Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has advocated for a constitutional amendment to replace the current two-term, four-year structure for elected political office holders with a single term of five or six years. He made this proposal on Friday while receiving Muslim faithful, traditional rulers, and political stakeholders at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan, shortly after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers. The delegation was led by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal and included notable figures such as the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja; former deputy governors Hazeem Gbolarumi and Hamid Gbadamosi; PDP Deputy National Chairman Taofeek Arapaja; Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta, Dawodu Makanjuola; and federal lawmaker Abass Adigun Agboworin. Addressing the gathering, Governor Makinde stated that a single-term structure would reduce the distractions of re-election campaigns and enable leaders to concentrate fully on governance. “First, let me use this opportunity to say Barka Da Sallah to our Muslim faithful, and we shall have the opportunity to celebrate many more by the grace of God. “I was just looking at the trajectory for me in government. I have spent six years already, and due to no fault of anybody, we lost the year 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “We lost almost one year, campaigning all over the place for the second tenure. Now, people have started distracting us from what I want to do next and all of that. So, I feel that, effectively, the time we can say we are very serious with governance is just about five out of the eight years. “That is why I feel that if you remove all these distractions, a single tenure of five or six years is actually enough to focus and do the work that we are trying to do in eight years. “Well, we shouldn’t be afraid to say the fact based on the data that is available to us. It has nothing to do with me. If they say I should end it, so be it. Makinde emphasized that his suggestion was not self-serving but based on his personal experience and observation of governance trends in Nigeria. “I am calling the attention of our people to this because it is a constitutional issue. We should start looking at it. I know that it has been brought to the attention of the National Assembly, but, quite frankly, it is a model that should work for this country.,” he added.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has formally declared his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Announcing the move on Friday in Uyo, the state capital, Eno stated that the decision came after three months of wide-ranging consultations with major political stakeholders across the state. “For some time now, the political space—particularly in this state and across the nation—has been filled with speculation about my potential defection from the PDP, the platform that facilitated my rise to the position of governor,” he stated. “This conversation has generated diverse opinions. Today, I am here to address those lingering questions. As the Dalai Lama once said, ‘We should always be open to change, but not let go of our shared values.’” Governor Eno confirmed that he has submitted his formal resignation from the PDP to his ward chairman, with copies also delivered to the party’s state and national leadership. “Earlier this morning, I submitted a formal letter of resignation to the ward chairman of the PDP. Copies were also sent to both the state and national chairmen,” he said. “I want to thank the PDP for their support, their love, and the opportunity to serve Akwa Ibom under their banner over the past two years.” He emphasized that the decision was not made lightly, but came after a series of engagements with political leaders and party stakeholders. His final consultation, he noted, took place during a Thursday evening meeting with key PDP figures. “I believe no one in the political history of this state has consulted as widely as I have before making such a move,” he said. “I did it out of respect for all of you—as stakeholders in the Akwa Ibom project. I needed your counsel and felt it was important to explain the reasons behind this decision.” Eno described his defection as a response to the evolving political climate, stating: “We must be able to interpret the times, flow with them, and not swim against the tide. Having completed my consultations, I have now decided to align myself with the All Progressives Congress.”

The Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return to the PDP. WAFFI TV recalls that Obi left the PDP for the LP after feeling he could not realise his presidential ambition within the party. The call was made following an expanded meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) held in Awka on Thursday to assess the party's current state and strategize for the future. In a communiqué signed by the State Chairman, Chidi Chidebe, the PDP cautioned that forming alliances with ideologically mismatched political groups under the pretext of coalitions is unlikely to produce meaningful results. “The committee extends an open invitation to all aggrieved and former members of the PDP in Anambra, particularly our revered former governor, Mr Peter Obi, to return home and reunite with the now rejuvenated and restructured PDP. “We will gladly welcome our brothers and sisters back to join us in the collective quest for a better Nigeria,” he said. Chidebe told Anambra electorate to support Mr Jude Ezenwafor and his running mate, Mr Francis Okeke, in the coming election while urging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure a fair, transparent, and impartial electoral process. While announcing the unanimous nomination of Chief Clems Ezike to fill the vacant position of National Ex-Officio from Anambra, Chidebe urged the Southeast Zonal Executive Committee under Chief Ali Odefa to recognise and transmit same to the national secretariat.

