Politics

INEC Tasks Stakeholders On Edo, Ondo Polls

Published

5 years ago

August 21, 2020

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday declared in Benin, the Edo State capital, that the Edo and Ondo governorship elections are end-of-tenure elections with strict and immovable constitutional and legal timelines and warned all stakeholders to conduct their activities in a manner that does not jeopardise the due and constitutional conduct of the elections.
Festus Okoye, national commissioner and chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC announced this at the sensitisation forum for officials of print and electronic media which took place in Benin city.
Okoye said both elections were being conducted in difficult circumstances, urging political parties and all the critical stakeholders in the electoral process to see the conduct of these elections as a national project that must be executed in strict compliance with all the safety protocols.
“There is no alternative to the peaceful conduct of these elections as the alternative will leave the people of the two states with a constitutional logjam that may be difficult to resolve.
“Political parties must eschew violence. Political Parties and their candidates must eschew the use of intemperate, inflammatory and base language designed to inflame passions or incite violence.
“On our part, we are determined and resolved to proceed with the conduct of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections and all the outstanding bye-elections.
“In doing so, the commission will not compromise the safety and welfare of its staff, ad-hoc staff as well as the voters. We will work closely with the security agencies to arrest threats and degrade acts of violence”, he said.

Politics

Why Reno Omokri Should Be Dropped From Ambassadorial List – Arabambi

Published

7 hours ago

December 7, 2025

The Tide

The factional National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Abayomi Arabambi, has said President Bola Tinubu should not have nominated former presidential spokesman Mr Reno Omokri for the role of ambassador.

Mr Arabambi stated that all other ambassadorial nominees deserved to be on the list except Mr Omokri, due to his past record of criticizing the president.

During a live television interview, Mr Arabambi said the Constitution of Nigeria gives President Tinubu the right and prerogative to appoint ambassadors.

He, however, noted that these nominations must be confirmed by the Senate to take effect.

Mr Arabambi said: “Now that the president has the prerogative to nominate his ambassadors, they would go before the Senate and their resumes presented to the Senate for approval.

“I believe that the Akpabio-led Senate would definitely do justice. If you remember, a lot of them were nominated for ministers and some were returned.

“So no matter the political hirakiri being generated by forces condemning some of the ambassadorial nominees, somebody was saying that they ought to be in jail, you are not the court.

“I think they should allow the Senate to do the proper work, and all of us should watch it because they would normally ask them to stand on the podium and reel out their resumes to Nigerians.

“I believe that everyone nominated, except one person whom I felt the president ought not to have considered, is Reno.

“While Reno Omokri is qualified, his history of criticizing the president on some occasions may count against him.”

Politics

Tinubu Increases Ambassador-nominees to 65, Seeks Senate’s Confirmation

Published

3 days ago

December 5, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has increased the number of Ambassador-nominees to 65 and forwarded their names to the Senate for confirmation.

The president’s request, read in plenary Thursday by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, consists of 34 career ambassadors and High Commissioners as well as 31 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.

The Presidency had last week released the names of 32 ambassador-nominees, featuring names of some prominent Nigerians.

Notable nominees among the non-career ambassador-nominees are: Sen. Ita Enang from Akwa-Ibom, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo) and Sen. Folasade Bent (Adamawa) and Segun Ige (Edo)

Three ambassador-nominees, namely: Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Ayodele Oke (Oyo), earlier forwarded to the senate, had been screened by the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The new nominees had consequently been forwarded to the committee for screening within one week.

The full list of the ambassadorial nominees per state reads: “Ezenwa Chukwuemeka (Abia), Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Ogochukwu (Anambra), Mohammed Lele (Bauchi),
Endoni Sindo (Bayelsa) and Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno).

Others are Jane Adams Michael (Cross River), Clark Alexandra (Delta), Chimma Davies (Ebonyi),
Oduma Ehinose (Edo ), Segun Ige (Edo), Adeyemi Emmanuel (Ekiti), Onaga Kingsley (Enugu) and Magaji Umar (Jigawa).

