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‘Assault on democracy’ – APC stakeholders frown at Ogun East consensus move

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Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun East Senatorial District have faulted the recent caucus meeting where Governor Dapo Abiodun was endorsed as the consensus candidate for the 2027 elections.

Recall that the endorsement was announced at Monday’s meeting held at Adeola Odutola Hall, Ijebu Ode, where a former governor and senator representing the district, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, was allegedly denied access to the venue.

Daniel, in a viral video, was seen addressing his supporters, saying, “We are here for our caucus meeting, and I got here by 10 a.m. They said we shouldn’t enter the venue in Ijebu-Ode. Therefore, if they do anything here today without my presence, it is an exercise in futility.”

However, at the end of the meeting, Governor Dapo Abiodun was announced as the consensus candidate for the senatorial district come 2027.

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday at a press conference held in Sagamu, the Director-General of the BATOGD movement, General Olumiyiwa Okunowo (Rtd), described the gathering as a mere “Governor Abiodun’s meeting” rather than a genuine caucus session.

He alleged that more than half of those in attendance were not qualified to attend a senatorial caucus meeting, arguing that the process was stage-managed to produce a predetermined outcome.

His words: “Of course, those who were appointed by the Governor have the democratic right to anoint whichever candidate they prefer, even if that person is their principal. However, using the name of the party to bait attendance at such events is what gives us concern. Most of the leaders, including our leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, were baited into attending the event under the guise of a Caucus Meeting of Stakeholders of the Ogun East Senatorial District.

“It was only upon arrival that many discovered that more than half of the people in the hall were not even qualified to attend a senatorial caucus meeting. Some of our members who were eminently qualified to attend, according to the notice of invitation, were told pointedly to leave the venue, with the explanation that ‘this is a DA show’ and could be attended only by loyalists of the Governor.

“We do not deny them their right to hold their own show, and we believe this must account for why our leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, was denied access to a ‘DA show.’ No ill feeling, but they should have been bold enough to make the notifications clear about their true intention, rather than using the name of our great party to drag our leaders into ratifying a premeditated ‘show’,” he stated.

Also speaking, Tayo Onayemi, the Deputy Director-General of the movement, recounted how he was threatened at the meeting and told to leave or face consequences.

Onayemi said, “When they saw me, they established that the place was for Dapo Abiodun’s people, and they asked me to go out or there would be a problem.”

The movement also decried a heavy security “siege” by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on all roads leading to the residence of Gbenga Daniel on Wednesday, labelling the move as an act of “executive lawlessness” and a throwback to military-era tactics.

According to them, the security crackdown was a calculated attempt to disrupt their ongoing Community Assessment and Review Tour—a grassroots empowerment initiative that has already visited seven out of nine local government areas in the district without incident.

“We are deeply surprised by this turn of events, as we see no reason to warrant the deployment of armoured vehicles and detachments of security forces in their hundreds,” they added.

Meanwhile, they urged the party’s national leadership to intervene in the situation to prevent democracy from being trampled underfoot and reiterated the unanimous adoption of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the consensus candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections in 2027, stressing that he has demonstrated the capacity to tackle the country’s challenges.




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NDC: Peter Obi present when motion for party supremacy was passed – Dickson

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National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Seriake Dickson, has revealed that the poo party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was president when the motion for party supremacy was passed.

Speaking at the NDC stakeholder’s meeting on Thursday, Dickson said appointments and nominations will be done with consensus of the party and stakeholders.

Dickson was speaking on the party’s directive mandating affiliated groups like the Obidient Movement to operate under NDC supervision

According to him, they do not want somebody to win and run a one man show.

“His Excellency, Peter Obi was there when this motion on party supremacy was moved by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and seconded by Senator Victor Umeh, and it was put to vote and passed.

“Every elected officer of this party must implement the programmes and policies not according to his or her whims and caprices, but programmes and policies of this party that will be analyzed, discussed, debated, and agreed.

