Politics

A former presidential candidate and close political ally of ex–Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr Dele Momodu, on Thursday ruled out any possibility of Atiku withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race in favour of former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi. Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, formally joined the African Democratic Congress in November 2025, months after resigning from the PDP. The move was widely interpreted as a strategic step to secure the ADC’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election. Last week, Obi, who garnered over six million votes to finish third in the 2023 presidential election behind Atiku and eventual winner, President Bola Tinubu, also defected from the Labour Party to the ADC. ...

The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially begun impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, intensifying the ongoing political crisis in the oil-rich state. During a plenary session on Thursday, January 8, lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, served a formal notice of impeachment to the governor, citing allegations of gross misconduct. The notice, read on the House floor, accuses Fubara of multiple constitutional breaches, including failing to present the 2026 appropriation bill and the alleged mismanagement of public funds. Sources within the Assembly claim the governor has been operating the state without an approved budget for several months, defying legislative oversight. The move comes amid persistent tensions between Fubara and his predecessor, Ny...

The Labour Party’s Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has officially announced his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 elections. Baba-Ahmed declared this at a rally held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. The declaration announcement is coming barely one week after Obi announced his departure from the Labour Party, LP, for the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Speaking to party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed said his aspiration was neither reactionary nor dependent on Obi’s political decisions, adding that his presidential ambition predates the 2023 election. “I have made myself available to contest for the office in 2027. I’m not following anybody’s trajectory or stepping into anybody’s shoes. “Can I please remin...

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has assured that no presidential hopeful will be pressured to step down within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election. This position was conveyed in a statement issued on Tuesday by his media adviser, Paul Ibe. Atiku urged Nigerians to push back against what he described as attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate and weaken opposition parties. His remarks come amid speculation that he is under pressure to withdraw in favour of a southern candidate as the ADC’s presidential flagbearer in the 2027 contest against President Bola Tinubu. According to Atiku, if anyone should step aside, it should be President Tinubu, whose administration he said has increasingly become a burden on the nation...

As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, Ovation publisher Dele Momodu has advised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to steer clear of the kind of internal crises that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a post on X on Tuesday, Momodu recalled a 2025 meeting in Abuja where opposition parties rallied around the ADC in a bid to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He said he was encouraged by the initial unity and leadership structure of the coalition, particularly the emergence of former Senate President, General David Mark (rtd), as chairman. “I was delighted to hear those inspiring words,” Momodu wrote. “Seeing an Army veteran like General David Mark as chairman gave confidence that indiscipline would not be tolerated. But late...

Murphy Omoruyi, the last remaining Labour Party (LP) member in Edo State’s House of Representatives, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), blaming persistent internal crises within his former party and pressure from his constituents. Omoruyi, who represents the Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency, spoke to journalists in Benin City on Tuesday, saying his decision was driven by growing calls from the grassroots for a change in political direction. “Our people are crying out. They are under serious pressure. There are no good roads, and the current government has made life difficult for them,” he said. “As a representative of the people, I chose to align with their aspirations. They want a change, and I must stand with them to make that happen.” He noted tha...

Amid renewed tensions with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed that the mistakes made during the 2023 elections will not recur in 2027. Wike made the statement on Tuesday while addressing residents during visits to Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas. He stressed the need to acknowledge past missteps and take corrective action, noting that lessons had been learned from the last election cycle. According to him, “What is important in life is to admit when you have made a mistake and come out to say, ‘I made a mistake and I want to correct it.’ The mistake we made in 2023 will not be repeated. Where we voted in the state is not where we will vote again in 2027.” The remarks come shortly after th...

Former Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has dismissed reports suggesting he plans to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the claims as false and baseless. PUNCH Online gathered that the speculation may have arisen from the lingering political rift between Badaru and his successor, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, within the All Progressives Congress (APC). Party sources say tensions have persisted, with allegations that supporters of the former governor feel sidelined in both government and party affairs in the state. The internal disagreements within the Jigawa APC have reportedly fueled rumours of possible defections, as some members are said to be disillusioned and exploring alternative political platforms. However, Badaru has firmly denied the re...

Former National Secretary of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), Professor Udenta Udenta, has said efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to establish a one-party state will ultimately fail. Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television, Udenta argued that the APC would emerge weaker after its primary elections, with rival parties benefiting from internal fallout. He said the party’s internal troubles were already evident, pointing to developments in Rivers State as an early sign of structural and administrative instability within the APC. According to Udenta, Nigeria’s diverse and multi-ethnic nature makes the idea of a one-party state unrealistic, stressing that such a system would face strong resistance. He added that politicians are often f...

Venezuela’s parliament on Monday officially inaugurated Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, two days after US forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro and transported him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president, took the oath of office before the National Assembly, pledging her commitment to the nation. She expressed anguish over what she described as the abduction of national figures, referring to Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are currently in US custody. The parliamentary session also resulted in the re-election of Rodríguez’s brother, Jorge Rodríguez, as Speaker of the National Assembly, further consolidating executive and legislative power within the family. Addressing lawmakers, Jorge Rodríguez vowed to e...