Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has promised that an ADC-led government would provide stable and affordable electricity by pursuing a diversified and decentralised power generation strategy.

Atiku made the pledge in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

According to the former Vice President, Nigeria’s electricity challenges can only be solved by moving away from overdependence on large, centralised power plants and embracing multiple energy sources.

He said an ADC administration under his leadership would prioritise electricity generation from hydro, gas, solar and other viable energy sources while expanding transmission infrastructure, improving distribution networks and encouraging private sector investment.

“An ADC administration under my leadership will pursue a diversified and decentralised electricity generation strategy driven by hydro, gas, solar and other viable energy sources, while expanding transmission infrastructure, strengthening distribution networks and encouraging private sector participation to guarantee stable and affordable electricity across the country,” he said.

Atiku also criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying it took nearly three years to embrace a policy direction he had advocated for more than two decades.

“It should not take a government three years in office to discover what was obvious more than two decades ago,” he said.

He argued that the government increased electricity tariffs before fixing the problems in the power sector.

“A government that thinks before it acts would have fixed the system before asking citizens to pay more. Unfortunately, this administration has done the exact opposite, raising tariffs first and only now beginning to think about the reforms required to justify those increases,” Atiku added.

The former Vice President recalled that, while serving under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he opposed plans to rely mainly on gas-fired electricity generation.

Atiku said he had maintained the same position for more than two decades, insisting that Nigeria’s electricity future depends on a diversified and decentralised energy mix rather than relying heavily on a single source of power.

He further lamented that, despite billions of dollars invested in the power sector over the years, the expected results had not been achieved because of poor implementation.

He maintained that Nigeria has never lacked good ideas but has suffered from poor leadership.

He said Nigeria’s problem is not a lack of good ideas but the absence of leaders who are willing to implement the right policies at the appropriate time.

“It is never too late to embrace the right policy, but Nigerians should never have had to pay the price for a government that spent three years learning what should have guided its actions from day one,” he said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has rejected claims circulating in some media reports and on social media that its 2027 governorship candidate, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), is barred by a Supreme Court judgment from occupying public office.

The party described the allegations as false, politically motivated and aimed at distracting both the party and its candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

In a statement issued by the Benue State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bright Yima Antyo, the party alleged that political opponents were behind what it called a sustained smear campaign against Aondoakaa.

The statement read: “The latest falsehood being peddled is the baseless claim that our candidate is disqualified from holding office of Governor of Benue State as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This narrative has no constitutional basis and is legally bankrupt. It betrays the desperation of those who have become terrified by the overwhelming acceptance Chief Aondoakaa continues to enjoy across Benue State.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP states unequivocally that Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, remains eminently qualified to contest the 2027 governorship election and to hold the office of Governor of Benue State, if elected by the people.”

The party maintained that Aondoakaa’s record in public service is well documented and open to public scrutiny, stressing that he served as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice without any conviction or legal finding that would disqualify him from contesting for governor.

“He served Nigeria at the highest level with distinction as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“Throughout his career in public and private lives, no court has convicted him of any crime(s) that should disqualified him from holding the office of Governor of Benue State.

Since leaving office in 2010, Chief Aondoakaa has never been arraigned on criminal charges before any court of law or Tribunal. Similarly, he has never been indicted by any administrative Panel or Tribunal established by law.”

The PDP also recalled that Aondoakaa participated in previous governorship contests, including the PDP primary in 2015 and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in 2022 alongside Governor Hyacinth Alia and other aspirants.

“He also contested APC Governorship primary in 2022 with Governor Hyacinth Alia and several others. On each occasion, every aspirant and interested party had the opportunity to challenge his disqualification if there had been any legal basis for doing so. None did. No lawsuit was filed.

No court was invited to pronounce him disqualified because there was simply no legal basis for such a claim. Rather Chief Aondoakaa challenged the result of the 2022 APC Governorship primary that produced Governor Alia as its then candidate in court up to the Court of Appeal.

“Aondoakaa then declined to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the 2022 APC Governorship primary outcome due to the intervention of the leadership of APC.

