Politics
Labour Party Kicks As Suspended Youth Leader Demands N10m

The suspended National Youth Leader of Labour Party, Anslem Eragbe, has demanded N10m refunds from the leadership of the party to enable him to offset some embarrassing online debts he incurred during their mobilisation campaign.
Eragbe made the demand in a letter addressed to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi; his running mate, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; National Chairman, Julius Abure; the LP National Working Committee and members of the campaign council.
This was even as the National Secretary of the party, Umar Farouk, denied the claim, saying nobody commissioned him to put up any website or spend his money for the alleged project.
Recall that the LP national youth leader was slammed with a six-month ban on October 21 over allegations bordering on forgery, opening of an illegal donation website and acts of insubordination.
Eragbe, who is also a senatorial candidate for Edo North, had fought back fiercely claiming his sanction was unconstitutional and illegal.
In the letter, which was made available to Saturday PUNCH, Eragbe bemoaned that the party failed to mobilise him for the campaign.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Labour Party Presidential Campaign DG, Okupe Resigns
He noted that every dime he spent was done from out-of-pocket allowances.
The statement read, “I wish to request that only N10m be paid to me to offset initial debt incurred for the development of the Labour Party National Mobilisation website.
“You will recall that Labour Party did not mobilise me as the National Youth Leader of Labour Party till today for this website development save for the “out-of-pocket” allowance of one million naira (N1,000,000) only as the National Youth Leader of Labour Party for my official activities.
“I hereby attach some evidence of the over N5m receipts of debt owed to online financial platform institutions to the effect of my demand for payment for the website development to enable me to pay off these embarrassing debts.”
Continuing, Eragbe maintained that the LP national mobilization website had an unlimited database to warehouse over 47 million voters across the 176,846 polling units, 774 LGA, 36 states and 8,815 political wards, including the FCT.
He also disclosed that the donation portal had yet to be activated for the 2023 general elections.
“You may also wish to recall and remember that the ‘Command and Control Unit and 20 buses’ donated to the party presidential campaign committee in Asokoro and some financial support were secured through my “fund solicitation” for the deployment of these ICT solutions for the 2023 presidential and general elections and these solutions need to be deployed forthwith, should you still desire same.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Labour Party Sacks National Publicity Secretary, Dissolves Ogun Exco
“Kindly oblige me the payment of the initial outstanding N10m to enable me to offset some of this embarrassing online debt incurred for the above stated objectives.
“The Labour Party National Mobilisation LP-NG Mobile App is expected to generate an average of $80,000,000 annually for the party for a database population of a minimum of 10 million eligible voters from the 2023 national mobilization deployment,” he said.
LP reacts
Reacting, the National Secretary of the party, Umar Farouk, denied Eragbe’s claim, saying the party owed him nothing because there was no contractual agreement between them.
READ ALSO: Labour Party Queries Kogi State Chairman, Excos Over Poor Reception At Obi’s Rally
He said, “I didn’t see the letter you are talking about because I have not been around for a while. Secondly, I am telling you in my capacity as the National Secretary that there is no contractual agreement between him and the party to my knowledge. I am not aware of it.”
Politics
PDP Unveils 13-member Screening Panel For National Convention

