Politics
Ondo poll: Akeredolu, Jegede lock horns, Ajayi shuns debate
Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and three other governorship hopefuls on Thursday participated in a virtual debate organised by the BBC News Yoruba and its partners ahead of the state governorship election slated for October 10.
Other candidates present are the Peoples Democratic Party’s Eyitayo Jegede; Dotun Ojon of the Young Progressive Party and Adekunle Adeleye of the African Action Congress.
The candidate of the Zenith Labour Party Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, who is the state’s deputy governor, was absent at the debate.
The candidates dwelled extensively on issues of security, education, health and economy.
The YPP candidate criticised the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Operation Amotekun, and the law that created it, adding, “Those who started it did not really understand it.”
He also said if elected he would create an arm within Amotekun corps to address kidnapping.
But Akeredolu said the YPP candidate was ignorant of the law that created the Amotekun Corps.
Jegede, in his submission, promised to build police stations and army barracks in the localities notorious for crime in the state.
He also pledged to reduce the tuition being paid by students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
Responding to this, Akeredolu said his government had already reduced the tuition, noting that students of the university were paying the same tuition as their counterparts at the Lagos State University.
Politics
2027 Poll: Opposition Alleges Plot to Force INEC to Shift Election Date
2027 Poll: Opposition Alleges Plot to Force INEC to Shift Election Date
Nigeria’s opposition has raised concerns over an alleged plot to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into postponing the January 16, 2027 presidential election, warning against any attempt to alter the electoral timetable over the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council raised the alarm on Wednesday, October 28, through its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
Shaibu alleged that the council had received information suggesting that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and pressured to change the election date.
However, the council did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation, and there was no confirmed indication that such a meeting had been arranged or that the Presidency had formally initiated a process to postpone the election.
The ADC urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reject any attempt to alter the timetable for political reasons, insisting that Nigerians must be allowed to decide the country’s leadership through the ballot box.
“The election date belongs to Nigerians. It must not be rewritten behind closed doors at the Villa,” the campaign council said in its statement.
The opposition group argued that the scheduled poll would provide voters with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance amid persistent concerns over the cost of living, declining purchasing power and economic hardship.
Shaibu warned that the Ebola outbreak must not be used as a pretext for postponing the election, while acknowledging the importance of protecting public health.
READ ALSO:
- Liverpool Survive Chelsea Penalty Drama to Reach Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals
- Tinubu Heads to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, Seeks Allah’s Blessings for Nigeria
- Cocaine Trafficking: Court Denies KC Luxury Bail Over Missing Medical Certificate
He called on health authorities to continue containment efforts and urged INEC to put appropriate measures in place to protect voters, electoral officials and other election workers.
The ADC also called on domestic observers and international election monitors to scrutinise any proposal to change the election timetable. It maintained that any decision to alter the schedule should be made transparently and supported by credible, publicly available health evidence.
The controversy follows comments attributed to Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), who said there was no current public-health justification for postponing the 2027 general election because of the outbreak.
Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has also cautioned against postponing the election or cancelling political campaigns because of Ebola concerns.
The allegations have added to growing political sensitivity surrounding preparations for the 2027 general election, particularly questions about electoral independence, public health and the need to maintain confidence in the democratic process.
INEC’s published election calendar lists January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
As of the latest reports, the alleged plan to pressure INEC remained an opposition claim that had not been independently substantiated. Any decision concerning the election timetable would therefore need to be assessed against official announcements and verifiable evidence, rather than political allegations alone.
2027 Poll: Opposition Alleges Plot to Force INEC to Shift Election Date
Politics
2027: APC Chieftain Boasts Tinubu Will Defeat Atiku Even in His Polling Unit
2027: APC Chieftain Boasts Tinubu Will Defeat Atiku Even in His Polling Unit
The Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ali Bukar Dalori, has predicted that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will lose his polling unit in Adamawa State to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Dalori expressed confidence that Tinubu would defeat Atiku in Adamawa and other states across the North-East, dismissing the former vice-president’s political influence in the region as insufficient to derail the President’s re-election bid.
The APC chieftain made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during the graduation ceremony of women trained under the Tinubu-Shettima Village-to-Village campaign initiative.
Responding to questions about whether Atiku, who hails from Adamawa State, could pose a serious challenge to Tinubu in the North-East, Dalori said the ruling party was confident of winning support even in the former vice-president’s immediate political stronghold.
“I don’t think that Atiku can disrupt the North-East. Why? Even Adamawa, his hometown, he will not win, even at his polling unit. I will assure you of that,” he said.
Dalori attributed his prediction to his experience as a grassroots politician and his understanding of the political dynamics in the region.
He argued that the APC’s electoral prospects would be strengthened by federal infrastructure projects, the party’s political structures and the influence of Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who hails from Borno State.
