Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has confirmed the completion of his Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, nomination form.

Obi made the confirmation in a statement on his verified X handle on Tuesday.

This followed a statement by the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, who announced that Obi’s name had been successfully uploaded to INEC’s portal despite a recent court judgment that sought to deregister the party.

While commenting on the requirements of the electoral document, Obi questioned whether the current political class is demonstrating the right mindset to tackle Nigeria’s pressing crises.

According to him, widespread insecurity, mass hunger, and the frivolous siphoning of billions through non-existent agencies should be treated as national emergencies rather than being overshadowed by political maneuvering.

The former Anambra State governor emphasised that a sound-minded leadership would immediately mobilize all relevant institutions and stakeholders to confront existential challenges with absolute urgency.

He also challenged INEC to make the academic credentials of all political aspirants public to foster trust, arguing that since the nomination form asks candidates if they have ever presented forged certificates, full disclosure is the logical next step to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate maintained that the country’s severe problems require an urgent shift from politics as usual towards leadership defined by character and competence.

“Transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust. Nigeria’s problems are too serious for politics as usual. It is time for leadership defined by competence, character, capacity, compassion, and commitment to service,” he wrote.

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kebbi State have criticised Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, over his recent comments on security and political developments in the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the stakeholders accused the senator of making what they described as misleading remarks and alleged that he had failed to provide adequate representation to his constituents since assuming office.

They claimed that despite expressing concern over insecurity in Kebbi South, particularly in the Zuru Emirate, the senator had not undertaken verifiable constituency projects or provided direct support to communities affected by security challenges.

According to the stakeholders, Senator Maidoki has also failed to participate in several consultative meetings convened by government officials, traditional rulers and community leaders to address insecurity in the area.

The group further dismissed claims that the senator was denied an APC ticket, maintaining that he was not a member of the party when its primary elections were conducted.

The stakeholders also faulted remarks allegedly made by the senator concerning the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi Mika’ilu Sami Gomo III, arguing that traditional institutions should not be drawn into partisan political disputes.

They described the Emir as a respected traditional ruler who continues to enjoy the support of the people of the Zuru Emirate.

The APC stakeholders urged Senator Maidoki to focus on providing effective representation and addressing the needs of his constituents rather than engaging in political controversies.

The group maintained that the people of Kebbi State would continue to support leaders who demonstrate commitment to service delivery and community development.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says judicial interventions have consistently thrown opposition political parties into internal turmoil, fracturing alternative platforms and systematically neutralizing dissent ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP made this remark in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, frowning at what it described as the benevolent patronage of the executive arm of government by gifting ultra-modern residential quarters and court complexes to senior judges.

According to the PDP, while judicial officers undeniably deserve world-class welfare, wrapping the public projects in partisan fanfare transforms a constitutional right into a spectacle of political patronage.

“Instead of acting as a stabilizing force, judicial interventions have consistently thrown opposition political parties into internal turmoil, fracturing alternative platforms and systematically neutralizing dissent ahead of 2027.

“When the executive positions itself as a “benevolent patron” providing houses to the judges who will preside over high-stakes election petitions and constitutional disputes, the appearance of neutrality vanishes. He who pays the piper inevitably dictates the tune.

“The consequences of this cozy relationship are already playing out across Nigeria’s political landscape. The courts have increasingly mutated into a theatre of contradictory injunctions and judgments by error,” the PDP said.