Politics
S’Court Shifts Ihedioha’s Review Application Hearing To Today
The Supreme Court, yesterday shifted hearing of the application seeking to restore Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of Imo State to today.
A seven-man panel of Justices of the court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Tanko Muhammad, adjourned the matter at the instance of Ihedioha’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, who pleaded for time to respond to court processes he said was served on him by Governor Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the courtroom.
“My lords, this matter was adjourned for hearing, but we were just served in the courtroom with a process from the 1st and 2nd Respondents/Appellants.
“If it is convenient to your lordships, permit us to come back tomorrow (Tuesday) so that we can look at this process”, Agabi told the apex court panel after the case was called up.
On their part, counsel to Uzodinma and the APC, Mr Damian Dodo, SAN said his clients were ready for the hearing to proceed.
He said: “The application was only served because we received their own process on Friday, so today is the earliest date for us to serve them.
“We are ready to go on,” he added.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through its lawyer, Mr Taminu Inuwa, SAN said it was also ready.
However, the CJN, in a short ruling, adjourned the matter till Tuesday for hearing.
In the application adjourned for hearing, Ihedioha is urging it to set aside its January 14, 2020 judgment that oust him from office in favour of the incumbent Governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
Chief Wike spoke on Saturday after inspecting the Apo-Karshi Road and Kubwa-Bwari Road projects in Abuja.
The minister said he had observed a pattern in which several presidential campaign directors-general worked to deliver victory for their candidates but subsequently lost their home states.
The Presidency recently announced the composition of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, appointing former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, as Director-General.
Chief Wike cited the experiences of Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Sen. Bukola Saraki, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal and Sen. Simon Lalong as examples of campaign leaders who lost their states while leading presidential campaigns.
He recalled that Mr Amaechi served as Director-General of late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 campaign and later lost Rivers State, while Sen. Saraki, who led Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in 2019, also lost Kwara State and his senatorial seat.
According to Chief Wike, Sen. Tambuwal, who served as Alhaji Abubakar’s campaign DG in 2023, lost Sokoto State, while Sen. Lalong, who headed President Tinubu’s APC campaign in 2023, lost Plateau State.
“I don’t want to lose my state! I will be in my state. I have two states: FCT and Rivers. What is important is that you are able to deliver those two states. So it is not about being DG,” Chief Wike said.
He argued that there would be little value in heading a presidential campaign if the person could not deliver their own state.
Chief Wike also said his non-membership of the APC was another reason he could not head the party’s presidential campaign council.
“I am not a member of APC. So the issue of their Presidential Campaign Council is out of the question,” he said.
The minister, however, maintained that his support for President Tinubu’s re-election would continue despite not being part of the APC’s formal campaign structure.
He said politicians from different parties were already working together under what he described as a “Rainbow Coalition” to support President Tinubu’s 2027 bid in their respective states.
According to Chief Wike, the coalition is operating in states including Kwara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Osun and Benue.
He said political relevance should be measured by results rather than campaign titles, stressing that his priority was to help deliver the FCT and Rivers State for President Tinubu.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
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