The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has formally endorsed President Bola Tinubu as its candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo made the declaration on Thursday in Awka, stating that APGA and the All Progressives Congress (APC) would collaborate during the election due to their shared progressive ideals. The endorsement was announced at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka during President Tinubu’s working visit to the state. Soludo said, “Progressives are working together.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reinstated Julius Abure on its official website as the National Chairman of the Labour Party. INEC also re-listed Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim as the party’s National Secretary, citing a court order as the basis for the action. Similarly, the electoral body continues to recognize Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on its website, although it did not specify whether this recognition was also court-mandated. Last month, the Supreme Court overturned previous judgments by the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal that had affirmed Abure’s leadership, ruling instead that the matter was an internal affair of the Labour Party and therefore not subject to judicial review. Since the ruling, Abure has maintained his claim to the chairmanship, leaning on the apex court’s position that the dispute is beyond judicial scrutiny. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, Abia State Governor Alex Otti and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, continue to support the Caretaker Committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman, insisting that the judgment effectively ousted Abure. On April 9, 2025, Governor Otti submitted a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment to INEC, aiming to promote clarity, mutual understanding, and institutional alignment within the party. Abure’s name was reportedly re-listed after INEC reviewed the Certified True Copy of the court's ruling. In a similar development, the Supreme Court in March also reversed lower court decisions that had removed Anyanwu as PDP’s National Secretary. The leadership battle had previously pitted Anyanwu against Sunday Ude-Okoye, who was backed by certain PDP governors. As with the Labour Party case, the Supreme Court emphasized that the lower courts lacked jurisdiction and that the dispute was an internal party matter.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, branding its newly launched “Nigeria First” slogan as a hollow public relations stunt with no real commitment to national transformation. In a sharply worded statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku urged President Tinubu to prove his patriotism by swapping his foreign-made luxury car for a locally produced vehicle and committing to receiving medical treatment exclusively in Nigerian hospitals. “We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car. That single act will do more to promote local industry than a thousand policy memos,” Atiku said. He further called on the President’s ministers, whom he described as “shameless Rolls Royce connoisseurs,” to also adopt Nigerian-made vehicles as a show of solidarity with the suffering masses. The former vice president didn’t stop at cars. He urged Tinubu to end his “love affair with Paris and London” and instead spend vacations at local tourist attractions like Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. “Nigeria is beautiful — unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise,” he remarked. Atiku also took aim at the President’s frequent overseas medical trips, labeling them a glaring contradiction of the government’s public calls for self-reliance. “We demand that President Tinubu — champion of ‘Nigeria First’ — conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the N41 billion Akwa Ibom world-class hospital in Uyo. If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy,” he said. Accusing the Tinubu administration of indulging in foreign luxuries while asking Nigerians to make sacrifices, Atiku said the government had failed to inspire trust or confidence. “True leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites—it’s setting the tone by example. Nigeria deserves real commitment, not this never-ending charade,” he added.

