Politics

Lawan, Akpabio lose out as INEC publishes candidates’ list

Published

4 years ago

June 25, 2022

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio

The All Progressives Congress may not have candidates for the Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts in the 2023 election because of controversies over primaries, Saturday PUNCH learnt on Friday.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, were contesting for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West senatorial seats respectively.

But a National Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission, who did not want to be quoted because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said on Friday that both Lawan and Bashir Machina might have lost out for the senatorial seat of Yobe North in the 2023 election.

“Both Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North are blank. What we have is Mohammed Bomoi for Yobe South and Ibrahim Geidam for Yobe East. There is no name for the Yobe North for the APC”, the source said.

According to him, the commission did not publish any candidate for APC in the Akwa Ibom North West in the next year election.

‘’In Akwa Ibom State, apart from North West that is blank even though that man (DIG Udom Ekpoudom) won, in the North East and South Senatorial Districts, and the House of Assembly, they brought names of people who didn’t go through primaries monitored by INEC,” the source said.

READ ALSO:

However, Certified True Copy of INEC’s report from the May 28, 2022, primary election trending online on Friday revealed that Machina polled 289 votes out of 300 delegates to emerge winner for the Yobe North Senatorial District, even though the APC submitted the name of Lawan as the candidate of the party for the Senatorial District.

The document was reportedly certified by the commission on June 23, 2022.

Several calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to INEC National Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, and Chief Press Secretary to the commission’s chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, on the matter were not answered.

The National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, had warned of severe sanctions if Machina refused to relinquish his ticket to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

He had claimed that the party was supreme and that it reserved the right to decide who would get its ticket in any election.

But Machina, a Third Republic member of the House of Representatives, rejected the substitution of his name in the list sent to INEC.

No one can force Masari, Okupe, others to give up tickets – Okoye

Meanwhile, the National Commissioner, Voters Registration, Education and Publicity, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Festus Okoye, has said the submitted names of vice-presidential candidates cannot be retrieved or substituted by the political parties.

He noted that the nominated candidates themselves, who had accepted to be running mates to the presidential candidates, would stand for election come 2023, except they choose not to do so.

According to him, no one can force any of them to give up their seats for another candidate as the concept of ‘placeholders’ is alien to the electoral system.

Saturday PUNCH reports that the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, had submitted the name of Katsina Governor, Aminu Masari, as his running mate, stating that he would be replaced with a substantive candidate when a proper decision was reached before the window given by INEC closes.

This was the same for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, who chose his campaign Director-General, Dr Doyin Okupe, as his running mate for now.

Okupe, in an interview, said he was standing in for the substantive candidate who would be made known to the public in due time.

Reacting, Okoye, in an interview with Channels TV on Friday, Okoye said, a vice presidential candidate could only be replaced if he died or chose to withdraw from the race.

“In the forms submitted by the political parties, relating to their presidential and vice-presidential candidates, what we have in those forms are the name of presidential and VP candidates; their particulars and their affidavits.

“None of those political parties indicated that they were submitting a document in lieu of or that they were submitting a name of a candidate in lieu. All the political candidates said they were submitting the list of their candidates and running mates. The issue of submitting a name in lieu of or as placeholders does not even arise.

“As far as the law and constitution is concerned, we have made it mandatory that the moment a presidential candidate emerges, such candidate must nominate an associate who shall run with him/her as a vice-presidential candidate. Both are seen as Siamese twins who will move and fall together. In the forms submitted by the political parties, forms related to the vice-presidential presidential were submitted.

Related Topics:Akpabio Featured INEC Lawan publishes candidates

Up Next

2023: Osinbajo under pressure to dump APC, contest on other platform

Don't Miss

Wike’s Romance With APC, LP Raises Dust In PDP

Politics

APC Wins Rivers Ahoada East State Constituency II Bye‑Election

Published

35 minutes ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

Hon. Napoleon Ukalikpe

APC Wins Rivers Ahoada East State Constituency II Bye‑Election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in the Rivers State Ahoada East State Constituency II bye‑election, strengthening its presence in the state legislature. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Ukalikpe Napoleon of APC secured the seat after the collation of results from all voting areas on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

Returning Officer Prof. Rosemary Ogbo confirmed that the election was peaceful, transparent, and conducted in accordance with electoral laws. She stated that Napoleon met all constitutional and electoral requirements, scoring the highest number of valid votes and was therefore duly elected to represent Ahoada East State Constituency II in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to official figures, Napoleon polled 3,980 votes, while his closest rival, Ego Marvelous of the Action Alliance (AA), scored 33 votes. Other contenders included Godstime Egor (Action Party of Nigeria) with 38 votes, Oseja Clifford (Boot Party) with 11 votes, Ephraim Raphael Ede (New Nigeria Peoples Party) and Ogide Samson Greatman (Young Progressives Party), each with seven votes, and Kwodu Saturday Prosper (Zenith Labour Party), who received six votes.

READ ALSO:

Election officials described the bye‑poll as largely peaceful, with security agencies deployed across major polling units. Observers noted low voter turnout in some areas, but overall, voting and accreditation proceeded without significant disruption. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Rivers State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, also confirmed the orderly conduct of the bye‑election.

