Politics
Ekiti 2022: Oni’s ambition suffers setback as Fayose, Olujimi settle rift
The governorship ambition of former governor of Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni, may have suffered setback as the two contending groups in the People’s Democractic Party (PDP), the Osoko Political Assembly led by former Governor Ayo Fayose and another (Repositioning Group) led by the Senator representing Ekiti South, Biodun Olujimi have resolved not to support his ambition.
Our reporter was told that the two groups reasoned that Oni just returned to the party from the APC and he was not part of the Ekiti PDP Congresses and litigations, and therefore does not have any structure to support his ambition.
“Having failed to realize the governorship ambition in the APC that he decamped to eight years ago, he can’t come to the PDP to reap where he did not sow,” the source said Oni was told at the Lagos meeting.
The Fayose and Olujimi led groups have settled their rift and are said to have now resolved to support any candidate from either of their groups.
Credible source disclosed to our reporter that following the directive of the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and other leadership of the party, a seven-man committee, comprising of Fayose and two persons from his group as well as Olujimi and two persons from her group met in Lagos last Monday. Oni was said to have been allowed to attend the meeting as an observer.
The Monday meeting was aftermath of the stakeholders meeting held in Abuja on December 20 and 21, 2021, in which it was established that there were only two groups in the PDP in Ekiti State.
The source said that at the Lagos meeting, the two groups said in his (Oni) presence that “he is on his own as far as his governorship ambition is concerned.”
The PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in the 2018 election, Hon Deji Ogunsakin and former House of Reps member, Hon Segun Adekola represented the Fayose group in the meeting while former Senator, Duro Faseyi and Otunba Yinka Akerele represented the Olujimi group.
“Fayose and Olujimi have resolved to work together and they have already put machineries in motion to bring all their supporters together and back whoever emerges as candidate from the aspirants in their two groups.
“This was also reiterated in the meeting with stakeholders, held in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, December 30, 2021. The meeting was attended by selected members from the two groups, with Oni and other aspirants in attendance,” the source said.
A former House of Assembly member, Hon. Olawale Onigiobi told our reporter that the coming together of Fayose and Olujimi appeared to have unsettled Oni’s camp in the last 48 hours.
Onigiobi said “they have embarked on campaign of calumny to the extent of generating letter on behalf of a faceless APC group to the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni, insinuating a working alliance between Fayose and Governor Kayode Fayemi.
“Also, they have been circulating series of negative write ups, accusing Fayose and Olujimi of working in alliance with Governor Fayemi and the APC.
“In other words, only those in Oni’s camp, most of who only returned to the party from the APC last year are desirous of victory for the PDP. Fayose, Olujimi and others that they met in the party do not want PDP to win. What a way to campaign for a party governorship ticket!
“Won’t PDP field a candidate who can win the Ekiti governorship election if he (Oni) had remained in the APC? And if Fayose and Olujimi are enemies of PDP as being painted, who then will PDP rely on to win the governorship election? Is it only Oni? And why did he not get the APC ticket in 2018 if he was that popular?”
Senator Olujimi, reacting in Ekiti PDP General WhatsApp platform said; “Just stumbled on this. I hope fmr Gov Oni is reading and taking notes. I don’t know where these faceless writers from the dark are coming from. Where were they when we started the movements? Do they know the pains we’ve been through? Are they aware of the issues? Do they think the folly on our faces are deeply entrenched in our being? Are we subservient to these vile writers? We kept the party alive, that’s why people can come and make aspiration their main focus. Some of us are quiet, not because we don’t know what to say or Commission stupid write ups, but because of our belief in the unity of the party.
“I laugh hard when I hear one person is the only one that can win! Some of us have been around long enough to tell the real stories. We are just decent and circumspect.”
Our reporter however gathered that a meeting will be held in Abuja tomorrow, January 3 where report of settlement between the two groups will be presented to the party leadership. The meeting was earlier fixed for December 29, 2021, but was shifted to January 3.
Meanwhile, Oni in his reaction, dissociated his campaign structures from the emerging campaigns of calumny and blackmails geared towards the governorship polls later in 2022.
