Politics

Again, NDC, Obi-Kwankwaso camp lock horns ahead of 2027 elections, read details

Published

1 month ago

September 28, 2026

The decision by the Nigeria Democratic Congress to commence registration of support groups ahead of the election has caused fresh row between the party and some support groups backing its 2027 presidential ticket.

The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement and the Kwankwassiya groups registered their disagreements in separate exclusive interviews with The PUNCH.

The NDC had earlier, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the registration was free and warned state chapters against collecting fees from groups seeking registration.

Director said the exercise was exclusively under the Directorate of Support Groups at its national headquarters in Abuja, adding that no state chapter, officer or official was authorised to register support groups or collect money for the process.

The spokesman, however, warned that any violation of the directive would attract disciplinary action in accordance with the party’s constitution.

He said, “The registration of support groups is the exclusive prerogative of the Directorate of Support Groups.

Therefore, all inquiries and registration must be directed to the Directorate of Support Groups at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

“The registration of support groups is free. It does not attract any fee whatsoever.”

But the Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, rejected the registration exercise, insisting that the movement remained an independent political organisation and would not surrender its structure to the NDC.

Ughulu said the movement’s existence and internal affairs did not require the approval of the NDC leadership, adding that it would resist any attempt to undermine, appropriate or dissolve its structure.

Continuing, he argued that neither the Nigerian nor the NDC constitution, as presented to the movement, gave the party exclusive authority over the internal structure of an independent political organisation.

“The OK Movement therefore makes it clear that we will not accept any attempt by any individual or group to undermine, appropriate, dissolve or otherwise interfere with the legitimate structure and leadership of the movement.

“The meaning of ‘independent’ is straightforward. The NDC has the right to constitute and manage its own campaign structures. Likewise, an independent political organisation has the right to constitute and manage its own organisational structures, subject always to the law.

“We will resist every form of intimidation, coercion or attempt to undermine its legitimate organisational structure,” he warned.

The spokesman for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Muhammed, also called for understanding between the party and the support groups.

Speaking exclusively with our correspondent, Muhammed said the disagreements were partly a result of the NDC’s attempt to establish new structures as an emerging political party.

He said, “The truth is that the NDC is evolving and they are trying to do things differently. That is why there are some forms of misunderstanding here and there. But I believe that at the end of the day, everybody will be on the same page.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure that the party and the candidate win. Historically, the Kwankwasiyya has always remained independent, even of political parties. So, I don’t think it will be different now.

“I also believe in the Obidient Movement, just as I know that the OK Movement is also another movement; it runs on its own principles. So, Obidients and Kwankwasiyya still exist on their own.

“Again, I believe every Nigerian, as enshrined in the constitution, has a right to associate and be part of any organisation. The most important thing is for the party to understand this as well and work out something that will be better than just fixing things that are not literally important, as it is doing now.”

Mohammed highlighted that the ultimate objective of the various groups was to support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket and that the party should create an acceptable atmosphere for support groups to operate without unnecessary restrictions.

“What we need is to create an acceptable atmosphere for all the support groups so that whoever wants to support the party in whichever way they deem can do that.

“More so, we have several associations which are putting in money and not asking for anything in return. They have seen some qualities in the candidates and are therefore working for their success.

“You should also take into consideration that a large chunk of members from these groups and movements are from other parties who agree to work together for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.

“If you got into Kano now, the people there are not interested in identifying with any political platform. They will ask you which one is for Kwankwaso.

“That is the complexity of this issue. There are several individual candidates, even outside the NDC, who have large support groups.

“Some are not even members of his party. Maybe as time goes on, there will be a middle ground for the party and the movements because I personally think this has more to do with the OK Movement than us,” he stated.

While admitting that a new party like the NDC is still evolving, the Kwankwasiyya leader also called for understanding on the part of the NDC leadership.

Mohammed also urged the party to borrow a leaf from the scores of support groups working in sync with the ruling All Progressives Congress without any of them being forced to register with the APC.

He said, “As I earlier said, the NDC is still in the process of evolution, being a new party and trying to do something different.

