Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has granted absolute pardon to 130 inmates as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. The governor also commuted the death sentences of four inmates to life imprisonment. Mutfwang announced the exercise of his prerogative of mercy on Thursday, October 1, 2026, in his goodwill message to Plateau residents and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to mark the Independence anniversary. He said the decision was taken after due consultation with the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and in accordance with the powers vested in him by the Nigerian Constitution.…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has said Nigeria cannot be regarded as truly independent 66 years after gaining independence from British colonial rule. Sowore made the statement in his message commemorating Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The activist argued that the promise of independence remained unfulfilled for millions of Nigerians due to persistent poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity and inadequate access to basic services. According to him, genuine independence should guarantee freedom, dignity, prosperity, justice and equality for citizens. Sowore also criticised the state of education, healthcare and electricity in the…
A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is determined to remain in power beyond the 2027 presidential election. The firm made the allegation in a statement posted on its verified X account on Thursday, October 1, 2026, while reacting to Tinubu’s Independence Day address. Von Batten-Montague-York claimed that Tinubu’s continued stay in office could provide protection associated with head-of-state immunity, which it said may shield a sitting president from certain foreign legal proceedings. The firm further alleged that Tinubu’s current position was a factor in what it described as the possibility of renewed scrutiny…
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said he will resign from office if President Bola Tinubu fails to win the 2027 presidential election in Rivers State and the FCT. Wike made the declaration on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, during an engagement with members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja. The former Rivers State governor said he would announce his resignation on January 17, 2027, a day after the presidential election, if Tinubu loses in both territories. According to him, the FCT is where he currently works, while Rivers State remains his home state,…
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dino Melaye, has said discussions among opposition political actors on forming a coalition ahead of the 2027 general election are still ongoing. Melaye made this known in a post on his verified X account on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, while commenting on efforts by opposition groups to build a common platform ahead of the presidential election. He stated that the coalition discussions were progressing and called for an electoral change in the 2027 presidential contest. His comments come amid renewed consultations among opposition parties and political figures seeking to coordinate their activities…
The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has questioned the eligibility of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda, to contest the 2027 governorship election. The ADC based its position on a recent Supreme Court judgment concerning statutory requirements for political parties to submit their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before conducting primary elections. The Supreme Court, in its September 24, 2026 judgment, restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 dealing with party membership registers and candidate nomination procedures. The ruling itself did not specifically determine Chinda’s eligibility or nullify his…
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced October 9, 2026, as the commencement date for the nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff and a readiness assessment for the 2027 elections. Amupitan said the PVCs were produced following three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise, which recorded 10,772,421 new registrations. The registrations are subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS. The INEC chairman directed officials…
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has rejected claims by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that some of its House of Assembly candidates from Jigawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara States had defected to the ruling party. The ADC said the individuals recently presented by the APC were neither recognised candidates nor leaders of the opposition party. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC challenged the APC to provide evidence of the political positions and credentials it attributed to the alleged defectors. The party said the APC could not present individuals at its national secretariat…
A legal practitioner, Obunike Calistus Ohaegbu, has dragged the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged failure of the party to announce the result of its primary election for the Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2026, concerns the primary election conducted on May 29, 2026, to select the party’s candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election. Ohaegbu, who participated in the primary, claimed that he secured the highest number of lawful votes but that the result was not declared at the venue. He…
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has said his administration would consider restoring petroleum subsidy after tackling corruption in the system if elected in the 2027 general election. Obi made the statement on Monday at a town hall meeting organised for the Obi-Kwankwaso presidential ticket in Sokoto. He identified corruption as a major challenge affecting the country and said his administration would work to eliminate corrupt practices across all sectors. Obi said the debate over subsidy should be viewed alongside the need to address corruption and leakages associated with the management of public resources. The former…
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has come under criticism following his remarks that the 2027 presidency is not yet the turn of the Igbo people. Umahi made the comment on Thursday in Benin City, Edo State, while speaking at an event on the Federal Government’s intervention in the Benin-Asaba Road project. The former Ebonyi State governor said he believed the South-East would eventually produce a President of Nigeria but argued that the region should wait for another opportunity. He maintained that, in his view, President Bola Tinubu should continue in office before the presidency moves to the South-East. Umahi also…
The All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has accused Governor Seyi Makinde of weakening the local government system in the state. Alli made the allegation in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign organisation, Bisi Oladele. The senator, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, alleged that the Makinde administration had undermined the effectiveness of local governments, which he described as important channels for delivering development at the grassroots. Alli claimed that the governor’s alleged lack of confidence in the local government system had contributed…
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said he played a role in weakening the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while maintaining that the party’s former member and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, remains his friend. Umahi made the remarks while reflecting on his political journey and his relationship with Wike, despite their movement away from the PDP. The former Ebonyi State governor said his departure from the PDP and subsequent alignment with the All Progressives Congress, APC, contributed to changes within the opposition party. He recalled that he and Wike were once prominent members of the PDP…
Human rights lawyer and political commentator, Deji Adeyanju, has alleged that former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso are working in the interest of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Adeyanju made the allegation while commenting on the emerging political alignments and opposition activities ahead of the election. He claimed that the political strategies being adopted by Obi and Kwankwaso could ultimately benefit Tinubu and urged Nigerians to carefully assess the actions and alliances of political actors before making electoral decisions. According to him, the ongoing realignments within opposition circles could…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Enugu State has commended the peaceful conduct of the state’s local government elections while raising concerns over alleged denial of access to some of its officials in parts of the state. The party’s state chairman, Dr Johnpaul Ani, spoke after casting his vote at Unit 002, Amaetiti Town Hall, in Nkanu West Local Government Area. Ani described the voting process in his polling unit and the wider Nkanu West area as peaceful, orderly and credible. He also commended the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC, for what he described as a hitch-free exercise in…
A former political ally of ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has pledged to mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress, APC, across 11 local government areas of the state. The politician, who recently realigned politically, made the commitment while declaring his readiness to work with APC stakeholders to strengthen the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 general election. He said his political network remained active across the affected local government areas and would be deployed to support the APC during the next electoral cycle. According to him, the decision followed consultations with supporters and political associates who share his interest…
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has reaffirmed his support for the position taken by governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against the activities of the Rainbow Coalition associated with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Lawal said he was part of the mission behind the governors’ position and insisted that Wike should clearly define his political allegiance ahead of the 2027 general election. The governor spoke in an interview with Channels Television on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said the APC governors had maintained that…
Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vowed to prosecute and jail anyone found guilty of manipulating elections if he becomes president. Obi made the statement while speaking on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and ensure that electoral processes reflect the choices of voters. He said his administration would not tolerate electoral malpractice, adding that individuals who engage in rigging or other forms of electoral manipulation would face the consequences of their actions. According to him, credible elections are essential to restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic system and ensuring that elected officials…
Professor Kingsley Moghalu has rejected his reported inclusion in the policy team of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election. Moghalu said he was not consulted before his name was included in the team, stressing that he did not consent to the appointment. The former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, deputy governor made his position known in a statement, following reports that his name appeared among members of Atiku’s policy team. He explained that although he had previously interacted with Atiku and respected him as a prominent political figure, no discussion was held with him regarding…
The National Democratic Coalition, NDC, has said that a potential victory by Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election would represent a major political development in Nigeria’s history. The group made the assertion while expressing confidence in Obi’s political prospects ahead of the 2027 general election. According to the NDC, the former Anambra State governor has continued to attract support across different sections of the country, particularly among young Nigerians and voters seeking an alternative political direction. The coalition said Obi’s growing political movement could alter established patterns of presidential contests and produce what it described as an unprecedented political…