Oni stated that he had no rift with the leading PDP leaders in Ekiti State, ex-Gov Fayose and Senator Olujimi, and therefore would not engage in campaigns inimical to PDP chances in the coming polls.
He noted that “At the meeting in Abuja, I apologised to Gov Fayose for any personal ill-feeling that he must have experienced based my relationship towards him and he stood up to embrace me. The interpersonal issues are over. We have put that behind us.
“My respect for Senator Olujimi is intact, and I enjoy a cordial relationship with her. She has done well for our state and the country at large.
“ I urge members of my team and supporters to campaign reasonably. Whoever wins all of us will support. We will also ensure that all the various people participate in government. We must stop abuses and play mature politics.”
Vanguard
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Politics
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
Student leaders from tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, promising to mobilise students across campuses in support of his candidacy.
The declaration was made in Kaduna at the inauguration of the Students’ Wing of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a support group created to coordinate student mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The organisers said the students’ position was influenced by policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration, particularly in education, student financing, skills development and youth empowerment.
The coordinator of the A4A Students’ Wing and President of the Bayero University Kano Students’ Union Government, Abdulmudallib Sheriff, said the students’ support was intended to translate into an organised mobilisation network rather than remain a symbolic declaration.
Sheriff cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) among the federal government programmes that informed the students’ position, saying the scheme had provided financial support to students facing difficulties funding their tertiary education.
He also pointed to government initiatives in technical and vocational education, skills acquisition and youth development as areas the student leaders considered relevant to young Nigerians.
According to the organisers, the A4A Students’ Wing plans to build a coordinated structure capable of reaching students in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the northern region.
The Kaduna inauguration was attended by student union leaders and representatives of tertiary institutions from different parts of Northern Nigeria.
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Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, who addressed the gathering, urged the student leaders to base their political engagement on policies and verifiable records rather than personal attacks against political opponents.
Sani highlighted areas including education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and technical and vocational education, while drawing attention to programmes such as NELFUND and federal TVET initiatives.
The student endorsement comes amid increasing political mobilisation across Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.
Several groups in the region have recently announced support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, including organisations representing Muslim women scholars, preachers and Da’wah leaders. Other groups representing communities and youth interests in the North have also held meetings and launched mobilisation activities ahead of the election.
A separate group representing Igbos living in the 19 northern states and the FCT has also expressed support for Tinubu and pledged to mobilise voters for his re-election.
The growing activity reflects efforts by political support groups to build grassroots structures well ahead of the 2027 poll, with youth and student voters expected to remain an important constituency for political parties and candidates.
The Tinubu administration has made NELFUND one of its prominent education initiatives. The programme provides loans and related financial assistance to eligible Nigerian students in tertiary institutions, with the government presenting it as part of efforts to reduce financial barriers to higher education.
The administration has also promoted technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of its broader youth skills-development agenda.
However, the endorsement announced in Kaduna represents the position of the participating student leaders and organisations. It does not necessarily reflect the views of all students, tertiary institutions or young people across Northern Nigeria.
The political development also comes as opposition groups and presidential aspirants intensify their own mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 election.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition political actors are building structures across the country, while presidential contenders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, are also seeking support ahead of the election.
The student leaders backing Tinubu said their immediate focus would be to extend the A4A Students’ Wing to more campuses and strengthen its mobilisation network across the North.
Their declaration adds to the growing series of political endorsements and campaign activities taking place ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as competing political groups seek to attract young voters and build support at the grassroots.
Ultimately, the endorsement remains a declaration by the participating student organisations, while individual voters will make their choices through the electoral process.
2027: Northern Students Back Tinubu, Pledge Campus-to-Campus Mobilisation
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Politics
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar seven days to serve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a suit challenging his eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order after granting an application for substituted service, allowing Atiku and the ADC to serve the President through his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, was instituted by Atiku and the ADC against Tinubu, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku is asking the court to determine whether Tinubu is qualified to participate in the 2027 presidential election based on allegations concerning an NYSC discharge certificate allegedly submitted to INEC.