“Even in the APC, I am sure you are aware they have the City Boy Movement and different support groups that are not directly under the control of the ruling party.

“These people do their own things, raise funds through different processes, and mobilise people. They are purely independent and doing their own things without any interference by the party.”

The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, urged the various groups to avoid disagreements that could distract from the 2027 presidential election.

Tanko, who spoke exclusively with our correspondent by telephone, said the NDC was the platform on which Peter Obi was contesting and that support groups should focus on helping him secure victory.

He said, “The party is a vehicle in which our principal is running. He is contesting on the platform of the NDC. Look, we need to do away with all these unnecessary arguments and focus on the main goal, which is to ensure that Peter Obi wins the 2027 election.

“We align with that and anything legitimate that will help us to win the election. People roll with winners, not losers. If you continue to fight and argue back and forth, it won’t lead to you winning the poll. So, people should look at that particular aspect and come together.

“All the distractions wouldn’t help anyone unless, of course, you are being sent to cause disharmony in our midst. Our goal is to remain focused on Obi winning this election.

“Anything legitimate that can help us to do that is welcome. And exactly where our principal directs us to head is where we will go.

“So, we don’t want to dwell too long on this trivial issue. All we are interested in is to focus on winning the poll for our candidate. That is the most important thing.”

Source: punchng.com

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Politics

G100 changes name to Coalition for Democracy, demands forensic audit of voters’ register

Published

1 hour ago

November 6, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The G100 Coalition has changed its name to Coalition for Democracy and demanded a forensic audit of the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement signed by Salihu Lukman on behalf of Coalition Parties on Thursday, the coalition also demanded that all parties be provided with the voters’ register, and asked the Inspector-General of Police to guarantee equal protection for all lawful political activities.

It also sought an end to alleged discriminatory denial of campaign venues, political offices and advertising spaces.

The Coalition for Democracy is the coalition of opposition parties formed after the 1st Opposition Summit on August 31, 2026, in Abuja. Rising from its meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, its Central Leadership Committee (CLC) said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is systematically shrinking Nigeria’s democratic space and creating an electoral environment in which only the ruling party enjoys privileges deliberately denied to the opposition.

The Central Leadership further called on the Inspector-General of Police to guarantee equal protection for all lawful political activities, in accordance with Section 83 of the Police Act 2020, and to make public the outcome of investigations into attacks on opposition supporters in Oyo, Kaduna and Sokoto states.

The meeting warned that, with barely 72 days to the January 16 elections, the conduct of government institutions and security agencies raises serious questions about whether Nigerians will be allowed to freely choose their leaders.

The Committee noted that in the last 90 days alone, opposition supporters have been attacked in Kaduna, ambushed in Ibadan and attacked in Sokoto and Cross River.

It said hotels booked for opposition delegates have cancelled reservations, campaign offices have been sealed, and opposition billboards have been pulled down in Edo State while those of the ruling party remain untouched.

“The APC is not just trying to win the election. It is trying to decide the conditions under which everybody else must contest it. This is what happens when a ruling party begins to confuse its control of government with ownership of democracy. You cannot be a contestant and insist on writing the rules for your opponents,” the coalition said.

The Coalition therefore demanded that INEC immediately provide all registered political parties with electronic copies of the preliminary voters’ register and subsequently the certified register.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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Atiku’s fate hangs in the balance as court sacks Mark, Aregbesola, read details

Published

1 hour ago

November 6, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

THE fate of the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, appears to be hanging in the balance following the decision of a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, to sack the Senator David Mark-led executive of the party. The court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu in a ruling on Thursday, nullified the process by which the Mark-led executive emerged.

Delivering judgment in a suit filed by a factional Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, Justice Lifu ruled that the caretaker committee led by Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, as national chairman and national secretary, assumed office illegally. It also nullified every candidate.

The ruling has immediately ignited legal controversy, coming barely four months after another judge of the same Federal High Court, Justice Musa Liman, affirmed the legality of the Mark-led leadership on July 2, 2026, setting the stage for a major appellate showdown.