“The PDP therefore finds it curious that individuals who remained silent throughout those electoral cycles have suddenly discovered imaginary legal impediments only after Chief Aondoakaa emerged as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

“Even more ruinous to their propaganda is the clear provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) as enshrined in Section 285 (14)(9) of the Constitution, which leaves no room for speculation as to when to file an action against a person disqualified to contest election into political offices created by the Constitution for electoral contest; defined as pre-election dispute.

It provides further that every pre-election matter shall be filed not later than fourteen (14) days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of. That constitutional timeline is mandatory, immutable and jurisdictional. Once the 14 period expires, every court in Nigeria is stripped of jurisdiction to entertain such claims.

“Chief Aondoakaa emerged as the PDP governorship candidate following the party’s primary election conducted on 24 May 2026.”

According to the party, the constitutional deadline for filing any pre-election case challenging Aondoakaa’s nomination has elapsed, making any such action legally untenable.

“No amount of media propaganda, social media manipulations or politically motivated commentary can revive a cause of action that has already become statute-barred by the Constitution itself.

“Furthermore, Sections 177 and 182 of the Constitution comprehensively set out the qualification and disqualification criteria for election as Governor and the grounds upon which a person may be disqualified to contest for the office.

The law is settled that where the Constitution expressly provides the conditions for qualification or disqualification, no individual, political party or pressure group can manufacture additional grounds outside those constitutional provisions.

The Constitution is supreme. Political propaganda cannot alter it.

“The PDP therefore urges members of the public to disregard the avalanche of false narratives being circulated by individuals whose only strategy appears to be character assassination in place of meaningful political engagement.

“The 2027 governorship election will not be determined by skewed social media propaganda or wishful legal theories. It will be decided by the people of Benue State through the ballot.

“Those who have their candidates should articulate their programmes and allow the electorate to make a democratic choice. Resorting to manufactured allegations against a candidate whose nomination is firmly rooted in the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria only exposes the bankruptcy of their political arguments.

“The Peoples Democratic Party remains solidly rooted in its confidence in Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.

The party is convinced that he possesses the integrity, competence, experience and constitutional qualification required to provide the purposeful leadership that Benue State urgently needs.

“No amount of sponsored falsehood, intimidation or propaganda will distract our candidate or our party from engaging the people of Benue State with our vision for revived security, economic recovery, agricultural transformation, industrial development and responsive governance.”

The PDP reaffirmed that it remains fully prepared for the 2027 governorship election, insisting that Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) remains its duly nominated governorship candidate in Benue State.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Rivers State has criticised the decision by the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Charles Wobodo, to ban all public events in the council, describing the directive as unconstitutional and a threat to democratic rights.

The party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Barr. Chizy Enyi, made the position known in a statement issued in Port Harcourt.

Wobodo had announced the ban in a broadcast on Saturday, saying the measure had become necessary because of repeated security challenges in the local government area.

Reacting, the ADC said that although it recognised the security concerns in Ikwerre, prohibiting public gatherings was not the right solution.

“The African Democratic Congress, Rivers State Chapter, has noted with grave concern the directive issued by the Executive Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government purporting to prohibit all gatherings within the Local Government Area except with his personal written approval,” Enyi said.

He noted that the party sympathised with families who had lost loved ones in recent attacks and supported lawful efforts to restore peace.

“However, while insecurity must be confronted decisively, it must never become a pretext for eroding constitutional democracy or suppressing the legitimate rights of law-abiding citizens,” he added.

Enyi argued that the directive raised constitutional concerns, especially as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the rights to freedom of assembly and political participation are guaranteed by the Constitution and should not be subject to the personal approval of any local government chairman.

He also alleged that members of the ADC in Ikwerre had, for several months, faced intimidation, threats and disruption of lawful political meetings.

“This latest directive unfortunately reinforces the perception that an attempt is being made to institutionalise restrictions on legitimate political activities under the guise of security,” Enyi said.

The party further warned that, if the directive is allowed to stand, it could set a dangerous precedent for other local government areas and shrink the democratic space ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ADC called on Wobodo to immediately withdraw the order, insisting that it violates constitutional provisions.

The party also urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to ensure equal protection for all registered political parties and prevent the unlawful disruption of legitimate political activities.

It further called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations and other democratic stakeholders to closely monitor developments that could undermine free political participation in Rivers State.