APC sweeps Niger LG polls as tribunal begins hearings on election petitions - Newstrends
Connect with us

Politics

APC sweeps Niger LG polls as tribunal begins hearings on election petitions

Published

on

APC sweeps Niger LG polls as tribunal begins hearings on election petitions

The Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) has officially declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of all 25 chairmanship seats in the recently concluded local government elections held last Saturday across the state.

In addition to the chairmanship sweep, the APC secured 271 out of 274 councillorship positions, leaving the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with just three seats in Tafa and Rafi Local Government Areas.

In a statement issued in Minna and signed by NSIEC’s Commissioner for Operations, Barr. Mohammad Liman, the Commission confirmed that the elections were conducted successfully in all 25 local councils. Liman noted that collation and declaration of results were completed by Returning Officers in accordance with electoral laws and operational guidelines.

“After a thorough review, the Commission ratified the results and confirmed the election of candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in all chairmanship positions,” the statement read.

NSIEC added that Certificates of Return will be presented to the elected officials in due course.

READ ALSO:

Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, has inaugurated a 12-member election tribunal to hear petitions arising from the polls. During the ceremony, she urged tribunal members to uphold the highest standards of integrity and resist political influence.

“Please, do not disappoint us. Do not betray the confidence reposed in you,” she cautioned. “You should protect yourselves from politicians because you have a name and the integrity of the judiciary to protect.”

Justice Abdulmalik emphasized that all proceedings are time-bound under the state’s electoral laws, reminding members that the tribunal has 90 days to hear and dispose of all matters, while the appellate division has 60 days.

“The courts have no discretion to extend time,” she stressed. “Avoid technicalities—the era of technical justice is long past.”

The sweeping victory by the APC is expected to spark political reactions, especially from opposition parties and civil society groups monitoring the electoral process. With the tribunal now in place, attention will shift to the legal challenges and scrutiny of the conduct of the elections.

As Niger State moves forward with its new local government leadership, stakeholders are calling for transparency, accountability, and peaceful resolution of any disputes arising from the polls.

APC sweeps Niger LG polls as tribunal begins hearings on election petitions

Politics

Aiyedatiwa Sacks All Political Aides, Plans 1,000 New Appointments

Published

on

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa
Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa

Aiyedatiwa Sacks All Political Aides, Plans 1,000 New Appointments 

Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has terminated the appointments of all his political aides, including Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs), in a bold move aimed at enhancing governance efficiency and deepening service delivery. The decision was announced in Akure by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Monday.

According to the statement, the sack affects all political appointees serving under the governor, who was elected in 2025. The governor thanked the outgoing aides for their service and wished them well in their future endeavours. The mass disengagement comes amid a broader effort to strengthen administration at the grassroots level, ahead of the 2027 elections.

To replace the dismissed aides, Governor Aiyedatiwa announced plans to appoint about 1,000 new political aides drawn from all 203 wards across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State. These new aides are expected to serve as community liaisons, administrative support officers, and coordination aides, improving citizen engagement and service delivery throughout the state.

READ ALSO:

Resignations Ahead of APC Primaries

In line with INEC regulations for electoral participation, several political appointees have submitted resignation letters to pursue elective offices in the 2027 general elections. These include:

  • Hon. Gbenga Omole, Special Adviser on Transport
  • Hon. Fadairo Oluwafemi, SSA on Community Engagement (Central)
  • Dr. Olusegun Victor Ategbole, Chairman, Ondo State Hospital Management Board
  • Engr. Razaq Obe, Director General, Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PPIMU)
  • Hon. Adeola Fynch, Secretary, Akure South Local Government, effective March 20, 2026

Notably, Hon. Adeola Fynch resigned to contest for the Akure South Constituency 1 seat in the State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. Resignations were formally tendered through the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti.

Implications for Governance

Observers say the shake-up reflects Aiyedatiwa’s intent to broaden representation, strengthen local governance, and inject fresh capacity into the state administration. By recruiting aides from every ward, the governor aims to enhance grassroots engagement and ensure efficient delivery of public services.

