In a major political shake-up, 24 out of the 26 members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, made the announcement during plenary on Tuesday, revealing that the defecting lawmakers cited internal divisions within the PDP’s national leadership as the primary reason for their exit. Only two lawmakers—Hon. Sunday Johnny representing Onna State Constituency and Hon. Uduakobong Ekpo-Ufot of Etinan State Constituency—remained with the PDP. According to the Speaker, the affected members submitted formal letters notifying…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The Taraba State Government has debunked reports suggesting that the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hamman-Adama Adamu, has been nominated as the new Deputy Governor of the state. In a press briefing on Wednesday, the State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Zainab Jalingo, described the rumours as false, misleading, and entirely unfounded. She emphasized that there is no vacancy in the office of the Deputy Governor, reaffirming that Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi Alkali remains the duly elected and serving Deputy Governor of Taraba State. “The attention of the Taraba State Government has been drawn to rumours circulating on social…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially reinstated Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary, following a decision reached by the party’s leadership and key stakeholders. The announcement was made on Wednesday during a press briefing at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum. Damagum, who was flanked by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other prominent party figures, acknowledged that the decision to reinstate Anyanwu into the National Working Committee (NWC) was a difficult one, but ultimately supported by a majority within the party. “It was a…
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu, stating that while the president excels in political maneuvering, he is performing poorly in governance. Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Adebayo questioned the possibility of Tinubu leaving behind a meaningful legacy, given what he described as a glaring failure in addressing the core needs of Nigerians. “You have to give President Tinubu an A1 in politics. The only problem he has with the A1 is that he tends to have an F9 in governance,” Adebayo said. He commended Tinubu’s strategic control…
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been served with Form 49 by the Federal High Court in Abuja, escalating a legal dispute between the electoral body and the National Rescue Movement (NRM). The form was served on Tuesday by court bailiff Ayuba Sule on behalf of the NRM. This comes just a week after Yakubu was earlier served with Form 48, which serves as a warning for failure to comply with a court order. Form 49 is a consequential legal instrument in Nigerian jurisprudence, requiring a person alleged to be in contempt of…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected what it described as “unwarranted interference” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its internal affairs, insisting that the electoral body lacks the constitutional authority to regulate its National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings—except in instances involving the election of party officers or candidates. The party’s position was made clear during a press briefing held on Sunday at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, where its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, addressed journalists on developments ahead of its 100th NEC meeting scheduled for June 30, 2025. Ologunagba clarified that while the…
Former spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has challenged the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to publicly explain how he allegedly betrayed him following his exit from the Labour Party. Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Okonkwo dismissed claims of disloyalty, insisting he never had any political dealings with Obi’s rivals during the last election. “When I worked for him, I never consulted any politician. I am making a public statement — I never talked to any political party. I was 100% loyal,” Okonkwo said. He added, “When I left, I…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State has recorded a significant boost as hundreds of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the ruling party. The mass defection took place on Saturday during a well-attended political gathering in Aljannare Ward, facilitated by prominent APC stalwart, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Naingila. The defectors cited the developmental strides of Governor Nasir Idris and Naingila’s strong grassroots presence as key motivations behind their decision. Speaking on behalf of the new entrants, Alhaji Shehu Agadas said the wave of defections by influential political figures, including Hon. Muhammad…
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has pledged to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election as a mark of appreciation for the developmental strides recorded in the state under the current administration. Governor Okpebholo made the declaration on Monday while addressing a crowd of supporters at Okaijesan Town Hall in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, during a reception for thousands of defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). “In 2027, we will reward President Tinubu’s love for Edo with 2.5 million votes,” Okpebholo declared. He noted that…
The management and staff of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat on Monday staged a mass walkout and shut down their offices in protest against Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s attempt to forcibly reclaim his position as National Secretary. The protest erupted following the appointment of Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), a decision that had previously received the backing of the Secretariat staff. According to eyewitnesses, Senator Anyanwu arrived at the party headquarters in Abuja accompanied by suspected thugs and attempted to take over the national secretary’s office. “Anyanwu and his people entered…
