Politics

Tinubu’s Campaign Council Holds Closed-door Meeting

Published

4 years ago

October 4, 2022

Members of the newly constituted All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council will on Tuesday hold an emergency closed-door meeting in Abuja.

The development is coming five days after the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, failed to kick off its nationwide electioneering campaign in line with the directive of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Tinubu’s camp also called off Wednesday’s proposed solidarity march that was scheduled to commence from the PCC office on Herbert Macaulay Way in Central Business District to the Unity Fountain in Maitama.

A source told The PUNCH that members of the campaign team are planning to meet with Tinubu in one of its campaign office in Abuja.

He said, “We have been told that we will be having a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) but it is not something we are hoping to divulge to the media now.

“But I cannot confirm Tinubu will be there because I really don’t know if he is back in the country from his trip to London,”

On the essence of the meeting, the source disclosed that it has to do with a number of issues ranging from the fresh list of over 2,000 appointees for the presidential campaign council, the postponed inauguration and ‘workable’ strategies to kick start the campaign after Tinubu’s approval.

When contacted, the PCC Director of Media and Communication was hesitant about commenting on Tuesday’s meeting but confirmed that the former Lagos State governor is expected to arrive this week.

“He is arriving this week. I don’t have any update for you on the presidential campaign inauguration,” he stated.

But Spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the meeting.

He said, “Yes, but I don’t know whether it is with the candidate or not but I am aware the PCC is having a meeting”.

Keyamo did not, however, mention the venue of the meeting.

Tinubu had on Friday unveiled a 422-man committee comprising political heavyweights and other notable members to pilot the various sub-committees of the campaign council to drive its strategy for electoral victory in the 2023 presidential poll.

The list of members released by the Presidential Campaign Council Secretary, James Faleke, in Abuja, followed series of postponements and conjectures about those who would be saddled with the task of leading the ruling party’s bid to retain power at the federal level.

The campaign council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari has Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, as co-deputy chairmen.

Also on the PCC are APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders.

Zonal and state coordinators, advisers, campaign patrons, directors, deputy directors and secretaries of directorates were also named.

The sub-committees include media and publicity; support group coordination; national youth mobilisation; parliamentarian; trade and economic; agriculturists/commodities; campaign planning; civil societies; Diaspora directorate; election planning and monitoring; finance; fund raising; and humanitarian/social.

Others are ICT/data management; intelligence and security; labour; logistics and support service; medicals; policy research and strategy; protocol and events, and others.

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, retained his position as the director-general and Adams Oshiomhole as the deputy director-general (Operations), while Bayo Onanuga is the Director of Media and Publicity.

Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum was appointed the vice-chairman and state coordinator, while ex-Akwa Ibom State governor, Godwill Akpabio, is the vice-chairman, South-South.

A former female APC presidential aspirant, Uju Kennedy, is the council’s vice-chairman, South-East.

Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State is the regional coordinator and chairman for North, while his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, was appointed the regional coordinator for the South-East and Ebonyi State.

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River was also appointed the regional director in charge of the South-South and his state.

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, is the zonal coordinator for the South-West and his state, while his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Bello, will coordinate the North-Central and his state.

Also on the list are Governor Muhammed Yahaya, who is the zonal coordinator for the North-East and Gombe State, and Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, who emerged as the zonal coordinator for the North-West and the state.

No fewer than 24 actors were also enlisted in the performing arts directorate and they include notable Nollywood stars such as Zack Orji, Jide Kosoko, Saheed Balogun, Foluke Daramola, Nuhu Abdullahi, Bimbo Akintola and Fatiha Balogun, among others.

PUNCH

Politics

2027: Court Rebukes Plaintiff, Lawyer In Suit Against Jonathan, Awards N1m Fine

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday rebuked Johnmary Jideobi, the plaintiff, and his lawyer, Ndubuisi Ukpai, over lack of diligence to pursue the suit filed to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contensting in the 2027 presidential election.

Justice Peter Lifu, who described the plaintiff and his lawyer’s attitudes, which had continued to stall proceedings in the case, as “unacceptable,” awarded a N1 million fine against the plaintiff in favour of the ex-president.

