politics
APC Crisis: Buhari, Osibanjo, Tinubu, To Determine Oshiomhole’s Fate
“It is for this reason that the NWC members are being asked (by interested parties) to push for the suspension of the APC chairman pending the outcome of the probe. The President’s body language and actions in the coming days will determine Oshiomhole’s fate. For now, we are still considering it but we don’t want to make any hasty decision until we are sure that we have the President’s backing.”
Barring any last minute changes, a leadership meeting of the All Progressives Congress will hold next week to determine the fate of the embattled National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
A prominent member of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, confided in one of our correspondents, in Abuja, on Friday that as a precursor to this meeting, the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and Oshiomhole, met in Paris, France, on Thursday. Tinubu had gone to France ahead of the President’s visit to the country.
It was further learnt that the meeting between Tinubu and Oshiomhole centred on the growing plot by aggrieved party members especially governors to remove Oshiomhole from office.
The former Lagos State governor is one of the party stalwarts backing Oshiomhole who is now under probe by the Department of State Services.
An APC source said, “Tinubu and Oshiomhole met in Paris on Thursday over attempts by governors and some members of the NWC to remove the party chairman. You will recall that it was Asiwaju who paved the way for the emergence of Oshiomhole as the chairman when Chief Oyegun wanted a tenure extension.
“Now that he has come under probe by the DSS and is being asked to step aside, he has run to Tinubu to save him. It remains unclear what their strategy will be to put a stop to the probe.”
It was also learnt that some aggrieved governors had begun reaching out to members of the National Working Committee to ask Oshiomhole to step aside pending the outcome of the DSS probe.
A member of the party’s NWC, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution said, “The fact that Oshiomhole is under investigation for allegedly collecting money from aspirants is bad for the image of the APC government which claims to be fighting corruption.
“It is for this reason that the NWC members are being asked (by interested parties) to push for the suspension of the APC chairman pending the outcome of the probe. The President’s body language and actions in the coming days will determine Oshiomhole’s fate. For now, we are still considering it but we don’t want to make any hasty decision until we are sure that we have the President’s backing.”
Another party source said high-ranking party leaders would meet “next week” to decide the best way to proceed without “further depleting the party’s public image and goodwill.”
It was also gathered that President Buhari, who has taken charge of efforts to resolve the party’s post primary crisis, would be convening the meeting.
Apart from Buhari, those expected at the Abuja meeting include: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Tinubu, pioneer Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (as former chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party), and Prince Tony Momoh (former National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change).
The party source said, “The matter is receiving attention at the highest level. We cannot pretend, the situation involving our national chairman is already in public domain.
“His invitation and subsequent interrogation by the Department of State Services, is an indictment if you ask me; but you cannot pronounce a man guilty without giving him the right of fair hearing.
“The leadership meeting will take place because as you know, we don’t have a Board of Trustees in place. Mr. President as the leader of the party, who in fact, has personally taken over the process of dealing with the post-primary crisis, is convening the meeting to deal with all these issues.”
In response to a question on whether there were charges against the party chairman, he said, “Our party has a constitution, I refer you to Article 21 which deals with the issue of party discipline. Go and read sub-sections i, ii and xi.”
Article 21 of the APC Constitution (April 2014 As amended) which deals with the discipline of party members reads in part, “Subject to the provision of this Article and the right to fair hearing, the party shall have power to discipline party members. The power shall be exercised on behalf of the party by the respective Executive Committee of the party at all levels.
“Offences against the party shall include the following: (i)a breach of any provision of this constitution; (i) anti-party activities or any conduct, which is likely to embarrass or have adverse effect on the party or put it into hatred, contempt, ridicule or disrepute; (xi) in cases of alteration of delegate lists, falsification of nomination results, and or tampering with the processes of internal democracy of the party, the offender shall be liable to expulsion from the party and be prosecuted.”
Efforts to get a response from the party chairman were futile. Calls to the mobile telephone number of Oshiomhole’s media aide, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, were neither picked nor returned.
A response to a text message asking him to confirm whether or not his principal had returned to the country and what was his response to the news making the rounds about his encounter with the DSS was still being expected as at the time of filing this report at 8:07pm.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said that Oshiomhole was back in the country.
He said, “The APC chairman is back in the country as scheduled. This is contrary to speculations that he was running away. He has been postponing the trip due to the party primaries and submission of candidates’ names to INEC ”
Asked about the meeting between Oshiomhole and Tinubu in France, the APC spokesman replied, “I don’t have such information yet.”
On the proposed leadership meeting holding in Abuja next week, Issa-Onilu said, “I am not aware but even if such meeting would hold…you see there is no crisis in APC. What people call crisis, I call conflict. I can assure you that we are in peace in the APC. The chairman and the NWC are standing for democracy and you should expect resistance.
However, the Spokesman for Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), said the crisis within the party was being exaggerated by the media.
Keyamo said the crisis was normal for a ruling party, adding that things would become normal very soon.
He said, “Let me say clearly that what is happening now is only normal for a ruling party.”
The OK (Obi/Kwankwaso) Movement has declared that it will maintain its independent identity while mobilising support for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general election. NigerianNews Updates
Movement’s leader John Ughulu said the group remained committed to its original mission of securing the election of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and erstwhile Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Speaking in an interview, Ughulu dismissed suggestions that the movement’s decision to campaign independently would undermine its support for the NDC, insisting that the focus should be on achieving a common political objective.
