The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being able to produce his own votes by himself.

Adebayo, speaking on ‘Politics Hub’, a programme on Vanguard, said Tinubu was chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, answering questions in an interview.

He was talking about the forthcoming general elections in 2027 and SDP’s level of preparedness for the elections.

He said, “We still go to the people wherever they are since the last election because Tinubu can generate his own votes because he is the INEC chairman himself.

“Just like our first Republic’s leaders did, we need to go back to our people. It was necessary to see Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe. When these people went for campaign, they were covered with dust.

“I do everything to cover every part of Nigeria. I understand the shortcoming. I know where people are, and I know that you’ve got to go and meet them where they are.”

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Following the unprecedented working tour embarked upon by wife of the President and First lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu to Benue State, the apex body of Civil Societies in Nigeria, the Conference of Harmonized Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria (COHCSIN) has described the visit as a solidarity visit by the first family to identify with the transformational leadership of His Excellency, Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Alia and to familiarize with the good people of Benue for their unyielding support to the governor and her husband.

In a joint statement released to journalist in Makurdi, the Executive Secretary of (COHCSIN), Dr Patrick Oduma, and the Zonal Coordinator of Freelance Journalists Federation (FJF), Comrade Ibrahim Isa all reiterated the significance of the President’s wife visit to Benue to commission projects. ” Not only has the visit and commissioning of selected critical infrastructural project including an ICT center in the Governor’s home town and other intra -city roads in the state capital amongst over 512 kilometers of completed and ongoing road projects across the state serve as a moral booster for the governor, it also serve as a vote of confidence by the first family on Governor Alia to do more for the people of Benue ” We must add that governor Alia’s administration disposition to urban and rural infrastructure is highly commendable” Your Excellency is Deliberate, focused and purposeful” Dr Oduma added.

The statement further acknowledged the wife of the President for identifying Governor Alia’s people centric leadership model which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President. ” We must commend Her Excellency, Sen Oluremi Tinubu for her vision and intiative to champion the Renewed Hope Initiative as a pet project in alignment with the Tinubu administration blueprint.
“Through your foundation, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which you have pioneered and implemented various social interventions for Nigerians across the country among which Benue State and her people are prime beneficiaries remain a symbol of this administration commitment to social welfare ”

Dr Oduma noted that Governor Alia’s mass appeal amongst the people of Benue is proportional to his transformational reforms and fiscal financial disciple which has brought about the state wide infrastructural milestones with direct impact on the people, part of which is being commissioned today. ” Governor Alia’s footprints are visible through the administration’s commitment to infrastructural projects and welfare which people can actually see and feel” The twin fly overs and multiple intra -city roads in the state cutting across the state as well as the aggressive opening of rural access roads and construction of culverts statewide has restored hope to farmers and rulers dwellers ” The administrations regularisation of salary and pension payments has further reinforced the governors determination to implement comprehensive welfare reforms for the people of Benue .

“We are thankful to the wife of the President for always answering to the people of Benue at short notice, your moral support remains a driving force to what our governor is doing for the people of Benue ”
In a concluding remark by Freelance Journalists Federation (FJF), Comrade Ibrahim Isa urged the people of Benue to stand by their governor and Mr President and offer them unyielding support and trust in return for sustainable good governance. The groups passed a vote of confidence on Governor Hyacinth Alia and urged the people of Benue to re-elect him for a second term in office to actualise his modest vision for the people of Benue State.

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The lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State at the of the House of Representatives, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, has said President Bola Tinubu is inviting anarchy to Nigeria.

Ugochinyere, who made the statement on Monday, was reacting to the recent judgment of the Federal High Court ordering the de-registration of African Democratic Congress, ADC; Action Peoples Party, APP; and three other political parties.

He cautioned that the ruling could take the country down a dangerous path reminiscent of periods of political instability in Nigeria and parts of Africa.

The Imo-born politician called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to probe the circumstances that led to the judgment.

He also said that previous court rulings and legal arguments made before the court were not properly taken into account.

