The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has dismissed claims that the party sold 69 nomination forms in Kano to 2027 vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Baba-Ahmed made the clarification on Tuesday during an interview on ARISE Television, where he said the report was “complete fiction” and had no basis within the party’s operations.

“This is complete fiction. The real state chairman of the PRP in Kano had already stated, released a statement saying this is just complete bunkum,” he said.

The controversy emerged amid reports from a self-proclaimed Chairman of the PRP in Kano state, Abdulkadir Musa-Guza, who alleged that Kwankwaso or his associates had bought forms for all 69 elective positions in Kano to allegedly hijack the party structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a press briefing at the NUJ Press Centre, Kano, Musa-Guza alleged the former Kano State governor engaged in a mischievous mission against the party without any sign of him defecting to PRP.

However, Baba-Ahmed said there is no possibility that Kwankwaso could have purchased 69 nomination forms from the PRP in Kano, noting that the party does not sell nomination forms at the state level.

“There is no way former Governor Kwankwaso could have bought 69 forms from the PRP in Kano. We don’t sell forms in Kano; we sell forms from Abuja. The man who spoke and said they had sold 69 forms to Kwankwaso is not known to the party at all. He has no position; he has no authority to sell any forms. We don’t know him,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He suggested that the allegation may have been politically motivated.

“It is possible that this entire thing has been contrived as part of some problems or some politics in Kano. As far as the PRP is concerned, we sold forms, as we sell to everybody else from Abuja. We sold forms to candidates from Kano. They registered, they contested, they went through primaries more than a month ago.

“The candidates have emerged from there, and we are forwarding their names to INEC,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed said even Kwankwaso was surprised by the claim.

“I’ve spoken to Kwankwaso myself, and he is as amused as everybody else that he would buy 69 forms for non-existent candidates. He’s not a member of the party,” he said.

The PRP chairman also addressed questions about previous defections involving Kwankwaso and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying discussions had taken place but no formal move was made.

“They did come to our party. We spent some time discussing whether they could come into the party, whether they could join the party. In the end, they decided that there wasn’t enough evidence on the ground that their needs would be met by the party. And they moved on, and we parted as friends, and we’re still friends with them,” he said.

On reports of internal crisis, Baba-Ahmed dismissed claims of factionalism within the PRP.

“The PRP has no faction. We came through a very difficult, very demanding time where both from within and from outside there were efforts to cripple us.

“The failure by INEC to upload our names after our successful convention, observed by INEC, for more than a month caused us some problems. But we came through that. As I speak to you now, we’re a very healthy party.

“We’re looking forward to a very vigorous and very transparent competition. And we believe that our chances are very bright that the PRP will make a difference this time,” he said.

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Ten governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State have urged President Bola Tinubu to resist what they described as attempts to use the state’s traditional institution to secure endorsement for the party’s governorship candidate, Speaker Salihu Danladi.

The aspirants made the appeal in an open letter dated Monday, amid reports that selected first-class traditional rulers from Kwara State were being mobilised to visit the Presidential Villa in Abuja over the 2027 governorship race.

Danladi, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, had emerged winner of the APC governorship primary held on May 22, 2026, scoring 94,990 votes to defeat 14 other aspirants.

The result was announced by the Chairman of the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin.

However, the aggrieved aspirants said they remained unconvinced by the outcome of the exercise and raised concerns over what they described as fresh efforts to confer legitimacy on the process through the involvement of royal fathers.

They said, “We have received credible information that some traditional rulers from Kwara State are being mobilised to visit the Presidential Villa in what appears to be an effort to legitimise and secure endorsement for a governorship candidate whose emergence remains controversial within our party.”

The letter was jointly signed by Dele Belgore (SAN), Ambassador Yahaya Gambari, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe, Dr Oluwatoyin Alabi, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu, Omar Bio, Dr Bashir Bolarinwa, Capt. Ahmad Mahmud and Dr Azeez Olaniyi.

While reaffirming their loyalty to the APC, the aspirants insisted that internal party democracy must not be compromised.

