Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric, has said that politics in the South-West geopolitical zone of the country is based on an irrational fear of Muslims and Islam.

He also wanted to be exempted from “dirty local politics” in the zone, following the controversy generated by his visit to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The cleric made his position known on Tuesday in a Facebook post amid reports that the abductors of 46 schoolchildren and teachers in the Oriire local government area of Oyo State on May 15 had demanded the implementation of Sharia law in the state as one of the conditions to release the captives.
But one of the victims in a video released by her captors Monday vigorously debunked the report of the implementation of the Sharia.

Mrs Rachael Folawe Alamu, who spoke from captivity, said the armed gunmen made no demand for Sharia nor ransom payment of N1 billion as reported in some quarters.

They only asked for the release of their comrades who were in the hands of the Nigerian authorities, she added.

Also, a major Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), debunked the alleged Sharia demand in a press statement on Monday.

Reacting to MURIC’s statement, Gumi said, “I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics.

“I was in Ibadan not on invitation of any SW Muslim individual or group but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.

“Is there anybody that can stop me going anywhere in Nigeria?

Some people have weird thoughts!

“I think that the whole saga is tele-guided by both foreign and local interests to promote a narrative and polarise the country.”

The post Islamophobia Influencing Politics in South-West — Sheikh Gumi appeared first on TheNigerian.

Prior to the 2027 election, Solomon Dalung, a former minister of youth and sports, disregarded President Bola Tinubu’s political prowess.

Tinubu, he said, is the least serious presidential contender.

According to reports, Dalung made this claim during an interview with media personality Seun Okinbaloye.

According to the former minister, Tinubu’s followers make up no more than 14% of Nigerians.

“I don’t see Tinubu as serious as you are presenting him,” he remarked. With all of his tactics, President Tinubu in 2027 is the least serious person because he is underestimating the explosion that his party is about to experience. They have protected him to such an extent that he is living in his own universe and receiving support from social media.

If I’m being completely honest, 14% of Nigerians favor Tinubu. Can you show me where Tinubu will win if we capture the United States? There isn’t any.

“The APC, NDC, ADC, and PDP will engage in combat in Lagos. In 2023, he lost. If Tinubu had learned any lessons, he would have realized that allowing insecurity to grow hunger and dissatisfaction is creating your political grave as a politician. As a result, he would be defeated more severely than what occurred in 2023.

The post Tinubu Being Shielded, Detached From Reality — Dalung appeared first on TheNigerian.

Prominent human rights lawyer cum activist, Dele Farotimi, has said Nigeria has never enjoyed true democracy but only had a performative shadow of a democracy.

Farotimi’s comments were said to have been made during an interview on News Central Television.

Farotimi criticised Nigeria’s electoral process and the judiciary, saying some political office holders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and ex-Senate President Ahmed Lawan, should not have emerged.

He said many Nigerians are too obsessed with the presidency and don’t see the deeper structural problems that exist within the political system.

“Nigeria has never had real democracy,” he said. We’ve only ever had a performative democracy.

“When you are looking at the presidency, you forget about the emergence of people like Godswill Akpabio and Ahmed Lawan that came out of the Senate when they were not qualified to contest.

“They were specifically disqualified by provisions of the Electoral Act. But they ended up in the Senate, and the court approved it.”

Farotimi also accused the judiciary of abandoning its constitutional role as an impartial arbiter, saying it had become an instrument for legitimising actions that should not have been allowed under the law.

“Often political actors act first and then turn to the courts to validate their actions,” he said.

“So that you had a situation where our judicial system has become an instrument for working from the answer to the question. “They do it first and then they find a way for the judiciary to endorse what has already been done.

“The judiciary no longer exists to decide on the basis of law and equity. It is there to justify what should never be done.”

The post Farotimi: Nigeria Has Only Experienced a Performative Version of Democracy appeared first on TheNigerian.

Dr. Allen Idaso Ezekiel-Hart, an aspirant of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the Rivers State governorship primary election, has rejected the exercise.

The primary election was a shambolic charade, orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to impose a preferred candidate, Ezekiel-Hart said.

The aspirant, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, alleged that the primary produced three different governorship candidates for the ADC in Rivers State, warning that the development could throw the party into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections if the national leadership does not intervene.

“Presently, we have three governorship candidates in one party, and this is because of Amaechi’s high-handedness,” Ezekiel-Hart alleged.

He also alleged that while the party’s official timetable had fixed the governorship primary for May 23, aspirants were suddenly told Friday night that the exercise had been brought forward.

“While I was mobilising supporters in the 23 local government areas ahead of the scheduled poll, a fellow aspirant, Farah Dagogo, told me that a parallel exercise had earlier been conducted without my knowledge today (Thursday).