He urged the Nigerian Bar Association, NBAm, to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process, warning that the public confidence in the justice system could be eroded if the concerns raised about the judgment were not properly addressed.

“This is a call to unbridled anarchy. The judiciary is the last hope for the common man. “If we can disregard the decisions of superior courts, we are compromising one of the most important institutions of our democracy,” he said.

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Former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank has said the recent Abuja High Court judgment that deregistered the African Democratic Congress and other political parties is a recipe for incoming national crisis nationwide.

Recall that Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Abuja, had on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord Party and others from participating in the 2027 general election.

The ruling had raised questions among Nigerians.

But ADC announced plans to appeal the ruling.

Reacting to the judgment, Timi Frank, in a statement Monday, said it was an attempt to wipe out major opposition platforms, noting that it could lead to a national crisis and undermine Nigeria’s democratic foundations.

He urged United States President Donald Trump and the international community to take immediate action to rescue Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

The judgment was a shock, without any prior intimation to the parties concerned. “From the information available to us, it seemed that the judgment was drafted in another place and just delivered by the court,” he alleged.

“Nobody knew that. There was no information, no briefing, not even to the lawyers for the parties.” The judgment came suddenly. “It was something they cooked up and schemed to make it look legitimate without even telling the parties involved,” Frank alleged.

He called the ruling a “mystery judgment.” Frank argued that it was rigged to achieve a predetermined political outcome.

‘What we understood was that the judgment was drawn up elsewhere and handed to the judge. “The script was written by the Office of the Attorney General and the judge just played out that script,” he claimed.

Frank also alleged that the supposed scheme to deregister opposition parties formed part of a grander scheme to stifle political opposition and entrench power.

“Any attempt by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his cohorts to deregister political parties, especially the larger opposition parties like the ADC, will cause a crisis that will be difficult to manage,” he said.

The time has come for all lovers of democracy to rise to the defense of the democratic gains that Nigerians have struggled to attain. He said: “Failure to speak out against these developments could have serious implications for the future of our country.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Adamu Usman Ahmed, has vowed to thwart the plan of Governor Bala Mohammed to hand over power to his choice of successor.

Ahmed said he believes the opposition has a good chance of winning as no governor in the state has been able to install a successor.

This was stated by the governorship candidate in Abuja while speaking to journalists.

Bauchi voters have a long tradition of independent-minded voting and are unlikely to back any effort to impose a new governor, he said.

“People of Bauchi are always wise.

“If you look at the history of the state, no governor has ever been able to put in a successor. That is why I think the opposition has a good chance to win,” he said.

“The political environment ahead of this election is different from other elections because there are many parties participating,” Ahmed said.

“The game of politics has changed. The situation is not like in the past when elections were mainly contested by two parties but this time there are about seven or eight parties contesting. “We’ve got the advantage of having so many candidates in the race,” he said.

The PDP candidate also promised to address unemployment if elected governor.

According to him, the top priority of his administration would be to create jobs.

“Our focus is on job creation. We will work to create opportunities for our young people and improve the livelihoods of people in the state,” he said.

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The Nigerian Senate has given a commitment to support with all legislative powers discourses and initiatives that will deepen women inclusion in the country’s electoral system. Senate President Godswill Akpabio said that gender equity must now be put “on the front burner” of national politics.

Akpabio made the commitment at the maiden Democracy Day Lecture and Book Presentation held at Sokoto State University, Sokoto . The event was organised to commemorate the memory of Hajiya Surraya Abubakar Margai, the first and only elected political office holder in Sokoto State since the return of democracy in 1999.

The Senate President, in a statement through his Chief of Staff, Chinedu Francis Akubueze, said he was “thrilled” with the quality of the lecture and the symbolic selection of Margai as the honoree for the event, adding that her legacy highlighted the imperative of greater female participation in governance.

In her remarks, the Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, CBAAC, Aisha Adamu Augie, argued that Nigeria’s democratic system cannot mature without deliberate inclusion and gender sensitivity at all levels of decision making.

