Politics
Hanga to replace Shekarau at Senate, Supreme Court rules
The Supreme Court on Friday declared Rufai Hanga the senatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and senator-elect for Kano Central Senatorial District.
The Supreme Court nullified the candidacy of Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State, who defected from the NNPP to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the build-up to the general elections last year.
Shekarau was the flagbearer of the NNPP for the Kano Central Senatorial zone before he dumped the party for the PDP.
But his name remained on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s portal for candidates in the 25 February National Assembly election.
Shekarau was however absent when INEC issued certificates of return to senators-elect in Abuja on March 7.
Delivering judgment on an appeal filed before it by INEC, the Supreme Court affirmed the decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal both in Abuja which had upheld the candidature of Hanga as the standard-bearer NNPP.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court in a judgement read by Emmanuel Agim said INEC’s appeal lacked merit and substance.
They dismissed the appeal in its entirety.
INEC’s returning officer for Kano Central District, Prof. Tijjani Darma, said Shekarau garnered 456,787 votes.
Darma, said the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abdulkarim Abdulsalam, came second in the election with 168, 677 votes, while PDP’s Laila Buhari polled 55,237 votes.
But after the declaration of the results, the NNPP agent, Shehu Usman, rejected Shekarau’s emergence as winner of the poll.
He alleged that INEC refused to replace Shekarau’s name with Hanga’s.
Usman said INEC got court orders to accept Hanga’s name and substitute it with Shekarau’s for the poll.
But the electoral umpire refused to comply with the orders.
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Politics
Davido Quietly Removes Tweet Cautioning Adeleke on Supporting Tinubu
Davido Quietly Removes Tweet Cautioning Adeleke on Supporting Tinubu
Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has deleted a social media post in which he publicly warned his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, against supporting any presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.
The now-deleted post, which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, August 15, 2026, read: “No more supporting any presidential candidate @AAdeleke_01 make we Dey our Dey!!!” The message came as voting and result collation were taking place in Osun State, where Governor Adeleke was seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party. Checks by multiple news outlets confirmed that the post was taken down shortly after it went live, but not before it had generated significant attention online. A separate deleted message aimed at President Bola Tinubu, which read “U no try @officialABAT,” was also reportedly removed.
The deletion of both posts has raised eyebrows among political observers, given Governor Adeleke’s public endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. During his acceptance speech after being declared winner of the Osun governorship election, Adeleke reaffirmed his support for Tinubu, stating: “At this point, I must deeply appreciate Mr President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his strong support for a free and fair election. Mr President is a son of Osun State, and I hereby reaffirm my earlier endorsement of him for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.” Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, welcomed the governor’s renewed endorsement, describing Adeleke as a “man of integrity and honour” and stating: “Agreement is agreement.” However, Adeleke’s Imole Campaign Council has rejected suggestions that the governor’s endorsement of Tinubu was the product of a political agreement or bargain, insisting that his support was based on Tinubu’s performance and reforms.
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The deleted posts come amid Davido’s recent statements distancing himself from Nigerian politics. In subsequent posts on X, the singer described Nigerian politics as “evil” and declared he does not want to be a part of it. He wrote: “I brought no one! No one defended me! I backed my family on my own!! You guys are ruthless and disgusting! Eeewwww! I have done my job! Nigerian politics is evil AND I DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT TILL GOD HELPS US!” Davido has previously stated he would only consider running for political office if Nigeria guarantees free, fair, and credible elections. Despite his active role in mobilising youth support for his uncle’s campaign, he has consistently maintained that his political involvement has been driven by family loyalty rather than a broader political ambition.
Governor Adeleke ultimately won the election, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, by 66,252 votes. The governor recorded 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, while ADC candidate Najeem Salaam finished third with 17,180 votes. The final figures showed that Adeleke secured victories in 19 of Osun’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won 11. The election had 1,010,684 accredited voters from 2,339,544 registered voters, with 1,005,800 votes cast. INEC recorded 985,097 valid votes and 20,721 rejected ballots.
The election was marked by reports of gunshots, alleged ballot-box snatching, and arrests. The Osun State Police Command announced the arrest of a serving member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Abiola Ibrahim Inaolaji, along with 146 suspected electoral mercenaries found at his residence. More than 200 Permanent Voter Cards were recovered during the operation. In a separate operation, police arrested 33 suspected electoral mercenaries in Ede. Davido had been actively following events and expressing concerns about happenings around the poll and the collation of results. However, the governor’s victory did not lead to any change in his position on the 2027 presidential election. Adeleke also disclosed that Tinubu personally contacted him after his victory and expressed appreciation for the President’s intervention on issues surrounding the election, including the unfreezing of the state government’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before the poll.
