. It is evident that we are in a fiercely contested political space,” he said.

The ADC spokesperson acknowledged that the party currently occupies the position of an underdog in Nigeria’s political landscape but stressed that its leadership possesses the experience and resilience required to navigate difficult political battles.

“Within the ADC are battle-tested leaders and resilient members who have navigated difficult political terrains and who understand, clearly, what victory looks like,” he added.

Abdullahi maintained that the opposition party’s broader objective extends beyond any single court ruling, insisting that the ADC remains focused on winning the 2027 general elections and preventing Nigeria from sliding into a one-party state.

“Let us be clear: the struggle before us is bigger than any single court decision. The mission is to ensure that the ADC not only contests, but wins the 2027 elections,” he stated.

He argued that political victories are achieved through multiple battles rather than a single defining moment, describing the Supreme Court ruling as one of such victories for the party.

“For a movement that has faced sustained pressure, that victory mattered. It was right to acknowledge it. It was necessary to celebrate it, not as a conclusion, but as a signal that we are still in the fight, and still standing,” Abdullahi said.

The spokesperson, however, noted that the political struggle was far from over, stressing that the ADC had resumed efforts across legal, political and public engagement platforms.

“Yes, we celebrated yesterday. Today, we have returned to the trenches,” he said.

“The work continues, in the courts of law, in the court of public opinion, and in the theatres of politics.”

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for official visits to France, Kenya and Rwanda, where he is expected to participate in two major international summits focused on economic growth, climate action and investment partnerships.

The presidency disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Tinubu’s first stop will be in France before proceeding to Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the Africa-France Summit scheduled to hold from May 11 to May 12.

The summit, which will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, will focus on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, climate action and reforms to the global financing architecture.

The statement noted that President Tinubu’s participation would reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to deepening strategic partnerships with African countries and France.

The summit, themed “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” is expected to bring together African leaders and their French counterparts to discuss economic transformation, climate resilience, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological innovation and peace-building initiatives.

Following the Kenya summit, Tinubu will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the annual Africa CEO Forum scheduled for May 14 and May 15. The forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” is expected to attract more than 2,000 business executives, investors and policymakers from across Africa and beyond.

Organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, the gathering will focus on regional integration, cross-border investment and strategies for building resilient industries across the continent.

According to the presidency, Tinubu will deliver addresses at both summits highlighting his administration’s economic reforms aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for investment and economic growth.

The president is also expected to hold high-level meetings with African and global business leaders during the trip.

Tinubu will be accompanied by some ministers and senior government officials and is expected to return to Nigeria after the Rwanda summit.

ENUGU, Nigeria (NPA) — Enugu State Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has extended warm felicitations to workers in the state on the occasion of Workers’ Day, celebrated annually on May 1 to honour workers and recognise the contributions of the labour movement to social and economic development.

In a statement, Mbah wrote: “Today, we celebrate Workers’ Day, honouring the dedication and resilience of every individual whose efforts keep our society moving forward.”

The governor praised the contributions of workers to the progress of the state, noting that across every level, their labour matters and continues to shape Enugu’s collective growth. He emphasized that the sacrifices of workers remain central to building a stronger, more inclusive society.

In Enugu, as in many countries including Nigeria, Workers’ Day is marked with public holidays, parades, speeches by labour leaders and government officials, as well as renewed calls for improved welfare and protection for workers. Against this backdrop, Mbah reiterated his administration’s commitment to building a system that values, protects, and supports workers, while ensuring that their rights and dignity are upheld.

He further assured that his government will continue to engage constructively with labour unions and stakeholders to foster policies that enhance productivity, strengthen social justice, and guarantee fair reward for hard work.

OSHOGBO, Nigeria (NPA) — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has welcomed the approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the rehabilitation of the Osogbo–Gbongan and Osogbo–Iwo–Ibadan roads, describing it as a major boost for the state’s economy and infrastructure development.

Adeleke said the approval reflects the importance of collaboration between state and federal authorities in delivering development projects that directly impact citizens, regardless of political affiliations.

According to the governor, his administration has consistently prioritised partnerships capable of attracting federal interventions to Osun State.

He recalled that on October 18, 2024, he paid a working visit to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, in Abuja alongside his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, to seek urgent intervention on federal roads traversing the state.

During the meeting, Adeleke said he briefed the minister on the condition of federal and state roads in Osun and outlined his administration’s efforts in improving road infrastructure across the state.

The governor noted that his administration had constructed more than 150 kilometres of roads since assuming office, including the ongoing 1.5-kilometre road projects across all local government areas in the state.