According to the plaintiffs, the disputed certificate bears the name “Tinubu Bola Adekunle”, which they contend raises questions about its authenticity and its connection with the President. Atiku’s case also alleges that the document was presented to INEC as genuine and raises questions about information contained in the electoral documents submitted by Tinubu.
The allegations remain claims before the court and have not been established by a final judgment.
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The plaintiffs are relying on provisions of the 1999 Constitution relating to the presentation of forged certificates to INEC. They are seeking, among other reliefs, orders that would prevent Tinubu and the APC from participating in the 2027 presidential election on the basis of the allegations contained in the suit.
The latest ruling followed a procedural dispute over how the President should be served with the court processes.
When the matter came up earlier in September, Atiku’s lawyers told the court that they had been unable to personally serve Tinubu. Although counsel representing Tinubu indicated that he was prepared to accept service on behalf of his client, the plaintiffs declined, saying they wanted to avoid possible technical objections concerning the validity of service at a later stage.
The court subsequently allowed the issue to be addressed through substituted service.
Justice Ekwo had earlier adjourned proceedings to September 28 following the service dispute. The judge also warned lawyers involved in the case against discussing the matter in the traditional or social media, directing that arguments concerning the case should be presented in court.
Meanwhile, Tinubu and the APC have rejected the allegations and asked the Federal High Court to dismiss the suit.
In their response, the President and the APC denied that Tinubu submitted a forged certificate to INEC for either the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections. They also questioned the legal foundation of Atiku and the ADC’s action and raised preliminary objections to the case.
The defendants have argued that the disputed certificate has not been established as forged and that the NYSC has not disowned the document at the centre of the controversy.
They have therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit rather than proceed to the substantive claims.
INEC has also challenged Atiku’s case and opposed aspects of the plaintiffs’ application to amend their suit. The electoral commission has raised procedural and legal objections, including arguments concerning the competence of the action and the plaintiffs’ standing.
The case has consequently developed into a series of preliminary procedural and legal disputes even before the court determines the central allegations surrounding the disputed NYSC certificate.
Atiku and the ADC maintain that the alleged certificate and information submitted to INEC raise constitutional questions concerning Tinubu’s eligibility for the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu and the APC, however, deny the allegations and are seeking the dismissal of the case, while INEC has also opposed the action.
The Federal High Court’s latest decision is limited to the method and timeframe for serving Tinubu with the court processes.
It does not constitute a ruling that Tinubu is ineligible to contest the 2027 election, nor does it establish that the disputed NYSC certificate is forged.
The substantive claims, alongside the objections raised by Tinubu, the APC and INEC, remain before the court for determination.
2027: Court Gives Atiku Seven Days to Serve Tinubu Through APC in Eligibility Suit
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Politics
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
On Channels Television, the former Ekiti governor says tensions over the ‘Rainbow Coalition’ will not hurt President Tinubu’s 2027 prospects.
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has weighed in on the sharp exchange between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, characterizing the disagreement as a battle of individual egos rather than a genuine threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Speaking Tuesday night during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Fayose noted that public friction often surfaces when assertive leaders navigate complex multi-party arrangements.
The spat erupted after Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, speaking for the APC Governors’ Forum, announced that party executives would reject any outside alliance or coalition capable of diluting the party’s strength or challenging its candidates in upcoming elections.
Wike responded swiftly during a televised broadcast, describing the governors as politically lazy and clarifying that his “Rainbow Coalition” was created specifically to mobilize cross-party votes for the president rather than fight local battles on behalf of state governors.
Addressing the controversy, Fayose remarked that everyday Nigerians understand Wike’s outspoken personality just as they understand the institutional posture of the Governors’ Forum.
He insisted that the rhetorical crossfire has no direct bearing on the president’s electoral fortunes, observing that political leaders across the spectrum possess strong personal pride that occasionally spills into public view. Fayose maintained that practical grassroots voter mobilization will ultimately outweigh public posturing as the 2027 race draws nearer.
“Clash of Egos”: Ayo Fayose Downplays Public Feud Between Wike and APC Governors
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