The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially begun selling nomination and expression of interest forms to aspirants vying for seats in the upcoming National Assembly bye-elections scheduled for August 16 across 12 states.

These elections aim to fill legislative vacancies created by lawmakers who resigned or passed away after pursuing executive positions.

Among the aspirants who picked up their forms on Monday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja was Mr. Oscar Aghedo, contesting to represent the Ovia South-West/North-East Federal Constituency in Edo State.

Speaking to journalists after collecting his forms, Aghedo said, “Today is a great day for me, having purchased these forms to run for the Federal House of Representatives for Ovia South-West/North-East Federal Constituency.”

He outlined his legislative vision and commitment to community development. “My intention to represent my people is to make good laws for our country and to ensure proper representation, especially in the area of infrastructural development.”

“I assure you that I will make my people proud. Some of my constituents are here with me, and I sincerely appreciate them for their support so far,” he stated.

Aghedo urged the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) to conduct transparent primaries on July 19.

He stressed that if elected, he would focus on implementing constituency projects and promoting youth and citizen empowerment.

He also praised the work of his predecessor, now serving as the Edo Deputy Governor.

“The immediate past lawmaker, who is now the Edo deputy governor, had done remarkably well in infrastructure development. I will not just build on that but will give priority to human capacity development,” Aghedo added.

Expressing confidence in his candidacy, he acknowledged support from key stakeholders.

“By the grace of God, I have the blessings of God, the governor’s support, and the mandate of my people.”

“I have made several contributions to my constituency and my community. That is why they believe in me, and I have a lot to offer if elected in office.”

He reiterated his plan to prioritize empowerment programs.

“Youth and women’s empowerment and support for the less privileged would be my priorities.”

“Keeping the youth meaningfully engaged will reduce the crime wave and other social vices. We must create avenues to keep them productive and focused.”

“Fortunately, insecurity in my constituency is currently low, but we must not relax; we will work to keep it at the barest minimum,” he said.

Also present at the party’s national secretariat was Yakubu Waziri, an aspirant for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency in Kaduna State. Waziri highlighted the improvements in the security situation in the area.

“For a long time, the area had constantly been in the news for negative reasons,” he said.

“We are not just experiencing relative peace; we are enjoying permanent peace, to the glory of God.”

Waziri pledged to focus on security and youth empowerment if elected.

He also expressed confidence heading into the polls: “I have no fears going into the election. I have God on my side and the support of the people as well as the governor.”

Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, who contested the governorship elections in Yobe State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 and 2007, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Waziri, a former Minister of Police Affairs and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, handed in his resignation from the PDP on Monday at the Dogotubo Ward Centre in Potiskum LGA, where he submitted his letter to the ward chairman.

Explaining his reasons for leaving, Waziri said the PDP’s “current leadership and direction [is] inconsistent with a major political party,” further stating that the party “has lost its moral standing as the primary opposition bastion.”

Reflecting on the PDP’s origins, he described as ironic the party’s founding mission in 1998 “to combat non-democratic rule,” given what he referred to as its present condition.

He emphasized that his defection was motivated by a commitment to national interest, saying he wanted to “recreate democracy, restore good governance, and enable Nigerians to live in peace and prosperity.”

Waziri also pledged to bring along his political allies into the ADC and called on others to be part of what he described as a movement to “restore democratic hope in the country.”

His announcement aligned with a zonal ADC meeting held in Potiskum, which brought together interim leaders from various levels of the party, including state, zonal, local government, and ward representatives.

At the meeting, the ADC Chairman in Yobe State, Hon. Umaru Kalli, voiced optimism about the party’s chances in the next general elections, saying the ADC could “wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 and return Nigeria to the path of economic recovery.”

During the gathering, party officials encouraged Nigerians particularly the youth, women, and elderly to join the ADC in working toward a better future for the nation.

Tensions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have escalated, as three disgruntled party members have taken legal action to challenge the legitimacy of its newly installed interim leadership.

The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeks to oust former Senate President David Mark from his position as Interim National Chairman.

The plaintiffs; Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila are calling the leadership transition both unconstitutional and illegal.

In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1328, they list the ADC as the 1st defendant, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s immediate past National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, are named as 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

Also joined in the case are Senator David Mark (4th defendant), former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (5th defendant) as Interim National Secretary, and ex-Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi (6th defendant) as Interim National Publicity Secretary.

The plaintiffs contend that the appointment of the interim officers contravenes the ADC’s constitution, particularly the 2018 amended version.

They are also raising concerns about whether those appointed were even properly registered members of the ADC when the appointments were made.

Among the key issues the court is being asked to address are:

• Whether the ADC constitution permits the creation of interim leadership roles;
• Whether the Executive Committee of the party can be dissolved in the absence of a formally convened National Convention or an official decision by the National Executive Committee (NEC);
• Whether INEC acted within the law by recognizing the interim leadership;
• And whether the leadership handover contravenes a 2022 ruling by Justice Binta Nyako.

The claimants are urging the court to declare the appointments “unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void” and to rule that they violate the party’s internal rules and structure.

This legal move comes in the wake of a significant political development.

A coalition reportedly backed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has recently adopted the ADC as a political platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Following this realignment, Ralph Nwosu announced the dissolution of the existing party structures to accommodate a new leadership framework, a decision now being hotly contested in court.

As of now, the court has not scheduled a date for hearing the case.

Prominent Nigerian lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi has taken a sharp swipe at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, labelling him the embodiment of Nigeria’s failed political leadership.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Farotimi described the former Rivers State governor as the face of everything wrong with the country’s political elite.

“Nyesom Wike: poster boy of the Nigerian ruining class. Cacophonous, parasitic, narcissistic, Lilliputian, gluttonous, myopic, and completely untouched by any desire for immortality,” he wrote, ending the post with the Nigerian flag and vomiting emojis.

Farotimi, known for his fierce advocacy for good governance and his criticism of entrenched political interests, made the statement amid growing public discourse around Wike’s controversial actions and rhetoric since becoming FCT Minister.

While he didn’t provide further explanation in the post, the reaction online has been intense, triggering heated conversations on social media.

Many users supported his sentiments, while others took issue with his harsh language.

The backlash appears to be connected to Wike’s recent comments targeting the new opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which features several prominent figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and David Mark.

Wike had dismissed the coalition as self-serving, claiming its leaders were “rescuing their stomachs.”

Farotimi, however, believes the coalition will make no meaningful impact if it fails to push for electoral reforms before the 2027 elections.

He warned that without systemic change, any attempt to challenge the status quo would be futile.

In his view, the coalition’s focus should be on restructuring the electoral process and ensuring the independence and credibility of INEC.

He cautioned: “The success of the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections without first implementing meaningful electoral reforms is a waste of effort.”

Farotimi also described any coalition without reform as “brainless.”

As at the time of this report, Wike and his media aides have not issued a response to Farotimi’s remarks.