The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for an investigation into the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, over his reported “AK-47 fire” remark at a political gathering in the state.

The ADC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), which described the comment as concerning, urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish the context of the statement and determine whether it breached any law.

In a viral video, Tenebe was heard referring to “General Purpose Machine Gun power” before saying “AK-47 fire” against anyone who stood in the way of the APC’s plan to secure 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Edo State in 2027.

Reacting in a statement issued in Abuja by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC PCC said the remark could be interpreted as threatening or intimidating, and called for the appropriate authorities to review the video.

Ologbondiyan urged the Inspector-General of Police, DSS Director-General and INEC to invite Tenebe for questioning and determine whether the remarks amounted to a threat, incitement or any other offence.

The council also faulted the APC leadership and the presidency for failing, in its view, to publicly condemn the remark or call for its clarification or retraction.

Ologbondiyan said the 2027 election should be determined by voters through the ballot, rather than through intimidation, and appealed to international organisations, including the United Nations, European Union, African Union, ECOWAS and the United States, to monitor political developments ahead of the election.

The ADC PCC also raised a separate allegation concerning an incident in Gegu, Koton Karfi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The council alleged that some of its supporters were attacked during a political activity in the area and that ADC vehicles were damaged. The allegation was not presented as being connected to Tenebe’s remarks in Edo, and the report did not independently establish the circumstances surrounding the Kogi incident.

Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the ADC said it would not be deterred by the APC chairman’s comments, urging voters to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to express their political choices in 2027.

Speaking at an enlarged senatorial meeting in Ewohimi, Esan South-East Local Government Area, where the party unveiled candidates for the state and National Assembly elections in Edo Central Senatorial District, the Edo ADC chairman, Tony Alile, urged residents to exercise their franchise without fear.

“Nobody can discourage or stop voters from coming out to exercise their franchise,” Alile said, while also calling for Tenebe to be questioned over the viral video.

He described the PVC as the party’s strongest response to what he characterised as intimidation.

“The weapon ADC has is 200 times bigger and smarter than the AK-47 the other man mentioned, and that weapon is called the PVC,” he said.

Alile urged party leaders at the ward and polling-unit levels to intensify grassroots mobilisation, saying that challenging the APC in 2027 would require sustained organisation.

Also speaking, former governorship aspirant and ADC stalwart, Kenneth Imasuagbon, expressed confidence in the opposition coalition and predicted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would emerge as Nigeria’s next president in 2027.

Imasuagbon attributed what he described as growing public dissatisfaction to hardship, insecurity and inadequate infrastructure under the APC-led administration.

He also dismissed the APC’s projected 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in Edo, arguing that the final decision would rest with voters.

On the contest in Edo Central, Imasuagbon predicted that Governor Monday Okpebholo would face a strong challenge, alleging dissatisfaction with the APC administration in the district.

He further cautioned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections, saying Nigerians should be prepared to defend their votes through lawful and democratic means.

Anxiety is mounting among political parties and candidates whose electoral prospects may be affected by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the Electoral Act, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, prepares to publish the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates on October 10.

The uncertainty follows the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026, judgment on Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which overturned the July 16 judgment of the Court of Appeal that had declared several provisions of the law unconstitutional.

The apex court’s decision effectively restored the requirement for political parties to submit verified membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before conducting any primary, congress or convention.

Under the restored provision, only individuals whose names appear on the membership register submitted to INEC are eligible to vote or contest in such internal party elections.

However, several political parties conducted congresses and primaries while the Court of Appeal’s judgment was still in force.

The Supreme Court’s subsequent ruling has therefore raised questions over the validity of some of those processes and the status of candidates who emerged from them.

INEC said it had applied for the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgment to enable it to properly determine its implications before taking a position.

The commission’s National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the CTC had not reached the commission as of Sunday.

He said INEC expected to receive the document on Monday, adding that the commission would study and deliberate on it before making any pronouncement.

Similarly, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, confirmed that the commission had applied for the certified copy and would offer an opinion on the implications of the judgment.

The development has heightened concerns among affected candidates, particularly those whose names have already been published by INEC.

Political parties are reportedly reviewing their membership registers and comparing them with the dates on which some candidates joined or defected to their respective parties.

INEC is scheduled to hold a national stakeholders’ engagement and World Press Conference on Tuesday, October 6, as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

It remains unclear whether the commission will use the engagement to address the Supreme Court judgment or announce how it intends to handle candidates affected by the ruling.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that the commission is expected to publish the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates on October 10.

The organiser of a 10,000-man awareness march for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ughelli, Delta State, Ambassador Tobore Alex Agbah, has accused the Ughelli North Local Government Council Chairman, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, of sealing his property shortly after the political rally.

Agbah, who spoke on Sunday, alleged that the action was politically motivated and connected to his role in organising the NDC mobilisation exercise held on Saturday.

He said the march, organised by his group, Team Agbah, was intended to sensitise residents and mobilise support for the NDC and its candidates.

According to him, the exercise attracted a large turnout, which he described as an “organic” mobilisation.

Agbah said he was participating in the march when his wife informed him that council officials were heading to his property for an inspection and possible demolition.

He later learnt that the property had been sealed.

“The reason is the 10,000-man march against APC. It is political,” Agbah alleged.
He also claimed that the property had stood for decades without objection from successive council administrations.

“There was no notice. The property has been there for decades. All the local government chairmen who have come and gone have met the property there without any issue,” he said.

Agbah further alleged that the council chairman had previously threatened to frustrate him because of his political activities.

He appealed to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to intervene, arguing that political differences should not result in victimisation.

