A former presidential hopeful from Edo State, Stanley Osifo, has intensified the contest for the 2027 presidency after purchasing the N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress.

The development, captured in a video shared by a media aide to the party’s national chairman, confirms Osifo’s formal entry into the race, positioning him as a challenger to incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite mounting endorsements in the President’s favour.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Osifo dismissed speculation that his ambition is being sponsored by Tinubu, insisting his decision to run is independent and driven by personal conviction.

He said allegations of political backing by the President were not new, recalling similar claims during his earlier attempt to contest against former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

According to him, he has never received financial or political support from Tinubu and challenged anyone with contrary evidence to make it public.

Osifo maintained that internal endorsements within the party do not override constitutional provisions guiding candidate selection, stressing that he remains undeterred by the growing wave of support for the incumbent.

The APC has scheduled its presidential primary for May 15 and 16, with the nomination process pegged at N100 million, comprising N30 million for expression of interest and N70 million for the nomination form.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls are slated for February 6, 2027.

INEC also announced that party primaries, including the resolution of disputes, will take place between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to begin on August 19, 2026, with governorship and state assembly campaigns commencing on September 9, 2026.

Former Zamfara Central senator, Kabir Marafa, has again switched political allegiance, joining the Nigeria Democratic Congress barely three weeks after defecting to the African Democratic Congress.

Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, was formally received in Abuja by the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, alongside a delegation of his supporters.

His latest move follows his earlier exit from the All Progressives Congress in August 2025 and subsequent defection to the ADC on April 8, 2026, marking his second party switch within a month.

Explaining his decision, Marafa pointed to ongoing legal disputes within the ADC and the tight electoral timeline as key factors that made his continued stay in the party untenable.

He expressed concern that unresolved litigations could jeopardise his chances of participating in the 2027 elections if deadlines for party activities lapse.

According to him, the uncertainty surrounding court cases—potentially stretching to the Supreme Court—poses a significant risk for aspirants who require a stable platform to pursue their ambitions.

He added that after consultations with his political associates and legal advisers, the decision was reached to align with a more structured platform capable of navigating the electoral process without disruption.

Marafa also pledged loyalty to the NDC’s eventual decisions, including the choice of its presidential candidate.

Welcoming the former lawmaker, Dickson described him as an influential political figure whose entry would strengthen the party’s presence, particularly in the North-West, while also urging him to contribute meaningfully to grassroots mobilisation and the fight against insecurity in the region.

Also speaking, the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the NDC is built on an inclusive and people-focused agenda aimed at offering Nigerians a credible alternative as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Former Zamfara Central senator, Kabir Marafa, has again switched political allegiance, joining the Nigeria Democratic Congress barely three weeks after defecting to the African Democratic Congress.

Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, was formally received in Abuja by the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, alongside a delegation of his supporters.

His latest move follows his earlier exit from the All Progressives Congress in August 2025 and subsequent defection to the ADC on April 8, 2026, marking his second party switch within a month.

Explaining his decision, Marafa pointed to ongoing legal disputes within the ADC and the tight electoral timeline as key factors that made his continued stay in the party untenable.

He expressed concern that unresolved litigations could jeopardise his chances of participating in the 2027 elections if deadlines for party activities lapse.

According to him, the uncertainty surrounding court cases—potentially stretching to the Supreme Court—poses a significant risk for aspirants who require a stable platform to pursue their ambitions.

He added that after consultations with his political associates and legal advisers, the decision was reached to align with a more structured platform capable of navigating the electoral process without disruption.

Marafa also pledged loyalty to the NDC’s eventual decisions, including the choice of its presidential candidate.

Welcoming the former lawmaker, Dickson described him as an influential political figure whose entry would strengthen the party’s presence, particularly in the North-West, while also urging him to contribute meaningfully to grassroots mobilisation and the fight against insecurity in the region.

