Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says he will never resort to personal insults against President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the President commands his respect.
Peter Obi stated this on Friday, September 25, at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors’ Conference held in Enugu under the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
He emphasized that political debates and disagreements ought to focus strictly on public policy and leadership performance rather than personal attacks.
“I cannot abuse any governor. I cannot abuse anybody in government. I don’t need to abuse people even in the federal government. I’ve never abused anybody. Who has seen me calling President Tinubu’s name? Never! I will not do that. He’s the President of the country, he has all my respect,” Peter Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor, however, noted that according respect to public officials should not prevent citizens and journalists from holding them accountable or questioning their administrative decisions.
He added that the personal character and integrity of political leaders directly impact societal values, urging media editors to evaluate politicians based on their track records, public statements, and professional qualifications.
Former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba, has acknowledged being a political godfather but said he does not interfere in the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun by imposing people on him for government appointments.
Osoba made the disclosure during an interview on The Reuben and Kike Abati Podcast, where he spoke with the media couple, Dr Reuben Abati and Kikelomo Atanda-Owo. A video of the conversation was shared on Sunday.
Responding to questions about godfatherism and calls for influential political figures to withdraw from politics, Osoba said he hardly interfered in Abiodun’s administration, despite offering him advice.
“And I can tell you one thing that is working for me in Ogun State is because I hardly interfere. Governor Dapo Abiodun, I counsel and advise him; I’ve never nominated one person into his government,” he said.
Explaining his decision, Osoba said recommending one person for an appointment could offend the many others around him who might also expect to be considered.
“I have so many people around me. If I pick one, I will offend the other. If there are 100, I pick one, 99 offended,” he said.
He added that anyone he recommended could also be viewed with suspicion by other members of the administration.
“Anybody I put in there will be a suspect. I will advise him, this, this, my advice to him; they don’t have to take it,” Osoba said.
The former governor said his advice to governors was to compensate and involve political associates who supported their campaigns, while leaving the final decisions on appointments to them.
He also acknowledged his influence in the state’s politics, saying he would not deny being a godfather and identifying Senator Solomon Adeola as his preferred candidate.
“I agree, I’m a godfather. I won’t lie to you, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola is my candidate,” he said, citing Adeola’s experience in the Lagos State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.
“He’s been in the House of Assembly in Lagos. He’s been in the House of Reps. He’s been in the Senate. He’s an accountant. He’s been in appropriation. I give advice, but I will not insist,” he said.
Osoba maintained that while political elders could have a say in the process of selecting candidates, they should not dictate how elected officials run their administrations.
Osoba governed Ogun State from 1992 to 1993 and again from 1999 to 2003. Abiodun became governor in 2019, succeeding Ibikunle Amosun.
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has reiterated his pledge to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027, saying the policy would make life easier and more affordable for Nigerians.
Atiku restated his position in a post on X on Monday, accompanying a campaign video explaining his proposed approach to petrol subsidy.
“My position stands! I will restore subsidy to make life easier and more affordable for Nigerians,” the former Vice-President wrote.
In the video, a female narrator said petrol was selling for more than ₦1,300 per litre in Nigeria and argued that citizens of other crude oil-producing countries, including Libya, Iran, Venezuela, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, enjoyed cheaper fuel.
The narrator said Atiku’s proposed intervention would be limited to supporting petrol produced by local refineries rather than imported products.
The video also quoted Atiku as saying, “My position has not changed and will not change. I will restore it.”
It added that the proposed arrangement would support domestic refining until the industry could operate without government assistance.
Atiku’s latest statement comes amid the debate over the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration in May 2023.
Tinubu announced the policy during his inauguration, saying the government could no longer sustain the rising cost of subsidy and would redirect the savings to infrastructure, education, healthcare and job creation.
Atiku has repeatedly criticised the impact of the policy and made its restoration part of his 2027 campaign promises.
At the ADC presidential campaign flag-off in Sokoto on November 4, he pledged to restore fuel subsidy, reopen the country’s land borders for legitimate trade and tackle insecurity if elected.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, with the Independent National Electoral Commission fixing February 6 for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Atiku secured the ADC presidential ticket in May for his seventh bid for the presidency.
