In today’s Nigeria, political campaigns are no longer limited to rallies, posters, or street parades, they’ve gone fully digital.

And at the heart of this transformation are thousands of young Nigerians, often labeled “Data Boys” or “digital foot soldiers.”

Politicians, whether vying for office or currently in power, now rely heavily on this tech-savvy youth to dominate social media platforms, push narratives, amplify party agendas, and, increasingly, launch aggressive attacks against perceived opponents.

Some of these young people gain meaningful benefits from their roles, including visibility, financial incentives, or career opportunities.

However, others are quickly gaining notoriety as “attack dogs” used to troll, discredit, or bully dissenting voices online.

What’s fueling this rise in digital aggression among politically active youth?

And what does it mean for Nigeria’s democratic culture and political future?

Send us your thoughts and ways forward…

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has endorsed Goodluck Jonathan as the strongest candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2027 presidential ticket.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he urged the party to actively court Jonathan, arguing that no current Southern PDP member could match his credentials.

“I think for PDP now they should try to woo him. He is their best bet. Anybody put forth by the PDP, Nigerians will support him.”

Lamido emphasized Jonathan’s track record in governance and collaborative leadership:

He “is most welcome, competent and very qualified. To me, I welcome him into the PDP. I think so far in the PDP, with all respect to all members, I do not see a better alternative than Jonathan if he comes to the PDP.”

Describing the former president as experienced, pragmatic, and inclusive, Lamido stated:

“I do not see any other person really. If we are giving the presidency to the South, it will be the PDP. Who is there in PDP now that can challenge Jonathan in terms of being in office, being full headed, being somebody who is willing to listen and somebody who is also a key player who believes in partnership?”

Beyond endorsing Jonathan, Lamido called for disciplinary measures against party members who undermined the PDP in the 2023 general elections, specifically naming FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, ex‑Benue Governor Samuel Ortom, and ex‑Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

“All those erring members, the Wikes, the Ortoms, the Ikpeazus and others who openly campaigned against the PDP in the 2023 elections and who say that they are going to work for the APC in 2027 should be sacked from the party.”

He lamented a persistent culture of impunity within the party, urging enforcement of accountability:

“From way back after the primaries of 2022 leading to the elections of 2023 there are people who because of their interest and ambition felt aggrieved about what transpired in the party’s convention.”

“And they turned against the party and fought the party. We have been having this kind of problem, the impunity of people castrating the party and denouncing it.”

Lamido’s remarks coincide with intensified efforts within the PDP to persuade former President Jonathan to return as its flagbearer for 2027.

Despite the renewed interest, Jonathan has not publicly confirmed any plans to run.

However, his wife, Patience, recently made headlines by expressing support for the Tinubu administration, rejecting the notion of contesting against First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused certain individuals of turning criticisms of the party’s leadership into a profitable venture.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Abdullahi condemned ongoing attacks against the ADC, initially formed on July 1 as a platform for an opposition coalition aimed at challenging President Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The party, led by former Senate President David Mark, has since faced public rebuke from some state chairmen who have opposed his leadership and the interim executive committee.

Abdullahi dismissed these attacks as opportunistic, stating:

“All these things you see have become an enterprise. They hold press conferences to say they are challenging the leadership of David Mark. This has become a good business for them. They are wasting their resources and their time.”

He added: “We know the people behind this. It is either that some people are sponsoring them, or they are holding the press conferences to attract attention from those who will give them money. For us, we are not bothered about this. They should continue to entertain themselves.”

In a separate comment, off the record, another ADC source, speaking anonymously, suggested the APC is behind the campaign of defamation to weaken the party. They claimed:

“The only person they are scared of is Atiku Abubakar. They don’t want him on the ballot. That is why they are doing everything to infiltrate the ranks of the ADC and cause unnecessary tension within the party.”

The source accused the government of aiming for a smooth, uncontested route to the 2027 elections:

“What Tinubu and his supporters want is a free ride to the 2027 election, and that is why they are scared of Atiku. What they don’t know is that the elections will be between Nigerians and the APC. Having gone through avoidable pains in the past two years, Nigerians know exactly what they want in 2027, and no amount of intimidation can make them back out of their resolve to vote out the incompetent APC.”

