Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called for an amendment to the Electoral Act to require political parties to conclude their primary elections at least one year before general elections. Amupitan said the proposal would provide political parties with adequate time to resolve disputes arising from candidate nominations, thereby reducing election-related litigation. The INEC chairman made the call while delivering the keynote address at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023) in Abuja. His remarks were contained in a statement posted on the commission’s X handle on Tuesday.…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
A leadership meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta Central Senatorial District ended in chaos on Saturday at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, following a confrontation among party members. Eyewitnesses said the meeting turned violent after disagreements among attendees reportedly escalated into physical altercations, with chairs and other objects allegedly thrown during the incident. Several persons, mainly party members, were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries. Among those reportedly affected was a Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Government, who was seen in widely circulated videos leaving the venue during the disturbance.…
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared that no one will be able to rig or manipulate the outcome of the August 15 governorship election in the state. Adeleke made the assertion while addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Oke-Ila, Ifedayo Local Government Area, urging residents to come out in large numbers to vote and protect their ballots. According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor expressed confidence that the people of Osun would ensure that every valid vote counts. “I heard some politicians vowing to steal the votes. Where and how? Osun votes are…
The Chairman of the Kano State Inter-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado, has warned politicians against mounting pressure on him to secure the release of suspected thugs or drug offenders arrested by the committee. Rimin-Gado gave the warning on Tuesday during a meeting with media executives and journalists in Kano, stressing that the task force would carry out its mandate without political interference. He said the committee would enforce the law fairly and would not allow political influence to undermine its operations. “No politician should approach me to release any thug if we arrest him.…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had no option but to return to the political family that brought him to power, insisting that the governor merely corrected his mistakes. Wike made the remarks on Tuesday while inspecting ongoing road projects across the Federal Capital Territory. The minister said Fubara committed no offence by reconciling with his political camp, dismissing suggestions that the reconciliation amounted to forgiveness after their prolonged political rift. “He has no option but to return to the political family that made him. I don’t know what…
The National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sodiq Gombe, has attributed Nigeria’s challenges to poor leadership, urging young Nigerians to take advantage of the 2027 general elections to change the country’s political direction. Gombe made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking on the state of the nation ahead of the next general election. According to him, leadership failure remains the country’s greatest problem, adding that character deficiencies among those in key positions have undermined governance. He alleged that many leaders in the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary lack the character required for effective leadership, a…
A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aisha Yesufu, has criticised the recent interview granted by the party’s 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing the question-and-answer session as repetitive and lacking fresh perspectives. InfoStride News reported that Obi appeared on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, where he spoke on national issues and his presidential ambition. The interview has since generated mixed reactions, with several clips circulating across social media platforms. Reacting in a video posted on her X handle, Yesufu said she was disappointed by the interview, arguing that the questions asked by the programme’s host, Seun Akinbaloye,…
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to transform Northern Nigeria if elected president, saying he understands the region’s challenges and has the capacity to address them. Obi made the pledge while featuring on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels Television. The former Anambra State governor said he possesses a clear understanding of the issues affecting the North and is committed to working with the people of the region to promote unity, security and economic prosperity. “I will change the North. I have an idea of what is happening in the North, and nobody…
The Jigawa State Government has unveiled five-year Development Plans (2025–2030) for the state’s 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to strengthen grassroots governance, improve service delivery and promote evidence-based development. Governor Umar Namadi unveiled the plans on Monday at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Dutse, describing the initiative as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to institutionalise strategic planning at the local government level. According to the governor, the development plans will provide each local government with a comprehensive roadmap to guide priorities, investments and public service delivery over the next five years. Namadi said the initiative…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to begin preparing to leave office ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election, claiming that the people of the state have rejected his administration. MURIC made the call in a statement issued on Monday by its Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola. The group alleged that Governor Adeleke had failed to meet the expectations of the people, citing the reported damage to a recently commissioned flyover in Osogbo, which it claimed occurred barely three weeks after the project was inaugurated. MURIC also accused the governor of favouring his…