The bye-election was necessitated by the vacancy in the Rivers State House of Assembly following the departure of the former lawmaker representing the constituency. Napoleon’s victory is part of a broader trend in which APC is consolidating its position in the Rivers State legislature, alongside other recent bye-election wins, including Khana State Constituency II, further bolstering the party’s influence in the state.

Napoleon, speaking shortly after his declaration, thanked voters for their participation and commended INEC and security personnel for ensuring a smooth process. He encouraged citizens to remain engaged in the democratic process and promised to represent the constituency effectively in the House of Assembly.

APC Wins Rivers Ahoada East State Constituency II Bye‑Election

Politics

Opposition Weakens as Another Governor Eyes APC Move

Published

46 minutes ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

Opposition Weakens as Another Governor Eyes APC Move

A new wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape, with reports that another sitting governor may soon switch allegiance to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Political analysts say these moves are strengthening APC’s dominance while raising concerns about the weakening of opposition parties and the future of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

Since May 29, 2023, when governors elected in the general elections were sworn in, the PDP controlled 11 states, cementing its position as the main opposition party. However, successive defections to APC and other parties have dramatically reduced the PDP’s influence, leaving it with just four serving governors — Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara). Sources indicate that one of the remaining governors may soon defect to a more viable political platform, highlighting the party’s internal challenges and growing political vulnerability.

Observers attribute the ongoing defections to a mix of internal party crises, leadership tussles, and political survival strategies. Analysts note that the opposition parties’ repeated factional disputes, poor funding, and leadership conflicts have created openings for APC to consolidate power at both state and federal levels. While some argue that defections are a constitutional right and part of democratic choice, critics warn that the trend could erode checks and balances by weakening opposition parties.

READ ALSO:

Leaders of smaller opposition parties, including the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), say the defection wave is largely self-inflicted, resulting from internal squabbles rather than pressure from the ruling APC. Comrade Oginni Sunday, NNPP National Secretary in Ogun State, argued that the collapse of party cohesion within the PDP, LP, and NNPP has made defection a rational choice for political survival and access to federal resources.

Former local government officials and political commentators describe the mass defections as both a challenge and an opportunity for Nigerian democracy. While they acknowledge that the trend strengthens the ruling party, they caution that frequent cross-carpeting could undermine institutional stability, weaken legislative opposition, and reduce accountability.

The reported impending defection comes amid a broader pattern of political realignment, following high-profile defections in previous election cycles. Analysts say such moves are likely motivated by strategic calculations, alignment with federal policies, and preparation for the 2027 general elections. With the APC gaining more governors and lawmakers, the party is increasingly seen as the dominant force in several regions, while the remaining opposition parties scramble to reorganize and maintain relevance.

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 polls, the political stakes remain high. Observers stress that the future of multiparty democracy hinges on whether opposition parties can resolve internal conflicts, strengthen cohesion, and present credible alternatives to the ruling party. The potential defection of another sitting governor underscores the ongoing realignment of power across Nigeria’s states and the critical role of political strategy in shaping the nation’s democratic trajectory.

Opposition Weakens as Another Governor Eyes APC Move

Politics

Breaking: INEC Declares APC’s Joshua Ishaku Winner of Bwari Chairmanship Election

Published

1 hour ago

February 22, 2026

Trends Admin

Joshua Ishaku

Breaking: INEC Declares APC’s Joshua Ishaku Winner of Bwari Chairmanship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The declaration was made on Sunday, February 22, 2026, after INEC concluded the ward-by-ward collation of votes cast during Saturday’s 2026 FCT area council elections. Electoral officials confirmed that the APC candidate secured the highest number of valid votes, defeating candidates of other political parties in what observers described as a keenly contested poll.

INEC officials confirmed that results were collated from all 10 wards in Bwari Area Council, including Kubwa, Dutse, Ushafa, Byazhin, Kuduru, Igu, Shere, Kawu, Usuma, and Bwari Central, before the final announcement was made. Party agents present at the collation centre acknowledged the outcome after the final tally, although detailed vote figures were still being released at the time of reporting.

Ishaku’s victory followed weeks of internal party disputes and legal challenges over the APC nomination in Bwari. The legal hurdles were resolved shortly before the election, clearing the way for his participation. Political analysts say the outcome has further strengthened the APC’s foothold in parts of the FCT, particularly in suburban councils where grassroots mobilisation played a decisive role.

READ ALSO:

The Bwari chairmanship result is part of the wider FCT area council elections, which were conducted simultaneously across AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, Abaji, and Bwari. While the APC has secured victories in some councils, opposition parties have also recorded wins in others, reflecting a competitive political landscape in Nigeria’s capital.

Observers reported generally peaceful voting across most polling units in Bwari Area Council, though voter turnout was moderate in several locations. INEC officials said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) performed effectively in most centres, with only minimal technical issues recorded. Security agencies were visibly deployed across strategic locations, and no major incidents were reported during voting or collation.

With the declaration concluded, attention has shifted to the issuance of Certificates of Return to elected chairmen and councillors across the FCT. The newly elected officials are expected to assume office within the statutory timeline set by the FCT administration. Analysts say the 2026 FCT area council elections are widely regarded as an early indicator of political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.