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has responded to accusations by Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), asserting that the former governor is not above the law and must comply with regulations like every other citizen of the state.

Daniel had earlier alleged political persecution, claiming that the Abiodun-led government had issued demolition notices targeting his properties in the Sagamu Government Reserved Area (GRA), including his private residence, The Asoludero Court and his hospitality businesses, Conference Hotels and its annex.

Reacting through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, Governor Abiodun denied the accusations, describing them as false and politically motivated.

He said Daniel should not misconstrue lawful government action as a vendetta.

“Nobody is bigger than the State. Senator Gbenga Daniel is distinguished no doubt, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit himself unreservedly to the same laws he once swore twice to uphold. He should refrain from elevating every issue of his contact with government institutions to a personal vendetta by Governor Abiodun, who obviously holds him in high esteem.”

The governor maintained that the properties were simply part of a routine urban development audit within the Sagamu GRA, and not an isolated targeting of the senator.

“Since his referenced buildings must have conformed with government regulations, there should not be any problem.”

“The distinguished Senator knows the law and has presumably abided by it, so why is he crying foul instead of simply complying with lawful directive, supremely confident in the knowledge that he has done no wrong, and knowing the rights afforded him by the Constitution and the courts?”

Akinmade further criticised the senator for politicising a standard planning procedure, saying:

“Of course, in what has become a familiar pattern, Senator Daniel and his Media Office have been ascribing political motives to a routine procedure, suggesting that they have something to hide and do not mind using underhand tactics to achieve their sinister objectives.”

He dismissed the former governor’s statement as a “blatant distortion of facts”, noting that the government’s redevelopment efforts were part of a broader urban renewal project across the state, including towns such as Ibara, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode.

“The Ogun State Government is not engaged in any untoward move against Otunba Gbenga Daniel in anyway.”

He explained that as part of the renewal process, a development audit was underway to assess all structures within GRAs to ensure compliance with planning laws.

“This initiative involves the auditing of existing developments within these areas in order to determine the permit status of all types of developments, including houses, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings.”

“Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s building happens to be within the Sagamu GRA and among those that were served notices as required under the Town Planning Law and Regulation of Ogun State. Many other structures were also similarly served.”

According to him, the process is not new, nor discriminatory.

“This process is not new. It had been in existence and operated even during his tenure as Governor of the State. The GRA is a government-designed and allocated estate and it is subject to regulatory and oversight functions of government in perpetuity.”

He stressed that what was required from Daniel was simple compliance:

“All Otunba Gbenga Daniel needs to do, like every other person’s in similar situation that have been served with such notices in that neighbourhood, is to present his planning permit and land title to the relevant government Agency office for verification within the time specified in the notices rather than resorting to cheap blackmail. There are no exemptions under the law except as permitted by that Law.”

Akinmade accused the senator of rushing to the media without doing due diligence:

“Did the distinguished senator not conduct a check around the neighbourhood before hastily rushing to the media to demonise Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration, as usual? The statement in question jumped the gun by saying that the Government is focusing on Senator Daniel. That is a barefaced lie.”

“It is the duty of the Government to carry out audits and for someone who has been in office as Governor and who is now a Senator to be crying wolf is highly unfortunate.”

“It seems that Senator Gbenga Daniel and his crew will do anything they can to drag the name of Governor Dapo Abiodun into every issue imaginable just to score cheap political points.”

He concluded by reaffirming the governor’s position:

“This is not a hallmark of statesmanship, a topic that the distinguished senator likes to talk about with flourish; it is a dark tactic.”

“Nobody is bigger than the State. Senator Gbenga Daniel is distinguished no doubt, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit himself unreservedly to the same laws he once swore twice to uphold.”

“He should refrain from elevating every issue of his contact with government institutions to a personal vendetta by Governor Abiodun, who obviously holds him in high esteem.”

“Since his referenced buildings must have conformed with government regulations, there should not be any problem. The distinguished Senator knows the law and has presumably abided by it, so why is he crying foul instead of simply complying with lawful directive, supremely confident in the knowledge that he has done no wrong, and knowing the rights afforded him by the Constitution and the courts?”

“No one should assign impure motives to a routine procedure. If anyone is after Senator Gbenga Daniel, it is certainly not the Governor of Ogun State.”

