Politics
Ekiti Poll: Aspirant Vows To Challenge APC Primaries
A governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has vowed to challenge the results declared by the party in the January 27 primary in the court of law.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary,Human Rights and Legal Matters, said that the alleged abrasion of democracy and brazen abridgement of the Electoral Act in the election would be subjected to legal scrutiny via the party’s constitution and the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Though, Bamidele and six others had withdrawn from the race, but going by the results declared by Governor Abubakar Mohammed Badaru -led APC Primary Election Committee, he garnered a total of 706 to emerge third, while the former Secretary to the State Government , Biodun Oyebanji got 101, 703, to become the party’s flagbearer.In a statement in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, Bamidele said he would take all the necessary actions to correct the alleged electoral perfidy perpetrated during the primary to deepen democracy and entrench the rule of law in the system .The Chairman, Southern Senators’ Forum, insisted that no election was held on January 27, saying figures reeled out by the Committee were allegedly fabricated to suit a certain sinister purpose.”We are of course taking immediate steps within the confines of our party constitution and the law to seek redress for this blatant abuse of trust and due process by the State actors.”
So whilst on this quest to seek an amicable resolution to this impasse, I urge all to remain calm and prayerful that justice and truth will prevail for the benefit of the people of Ekiti”.Bamidele added that it was unfortunate and regrettable that the process of conducting the primary was “hijacked, truncated, compromised and bastardised by those at the helm of affairs in Ekiti”, which he said was tantamount to a complete abuse of trust and leadership.”It is public knowledge that no primary election took place on Thursday, 27th January, 2022 but yet, rather disappointedly, results were announced based on concocted and fictitious vote counts.”
The underlining level of impunity, desperation and perfidy which characterized the entire rigging process was so much and thought beclouding that I was alloted 700 plus votes in a State-wide gubernatorial primary election in a State where I had scored over 90,000 votes in just one out of three Senatorial Districts to emerge as a Senator.
”More specifically, the breakdown of the votes alloted to me indicated that I got 150 votes in Ado Ekiti, my beloved second home where I had recorded Twenty Eight Thousand votes out of the 42,000 votes that gave me the House of Representatives mandate way back in year 2011 to represent Ado / Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency.
”But we will remain resolute, strong, focused and faithful in the face of this impunity, total lack of regard for the electoral due process and executive rascality by a chosen few who were elected to represent the interests of Ekiti people”.Bamidele applauded the party at the National, State, Local Government and Ward structures for their continued support and in ensuring the tenets of democracy were continuously entrenched in the political entities and governance of Ekiti State .
”I have fought quite a number of battles in my life based on my sense of indignation to injustice; but I had never been this resolved to stand up and challenge principalities and powers in utmost determination to defeat darkness and make the lights of Ekiti and her people shine again.”A’Ibom Gov Names Preferred Successor (3rd lead, page 12, Wednesday, February 2, 20Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has named the Commissioner for Lands, Pastor Umo Eno, as his preferred successor in 2023.Pastor Eno was presented Sunday evening at a well-attended PDP Stakeholders’ Meeting which took place at the Governor’s Lodge, in Uyo.
Former Governor, Obong Victor Attah, made the formal presentation of the governor’s preferred successor to the stakeholders, which comprised major and leading political chieftains from the three senatorial districts, who all applauded the choice and pledged to work towards his emergence as the governor of the state come 2023.
Speaking after his presentation, Eno narrated how he grew up in the police barracks and how challenging those days were, but he summoned hope to overcome those difficulties.He said he was grateful to God and Emmanuel for finding him worthy of the onerous task to lead the people of the state and continue the people-focused and developmental strides.Bishop Uma Ukpai and the Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Mbang, prayed for his success, a prayer that was re-echoed by the Oku Ibom Ibibio and Chairman of State Council of Chiefs, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk.
Among those who attended the event, were the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey; Senators Akon Eyakenyi, Effiong Bob, Ibok Essien, Aloysius Etok, former Deputy Governor, Etim Okpoyo; member representing Etinan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Onofiok Luke; PDP chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan; Barr Emmanuel Enoidem; the National Coordinator of the Maintain Peace Movement, Pat Ifon; member representing Eket Federal Constituency at the National Assembly and Member, PDP BOT, Chief Nduese Essien; a former Minister of Housing, Ambassador Assam Assam; Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Russia, Fathers of Faith, and other leading members of the state’s political class.APC Is Not Sellable – Senator (5th lead, page 12, Wednesday, February 2, 2022).
The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Nicholas Tofowomo, has declared that the ruling All Progressive Congress is not sellable ahead of the 2023 election.Tofowomo said this at Ile Oluji area of the state during the training, empowerment of youths on ICT and distribution of laptops in his senatorial district.
He said that pressures were being mounted on him to defect, stressing that he would rather quit politics permanently instead of decamping to APC.According to him, “Since the coming on board of APC in 2015, it has been sordid and sad tales of events for Nigerians.”Armed robbery and banditry are now an integral part of Nigeria. Nobody is safe, it is as bad as that. So, APC has failed the nation. APC doesn’t have an agenda.
”Than to go to APC, I’ll leave politics because APC is a dead party in Nigeria. They have wrecked the economy of this country. So, it is over my dead body, I can never decamp.”For me, it’s PDP in the morning, afternoon and at night. And if I leave PDP, I’m going back home. If you look at APC, it has ruined Nigeria’s economy, they have scored zero in that aspect.”Look at the Nigeria Police, they have continued to allow them to work in terrible workplaces. The police stations ought to have been refurbished. When you talk about Nigeria Army, the Boko Haram crisis is there.
”When they took power, a bag of rice was N6000, now it is about N35,000. So it is a party that is not sellable. People are decamping from APC to PDP daily. So everybody knows that APC has failed the nation.
”Tofowomo, while rating the APC administration in Ondo State with 25 per cent performance said it deserved commendation in the area of road construction but failed woefully in the aspect of unemployment among youths in the state.”As regards APC in Ondo State, there some areas they have done well and some areas they have failed. In terms of employment, they have failed because they are no jobs.”In terms of road construction, they are trying their best but in total submission, they have failed the state because I will only give them 25 per cent.”He said he decided to distribute laptops to youths and train them on ICT, because ICT was the way to go on the global stage.
”Laptop is an equipment that can refine your life. When I got to England in 1984 laptop was not very meaningful then but in the early 90s, the laptop was everywhere and it was not very common in Nigeria.”In England, when you are inside the train you will see people with their laptops and they will be putting up their programs”.
Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.
The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.
The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.
At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.
According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.
Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.
Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.
At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.
He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.
Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”
He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.
Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.
He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.
The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews
protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.
The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.
According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.
They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.
Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.
Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.
“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.
“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.
“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.
“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.
In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.
“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”
Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.
According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.
“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.
“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.
A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.
The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.
The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.
The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.
“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.
The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.
It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.
“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.
The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER
All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”
The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.