“I have carefully and painstakingly considered all the submissions and prayers of the learners counsel in this matter.

“As this court has earlier ruled and ordered, this case has a character of politics.

“I have taken judicial notice of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s timetable.

“The duty of this court is to ensure that political cases are given accelerated hearing and disposed of expeditiously.

“In that wise, and as earlier stated, this court reiterates the provisions of the National Judicial Policy in case management.

“I hereby orders as follows:

“The plaintiff, who filed this suit in October 6, 2025, and has not deemed it fit to serve, is hereby granted grace of two hours from now, that is 10:30 am, to serve all the processes to the 2nd and 3rd defendants (INEC and AGF) unfailingly.

“The 2nd and 3rd defendants are hereby ordered to file and serve their responses, if any, before 11am on Monday, 18th of May, 2026.

“By consent of counsel, this suit is adjourned to May 18th, 2026, by 12noon for definite hearing of the originating summons and all pending applications,” Justice Lifu said.

The judge, who observed that Jideobi filed the suit since Oct. 6, 2025, expressed surprise that he had yet to serve INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the 2nd and 3rd defendants, six months after.

Besides, he observed that counsel for the ex-president (1st defendant), Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the court on May 8 when the case came up that they got the information about the suit in the media and decided to file and serve their processes.

The judge equally observed that on May 11, neither Jideobi, who is also a lawyer, nor Ukpai was in court despite fixing the hearing time at 2pm at the instance of the plaintiff’s lawyer on May 5.

He further noted that though Uche asked for a N5 million cost, the request was not granted in the interest of fair hearing.

“No doubt, cause follows event.

“On May 11 , this court refused to grant the 1st defendant’s application for a cost of N5 million but rather, make cost in this cause.

“Today, it is crystal clear that the plaintiff did not serve the originating summons to the 2nd and 3rd defendants since October 6, 2025.

“This case is for hearing today and the hearing has been frustrated or aborted due to the tardiness of the plaintiff who is a lawyer by training and calling.

“Hearing cannot go on now as an event.

“Consequently, I hold that punishment should lie where the fault is.

“I hereby award the cost of N1 million against the plaintiff but in favour of the 1st defendant only. I so ruled,” Justice Lifu said.

Earlier when the case was called on Friday, neither Jideobi nor Ukpai was not in court again.

However, lawyer to the former president, Uche, and AGF’s counsel, J. D. Esho, were in court.

Justice Lifu then asked the registrar to confirm from the court record if the plaintiff and INEC were served with hearing notices which she did.

The former president’s lawyer, therefore, applied that the case be dismissed with substantial cost due to the plaintiff’s continued absence in court.

Uche said the plaintiff and his lawyer did not see the reason to either write to the court or the defendants on why they would not be in court.

The senior lawyer said Jideobi and Ukpai, in their manner, had portrayed absolute disdain and disrespect to the court.

He expressed surprise that the plaintiff, who initiated the suit, dragged a former Commnder-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the country to court for nothing and abandoned the case.

Uche said despite getting the news about the case in the media, the former president filed all his processses, including a preliminary objection, and served same on the plaintiff.

“The plaintiff thinks he can hold the court and other parties to ransom, and stayback in the comfort of his house and drag all of us to court,” he said.

According to him, there must be a consequence for every action.

“They think the courts are toothless bulldog and the dignity of the court must be protected my lord,” he said.

Uche, therefore, urged the court to invoke its disciplinary power on the plaintiff and dismiss the case as being an abuse of court process.

AGF’s lawyer, Esho, who told the court that her office was served with the ex-president’s response to the suit on May 11, said they were yet to be served with the originating summons of the plaintiff.

The registrar also confirmed that though INEC was served with hearing notice of today’s sitting, the commission had not also been served with the plaintiff’s processes.

Midway into the case, Ukpai entered the court and apologised for his lateness.

“My lord, I am sorry. I am for the plaintiff. Our vehicle broke down on the way,” he begged.

After taking submissions of all the lawyers, the judge adjourned the matter until May 18 for definite hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit at 12noon.