According to the judgment, all candidates nominated for the 2027 general elections also have their nominations cancelled on the ground that they emerged from illegal and unlawful leadership of ADC.

The judge held that all actions taken by David Mark leadership in the name of ADC are unlawful and nullified.

Gombe argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership.

He consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.

ADC rejects judgment, cites conflicting ruling

The ADC, however, described Thursday’s judgment as another desperate attempt to cripple opposition and deny Nigerians right to choose their leaders in forthcoming general elections.

In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the timing of judgment, barely 24 hours after massive turnout at ADC presidential campaign rally in Sokoto, exposed what it considered growing desperation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We have reasons to believe that judgment had long been written on this case. Sokoto rally was simply trigger that stampeded its delivery. Yesterday, Nigerians came out in their hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their support for ADC and our promise of making life affordable for them. Today, they are being told that party that they support and candidates that they have supported at all levels could be erased by stroke of reckless judicial pen,” ADC said.

“Do these people understand what they are playing with? This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about rights of thousands of candidates to participate in democratic process,” it said.

ADC maintained that judgment is legally indefensible and would be challenged through every available judicial process.

“ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles. However, we await Certified True Copy (CTC) of said judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and operative orders,” it added.

“We warn APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. Peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than ambition of any president or political party. Nobody should be so desperate to retain power that they are prepared to put entire country at risk. This is not time to play silly games with stability of this country,” it said.

ADC called on judiciary not to allow itself to be used in foisting dictatorship on Nigeria.

Judgment timed to weaken my Northern support —Atiku

While condemning the judgment in his reaction, Atiku also described it as a calculated attempt to weaken the ADC and frustrate his candidacy.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the timing of the judgment was telling.

He said: “It came barely a day after a mammoth crowd turned out in Sokoto to welcome him and attend the launch of the ADC campaign.

“The people of Sokoto came out in their thousands because they are hungry for change and believe in our promise to make life affordable again. What we witnessed in Sokoto is only the beginning. The people of Kebbi will have their say, and so will Nigerians across the country as our campaign moves forward,” Atiku said.

“We urge our supporters to remain resolute, take our message from house to house and door to door, and stay peaceful and focused. There is no shaking,” he said.

Obi urges judiciary to protect opposition parties, warns against electoral uncertainty

Also reacting to the judgment, the Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, urged the judiciary to protect Nigeria’s democracy by ensuring that opposition parties are not weakened through prolonged legal disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement titled ‘Do not Undermine Democracy’, the former Anambra State governor said he received the news of the judgment with shock, describing the development as unsettling, particularly with the general elections approaching.

Although Obi said he did not challenge the authority of the court to determine disputes according to the law, the NDC candidate expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding political parties and their candidates months before the presidential election.

Obi also alleged that the ruling APC was engineering the instability to restrict opposition activities and weaken the space for robust electoral campaigns.

He also alleged that similar tactics had been deployed against him in the Labour Party, adding that opposition campaigns had continued to face politically motivated violence.

“One mark of democracy is that at all times, it is voters and not courts that choose leaders,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s democracy should be strengthened, particularly amid the resurgence of military rule in some West African countries.

“This is a time to strengthen our democracy by allowing the opposition to thrive,” he said.

Sowore alleges plot to stifle opposition ahead of 2027

Also reacting, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, condemned the judgment, alleging that coordinated court litigations are being deployed to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a post on his verified X account on Thursday, Sowore described the legal battles confronting opposition parties, culminating in the judgment against the ADC, as an orchestrated attempt to destabilise political contenders.

“The court cases against political parties, at this point, the ADC, are part of Tinubu’s strategic plans to confuse and dissuade Nigerians seeking to run against him. For some, his strategy is to use the courts, where his henchman, Nyesom Wike, pulls the strings,” Sowore claimed.

The activist further alleged that state actors were prepared to combine judicial challenges and administrative pressure to weaken political alternatives before the ballot.

