Politics
APC, PDP attack Jega over rejection advice to electorate
The All Progressives Congress and opposition Peoples Democratic Party have come hard on erstwhile Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for advising the electorate to reject both parties in the next general elections in 2023.
While the APC warned Jega to desist from attacking the party as part of his schemes to polish his political career, the PDP said comparing the party with the APC was a big disservice to the nation.
Jega, in an interview with BBC Hausa, warned Nigerians against reelecting the PDP and APC into office in subsequent elections, citing their alleged failure to bring development to the country in the past 20 years.
While the PDP ruled the country from 1999 till 2015, the ruling APC took over power in 2015.
In a statement on Monday, Kola Ologbondiyan, national publicity secretary of the PDP, described the comparison by the former INEC boss as unpardonable disservice to Nigeria.
“Trying to compare the incompetent and decadent APC to the highly productive and development-oriented PDP is an unpardonable disservice to our nation and calls to question the sense of judgment of Professor Jega,” Ologbondiyan said.
“It is indeed unfortunate that Prof. Jega, as a professor of political science, could portray an ignorance of the manifest contrasts between the robust fortunes of our nation under the PDP and the wasteland she has become under the APC.
“Perhaps the Professor needs to be reminded of how the PDP worked hard to revamp our nation’s economy, paid off our huge foreign debts and went ahead to grow the economy to become the largest investment hub in Africa as well as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with Fitch B+ rating; only for the APC to wreck the economy and turned our nation into the world poverty capital and a debtor country in a space of six years.
“Prof. Jega must also be reminded how the PDP reinvigorated the private sector with new businesses and employments springing up in critical sectors of telecoms, aviation, agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, education, retailing, hospitality, healthcare and banking among others.
“Today, under the APC and Buhari, these gains have been wrecked with massive closure of businesses, which saw over 60 million Nigerians losing their means of livelihood, with alarming 33.3 percent unemployment rate and over 82.9 million more and about 25 million families not being able to afford their daily meals as our country ranks 98th out of 107 in Global Hunger Index, due to the obnoxious policies of the APC and President Buhari.”
The PDP national publicity secretary added that the PDP stabilised the economy, but the APC wrecked it.
“We invite Professor Jega to note how the PDP ran an all-inclusive and transparent administration that guaranteed freedom of speech, equity, fairness as well as free and fair elections, which he attested to; and how the APC, had been running a massively corrupt, insensitive, divisive and exclusionist administration that has destroyed our national cohesion and turned our nation into a battle field,” he said.
“As professor of political science, Prof. Jega ought to know that while the PDP is an ideologically based political party, the APC is just a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) operated on the basis of deception and that is why it has failed in all ramification and now fizzled in the eyes of the law.”
Ologbondiyan added that Nigerians are already coming to terms with the “failure” of the APC and would hesitate to vote the ruling party in 2023.
The APC in its statement signed by the National Secretary of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, said, “Our attention has been drawn to an uncontrolled, wrong and untenable political outburst by a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega in which he lumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), together with the failed People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“While the PDP failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians as a government and opposition party, the APC is thriving, healthy and assiduously cleaning the massive mess left behind by the PDP which failed to deliver democratic dividends to the people of Nigeria after being in charge of the country for 16 years.
“While Professor Jega is right about the PDP, a party under which he served as the Chairman of the nation’s election management body, we reject his comparison of the APC with the PDP.
“Professor Jega got his facts wrong and mixed up in his baseless comparison of the PDP with the APC.
“While we do not intend to join issues with Professor Jega, we encourage him to engage in genuine scholarly research and come up with evidence-based conclusions on the progressive orientation of the APC.
“It is however instructive to note that having recently abandoned his academic pursuit and blindly plunged into the arena of PDP’s brand of politics, the erstwhile electoral umpire as a politician can make such political statements occasionally while trying to launch his political career in a mushroom political party.
“The APC is a strong, united, popular and focused political unit. Hence, the Professor should note the political lesson that maligning the APC would not provide him with a springboard to achieve his desires. Nigerians are wiser and remain the ultimate judges.”
Politics
Align With Wike or Lose Gokana, APC Chieftain Warns Gov Fubara
Align With Wike or Lose Gokana, APC Chieftain Warns Gov Fubara
The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-South, Hon. Victor Giadom, has advised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to align politically with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, if he hopes to record any meaningful political success in Rivers State.
Giadom gave the advice on Tuesday during Wike’s “thank you” visit to Gokana Local Government Area, where political leaders and supporters gathered to reaffirm their loyalty to the former Rivers State governor.
Describing Nyesom Wike as a dependable leader and the dominant political force in Rivers State, Giadom assured the minister of the unflinching support of the Gokana people, stressing that no rival political structure exists in the area.