Augie called women “architects of development” and urged Nigerian men to open room for women to lead, saying female leadership brings empathy and balance to the democratic space.

Guest lecturer Prof. Aisha Balarabe Bawa, Professor of History and International Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto challenged the National Assembly to “honestly revisit” pending gender-related constitutional amendments and electoral reforms, warning that inclusive governance remains central to national unity.

Prof. Bawa, who spoke on the theme, ‘Local Beats, Global Standards: Nigeria’s Gender Inclusion and Development Implications’, said the commemoration of June 12 must go beyond symbolism and be a call to action for government, policymakers and citizens alike.

“The future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the inclusiveness of its institutions,” Bawa said. “If we want sustainable progress, we cannot treat women’s political participation as an afterthought.”

She added: “A country that offers women a seat at the table is a country that guarantees wider participation, greater legitimacy and lasting progress. The challenge before us is clear: to build a Nigeria in which local democratic seats meet democratic standards.”

Prof. M. B. Yerima, Vice-Chancellor of Sokoto State University, also lent his voice to the campaign, declaring that the era when women were confined to domestic roles was over and that women had proven themselves equal to the task in politics and administration.

Prof. Yerima further asserted that “women are also less corrupt,” urging stakeholders across party lines to create more opportunities for female leadership at the federal, state and local government levels.

The lecture, organised by Sokoto State University in collaboration with the CBAAC, the Effective Governance Research Institute and the Productive Community for Sustainable Development Initiative, PCSDI, also witnessed the launching of a book on Margai written by Dr Odeh Godwin Onuh, Head of Department of History and Diplomatic Studies.

“The dialogue was designed to provide scholars, policymakers, civil society and community leaders a platform to deliberate on equitable representation,” PCSDI Executive Director Nura Bello said.

Some eminent Nigerians such as Senate Minority Leader Patrick Abba Moro was honoured at the event for his contributions on women and youth empowerment.

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The African Democratic Congress, ADC, primary elections are over and attention now turns to who will be the running mate of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku had selected the current Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as his running mate in 2019, and the former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate in the 2023 polls.

Few weeks ago, Atiku emerged as the flag bearer of the ADC after winning the highest votes in the party’s primary election.

He is said to be considering a move to the South-East with names like the Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha mentioned.

In the midst of those speculations, the Director of Politics at Arise News, Sumner Sambo had said Okonjo-Iweala distanced herself from such a move saying she was not willing to abandon her current post as WTO DG for a Nigerian political contest.

On March 1, 2021, Okonjo-Iweala became the first woman and the first African to head the world trade organization as DG of WTO.

She was appointed director-general for her second term in September 2023, and her term expires in 2029.

But Sambo said she had passed her position directly to the Atiku’s camp.

“Okonjo-Iweala is not willing to actually leave a lucrative job as DG of the World Trade Organisation to actually consider that,” Sambo said.

“She has let it be known to them and that is understandable because she has just come back in September last year and she has got tenure that will go for a second term until 2029.”

Emeka Ihedioha

One of the names that dominated is the immediate past governor of Imo State and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Ihedioha, who is also a member of the ADC, is believed to be among those the former Vice President is quietly assessing as his likely running mate.

South South connection with Amaechi

While there are speculations that Atiku is eyeing the Southeast, there are claims that he has extended his searchlight to the South South region.

Atiku is said to be considering another presidential aspirant, the former Minister of Transportation and two-term governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

The ADC presidential candidate met Amaechi in closed door meeting on Monday but details of the meeting were never made public.

But some think it has everything to do with the choice of Atiku’s running mate.

APC chieftain, Eli: Southeast running mate will not get Atiku votes

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Sogbeye Eli, has said that picking a running mate from the Southeast will not earn Atiku many votes in 2027 due to the influence of Obi in the region.

“Atiku has no space for votes from a vice-presidential candidate from both the South-East and South-West,” he said in an interview.