“We remain loyal members of our great party and are committed to supporting every genuine effort aimed at strengthening internal democracy, inclusiveness and unity within the APC.

“While we hold our revered royal fathers in the highest esteem and recognise their invaluable roles as custodians of our culture and tradition, we respectfully submit that traditional institutions should not be drawn into partisan political contests.

“The involvement of traditional rulers in efforts to validate the outcome of a disputed party primary risks eroding the neutrality and moral authority that have distinguished the institution over the years,” they added.

The aspirants expressed concern that such engagements could create the impression of a unified political endorsement within the state APC, contrary to realities on the ground.

“We are concerned that a visit of this nature may create the false impression that the people and stakeholders of Kwara State are united behind a process that many party members consider flawed, exclusionary and inconsistent with democratic principles,” they stated.

They also noted that their earlier objections to the governorship primary had been formally communicated to the party leadership but remained unresolved.

“Your Excellency will recall that our concerns regarding the conduct of the governorship primary have been communicated through lawful and constitutional channels. Those concerns have not been addressed and remain a source of anxiety among party faithful across the state.

“It is therefore important that any engagement involving traditional rulers should not be interpreted as a reflection of the position of all stakeholders within the Kwara APC,” they warned.

They also drew attention to security concerns in parts of the state, questioning the priorities behind the reported mobilisation of traditional rulers.

“If royal fathers can be mobilised to Abuja in support of a governorship candidate, many citizens will naturally wonder why similar efforts have not been made to seek urgent federal intervention on the security challenges confronting communities in parts of Kwara State,” they said.

“Several communities in Baruten, Kaiama, Patigi, Edu, Ifelodun, Irepodun and Isin local government areas have faced persistent security threats, yet we have not witnessed a similar high-level royal delegation to draw national attention to their plight,” they added.

They further noted that traditional rulers had not been similarly mobilised to acknowledge federal appointments secured by Kwarans under the current administration.

“Likewise, despite the numerous appointments and opportunities extended to Kwarans under your administration, there has been no coordinated mobilisation of traditional rulers to express appreciation to the Presidency,” the aspirants said.

The group urged President Tinubu to receive any delegation of royal fathers with respect, while cautioning against political interpretation of such visits.

“We respectfully urge Your Excellency to ensure that the traditional institution remains insulated from partisan political activities and continues to serve as a symbol of unity, fairness and moral leadership.

“Our appeal is not borne out of hostility to any individual but from a commitment to democratic values, party cohesion and the long-term stability of the APC in Kwara State,” they added.

Meanwhile, an APC chieftain in Kwara State, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has urged traditional rulers to advise Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to step back from the succession crisis to allow peace within the party.

“Tell Gov AbdulRazaq to concede, tell him to back down. That alone can solve the current crisis in Kwara APC,” Sulaiman said.

Efforts to get a reaction from the state government to the development were unsuccessful as calls and messages to the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Communication, Ibraheem Abdullateef, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Reports had earlier indicated that a delegation of selected first-class traditional rulers and APC stakeholders loyal to the governor had travelled to Abuja to lobby support for Danladi’s candidacy ahead of 2027.

The development, according to sources, is part of a broader political push involving consultations with key APC figures and federal stakeholders, including party leadership in Abuja.

The situation reflects deepening divisions within the Kwara APC, as rival blocs intensify consultations and political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded a dominant performance in Saturday’s by-elections, securing victories in Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano and Kebbi states, while the Peoples Democratic Party retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat.

The results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday strengthened the APC’s legislative presence across the country, although some of the contests were overshadowed by allegations of electoral irregularities, violence and voter intimidation.

In Nasarawa, APC candidate, Danladi Halilu, defeated Labour Party’s Labaran Maku and the PDP’s Emmanuel Ombugadu to win the Nasarawa North Senatorial seat.

The ruling party clinched the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano, where Rabiu Shuaibu secured a landslide victory.

Its candidate in the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, Ikeje Asogwa, was declared the winner, while the party also emerged victorious in the Ondo and Kebbi by-elections.