“What difference does it make when we campaign on parallel lines? The most important thing is that we have one objective,” he said.
Asked whether the movement had decided to retain its independent status rather than formally integrate into the NDC campaign structure, Ughulu said its position had not changed.
“We have always been independent, and there is nothing wrong in that. We are campaigning for NDC party’s candidates. I will appreciate we leave it like that,” he added.
He urged members and supporters to remain guided by the principles upon which the movement was established, stressing that its political mission remained unchanged.
“The members of the OK Movement work on the principles upon which we formed the movement. The mission to bring His Excellency Peter Obi and His Excellency Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is sacrosanct,” Ughulu said.
His remarks underscore the movement’s intention to retain its organisational independence while supporting the NDC’s electoral ambitions, particularly its presidential candidate, Obi, in the 2027 contest.
The disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement followed the movement’s announcement of a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council to mobilise support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general election.
The NDC leadership rejected the arrangement, insisting that only the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had the authority to constitute and announce its official campaign council.
The party also maintained that support groups must operate within its recognised organisational framework rather than establish parallel structures.
NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson reinforced this position, arguing that political movements supporting the party’s candidates should complement, not compete with the party’s machinery.
The OK Movement, however, resisted the party’s position, insisting that its support for the NDC candidates should not be interpreted as an obligation to surrender its independently established structures.
Ughulu maintained that the movement had its own leadership, membership and organisational framework, which it was unwilling to dissolve or merge into the party.
The disagreement escalated after the NDC disowned the movement’s campaign council and referred Ughulu to its disciplinary organ over alleged disregard for party authority.
Despite the controversy, the movement has maintained that it will continue to mobilise support for Obi and other NDC candidates while retaining its independent identity.
politics
Breaking : Imo West Senatorial Race: Court Orders INEC to Recognise Okorocha, Bars Uzodimma from Claiming APC Ticket
A court has reportedly ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District.
The court also reportedly directed Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District seat.
The ruling concerns the dispute over the APC senatorial ticket for Imo West, with the court’s directives addressing the recognition of the party’s candidate and the publication of the relevant details by INEC.
The development could have significant implications for the political contest in Imo West, depending on the terms of the judgment and any subsequent legal proceedings.
politics
Breaking : INEC Confirms Oyebanji’s Re-election in Ekiti, First Consecutive Governorship Victory Since 1999
Governor Biodun Oyebanji casting his vote at his Okeelele Unit 003
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the winner of the Ekiti State governorship election held on Saturday.
The governor was re-elected after polling 319,224 votes over his closest rivals in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Olumayokun Oluyede and African Democratic Congress, Dare Bejide, across the state’s 16 local governments.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof Adenike Oladiji, who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure, announced the results in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC’s headquarters on Iyin Road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Oladiji said, “Therefore, I, Adenike, am the returning officer for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election…Oyebanji Abiodun Abayomi, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and stands re-elected.”
While the APC polled 319,224 votes, the PDP candidate polled 40, 533 votes, and the ADC candidate amassed 12,872 votes.
There are 988,251 registered voters, and 384,940 are accredited.
Out of the 382,109 votes cast, the total valid votes in the election were 375, 777.
According to INEC result, the PDP candidate, who hails from Ikere Ekiti, lost in his Ikere Local Government area.
While the APC and its candidate, Oyebanji, scored 8,742 votes, the PDP, which came second in the LGA, garnered 2,051 votes.
Below are the full results of the governorship election as collated at the State Collation Centre from the 16 LGAs on Sunday.
Efon Local Govt
Collation officer: Prof. Joseph Ojo
ADC – 201
APC – 8742
PDP – 2051
Ijero LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Olaniran Akanni
ADC – 2026
APC – 25506
PDP – 2479
Ikere LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Kehinde Jayeoba
ADC – 245
APC – 11116
PDP – 9872
Emure LG
Collation Officer: Prof Emmanuel Oluwafemi
ADC -732
APC – 14325
PDP – 851
Ekiti South West
Collation Officer: Prof. Kola Oladunmoye
ADC – 1076
APC – 14705
PDP – 1800
Ido/Osi
Collation Officer: Prof. Otalobi Akintunde
ADC – 561
APC – 17901
PDP – 1449
Ekiti West
Collation Officer: Prof Bolaji Stephen
ADC – 674
APC – 28258
PDP – 3644
Ado LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Toye Fasinmirin
ADC – 1054
APC – 38026
PDP – 3817
Ilejemeje LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Kehinde Mogaji
ADC – 579
APC – 8984
PDP – 1243
Ise/Orun LG
Collation Officer: Dr John Isa
ADC – 365
APC – 12907
PDP – 1627
Oye LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Jide Popoola
ADC – 998
APC – 18975
PDP – 2891
Moba LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Suleiman Adegboyega
ADC – 994
APC – 20500
PDP – 1572
Ayekire/Gbonyin LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Oso Bamidele
ADC – 314
APC – 17133
PDP – 1563
Ikole LG
Collation Officer: Prof. Sadiat Adifala
ADC – 812
APC – 26508
PDP – 750
Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA
Collation Officer: Prof. Michael Adeyemi
ADC – 511
APC – 29278
PDP – 2119
Ekiti East LGA
Collation Officer: Prof. Olabode Olatunbosun
ADC – 1730
APC – 26359
PDP – 2795
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