“So, whether in the National Assembly or everywhere, we want to build an institution in this country. We may not get it one year or two years, but that’s our vision. So we say government policies and programmes must align with the parties, and a team is fine tuning certain things, which we will present to the public.

“Now, the second element is that appointments and nominations will be done with consensus of the party and stakeholders at all levels,” Dickson said.




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APC elders warn Tinubu may face electoral risk in Adamawa over candidate imposition

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Members of the APC Elders Forum in Adamawa Central senatorial zone have warned that President Bola Tinubu could face difficulties winning Adamawa State in the 2027 election if concerns over the alleged imposition of candidates are not addressed.

Speaking at a press conference in Yola on Thursday, the group’s spokesperson, Mohammed Jimeta, said the ruling party risks repeating mistakes that contributed to the PDP’s defeat in 2015.

Referring to the 2015 governorship election in Adamawa, Jimeta said, “In 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP chieftains sat in Abuja and appointed the present National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, as the governorship candidate, but the people of Adamawa State voted for the person they wanted as governor.”

He questioned the emergence of Mustapha Salihu as the party’s senatorial candidate, arguing that Salihu contested for governorship rather than the Senate during the primaries.

“The President himself knows that Mustapha Salihu did not contest for the Senate; he contested for governor. It was Abdulraheem Abbati who contested for the Senate in the Central senatorial zone. So, how can Salihu become the senatorial candidate in the zone?” Jimeta asked.

The elders insisted that, for fairness and justice, the ticket should be given to Abdulraheem Abbati, who they said legitimately contested for the seat.

Jimeta also argued that several local government areas in the zone have produced senators over the years, while Yola North has yet to be given the opportunity.

“Salihu and Senator Abbas are from the same local government area, so why is the APC showing bias against the people of Yola North? A few individuals are trying to deny Abbati the ticket,” he said.

The group further called on National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to help prevent what they described as an injustice, warning that failure to resolve the issue could hurt both the APC governorship candidate and President Tinubu in future elections.

“There will be two losers—the Adamawa State APC governorship candidate and the President. To avert the looming political setback, the issue should be addressed now,” Jimeta stated.

He added that Abbati worked for Tinubu’s success in the state during the last election, saying, “Abbati was the returning officer for President Tinubu in Shelleng Local Government Area, even when some enemies of the APC in Adamawa State were working secretly against him.”




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Osun Guber: Labour Party urges calm amid rising political violence

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The Osun State chapter of the Labour Party has appealed for calm following recent incidents of political violence, including reported gunshots and killings in parts of the state.

The state chairman of the party, Mustapha Adebayo Muhydeen, made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday, expressing concern over what he described as a disturbing rise in politically motivated violence.

Muhydeen said the development was a source of worry and urged political stakeholders and their supporters to embrace peace as political activities continue ahead of future elections in the state.

He recalled that during his inauguration as the chairman of the Labour Party in Osun on April 25, 2026, he had stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence among residents before, during, and after the August 15 governorship election.

According to him, “the recent incidents threaten the stability and democratic progress of the state and should not be allowed to continue.”

“The Labour Party in Osun State is deeply concerned about the recent spate of violence, including gunshots and reported loss of lives in some communities. We call on all political actors and their supporters to exercise restraint and allow peace to prevail.”

The party chairman urged security agencies to intensify efforts to maintain law and order across the state and ensure that those responsible for acts of violence are identified and prosecuted.

He maintained that political competition should not degenerate into violence, adding that democracy can only flourish in an atmosphere of peace, tolerance, and mutual respect.

Muhydeen stated, “No political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen. We urge all stakeholders to put the interest of Osun State above partisan differences and ensure that peace is not compromised.”

He also sympathised with families affected by the recent violence and called for justice and support for victims of the unrest.

The Labour Party chairman advised youths across the state not to allow themselves to be used by politicians as agents of violence, warning that such actions could have lasting consequences for their future.

Muhydeen reaffirmed the party’s commitment to peaceful political engagement and urged residents to remain calm while relevant authorities address the situation.

He stressed that dialogue and lawful engagement remain the appropriate means of resolving political differences in a democratic society.




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