In Rivers State, however, the PDP’s Olaka Nwogu comfortably retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial seat, defeating his closest APC challenger by a wide margin in the election conducted across seven local government areas.

In Nasarawa, Halilu was declared the winner after he secured 45,362 votes.

The Returning Officer, Prof Aminu Ali, announced the final results at the collation centre at College of Education, Akwanga, on Sunday, after votes were collated from Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba local government areas.

Declaring the results, Prof Ali said, “Danladi Envulu-anza of the APC scored 45,362 votes, Labaran Maku of the Labour Party scored 12,931 votes, and Emmanuel David Ombugadu of the PDP got 11,570 votes.

“The ADC candidate, Alaku Mohammed Steve, scored 1,496 votes, and John Paul of the NNPP got 102 votes.”

He added, “That Danladi Halilu Envulu-anza of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

Meanwhile, agents of the LP at the collation centre staged a walkout in protest over the results and the collation process.

Dr Ben Ango, who led the LP team, walked out alongside other party members shortly after collation for the three LGAs in the district was completed.

Also reacting, Maku rejected the results declared and called for the cancellation of the by-election over alleged widespread irregularities.

Maku, a former minister of Information, speaking during a press briefing in his country home, Wakama, in the Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state, lamented the non-adherence to electoral laws by INEC officials, noting that officials of the Nasarawa State government partnered with the electoral umpire to conduct the election.

He said, “I have observed that what took place in the by-election in Nasarawa State was a sham, a complete sham. I consulted with my party. We decided that the best option is to pull out of the by-election and ask INEC to honourably cancel it and conduct a free and fair by-election for the senatorial district.”

The LP senatorial candidate noted that the election did not take place in most places, adding that ballot papers were thumb-printed, while places such as Alizaga, Umme and Alushi wards in Nasarawa Eggon LGA conducted elections without the use of the BVAS machine.

Reacting in a telephone interview, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Augustine Ogaba, dismissed Maku’s allegations, urging him to learn to accept the outcome of electoral processes.

According to him, the minister’s waning popularity in the senatorial zone could not have earned him victory during the by-election, especially because he had not been stable in a political party within the past few months.

Ogaba added, “It is funny for anyone to accuse the APC of any form of irregularity during the by-election because if you put all the results of the opposition parties together, it is not even half of what our candidate scored.

“For the opposition, it is only when they win an election that it is free and fair. If they lose, they will find a reason to complain about the process.

“My advice to the former minister is for him to learn from the process and prepare for another time. He should go back home and do his homework so that he can come out stronger next time instead of complaining for no obvious reason.”

Announcing the final results of the Enugu North by-election in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC office in Enugu, INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Christian Ezebe, certified that Asogwa polled a total of 162,360 votes to emerge victorious.

Out of the 184,094 accredited voters, Asogwa’s closest rival, Dr Nestor Ezeme of the Peoples Democratic Party, secured 9,299 votes to come a distant second.

Making the official declaration, Prof Ezebe said: “I, Prof Christian Ezebe, hereby certify that I am the returning officer for the 2026 Enugu North district by-election held on the 20th June 2026. The election was contested. That the candidates received the following votes – Chika Idoke of ADC – 1,676 votes, Asogwa Ikeje Israel of APC – 162,360, Aneke Kingsley Chukwuebuka of BP 416; Eze Ejike Simon of LP: 1,027; Osai Elias Okwudili of NDC 3,129; Ezeme Nestor Chika of PDP – 9,299 and Ugwuanyi Charles Ugochukwu of PRP – 667.

“Arising, therefore, Asogwa Ikeje Israel of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

Despite the landslide victory margin, the exercise was heavily marred by reports of severe violence, technical hitches, ballot-box snatching, and coordinated attacks on opposition elements across the six local government areas of the senatorial zone.

A major flashpoint of violence occurred at Umuodo Village Hall in Ogwu Ward, Obollo-Afor, where a PDP polling agent identified simply as Justice was hospitalised after he got severe head and nose injuries.