Davido Quietly Removes Tweet Cautioning Adeleke on Supporting Tinubu
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Politics
BREAKING: Edo Assembly leadership shake-up: Agbebaku out, Idaiyi emerges new Speaker
BREAKING: Edo Assembly leadership shake-up: Agbebaku out, Idaiyi emerges new Speaker
The Edo State House of Assembly has a new Speaker following the resignation of Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, who stepped down on Monday, August 17, 2026, amid reports of an impeachment plot against him. Hon. Yekini Idaiyi (also spelled Idiaye), the lawmaker representing Akoko Edo I Constituency, was swiftly nominated and sworn in as the new Speaker during the plenary session that followed Agbebaku’s exit.
The leadership change was formally announced when Deputy Speaker Osamwonye Atu, who presided over the session, informed the House that Agbebaku’s resignation letter had been received. The resignation was confirmed by Agbebaku’s media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, via a Facebook post that read, “EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS.” Agbebaku’s decision to step down came amid reports of growing internal tension and moves by some lawmakers to impeach him. The former Speaker had led the 8th Assembly since June 2023, having been elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2025. His tenure was marked by political turbulence, including the suspension of three lawmakers in May 2024 over an alleged impeachment plot and recent security concerns that postponed the Assembly’s first sitting of 2026.
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Following the announcement of Agbebaku’s resignation, the lawmaker representing Esan South East Constituency, Sunday Ojiezele, nominated Yekini Idaiyi for the position of Speaker. The nomination was seconded by Hon. Eric Okaka, representing Owan East Constituency. The Clerk of the House subsequently administered the oath of office on Idaiyi, who then assumed leadership of the House. The House also approved a letter from the All Progressives Congress (APC) nominating new principal officers, including Hon. Sunday Ojiezele as Majority Leader, Hon. Ojie Inegbebor as Deputy Majority Leader, and Hon. Natasha Osawaru as Minority Leader, nominated by the National Democratic Congress.
Hon. Yekini Idaiyi is a ranking lawmaker with prior leadership experience in the Edo Assembly. He previously served as Deputy Speaker from June 2019 until August 2020, when he was impeached following political disagreements surrounding his support for the APC governorship candidate during the 2020 Edo governorship election. His emergence as Speaker marks a return to the Assembly’s leadership after several years, and he is expected to steer the legislative house through this period of transition and political realignment.
BREAKING: Edo Assembly leadership shake-up: Agbebaku out, Idaiyi emerges new Speaker
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Politics
Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke, Says Osun Victory Affirms Nigeria’s Democratic Progress
Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke, Says Osun Victory Affirms Nigeria’s Democratic Progress
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his victory in the August 15 governorship election, describing the outcome as a strong assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in Nigeria.
The President, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said he personally called Adeleke earlier in the day to congratulate him on his re-election.
Tinubu said Adeleke’s victory had once again demonstrated the confidence the people of Osun State reposed in his leadership.
“I called Governor Ademola Adeleke earlier today to congratulate him on his election victory in Osun State. His victory once again confirmed the confidence the people of Osun State have in him,” the President said.
He urged the governor, who has secured another term in office, to use his renewed mandate to unite the people of the state irrespective of their political affiliations or choices during the election.
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According to Tinubu, the governor’s immediate responsibility is to bring the people together and mobilise them towards achieving greater development, stability and prosperity in the state.
“I wish him great success as he prepares to lead the state for the next four years. Now that he has won, Governor Adeleke must unite the people of Osun State and rally them for growth, stability, and social and economic progress, regardless of the political choices they made at the election,” he said.
The President also commended other candidates who contested the election, praising what he described as their courage and discipline throughout the electoral process.
He said their participation had contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic culture, adding that the outcome of the poll represented the decision of the electorate.
“I salute the courage and discipline displayed by other contestants in the election. Their participation deepened and enriched our country’s democratic culture,” Tinubu said.
He added that the result of the election reflected the will of the people of Osun State and provided further confidence in the survival and growth of democratic governance in the country.
“The outcome of the election reflects the will of the people and is a fitting assurance that democracy will continue to flourish in our land,” the President stated.
Tinubu further commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for its role in conducting the election, as well as the security agencies deployed for the exercise.
The President described the election as peaceful and transparent, noting that the process produced a clear winner.
His commendation comes after Osun voters went to the polls on Saturday to elect the governor who will lead the state for another four-year term.
Adeleke’s victory means the incumbent governor will continue in office for another term, giving his administration an opportunity to consolidate on its programmes and policies while addressing the developmental challenges confronting the state.
The President’s statement also appeared to emphasise the need for political reconciliation following the election, urging the governor to extend his leadership to all residents of Osun State, including those who voted against him.
Tinubu’s congratulatory message further underscored the importance of accepting electoral outcomes and ensuring that political competition does not undermine governance, unity and development after elections.
The statement was signed by Onanuga on August 16, 2026.
Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke, Says Osun Victory Affirms Nigeria’s Democratic Progress
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