Politics

APC sets stage for Saturday convention with zonal elections

Published

3 months ago

March 26, 2026

Zonal executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged on Wednesday, pledging to mobilise overwhelming votes for President Bola Tinubu to secure a landslide victory in the 2027 election.

The congress was a prelude to the national convention scheduled for March 27 and 28 in Abuja.

Prior to the convention, the President, on Wednesday evening, returned to Abuja after observing the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations in Lagos.

Tinubu had earlier returned to Nigeria on Friday from the United Kingdom, where he went for a state visit. During his stay in Lagos, he held a series of high-level engagements, receiving 23 governors and also met with business mogul Aliko Dangote, a European Union delegation, and members of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council.

His return to Abuja and the successful conduct of the zonal congresses across the six geopolitical zones of the country signalled that the party was ready for the convention.

At the various zonal congress venues, consensus followed by voice affirmation was adopted as the mode of election, producing excos ranging from re-elected to newly elected members.

Governors, federal and state lawmakers, party chieftains, and stalwarts thronged the congress venues, declaring that Tinubu was poised to implement a coordinated nationwide strategy to secure overwhelming votes for the APC in the next presidential election.

The South-West congress, held at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium with 3,188 delegates, saw Dr Isaacs Kekemeke re-elected as National Vice Chairman (South-West).

Chairman of the Zonal Congress Committee, Jide Jimoh, said the consensus option was adopted in line with the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act.

Other exco members who emerged were Femi Aluko (Secretary), Lateef Ibirogba (Organising Secretary), Ayo Afolabi (Publicity Secretary), Adeduyi Daramola (Youth Leader), Ismail Majaro (Legal Adviser), and Dayo Ishola (Representative of People with Disabilities).

Dignitaries at the event included Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo).

Also present were former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa; Osun governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji; state and federal lawmakers; and party stalwarts from across the region.

Speaking on behalf of the South-West APC governors, Sanwo-Olu said, “Today, we have seen the conduct of a free and fair election, following the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act. This congress shows that the South-West is united and a formidable political bloc.”

The National Secretary of the APC, Dr Ajibola Basiru, represented by National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, congratulated the new executives and urged collective efforts to ensure Tinubu records a resounding victory in the South-West in 2027.

In his remarks, Kekemeke expressed confidence in the party’s strength across the six South-West states, promising overwhelming votes for Tinubu in the zone.

The APC zonal chairman also called for massive support for the party’s candidate in the forthcoming Osun governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, urging voters to align with the APC’s progressive vision to unlock opportunities for growth and stability.

He said, “The immediate challenge is that by June, Governor Biodun Oyebanji must return, and by August, Oyebamiji must be in Osun State. With the leadership of our governor, Oyebanji must break the jinx in Ekiti.

“Our duty as South-West is to ensure an overwhelming victory and support for our President, Bola Tinubu.”

The South-South zonal congress, held at the Dome Event Centre, Asaba, Delta State, produced Victor Giadom as chairman.

Other executives elected were Ita Udosen (Secretary), Neworld Safugha (Legal Adviser), Samuel Nwanosike (Publicity Secretary), Urhoro Koyoyo (Youth Leader), Suobankuo Omoni (Women Leader), Prince Edward (Organising Secretary), and Ayo Peter (Representative of Persons with Disabilities).

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, noted the region had witnessed a remarkable transformation, moving from minimal APC presence to a strong political bloc with increasing alignment from governors and stakeholders.

Akpabio challenged party faithful to position the South-South as the highest vote-delivering region for the APC in 2027, stressing that this goal was both achievable and necessary.

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori emphasised sustained grassroots mobilisation, urging party members to deepen internal cohesion, strengthen structures, and maintain strong connections with the people.

He described the congress as “a demonstration of the party’s strength, unity, and readiness for future political engagements.”

Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum and Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, underscored the importance of unity, noting that adopting consensus was a major step in reducing internal conflicts and fostering collective ownership within the party.