Rabiu Shuaibu of the APC was declared the winner of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano State.

The Returning Officer, Prof Umar Sani of Bayero University, Kano, announced the result following the completion of collation after a peaceful exercise across polling units.

According to the official results, Rabiu Shuaibu (APC) scored 35,356 votes, while Lawal Garba Haruna of APM polled 268 votes and Abubakar Yahaya Muhammad of LP got 98 votes.

The APC candidate in Ondo South Senatorial District, Prof Francis Faduyile, was declared the winner by the INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Gbenga Ibileye.

According to the INEC official, Faduyile, a former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, polled 68,474 votes to defeat three other candidates of the APM, APP and Boot Party.

The returning officer, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, said, “Faduyile polled 68,474 votes to defeat Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement, who scored 1,411 votes. Adesanya Olaoluwa of Action People’s Party  and Clement Funso-Nejo of Boot Party recorded 213 and 70 votes, respectively.”

The electoral officer announced the total votes cast as 70,770, with 602 rejected.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa congratulated Prof Faduyile on his victory in the by-election.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Sunday, described the outcome of the election as a reflection of the confidence and trust reposed in him by the people of the district.

“The victory of the former President of the Nigerian Medical Association and distinguished academic underscores the people’s belief in his capacity to provide effective representation and advance the interests of Ondo South at the National Assembly,” the governor stated.

Commending INEC, security agencies, and the electorate for ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process, the governor urged all stakeholders to rally round the senator-elect in the collective interest of the progress and development of Ondo South Senatorial District.

In Rivers State, INEC declared Olaka Nwogu of the PDP as the winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District by-election.

Only the PDP, APC, Action Alliance and LP were cleared by INEC for the by-election contested in Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme, Andoni, Oyigbo and Opobo, seven local government areas that make up the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Rosemary Ogu, declared that Nwogu Olaka Johnson of the PDP secured 46,961  votes to emerge the winner of the election.

Nwogu, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, defeated his closest rival, Osarokaka Ebenezer Erewari of the APC, who polled 1,647 votes.

Meanwhile, candidates of the AA and the LP rejected the result,  threatening to challenge the outcome in court.

The AA candidate, Dr Douglas Fabeke, in a news briefing in Port Harcourt, accused INEC officials and the police of aiding rigging.

He also alleged the proliferation of fake INEC results sheets, saying he would not be silenced in the matter.

He stated, “In this situation, we will not keep quiet. We will continue to raise our voice. Not only are we going to raise our voice, but we are also going to file a case against INEC, PDP and the candidate, if there is anybody that exists as a candidate.

“We have never seen him anywhere. So it’s a complicated issue in which the Nigerian judicial system will define for us what kind of election this is.”

In a statement he later released, Fabeke said what transpired on Saturday confirmed his fears about what would happen in the 2027 general elections.

He stated, “I had previously stated that the Rivers South East senatorial by-election would serve as a litmus test for the 2027 election. Regrettably, the Independent National Electoral Commission has once again fallen short of expectations.”

The AA candidate continued, “I have instructed our polling unit agents and LGA coalition agents not to sign any documents that may compromise our position.”

Similarly, the LP candidate, Kinani Sam, said he had evidence of rigging during the by-election and demanded its cancellation.

“We are demanding that INEC should not release any results. If they do otherwise, we will take the next step possible.

“I can tell you that we have video and pictorial evidence and voice notes of some of the INEC and LG officials,” he said.

When contacted, the INEC spokesperson in Rivers State, Geraldine Ekelemu, dismissed the allegation, adding, however, that it was within the candidates’ rights to contest the election if they felt dissatisfied with the process.

Ekelemu encouraged them to go ahead if they had evidence of their claims, but said the commission had conducted a credible by-election.

She stated, “It is within everybody’s right where they feel an activity is not properly done. It is welcomed, and that’s why we have such provisions in the Electoral Act.

“I believe if they have to prove what they are alleging, that will also be good for them to take it up.

“However, where we stand, we have done what we are expected to do to ensure that the process was smooth and concluded.”

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