POLITICS
Ekiti Guber Aspirants Petition APC over Primaries

By Jude Opara, Abuja
The aggrieved seven aspirants who boycotted the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state which took place last week last Friday petitioned the National Secretariat of the party to cancel the exercise. The seven aspirants include; Dayo Adeyeye, Opeyemi Bamidele, Kayode Mojo, Femi Bamisile, Bamidele Faparusi, Demola Popoola and Afolabi Oluwasola.
The group who now operates under the aegis of the Ekiti G7 claims that the organizing committee that conducted the primaries skewed the exercise in favour of the aspirant alleged to have the blessing of Governor Kayode Fayemi.The aspirants who had a common petition addressed to the Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state among others claimed that the sensitive materials including voting materials and result sheets were distributed to supporters of the eventual winner, Biodun Oyebanji.
However, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ekiti Primary Election Organizing Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru has denied the allegation that his committee manipulated the party’s primary election.Badaru who is also the governor of Jigawa state was at the National Secretariat of the APC last Friday to submit his report told newsmen that contrary to the claims of the other seven aspirants, the exercise was conducted in line with laid down guidelines of the party.
Badaru said; “We have submitted the results sheets and reports where they were conducted. In 166 wards, we had elections but in 11 wards the exercise was disrupted and we canceled those areas but in 166, people actively participate. And I think you all have the videos of what transpired in all the 166 wards except the 11. Even the 11 that had crisis, I am sure you have seen the videos.”
On the alleged manipulation by the seven aspirants who pulled out of the process, the governor said; “We landed on the 26th, I had meetings with all the aspirants and seven attended out of the eight and we discussed the guidelines and we agreed on all the terms. “What they are alleging probably is that party members loyal to the governor were chosen to serve as Returning Officers in various wards and local governments.
They raised that at the meeting and I told them that the guideline is to use the party people to do the job. We cannot hire or take people that are not from the party. I also told them to give us 20 people each from the party that they believed will do justice to them. And they provided those 20 list which we incorporated them into the Returning Officers. “But you can see from what happened that they are supposed to have agents in all the 177 wards. And this 11 wards that the primaries were disrupted were wards that had relationship with most of the aspirants. So, you can see if they have that power, to stop the congress, they could have done it also in the other 166 wards.”
While responding to a question whether the party will not experience what happened in the last exercise it had in Anambra state where the APC candidate, Sen. Andy Ubah scored more votes at the primary than he did at the governorship election, Badaru said he is sure of victory for his party when the election takes place in June. “The winner got 101,000 votes out of 180,000 registered members. So it is a very realistic fact. It is only 60-65% membership that comes out to vote which is very realistic. And for those of you that have been there on the field, you have gone round ward by ward by yourselves that it is actually people that voted. Before the election, I promised the aspirants that I will never receive a result written where people have not participated in the process. And that was why the 11 wards cannot be return to me because I knew there were violence and election didn’t take place. That is why I canceled them.”
The Jigawa state governor equally appealed to the aspirants that are aggrieved to sheath their sword and join the party to work for success in the forthcoming elections. “They are party members. What we expect them to do is to join hands with us so that we can continue to build the party and we continue to support the candidate that emerges. At the opening of my engagement with the aspirants, at the stakeholders meeting that we held in Ekiti State, I told them that power comes from God. And it is only God that will determine who will win. And if we take it in our hearts to be patient, God will certainly reward you. But if you chose to castigate and humiliate people, and cast insults on people, God is watching. You will certainly harvest what you have done because the truth will always come out. And we did this primary with utmost fear of God. And those that knows me know I cannot write result for anybody,” Badaru concluded. Meanwhile, the protesting aspirants and their supporters are billed to organize a mass protest at the National Secretariat of the APC to further drive home their demand for a fresh primary election.
POLITICS
Osun 2026 Guber: APC Aspirants Should Not Waste Money Contesting Against Adeleke – Ex Party Chieftain, Jackson Ojo

