POLITICS
APC Accuses PDP of Plot to ‘Overthrow’ Buhari

By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Local Government Chairmen yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of an impending plot to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari with the aid of the National Assembly.
The grassroots APC chairmen made the revelation while accusing the PDP of manipulating the National Assembly to remove the current administration from office.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, National Coordinator of the group, Adadu Alegwu revealed that the opposition has resorted to the legislative arm having failed to legitimately oust President Buhari through the Judiciary.
The recent upsurge in criminal activities across the country; from Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks to banditry and kidnappings, the group alleged, are the handiwork of the PDP, whose desperation for power isn’t strange.
However, the APC Chairmen said the new-found alliance with the National Assembly was a cause for worry, especially after some of its disloyal members reportedly received humongous sum to betray the party.
This script, the group further revealed, is orchestrated by a top-ranking member of the PDP in the National Assembly, backed by a former president, a governor of one of the South-South state and a perpetual presidential candidate.
According to the group, having already penetrated the NASS, the PDP sought to win over the Service Chiefs to its fold.
Alegwu noted that the grand plot was a coup against democracy, and as such discerning members of the general public are placed on notice of the manifestation of the destabilization plot by the PDP.
He said: “The National Forum of APC Local Government Chairmen the umbrella forum of all APC local government chairmen in Nigeria is holding the press conference as a matter of national interest to intimate members of the general public of the clandestine plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remove President Muhammadu Buhari from office through the National Assembly.
“According to credible information reaching the National Forum of APC Local Government Chairmen has indeed revealed that the opposition PDP is the brain behind the recent upsurge of criminal activities across the country manifest in Boko Haram/ISWAP, banditry and kidnappings.
“This they, the PDP, have elected to do in an attempt to pitch the people against the democratically elected government of President Muhammadu Buhari all in a bid to take the mandate freely given by the people through the backdoor and destabilize the country.
“The PDP has enlisted the members of the National Assembly to carry out this nefarious act, and they have also gone a step further by soliciting the buy-in of some disloyal APC members in the National Assembly by compromising them with huge monetary inducement.
“We wish to state that the plot in the National Assembly was orchestrated by a top-ranking member of the PDP in the National Assembly who have been mandated by the leadership of the PDP to see to the realization of this grand plot against democracy in Nigeria.
“The general public should be informed that the PDP has mobilized humongous amount of monies for this despicable act that has seen monies exchanging hands for the actualization of their evil agenda against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The National Forum of APC Local Government Chairmen wishes to inform the general public that credible information at our disposal indicates that a former president, a governor of one of the South-South states, a perpetual presidential candidate, who still has his gaze at the 2023 presidential elections and a governor from one of the states in northwest Nigeria, are all behind this despicable plot.”
NEWS
Zamfara APC Group Warns Against Governor Dauda’s Alleged Defection Plans

By David Torough, Abuja
A group of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Zamfara State has urged the party’s National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, to reject any attempt by Governor Dauda Lawal to defect to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group, operating under the banner of Zamfara APC Supporters (ZAS), issued a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, accusing Governor Lawal of seeking political refuge in the APC to evade corruption investigations.
Comrade Muttaka Ibrahim Ruwan Bore, who chairs the group, said the governor’s alleged plan is driven by fear of prosecution over reported links to former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and ex-Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele.
He described the move as an attempt to secure a “soft landing” by aligning with the ruling party in order to shield himself from ongoing investigations.
“Dauda always boasts that the people voted for him. We are saying he should remain in the Peoples Democratic Party and test his popularity to see if he can secure even 20 percent of the votes.
“We are not asking him to join us, but it would be better for him to test his popularity come 2027.”
“Governor Dauda wants to reap where he did not sow,” Bore said. “We, the APC members in Zamfara, are satisfied with our current leaders and do not welcome an additional burden.”
The group listed notable party stalwarts in the state—including former governors Ahmad Sani Yarima, Mamuda Shinkafi, Abdul’aziz Yari, and Bello Matawalle—as respected leaders who have maintained the party’s grassroots strength.
Bore further claimed that Dauda’s alleged defection bid was a calculated strategy to gain political cover if he loses his re-election bid in 2027.
He insisted that the governor is trying to use the APC as a shield against possible criminal charges linked to financial misconduct, stressing that “the party does not support corruption.”
“Our party is corruption-intolerant,” he said. “We cannot accept anyone with baggage from past misdeeds.”
Governor Dauda, a former banker, has faced criticism since taking office in 2023 under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with opponents pointing to his alleged ties to controversial figures as a source of concern.
The APC, which lost the governorship in the last general election, has remained a dominant political force in Zamfara, largely due to the continued influence of its former governors.
As political realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, defections are expected to shape the race.
However, the ZAS group warned APC members to remain vigilant and guard the party against being used as a “haven for those seeking to escape justice.”
“We will continue our advocacy and ensure that our party remains a home of integrity,” Bore said .
POLITICS
South-East Threatens to Dump PDP if Denied National Secretary Position