A group of members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State on Monday staged a protest over an alleged plot to replace the party’s governorship candidate, Omar Suleiman, ahead of the 2027 general elections. The demonstration, organised by the Adamawa Forward Political Organisation, was the second within a week over the issue, following a similar protest by another group, Frontier Movement 774, on Wednesday, July 22. The protesters alleged that efforts to replace Suleiman, popularly known as Omarana, were still ongoing despite earlier opposition to the move. They warned that they would escalate their actions beyond street protests…
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has directed the military to intensify ongoing counter-terrorism operations across the North-West following the recent wave of attacks by terrorists in Zamfara State. Matawalle gave the directive while sympathising with victims of the attacks, particularly residents of Bungudu Local Government Area and other affected communities. His directive was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Ahmad Dan-Wudil. According to the statement, the minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring peace and strengthening security across the North-West despite the recent escalation of terrorist activities. He directed the leadership of…
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has finally adopted a power sector reform blueprint he proposed more than two decades ago. Atiku made the claim in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu. According to the former vice president, the Tinubu administration’s recent position on decentralised electricity generation reflects the policy direction he advocated 21 years ago. He cited comments by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, who reportedly acknowledged that Nigeria could no longer rely solely on large, centralised power plants…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted cocaine and other illicit drugs valued at over N10 billion in separate operations across the country, while also recovering 401 rounds of military-grade ammunition concealed in kegs of palm oil. The agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. According to the statement, operatives at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, intercepted 3.30 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the walls of cartons used to package food items destined for the United Kingdom. Babafemi…
Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to focus on delivering free, fair and credible elections, insisting that credible polls remain the strongest antidote to intra-party impunity. Okechukwu made the call while reacting to the INEC chairman’s recent appeal to political parties to strictly adhere to the principles of internal democracy during a courtesy visit to former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna, Niger State. In a statement he signed on Sunday, the founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) noted…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday, August 1, 2026, as part of preparations for the August 15 Osun State governorship election. The commission said the exercise is aimed at assessing its operational readiness and testing the efficiency of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) ahead of the poll. The announcement was contained in a statement signed by Ariyo Rufus, Head of Department, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity, on behalf of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola. INEC explained that the exercise would simulate Election Day…
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 16 suspects and recovered stolen vehicles, illegal petroleum products and vandalised telecommunications equipment in a series of operations conducted under its ongoing “Operation KOSAYE.” The operations, carried out between July 12 and July 21, 2026, targeted offences including illegal petroleum product dealings, vandalism of critical national infrastructure, burglary, house-breaking, theft, defilement and vehicle hijacking. The suspects were identified as Kabiru Afolabi, 51; Nnabike Uzolo, 26; Chino Mgbenya, 28; Hammed Olanrewaju; Emmanuel Victor; Mathew Mark, 20; Sodiq Raji, 32; Zubby Nzube, 28; Adeyemi Omoyajuowo, 30; Chimezie Iwuanya, 35; Saliu Akinwande, 50; Ayomide Odufuwa, 27;…
The presidential running mate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said growing calls for the establishment of state police are a direct consequence of the Federal Government’s failure to tackle insecurity. Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, argued that Nigerians were exploring alternatives such as state police because of the worsening security situation across the country. He made the remarks while speaking on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr Kay. According to the former Minister of Defence, the clamour for state police would not have gained momentum if the Federal Government had effectively discharged its constitutional…
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has insisted that his administration has nothing to hide regarding the state’s finances, describing claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he was avoiding investigation as misleading and legally unfounded. Makinde made the declaration while reacting to a statement by the Oyo State chapter of the APC following a Federal High Court ruling on the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). InfoStride News reported that the Federal High Court in Ibadan ruled on Wednesday that the EFCC lacks the power to investigate the finances of the current Oyo State administration. Reacting…
A former Chairman of Aare Latosa Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Oyo State, Adekunle Oladeji, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) ahead of the 2027 general elections. Oladeji, who served as chairman of the LCDA during the administration of former Oyo State Governor, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, confirmed his defection to newsmen on Saturday. The Aare Latosa LCDA is one of the local council development areas under Ibadan North Local Government Area. Oladeji’s defection comes despite his father, Alhaji B.A.O. Oladeji, remaining a prominent stakeholder in the APC in Oyo…