He also commended Umahi for what he described as the minister’s “bold approach” to road infrastructure development nationwide and appealed for stronger federal support in rehabilitating critical road networks in Osun.

Adeleke expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council for approving the projects, describing the intervention as a significant achievement for the people of the state.

“When leaders listen, the people benefit. This is what collaboration for the betterment of the people looks like,” the governor said.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Mr. Peter Obi, a leading presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has paid tribute to Nigerian workers on Workers’ Day, describing them as the backbone of the nation.

In a statement titled “Workers Are the Backbone of Every Nation”, the former Anambra State governor commended workers across the world, particularly Nigerians, whose daily sacrifices sustain families, communities, institutions, and the national economy despite severe hardship and uncertainty.

Obi lamented that those who teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve the nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves. He noted that Nigeria’s minimum wage no longer guarantees even the most modest standard of living, as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work.

“No nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and wellbeing of its workforce,” Obi said, stressing that the progress of any society rests on the quality of its human capital. “When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers.”

He further emphasized that beyond their labour, workers hold another powerful tool — their voice and their vote. Through democratic participation, he said, they can shape governance and determine the nation’s future direction.

Obi urged Nigerian workers to recognize their collective strength and to demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion. He called on them to reject failure, corruption, ethnic division, and bad governance, and to help build a nation where hard work is respected and rewarded with dignity.

“A truly productive nation must be built on justice, fairness, and respect for labour. That is the Nigeria we must work together to achieve. With the support and participation of Nigerian workers, a New Nigeria is possible,” the statement concluded.

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid actions capable of causing division within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning against “pulling down the roof” over political ambitions.

In a lengthy statement titled “2027: Don’t Pull Down the Roof,” Shettima appealed to party leaders, aspirants and supporters to embrace moderation, unity and internal democracy as political consultations intensify across the country.

According to the vice president, the growing political activities within the APC reflect a healthy democratic process, but cautioned that internal competition must not degenerate into hostility and destructive rivalry.

“We must remind ourselves that a political party is not a battlefield. It is a family. And even in the most spirited family, the roof must never be pulled down because one room appears warmer than another,” he said.

Shettima warned party faithful against allowing themselves to be manipulated by political interests, media narratives and divisive actors seeking to create tension within the APC ahead of its primaries. “There will always be those who whisper that one leader has been slighted, that one bloc has been excluded, or that one interest has been buried,” he said.

“These are familiar tricks in the theatre of politics. They are meant to provoke suspicion, inflame supporters, and turn comrades into adversaries before the real contest even begins.”

The vice president stressed that the true challenge for the APC would come after the primaries, noting that only a united party could secure victory at the general elections. “A fractured party may produce a candidate, but only a united party can produce victory,” he stated.

He called on party leaders to ensure fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in the conduct of the party’s primary elections, while urging aspirants and their supporters to accept outcomes peacefully.

According to him, endorsements and political preferences are part of democratic politics, but should not be used as instruments of intimidation or exclusion. “Preference must never become provocation. Influence must never become intimidation. Persuasion must never become exclusion,” he said.

Shettima further warned politicians against destroying political structures because of temporary setbacks, describing politics as “a long road” where patience and loyalty often yield future opportunities. “We cannot all win at the same time. For every ticket, only one candidate will emerge,” he noted.

The vice president also urged APC members to place national interest above personal ambition, saying Nigerians were closely watching how political leaders manage disagreements and internal contests.

“A leader who cannot manage disappointment cannot be trusted to manage power,” he added.

Shettima praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for demonstrating the values of accommodation, resilience and coalition-building throughout his political career, saying the APC must emulate those principles.

He appealed to party stakeholders to close ranks after the primaries and focus on presenting a united front ahead of the 2027 elections. “Contest, but do not destroy. Disagree, but do not defame. Aspire, but do not divide,” he said.

“We will all have our season, but only if the house still stands.”

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has extended the sale of the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for aspirants ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Durosinmi Meseko, announced the extension while briefing journalists at the party’s national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Meseko, the decision was reached during the NWC meeting of the ruling party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sale of forms was initially scheduled to end on Saturday, May 2, while the deadline for the submission of completed forms and accompanying documents was Monday, May 4, 2026.

Meseko said the extension became necessary due to the May 1 Workers’ Day public holiday and the high level of interest shown by aspirants.

“The party has approved an extension of the timelines for the sale of aspirants’ Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, as well as the submission of completed forms for the 2027 General Elections,” he said.

He explained that the sale of forms will now close at midnight on Monday, May 4, while the submission of completed forms and accompanying documents has been extended to midnight on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (NAN).