However, Egbo rejected the allegation that the sealing was politically motivated, saying the property was allegedly constructed beneath a high-tension electricity line and therefore violated environmental regulations.

The council chairman said officials had written to Agbah several times over the alleged violation but that he failed to comply.

Egbo also said the council had demolished more than 30 structures since he assumed office, particularly those allegedly obstructing waterways or built beneath high-tension power lines.

“The particular sealed property was built under high-tension wire. As a matter of fact, my officials told me that they have written to him several times, but he refused to obey simple environmental regulations,” Egbo said.

He maintained that political affiliation did not exempt anyone from complying with the law.
“Being in opposition does not make you above the law. Let your man bring his approval for the illegal structure,” he said.

The chairman also accused Agbah of branding a vehicle for the march without paying the prescribed mobile advertising fee.

He warned that the council would enforce the relevant regulations if Agbah failed to produce approval for the structure or pay the required advertising fees.

“If he fails to bring the approval for the illegal structure or fails to pay the prescribed fees, the law will take its course and heaven will not fall,” Egbo added.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of failing to deliver meaningful development to the state despite spending 24 years in top political positions.

Wike made the remarks on Friday during an interactive session with leaders and stakeholders of the Evo Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to the minister, Amaechi spent eight years as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, another eight years as governor and eight years as a federal minister.

“Someone was speaker of the House of Assembly for eight years, governor for eight years, and minister for eight years. That is 24 years in top leadership positions,” Wike said.

He challenged the people of Evo Kingdom and Rivers State to identify projects or other notable developments that Amaechi attracted to the area during his years in public office.

“Can anyone point out what has been done to Evo Kingdom or Rivers State in all those 24 years? Nothing, not one single thing,” he said.

Wike contrasted Amaechi’s record with his own stint as Minister of State for Education, saying he could point to projects he facilitated for Rivers State while serving in the federal government.

“I was Minister of State for Education and I can count the projects I attracted to Rivers. But he was speaker, governor and a full minister for eight years in a lucrative ministry, yet brought nothing home,” he said.

The former Rivers governor also questioned Amaechi’s current claim to have the interest of the people at heart.

“After 24 years in power without empowering his people, how can he now say he loves them?” he asked.

Wike, who has been mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, again pledged to resign as FCT minister if Tinubu loses Rivers State and the FCT.

He made the declaration during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders in Akpor Kingdom, where he urged Rivers politicians and community leaders to support the president.

“My interest in Rivers State is for God to use me as a vessel to help our people. I am back not for what I will get, but for what I can do to uplift my people,” Wike said.

The minister also defended his engagement with former political opponents, saying political differences should not override the collective interests of the people.

“There is no permanent enemy in politics, only permanent collective interest. It is about the interest of our people. The more united we are, the stronger we become,” he said.

Wike urged Rivers politicians and community leaders not to be distracted by criticism of his political engagements on social media, stressing that electoral success depends on building a broad and inclusive political structure.

He called on politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other influential figures in Obio/Akpor to join the campaign structure ahead of the 2027 elections.

“When it comes to voting and elections, we must bring everyone together,” he said.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to take an active role in protecting their votes and ensuring that their ballots are counted in the 2027 presidential election.

Obi made the call during a Global Digital Townhall held via Zoom, YouTube and other social media platforms, where he interacted with Nigerians at home and abroad on voter mobilisation, election security and ways to safeguard the electoral process.

The former Anambra State governor urged his supporters and other Nigerians to mobilise voters at the grassroots and ensure adequate representation by polling agents across the country.

“We must stay and insist that votes must count,” Obi said.

He disclosed that his campaign was strengthening its network of polling agents while also engaging other political parties to promote what he described as free, fair and credible elections.

Obi also warned Nigerians against allowing financial inducement or intimidation to determine their choices at the polls.

He argued that accepting money in exchange for votes could ultimately deprive citizens of resources that should have been used to provide essential services.

“If you collect money from them, that is the money they would have used in security… hospitals… education,” he said.

On insecurity, Obi called for stronger support for security agencies, including the provision of adequate logistics and improved welfare for personnel and their families.

“We have security agencies. They must work. We must make sure we provide them with the logistics needed to work,” he said.

He added that Nigeria needs a president who would take responsibility for tackling insecurity and “lead from the front.”

As part of his message on election day, Obi urged voters not to leave their polling units immediately after casting their ballots, but to remain until the votes are counted and the results duly recorded.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed suggestions that Peter Obi poses a serious threat to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Umahi made the assertion while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, arguing that Obi is not the only presidential contender from the South-East.

According to the minister, several other aspirants from the region are also expected to participate in the election, making it difficult to regard Obi as the APC’s sole challenge in the South-East.

“By the way, it is not only Peter Obi that is from the South-East that is contesting. We have about three or four other presidential candidates who are contesting,” Umahi said.

He added, “So, Peter Obi is not a threat as far as I am concerned.”

However, the former Ebonyi State governor said his assessment should not be interpreted as an attempt to underestimate Obi, whom he described as a significant political figure.

Umahi expressed confidence that the APC would perform strongly across the South-East in 2027, attributing the party’s poor showing in the region during the 2023 election partly to what he described as the marginalisation of the South-East under the previous administration.

He argued that the Tinubu administration had changed the situation through appointments and what he described as visible development projects in the region.

“I will not blame the South-East in the last election because, virtually, we were not fairly treated by the past administration,” Umahi said.

He cited the appointment of South-East politicians to major federal positions, including his own appointment as Minister of Works, as evidence that the region is receiving greater attention under Tinubu.

Umahi consequently expressed optimism that the APC could win all five South-East states in the 2027 presidential election.

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, won all five states in the South-East, making the region a significant political stronghold for him.