Dele Momodu declares himself Atiku’s running mate

Amid the political uncertainty, a chieftain of the ADC and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu had posted a flyer on his social media page where he was portrayed as Atiku’s running mate.

Momodu wrote alongside the flyer: “The Attraction of Atiku Abubakar/Dele Momodu ticket”, “The right choice for a greater Nigeria.”

Spare tyre will not determine Atiku’s choice of running mate – Aide

Reacting to the speculations, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the ADC presidential candidate would choose his running mate based on competence and not on the usual basis of “spare tyre.”

Speaking with Shaibu said: “It is far too early to speculate on specific regions or individuals regarding the Vice Presidential slot.

“That decision will ultimately be driven by what best serves the national interest and strengthens the mission of rescuing Nigeria.

“What I can assure you is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar knows the great task of leadership. He knows that Nigeria today requires a competent, experienced and capable team.

So I do not expect the selection of a running mate to be based on symbolism or the outdated notion of a ‘spare tyre.’ Nigeria needs a governing team not a sole administrator.

“The Vice President must be someone who can make a significant contribution to governance, policy formulation, economic management, national cohesion and the overall task of rebuilding the country.

“When the time comes, Nigerians will see a decision based on merit, capacity and national interest.”

Atiku’s best option for choosing running mate is from Southeast – Lawyer

A lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, added his voice to the debate, saying if Atiku wants national cohesion and political balance, choosing his running mate from the Southeast is his “strongest option”.

Idam said Atiku may pose a serious challenge to Obi’s presidential ambition if he chooses a running mate from the Southeast.

“If the objectives are equity, national cohesion and political balance in the event of victory, then Atiku’s best choice may be to pick a running mate from the South-East.

“The South-East would need meaningful representation in his administration to make them feel included and part of the nation.

Any northern presidential ticket without a South-East representation is likely to be greeted with criticism and apathy by a large chunk of the South-East electorate.

“Further, if Atiku is serious about challenging the influence of Peter Obi in the region, choosing a running mate from the South-East could be a strategic necessity.

“Without such a move, it may be difficult to secure the constitutionally required spread of votes, including a substantial share from the region in the 2027 elections.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has stated it is fully ready in terms of operations, technology and logistics for the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, 20 June 2026.

The Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN will personally take charge of a final pre-election meeting with critical stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, 11th June 2026.

Nine days to the Ekiti State Governorship Election, Amupitan spoke at the Ekiti State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum, giving a detailed readiness profile and assigning direct responsibilities to political parties, security agencies, the media and civil society to ensure a credible electoral process.

The INEC Chairman said the Commission has a clean, legally verified Register of Voters, now with 1,059,360 registered citizens, up from 987,647 in 2023, after the successful addition of 66,664 new registrants during Phases I and II of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, initiative. He also said ABIS has effectively cancelled 2,103 cases of double registration, which has helped improve the integrity of the voter roll.

The voters will be spread across 16 Local Government Areas, 177 Registration Areas (Wards) and 2,445 Polling Units, and the Commission is targeting the simultaneous activation of all polling units at exactly 8:30 a.m. on Election Day.

Prof. Amupitan confirmed that the Commission’s technological infrastructure will use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, in all the 2,445 Polling Units as the only means of authenticating and accrediting voters. Also, all results at the polling level would be sent directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, IReV for public verification in real-time.

“There will be no bypassing, no exceptions,” the Chairman said firmly, “No PVC, No Accreditation, No Voting.

He also announced the introduction of assistive technologies such as Braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses for people with albinism and for those living with disabilities, saying that equity in electoral access is “a necessity, not an afterthought.”

Prof. Amupitan said INEC in full collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) had carried out detailed threat mapping across the state, identifying localized vulnerabilities such as political thuggery and ballot disruption in some areas. He said all the 2,445 Polling Units have been contacted with the EFCC and the ICPC to protect them from the effect of vote-buying and financial inducement.

“We will defend the ballot box from physical violence and from fiscal contamination,” he said.