He added that, for the first time in recent political history, the South-South was speaking with one voice, with full attendance of governors demonstrating shared commitment to the region’s progress.

Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), and Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers) stressed the importance of aligning the zone with the Federal Government.

In his acceptance speech, Giadom expressed optimism that the party would continue to expand its influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

Fubara, through Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshia, urged the South-South leadership to work in unity and with a common purpose to deliver optimally for the party, expressing confidence that the new leadership was equal to the task.

The South-East zonal congress saw a new executive led by Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu.

Other members included Innocent Azuoba (Secretary), Rex Ogbonna (Legal Adviser), Henry Onwughalaonye (Publicity Secretary), Chima Ogbonnaya (Youth Leader), Dr Oby Aji (Women Leader), and Arinze Ikedife (Organising Secretary).

Held at Hotel Presidential, Enugu, the congress was attended by Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi).

Speaking at the event, Uzodimma, who chairs the South-East Governors’ Forum, stressed the need for unity.

Nwifuru moved a motion to dissolve the outgoing executive, seconded by Senator Patrick Ndubueze.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, presented the list of consensus candidates, announcing Arodiogbu as vice chairman for the South-East zone.

He also moved motions adopting consensus as the mode of the congress, in line with Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act, ratifying outcomes of ward, local government, and state congresses.

Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker, Uchenna Ugwu, seconded the motions, which were approved by delegates.

Mbah described the congress as a demonstration of unity within the South-East APC, saying, “APC in the South-East is solid. Our presence today is proof that APC is South-East, and South-East is APC.”

He also commended President Tinubu for reforms that had placed the country on the path of economic growth.

The congress attracted leaders, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Deputy National Chairman (South) Emma Eneukwu; Senators Osita Izunaso, Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Uche Ekwunife, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Kelvin Chukwu, and Osita Ngwu; Ministers Nkeiru Onyejeocha and Kingsley Udeh; former minister Chris Ngige; members of the House of Representatives; and other stakeholders.

The North-West APC congress held in Kaduna produced Garba Babao as chairman and National Vice-Chairman of the zone.

Dignitaries at the congress included Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Aliyu Ahmed (Sokoto), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), alongside Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

Governor Sani called for unity among North-West party members, describing the congress as a reflection of the party’s democratic strength and grassroots orientation.

A highlight was the reception of new entrants, particularly Governors Yusuf and Lawal, who were welcomed as significant for the party’s growth.

Sani defended President Tinubu’s reform policies, citing measurable impacts in agriculture, oil and gas, student loans, and infrastructure investments in roads, rail, and energy.

He said security had improved, markets were thriving, and economic confidence was being restored in the North-West.

He urged party members to remain united and disciplined, stressing that the congress was about strengthening unity and aligning strategies.

The North-East zonal congress, held in Gombe, attracted governors, lawmakers, executives, and stakeholders.

The congress saw Mr Idris Shuaibu emerge as the Zonal Vice Chairman and Mr Baba Ali as Zonal Secretary.

Also elected is Mr Tako Dauda as Zonal Legal Adviser; Mr Nitte Amangal as Zonal Publicity Secretary; Mr Joseph Muadali as Zonal Youth Leader.

In addition, Abubakar Musa emerged as Zonal Organising Secretary, Lumbi Abubakar Zonal Women Leader, while Mr Haruna Tata was elected as Zonal Leader for Persons with Disabilities.

Governor of Yobe State and North-East APC Coordinator, Mai Mala Buni, said the zone sustained a culture of internal democracy and peaceful political processes, contributing to the APC’s growth since its formation.

Buni urged adherence to due process, unity, and collective mobilisation ahead of 2027. He expressed support for Tinubu’s administration, particularly efforts to tackle insecurity in the North-East.

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, called for sustained unity, urging party members to campaign for leaders and secure electoral victory, stressing that the essence of politics is to win elections. He commended the acceptance of the consensus arrangement and the emergence of new leadership.