The President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Okaba Benjamin, stated on Thursday that there is nothing wrong if the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, decides to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Benjamin, political defection is no longer seen as a significant issue by Nigerians, pointing out that even President Bola Tinubu could join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he views it as a viable platform. His comment comes amid growing speculation that Fubara is considering a move from the PDP to the APC, following a recent visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and reconciliation talks with two APC governors. Fubara, who was suspended for six months due to the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, also met with President Tinubu for the second time just days ago. Benjamin further emphasized that Nigeria lacks true political parties, describing them instead as mere platforms for power transfer. Featuring on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Benjamin said: “If a former Vice presidential candidate defects, what’s wrong about Fubara defecting to APC? There is nothing wrong about that. “We don’t have political parties, we have platforms put together for people to transmit from one position to the other. “So, if we have state governors, former Vice presidential candidates of parties just moving on, to the extent that one of the governors said if you don’t move with me, I will sack you, so there are no ideological differences and all that. “I had a conversation with a former state party chairman and I asked him, you have moved from PDP to this, and he said yes, I now asked him what is the first item in schedule this of your party, and he said he doesn’t know. “What I’m trying to say is this, Fubara said he will do anything for peace in Rivers State, however, Nigerians shout not interpret this as him planning to defect. Even tomorrow, Tinubu may decide to defect to PDP if he finds the party as a veritable platform.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed widespread claims that it granted automatic tickets to all incumbent members of the National Assembly, describing the reports as “fake news.” In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party urged members and the public to ignore what it called a “purported Breaking News Report” falsely linked to the APC. “The report is FAKE NEWS and should be disregarded in its entirety as it did not emanate from our great Party,” Morka stated. He further cautioned that the viral claim originated from a “mischievous source” and was designed to mislead the public and interfere with the party’s internal processes. The clarification comes in response to increasing speculation surrounding the APC’s nomination strategy ahead of the upcoming election cycle. Morka emphasized that all official party decisions would be announced through authorized and credible channels.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has sharply criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, accusing them of exploiting poverty as a political tool in a desperate bid to regain access to public resources. The APC firmly dismissed their claims that President Bola Tinubu's administration is "weaponizing" poverty, labeling the accusation baseless. The party argued that the trio failed to eliminate poverty despite having collectively held power for over 25 years. “These statements were reportedly made at a public lecture held in Abuja on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to mark the 60th birthday anniversary celebration of Chief Rotimi Amechi, former governor of Rivers state and former Minister of Transportation. But the celebration quickly dissolved into an occasion for Amaechi, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna state and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory – leading displaced rent-seekers – to showcase their frenzied desperation to grab power purely for their self aggrandizement”, said party spokesman, Felix Morka. APC noted that the three individuals have occupied Nigeria’s highest political offices between 1999 and 2023, either as Vice President, Governors, or Ministers, among other important positions. “In all 24 years, the trio, individually or collectively, could not and did not eradicate poverty in their states or the country. They did not even attempt to address, let alone tackle, the structural challenges and distortions that stifled the economy and worsened poverty over the years. “Rather, they reveled in mindless rent-seeking behavior, sold national assets to their cronies for mere pittance, engaged in corrupt and wasteful expenditures in their states, and relentlessly sponsored state violence against their own people. “Take the case of Amaechi, the celebrant, who served for an unbroken total of 24 years – eight years as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, eight years as Governor of Rivers State, and eight years as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That’s about a quarter of a century of freeloading by Amaechi on state resources, with absolutely no record of attempting to combat poverty in his Rivers State or the country. “When Amaechi declared, ‘I am hungry’, he must mean, and must be understood to mean, that he is hungry and desperate to return to his felt entitled dependency on state resources and patronage. That he is hungry barely two years out of office simply underscores the depth of the self-serving motivations of Amaechi and his coalition partners in their quest for power for selfish exploitation, and not for the interest of the people. “Nigerians see right through their disruptive politicking. Amaechi and his cohorts are losing their grip on the economy. Accustomed to fleecing the economy, they are now compelled by Tinubu’s unprecedented reforms to adapt to a new reality where hard work, productivity, and innovation are rewarded. Their criticisms of President Tinubu’s reforms are decidedly self-serving, driven by a desperate quest for power to satiate their voracious rent-seeking appetite, which has long stifled and denied progress to the economy. “On contrary, it was the failure of previous administrations, particularly 16 years of PDP administrations, to allow the Naira to find its real value that created the economic conditions of poverty that the present administration is now addressing”, said Morka. He said, Atiku, a former Custom Officer, and Peter Obi, a successful importer, reaped enormous benefits from the old system, adding that their criticisms reek of special interest masqueraded as concern for the people. “The criticisms variously leveled by Amaechi, Atiku, El-Rufai and Peter Obi mask a shameless attempt to perpetuate and cling to the old rent-seeking economy that enriched them at the expense of the Nigerian people. “As beneficiaries of the corrupt and inefficient economic system, they are discomforted that Tinubu’s reforms are dismantling the insidious and permissive system that enabled and sustained their reckless plunder and exploitation of the economy”, APC stated.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at his political critics, especially those pushing for his expulsion from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that no one has the power to revoke his membership. Wike made this statement on Monday during a media parley in Abuja. He said, “I am still in PDP. I worked hard for the party. I have not seen anybody who will have the guts to tell me, Wike, you are not a member of the party. Who is that? What is his contribution to the party that is more than me?” he queried.