Ezekiel-Hart said only five aspirants believed to be loyal to Amaechi were invited by the state party chairman, the Chief Chukwudi Dimkpa, apart from himself and Dagogo.

He called the process a “kangaroo arrangement” allegedly designed to pave way for Gabriel P. Thompson who he said has been long installed as Amaechi’s preferred candidate.

He alleged that three aspirants were persuaded to withdraw for Thompson in a consensus arrangement camouflaged as a consensus arrangement despite the party’s public claim that there would be no consensus candidate.

He also disclosed that Dagogo had later come to him with the suggestion that they should team up to fight what he described as “Amaechi’s camp”. However, he said, Dagogo also allegedly asked him to publicly congratulate him as the winner.

He told me to go on air and congratulate him that we are from Atiku Abubakar’s political family and should unite. I told him to stop rubbishing Atiku’s name Atiku will not be in this nonsense,” said Ezekiel-Hart.

He alleged that Dagogo had even offered him political bribe, including possible appointment as Secretary to the State Government, if he endorsed his self-declared victory.

Ezekiel-Hart said he rejected the offer and later declared himself winner after Dagogo had earlier publicly declared himself winner.

‘As it is, Farah declared himself winner, Thompson was declared winner by the state exco, I also declared myself winner. Three winners in a primary that never happened. “That cannot be,” he said.

Ezekiel-Hart alleged that the Rivers ADC leadership had been systematically sidelining him, saying he was the only aspirant that notified the party in writing of his intention to contest and with documented acknowledgement from the party secretariat.

The former governor also accused Amaechi of trying to replicate what he termed a long-standing culture of political imposition.

“How can someone who is demanding transparent presidential primaries in the country turn around and impose a governorship candidate in Rivers?” he asked.

Ezekiel-Hart further alleged that the former minister had not explained his political role in the 2015 presidential transition that ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“He owes the South-South apology for what he did to Jonathan and mortgaging the political future of this region.”

Ezekiel-Hart urged the ADC National Working Committee to immediately cancel the controversial exercise and conduct a fresh primary or adopt a consensus arrangement in line with the electoral timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The most pragmatic approach at this point is for the NWC to call for a rescheduled primary or to push through a lawful consensus option. He suggested, “Time is running out.

Similarly, Ezekiel-Hart cautioned Dagogo against the continuous mention of Atiku’s name to strengthen his case.

He should stop dragging Atiku’s name in the mud in Rivers. “Let me tell you, Atiku is our father, nobody should be saying that he is imposing a candidate here.”

“We will exhaust every legal channel within the party,” he said. “We will pursue all grievances strictly within the framework of the party constitution. “I am not going to rock the boat unnecessarily but the party has to recognise that I won the primaries.”410

The post Rivers ADC Guber Primary: Aspirant Accuses Amaechi of Imposition, Claims Three Winners Emerged appeared first on TheNigerian.

The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko says all the “allegations and false narratives” used to demarket the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi are gradually being exposed.

The allegations, Tanko said, were propaganda aimed at distracting Nigerians from electing politicians with “competence, accountability and good governance.”

“Even respected northern voices and independent investigators who took out time to properly examine many of these accusations have openly clarified that several of the claims against His Excellency Peter Obi were either distorted, exaggerated or outright false” the Obidient Movement Coordinator said in a post on his official X handle on Sunday.

His words: “Obi’s record in public office has continued to speak louder than sponsored blackmail.”

“The truth will always win over propaganda. Nigerians are becoming more enlightened, more conscious and more determined to support leaders with verified competence, integrity and genuine concern for the nation,” he said.

The post Yunusa Tanko: Allegations and False Narratives Against Peter Obi Being Exposed appeared first on TheNigerian.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 20, 2026, as the date for the conduct of a bye-election for the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency seat in Kano State following the death of the lawmaker, Muhammad Danjuma who represented the constituency in April 2026.

State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango who disclosed this to journalists in Kano on Wednesday.

He said a total of 143,675 registered voters in Warawa Local Government Area have collected their Permanent Voter Cards. In Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, a total of 162,445 voters have registered and collected their voter cards in 15 wards, he said.

“The commission will work closely with security agencies, especially the police to ensure adequate security during the election as security concerns are emerging in parts of the constituency,” Zango said.

“We are bringing in security agencies to ensure peaceful and credible conduct of the election across affected areas,” he said.

The INEC official also said Kano still remains the state with the highest number of completed voter registrations in the country.

The post INEC Fixes June 20 For Kano Federal Constituency Bye-Election appeared first on TheNigerian.

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has been granted bail for 100 million naira with one surety in the same amount by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to reports, the potential surety must dwell in either the Maitama or Asokoro areas of Abuja and present the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry, according to Justice Abdulmalik’s judgment on Monday.