READ ALSO:
- Awujale Succession: Abiodun Promises New Ijebuland Monarch Before May 29, 2027
- Spain Train Crash: Death Toll Hits 68 as Two High-Speed Trains Collide
- Bauchi Police Rescue 18-Year-Old Woman From Mob After Stabbing Husband
Among the projects he cited were the Gombe-Bauchi and Bauchi-Maiduguri roads, the Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala corridor linking Nigeria with Chad, and sections of the Maiduguri-Biu road.
According to Dalori, the continuation of these projects could improve connectivity, stimulate economic activities and strengthen public support for the Tinubu administration.
He maintained that voters would consider the government’s policies and development projects when deciding which candidate to support in 2027.
Dalori also highlighted Shettima’s political connections in the North-East, expressing confidence that the Vice-President’s presence in the administration would help mobilise support for Tinubu, particularly in Borno and neighbouring states.
The APC leader further defended the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange regime. He described the measures as necessary steps towards stabilising public finances and repositioning the economy, while acknowledging that the policies had generated concerns over the cost of living.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, won Adamawa State and secured substantial support in the North-East. Tinubu won the presidential election despite losing several northern states to opposition candidates.
Atiku is now the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), positioning him for another contest against Tinubu, who is seeking re-election.
Dalori’s comments come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with the North-East expected to remain a key battleground.
At the same event, the National Coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Village-to-Village campaign, Ambassador Farida Musa Jauro, pledged to mobilise more than one million votes for Tinubu across northern Nigeria.
Jauro said the initiative would use grassroots engagement and political sensitisation to encourage support for the President’s second-term bid.
The event also featured the graduation of 1,000 women who had undergone vocational training sponsored by Jauro. Organisers urged the beneficiaries to use their skills to establish businesses, join cooperatives and improve their livelihoods.
Dalori’s prediction remains a political claim ahead of the election, with the actual outcome to be determined by voters in 2027.
2027: APC Chieftain Boasts Tinubu Will Defeat Atiku Even in His Polling Unit
Politics
“I Won’t Slap Wike’s Son, I Won’t Kick Seyi Out — But Tinubu MUST Go!” Fayose Explodes
“I Won’t Slap Wike’s Son, I Won’t Kick Seyi Out — But Tinubu MUST Go!” Fayose Explodes
Abuja — Isaac Fayose has fired back at critics in dramatic fashion, declaring he will neither slap Nyesom Wike’s son nor kick President Bola Tinubu’s son Seyi out of his presence — but insisting with equal fury that the President must be voted out in 2027.
The businessman and younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose ignited a firestorm after photos surfaced of him hanging out with Seyi Tinubu and Joaquin Wike, son of the FCT Minister. Critics immediately accused him of betraying the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Fayose, however, refused to back down. In a video posted on his Facebook page, he threw a rhetorical punch at his accusers: “Tinubu must go. Wike is a land grabber. That doesn’t mean that Wike’s son will come and greet me and I will slap him. Or President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi, will come and greet me and I will kick him.”
He doubled down on his loyalty to Obi, declaring: “I campaigned for Obi. Do you know how much I spent on the last election? I still support Peter Obi. I still want Tinubu out of power.”
The controversy exploded after Fayose posted a photograph with Joaquin Wike, calling the minister’s son his younger brother. The image set social media ablaze, with users questioning why a self-proclaimed “101% Obidient” supporter would be seen with the family of a top APC figure.
It is not the first time Fayose has faced such backlash. In July 2026, a video showed him alongside Seyi Tinubu and socialite Cubana Chief Priest at an Abuja gathering where prayers were offered for the President and Nigeria. Fayose dismissed the meeting as a private social visit, not a political endorsement.
The latest storm underscores the fever-pitch sensitivity in opposition circles as political actors jostle for position ahead of the 2027 presidential contest. Fayose insists he is drawing a clear line — political allegiance on one side, personal courtesy on the other — but his critics are not buying it.
As of press time, neither the NDC nor Peter Obi’s camp has issued an official statement.
“I Won’t Slap Wike’s Son, I Won’t Kick Seyi Out — But Tinubu MUST Go!” Fayose Explodes
-
metro2 days agoCancelled Wedding: Man Sues Ex-Fiancée’s Father Over Unpaid ₦70,000 Dowry
-
Auto2 days agoCar of the Year, other top honours up for grabs as NAJA Awards race begins
-
metro3 days agoMassacre in Taraba: Death Toll Soars to 48 as Fleeing Villagers Drown in Desperate Escape
-
metro3 days agoSchool Bus Driver Turns Kidnapper, Collects ₦503,000 Ransom, Rapes 14-Year-Old Delta Student
-
Sports2 days agoKANE ENDS 25-YEAR WAIT! England Captain Wins 2026 Ballon d’Or After Stunning 73-Goal Season
-
metro3 days agoIKEDC Blames National Grid for Two-Week Power Crisis in Ishaga, Oke-Ayo
-
metro2 days agoNigerian Navy Recruitment 2026: October 31 Deadline, Full Requirements and How to Apply
-
metro2 days agoEFCC Busts Four Illegal Lithium Plants in Ogun, Arrests 14 Chinese Nationals
You must be logged in to post a comment Login