Reno Omokri, former spokesman for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has declared his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu. Posting on X, Omokri wrote: “I met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today and reaffirmed my full, unequivocal, and unwavering support for his Renewed Hope agenda and the goal of making Nigeria a better place for all Nigerians under his Presidency. “By the grace of God, my prayer is for his Presidency to last for another six years and naturally end on May 29, 2031, after he must have served two terms in office, God sparing his life. “Proud to have attended the commissioning of kilometre 30 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with President Tinubu, our beloved President and Omo Ologo. “Happening Now: Supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda with the most honest individual in Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, at the commissioning of Kilometre 30 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway by our great leader, President Bola Tinubu. “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rekindled my hope for a greater future for Nigeria. With him as President until 2031, God sparing his life, a new Nigeria is not just possible (pun intended), it is BATifically realisable.”

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, revealed that he once told President Bola Tinubu he would never work with him. Amaechi explained that his decision not to support or vote for Tinubu stemmed from his belief that the President lacks the capacity to lead Nigeria. He made this statement during an event celebrating his 60th birthday in Abuja on Saturday. Amaechi said: “I told Tinubu in Yola, I will not support you; I will not work for you. I did not work for him; I did not vote for him. It was the issue of capacity. “Some of us who are here are also those who vote on an ethnic or religious basis. Innocent, uneducated people are manipulated to vote based on ethnicity and religion — that’s why we are here. “When we leave here, we go to plot to go and grab power; no Nigerian leader cares for you. “You that voted Muslim/Muslim ticket, let the Muslim market come out now. For us in opposition, if you want us to remove this man, we can remove this man from power. “We want to submit to the opposition if the opposition will take us out of this problem. “They are weaponising poverty by stealing the money they should have used to build hospitals and schools. “The benefit of the fuel subsidy removal is in their pockets.”

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged second-term governors to exercise caution when choosing their successors. Speaking at the commissioning of the first 30 kilometres of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in Lekki, Lagos, Akpabio warned that selecting successors based solely on subservience—such as those who merely "kneel before them"—could lead to betrayal after leaving office. The former governor of Akwa Ibom emphasized the importance of vision in leadership, advising especially APC governors to favour competence and foresight over blind loyalty. The event was graced by President Bola Tinubu, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Finance Minister Wale Edun, Works Minister Dave Umahi, and second-term governors like Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos). Akpabio said, “We have a president who has both sight and vision. And this for me is something I must advise our governors, particularly those of them who are in their second term. Do not give power to anybody who is not looking for power. “Don’t give power to anybody who is not prepared. Don’t go hiding in your heart that this boy is very subservient; he is always kneeling when he is talking to me, his wife is always rolling on the floor, I think I should make this one the governor. “If you do that, you are giving power to somebody who is not prepared for governance and they will disappoint you. This is where betrayals normally start. I am just trying to give some advice. “For the progressive governors, I believe that all of you are doing well because you are being led by a man who has both sight and vision.” "In a country where the culture of godfatherism pockmarks the political space, outgoing governors often seek to influence who becomes their successors, a move that critics and commentators have lampooned as extended power control by former governors who try to rule their states by proxy through cronies and loyalists after serving their constitutionally allowed term limit of eight years. "Some former governors have succeeded in planting their loyalists in power, but such political romance doesn’t last long in some cases, as embarrassing fallouts have been recorded between serving governors planted by their predecessors, usually their party men.