Politics
LG Poll: APC Rejects New Abia Electoral Commission Boss’ Appointment
The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Abia state, has rejected the appointment of Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa as the new chairman of Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC).
The party insisted that Mkpa is a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and would not conduct transparent election into the seventeen local government areas of Abia state.
Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, had approved the appointment of Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa as the new chairman of ABSIEC.
Professor Mkpa’s appointment was contained in a press release signed by the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere and made available to newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital last week.
On Tuesday, the Abia State House of Assembly screened and confirmed the nomination of Mkpa as chairman.
The screening which took place in the executive session of the Assembly was presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji.
However, in a press release forwarded to our source on Tuesday night, by the Publicity Secretary of APC in Abia State, Comrade Benedict Godson, the party criticised the state government on the appointment, adding that it had shown the unreadiness of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration to conduct free, fair and credible local government council poll in the state.
He urged well meaning Abians and all serious political parties to join hands to reject what it termed as “obnoxious appointment” which potents nothing good for opposition politics in Abia.
His words, “Abians can see how our state is managed like a vast farmland situated in a desert area bearing no fruit from year to year. So dry that we have become a state for mockery nation wide. You are also aware that the All Progressives Congress(APC), as a party committed towards taking the dividends of democracy to the grassroots, few months ago, called on the Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to organize a local government election. We are glad that the governor has responded and is currently putting plans in place to make it happen.
“However, his recent appointment of the Chairman of ABSIEC shows that someone is not ready for free and fair election in Abia. Amongst all parties. It is on record that Prof. Mkpa is not just a PDP card carrying member, but a Chieftain of the party who by that privilege has served as a Commissioner, a Secretary to the State Government as well as the Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).
“But there’s no way blue will replace purple no matter their similarities. We cannot ask for fish and you give us snake. We cannot ask for bread and you give us stone. Prof. Mkpa cannot give Abians a free and fair election because he must dance to the tone of his party, the PDP.
“We don’t have any problem with his personality. The issue lies with his political affiliation and loyalty with the PDP. He’s a card carrying member of the PDP. This is not hidden. They have just started their first rigging process which is what they are known for. We want conduct of LGA election, but the PDP cannot hoodwink all of us into an election where they have painstakingly done all the political arithmetic aimed to theatrically arrogate powers to their people using one of their own”.
Reacting to the APC claims, Mkpa denied allegations that he is a card carrying member of the PDP.
Mkpa, who spoke to newsmen shortly after his screening in the Executive session of the Abia State House of Assembly on Tuesday, challenged those peddling the allegation to come forward with evidence of his being a registered member of any party.
“I am not a card carrying member of any political party even though I have served in various positions in the state. Let me also use this opportunity to assure all Abians that under my watch, we will conduct free and fair elections with utmost transparency. But, we will not tolerate anyone with fake or forged certificate. I want to encourage such people to disqualify themselves now,” Mkpa posited.
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.