The Labour Party has indefinitely suspended six high-profile members, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senators Darlington Nwokocha, and Ireti Kingibe, over alleged anti-party activities. Also suspended are Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowumi. According to the party’s National Executive Council, the action follows the recommendations of a five-member Disciplinary Committee established on May 2, 2025, to investigate the allegations. In a statement issued on Wednesday by National Secretary Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the party confirmed that the suspension takes immediate effect and prohibits the affected individuals from participating in any Labour Party functions. The statement read, “Recall that last Friday, 2nd of May 2025, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party set up a Five man Disciplinary Committee headed by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr.Ayo Olorunfemi, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary and three others to investigate Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti and any other party members over allegations of anti party activities. “The Disciplinary Committee has concluded their assignment and has submitted their report to the party leadership. The National Executive of the party met today May 7th, 2025 and after exhaustive deliberation in line with powers donated to it by the Party Constitution has ratified the recommendation as submitted by the Disciplinary Committee. “Consequent upon that, the following members of the party have been suspended from the party and all its activities, indefinitely and with immediate effect. 1. Dr. Alex Otti; 2. Senator Ireti Kingibe; 3. Senator Darlington Nwokocha; 4. Hon. Victor Afam Ogene; 5. Hon. Amobi Ogah; 6. Hon. Seyi Sowunmi.” The party also addressed the omission of Nenadi Usman from the suspension list, stating that she is not a registered member of the Labour Party, but a supporter of its 2023 presidential candidate. “We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party,” the statement added. It also accused Usman of lacking the moral authority to comment on corruption, citing her alleged plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and purported asset forfeitures. “She should also tell Nigerians how she acquired her radio station in Kaduna, all her properties all over Nigeria and abroad, her companies in Cameroon, including her plantations. Nenadi Usman lacks the moral capacity to commence any probe or even talk about corruption,” the statement added. Reaffirming its stance on political alliances, the Labour Party said it would not join any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general elections. “Labour Party intends to prosecute the 2027 general election as stand alone party and no further discussion will be entertained on this matter,” the statement concluded

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed rumours suggesting he plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He firmly stated that he remains committed to the PDP. Addressing female members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), who visited him in a bid to salvage the party from disintegration, Atiku emphasized the need for a strong coalition to unseat the APC-led government in 2027. He described the coalition not only as a political strategy but as a national necessity aimed at challenging the current administration and rebuilding the country. The former Vice President told the delegation—led by former Minister of Women Affairs and ex-National Women Leader, Hajia Inna Ciroma—that the proposed coalition is viable and would deliver positive outcomes. He cited the historical example of the Second Republic’s NPN-NPP accord as a precedent, assuring that the PDP’s identity would remain intact despite the alliance. Atiku also shared updates on the progress of the pan-Nigerian coalition he is forming with leaders and stakeholders from various regions and political backgrounds. He noted that the movement is driven by Nigerians from all corners of the country who are passionate about reclaiming and restoring the nation. Speaking on the nature of the visit, the leader of the PDP women BoT, Inna Ciroma, said: “We, as PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, members—the conscience of the party—decided to take this bold decision to come into the crisis the party is going through. “We, as mothers, are worried and disturbed by what the party is going through at the moment. We are disturbed that the party has no leadership, and any organisation without leadership cannot stand. We are worried and disturbed. We cannot fold our arms and see things go bad in our great party. “We decided to visit former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to complain about what we are not happy with, to brainstorm with him on the way forward, on how to save the party from total collapse. We told him there must be leadership and direction in the party. We had very fruitful discussions with the 2023 presidential candidate of the party. “He told us he was not leaving the party, as he discussed much on the coalition and the need for us to key in. We also discussed party funding, that parties should be well-funded so that no single person can control it.’’

President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. The governor, who arrived at the Presidential Villa around 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, was seen entering the premises alone. This marks Oborevwori’s first meeting with the President since his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). On April 23, 2025, he became the first sitting governor of Delta State to exit the PDP since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Following his defection, former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme, commissioners, local government chairmen, and other grassroots operatives also shifted allegiance to the APC after a closed-door meeting in Asaba. Okowa previously served as the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 general election. Delta’s political shift mirrors recent developments in Rivers and Cross River states, significantly reducing the PDP’s governorship control to just ten states. The once-dominant party in the South-South region now faces growing instability. Sources within the APC suggest that Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abba Yusuf (Kano), and suspended Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara may soon follow suit. Meanwhile, the PDP, Labour Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party continue to struggle with internal divisions and defections, weakening their national presence and political momentum.

Twenty-two members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The mass defection occurred during Tuesday’s plenary session. Speaker Guwor, while announcing the development, disclosed that he had received 22 letters—including his own—formally informing the House of the lawmakers’ decision to leave the PDP for the APC. He explained that their defection was driven by instability in the PDP’s national leadership and the ongoing factional crisis within the party’s South-South zonal executive.

All Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members representing Delta State in the House of Representatives have officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their defection was announced on Tuesday during plenary by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas. The development follows the earlier defection of former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the current Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who both declared their switch to the APC during a stakeholders meeting in Asaba. Reacting to the wave of defections, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo State, revealed that two more governors and 40 PDP lawmakers are expected to join the APC soon. Meanwhile, former Senate President Bukola Saraki has downplayed the defections, stating that the PDP would undergo repositioning and emphasizing that those wishing to leave the party are free to do so.

Niger Delta-born human rights activist and development advocate, Chief Comrade Mulade Sheriff, has called on political opportunists to stop distracting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors from focusing on delivering good governance to Nigerians. Speaking in Abuja, Chief Mulade accused influential individuals of orchestrating premature endorsements for the 2027 elections to protect their political interests and contracts at the expense of national development. “I urge highly placed Nigerians to stop distracting the President and Governors with talk of the 2027 elections, which are still more than two years away. These actions are driven by selfish interests rather than concern for the nation’s progress,” he said. Chief Mulade, the Ibe Serimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, emphasized that President Tinubu has served less than two years and is yet to fully implement his campaign promises. He stressed that such early endorsements from political job seekers only serve as distractions and do not benefit the President. “It is clear that President Tinubu has not yet delivered on his electoral promises. Rather than helping, these political moves distract him from important national issues,” he stated. The peace and environmental justice advocate urged well-meaning Nigerians to prioritize the nation's development over personal gains. He advised President Tinubu to be cautious of sycophants and focus on implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda to address key challenges such as insecurity, economic hardship, and poor governance. Mulade concluded by stating that if Tinubu delivers on his mandate, he will earn genuine support in due time—without the need for manipulative political endorsements.

Leaders of the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have raised alarm over what they describe as a deliberate manipulation of data by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the recently concluded fieldwork for the Supreme Court-ordered fresh delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency. In an addendum letter to their initial protest dated April 5, 2025, the Ogbe-Ijoh Leaders of Thought accused INEC field officers of fabricating over 1,400 non-existent communities in a bid to skew the distribution of registration areas and polling units in favor of certain groups. In a statement dated 22nd April, 2025 and signed by Hon. Denbo-denbofa Oweikpodor, (Ijaw Focal Person), Chief Lucky Oromoni, Chief Samson Oyimi, Chief (Mrs) Christiana Seibribobo and Hon. Micheal Oweikpodor, the leaders cited discrepancies between the 2023 National Population Commission (NPC) data and the INEC fieldwork conducted in July 2024, they noted that while the NPC recorded 290 communities, INEC’s report inexplicably inflated that number to 1,766. Particularly shocking was the claim that the Itsekiri communities increased from 63 to 1,000 within a year, a figure the Ogbe-Ijoh leaders called “outrightly disgraceful.” They further alleged that existing Ogbe-Ijoh communities were renamed and reassigned to different kingdoms under false designations such as “Odidi 2,” “Bisoubo Kunukunuama,” and “Oguruma Kunukunuama.” These changes, they argued, suggest an “expansionist agenda” and threaten the integrity of the delineation process. In addition, the Ogbe-Ijoh leaders rejected calls from the Itsekiri ethnic group to use the number of registered voters as a criterion for delineation, citing legal guidelines that prioritise population and verifiable settlement data. They also questioned the validity of the voters register, pointing out that Warri South West has 190,546 registered voters despite having a population of only 116,538, according to NPC records. READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW: OGBE-IJOH LEADERS