The senatorial aspirant for Abia Central District for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, is among the pastors arrested and arraigned by the Anambra State government for allegedly engaging in fake prophesies and miracles.

Nwankpa, an Abia indigene and a Bishop of an Onitsha-based Pentecostal Church, was arraigned at the Anambra High Court, Awka, alongside seven ,other Christian clerics, accused of allegedly performing fake miracles. 

Reacting to the arrests, the media aide to Bishop Nwankpa, Stanley Nduagu, condemned the actions of the Anambra State government, insisting that Nwankpa has never been involved in fake activities in over 25 years of his ministry.

He said the allegations against Nwankpa lacked evidence.

Also, some kinsmen of Nwankpa from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State have also raised concern over his arrest, calling for the immediate release of the cleric.

One native of Isiala Ngwa, Ngozi Ahunanya, accused the Anambra State government of waging war against Christians and traditional religion.

In the same vein, the House of Assembly candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC for Arochukwu constituency, Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya, has also condemned the arrest of Emeka Nwankpa, describing it as unnecessary harassment of Christian clerics and worshipers.

The Adamawa State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Omar Suleiman, has affirmed that he remains in the governorship race.

The affirmation came on Friday, hours after speculation emerged that he had decided to abandon his ambition, largely due to the defection from the party of his main backer, Babachir Lawal.

Babachir, one of the two factional leaders of the ADC in Adamawa State (the other being the presidential ticket bearer, Atiku Abubakar), announced his defection earlier in the week, accusing Atiku of rigging the party’s primary elections to favour himself and his allies.

Responding to speculation that he was ditching his ADC governorship ambition to align with Babachir, Omar Suleiman said, “The news circulating about me stepping down for anyone is false, misleading, and entirely baseless.”

In a rebuttal signed on his behalf by his aide, Abdullahi Malgwi, Omar Suleiman urged the public, supporters, party members and the people of Adamawa State to disregard the speculation in its entirety.

“I remain fully committed to my campaign, my vision, and my unwavering determination to serve the people of Adamawa State,” he asserted.

Former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Sam Amadi, has said there is no significant difference between the opposition and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Featuring in an interview on News Central Television on Friday, Amadi said the majority of the politicians in the opposition sprang from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, apart from a few persons.

He was speaking on the level of preparedness by the various political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, primary elections in Nigeria have always been unfree and unfair, stating that the degree of chaos might differ.

“Well, I think we should start by admitting that the opposition parties are not different parties. See, the Nigerian political landscape is very clear. If you look at the proprietors of new parties, they are fully made up of the old party.

“I mean, everybody came from the PDP and had the PDP stamp, apart from a few persons, probably Tinubu, and a couple of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Buhari group, who never were part of PDP, the rest of the people you see today, either as ruling party or opposition, are from the PDP.

“There’s nothing in NDC or ADC or PRP or any party that is significantly different. There could be in the future, but right now, no,” he said.