The Chairman of the Evo Council of Government Recognised Traditional Rulers and Eze Oha III of Evo Kingdom, King Leslie Eke, has declared that the council remains apolitical, irrespective of perceptions in some quarters about the political disposition of its members.
King Eke made the clarification during the council’s monthly general meeting, convened at the instance of Eze Temple Ejekwu , Nye Nwe Eli Rumuogba, at Rumuogba in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The revered monarch explained that the decision was informed by the need for traditional rulers to preserve their revered positions as fathers of their respective communities, stressing that partisan political affiliations should not undermine their traditional responsibilities.
He maintained that political neutrality among members of the council was non-negotiable, noting that monarchs must remain above partisan divisions to provide balanced leadership, promote unity and sustain peaceful coexistence among their subjects.
He said the council was determined to entrench this principle of neutrality in its engagements, adding that traditional rulers must be seen as unifying forces rather than actors in the political divisions that often characterise electoral contests.
To strengthen the arrangement, the Eze Gbakagbaka of Evo Kingdom disclosed that Eze Temple Ejekwu had been assigned the responsibility of coordinating political activities involving the monarchs, a development he said would ensure balance, proper organisation and respect for the council’s collective position.
The monarch, however, clarified that the council’s apolitical disposition should not be misconstrued as a withdrawal of support for qualified sons and daughters of Evo Kingdom who aspire to occupy elective positions at both the State and National levels.
He stressed that the traditional institution would continue to identify with the legitimate political aspirations of its people, irrespective of political platforms, provided such aspirations were pursued peacefully and in the overall interest of the kingdom.
Specifically, the monarch assured the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Obio/Akpor Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Leslie Ejekwu, who already has his blessings, of the support of Woji, his immediate community, as well as the 33 Evo communities under his traditional leadership.
”Leslie Ejekwu, Esq., will do well given his experience at the Local Government Council as the Legal Adviser and other sundry areas within the political arena”, he said.
He noted that the assurance was consistent with the council’s commitment to the progress and political advancement of Evo sons and daughters, adding that the traditional institution would continue to encourage its people to participate actively in democratic processes without compromising its neutrality.
The Evo monarch also used the occasion to caution politicians and their supporters against violence before, during and after the 2027 general elections, describing the resort to intimidation, destruction and political hostility as an outdated approach to democratic competition.
According to him, the era when political victories were pursued through violence should give way to issue-based campaigns, intellectual capacity, constructive engagements and demonstrable leadership skills, stressing that ideas and competence should take centre stage in the nation’s political development.

King Onunwor

The newly appointed British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Pete Vowels, has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and supporting credible electoral processes in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Vowels gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, where he met with the Commission’s Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, and other National Commissioners.
The British envoy said the visit was aimed at understanding INEC’s operations and preparations for the forthcoming elections, noting that Nigeria’s democracy remains significant not only to its citizens but also to the West African sub-region and the international community.
He described the 2027 general elections as an important opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate how democracy can thrive in a large and diverse country.
The High Commissioner also emphasised the global importance of Nigeria’s democratic stability, expressing interest in understanding the electoral processes and institutional preparations ahead of the polls.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, welcomed the British delegation and described the visit as a reflection of the longstanding partnership and shared commitment to democratic integrity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Professor Amupitan said the Commission’s major priority, since he assumed office in October 2025, has been to rebuild public confidence in the electoral system, improve operational efficiency and safeguard the integrity of every vote.
He explained that INEC had conducted several off-cycle governorship elections and legislative by-elections in different States, describing the exercises as important opportunities to test and improve the Commission’s electoral preparations.
According to him, the Commission is focused on ensuring timely logistics, peaceful elections, effective management and transparent processes, stressing that these elements are critical to public acceptance of election results.
The INEC Chairman maintained that the Commission remained committed to ensuring that every election conducted is better than the previous one.
He expressed optimism that sustained institutional reforms, improved operational capacity and stronger partnerships with relevant stakeholders would contribute to credible and peaceful elections in 2027.
The visit underscores the continued diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom in promoting democratic governance, electoral integrity and institutional development.

The PBAT Mandate Elders Forum in Ondo State has rejected the need for the proposed Rainbow Coalition arrangement associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, insisting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) can win all elective positions in the State without surrendering any of its candidates.
The position appears to differ from that of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who had earlier defended the coalition arrangement, saying there was nothing wrong with political alliances as long as they supported President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, while appearing on a television programme last month, had said, “Politics is about interests, relationships, alliances… there is nothing wrong with having a coalition or alliances,” adding that there was nothing wrong if the arrangement was a support group for President Tinubu’s re-election.
However, Chairman of the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum in Ondo State, Hon. Demola Ijabiyi, said on Wednesday that although the elders welcomed cooperation with other political parties to secure President Tinubu’s victory, such an arrangement must not come at the expense of APC candidates in the State.
Addressing journalists after the forum’s meeting, Hon. Ijabiyi said the Rainbow Coalition might be necessary in some States but was not applicable to Ondo, where the APC controlled the State government and all local government councils.
He said, “We, the elders of APC, are saying that we don’t need it in all those States. That’s the bottom line. We don’t need it. We can win without coalition. There are other States we cannot win without coalition. Go ahead with it.”
The APC chieftain explained that the coalition was designed to bridge the electoral weaknesses of political parties through reciprocal support, but maintained that Ondo State APC had no constituency where it was incapable of winning elections.
He said the party had no reason to threaten its candidates or surrender constituencies to other political parties, particularly when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he described as its major political opponent, had weakened considerably.
“We have no cause for that. Others can support. We are not saying in other States, if there are circumstances permitted, why not? But we are saying it does not apply to us,” Hon. Ijabiyi added.
He also warned APC members supporting candidates of other political parties against engaging in what he described as anti-party activities, insisting that grievances arising from party primaries were not sufficient justification for such actions.
“Any APC member, whether aggrieved or not aggrieved, engaging in support for another party other than the party members of our party, I will put that on our candidate has committed an anti-party activity. There is no other way of seeing it,” he said.
Beyond the coalition controversy, Hon. Ijabiyi disclosed that the forum was targeting at least one million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, identifying poor voter turnout as a major challenge despite the APC’s political strength in the State.