29-Year Kwankwaso Ally Who Swore on Qur’an Defects to APC

Kabiru Adamu Abdullahi, a long-time ally of Kwankwasiyya leader and Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice-Presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing nearly three decades of “failed promises” within the opposition party.

Abdullahi, who had previously sworn on the Qur’an to affirm his loyalty to Kwankwaso after parting ways with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, announced his resignation from the NDC in a letter addressed to the ward party chairman of Kofar Ruwa Ward in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State. In his resignation letter, Abdullahi said his decision was prompted by what he described as “failed promises” within the NDC, adding that he would now support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid under the APC. “I have been with Kwankwaso for 29 years but have only benefited from failed promises. I will go to where I will be respected more,” Abdullahi said. He thanked the NDC for the opportunity to serve but announced his immediate exit from the party.

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The defection carries particular political weight given that Abdullahi had previously taken an oath on the Qur’an to declare his loyalty to Kwankwaso, a gesture that followed his earlier split from Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. The move signals growing discontent within the movement’s inner circle ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive election season. Kwankwaso was ratified as the NDC’s presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, alongside Peter Obi as the party’s presidential flagbearer, having resigned from the African Democratic Congress earlier that month on May 2, 2026. Abdullahi’s departure adds to the political pressures facing the NDC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The defection comes against the backdrop of deepening internal tensions within the NDC. Reports indicate that Kwankwaso has been embroiled in disputes over candidate selection in Kano State, with party officials accusing him of attempting to dominate party structures and control the nomination process. Under a power-sharing arrangement brokered when Kwankwaso joined the NDC, his Kwankwasiyya movement was allocated 60 percent of the party’s Kano structure, with the original party leadership retaining 40 percent. However, the agreement has reportedly collapsed, with allegations that all nomination forms for elective positions in Kano were taken by Kwankwaso’s loyalists, leaving long-standing party members without access. The NDC leadership in Kano subsequently replaced several Kwankwasiyya-nominated candidates, a move that was rejected by Kwankwaso, who has threatened to leave the party if the changes are allowed to stand. However, the party’s National Publicity Secretary has denied claims of a possible exit by Kwankwaso, describing them as “unfounded and politically motivated”.

29-Year Kwankwaso Ally Who Swore on Qur’an Defects to APC

Osun Governorship: Accord Party Faction Withdraws Support for Adeleke, Endorses APC’s Oyebamiji

Christopher Imumolen, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Accord Party who describes himself as a factional national chairman, has withdrawn his support for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and declared his backing for Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, just two days before Saturday’s crucial election.

Imumolen made the declaration on Thursday at the grand finale of the APC governorship campaign rally in Osogbo, the state capital. He claimed that his faction’s National Working Committee had resolved to step down support for Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the Accord platform, and urged all Accord members in Osun State to vote for Oyebamiji, popularly known as “AMBO”. “As the national chairman of the Accord Party, with my working committee, who are all here, we have stepped down our support for Ademola Adeleke, and today we declare our support for AMBO,” Imumolen said at the rally. “Come on Saturday, all Accord members in Osun State should go to the polling units and vote for AMBO”. The endorsement came just a day after the Accord Party suspended its planned mega rally for Wednesday, August 12, citing internal crisis and inability to mobilise members across the state. Imumolen had also withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race last week and announced his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for re-election, saying his decision was driven by the need to prioritise national unity, stability and continued development over his personal political ambition.

However, the endorsement is complicated by an ongoing leadership dispute within the Accord Party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially recognises Maxwell Mgbudem as the party’s national chairman, and Mgbudem has firmly backed Adeleke’s re-election bid. The Accord Party has dismissed Imumolen’s declaration, describing him as a “political hireling and hustler” with no political structure capable of influencing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election. In a statement, Mgbudem said Imumolen’s appearance at the APC rally in Osogbo showed he was no longer a member of Accord, adding that “there is no faction” within the party. “That Imumolen attended the APC rally in Osogbo where he backed its candidate is a glaring testament that he is not a member of Accord and does not represent the party in any capacity,” Mgbudem said. The party also rejected the description of Imumolen as a “factional chairman,” insisting that such an appellation was “not only mischievous, it is a delusion of the grandeur that exists in his fertile imagination”. “Imumolen has no electoral value to influence any election in the country,” the statement added.

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The Adeleke campaign council quickly dismissed Imumolen’s declaration, describing him as a “fake entity” and “impersonator” whose endorsement does not represent the party’s official position. In a statement, the Imole Campaign Council insisted that Mgbudem “is solidly behind Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election and continuity in Osun State”. The campaign council described the APC rally as an attempt to create a misleading impression ahead of the election, accusing the opposition of “recruiting a fake entity” to promote false narratives.

At the APC rally, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said the APC was “on the verge of victory” and urged Osun residents to join the 31 states already governed by the party. “Vote AMBO, vote prosperity, vote Osun for the state to be prosperous. We 31 state governors are in the state in solidarity and to welcome the state to the fold of the progressives,” Uzodinma said. Oyebamiji, a former Osun State Commissioner for Finance and former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), pledged to run a people-oriented administration focused on improving residents’ welfare and delivering tangible democracy dividends. “Our government that will be elected on August 15, 2026, will be a government of the people, and we will stand on your mandate,” he said. “No dance anymore, but strict governance”. Also present at the rally, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and APC leader in Osun State, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, urged voters to support Oyebamiji, describing him as “tested and trusted” with a track record that distinguished him from other candidates.

