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 National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Seriake Dickson, has called on the party chieftains to call their supporters to order.

Dickson reportedly made the call at a meeting of NDC stakeholders in Abuja on Thursday.

He was talking about the recent criticism of the party and said that they would not allow anyone to spoil somebody’s image in the party.

“I don’t understand why some people are trying to tarnish the image of NDC and why their leaders can’t call their supporters to order for God’s sake.

“When they came in, we accepted that we’re going to be partners and build this platform together. They are our flag bearers, all of us will support them through the general elections and bring Nigerians the government they deserve.

“We are not going to allow anybody to destroy anybody’s image when you have just come into the party and we have done everything for you,” Dickson said.

Dickson meanwhile said the party’s presidential candidate Peter Obi was free to choose his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso without interference.

Dickson revealed this during an NDC stakeholders meeting on Thursday, GhanaWeb reports.

The NDC, he added, gave Obi the presidential candidate without asking for a dime from him.

Dickson wondered what the Obidients, Obi’s supporters want from him and the party.

We did not deny Obi the presidential ticket and we even allowed him to pick his vice presidential candidate without interference from the party. What else do people want ?

“I will have no problem giving the presidential nomination to them. And like I said last night, nobody asked them for money. Not me, not national chairman.

“At this time, we should be working together to ensure victory at the polls come 2027 and I think we can do it,” he said.

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The 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, is set to dump the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following negotiations between the two camps.

The reports said talks are at an advanced stage and a final meeting is expected to be held to decide the outcome of the talks.

Musa Ungogo, the ADC Chairman in Kano State, confirmed that talks were ongoing, adding that the move was initiated by Gawuna and not the party.

“The story going round that the ADC approached Gawuna is not true. It was Gawuna who came to us. He sent a delegation to meet us and we have been in talks since then,” Ungogo added.

Ungogo said the representatives of Gawuna included former Kumbotso Local Government Chairman, Sagir Fanshekara and Hon.

The delegation met the party leadership and submitted several demands, he revealed.

One of them is the call for the adoption of Gawuna as the ADC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The delegation also called for political accommodation for some of Gawuna’s loyalists interested in State House of Assembly and National Assembly tickets.

Ungogo said Gawuna’s camp proposed a consensus arrangement, with other governorship aspirants stepping down for him.

“They came with a number of requests. One of their major demands is that Dr Gawuna should be the party’s governorship candidate. They also requested opportunities for some of their supporters who are interested in the state assembly and National Assembly tickets,” he said.

“They told us that even if the party settled for primaries, aspirants should step down for him because he is said to have political strength in several local government areas and has the capacity to lead the party to victory.

“They requested for a consensus arrangement and also requested that the other aspirants support him,” he said.

The party will take a decision after it receives a formal written submission on all the demands, the ADC chairman added.

“We asked them to give us a written document with all their requests in it. They were also required to state the positions they are seeking and the local government areas where they have interests.

“We have another meeting scheduled for today. “We will make our position known and will study the document carefully when we get it,” he said.

Ungogo said no agreement had been reached despite the ongoing talks.

Consultations are continuing. Nothing has been decided yet. “We want a solution that is acceptable to all the stakeholders and beneficial to the party,” he said.

A close aide of Gawuna also confirmed that consultations were on-going but did not give further details.

I am not his spokesman, nor am I authorised to speak on the matter. “What I can say is that the consultations are ongoing,” the source said.

This is the latest development after Gawuna left the APC and later joined the NDC with Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement months ago.

On his defection to the NDC, Gawuna got the Kano Central senatorial ticket, while the party settled for Aminu Gwarzo as its consensus governorship candidate.

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A lawyer in Enugu State, Aroh Dominic, has warned the national leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, not to declare candidates for elective positions in the state, citing irregularities in the party’s primary elections.

It said the warning comes amid increasing controversy over the results of the NDC primaries held last week. The spotlight is now on the party’s national secretariat which is expected to come out with the final list of candidates.

Aroh, who wrote on behalf of an NDC member, Idoko Chidozie, alleged in a letter to the National Chairman of the party that no primary election was held in Nsukka and Igbo-Eze South Local Government Areas for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship positions.

Party members had gathered at designated venues in both local government areas expecting to participate in the primaries but no party officials turned up to conduct the exercise, the lawyer said.

He said there are aspirants and supporters of the party, but there are no party officials to conduct a valid primary election.

Others later organised separate exercises which officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the police and other relevant agencies reportedly said would not be recognised, Aroh also alleged.

The lawyer said if the party tries to announce candidates for the affected posts, it would be taken to court.

He also accused the party of parading candidates when it was alleged that it did not conduct primaries in the two local government areas.

It demanded an explanation from the party within 24 hours and warned of legal action in the event of the demands not being met.

Among the reliefs being sought are the refund of monies allegedly paid by aspirants, sanctions against those responsible for the alleged irregularities and an order preventing any beneficiary of the process from being recognised as a candidate.

The NDC national leadership has however not authenticated any list of successful candidates from Enugu State.