The Chairman applauded party leadership for this public display of democratic civility on the Peace Accord signed by all 13 political parties contesting the elections on May 21, 2026, but warned that this gesture must be matched by actual behavior on the ground.

“The value of an accord lies in the good faith of its signatories,” Prof. “Amupitan said. “The Peace Accord is not to be seen as a mere ceremonial formality. Your party officials, your polling agents and your grassroots supporters must commit it to memory and must adhere to its principles.”

“The Commission had accredited 91 media organisations and deployed 675 journalists from print, broadcast and new media, and 98 observer groups from 96 domestic and two international organisations to monitor every aspect of the electoral process in Ekiti State,” INEC Chairman said.

He urged members of the press to report accurately, fairly and with professional integrity, saying their role was constitutional, not merely logistical.

The accredited observer groups were tasked to deploy strictly in accordance with Commission guidelines, to be neutral in conduct and appearance throughout the process, and to present findings with fidelity to fact, while assuring full cooperation with every accredited journalist and observer.

Amupitan contextualised the Ekiti poll within the national picture, revealing that the Commission will also hold bye-elections to the National and State Assemblies on June 20, 2026, in six states, namely: Enugu North, Nasarawa North, Rivers South East and Ondo South Senatorial Districts, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State and Zuru State Constituency in Kebbi State.

“There is no dilution of the institution’s focus,” he assured stakeholders. He said, “The same rigorous operational standards, technological safeguards and stringent security arrangements will be applied for these simultaneous bye-elections as were applied for the Ekiti Governorship Election.

Addressing the gathering, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi, said preparations had gone far, with non-sensitive materials already received and handled according to laid-down procedures. Sensitive materials would be deployed by next week, training of election personnel was ongoing and logistics arrangements were being finalized, he said. “We are in constant engagement with security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and the media,” he said. “Earlier today, the Commission held a meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers.

The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, CP Michael Falade, assured the forum that the Nigeria Police Force and all security agencies were fully deployed and would remain professional and impartial in the protection of voters, candidates and electoral officials throughout the process.

Hon. Adeniji Akinropo Philip, Ekiti State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in a speech on behalf of all political parties, called for peaceful conduct and constructive inclusivity, urging parties to see themselves as members of a common community and not rivals in a winner-takes-all contest. He also urged INEC to ensure a level playing field for all participating parties.

Earlier today, before the Stakeholders’ Forum, Prof. Amupitan led a strategic consultative meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, where he presented the Commission’s full readiness profile and formally enlisted the moral and traditional authority of the royal fathers in the cause of peaceful electoral conduct across Ekiti communities.

At the engagement, the Chairman shared findings from the Commission’s empirical risk mapping, highlighting specific local government areas with high security concerns. Ado-Ekiti, Effon, Ekiti South West, Ikere, Irepodun/Ifelodun, and Oye were marked as vulnerable to political thuggery, cultism and attempted ballot disruption, while Emure, Ikole, Ilejemeje, and Moba were identified as requiring heightened security vigilance due to asymmetric threats including kidnapping. He revealed that 469 polling units were identified within a 500-metre critical radius of these risk locations with synchronised inter-agency deployments being planned to provide robust protection.

The Chairman urged the royal fathers to utilize their traditional authority to call on candidates and political actors in their various domains and remind them that the Peace Accord signed on 21 May 2026 must be respected in every village and ward. “ He also called on the Council to engage the services of traditional town criers, ward chiefs and community channels to mobilise subjects to collect their PVCs and turn out early by 8.30 a.m. on Election Day.

On the menace of vote-buying, Prof. Amupitan directly appealed to the traditional rulers to use their platforms to fight what he described as an ethical contamination of the democratic process.

“The Fountain of Knowledge must lead the nation to show that electoral choices cannot be bought,” he told the royal assembly.

He told the Council that he personally assured that INEC has no candidate in the election, adding that the Commission’s only loyalty is to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the sovereign will of the Ekiti people.