Politics

Four Fubara Loyalists Disqualified As APC Clears 21 For Rivers Reps Primaries

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified four loyalists of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from contesting the party’s House of Representatives primaries scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026.

The development was contained in the final list of aspirants released by the party and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt.

Among those disqualified are two serving members of the House of Representatives, Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Boma Goodhead.

Abiante and Goodhead are regarded as key allies of Fubara and have remained vocal in their support for the governor since the political rift between him and his estranged political godfather,the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Abiante is also said to be among stakeholders who purchased the governorship nomination form for Fubara.

Others disqualified are retired Air Commodore John Opuene and Hon. Anderson Igbiki.

Meanwhile, 21 aspirants, including Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, were cleared by the party to contest the primaries.

Amaewhule, who is seeking to represent Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, is aiming to replace the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda.

The APC State Publicity Secretary, Chibike Ikenga, confirmed the list of cleared and disqualified aspirants in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The statement, titled “Final List of Aspirants for the House of Representatives Primary Election for Saturday, 16th May, 2026,” said the list was released by the national leadership of the party and advised aspirants to comply accordingly.

Part of the statement read: “You are by this notice informed of the release of the final list of aspirants for the House of Representatives primary election of our great party, the APC, scheduled for 16th May, 2026, as released by the National Leadership of the Party.

“Aspirants are kindly advised to note and comply accordingly.

“This information must be taken seriously in view of the election as scheduled.”

Politics

2027: Daniel-Abiodun Feud Deepens Over Senatorial Ticket For Ogun East

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

Editor

… as Govt accuses Daniel of demonising consensus arrangement that made him Senator

…I will defeat Abiodun in free, fair primary – Daniel boasted

The rift between Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, deepened yesterday as the state government accused the senator of opposing the same consensus arrangement that paved the way for his emergence as the district’s senatorial candidate in 2023.

Daniel, despite the unanimous endorsement of Abiodun by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the zone as the party’s consensus candidate for the senatorial seat, still went ahead to obtain the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for a return to the Senate in the 2027 elections.

As at Tuesday, the party leaders also formerly formally presented and endorsed the governor as the consensus candidate of the zone for the 2027 senatorial election, describing the endorsement as a collective decision aimed at ensuring quality representation and sustaining party unity in the district.

However, Daniel argued that only a transparent and credible primary could settle the tussle between him and Abiodun to clinch the senatorial ticket of the party, expressing confidence that he would beat the governor in a free and fair primary election.

“Without any doubt, in a free and fair primary, I will not just win, I will win overwhelmingly” he said.

But, speaking on the development, yesterday, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade, accused the former governor and of demonising the same process of consensus arrangement that made him Senator simply because it no longer aligns with his personal ambition.

Akinmade expressed shocked that Daniel could resort to what he described as ” cheap propaganda and outright falsehood” move against the decision of the party because of his personal ambition after immensely benefited from the consensus arrangement that made him Senator in 2023.

“Daniel is simply fighting the same consensus arrangement and party structure that produced him as senator in 2023. It is shocking that someone who benefited immensely from the collective decision of the party is now demonising the same process simply because it no longer aligns with his personal ambition.

“The governor ensured a peaceful consensus arrangement that paved the way for Daniel’s emergence as the APC senatorial candidate. It is therefore ironic that the same individual now seeks to discredit the party and its leadership merely because he could not have his way politically,” he added.

Akinmade urged the people of the state particularly in Ijebuland from Ogun East Senatorial District to remain appreciative of the developmental strides of the Abiodun administration, especially in infrastructure renewal and road rehabilitation.

“Everybody in the state, especially in Ijebuland, appreciates the modest achievements of Governor Dapo Abiodun. Most of the deplorable roads abandoned by previous administrations have now been fixed, while about 29 major road projects have been completed in Ijebu Ode alone,” he said.

The SA also faulted the former governor’s comparison of federal allocations received during his tenure as governor with those accruing to the current administration, accusing him of deliberately ignoring prevailing economic realities and the sharp depreciation of the naira.
(GUARDIAN)