A faction of the party in the state, led by Dr. Johnpaul Anih, had earlier released a list of winners after the primaries, while another faction is led by Ibuchukwu Obetta. Neither list has received official endorsement from the national leadership.

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Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has said the former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, cannot be trusted.

He made the claim on Arise Television on Tuesday.

Oborevwori stated that they had earlier seen Omo-Agege exit, adding that he never consulted anyone.

Omo-Agege had recently left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after losing the senatorial primary election.

Reacting, the governor said: “We knew about his exit, and that was why he was not serious in the context of the primaries, because he never consulted anybody, he never consulted me, he never called leaders.

“APC is a big party, so his exit is not a threat to us.

“President Bola Tinubu is my biggest project and we of Delta are solidly behind him. The delta people have been deceived before, but not anymore.

“I can categorically tell you that no Delta person will vote against Tinubu. So we are not worried about anyone leaving our party.”

Oborevwori vows Peter Obi will not win Delta State in 2027 election Meanwhile, Oborevwori has vowed that the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi will not win Delta State in the 2027 election.

The governor was quoted as saying this during an appearance on Arise Television Tuesday.

He stated that Obi would not win the state again during the 2023 election.

Oborevwori said Obi’s performance in 2023 was as a result of the support of the Christian community and non-indigenes especially members of the Igbo community.

But he said his administration had enhanced its relationship with the Igbo community in the state and was confident that they would support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming elections.

“It’s not that the Igbo community voted against me in the governorship election, they have been working with my administration in the interest of the state,” he said.

“The religious leaders who supported my political move to APC prayed for the success of the decision and will continue to support the party in future elections, Oborevwori also said.

He said that the factors that aided Obi’s victory in Delta in the 2023 presidential election have been addressed, adding that he does not expect a repeat in 2027.

He said: “First and foremost, the Igbo community in Delta State that did that in 2023 they never did it during my election and we are on the same page.

“I’ve told them vote party this time. Because of the love they have for me, they will not vote candidates, they will vote party.

“I have that confidence they will vote APC.

There are two factors that happen the other time, the Christian community and the Igbo, the non indigenous, but I’ve been able to manage them. The Igbo and I are collaborating for the benefit of the state.

“I also believe that what happened that time will not happen again.

“This is because the religious leaders, before I move into the APC, we notified them to pray for us. So you can’t swear and pray. They have prayed.

“So when the time comes for election, I will still go back to them, say, “fathers of faith, when I moved the other time, you prayed for us. “Pray again that we shall be victorious, that we may succeed.” That’s all there is to it.

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The Labour Party (LP) has selected ex-council boss, Hon. Juliana Obetta Princess as its deputy governorship candidate for the upcoming Benue State governorship election.
This was just 48 hours after the party had selected its governorship candidate Mathias Byuan.

Hon Obetta, a grassroots politician and former executive chairman of Okpokwu LGA of the state, has carved a career in community development and political mobilization.

She is highly active in grassroots politics and community engagement and served in president Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organization.

While addressing newsmen at the party’s secretariat along the Otukpo road in Makurdi during the unveiling of the deputy governorship candidate, Byuan said the candidate was elected unanimously by party members in the state.

“We have worked very closely with party stakeholders in the state and today, they have all agreed that Mrs. Julie Obetta is the candidate for first female governorship candidate and by the grace of God, she will be the first female deputy governor of Benue State in 2027.”

The governorship candidate said the selection of the deputy governorship candidate was part of the party’s agenda to have women participate in governance in 2027.

Byuan promised that if given the mandate, the party would turn the state from civil service to industrial state.

Reacting, Hon Obetta said she was humbled by the honour of being the first female deputy governorship candidate of the party and promised to mobilise the large number of Benue women to vote for the party.

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Mrs Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, a presidential aspirant of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) for 2027, has resigned from the party and called for a refund of her presidential nomination fee.

Her resignation was based on the party’s failure to conduct a free and fair primary election, it was reported.

She resigned in a letter to the party’s National Chairman.

The former DLA chieftain said the party’s decision to settle for a consensus candidate was worrying and harmful to its growth.

“I am writing to inform you, and by way of you the National Working Committee, of my resignation as a member of the Democratic Leadership Alliance with immediate effect from the date of this letter.

I do not resign in defeat. I resign because I am not allowed a fair contest, and I will not lend my name to a process that has abandoned its own rules.”

Busari-Akinnadeju urged the party to confirm receipt of her resignation and refund the fee she paid for the presidential nomination form.

She continued: “I respectfully request the following: written confirmation of receipt of this resignation; a refund of the presidential nomination fee I paid, consideration for which, a fair and lawful primary, the party has not provided.

‘I also request the return of any personal documents, records or materials of mine that remain in the possession of the party or any of its officers.

She thanked party members around the country who backed her political work, saying they were not responsible for her decision to leave.

“I thank members of the party across the country for giving their time and hope to the work we shared. They have signed up for the right reasons. “They are not the reason for this decision and they deserve so much better than the behavior of those who now lead them,” she said.

Busari-Akinnadeju said that her commitment to the 2027 presidential race and the “Dare Nigeria” agenda remained strong.

