Rumours have continued to circulate over the possible replacement of the Adamawa State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Omar Suleiman.

Until last week, the rumour was that Suleiman, popularly known as Omrana, would be replaced by Abdulrahman Haske, a leading All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant ahead of the party’s primary, who was said to have defected to the ADC.

No sooner had the public learnt that Haske had returned to the APC than fresh rumours emerged over the weekend that one Alhaji Tukur Modibbo would now replace Omrana.

Addressing the rumours on Tuesday, a founding member of the ADC in Adamawa State, Suleiman Adamu Jimeta, described them as false and potentially damaging to the party.

He said the purported plan to bring in Tukur Modibbo, with some party stakeholders allegedly welcoming the idea and describing Modibbo as a better choice, was baseless, insisting that no such decision had been communicated through the appropriate channel.

“Omar Suleiman remains the party’s legitimate candidate and has worked tirelessly to earn the confidence and support of ADC members across the state,” Jimeta stated.

Describing the rumoured move as a recipe for confusion and internal division, he cautioned that it could severely weaken the party’s chances in the 2027 elections.

The Adamawa State chapter of the ADC had not issued any statement confirming any change to its governorship ticket as of the time of filing this report on Tuesday evening.

The Senior Political Assistant to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Demola Olarenwaju, on Tuesday, suggested that the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, should be scrapped like former presidents Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan trued to during their tenures.

Olarenwaju said President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has no business with with rural electrification because states should be able to provide power in their domains.

Posting on X, Atiku’s aide wrote: “The Act itself is now compromised and REA should be scrapped as Yar’Adua tried to do in 2009 and then Jonathan came in and asked Oronsaye to do a more holistic review of the entire FG.

“In a truly federated country where power is the business of the states as Tinubu claims, FG has no business anymore with Rural Electrification and any state that prioritises power should source it for its people.

“The Govt should be consistent: you can’t claim states can generate, transmit and distribute power then still hold on to a rural electrification agency that bypasses the State Governments.”

This comes less than 24 hours after Tinubu named a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, as the Chairman of REA.

Fayose’s appointment was part of the 25 Nigerians Tinubu appointed to head some federal ministries.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State have been accused of demanding money from applicants before releasing their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.

The allegation surfaced in a video circulating on social media, where a resident claimed that some officials at the INEC office requested N2,000 from applicants before processing and issuing their voter cards.

According to him, one of the officials, identified simply identified as Mrs Otito, allegedly requested the money.

The resident said when one of the applicants insisted that voter cards are issued free of charge and attempted to record a video, an argument broke out.

He further alleged that Mrs Otito physically assaulted them during the confrontation and bit a young woman on the breast while she was trying to separate those involved.

In the footage, voices (in Igbo language) could be heard during a heated exchange.

Recall that INEC has maintained that voter registration, PVC collection, transfer of voter information, correction of personal details and replacement of lost or damaged voter cards are services provided free of charge.

The electoral body has consistently advised citizens to report any form of extortion by its officials or temporary staff involved in voter registration activities.

INEC, at the time of filing this report has not issued an official statement specifically addressing the allegations from the Onitsha South office.