The South-East bloc of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened to reconsider its relationship with the party if the zone was denied the position of the party’s National Secretary.This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of South-East PDP Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) meeting held on Wednesday in Enugu.
The document was signed by Chief Ali Odefa, Chairman, PDP, South-East Zone. He said the ZEC unanimously recommended Mr Sunday Udeh-Okoye for the office of national secretary of the party. “Therefore, we hope that this time around, the position of the South-East PDP regarding the Office of the National Secretary is accorded the honour and immediacy it deserves.“However, in the event that our position is not promptly implemented by the party, the South- East PDP, as a family, will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with the PDP going forward,” he said.Odefa urged PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to uphold its decision at its 600th meeting on April 29 which allowed the party’s Deputy National Secretary to function as Acting National Secretary.This, he said, would be pending the time a substantive national secretary would be confirmed.“The South-East ZEC further noted that the zone had to go through this process for the umpteenth time, unlike what obtains in the filling of vacant national offices by other zones.“It is recalled that the South East ZEC met in October 2023 and nominated Udeh-Okoye to serve out the remaining term of the National Secretary.“This position was reaffirmed during the Feb. 20, 2024 meeting of the PDP South-East ZEC. We also reiterated this during the meeting of ZEC in Enug today,” Odefa said.The zonal chairman said that South-East had consistently served as PDP stronghold from the inception of the party.He said that while the party had been losing key members following post-2023 general election, the South-East PDP was at the vanguard of strengthening the party by rallying major opposition figures into its fold.“In Enugu State, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party is back to the PDP; two members of the House of Representatives are equally back from Labour Party.“Furthermore, PDP seats in the Enugu State House of Assembly have grown from 10 at the inception of the Assembly to 20 today,’’ he said.He recalled that on March 21 the Supreme Court brought to a close the protracted legal tussle over the position of the National Secretary of the PDP.According to him, the apex court, in its ruling, held that the issue of the leadership of a political party was the internal affairs of the affected party.“The PDP Governors’ Forum, at its April 14, 2025 meeting held in Ibadan recommended that the South-East PDP should nominate a candidate.“This followed the consideration of the report of the panel it set up to review the Supreme Court judgment.“Their position is that the candidate would serve out the remaining tenure of the National Secretary of the Party zoned to the region,’’ Odefa said. (NAN)POLITICS
Senate Confirms 5 INEC RECs

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of five Resident Electoral Commissioners of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).Report says that their confirmation followed the presentation of the report of Committee on INEC at plenary on Wednesday.The report was presented by Chairman of the committee, Sen.
Simon Lalong (APC-Plateau). Report says that the RECs confirmed were: Umar Garba, representing Kano, Sa’ad Idris (Bauchi) and Chukwemeka Ibeziako (Anambra), Umar Mukhtar (Borno) and Dr Johnson Sinkiem (Bayelsa). Lalong, in his presentation, said that the committee considered the resume, work experiences and career progression of the nominees during their screening.He said that the nominees responded to questions successfully, adding that they were all qualified for the appointment.“After carefully scrutinising all the relevant documents of the nominees and due consideration of their levels of exposure, experiences, performances, qualifications and integrity, this committee hereby recommends that senate confirm the nominees,” he said. (NAN)