He maintained that the removal of party leadership structures by the courts has become a disturbing pattern aimed at dismantling competitive politics ahead of the 2027 polls.

SDP faults court ruling against Mark-led ADC

In the same vein, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while condemning the judgment declared that the party would resist any action capable of undermining democracy and denying Nigerians the opportunity to freely choose their leader.

The National Chairman of the Party, Prof Sadiq Gombe, warned that members who participated in the alleged rainbow coalition would face disciplinary action once identified

According to him: “We condemn the so-called disqualification of the ADC leadership and presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. This is a democracy. We want Nigerians to be allowed to freely exercise their franchise.

“If a political party presents a candidate, it has the right to do that. We will not allow anything that will truncate our democracy because we have come a long way in this journey.”

According to him, “So, we have taken a stand that as much as we are not part of anything to do with rainbow coalition, sanctions and other disciplinary measures await any member of our party who engages in it.”

The meeting was organised to enable the party’s leadership and governorship candidates to assess their preparedness and develop strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Party also urged the INEC to make public without further delay the authentic voters register for forthcoming general elections for proper scrutiny by the members of the public

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

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Politics

Shettima seeks 90% Ekiti votes for Tinubu, mocks Atiku

Published

2 hours ago

November 6, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday that his opponents in the January 16 presidential election lacked the requisite political and leadership skills that could match his credentials.

Tinubu, who said that his administration, since assumption of office, had delivered on his 2023 electoral promises, which had brought about immense development in the country, said his second-term bid was to consolidate his first-term achievements.

The President, represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Thursday during a presidential rally organised by the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, in Ado Ekiti.

He appealed to Ekiti State voters to give him not less than 90 per cent of the total votes cast in the forthcoming presidential election to retain his seat and develop the country.

Tinubu said he had fulfilled some of the promises he made to the Ekiti people before the last presidential election in terms of appointments and execution of developmental projects.

He expressed excitement about the way Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji had been able to unite all the opposition figures in the state after the June 20 governorship election, particularly bringing political opponents on the same page to rally support for him ahead of 2027.

He said, “Let me speak briefly about those who are contesting against us. Let us analyse Adamawa State, for instance: we have had five governors since 1999 in that state, and not a single one is standing with Alhaji Abubakar Atiku (the African Democratic Congress candidate).

“Is Governor Umaru Fintiri with him? No. Are former Governors Boni Haruna, Bala Ngilari, Murtala Nyako and Bindow Jibrilla with him? No. None of them is standing with him. All these political giants are standing with President Tinubu.

“If you can’t control your own state, if you are not relevant in your state, how can you now be relevant elsewhere?

“Politics is a game of numbers. What will Atiku, who is not relevant at home, tell the people of Osun, Ogun, Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers and others?”

On his achievements in Ekiti State in the last three years, Tinubu said he had completed the construction of Ado-Ikere-Akure road, while contracts had been awarded for the reconstruction of Ado-Ijan-Iluomoba-Ikare road and Ado-Aramoko-Ita Ore road.

“Besides road construction, we have also established a federal University at Iyin Ekiti to train our youths and employ them.

“Students of Ekiti State University and Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology are enjoying the students’ loan established by our administration,” he said.

The President stated that another term for him would mean “another chance to do more and make Nigeria a great nation.”

The APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, called on the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians at large to give Tinubu and all candidates of the APC overwhelming electoral support in the elections.

He said the President’s performance, reform initiatives and commitment to national development earned him another term in office.

He expressed delight at the massive turnout and enthusiastic reception accorded to the party’s leadership and campaign team, describing the crowd as a strong demonstration of the people’s confidence in the APC and their support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the rally provided an opportunity to present the party’s candidates, from Tinubu to those contesting seats in the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly, while reaffirming the APC’s determination to sustain its leadership and deliver greater prosperity to Nigerians.

Yilwatda described Tinubu as both a performer and a reformer, noting that the administration had embarked on far-reaching reforms aimed at repositioning the Nigerian economy, strengthening public institutions and creating opportunities for citizens and businesses.