The Osun State governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 15 candidates now cleared by INEC to contest, following the addition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Dr Francis Olugbenga Ajala, after a court order. Over 2.3 million registered voters are expected to participate across 3,763 polling units and 332 wards. The main battle is expected to revolve around Adeleke, Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam, a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly. Salaam, who holds a doctorate in political science, has also promised to deploy smart surveillance technology and establish a N1 billion women enterprise fund if elected. INEC has listed Mgbudem as the Accord Party’s recognised national chairman, lending official weight to the party’s continued support for Adeleke. The Accord Party has expressed confidence of victory, describing Osun as an “Accord stronghold” and urging INEC and security agencies to remain neutral and professional. The party further alleged that the APC, fearing electoral defeat, had resorted to what it described as violence, harassment and intimidation, as well as the use of federal institutions including the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to suppress the Osun government and Accord members. Accord called on the international community, including the European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, the United States and the United Kingdom, to monitor the election.

Osun Governorship: Accord Party Faction Withdraws Support for Adeleke, Endorses APC’s Oyebamiji

Osun Election Tension: Lawyer Urges Davido to Apologise to Okpebholo Over WAEC Result Troll

A legal practitioner and author, Timothy Tugbiyele, has called on Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, to tender a public apology to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo over a social media post that displayed the governor’s alleged West African Examinations Council (WAEC) result. Tugbiyele made the call in a now-trending video originally uploaded on Facebook on Monday while commenting on the ongoing political exchanges ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election. The controversy has added another layer of tension to an already heated political season, with supporters of both governors trading barbs on social media platforms.

The controversy began when Okpebholo, while campaigning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, mocked Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke—Davido’s uncle—over his well-known love for dancing. The Edo governor said, “Before somebody signs paper, he will dance. Are you not tired? For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he takes breakfast, before he drinks tea, he will dance.” Hours after the governor’s remarks, Davido responded on his verified social media platform by posting what he described as Governor Okpebholo’s WAEC result alongside the governor’s photograph. The document circulating online contained several low grades, including D7 and E8 in some subjects, though its authenticity has not been independently verified, and there has been no official confirmation from WAEC or Governor Okpebholo regarding the certificate. The alleged examination result ignited intense reactions across social media, with many users mocking the governor over the purported grades, while others challenged Davido to also publish Governor Adeleke’s academic credentials if he was genuinely interested in public accountability. One X user, @seguntoogun, wrote: “Davido should post his uncle Ademola Adeleke’s WAEC result too, make we compare.”

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Reacting to the development, Tugbiyele said Davido should not have responded personally to the governor’s remarks, explaining that he watched a video when Governor Okpebholo called the governor of his state, Adeleke, the dancing governor, and the governor’s relation, David Adeleke, replied by publishing the WAEC Secondary School leaving result of Governor Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State. According to the lawyer, although Okpebholo’s alleged result may not have been impressive, it should not have been used to ridicule him, noting that the result is not good enough, but it is possible that the governor did a resit, and they were not aware of that. He maintained that Davido’s publication was inappropriate and crossed a line that should not have been crossed in political discourse. Tugbiyele argued that Governor Adeleke could have responded to his Edo counterpart through official channels instead of allowing Davido to engage him directly, stating that Governor Adeleke would have replied his contemporary governor, or caused one of his workers, maybe a commissioner of information or a special assistant, to reply, not Davido.

The lawyer also stressed that Davido and Okpebholo occupy different positions and should therefore not engage each other on the same level, insisting that David Adeleke and the governor of the state are not in the same social class, not of the same status, and not in the same class. Describing Davido’s post as disrespectful, Tugbiyele appealed to the singer to apologise, saying he thinks what Davido did is disrespectful and he will plead with him to exercise some humility and apologise. He recalled seeing photographs of Davido prostrating before elders, describing him as a well-brought-up Yoruba man who should demonstrate humility and respect for elders, having seen his pictures in time past prostrating, and noting that he is a properly well-brought-up Yoruba boy. Tugbiyele rejected the argument that the exchange should simply be viewed as part of normal political rivalry, stating that he has heard it said by one of the political leaders that everything is fair in politics, but when you are fighting below the belt, when you are insulting, when you disrespect elders, that is not fair in politics. He urged older people and Davido’s elders to caution the singer, adding that political disagreements should not become personal attacks, and emphasised that one does not disrespect elders. He added that Okpebholo should apologise to the governor, noting that he is not saying what Okpebholo did was right to disrespect his uncle, but it should not be an eye for an eye.

The lawyer further argued that poor academic performance at one stage of a person’s life should not be used to define their achievements, drawing from his own experience to illustrate his point. He shared that he had also obtained results that were not good enough but was encouraged by his father, who never called him a dullard and continued to encourage him. He added that Governor Okpebholo had a result that was not good enough but is governor today, and all of that bad result is in the past, concluding that politics does not really have to go to that extent. The controversy comes amid heightened political activity in Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, with Davido openly supporting Adeleke’s bid for a second term and actively campaigning for his uncle, urging voters to reject violence and intimidation, while also calling on President Bola Tinubu to ensure a free and fair election. The political exchange has also drawn in Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, who predicted Adeleke’s defeat and urged Davido to prepare to sign his uncle as a full-time dancer. Tugbiyele concluded by directly appealing to the singer: “Davido, David Adeleke, please, as a proper Yoruba, please apologise to Governor Okpebholo. God bless you, David. God bless Nigeria.”

Osun Election Tension: Lawyer Urges Davido to Apologise to Okpebholo Over WAEC Result Troll