Other nominees in the category of Career Ambassadors are Mohammed Dahiru (Kaduna), AbdulSalam Zayat (Kano), Shehu Barde ( Katsina ), Aminu Nasiu ( Katsina ), Abubakar Musa-Musa ( Kebbi) ,Mohammed Idris ( Kebbi) ,
Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi).

” The rest are: Sulu Gambari (Kwara), Ramata Mohammed (Lagos), Shaga John Shama (Nasarawa), Salau Mohammed (Niger) and Ibrahim Danlami (Niger).

Others are: Adeola Mopelola (Ogun),
Ruben Samuel (Ondo), Akand Adekola (Osun), Adedokun Esther (Oyo), Gedagi Joseph (Plateau), Luther Ayokalata (Rivers), Danladi Yaku (Taraba) and Bello Dogondaji (Zamfara).

Names on the list of the 31 non-career ambassadorial nominees are Sen. Grace Bent (Adamawa), Sen. Eta Enang (Akwa – Ibom), Nkechi Okocha (Anambra ),
Mahmood Yakubu (Bauchi), Philip Ikurusi (Bayelsa).

They include Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue), retired Vice Adm. Ibok Ibas ( Cross River), Abasi Braimah (Edo) and Erelu Adebayo (Ekiti).

Others are: Olumilua Ayotunwa (Ekiti),
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), Mrs. Chioma Ohakim (Imo ), retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Kano State).

“The rest are; Tasiu Maigari (Katsina), Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu (Kogi) and Olufemi Pedro (Lagos) “Mohammed Aliyu (Nasarawa State),
Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo) Joseph Iji (Ondo), Fani-Kayode (Osun), Prof. O. Adewole (Osun), Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), Lola Akande (Oyo), Prof. Nora Daduut (Plateau), Yakubu Gambo (Plateau).

“Chukwujinka Okocha (Rivers ), Haruna Abubakar ( Sokoto ), Jerry Samuel Manwe (Taraba) and Adamu Nangree (Yobe).

Politics

Cleric Tasks APC On Internal Stability, Warns Otti

Published

2 weeks ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

In a dramatic escalation of spiritual commentary on Nigeria’s shifting political climate, the General Overseer of Light of the World International Church, Prophet Joshua Arogun, has issued a stern prophetic alert concerning the internal workings of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as the political trajectory of Abia State.

Speaking during a weekend prayer gathering in Lagos, the prophet delivered what he described as “a message directly from the throne of heaven,” urging political actors across the country not to ignore the warning signs unfolding in the nation’s political sphere.

Echoing earlier prophecies from other religious voices, Prophet Arogun raised concerns about the APC’s internal stability under its current national leadership.

According to him, divine scrutiny has intensified over the party, and any attempt to manipulate its internal democratic systems would spell disaster at the polls.

“Heaven is watching the process, not just the outcome. Any undemocratic means of bringing candidates into the APC such as imposition, manipulation, or forced consensus will trigger an automatic loss at the polls. This is a spiritual law already activated”, the prophet declared.

He insisted that the party’s future electoral fortunes would depend not on money or alliances, but on fairness, transparency, and genuine respect for the will of party members.

Turning to Abia State, Prophet Arogun delivered what many congregants described as a precise and unusually direct message.

He warned that the state was heading into a period of intense political realignment, marked by a clash between entrenched and emerging power blocs.

According to him, even if the sitting governor, Dr. Alex Otti, joins the APC, he must be ready to submit himself to a full and competitive primary rather than expecting a free pass.

“If Governor Otti joins the APC, he should come with humility and readiness to participate in the full electoral process. There are long-standing leaders in Abia State with structures, deep grassroots loyalty, and the capacity to unseat him if he underestimates them. People like Nkiru Onyejeocha and Orji Uzor Kalu are deeply rooted with massive follower-ship and acceptance by the people”, Prophet Arogun warned.

He predicted that before the next election cycle, Abia’s political landscape would witness broken alliances, surprising mergers, and new contenders emerging from within established networks.

Prophet Arogun concluded with a broader appeal to Nigeria’s political leaders, emphasizing the need for justice, peace, and integrity in public governance.

“Nigeria is the assignment. Only righteousness will stabilize this nation. Only fairness will preserve the mandate. Let those who have ears hear”, he said softly.