By Demola Akinyemi, ILORIN

The Emir of Ilorin Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari on Monday offered royal blessings for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), hinging his backing on the good standing of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who is the leader of the party in the state. 

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The Emir spoke at the palace as several thousands of leaders and members of the Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) converged on the palace to present the party’s candidates for royal blessings.

Led by the State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, the team comprised top chieftains of the party and all APC candidates, including the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and APC gubernatorial candidate, Rt. Hon Yakubu Salihu Danladi; the senatorial candidates; House of Representatives candidates; and House of Assembly flag bearers across the state.  

In an address to the delegation, the Emir said he was impressed with the large turnout of his guests and described the Governor as a man of virtues and achievements. He commended the Governor for his transformative programmes and prayed for his continuous success in office and the party’s success at the polls next year.

“The forecourt of my palace has been filled up with your supporters since the morning. I pray to God that whatever steps taken by Sardauna Ngeri (Governor) shall be divinely blessed,” the Emir said. 

“Whoever sees good things and chooses not to say it is insincere and mischievous. There is no hidden place for lies. Let’s call a spade a spade. What we are seeing on the ground is a reality. Whoever does good, let’s say it. The Governor has performed well.

“Starting from Governor AbdulRazaq to other candidates of the party, God will grant you all electoral success. May you not be put to shame.”

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the visit, Hon. Danladi said democracy is an aggregation of interests and assured that steps were already being taken to bring everyone on the same page.

“By the grace of God, all of us will be guided and we will jointly support Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move Kwara and Nigeria forward,” he told reporters, when asked on some grievances by a few stakeholders. 

“Where there is peace, there is development, let us come to the round table and by God’s grace, we will carry everyone along. APC is big and there are a lot of positive things happening in the party. The reconciliation committee has been set up and I know the committee will do justice to it, and peace, as we are witnessing, will continue to reign in APC and Kwara.  

“By the grace of God, 35-0 is assured and APC will carry the day once again. We are seeing thousands of our members on the streets of Ilorin doing rallies for us; we are very happy and we thank Kwarans for coming out en masse to support this administration, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I know what Kwarans have shown yesterday and today, that is what they will show in 2027 by God’s grace.”

Prince Fagbemi, in his earlier remarks, told the Emir the processes that led to the emergence of the party’s candidates, saying the primaries were conducted by the National Headquarters of the party in accordance with the party’s guidance. He presented the candidates before the Emir and sought the support and blessings of the royal father to make them victorious in 2027.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party also called on eligible voters to support its preferred presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in the next election.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NDC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Osa Director, following the party’s PVC registration mobilisation exercise.

According to the statement, Osa Director described the PVC as the most important tool for citizens to determine the country’s future through the ballot box.

He urged Nigerians, particularly young people and first-time voters, not to miss the opportunity to register and collect their voter cards.

“The PVC remains the most powerful instrument for every citizen to determine the future of Nigeria through the ballot box,” he said.

The NDC spokesman said the country needs citizens who are ready to participate actively in the democratic process, stressing that meaningful change begins with voting.

He added that the time had come for Nigerians to unite in building a New Nigeria, where hope is restored to the hopeless, justice prevails, opportunities are created for all, and good governance becomes the standard.

Osa Director also encouraged Nigerians who desire positive change to vote for the party’s preferred candidates in the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, “Peter Obi and Dr. Musa Kwankwaso are leaders with the vision, integrity and capacity to transform Nigeria.”

He reaffirmed the NDC’s commitment to promoting credible leadership, national unity, economic growth, security and good governance.

The legal battle over the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election for the Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency took a fresh twist on Thursday as the Federal High Court in Minna reserved ruling on an application seeking to amend the plaintiff’s name in the suit challenging the exercise.
Justice Mohammed Aminu Dan-Ige adjourned the matter until July 16, 2026, after hearing arguments from lawyers representing both parties.

The suit, instituted by Alhaji Shehu Samaila Auna, seeks to invalidate the APC primary that produced Professor Yakubu Mohammed Auna as the party’s candidate for the Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections.

Also joined as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/MN/CS/54/2026, are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Shehu Saleh Slow, Safiyanu Yahaya, Emma Alamu and Sani Doma.

The plaintiff is asking the court to declare the nomination of the APC candidate null and void, contending that the party failed to conduct a valid primary election in line with Sections 84, 86 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Mohammed Danjuma Abubakar, sought leave of the court to amend the plaintiff’s name as contained in the originating processes.

The request was strongly opposed by defence counsel, Philip Adah, who argued that the application amounted to an afterthought and failed to explain why the name the plaintiff initially swore to should now be altered.

He urged the court to dismiss the application, describing it as legally untenable.

Following submissions from both sides, Justice Dan-Ige fixed July 16 to deliver a ruling on the application.

Addressing journalists after the hearing, Adah insisted that the application lacked merit.

“You cannot simply seek to change the plaintiff’s name at this stage without giving any cogent reason. We believe the application is incompetent and should be struck out,” he said.

However, counsel to the plaintiff declined to comment on the proceedings.

“It is not yet time for me to speak. I will address the press when it becomes necessary. For now, I have nothing to say because the substantive hearing has not commenced,” Abubakar stated.