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that he, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi have agreed to abandon their respective political parties if a consensus is reached on a new platform for a united opposition coalition. El-Rufai made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday, where he discussed ongoing consultations among key political figures ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to El-Rufai, although the trio are currently still affiliated with their “legacy parties”—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Atiku, the Labour Party for…
A Lagos State High Court has sentenced one Olukeye Adedayo Olalekan to a cumulative 76 years in prison after convicting him on multiple charges, including child pornography, cyberstalking, money laundering, and fraud. Olalekan was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an 18-count charge. His conviction followed the presentation of conclusive evidence by the anti-graft agency. Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Alexander Owoeye ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, affirming that the defendant engaged in the criminal acts as alleged. According to the EFCC, Olalekan operated under several aliases—hrm87, charlotte708, and harlilott_716—and…
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, June 23, 2025, sentenced 17 Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for offences bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the convictions before Justices D.E. Osiagor and D.I. Dipeolu, following a plea bargain agreement reached with the defendants. The convicted individuals are: Yu Hui (also known as A. Bin), Huang Jin Hui, Fei Fan, Lu Qiang, Hu Xi Zheng, Sun Zhi Peng, Wu Hao, Cong Bing, Li Qiang (also known as Yang Huan Huan), Zheng Wei (also known as A. Hong), Cheng…
The Kano State Police Command has rescued a 19-year-old man, Ibrahim Abubakar from Adamawa State, who attempted to commit suicide by climbing an advertisement billboard at Ado Bayero Bridge on Monday, June 23, 2025. The young man reportedly threatened to jump unless he was allowed to meet a popular TikTok personality, identified as Abdul BK. In a statement signed by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hussaini Abdullahi, the command confirmed that officers swiftly responded to the distress call and arrived at the scene in collaboration with personnel from the state Fire Service. “Through dialogue and negotiations, the TikToker…
Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has dismissed concerns that the emerging National Opposition Coalition Group (NOCG) poses any real threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Governor Sani insisted that the coalition—seeking registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—stands no chance of defeating President Tinubu or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general election. According to him, the newly formed alliance is not a cause for concern and does not suggest any impending trouble for the president or the APC. “I can tell…
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have successfully repelled an early morning attack by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Azir, a community in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing an unspecified number of terrorists in the process. This was disclosed by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, via a post on his X handle on Friday. According to Makama, credible sources revealed that the insurgents launched the assault around 4:30 a.m. in an attempt to overrun a military formation stationed in the area. However, the troops responded…
Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested two suspects, including a 17-year-old, for alleged drug trafficking along Ikare Junction in Owo Local Government Area of the state. The suspects, identified as Usman Muhammad, 17, and Usman Bashir, 27, both natives of Kaduna State, were reportedly apprehended while transporting 51 bags of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. Each bag is said to weigh approximately 9kg. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Akure on Sunday. He noted that the operation was carried out in…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State has described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ongoing political activities in the northern senatorial district as a waste of time, declaring that the region remains a PDP stronghold. The reaction came as the entire APC-led government in the state relocated temporarily to the northern district to formally receive Peter Akpanke, a member of the House of Representatives representing Obudu/Bekwara/Obanliku (OBO) Federal Constituency, who recently defected to the party. Despite APC’s control of two of the state’s three senatorial districts, the PDP insists the northern zone is out of reach for…
A major political realignment is underway in Benue State as a new coalition comprising political actors and stakeholders from across the state has vowed to end the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2027 general elections. The coalition, which draws its strength from all nine local government areas of Benue South Senatorial District—Apa, Agatu, Ado, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Otukpo, Okpokwu, Oju, and Obi—met over the weekend at Haggi Suite, Otukpo, to strategize on building a formidable third-force movement aimed at reshaping the political landscape of the state. Former Benue State PDP Chairman,…
The National Opposition Coalition Group has formally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the registration of a new political party, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA). The coalition, reportedly led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, submitted its application dated June 19, which was acknowledged by INEC on Friday. This development signals the coalition’s intention to float a new political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections. The formation of ADA is backed by other prominent political figures, including former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Umar Ardo, convener of the League…