He particularly highlighted the administration’s tax reforms, explaining that the new framework was designed to protect low-income earners and small businesses from unnecessary tax burdens while allowing them to retain more resources for personal and business development.

The APC national chairman also drew attention to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, describing it as a significant intervention in expanding access to higher education and ensuring that financial constraints do not deny deserving Nigerian students the opportunity to pursue their academic ambitions.

On infrastructure, Yilwatda pointed to several important road projects in Ekiti State, including major road connections between Ado-Ekiti and Akure, as well as other completed and ongoing projects, as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving transportation infrastructure, enhancing economic activities and facilitating development across the country.

Presenting Tinubu to the people of Ekiti State for another term, Yilwatda urged voters to support the APC across all elective positions, stressing the importance of electing candidates who would work in harmony with the President to sustain ongoing reforms and accelerate national development.

The Director General, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, appealed to Ekiti voters to give Tinubu a minimum of 800,000 votes, which he said would be about 90 per cent of registered voters.

Yari said, “The labour of President Tinubu, a seasoned leader and democrat, won’t be in vain. He has invested a lot in the growth of democracy in Nigeria, and keeping him in the presidential seat for the next four years will enable him to achieve his restructuring programmes.

“I am happy today that when he came on board, he had succeeded in reducing food inflation. The prices of bags of sorghum, rice, millets, maize and other consumables had been reduced drastically.

“In the North, we are with him, and I believe that voters in Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo and Lagos should follow suit.

“He had supported our sons to win elections in this country. We have not forgotten these. Northerners will appreciate these noble gestures with votes, so that President Tinubu can continue to pilot the affairs of our nation to a point that will benefit all of us,” the campaign DG said.

Yari urged voters in Ekiti State to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying the President had performed well and deserved a second term.

“Asiwaju has not forgotten the people of Ekiti. He has done his best by introducing schools and universities, constructing roads, providing educational support to youths and empowering women, among other initiatives. Now, we are in 2026, with the election just about 80 days away.

“Ekiti people, I have a question for you. During the 2023 election, Asiwaju, as a candidate, asked you to vote for the governor, and you did. He also asked you to vote for him in the presidential election.

“Ekiti gave him 80 per cent of its votes. Today, out of 1,080,000 registered voters, more than 900,000 have collected their Permanent Voter Cards. I want to make a request, which is also the request of the President.

“We are looking for 800,000 votes, representing about 90 per cent of the votes cast. That is why I am asking for 90 per cent. The candidates who contested against our governor, including those of the PDP, APM and SDP, are all here to demonstrate their solidarity and unity with the governor in support of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

“Governor, our message to you and the leaders of Ekiti State is to convey to the people that the President has done well. Therefore, we are asking for more than 800,000 votes from Ekiti,” he said.

Oyebanji, who led the governorship campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Wole Oluyede and other prominent opposition figures to address the gathering, said the APC won the last governorship election with 87.5 per cent, which he said was a victory for Tinubu and the people of the state.

Oyebanji, who said Tinubu had not disappointed Ekiti citizens in terms of federal presence, assured that the state would increase the vote tally for the President in 2027 to appreciate his generosity of spirit and committed zeal to develop the state and its people.

“President Tinubu has no problem in Ekiti. We are united behind him. All our former governors are with us on this project, and all the major candidates of opposition parties are with us. We are going to return the President with 90 per cent of the total votes here in Ekiti.

“How do we pay back a President who has completed the Ado-Ikere-Akure road and who has awarded the reconstruction of the Ado-Aramoko-Itawure and Ado-Ijan Iluomoba-Ikole road? The only way we can say a thank-you to a President who has done a lot for our women and youths is by giving him our votes, and that we shall do here in Ekiti by the grace of God,” he said.

Dignitaries at the event were Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Ibijoke; Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as well as former Governors Kayode Fayemi, Ayodele Fayose and Niyi Adebayo.

Others included Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye; Yemi Adaramodu, Cyril Fasuyi; members of the House of Representatives, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, party leaders, traders, among others.

Source: punchng.com

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