The North-Central zonal congress, held at the late Aliyu Akwe Doma Banquet Hall, Government House, Lafia, Nasarawa State, adopted President Tinubu as its sole 2027 presidential candidate.

The motion, moved by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and seconded by Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, cited Tinubu’s economic reforms as the reason for support.

APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, represented by Deputy National Secretary, Prof Abdulkarim Kana, commended the zone for its loyalty, describing it as “a bedrock of stability” for the administration.

Former national chairman Abdullahi Adamu expressed satisfaction with adherence to the party constitution.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

Post Views: 288

Politics

I am open to reconciling with Kano gov – Kwankwaso

Published

1 hour ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Former Kano State Governor and national leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he remains willing to forgive Governor Abba Yusuf and reconcile with him despite their political differences, insisting that his affection for his former protégé has not diminished.

Relationship between the two politicians soured after Yusuf defected from the New Nigeria People’s Party, under which he won the 2023 governorship election, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a move that drew sharp criticism from members of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Speaking in an interview in a video posted by BBC Hausa on Monday, Kwankwaso, who has also defected from NNPP to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, said the door to reconciliation remains open.

He stressed that Yusuf was the one who chose to leave their political fold and that he would not turn him away if he decided to return.

“I still love Abba and I didn’t reject him, he is the one that left. So not just Abba, if anyone who left comes back, I won’t be unforgiving. Look at Ganduje, in the many years we worked together, we fell out several times and got back together. That is how politics works,” he said.

Kwankwaso argued that Yusuf’s electoral victory was made possible by the strength of the movement.

“We picked Abba to contest under the NNPP and we won, but he left to join the people we defeated. Some say he did so because he feared losing his position, but he knows there was no way we would have been defeated in Kano. If that were the case, we would have lost when he contested under our party,” he stated.

The former governor further explained that the movement intentionally fielded Yusuf in 2023 to demonstrate its political influence.

“We did not choose him because he was the most senior or the most educated. We chose him because we wanted to test the strength and calibre of the Kwankwasiyya movement at that time,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of tolerance in leadership, Kwankwaso said leaders must accept differing opinions and embrace forgiveness.

“As a leader, you need to have an open heart. You cannot force people to think the way you do because we all come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives. Without forgiveness, we would not have come this far,” he added.

Post Views: 35

Politics

Peter Obi slams Tinubu over rising debt, says N200tn borrowed without accountability

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over what he described as excessive borrowing and poor fiscal accountability.

Obi said Nigeria’s total public debt has risen to about N200 trillion, which he attributed to what he called “imprudent governance” under the current administration.

He said the debt level represents an increase of over N100 trillion in three years, contrasting it with the approximately N49 trillion accumulated during the eight-year administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former Labour Party presidential flagbearer in the 2023 election stated this in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, saying the situation reflected a lack of accountability and transparency in the management of borrowed funds.

“President Bola Tinubu’s administration has engaged in remarkably imprudent borrowing, escalating Nigeria’s total debt to approximately N200 trillion. This represents an increase of over N100 trillion within a mere three years, a stark contrast to the roughly N49 trillion accumulated during President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, which would have projected to around N80 trillion.

“As millions of Nigerians grapple with the shock of this unsustainable debt accumulation, the situation is exacerbated by the government’s reckless approach to borrowing and a profound absence of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of these funds,” he said.

Citing figures from the Budget Office, Obi said the government borrowed N11.89 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025 (January to September), exceeding its planned borrowing target of N10.34 trillion by about N1.54 trillion.

He said such an overrun should ordinarily attract scrutiny and explanation from relevant authorities.

“Under a responsible and accountable government, such an overshoot would necessitate rigorous scrutiny and explanation from relevant governmental bodies. Regrettably, this is not the reality under the current administration,” he said.

Obi further claimed that only N3.10 trillion of the borrowed funds was allocated to capital expenditure during the January–September 2025 period, representing 17.66 per cent of the N17.58 trillion earmarked for capital projects, leaving a funding gap of about N14.48 trillion.