OF THOUGHT Ogbe-Ijoh Town, Warri April 22, 2025 The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Headquarters, Plot 436 Zambezi Crescent, Maitama, Abuja. Dear Sir, ADDENDUM TO OGBE-IJOH KINGDOM CALL FOR REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REGISTRATION AREAS/POLLING UNITS IN WARRI SOUTH WEST LGA IN THE SUPREME COURT ORDERED FRESH DELINEATION OF WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY OF DELTA STATE We refer to our earlier protest letter dated 5th April, 2025 and received by the Commission on the 8th of April, 2025 on the above subject-matter. This addendum is to bring to the attention of the Commission and demand necessary action as a result of our further and detailed review of the Fieldwork report as presented by the Commission on April 4, 2025 including the list of communities, map and coordinates of the Warri South West Local Government Area vis-a-vis earlier records including those of the National Population Commission which revealed the following: There was deliberate introduction of hundreds of fictitious communities in some parts of the Warri South West Local Government Area and suppression of the actual communities in Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom so as to gain advantage in the distribution of Registration areas and polling units. The table below shows number of communities captured by the National Population Commission (NPC) in the 2023 Localities Enumeration Exercise in Warri South West Local Government Area and those purportedly captured by INEC officials during the field work of July, 2024. S/N NAME OF REGISTRATION AREA/CLAN/KINGDOM Communities Captured by NPC in 2023 Communities purportedly captured by INEC filed officers in 2024 1 ITSEKIRI COMMUNITIES (Ugborodo, Akpakpa, Madangha, Orere, Aja-Udaibo and Ogidigben) 63 1,000 2 GBARAMATU 87 590 3 OGBE-IJOH 116 minus Diebiri areas 93 4 DIEBIRI 11 58 5 ISABA 13 25 As can be seen, it is ridiculous and outrightly disgraceful for INEC field officers to claim that in an area where Sixty-Three (63) Communities/Localities were captured by NPC in 2023, in about a year after, the communities moved to a whopping One Thousand (1,000) communities. Also, in an area where NPC captured only 87 Communities/Localities in 2023, INEC officials purportedly captured Five Hundred and Ninety (590) Communities in 2024. At the same time, it would be seen that, in the Ogbe-Ijoh areas which had 116 localities/communities (minus the Diebiri areas) captured by NPC in 2023 had the numbers reduced to 93 Communities by INEC in its field report, whereas a total of 130 localities were captured by the INEC Field officers during the fieldwork. The foregoing means that, a total of One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six (1,766) Communities were purportedly captured by INEC officers as against the Two Hundred and Ninety (290) captured by NPC in in its comprehensive localities mapping exercise carried out in 2023. We state that, it was practically impossible for the NPC to have omitted One Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy-Six (1,476) Communities in its localities mapping exercise in Warri South West LGA in 2023, which were captured by INEC officials in 2024. We make bold to state that, the communities as indicated above are fictitious and were fraudulently added by INEC field officers or Supervisors who wrote the report in the INEC headquarters. These communities do not exist and were never physically captured during the field work which took place from the 10th day of July, 2024 to 19th of July, 2024. The field work was meant to capture ACTUAL FACTS on ground, but in the case of Warri South West LGA, the report turns out to be made up of more of FICTITIOUS communities and settlements, than actual communities and localities in existence. To say the least, the Warri South West LGA field report is highly tainted and both the primary, secondary and tertiary data were compromised by the Commission officers who worked in some parts of the LGA and prepared the proposed report in the Commission Headquarters. It is equally important to point out that, these none existing/fake communities were assigned fake survey coordinates by compromised officials of the commission. A simple deployment of GPS equipment to identify the position of these settlements on the goggle map would shown that these communities are fictitious. We view this action by some unscrupulous officials of the Commission as threat to the implementation of the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation. Furthermore, it is also worthy of note that, some Communities in Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom were renamed. For example, Odidi, a community under Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom with a polling unit under the "proposed Ikeremor/Izansa/Ijeleje Registration Area was renamed severally as Odidi Community Ikantu, Odidi 2, Odid 3 Kunukuama all under the proposed" KUNUKUAMA WARD ". We therefore urge the Commission to expunge these fake names from the list of Communities in Warri South West local government area. Also, community names like Dunkonghan, Pereogbo and Oyanweingbene do not exist in Adu-Naifor Zone in Ogbe-Ijoh territory and should be expunged.  