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
A former Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has advised those in the race for the APC ticket not to waste their resources as the victory of Governor Isiaka Adeleke is practically a done deal.
In a video post on his Facebook page, Jackson Ojo said Governor Adeleke has won the heart of the people of his state with his transformation of all the 30 local governments in the State and prompt payment of workers and pensioners.
According to him, the achievements of Governor Adeleke has already done 80 percent of his campaign ahead of the election.
Jackson Ojo, who is a Security Expert and global affairs analyst, from Osun State, stressed that he has always advised political office holders to perform while in office as this is the greatest strategy and tactics to win future elections.
He stressed that the abysmal performance of the APC at the Federal level and the poor performance of previous APC governors in Osun state will count heavily against any candidate that is presented by the party to contest against governor Adeleke.
The former APC chieftain added that he is not patronizing the governor for any personal gain as there is nothing that the governor can give him that God has not already given him.
He stressed that his intervention in the Osun governorship race is to stop opponents of the governor from wasting their resources for an election they can never win.
His words: “Two weeks ago I resigned from partisan politics, so I am no longer member of any political party in Nigeria. When I speak now I am not speaking in favour or against any political party. So, I am very free to air my views
“This is my views on the forthcoming governorship election in Osun state. I still see some people struggling for governor in Osun state come 2026.
“That is highly impossible for an APC aspirant. What is the APC government doing at the national level, what are the doing in the Senate, what are they doing in the House of Representatives to encourage Nigerians?
“If we are in a place like America or United Kingdom (UK) APC will not be able to win ordinary councillorship again in this country. Is it in the management of economy, education, health, security and others?
“In all these areas put together they have not scored up to 10 percent. I can boldly mark them today they they have woefully failed in area of agricultural development, educational development, health development, security, economy and infrastructural development. In all ramifications this party has failed.
“Look at the antecedents of the APC in Osun state. Aregbesola tried a bit, yes, but then Aregbesola left the State aground.
“When Baba Jeje, Mr. Go Slow, the unfortunate Minister of Blue Economy or whatever they call it, came there was nothing to write home about during his tenure as governor of Osun State. He came, he bartered the state, he rubbished the State, he insulted the state, he disgraced the State on the platform of APC.
“Now another APC is coming out now thinking of winning? Winning where, defeat who?
“Governor Adeleke does not know me, there is no benefit Adeleke can give me that God has not given to me. I can’t be a Commissioner in Osun state. No. I can’t be Special Adviser or whatever. I can’t even take their contract. I don’t think they can award the kind of contract that I need to an individual.
“But then, Adeleke has tried. If you go to my community you will see the way he has positively turned the community. Even if I am the governor of Osun State I don’t think I can do what Adeleke has done in my town and that transformation cuts across all the 30 local government areas of Osun State. All the communities, all the local governments, all.
“This man is no longer paying half salary of quarter salary. This man is not owning workers, he is not owning pensioners. This alone has spoken, this alone has done 80 percent of his campaign.
“If you perform well in office that is the highest strategy and tactics that you can use to win the heart of the people.
“Come 2026 whoever is putting money on ground in Osun state to go and contest governorship in Osun state, honestly that person has money to waste. It is sadaka, the money they have stolen they want to come and do sadaka. It is Adeleke till 2030.”
POLITICS
Former DG of PDP Governors Forum Defects to ADC

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Former Director General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon C.I.D Maduabum has resigned from the party and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement made available to Daily Asset in Abuja on Sunday, Hon Maduabum said he is dumping the PDP because the party has been “hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.
”Part of his statement read: “After deep reflection, extensive consultations, and careful evaluation of the current political realities within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.
“As a committed democrat, a two-term member of the House of Representatives, and former Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, I have dedicated significant portions of my political life to building the PDP as a platform for democratic consolidation and national development.
“However, the soul of the party I once served with pride has been hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.
“The PDP today is a shadow of its former self. It has descended into chaos, internal betrayal, and systematic destruction by diverse forces who have no regard for the principles upon which the party was founded. Sadly, voices of reason are no longer welcome, and genuine reformers are vilified or silenced.
“I can no longer in good conscience remain in a house that has been stripped of its moral compass and overrun by opportunists.
“In light of this, I am proud to announce that I am joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party that now stands as the only credible democratic alternative for Nigeria.
“The ADC is emerging as a beacon of hope for good governance, integrity, accountability, and inclusive politics. It offers the opportunity for principled politics, genuine people-oriented leadership, and a platform for rebuilding our nation from the grassroots up.
“The ADC Coalition includes progressive minded people like Mr. Peter Obi and others.
“I join the ADC not merely as a defector but as a reformer committed to helping build a new political culture — one based on merit, ideology, discipline, youth inclusion, and national unity.
“The time has come for all well-meaning Nigerians to take a stand against the decay in our political system. I call on all patriots, especially those disillusioned by the dysfunction in the traditional parties, to rally around this movement for a new Nigeria through the ADC.
“I remain committed to the democratic ideals of justice, equity, and service to the people. The struggle to rescue Nigeria and restore its promise continues — and it begins now on a new, firmer footing.”
POLITICS
Anambra: INEC Registers 96,085 New Voters, Extends CVR by Three Days

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has registered 96,085 new voters in nine days and extended the exercise by three days in Anambra.
The commission disclosed this in a statement by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, on Thursday in Abuja, after its weekly meeting.
He said that on the preliminary stage of the CVR, 56,017 representing 58 per cent of new registrants were female while 50,429 52 representing 48 per cent were young people between the ages of 18 and 34.
“The commission is pleased with the turnout of registrants in Anambra and the peaceful conduct of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in all the 326 registration centres in the state.
“As of yesterday, Wednesday, 96,085 new voters have successfully registered in nine days. On average, the Commission registered over 10,600 voters per day.
“In addition, 12,595 voters applied for transfer of their registration both within and outside the state while 7,061 persons applied for the update of their records or the replacement of their damaged or lost Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
“The CVR in Anambra ends today. However, in response to appeal from citizens, the Commission hereby extends the exercise for three more days. It will now end on Sunday, July 20,” he said.
Olumekun said that the commission would thereafter display the register for claims and objections by citizens as provided by law.
This, according to him, will be followed by a further clean-up of the data using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
“Subsequently, the detailed breakdown of the new registrants by age, gender, occupation and disability will be published for public information,” he said.
Olumekun also disclosed that INEC had received five more letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.
According to him, the new application brings the number received so far by the commission to 134.
Olumekun stated that the details of the new associations, indicating their proposed names, acronyms, logos, addresses and interim leaderships were already published on INEC website and other platforms for public information.
He said that INEC would continue to keep the citizens up to date on all its activities.