He questioned how the remaining funds were utilised.

“The most disturbing aspect of the financial management fiasco under Bola Tinubu is that there is no explanation or information regarding how the balance was utilised or deployed.

“The question that Nigerians are rightly asking and deserve an answer to is what happened to the balance? Was it deployed for recurrent expenditure/consumption, for the entertainment of guests to Aso Rock or transferred to the Renewed Hope Agenda 2027 Election Campaign Fund?

“Nigerians deserve an answer on how our economy and resources are most unpatriotically managed,” he said.

Nigeria has faced mounting debt pressures since the Tinubu administration’s major reforms began in mid-2023, including the removal of long-standing fuel subsidies and unification of the foreign exchange market.

These moves aimed to correct fiscal distortions but triggered immediate inflation spikes, naira volatility, and higher living costs, while increasing the local-currency burden of debt servicing.

Tinubu had disclosed in May 2026 that Nigeria plans to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing in 2026.

While supporters of the government argue that borrowings support critical infrastructure, critics warn of a debt without growth trap.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 47

Politics

ADC alleges PVC mop-up, fake Amotekun plot

Published

11 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dare Bejide, on Monday, alleged mop-up of Permanent Voter Cards in parts of the state by some agents who he said were illegally collecting the document.

The Director, Communications, Media and Publicity, Amb Dare Bejide Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, said the perpetrators, who he identified as All Progressives Congress agents, wanted to use the cards for sinister purposes, as he appealed to residents not to succumb to such.

Aribisogan also alleged at a press briefing in Ado Ekiti that some political thugs were being kitted in fake Amotekun Security Network uniforms, adding that “the individuals are being trained and mobilised to intimidate voters, snatch ballot boxes and attack polling agents on election day.”

The ADC campaign spokesperson, who said the impersonation of Amotekun operatives was a deliberate plot to confuse voters and discredit a regional security outfit that Ekiti people trusted.

He called on the Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig Gen Olu Adewa (retd) and the police “to immediately identify and arrest anyone found wearing an Amotekun uniform without authorisation.”

Aribisogan said, “Across several local government areas in Ekiti, our party has documented a pattern where agents and foot soldiers of the APC are moving from house to house and polling units demanding the collection of PVCs and National Identification Numbers from voters.

“They promised cash, food items, or welfare support in exchange. This is a direct violation of Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022, which prohibits voter inducement and the seizure of voter cards.

“The aim is clear – disenfranchise citizens, harvest PVCs, and use them for thumb-printing and multiple voting on election day. No citizen should surrender their PVC or NIN to any political party agent. Your PVC is your power. Once you give it up, you give up your voice.”

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a public warning against PVC and NIN harvesting and to deploy its monitoring teams to flashpoints immediately.

“We use this medium to tell Ekiti people not to be intimidated. Do not surrender your PVC or NIN. Do not be cowed by thugs in borrowed uniforms. Your vote is your right, and it is your power. Come out on election day, vote and protect your vote,” Aribisogan stated.

But the APC state Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the ADC members had only displayed their ignorance once again with their allegations.

Dipe, who said advanced technology had made use of another person’s PVC impossible, queried what APC would want to do with anybody’s voter card.

“The ADC have run out of what to say, and they are only displaying their ignorance. Nobody is mopping up PVCs.

“We will pardon their ignorance if they think that you can collect anybody’s PVC. Why can’t they collect another person’s PVC and see how useful or useless it is? So we are pardoning their ignorance,” he said.

The APC spokesperson, who also dismissed the allegation of kitting thugs in Amotekun outfits, said, “Amotekun is the project of the APC government. It is not the project of any other person. So why would we get fake Amotekun when we can recruit as many people into Amotekun?

“The duty of Amotekun is different. Amotekun is to ensure that people are not kidnapped; they go into the bushes. Are we kitting fake people to go into the bushes? So again, we pardon their ignorance for not knowing the roles and functions of Amotekun.”

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 37