The court further ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant with a minimum Grade Level of 17 and must present proof of salary payments for a minimum of three months.

A letter from the surety’s bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction will verify these documents.

In addition, the court mandated that the surety sign an affidavit of means, sign a bail bond, and provide the court registry with a recent passport photo.

El-Rufai must deposit all valid foreign passports with the court as part of the bail requirements. He must also produce a tax clearance certificate covering the previous six months and a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department.

In addition, until the case is decided, Justice Abdulmalik mandated that the defendant appear at the Department of State Services headquarters by 10 a.m. on the final Friday of every month to sign the attendance register.

The judge issued a warning that bail would be automatically revoked for noncompliance.

The defendant was also ordered by the court to provide a letter of attestation from the Kaduna Traditional Council Chairman.

The post Court Grants El-Rufai N100 Million Bail appeared first on TheNigerian.

There are strong indications that political activities within Benue State may be entering a new phase following a directive issued by the camp of Hon. Chief Dr. Philip Agbese, popularly known as Okanga 1 of Agila.
In a brief but strongly worded internal communication made available to supporters, the federal lawmaker, widely addressed as “The Enone Servant,” ordered an immediate withdrawal of all supporters and media aides from social media engagements until further notice.
According to the directive, all online political activities including posts, comments, debates, and reactions have been suspended as the camp begins what it described as a “thorough assessment of the situation on ground across all political parties in the state.”
The statement emphasized that strict discipline and full cooperation are expected from all loyalists during the period of silence.
Political observers believe the development may not be unconnected to the growing political realignments and strategic consultations currently taking place ahead of future political battles in Benue State.
The announcement has already sparked discussions across the Enone political bloc, with many supporters interpreting the move as a sign of deeper consultations and possible strategic repositioning by the camp of the lawmaker.
Hon. Agbese, who represents the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, has remained one of the most influential political figures in Benue South in recent years, commanding strong grassroots support across the Enone axis.
While no timeline was given for the suspension of online activities, insiders say the directive is expected to remain in force pending the outcome of ongoing political assessments and consultations.
Supporters have meanwhile been urged to remain calm, loyal, and disciplined as events continue to unfold within the state’s political environment. See less

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The Executive Director of Development Specs Academy, Okey Ikechukwu, has described the defection of the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, to the Allied Peoples Movement (APC) as a conspiracy to split Southern votes in the 2027 general elections.

It was recalled that Makinde on Thursday officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform APM.

He also launched the Reset Nigeria Movement and a campaign website to mobilise the country.

Ikechukwu, who was reacting to the development during an interview on ARISE Television’s ‘Prime Time’ programme, faulted the total destruction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Makinde’s defection to the APM is a ploy to split the southern votes,” he said. Well, before we go into whether it’s a multi-party system, there’s one issue.

The problem is the complete annihilation of the PDP. The factionalization is so severe that you can’t tell which is the PDP right now.

“Makinde can go to the moon and back, Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister and his group can deploy all they have for the election, but one thing that is obvious is that the PDP will not be a force nationally.

“They aren’t going to be particularly impactful and could end up not running a candidate in 2027. And if they do come up with a candidate, it will be to split the vote.”

The post 2027: Seyi Makinde’s Alleged Defection To Allied Peoples Movement Described As “Conspiracy” By Ikechukwu appeared first on TheNigerian.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the federal authorities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately release the embattled former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

In a statement, Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said it was cruel, unjustifiable and deeply troubling that El-Rufai is being held in detention at a time when Muslims across Nigeria are preparing for the holy Eid al-Kabir celebrations.

He said the development was a disturbing assault on civil liberties, democratic decency and the rule of law and expressed serious concern at the use of state power to intimidate perceived political opponents.

His words: “El-Rufai’s ordeal in the history of Tinubu’s government is worrisome, politically provocative and completely contrary to the principles of justice, democracy and elementary human decency.

“As millions of Muslims across Nigeria and the world prepare to celebrate Eid Kabir, a sacred season of sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness and family reunion, it would be unconscionable for any government to weaponise state power in a manner that denies a citizen his liberty without just cause, especially in circumstances that raise legitimate concerns about political persecution.

“Mallam El-Rufai is a Nigerian citizen and entitled to all the protections available under the Constitution including his rights to dignity, liberty and due process, irrespective of any political differences or changing alliances.”

“The Federal Government and the Kaduna State authorities must learn to accept that selective justice is an injustice. “The true test of any democracy is not how it treats its friends, but how it treats its enemies,” he said.

Recall that El-Rufai was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

He sought bail at arraignment but the ICPC opposed his application in court.

The post Atiku Abubakar Demands Immediate Release Of Nasir el-Rufai, Urges Bola Tinubu And ICPC To Act appeared first on TheNigerian.