“I guarantee, on behalf of my brothers, that the Gokana people are for Wike and Tinubu, and nobody will challenge Wike’s influence in Gokana,” Giadom said.
He added, “Gokana is a no-go area for anybody, even Governor Fubara. For him to win anything in Gokana, he must pass through Wike.”
Similarly, former Senator representing Rivers South-East, Sen. Magnus Abe, said the people of Gokana had already made their political choice, firmly aligning with Wike and President Bola Tinubu.
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“Wike is a leader that unites, and that is why we are united. If you follow Wike, you will not go home empty-handed,” Abe stated.
“The Ogoni people are with you. Please tell President Tinubu not to bother coming to Gokana to campaign — we are already for him.”
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Dumle Maol, pledged continued loyalty to the FCT minister.
“Anywhere you go, we will go,” Maol said.
Earlier, the Chairman of Gokana Local Government Council, Mr. Confidence Deko, pledged total support for Wike, attributing the people’s loyalty to his developmental contributions to the area.
“This local government is for you because of what you have done for us,” Deko said.
“Please tell President Tinubu that the people of Gokana appreciate him. The time for payback is near, and we will do the needful.”
In his response, Wike said the visit was to appreciate the people of Gokana for their sustained support and goodwill over the years.
He commended their unity, particularly in backing President Tinubu, noting that unity remained the foundation for progress.
“When you are united, good things will come,” Wike said, urging residents to remain patient and continue to listen to their leaders for guidance at the appropriate time.
The FCT minister further assured the people of his continued partnership with them, revealing that members of both the APC and PDP in Rivers State were united in support of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“That is why you see PDP and APC members here,” Wike said, describing the alliance as a broad-based political collaboration aimed at advancing development in Rivers State and across the country.
Align With Wike or Lose Gokana, APC Chieftain Warns Gov Fubara
Politics
Ekiti 2026: PDP Accuses INEC of Bias Over Exclusion of Governorship Candidate
Ekiti 2026: PDP Accuses INEC of Bias Over Exclusion of Governorship Candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias following the exclusion of its governorship candidate from the list of contestants for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, the PDP described the omission as further evidence of what it termed INEC’s “biased disposition” against the party.
According to the PDP, INEC was duly notified of its governorship primaries, monitored the exercise, and subsequently issued reports confirming that the process complied with electoral laws and democratic standards.
The party said INEC later released nomination portal codes for the submission of candidates’ details but allegedly blocked the PDP’s access to the portal days before the submission deadline.
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As a result, the party said it resorted to manual submission of its nomination documents at INEC’s office, adding that the commission acknowledged receipt of the documents.
The PDP maintained that INEC ought to have exercised caution by including the name of Oluwole Oluyede, whom it described as its duly nominated governorship candidate, noting that there was no contrary submission challenging his nomination.
“There was no court order restraining INEC from recognising our candidate, and the commission’s own monitoring report attests to the validity of the primaries,” the statement said.
The party further disclosed that it has commenced legal action to compel INEC to include its candidate on the final list for the election.
“While we undertake this long and tortuous legal route, we once again remind INEC of the expectations of Nigerians that the commission must remain independent, impartial, and neutral in the management of the electoral process,” the PDP stated.
The party warned that actions perceived as undermining electoral integrity could damage democracy and public confidence in the commission.
Ekiti 2026: PDP Accuses INEC of Bias Over Exclusion of Governorship Candidate
Politics
Kano APC Woos Governor Abba Yusuf Amid NNPP Crisis
Kano APC Woos Governor Abba Yusuf Amid NNPP Crisis
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has formally invited Governor Abba Yusuf to defect to the ruling party, urging him to join in the interest of unity and development in the state.
The invitation was disclosed on Tuesday by the Kano APC chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, who spoke on behalf of the immediate past APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Abbas said the call for Governor Yusuf to join the APC was driven by the need for reconciliation, unity, and collective progress in Kano State.
“The APC is ready to receive Governor Abba Yusuf with open arms so that, together, we can combine our strengths for the progress of Kano State,” Abbas said.
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The planned defection of the governor has reportedly deepened divisions within the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), on whose platform Yusuf was elected in the 2023 governorship election.
Sources within the party say the move is strongly opposed by the NNPP national leader and political benefactor of the governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who is said to be against Yusuf joining the APC.
Abbas assured that upon his formal defection, Governor Yusuf and other NNPP stalwarts would be received into the APC under the leadership of Dr Ganduje, in what he described as an atmosphere of mutual respect and collective responsibility.
He added that the APC remains committed to building a more united, stable, and prosperous Kano State, regardless of political affiliations.
Kano APC Woos Governor Abba Yusuf Amid NNPP Crisis
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