Politics
Tension As Imo LG Chairmen Reject Suspension
There was tension in the early hours of Monday in Imo State when the suspended chairmen of the various local government areas besieged their council headquarters and vowed to resume duties.
The suspended council bosses had relied on the Supreme Court judgment in a case between the suspended chairmen in Ekiti State and the state government.
They argued that the apex court had declared that no governor had legal right to suspend elected council bosses.
Attempts to prevent the suspended chairmen from resuming duties, led to clashes in most LGAs in the state.
The suspended LGA chairmen and their councillors had mobilised their supporters to the councils while the Interim Management Committee chairmen equally mobilised their supporters to the various council headquarters.
The development created tension in the areas.
This was even as Sam Onwuemeodo, the media aide to the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, claimed that the suspended chairmen had “successfully” resumed duties in 19 out of 27 LGAs in the state.
But Kissinger Ikeokwu, one of the appointees of Governor Emeka Ihedioha, mocked the suspended chairmen when he said they resumed duties at the gates of the council headquarters.
Ikeokwu said, “Afraid that they are bound to lose at the Supreme Court, the suspended chairmen have desperately activated plans to create crisis and put Imo State on the spotlight.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Eze Ugochukwu, said, “The judgement on the Ekiti State local government chairmen is not applicable in Imo State. In law, there is no resort to self help.”
However, Onwuemeodo, disagreed with the governor’s aide position on the issue.
He said, “The effort made by the PDP government in the state to get court injunction on Monday against the resumption of duty by the elected council chairmen and councillors failed woefully because none of the judges approached agreed to do that.
“Having failed on the issue of court order, the government cajoled the police, leveraging on the newness of the Commissioner of Police, who is not up to one week in the state, to roll out tanks in some local government areas against the chairmen and councillors and the APC members who had accompanied them to their respective LGA headquarters to resume duty.
“The role of the police in the concerned LGAs was a clear case of supporting illegality and we watch what happens next.”
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, said there was no Supreme Court judgment that authorised the suspended LGAs chairmen to resume duties.
He said what the suspended LGA chairmen were doing was an “infraction.”
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.