Category: Politics

He also dismissed speculations that he had discussed or had agreed to a joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

According to a statement signed by the Spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, in Abuja, on Monday, Obi expressed these views while speaking on Sunday night, when he appeared on X space to answer questions from his numerous supporters.

According to him, Obi acknowledged being involved in coalition talks because of his desire to rescue Nigeria from the drift by aligning with all patriotic Nigerians.

Obi said, “If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… Count me out. Nigeria is currently at war. We need to do something about it.”

He also urged Nigerians to see the need to rescue this country with him. “I will bring stability in Nigeria within two years in office. Leaders of Nigeria should sit down in Nigeria and fix Nigeria,” he said.

On the situation in the Labour Party, Obi explained that he and several party leaders are working around the clock to get INEC to endorse the Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party based on the Supreme Court ruling.

On the issue of the rotation of the Presidency between the North and the South, Obi said, “I believe in the rotation of government between North and South. I implemented it in Anambra as a governor.”

Answering questions on President Tinubu’s visit to St Lucia, Obi noted that “In 2 years, Tinubu has not spent one night in any state in Nigeria apart from Lagos, yet he is going to spend 8 nights in St Lucia, a place smaller than Ajegunle.

“St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city of Nigeria, Ilorin. President Tinubu has never slept a night in any state of Nigeria outside Lagos since the assumption of office in 2023. PBAT to stay in St Lucia for 10 days.”

On his preparation for the election, the former Presidential Candidate remarked, “We will do things differently in 2027. We will follow a non-violent approach and insist that the right thing will be done before the result announcement in Abuja. Our votes in 2027 will count, and we will ensure they count.

“Three things to follow up with in the first 100 days… prioritise on security, education and poverty eradication; cut costs and shun corruption. My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds to be channelled into key critical sectors.

“My Presidency will ensure there is a strong opposition in party politics. There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge.

“Imagine in this country, People are dying in Benue, Borno, [and other parts of the country], and our leaders are commissioning Bus Stops and holidaying.

“To bring order in governance, I will prioritise security, education and pulling people out of poverty. To do this is by cutting the cost of governance and fighting corruption from day one.

“My past speaks loudly for me. Wherever there was an issue in Anambra State, I was there physically. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put even their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians.

“Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government.” Vanguard

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Nelson Chukwu, on Sunday, said Mr Fubara made the statement while addressing his supporters during a meeting in Port Harcourt.

The governor, who is on suspension from office following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state by President Bola Tinubu, stated that the peace deal recently brokered between him, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and members of the House of Assembly was in the best interest of the state.

Mr Fubara acknowledged Mr Wike’s pivotal role in his emergence as governor and expressed his willingness to make concessions for peace.

Similarly, the governor commended President Tinubu for his personal intervention in the peace reconciliation.

He noted the anxiety and disappointment felt by many people following the peace deal, but insisted that difficult times call for tough decisions and concessions.

Mr Fubara, however, said that every step taken, including the recent reconciliation between him and Mr Wike, was done with their collective interest in mind.

He said consultations were held with key stakeholders and trusted allies within his political family at every stage.

Mr Fubara noted that the new political realities might be painful temporarily for some people, especially those who stood firmly with him through the turbulence, but said the larger goal remains the peace and stability of the state.

Mr Fubara decried the impact of the political crisis on governance in the state, noting that several development projects had suffered delays.

He expressed optimism that with the reconciliation achieved, the pace of project implementation would be accelerated.

Mr Fubara is expected to be back in office anytime soon on the heels of the second peace deal brokered by Mr Tinubu between him and his immediate predecessor in office, Mr Wike.

The second peace deal, whose details are still sketchy, follows the first truce whose collapse led to the emergency declaration by Mr Tinubu in March following the protracted political crisis between Messrs Wike and Fubara, on one hand, and between Mr Fubara and the House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, on the other hand.

Suspended alongside Mr Fubara were the deputy governor and the state House of Assembly. Only the judicial arm of government was spared in the emergency declaration.

Mr Tinubu appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as the sole administrator of the state for an initial period of six months. Premium Times

Mr Morka, who confirmed the development in a statement on Friday night, said that the chairman’s resignation, which was to enable him to attend to urgent and important personal matters, was with immediate effect.

Mr Morka said that the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori, had been directed to assume the position of acting national chairman, pending the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in December.

This, he said, was to immediately fill the vacancy created by Mr Ganduje’s resignation.

The former national chairman assumed the leadership of APC in August 2023, following the resignation of his predecessor, Abdullahi Adamu.

“Throughout his tenure, he dedicated himself to strengthening the party’s unity and cohesion, expounding its democratic ideals and enhancing the party’s electoral competitiveness.

“The confidence placed in him by the party’s NEC and national caucus meetings in February 2025 was a profound recognition and honour for his service.

“He leaves his position as national chairman with great pride in our collective achievements, including successful defections from opposition parties and legal affirmations of our party leadership’s legitimacy,” Mr Morka said.

He assured APC faithful that the party remained steadfast and unwavering in its mission to deliver transformative governance for all Nigerians, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Ali Dalori 

While there has been no official statement, sources confirmed that Ganduje tendered his resignation on health grounds.

He reportedly submitted his resignation letter to the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, on Friday in Abuja.

PACESETTER reports that neither the presidency nor the APC has officially issued any statement. The last post on the APC’s official X handle was made at exactly 1:41pm today.