Also speaking, the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the NDC is built on an inclusive and people-focused agenda aimed at offering Nigerians a credible alternative as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a decisive step toward contesting the 2027 presidential election, following the acquisition of the All Progressives Congress Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.

The forms were purchased on his behalf by James Faleke during a brief ceremony held in Abuja, signalling the formal commencement of the President’s re-election process within the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Presenting the documents, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, declared the sale of forms open and handed them over to Tinubu’s representative.

The nomination and expression of interest forms, valued at N100 million, mark the first official move in what is expected to be a closely watched political contest.

According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls will take place on February 6, 2027.

INEC also outlined that party primaries, including the resolution of internal disputes, will be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to begin on August 19, 2026, with governorship and state assembly campaigns slated to commence on September 9, 2026.

Senator Solomon Adeola, widely known as Yayi and currently representing Ogun West Senatorial District, has formally entered the race for the 2027 Ogun State governorship after obtaining the All Progressives Congress nomination and expression of interest forms valued at N50 million.

The forms were collected on his behalf at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, signalling the official launch of his bid for the state’s top political office.

During the presentation, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, handed over the documents to a representative of the senator, marking the commencement of the nomination process.

This development follows the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

INEC has also outlined that political parties will conduct their primaries, including the resolution of any disputes arising from the process, between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

Campaign activities for the presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to begin on August 19, 2026, with governorship and state assembly campaigns kicking off on September 9, 2026.

Solicitors to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu have asked the Council of Legal Education to dismiss a petition seeking the withdrawal of his qualifying certificate as a lawyer, describing it as “fundamentally deficient in law.”

In a letter dated April 28, 2026 and signed by Chukwuebuka S. Okeke of Olaniwun Ajayi LP Chambers, Kalu’s legal team responded to a petition filed on March 16, 2026, by John Aikpokpo Martins, Esq.

The petitioner had requested the cancellation of Kalu’s certificate on the grounds that his law school attendance and the participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) ran concurrently.

However in the response, the solicitors argued that the Council, as a statutory body created under the Legal Education (Consolidation, etc.) Act, can only exercise powers expressly conferred on it.

They stated that there is “no express statutory power conferred on the Council to ex post facto withdraw or cancel a qualifying certificate.”

According to the response, the Council’s disciplinary powers are “implied and necessarily narrow” and can only apply in cases of “manifest vitiating criminal conduct.”

“No such conduct has been established against Kalu”, the letter noted.

Essentially, Kalu’s legal team urged the Council to reject the petition on three major grounds of no vitiating criminal conduct; unsworn declaration and no legal bar on NYSC/NLS concurrency.

“The Council cannot revoke a lawfully issued certificate unless a clear case of criminal misconduct is proven. The petition does not meet that threshold.

“The declaration relied upon by the petitioner was unsworn and “carries no force of law.” Formal criminal proceedings are a precondition for the Council to act on grounds of criminal conduct.

“The petition’s claim that concurrent participation in the NYSC scheme and the Nigerian Law School programme is unlawful has “no legal consequence,” as no statute, regulation, or binding institutional rule prohibits it.”

The solicitors adduced that no known conventions at the material time prohibited concurrence of such programmes.

“The most fundamental deficiency of the Petition is that even if the Declaration were taken at face value, the underlying conduct it purports to preclude, namely, concurrent participation in the NYSC scheme and the NLS programme, was not prohibited by the LEA or the regulations in force at the material time.

“Neither the LEA nor the LPA contain any provision that disqualifies a person from undertaking or completing the Nigerian Law School programme by reason of simultaneous NYSC service.

“Critically, a review of the Nigerian Law School Student Handbook for the 2010/2011 Academic Session reveals that there is no express prohibition on a student concurrently serving in the NYSC during that academic year. The Petitioner has annexed no official regulation, subsidiary legislation, or circular issued by the Council that explicitly bars contemporaneous NLS studies and NYSC service.