Furthermore, Apala, Bisoubo, Ugbanabou, Orufenegbene, Ikotor, Oguruma, Eda are all settlements in Ogbe-Ijoh and can be verified in the Ijaw settlement list submitted to the Commission. However, they were renamed as Apala- Kunukunuama, Apala community Ikantu. In the same vein, Bisoubo was renamed as Ibisobo Ikantu, Bisoubo Kunukunuama. Also, Edagbene Kunukunuama, Edakiri Kunukunuama, Oguruma Kunukunuama, Eda 1 & 2 Kunukunuama, etc. These are Communities under Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, have always participated in the political process under Ogbe-Ijoh and was covered by the INEC team which covered the Ogbe-Ijoh area. However, they are not being renamed under different names and placed in different Kingdom in an obvious expansionist agenda. In the INEC captured list as presented graphically, each of the Ijaw Clan/Kingdom are distinct. Therefore, it is unacceptable to have placed communities in Kingdoms other than their respective Clans/Kingdoms which tends to create the impression that, no boundary lines exist amongst the Ijaw Kingdoms. This is not true and the Commission will recall that it is for this singular reason that separate teams were assigned to the Ogbe-Ijoh, Gbaramatu, Isaba/Diebiri Clans/Kingdoms and the commission field officers cannot claim ignorance of this fact. If the entire Ijaw is to be one, then there would have been no need to assigned different teams to us. Communities under Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom should be appropriately be placed under it. ITSEKIRI DEMAND FOR USE OF VOTERS REGISTER TO DELINEATE REGISTRATION WARDS We also note the agitations by the Itsekiris for the use of number of registered voters as a basis to delineate Registration areas. We wish to state that, the number of registered voters is not one of the criteria by the Constitution, Electoral Act and the Guidelines issued by the Commission for the delineation of RAs. The primary criterion is population and other actual facts on ground as stated in the Guidelines. In any case, the Warri Federal Constituency has no credible register of voters. For example, the Warri South West LGA has 190,546 registered voters, whereas its population is 116,538. It would therefore amount to encouraging and promoting fraud for the Commission to rely on the voters register that is not credible for delineation of electoral wards. OUR DEMANDS Consequent upon the foregoing, we demand as follows: We call on the Commission to thoroughly investigate the fraudulent addition of fictitious communities/settlements, taking into account the technology deployed in the exercise, deployment of GPS equipment to identify existence of localities against the period of the exercise which was the 10th of July, 2024 to 19th of July, 2024. The fictitious communities and survey coordinates should be expunged from the report. The Commission should fish out the raw and actual data collated during the fieldwork between 10th to 19th of July, 2024 in reviewing the field report presented for Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. We call on the commission to revisit the distribution of registration areas and polling units in Warri South West Local Government Area in the light National Population Commission (NPC) records, and the actual and raw data collected from the field between the 10th to 19th of July, 2024. Ogbe-Ijoh Communities in Warri South West LGA that were renamed and wrongly placed in other Kingdoms as indicated above should be appropriately named and placed under Ogbe-Ijoh as captured during the fieldwork. We reject the call for the use of number of registered voters as a basis for the distribution of registration areas by the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality because it is against the law and Guidelines governing delineation of registration areas/polling units. SIGNED FOR OGBE-IJOH WARRI KINGDOM: HON. DENBO-DENBOFA OWEIKPODOR (Ijaw Focal Person) CHIEF LUCKY OROMONI CHIEF SAMSON OYIMI CHIEF (MRS) CHRISTIANA SEIBRIBO HON. MICHEAL OWEIKPODOR REFERENCED DOCUMENTS NPC field work in 2023, titled Form EAD 2: LOCALITY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACILITIES RECORD FORM OGBE-IJOH LEADERS OF THOUGHT LETTER TO THE COMMISSION DATED APRIL 5, 2025.