Politics
Defection: APC NWC to welcome Shaibu next week
Defection: APC NWC to welcome Shaibu next week
–It’s not true, I’ll sink, swim with Obaseki —Shaibu
Following his differences with Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, will join the All Progressives Congress, APC, next week, barring unforeseen circumstances.
The party’s National Working Committee, NWC, will receive him early next week, a high-ranking member of the ruling party at the centre, disclosed on condition of anonymity.
However, Shaibu’s flight into the APC appears to be facing turbulence on account of the stance of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who declared, yesterday, that the party is not a rehabilitation centre for distressed politicians.
Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the APC, and a two-term governor of Edo State, handed over to Governor Obaseki. As APC chairman, he denied Obaseki and Shaibu the party’s re-election ticket, which forced the duo to join the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which gave them tickets and they won re-election in 2018.
Meanwhile, Shaibu has distanced himself from the move to the APC, which he described as another lie from the pit of hell, insisting that he would sink and swim with Obaseki.
This came as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, restated its August 4 order halting the alleged plot to impeach Shaibu as deputy governor and deferred the matter till August 22 for hearing.
Shaibu’s decision to return to the APC, which was predicted by political analysts, followed his move to the Federal High Court to seek an injunction against an alleged impeachment plot against him.
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Governor Obaseki had, however, said the move by Shaibu to seek a court order to stop his purported impeachment was preemptive, ahead of his defection to the APC.
Shaibu’s defection confirmed
Politics
Aiyedatiwa Sacks All Political Aides, Plans 1,000 New Appointments
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.
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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
Politics
Court Sacks Turaki-Led PDP Executives, Orders Security to Back Wike Camp
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.
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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
Politics
Wike Mocks Peter Obi, Says He ‘Ran Away’ From Labour Party Crisis
Wike Mocks Peter Obi, Says He ‘Ran Away’ From Labour Party Crisis
Abuja, Nigeria — Federal 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.”
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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
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