Politics

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to maintain peace and exercise restraint as the February 21, 2026, Rivers State House of Assembly bye-elections draw closer. The appeal was made by the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Gabriel Yomere, during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by INEC in Port Harcourt. The engagement brought together representatives of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, youth groups, and the media. The bye-elections will be conducted in Ahoada-East Constituency II and Khana Constituency II. The Ahoada-East II seat became vacant following the resignation of its former lawmaker, Edison Ehie, who was appoint...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly ordered the suspension of the All Progressives Congress (APC) electronic registration exercise in Kano State ahead of the anticipated defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to the ruling party. The directive comes as Governor Yusuf is expected to meet President Tinubu today at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, to conclude arrangements for his formal exit from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC. Sources told Daily Post that Yusuf’s extended stay in Abuja was linked to efforts to secure an audience with the President, who had been out of the country and only returned late Wednesday. The sources added that Tinubu asked the governor to wait and meet him immediately upon his return before making any further political moves. Confirming th...

The proposed alliance between the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, for a joint 2027 presidential ticket has reached an advanced stage.  Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that both Obi and Kwankwaso have jointly set up a committee for the actualisation of the joint ticket under the African Democratic Congress.  A principal official of the ADC disclosed that the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance was originally proposed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.  According to the party official, Obasanjo not only blessed Obi’s defection to the ADC, he also asked the former Anambra State governor to work with Kwankwaso to secure the presidential and vice-presidential tickets of the party. ...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reaffirmed that it remains open to all Nigerians and is not under the control of any single individual. Speaking on Channels Politics Today, party spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi insisted that claims suggesting the ADC is being groomed to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambitions are unfounded. “No one owns the ADC,” Abdullahi said, emphasizing that the party operates on collective ownership, allowing politicians from various backgrounds to join. “That is why someone like Peter Obi can join, and why Rotimi Amaechi is already a member.” He also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of spreading speculation and attempting to interfere in the ADC’s internal affairs. Abdullahi stressed that the party’s...

The spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will be voted out of office in the 2027 general elections. Abdullahi made the remarks on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, according to Naija News. He stressed that while the ADC is not acting out of desperation, removing Tinubu from power is, in his view, necessary to reclaim the country. He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of hijacking Nigeria, arguing that the rhetoric of some government officials mirrors that of criminal elements. “We want Tinubu out of power,” Abdullahi said. “Not out of desperation, but because it is the only way to take our country back. There is no scenario where Tin...

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has ordered the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, to suspend all actions related to the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu. The court restrained the Chief Judge, the Speaker, and other Assembly officials from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice for seven days, pending further hearing. The ruling followed ex parte applications filed by the governor and his deputy, with the case adjourned to January 23, 2026.

Edo State Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa has declared that any effort to weaken his relationship with Governor Monday Okpebholo is “dead on arrival.” Speaking to journalists in Benin on Friday, Idahosa described those behind the alleged plot as distractors frustrated by the effective governance being demonstrated by the administration. The former House of Representatives member urged anyone attempting to create discord between him and Okpebholo to instead focus on initiatives that would support the governor’s SHINE Agenda. Idahosa emphasized his unwavering loyalty to Okpebholo, despite online smear campaigns targeting the administration. He also called on Edo residents to remain supportive of the government as it continues to deliver on its campaign promises. He said, “It has c...

There has been a fresh twist in the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who recently withdrew, have reversed their decision and declared support for the process. They are: the Minority Leader of the House, Sylvanus Nwankwo; Peter Abbey, representing Degema Constituency; Barile Nwakoh of Khana Constituency I; and Emilia Amadi of Obio/Akpor Constituency II. The lawmakers made the U-turn on Friday during a live broadcast aired from the front of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, days after publicly calling for an amicable resolution of the political crisis rocking the state. Nwankwo said, “You will recall that on the 12th day of January 2026, myself and my colleague, Honourable Peter Abbey, address...

A senior member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi, has said the 2026 governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states will provide the first real measure of the African Democratic Congress’ (ADC) political credibility and strength. Sowunmi made the remarks during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, as debates continue over the emergence of new opposition platforms ahead of future elections. Responding to claims that the ADC is presenting itself as a political alternative for Nigerians, the PDP chieftain dismissed such assertions, insisting that a party’s relevance can only be proven at the polls, not through rhetoric. “I don’t believe that narrative. Their first real test will come in Osun and then Ekiti, whichever happens first. That is when t...

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has spoken on his son Abba Abubakar’s decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Abba Abubakar announced his defection on Thursday, January 15, pledging his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. In a statement, Atiku described his son’s move as a personal decision, noting that such choices are common in a democratic system. He stressed that he does not compel his children—or Nigerians at large—when it comes to matters of conscience. However, Atiku expressed concern over what he described as the APC’s poor governance and the economic and social hardships faced by Nigerians. The former vice president added that he remains com...