“The National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, led the National Working Committee on a condolence visit to the Niger State Governor, HE. Mohammed Umaru Bago at the state’s liaison office in Abuja, over the devastating Mokwa flood and bandit attacks in Mariga LGA on the state”, the post read.

Ganduje, a former Kano Governor was appointed APC national chairman in 2023, following the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Multiple sources confirmed on Thursday evening that the meeting held in Abuja ended on a positive note, with Fubara seen holding Amaewhule’s hands as they exchanged jokes and laughter.

The closed-door meeting marked the first direct reconciliation effort between the governor and the lawmakers.

A source familiar with the development told The Cable, “The suspended Governor is determined to make peace. He has started the real engagement.”

Fubara was suspended from office on March 19 after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State to curb the growing political unrest.

The National Assembly ratified the decision, and retired Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas was appointed to oversee governance in the state for six months.

Although Fubara had previously met with Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the meeting with the lawmakers is being described as the most concrete step toward lasting peace.

Wike had repeatedly stated that for any reconciliation to hold, Fubara must reach out to those he allegedly offended, particularly members of the State House of Assembly, whom he reportedly denied salaries and allowances for more than two years. Cable/Punch

The other platform is the Advanced Democratic Alliance (ADA), which is number 110 on the list after the coalition’s ADA, which is listed as 109 registrants on the commission’s log.

Last week, the coalition group submitted ADA for registration before INEC.

On Wednesday, INEC released a list of political platforms seeking registration to become parties. According to the list, 110 political associations have applied so far.

The emergence of two ADAs on the list is a throwback to the drama surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.

The unfolding saga over the similar acronyms might set the electoral body on a familiar path back in 2013, when the then-mega opposition platform All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed.

According to its rules and practice, INEC does not register associations with similar names, logos, and acronyms to avoid confusion.

Recall that shortly after three (now defunct) opposition political parties, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) merged into the new APC, another group with the same acronym known as the African Peoples Congress emerged and applied to the INEC to be registered as a political party.

Two other groups, All Patriotic Citizens (APC) and All Progressives Congress of Nigeria (APCN) also emerged to seek registration with INEC as political parties.

The emergence of the other APC platforms triggered allegations and counter-allegations, especially between the then-merger parties and the African Peoples Congress.

INEC and the then-ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were accused of complicity in the drama.

After an intense back-and-forth, INEC disqualified the African Peoples Congress, saying the association breached Section 222 (a) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.

However, while both ADAs listed their head offices as Abuja, their party logos and flags differ.

The coalition’s ADA has Chief Akin A. Ricketts and Abdullahi Musa Elayo as their chairman and protem secretary. In contrast, the other ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman and Zipporah Pus Miracle as national chairman and protem secretary.

The coalition ADA’s office is on the Ground Floor of the UAC Complex, Plot 273, Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT.

The other ADA is No 1, Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Umar Ardo, a key convener of the Coalition group, played down the situation, adding that they applied before the other association.

Ardo told LEADERSHIP, “No problem. We’re there before them,” he said.

 110 Associations Seek INEC registration

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received letters of intent from 110 associations to register as political parties.

Some of the associations are the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Advanced Democratic Alliance (ADA), Absolute Congress (ABC), Key Freedom Party (KFP), All Grassroots Party (AGP), Congress Action Party (CAP), United Social Democratic Party (USDP), National Action Congress Party (NACP), Great Alliance Party (GAP), New Nigerian Congress (NNC), United Peoples Victory Party (UPVP), and Allied Conservative Congress (ACC).

Others include People’s Freedom Party (PFP), All Nigerians’ Party (ANP), Abundant Social Party (ASP), Citizens Party of Nigeria (CPN), National Freedom Party (NFP), Patriots Party (PP), Movement of the People (MDP), Peoples National Congress (PNC), African Union Congress (AUC), Alliance of Patriot(AOP), Socialist Equality Party (SEP), About Nigeria Party (ABNP), African Reformation Party (ARP) and Accelerated African Development Association (AADA).

INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at the commission’s second regular consultative meeting with media executives on Wednesday at its headquarters in Abuja.

Yakubu said INEC was diligently processing the requests according to the procedure outlined in the law and its regulations and guidelines.

He said the commission had acknowledged all requests received so far except six recently received ones, which will be done before the end of the week.

“As of Monday, 23rd June, 2025, the Commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations that wish to register as political parties.

“We diligently process the requests per the procedure outlined in the law and our Regulations and Guidelines. We have acknowledged all requests received so far, except six of them received recently, which will be done before the end of the week.

“For emphasis, I wish to inform Nigerians, particularly those interested in registering new political parties, that the handbook containing the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022 is already available on the Commission’s website.

He said the list would be uploaded to INEC’s website and social media platforms shortly for transparency and public information.

Peter Akpanke, from the Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara Federal Constituency in Cross River State, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC.

Also, Paul Nnamchi from Enugu East/Isi-Uzo Federal Constituency in Enugu State, defected from the Labour Party to the ruling APC.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the decisions of the lawmakers at plenary on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a bill to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act to extend the capital component to December 31, 2025, has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

The Speaker explained that the reason for the extension was because of a lack of funding for the budget.

Also, President Bola Tinubu has written to the House of Representatives on his decision to withhold assent to the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Establishment Bill, citing funding concerns.

The president said the bill runs in conflict with other laws and goes against public interest.