Ben Nwoye has emerged as the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress following his official announcement at the party’s ongoing elective convention.

The former Enugu State Chairman and Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party secured the position after a widely anticipated consensus arrangement in his favour.

He takes over from Emma Eneukwu, who has served in the party’s national leadership for 13 years.

Nwoye, alongside other newly elected members of the National Working Committee, is set to be sworn in shortly.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their registers of members in preparation for the 2027 general elections.

The decision, announced Friday in Abuja by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, follows concerns raised by political parties over the original timeline.

Initially, parties were required to submit their membership registers between April 1 and April 21, 2026.

INEC has now revised the schedule to ensure compliance with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which prescribes a 21-day window.

The new final deadline for submission is May 10, 2026.

In addition, political parties are now free to conduct their primaries within the approved period of April 23 to May 30, 2026.

INEC emphasised that strict adherence to the revised timeline is critical to ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process.

“The commission will continue to work with political parties to guarantee transparency and fairness in the lead-up to the 2027 elections,” the statement added.

This extension gives parties more flexibility to organise their internal processes while aligning with legal requirements, ensuring that Nigeria’s electoral preparations remain orderly and compliant.

Barr. Ben Nwoye has emerged as the consensus candidate for the position of Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress in the ongoing party’s national convention.

Nwoye, a former caretaker committee chairman of APC in Enugu State, had long been regarded as the front-runner for the position zoned to Enugu State.

His emergence reportedly came after extensive consultations within the party, guided by a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Chaos erupted on Friday at the 8th National Convention of the All Progressives Congress as delegates and journalists were blocked from entering Eagle Square.

Security operatives, stationed at key points leading to the venue, reportedly fired tear gas at delegates and journalists struggling to gain access.

Several journalists were denied entry tags, leaving them stranded outside.

Mallam Auwal Umar, a delegate, said one of his colleagues fainted after being affected by the tear gas, while a journalist who identified herself as Seyi described the accreditation process as “extremely frustrating.”

A security official, speaking anonymously, stated that officers were instructed to prevent entry to anyone without proper tags and claimed tear gas was deployed only when crowds became overwhelming.

The convention is expected to ratify the re-election of 30 members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), with approximately 8,453 delegates in attendance.

Delegates and journalists at the scene condemned what they described as poor planning by the organisers, raising questions about access and crowd management at one of Nigeria’s most high-profile political events.

Kano State Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, has officially resigned from office, a move confirmed on Friday by Dr. Habibu Sale Mohammed, spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

The resignation comes after the Kano State House of Assembly had initiated impeachment proceedings against him, and a Federal High Court in Kano on Wednesday declined his request to halt the process.

In a statement, the Kwankwasiyya Movement said the decision, though difficult, was made in the interest of governance stability and the people of Kano State.

The statement emphasised that the resignation does not imply any admission of wrongdoing, and Abdussalam maintains his innocence, citing his record of integrity and public service.

The movement described the resignation as an act of statesmanship, aimed at preserving peace, avoiding political tension, and allowing the office to function optimally.

Abdussalam is set to focus on strengthening the Kwankwasiyya Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections, dedicating his efforts to rebuilding party structures, refining strategies, and engaging in political realignments.

Supporters and residents of Kano State have been urged to remain calm and law-abiding, with further details expected to be communicated in due course.

A wave of reactions has continued to trail reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have pegged its nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2027 general elections at significantly high amounts, raising concerns over inclusivity and fairness in the nation’s political space.

According to reports circulating on social media, the party is said to have fixed its presidential nomination and expression of interest form at ₦200 million.

The governorship form is reportedly set at ₦150 million, while aspirants for the Senate may pay ₦100 million.

Those eyeing seats in the House of Representatives could part with ₦70 million, while State House of Assembly hopefuls may pay ₦20 million.

Although the figures have yet to receive official confirmation from the party leadership, the development has already sparked debate among stakeholders, civil society groups, and political observers.

Critics argue that such high costs, if confirmed, could further shrink Nigeria’s democratic space by limiting participation to the wealthy elite, thereby excluding capable but less financially endowed aspirants.

They warn that monetising access to the ballot risks undermining merit, competence, and grassroots representation.

Others, however, contend that political parties often use nomination fees as a strategy to manage the number of aspirants and fund party activities, though they acknowledge the need for a balance to ensure broader participation.

At the time of filing this report, there is no official statement from the party on the matter.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has blamed the ongoing turmoil within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the controversial Ibadan national convention, insisting the crisis could have been avoided if party leaders had heeded repeated warnings.

Speaking on a Channels Television programme, Saraki said, “I screamed, I shouted at that time and said, look, don’t let us go and do this convention. The best thing for us was to have a caretaker committee.”

Saraki, who chaired the PDP reconciliation committee at the time, explained that the party entered the convention without resolving critical internal disputes, including incomplete congresses in several states and disagreements over the zoning of party offices.

“The purpose of going to Ibadan was for everyone to be on board and agree on what we were going to do. When you go to conventions, it should be affirmation. You should have resolved issues behind the scenes,” he added.

According to Saraki, ignoring these gaps directly triggered the current legal battles and factional splits within the party. “We said, ‘Don’t go to Ibadan. Don’t go.’ If we had listened, we would not have this crisis today,” he said.

He further highlighted the efforts of his committee in holding the party together, mediating among governors, former governors, and other stakeholders to maintain unity.

“We were the last party that stayed together without being divided into factions. We avoided all the booby traps along the way,” Saraki said.

The Ibadan convention, held in November 2025 by a faction loyal to Kabiru Turaki, has since become the epicenter of legal disputes.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja recently upheld a lower court ruling restraining the PDP from conducting the convention, citing procedural violations, including the failure to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Saraki warned that if the lingering crisis is not urgently addressed, it could weaken the PDP ahead of upcoming elections.

Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, mother of Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has passed away, the family confirmed on Friday. Details surrounding her death remain sketchy, but it reportedly occurred in the afternoon.

Her grandson, Hon Bello El-Rufai, broke the news on Facebook, writing: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. From Allah SWT we came and to Him we shall all return. My Grandmother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, passed away a few hours ago. She is the biological mother of our father, Mallam Nasir @elrufai. We are grateful for the life she lived and pray Allah SWT bless her gentle soul. We also ask for your prayers on behalf of our family.”

The news comes at a challenging time for El-Rufai, who is currently in custody.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned him on a 10-count charge relating to alleged conversion of public property and money laundering.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A Federal High Court in Kaduna, presided over by Judge Rilwanu Aikawa, adjourned the hearing of his bail application to March 31 after considering arguments from both the defence and prosecution.