The Supreme Court has affirmed the constitutional powers of the President to declare a state of emergency in any part of the country and to take extraordinary measures, including the suspension of elected officials, to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

In a split decision of six to one, the apex court ruled that while the President may suspend elected state officials during an emergency, such action must be for a limited period and strictly aimed at restoring normalcy.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris held that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the President to declare a state of emergency and adopt extraordinary measures where there is a threat of chaos or anarchy.

He noted that the provision does not clearly define the scope of such measures, thereby granting the President discretionary powers in responding to emergency situations.

The judgment arose from a suit filed by Adamawa State and 10 other states governed by the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

The emergency proclamation had resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected state officials for six months.

Justice Idris also upheld preliminary objections raised by the defendants, the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Assembly, who argued that the suit was incompetent.

He ruled that the plaintiffs failed to establish a cause of action capable of invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

Consequently, the court struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction but went further to consider the substantive issues and dismissed the case on its merits.

However, Justice Obande Ogbuinya dissented from the majority view, holding that while the President has the authority to declare a state of emergency, such power does not extend to the suspension of democratically elected officials, including governors, deputy governors and members of legislative assemblies.

According to him, emergency powers should not be used as a mechanism to undermine constitutional democracy.

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Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre, Matthew Ashimolowo, has expressed strong doubts about the chances of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, securing significant votes in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Ashimolowo, speaking during an interview on Outside the Box, said Obi’s electoral appeal in the North remains extremely weak, arguing that deep-seated national divisions have not healed.

According to him, it would take an extraordinary outcome for Obi to secure up to five per cent of votes in the core northern states.

“The possibility of Peter Obi getting five per cent in 12 core northern states would be a miracle,” he said.

“He is a fantastic and gifted man, and he has proven capacity, but the reality is that he cannot win five per cent in the North.”

Obi contested the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, finishing third behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Despite his defeat, Obi retained strong backing among young voters and urban populations nationwide, with his supporters maintaining that he remains a viable contender for future elections.

As political activities towards 2027 gather momentum, Obi has indicated interest in contesting again, though uncertainty surrounds the platform he may adopt.

He is currently associated with a broader opposition coalition that includes Atiku Abubakar and other political figures seeking to unseat President Tinubu.

The coalition has adopted the African Democratic Congress as its platform, but questions remain over whether Obi will contest under the ADC or return to the Labour Party.

The ADC has acknowledged internal challenges regarding the alignment of key presidential aspirants.

Party spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, speaking on Arise Television, said reconciling the ambitions of Atiku, Obi and other aspirants poses a challenge but does not threaten democratic stability.

He explained that the party is currently focused on building its structures nationwide rather than discussing presidential tickets.

According to Abdullahi, several aspirants have already indicated interest in contesting under the ADC, and the party may seek consensus when the time comes or allow a competitive primary if consensus fails.

Meanwhile, Obi has previously raised concerns about unresolved issues within the coalition, including zoning and rotation arrangements.

While Atiku has formally joined the ADC, Obi is yet to register with the party, leaving his political pathway to the coalition’s ticket unclear.

The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has disclosed that she has received several overtures from the ruling All Progressives Congress to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, but insists she has no intention of leaving her party.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said the approaches came from individuals within the Presidency as well as some of her colleagues, noting that she has consistently turned down the offers despite the internal challenges currently facing the PDP.

She made the disclosure during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, which was shared on YouTube on Saturday.

Responding to questions on whether she would consider joining the APC if the crisis in the PDP persists, the senator said she was not interested, stressing that she had no reason to return to a party she once briefly belonged to.

“I was in the APC at the beginning of my political journey. I don’t see why I should go back. I don’t follow the bandwagon or succumb to pressure or inducement,” she said.

According to her, the most recent approach came just a day before the interview, adding that she is comfortable with her current political space and has no motivation to defect.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also revealed that discussions are ongoing about her possible re-election bid, although she noted that no final decision has been taken.

She dismissed speculations that the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, poses a threat to her political future, should he decide to contest for the Senate in 2027.

“If after consultations with my family, constituents and party I decide to run again, and my name appears on the ballot against Yahaya Bello, then it is a contest I am ready for,” she said, adding that she defeated Bello’s candidate in 2023 despite the odds.

The senator, a first-term lawmaker in the 10th National Assembly, recalled that she won the Kogi Central senatorial seat on the PDP platform after the election tribunal nullified the earlier declaration of the APC candidate.

She noted that although her preference is to contest again under the PDP, she may consider another platform if the party fails to resolve its leadership crisis before the next general election.

“If the PDP has not put its house in order by the time I make up my mind to contest in 2027, I will explore other options. My people will stand with me,” she added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dissociated itself from a governorship primary reportedly conducted by a faction of the Accord Party in Osun State ahead of the August 8, 2026 governorship election.

A faction of the party was said to have organised a parallel primary election in Osogbo on Sunday, which produced Bamigbola Clement as its candidate.

The exercise reportedly commenced with the accreditation of delegates and was conducted amid heavy security presence, including armed police operatives at the venue.

However, INEC denied any involvement in or knowledge of the exercise.

The commission’s Public Relations Officer in Osun State, Musa Olurode, said INEC only monitored the officially recognised Accord Party primary held a few days earlier.

“We monitored the only Accord Party primary conducted some days ago and have submitted our report. INEC is not aware of any other primary conducted by the party,” Olurode said.

The officially recognised primary, held last Wednesday in Osogbo, produced Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as the party’s candidate. Adeleke was the sole aspirant in the exercise.

Announcing the result, the Secretary of the party’s electoral committee, Abdulazeez Salaudeen, said Adeleke secured 145 votes out of 150 delegates drawn from the state’s 30 local government areas, with five votes declared void.

According to Salaudeen, the process was conducted transparently and witnessed by party agents as well as INEC officials, leading to Adeleke’s emergence as the winner.

Reacting to the factional primary, Accord Party chairman in Osun State, Victor Akande, dismissed the exercise as inconsequential, describing it as a “joke of the year.”

He urged residents of the state to disregard it, insisting that Adeleke remains the party’s only authentic governorship candidate for the 2026 election.