However, a Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5 nullified his nomination alongside decisions taken by the party’s David Mark-led leadership.
The ADC has appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution.
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement and the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have renewed their disagreement over the lawmaker’s distribution of millions of naira to constituents, with the group insisting that the exercise raises questions about electoral integrity.
The latest exchange followed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s criticism of the movement for calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate her cash empowerment programme, which she said was funded through a Federal Government budgetary provision.
The senator had also maintained that she would honour any invitation from the anti-graft agency and explain the circumstances surrounding the distribution.
However, in a fresh interview with The PUNCH, the Director-General of OK Movement, John Ughulu, said the senator’s position did not address the concerns raised by the group.
Ughulu argued that elected public officials should be subjected to continuous orientation on their constitutional responsibilities, ethical standards and accountability.
The politician said the circumstances surrounding the public distribution of money to constituents raised questions about the possible abuse of public office and the integrity of the electoral process.
He said, “What Nigerians witnessed in the widely discussed money distribution incident raises serious questions about the abuse of public office and the integrity of our electoral process.
“If the circumstances establish that the money was distributed to influence voters ahead of an election, the matter could amount to advance vote buying and should be investigated under the relevant provisions of Nigerian electoral law.”
Ughulu challenged the senator to explain whether similar cash distributions featured in her electoral campaigns, insisting that the circumstances surrounding her emergence into the National Assembly also deserved scrutiny.
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
“The election that brought Senator Natasha into the National Assembly was decided by the people. Therefore, an important question must be asked: Was the same practice of distributing money to influence voters involved in securing her electoral victory?
“That question deserves a factual answer, not an emotional reaction,” he said.
The movement also dismissed suggestions that its criticism was politically motivated, saying its position on electoral accountability would apply to candidates across party lines, including those of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
“We cannot condemn alleged electoral malpractice under the present administration while appearing to tolerate similar conduct from individuals within our own political space. The same standards of integrity, transparency and accountability must apply to everyone.
“The OK Movement will not make exceptions for anyone. This applies equally to NDC candidates and candidates of every other political party. Anyone involved in electoral manipulation, vote buying, result falsification or any attempt to undermine the will of the electorate should expect lawful scrutiny and accountability,” he stated.
Ughulu further warned that the group would explore lawful means of seeking accountability if the EFCC or other relevant agencies failed to investigate credible allegations.
He said the 2027 elections should be determined by voters at polling units, adding that the movement was committed to transparency, proper documentation of results and protection of voters’ rights.
The latest exchange comes days after Akpoti-Uduaghan defended her cash empowerment programme in a video circulating on social media.
The senator insisted that the money was provided through a Federal Government budgetary allocation and that she personally brought it before beneficiaries to ensure transparency.
She said, “Well, I have not been invited by the EFCC. But, of course, if I’m invited, I will turn up and explain the following things. Number one, the cash empowerment was money from the Federal Government. It’s budgeted by the Federal Government, okay? And I, in my typical fashion, do things transparently.
“I brought the money personally before the people. The money was all placed on a platform. There was no money abuse. And you saw the hall was full to its brim. We had about 600 beneficiaries.
“But the Obi-Kwankwaso group, please, I don’t know how authentic you are. But if you are, you have NDC senators in the Senate. And they’re also able to bring these same opportunities to you. So rather than using your efforts to call on EFCC to investigate why I am giving such an amount of money to my constituents, I think you should channel that energy to your senators and tell them to do the same for you.”
The controversy followed the circulation of photographs and videos showing bundles of cash at an empowerment programme organised by the senator to mark her third anniversary in the 10th National Assembly.
Her action attracted criticism on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the propriety of publicly displaying large sums of money during a constituency empowerment programme.
Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently defended the decision to distribute cash rather than business equipment, explaining through her media aide, Mike Idoko, that previous empowerment exercises showed that some beneficiaries preferred direct financial assistance to equipment because of their immediate business needs.