“My commitment to the 2027 presidential race and the Dare Agenda, and to the millions of Nigerians who have answered the call of #DareNigeria, is undimmed and is, in fact, strengthened by what I have witnessed,” she added.

I will continue that work on a platform that deserves it.

“Nothing that has taken place in recent weeks has altered my conviction. “It has only proven why the change I am running to bring is needed.”

The Ondo-born aspirant said she committed her time and resources in the party because she believed it would offer a credible platform for leadership in 2027.

But the party’s management of its internal process had proved otherwise, she said.

“The record is clear, and I state it here for the record so that it will not be forgotten.

“A party that cannot hold a fair primary among its own aspirants cannot credibly promise a fair country to its citizens,” she said.

Busari-Akinnadeju is from Akungba Akoko in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

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Osa Director, the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, says no aspirant should be denied the opportunity to participate in the party’s primaries in any part of the country.

The Director who made the statement today said all aspirants that scaled through the screening process have been properly cleared and are therefore qualified to participate in the primaries.

He said any attempt by any state chapter or party official to stop a duly cleared aspirant from participating in the exercise is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

He added that the NDC continues to be a progressive and people-centred political party that is committed to the principles of accountability, transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.

The spokesman cautioned that it is not acceptable for any arm of the party’s administrative structure to act against the core values and guiding principles.

“The NDC’s Screening and Selection Committees have been informed of reports alleging that some aspirants are being prevented from partaking in the ongoing party primaries across the country.

“We want to make it clear and categorical that all the aspirants that scaled through the screening process have been cleared and therefore qualified to contest the primaries.

“Therefore, all party members and officials at all levels are directed to ensure that the primaries are conducted in a peaceful, transparent and strictly in accordance with the constitution, guidelines and regulations of the party.

“Primaries for the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections will hold in all parts of the country on May 29, 2026.

“Aspirants are further advised to note that, aside from the State Assembly primaries, which will hold within the respective constituency areas, all other primaries shall hold at the local government level as earlier communicated by the party,” the statement read.

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The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has declared that candidates wishing to run for president in 2027 on the party’s platform can no longer purchase Expression of Interest forms.

However, the party extended the time from May 17 to May 24, 2026, for gathering Expression of Interest forms for Senate, State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and governorship positions.

Ikenna Enekweizu, the party’s national secretary, reportedly confirmed the incident in a statement released on Monday in Abuja.

The statement states that candidates who have purchased and filled out their Expression of Interest Forms will be screened starting on Tuesday and finishing on May 26.

Additionally, the party said that all candidates who have been inspected and cleared would have their nomination forms collected and returned starting on Wednesday and ending on May 26.

The NDC urged all candidates to closely adhere to the party’s rules and schedule, warning that no more extensions will be given after the revised deadline.

“All candidates are advised to strictly adhere to the stipulated timelines, as no further extension shall be granted beyond the approved deadline,” the notification stated.

All candidates were instructed by the party to show up for pre-qualification interviews and screening at specific locations around the nation.

It stated that candidates must bring pertinent documentation, such as curriculum vitae, voter identification cards, passport photos, birth certificates or declarations of age, and NDC membership cards.

The party further said that six copies of each submitted document are required.

The NDC clarified that the electorate’s preferences, local quirks, candidates’ ability, competence, and character would all be taken into consideration throughout the screening process.

It further said that the party’s affirmative action policy for women, young people, and people with disabilities will also be taken into account by the Screening Committee.

In order to foster unity and lessen internal divisions before to the elections, the party also urged candidates to embrace consensus-building.

It emphasized that only candidates who passed the screening process would be qualified to buy nomination forms.

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Kevin Chinedu, a Nigerian skit maker who goes by the names Kevinblak or Governor Amuneke, has said that members of a political party offered him money to change the content of his funny skits that make fun of politicians and government.

Kevinblak talked about this in an interview on ARISE Television’s show, where he talked about the stress that content creators face when they use humor to hold public officials accountable.

Governor Amuneke said he was asked to come to Abuja at a time when he was very vulnerable, right after his wife had a C-section and he was having trouble with money.

The comedian said that even though he was under a lot of financial stress, he turned down the offer and stuck to his values.

He said, “Members of a political party offered me money to change my content.” They told me they were going to change my life and that I was making a lot of money, but I was only getting pennies. They said that my coworkers are in the game and all that.

“I had a lot of bills to pay, and then I heard, “Come to Abuja; let’s change your life.” Dollars and dollars.

“I looked at it and said, “No, I’m who I am.” I’ve been here for a long time and have never done anything illegal. I’ve never been somewhere where I was doing something because I was being influenced or because of money.

“If I want to do it, it should be something I want to do.” It is what it is, you know.

Kevinblak also refused to name the party, saying only that it was “Amuneke’s party,” which is a reference to the made-up political figure in his skits. He also warned against trying to figure out who it was in public.

He said, “Don’t say names, trust me, don’t say names.”

When asked if friends had pushed him to take the money, Chinedu said that his close friends were just as principled and had also been asked and said no.

He said, “I don’t have friends who are easily overwhelmed by money.” I know people who have principles because they have thought about them and acted on them. So, we always talk about that.

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