Politics

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to recent remarks by Atiku Abubakar, who described him as a “decent” but “inexperienced” leader. Atiku, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the statement during an interview on Arise TV, linking some of the challenges faced during Jonathan’s administration to what he termed inadequate leadership preparation. Speaking on Monday at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) awards in Abuja, Jonathan addressed the criticism without mentioning Atiku directly. He acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable in leadership, stressing that no president or governor can claim to have governed without errors. Jonathan questioned the notion that age determines leadership capability, asking whether on...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its support for its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, stating that a forensic investigation has confirmed that viral social media posts attributed to him were fabricated. According to the commission, the independent forensic report established that Amupitan does not operate any personal account on X (formerly Twitter). It described the alleged posts as fraudulent, unverifiable, and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign. In a statement issued by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, INEC maintained that its Chairman has no presence on any social media platform. Both internal reviews and external forensic checks reportedly confirmed this position. The commission explained that Amupitan had earlier d...

Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East Senatorial District have unanimously endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun as their preferred candidate for the Senate ahead of the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was announced on Monday during a large gathering at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode, which brought together party leaders, grassroots mobilisers, and key stakeholders from across the district. The meeting was attended by members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, current and former local government chairmen, lawmakers at both state and national levels, councillors from all wards, as well as youth and women leaders. Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, former Ogun East senator, Lekan Mustapha, said the decision was based on a shared belief...

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has reportedly turned down an appeal by Peter Obi to step aside ahead of the 2027 presidential election. According to sources cited by Leadership, the request was made during a private meeting held over the weekend at Amaechi’s residence in Abuja. Obi was said to have attended the meeting alongside former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, and Senator Victor Umeh. Amaechi, Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have all shown interest in contesting the 2027 presidency under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Senator David Mark. The development comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled party primaries to take place between April 23 and May 30, with political partie...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to convene its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at its national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, following the recent reopening of the secretariat by the police. The party’s office had been shut since November last year after a violent clash between factions loyal to Tanimu Turaki and those backing Abdulrahman Mohammed, both claiming leadership of the party. Tensions escalated further in March when the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention that produced the Turaki-led leadership. Leveraging that judgment, the Mohammed faction—reportedly supported by Nyesom Wike—went on to organise a parallel convention in Abuja. Monday’s NEC meeting is expected to be attended largely by members aligned with the Mohammed-led camp. Key f...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has affirmed his readiness to contest the 2027 presidential election in pursuit of a second term in office. Speaking on Thursday, Tinubu said his ambition is driven by a commitment to tackle ignorance and poverty, inspire hope among Nigerians, and safeguard democratic governance in the country. He also took a swipe at opposition parties, stressing his intention to offer leadership beyond what he described as the “noise and disorder” often associated with political gatherings. The president emphasized the need for adherence to the principle of separation of powers and respect for judicial decisions, even when they are unfavorable. Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the Presidential Vi...

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has issued a scathing critique of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following the latter's recent remarks regarding Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement. In a strongly worded statement, Onanuga accused Atiku of attempting to undermine the established North-South formula to suit his personal political interests ahead of the 2027 general elections. The presidency's reaction was triggered by Atiku’s Wednesday interview on Arise TV, where the former Vice President argued that he is not bound by the rotation principle because the South has theoretically held power for more years than the North since 1999. Onanuga dismissed this logic as "dubious arithmetic," noting that the North’s shorter tenure was a result of t...

The Presidency has strongly criticised former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, following his recent remarks against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a platform of “desperate politicians” lacking a clear national vision. He was reacting to Aregbesola’s comments at the party’s national convention in Abuja, where the ADC chieftain described the APC government’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a “scam.” In a post on his X account, Onanuga countered the claim, insisting that the real issue lies with politicians within the ADC. He accused Aregbesola of echoing opposition narratives and misrepresenting the government’s performance. Onanuga also took aim at Are...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has gone ahead with its national convention in Abuja, despite opposition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with delegates overwhelmingly approving amendments to the party’s constitution. Although INEC declined to monitor the party’s congresses and convention following a court ruling, the ADC proceeded with its activities across states and successfully held its national gathering. During the event, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) dissolved the Ralph Nwosu-led National Working Committee (NWC), replacing it with a new leadership under David Mark, a decision later ratified by delegates. Addressing members, National Chairman David Mark described the convention as a major milestone, declaring it the starting p...

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Showunmi, has strongly criticised the adoption of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State. The decision was earlier announced by Governor Dapo Abiodun during a stakeholders’ meeting, following a caucus session held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta. Reacting in a statement, Showunmi described the move as a form of “state capture,” warning that it threatens Ogun State’s long-standing tradition of independent political thinking. He argued that what is being presented as a consensus lacks credibility and instead reflects an attempt to impose control. While acknowledging that political parties have the right to adopt internal selecti...