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Former Osun State Governor and current National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has expressed strong optimism about his party’s chances in the 2026 governorship election, asserting that divine backing is on their side.

Speaking on Sunday during the 60th birthday celebration of his ally and former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam, Aregbesola confidently stated that the ADC would emerge victorious in the upcoming polls.

“I don’t want to offend the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and the representative of the Governor. But I am very sure that it is our own that God will do,”
Aregbesola declared at the event.

The celebration also featured a keynote lecture delivered by Professor Shola Omotola, who spoke on the topic: “Legislative Contributions to the Sustenance of Nigeria’s Democracy since 1999: Hurdles We Must Overcome.”

Professor Omotola addressed a pressing issue in Nigeria’s political terrain, frequent defections among lawmakers, arguing that the absence of legal consequences for switching parties undermines democratic consolidation.

“The phenomenon of leaving political parties without consequences has significantly hindered the legislature’s ability to contribute to the consolidation of democracy,”
he explained.

He called for urgent reforms to strengthen internal democracy within political parties, adding that strict legal frameworks and penalties must be introduced to discourage political opportunism.

“There should be appropriate legal sanctions for party switching to serve as a deterrent,”
he added.

Also in attendance was the current Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wale Egbedun, who praised the celebrant, Hon. Salam, for his enduring legacy in the state’s legislative history.

“You have always been my role model. The 8th Assembly is proud to associate with you. We see you as a role model,” Egbedun said.

He also recounted his personal commitment to grassroots representation, which was inspired by Salam’s example.

“I told my people that I will relocate to my community if they elect me. I did it because I saw you, being the only speaker in the history of Osun that holds his house firmly,” he concluded.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has delayed his planned collection of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) membership card amid swirling rumors that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan might re-enter the 2027 presidential race, and ongoing talks between Jonathan and the ADC.

Atiku, who recently left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) due to internal disputes, was expected to formalize his defection to ADC in a ceremony scheduled for August 6 in his hometown, Jada, Adamawa State.

However, the event was postponed indefinitely without any official explanation.

The ADC Chairman in Adamawa, Shehu Yohana, told told journalists that Atiku postponed the reception to mid-August, though no exact date was given.

“From the way things are going, due to one issue or the other, the event may get to September,”

Yohana said, adding that Atiku is waiting on some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors planning to defect before his event.

Insiders at ADC hinted the delay could be linked to internal power struggles between Atiku and former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, who is said to have strong influence within ADC’s southern structures.

An unnamed national ADC source suggested that if things don’t favor Atiku soon, he might consider joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP), especially following the suspension of Kaduna’s former governor Nasir El-Rufai from SDP, an action believed to be connected to fears about Atiku’s possible return there.

Pressure from Atiku’s supporters within ADC to exit the party has grown amid rumors of Jonathan’s potential presidential comeback.

Sources confirmed ongoing discussions between ADC leaders and Jonathan, with a positive response so far.

“We are talking to him (Jonathan), and he is unlikely to contest under PDP. He knows the problems there,” a party insider said.

Although Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, publicly declared support for the current First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu and rejected any presidential ambitions for her husband, Jonathan’s campaign posters have appeared on social media linking him with prominent running mates.

Meanwhile, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, dismissed the speculations and insisted Atiku is undeterred by rivals like Jonathan or Obi.

“Nothing has changed; Atiku registered as a member of ADC in Jada ward and the process continues. Atiku is a democrat who welcomes competition,” Ibe said.

Ibe emphasized that Atiku’s priority is building a credible alternative to the APC and that he will not be intimidated by anyone’s candidacy.

“The more the merrier, so Nigerians can make informed decisions,” he added.

On the other hand, an ADC insider accused the Tinubu-led APC of working covertly to sabotage Atiku’s ambitions and destabilize the ADC ahead of the elections.

“The only person they fear is Atiku Abubakar… They want a free ride in 2027 and fear Atiku’s presence on the ballot,” he explained.

He also downplayed Peter Obi’s chances in the PDP, noting that Nyesom Wike’s influence would prevent Obi from clinching the party ticket, saying the APC prefers Obi or other southerners as candidates to split votes.

The ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, reaffirmed the party’s resolve to resist all forms of sponsored attacks and stressed the importance of unseating the APC government in 2027.