Analysts, however, caution that integrating a large number of new aides may require significant orientation and coordination to maintain continuity in governance and policy implementation.

This sweeping restructuring highlights the government’s focus on accountability, community involvement, and electoral compliance, positioning Ondo State for stronger administrative performance in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.

Aiyedatiwa Sacks All Political Aides, Plans 1,000 New Appointments 

Continue Reading

Politics

Court Sacks Turaki-Led PDP Executives, Orders Security to Back Wike Camp

Published

on

Kabiru Turaki and Nyesom Wike

 Court Sacks Turaki-Led PDP Executives, Orders Security to Back Wike Camp

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened significantly after a Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a decisive judgment that reshapes the party’s leadership battle.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik barred the Kabiru Turaki-led faction from accessing the PDP national secretariat and declared the party’s controversial Ibadan convention null and void.

The court held that the convention, conducted in Ibadan between November 15 and 16, 2025, violated existing court orders and contravened the provisions of both the PDP constitution and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

According to the judgment, the convention breached Section 287(3) of the Constitution, which mandates strict compliance with judicial decisions. Justice Abdulmalik emphasised that no political group or institution is above the law, declaring that all resolutions, leadership appointments, and decisions reached at the gathering are “null and void.”

The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any outcomes from the invalidated convention. This effectively strips the Turaki-led executives of any legal authority within the PDP.

READ ALSO:

In a related directive, the court ordered security agencies—including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services—to ensure that the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has unhindered access to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The suit was filed on November 21, 2025, by Mohammed Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu, who identified themselves as interim national chairman and secretary of the party. Backed by Wike’s camp, they challenged the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention and sought to stop the Turaki faction from acting on behalf of the PDP.

Delivering her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik also invalidated disciplinary actions taken during the convention, including the suspension and expulsion of party members loyal to the plaintiffs. She described those moves as unlawful and carried out in defiance of subsisting court orders.

The court stressed that political parties must operate within their constitutions and obey judicial rulings, warning that any attempt to undermine the rule of law threatens democratic stability.

With this judgment, the Wike-aligned faction appears to have gained a significant legal advantage in the ongoing PDP leadership crisis, although the Turaki camp may still challenge the decision at the appellate courts.

The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for the opposition party as it navigates internal divisions ahead of future political contests.

 Court Sacks Turaki-Led PDP Executives, Orders Security to Back Wike Camp

Continue Reading

Politics

Wike Mocks Peter Obi, Says He ‘Ran Away’ From Labour Party Crisis

Published

on

Former Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate Peter Obi AND Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike
Former Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate Peter Obi and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike

Wike Mocks Peter Obi, Says He ‘Ran Away’ From Labour Party Crisis

Abuja, NigeriaFederal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has sharply criticised former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, accusing him of lacking leadership courage and commitment to manage internal party crises. Wike’s remarks came during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2026 National Convention held at Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Addressing delegates, Wike drew a parallel between Obi’s defection from the Labour Party and the recent departure of some PDP governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Leadership is not an easy task. Leadership requires courage. Leadership requires firmness. Leadership requires commitment,” Wike said. “When crisis came in the Labour Party, it was time it was required for him to show leadership. He ran away because he could not solve problems.

READ ALSO:

Wike criticised both Obi and the defecting PDP governors, claiming they had shown a fundamental absence of the qualities required to lead during challenging political moments.

“The presidential candidate of the Labour Party was given a platform to pursue his ambition. But when challenges arose, he abandoned it. The same thing applies to some governors who ran away when crises emerged,” he added.

Obi’s Political Realignment

Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election behind President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, officially left the Labour Party in 2025 and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Since then, he has become a key figure in a growing opposition coalition that includes Atiku, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, all positioning to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Wike’s comments highlight the intensifying political rivalry within Nigeria’s opposition and reflect ongoing debates about leadership, loyalty, and party realignment as the country prepares for its next election cycle.

Wike Mocks Peter Obi, Says He ‘Ran Away’ From Labour Party Crisis

Continue Reading
HostArmada Affordable Cloud SSD Shared Hosting
HostArmada - Affordable Cloud SSD Web Hosting

Trending