According to a statement issued on October 25, 2025, by the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) and signed by its Chairman, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who is also the Governor of Adamawa State, the screening exercise will take place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
The committee will be chaired by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), a former Ondo State governorship candidate and respected legal luminary.
He will be assisted by Hon. Mohammed L.S. Diri (SAN) as Deputy Chairman, while Mr. Asue Ighodalo, Esq., will serve as Secretary. Jacob Otorkpa was named Deputy Secretary.
READ ALSO:Jonathan’s Ex-aide Dumps PDP For APC
Other members of the committee include: Emmanuel Enoidem (SAN), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Chief Mrs. Aduke Maina, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Achike Udenwa, Haj. Maryam Inna Ciroma, HM. Felix Hassan Hyat, HM. Zainab Maina, and Chinedu Nwachukwu, who will also serve as Administrative Secretary.
The statement noted that the selection reflected the PDP’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and internal democracy in the build-up to its national convention.
“The NCOC notes and expects that the exemplary conduct and strict adherence to rules and regulations during this very crucial assignment will justify the confidence reposed by the Party in members of the Committee,” the statement read.
READ ALSO:BREAKING: PDP Dismisses Anyanwu’s Forgery Claim, Says He Signed Convention Letters
Fintiri assured party members that the screening process will be conducted with the highest standards of fairness and impartiality, underscoring the PDP’s resolve to strengthen its democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This exercise is crucial in ensuring that only credible, competent, and loyal members emerge to steer the affairs of our great party,” Fintiri stated.
Politics
Why I Refused To Endorse El-Rufai As My Successor — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he turned down a suggestion to endorse former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, as his successor.
Speaking on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the annual Ajibosin Platform symposium themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance”, Obasanjo disclosed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai for the presidency, but he rejected the idea.
Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address at the event, had earlier narrated how El-Rufai introduced him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, an encounter that led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Addressing the audience, Obasanjo took a playful jab at Chidoka for leaving out the El-Rufai story.
“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said.
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Turning to Chidoka, who was seated among the panelists, he asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?” The former minister nodded in agreement.
Obasanjo explained that he dismissed the suggestion because he believed El-Rufai still needed time to grow politically.
“I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needs to mature. You remember?
“When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”
The former president, however, commended Chidoka, El-Rufai, and other former aides for their “special attributes,” which he said contributed to the success of his administration.
READ ALSO:Nigeria Not Difficult To Govern If… – Obasanjo
Speaking further on leadership, Obasanjo emphasised character, exposure, experience, and training as essential qualities of effective governance.
Obasanjo said, “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship.
“But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”
El-Rufai served under Obasanjo’s administration as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) before becoming the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2003 and 2007. When Obasanjo was leaving office in 2007, he instead backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his preferred successor.
In his address, Chidoka blamed Nigeria’s development setbacks on excuses and what he described as the politics of alibi.
READ ALSO:Provide Evidence Of My Third Term Ambition’, Obasanjo Challenges Nigerians
“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind.
“Moral conviction must translate into the everyday machinery of governance—rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult.
“Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to outlive their authors,” he said.
He urged leaders to prioritise accountability and measurable results.
“We must therefore make leadership accountable not to rhetoric but to results: measure by building national dashboards and accountability systems that track every promise, every budget, every outcome. Monitor by strengthening the institutions that evaluate government performance and expose complacency,” he said.
Politics
FULL LIST: Borno Tops In Voter Online Pre-registrations

Borno State has recorded the highest number of voter online pre-registrations nationwide as of Week Nine, according to newly released data from the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday.
Out of a total of 8,003,196 Nigerians who completed the pre-registration process, Borno accounted for 826,130 entries, the highest figure recorded across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Osun State follows with 646,580 pre-registrations, while Lagos is next with 604,819. Kebbi registered 581,135, slightly ahead of Kaduna, which recorded 510,490. Ogun is close behind with 510,062, and Kano comes next with 421,941. Kogi also posted high numbers, registering 361,233, while Zamfara and Yobe followed with 304,065 and 292,714, respectively.
Jigawa added 284,384 pre-registrations, with the FCT recording 228,264. Oyo followed closely with 224,713. Katsina registered 205,933, while Sokoto and Nasarawa posted 209,392 and 183,519, respectively.
READ ALSO:Tinubu Nominates New Minister
Bauchi recorded 181,671, ahead of Delta, which registered 160,188. Kwara contributed 142,084, followed by Cross River with 119,773 and Ekiti with 114,244.
Imo State recorded 109,245 pre-registrations, with Niger adding 107,153 and Gombe logging 103,150. Plateau followed with 93,963, while Rivers and Adamawa registered 82,840 and 80,556, respectively. Taraba posted 65,684, Akwa Ibom 60,638, Benue 53,747, and Bayelsa 52,957.
At the lower end of the table, Enugu registered 25,541 voters, followed by Ondo with 17,618, Ebonyi with 13,979, Edo with 11,570, and Abia with 11,221, the lowest figure in the country.
Also, INEC announced that a total of 1,710,450 voters have completed their CVR nationwide as of week eight, combining both online pre-registration (956,566) and physical registration (753,884).
READ ALSO:Acting INEC Chair Outlines Preparations or Anambra Poll
In accordance with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC confirmed that registration activities in Anambra State remain suspended until after the governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.
Until recently, states in the South-West, particularly Osun, Lagos, and Ogun, had consistently led the CVR process since the exercise commenced on August 18, 2025.
However, recent data indicated an uptick in participation from northern states, especially Borno and Kebbi, amid renewed mobilisation campaigns.
It was reported that community-based organisations, religious leaders, and local officials in several northern states intensified sensitisation efforts to boost awareness and encourage eligible residents to register.
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