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There was a mild drama at the National Assembly on Thursday as opposition members of the House of Representatives insisted on the declaration of Fred Agbedi as the Minority Leader of the House.

The lawmakers who held a meeting at the lobby said the plenary scheduled for today would not hold unless Agbedi was declared Minority Leader.

In a trending video, the lawmakers were seen chanting “no announcement, no sitting.”

The House is preparing to vote on major constitutional amendments, including the long-anticipated State Police, it was reported.

The protesting members were identified as the G-60 opposition caucus in the House.

Members of the group led by Ikenga Imo-Ugochinyere have endorsed the candidate of Bayelsa State, Fred Agbedi for the position of Minority Leader and Abdusammad Dasuki for the position of Deputy Minority Leader, representing Kebbe-Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State.

The legislators stormed plenary Thursday, calling on the House leadership to address the minority leadership position, which they said would delay plenary proceedings if not addressed.

It would be recalled that the race for emergence of a new Minority Leader of the House had taken different turns in recent weeks following the resignation of Kingsley Chinda from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ikenga Ugochinyere, the member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, had declared interest to the position of Minority Leader of the House, but his bid suffered constant setbacks.

But a peace deal between the G-60 group and the House leadership resulted in Thursday’s demand that Agbedi be named the new Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

The post “No Announcement, No Sitting” – Opposition Lawmakers Demand Swearing-In of Fred Agbedi as Minority Leader appeared first on TheNigerian.

Kenneth Okonkwo, a Nollywood actor turned politician, has accused the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi and some party leaders in the South-East of collecting bribes during the party’s recent primary elections.

Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was reported to have made the allegation during an interview on Channels Television.

He had said he received a “SOS message” from a House of Representatives aspirant in Anambra State alleging irregularities and bribery in the conduct of the NDC primaries.

The former Labour Party chieftain claimed that “whoever votes for Obi and the NDC in 2027 is voting criminality.

Okonkwo named the alleged whistle-blower as Obunike Ohaegbu who, according to him, sought to contest for the Nnewi North and Nnewi South Federal Constituency seat in Anambra State on the platform of the NDC.

He alleged that the aspirant complained that the candidates were duped in the process and made to pay money after they were initially told that only expression of interest forms were needed at the first stage.

The aspirants had said aspirants were assured that nomination fees would only be paid after candidates emerged, according to Okonkwo.

Okonkwo said, “The NDC aspirant sent SOS to me and said that Peter Obi is now the head of the criminality that they were scammed in NDC.

He said Kwankwaso went to his people and made sure that every constituency produced one candidate so that they are not scammed, but Peter Obi told them that all the aspirants should go into the field, and the aspirants were told that they were going to have primaries.

₦10,000,000, ₦20,000,000 Allegation of Bribery
Okonkwo also claimed that the aspirants in the South-East were later asked to pay more before the primaries.

He said House of Representatives aspirants were allegedly asked to pay ₦10m while senatorial aspirants were asked to pay ₦20m.

He said: “Remember that Dickson said once you pay for your expression of interest form, you are not going to pay any money, when you are the one who is nominated, that is when you will pay nomination fees.”

“They all ran into it then Peter Obi and leaders of the South-East, NDC caucus, went and told them that after paying for the expression of interest forms, you must pay ₦10 million bribe for Reps and Senate, ₦20 million.

They all paid, thinking they were the candidates. Then they were told to go for the primary.

Names Supposedly Written In Hotel
The ADC chieftain also alleged that while aspirants were taking part in the primaries, names of candidates were already written elsewhere.

He said Obi was in a hotel at the time when names of preferred candidates were being put together.

“Whilst they were doing the primaries, Peter Obi was in the John Wood hotel writing names of candidates,” Okonkwo alleged.

“The aspirant forwarded me the receipt of the money.”

Okonkwo did not say in the interview if the alleged receipts had been submitted to any law enforcement agency or electoral body.

At the time of filing this report Obi and the leadership of the NDC had not responded to the allegations.

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