“It is pertinent to note that a withdrawal or cancellation of the Respondent’s qualifying certificate will be a penal outcome, which effectively means that the Council would be acting in a quasi-judicial capacity.

Consequently, arising from the constitutional precepts entrenched in section 36(8) and 36(12) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), the Council cannot punish the Respondent by withdrawing his qualifying certificate if there is no written law which proscribes contemporaneous NLS studies and NYSC service, and also prescribes the punishment for the same”, the letter read.

To this end, the Kalu’s legal team insisted that the petition lacks a “legally cognisable foundation”, urging the Council to decline jurisdiction over it.

“For the foregoing reasons, it is respectfully submitted that the Petition is fundamentally deficient in law and ought to be rejected without more,” the letter read.

Urging the Council of the Legal Education to dismiss the petition like the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) did for lacking in merit, the legal team said they remain available to provide any further information or clarification the Council may require.

The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s intention to seek re-election in 2027, citing worsening economic conditions, rising insecurity, and other national challenges.

The cleric made the remarks during a Sunday service in Auchi, Edo State, in a sermon titled “Power to Get Wealth,” which later went viral online.

He questioned the rationale behind a second term bid, arguing that the current situation in the country should prompt deeper reflection on governance performance and accountability.

According to him, leadership should be judged strictly on results, insisting that performance remains the strongest form of campaign.

He argued that where an administration has not delivered tangible improvements, it should not be rewarded with another term.

Apostle Suleman cited inflation, exchange rate depreciation, fuel costs, and insecurity as key indicators of national hardship, saying these realities raise legitimate questions about governance outcomes.

He further argued that citizens are not demanding perfection from leaders but expect at least measurable progress in critical areas such as power supply, security, and cost of living.

The cleric maintained that his criticism was not limited to the current administration, noting that he has spoken out against past governments as well, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He added that he remains non-partisan and speaks based on his assessment of national issues, saying he commends government efforts when necessary but also criticizes failures when they occur.

Apostle Suleman also reflected on the experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora, stating that many leave the country not necessarily for wealth, but for safety and improved living conditions.

He concluded with a call for national transformation, expressing hope that Nigeria would eventually attain a level where citizens can live and travel without fear, and where governance delivers real and visible impact.

The Kano State House of Assembly on Monday approved the nomination of Murtala Garo as the new Deputy Governor of the state, following the consideration and adoption of the report submitted by its ad hoc screening committee.

The report was presented during plenary by the 12-member committee chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Bello Butubutua, and presided over by Speaker Jibril Falgore.

The committee was set up after Governor Abba Yusuf forwarded Garo’s name to the House for screening and confirmation.

Presenting the report, Butubutua stated that the nominee underwent a thorough screening process and was found suitable for the position.

He explained that the committee carefully reviewed Garo’s academic qualifications, professional background, and public service record in line with legislative requirements.

Governor Yusuf had earlier written to the Assembly on April 22, requesting the confirmation of Garo as Deputy Governor, in accordance with Section 191(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers a governor to fill a vacancy in the office of deputy governor.

Murtala Garo, aged 48, is described as a seasoned politician with over 20 years of experience in public administration.

His nomination followed the resignation of the former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, in March 2026.

The world economy is suffering from geopolitics of the USA/ Iran war. The consequences of that war has put pressure on the world economy and many countries are suffering energy and economic crisis. Nigeria and its subnational governments are also hit by the geopolitics and many are lacking the required leadership skills to navigate the challenging economic times.

Governor Peter Mbah is different. Armed with the intellectual sagacity built in the private sector he chose the hard way to get rid of the business as usual attitude to governance.

For him Enugu State must be business friendly and everything needed to make it investor friendly must be put in place. He entertained no “ifs” or “buts”. He attacked the knowledge impotence in the depleted and abandoned public assets and public sector that have the potential to improve the quality of the state economy and its people.

From United palms limited he built a partnership that has turned around moribund industries.

Niger Gas was dead and forgotten. Mbah revived it. New management, new equipment and state of the art management team.

Sunrise flour mill was a shadow of itself. Mbah revived it. In partnership with the private sector he is completely turning the place into a beautiful state asset.

The International conference centre (ICC) was a shadow of itself, vision buried, mission abandoned but Mbah revived it and breathe a new life into it less than a year after taking oath of office. The place with a mall has become one of the hottest sought after public asset in the country. It is fully booked for the year and turning in revenue into the coffers of the government.

The iconic landmark of Sir M. I Okpara Hotel Presidential Enugu which was locked in meaningless ownership battle and crippled was completely overhauled and has been a wonder to many. Jobs created and image redeemed. Governor Peter Mbah is deliberate and intentional.

A 300 bed International Hospital is nearing completion and has a full oncology centre and that fraction of foreign medical tourism will be heading to Enugu. A visit to the place to see the quality of the medical equipment that is being installed in that hospital is mind blowing. He is doing projects a country should be handling. Presidents can be treated in that hospital. Foreign medical tourism will be a thing of the past. The ripple effects of that investment will change the medical system in Nigeria and Africa. It is one of a kind.

Governor Mbah is preparing Enugu State for the future by investing in tangible life changing sustainable legacy goals like Education, Health and Transportation of Ndi Enugu in 260 political wards and will not leave anyone behind. It is unprecedented.

The smart city is nearing completion and is almost sold out with billions expected to be generated. All monies invested will be fully recouped. Enugu State is the most attractive investment option in Nigeria as stated by Hannatu Musa Musawa the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy who craves to always be in Enugu.

Enugu State is not going to borrow a dime this year and the 2026 budget is proof of it. About 1600 projects will be executed this budget cycle. A lot of projects will be finished this year. A balanced budget without encumbrances. It is as a result of careful economic planning and management. First of its kind in the history of the state.

The Enugu Air, state owned terminals and other transport infrastructure programmes are generating revenue in figures the state has never witnessed in a long time. These are legacy assets for the growth of our dear state. You can see them, touch them, feel them and use them.

The rising cost of energy never affected the cost of the government owned transport company. While others were increasing cost. The cost of using the CNG buses transporting thousands of people has remained constant. 300 naira within the state capital for those going to Emene, Abakpa, Agbani road etc. Those who travel to Nsukka is still paying a paltry 1650 naira. That’s what visionary leadership provides. Putting the interest of the people first.

The Enugu State government has not funded frivolities but put funds in developing capital projects that will drive development as done all over the world. From Dubai to the USA are models of developing the infrastructure that attract investors in their numbers. As of early April 2026, the total U.S. national debt exceeds $38.98 trillion, with over $31.41 trillion held by the public and roughly $7.57 trillion in intragovernmental holdings. The debt, representing over 122% of GDP, has grown significantly, increasing by $2.77 trillion in the past year, with interest costs rising due to higher rates. The economy is still strong and healthy.

Without those interventions by the Enugu State government Enugu is doomed and was teetering to insolvency. The over 2000 projects going on with many completed including over 300 roads already completed and in use across the state will be a catalyst to economic survival of Enugu State and its indigenes in the long run

Governor Mbah like prime minister Joseph in the Bible is seeing the years of famine coming and is preparing Enugu State to be a place of succour to generations yet unborn.

The financial structure Mbah met and the one he will leave will make Enugu State a self sustainable state.

Currently Enugu State is among the three states that don’t need a feeding bottle system to sustain its economy.

Governor Peter Mbah will leave Enugu State in 2031 in the strongest financial strength both in cash backed investment in Education, Aviation, Tourism and Transportation.

The interventions in Agriculture and agric sector will place Enugu in strong contention in food availability and accessibility.

The government has intentionally repositioned the state and recalibrated its investment portfolios that in the next 24 months Enugu State will be competing with Lagos as the most financially viable state in Nigeria.

Tomorrow is here

Eze Chinweuba
Mbuze 1 of Neke