Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, has issued a stern warning to party members to desist from actions that could damage the image and unity of the party, calling instead for loyalty, discipline, and a collective commitment to the party’s values.

Damagum gave the warning on Monday while delivering his opening remarks at the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party held at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.

The meeting brought together governors, National Working Committee (NWC) members, and representatives of key party organs to discuss critical internal matters and chart the PDP’s future direction.

“If you truly love this party, now is the time to channel your energy into promoting its strengths and values, rather than undermining it. Unless, of course, you are among those who have been contracted to destroy our party. Let me be clear: enough is enough,” Damagum said in a strongly worded address.

He acknowledged the recent wave of internal tension that has rocked the party, pointing to a controversial issue that sparked division among members.

While he refrained from going into specifics, Damagum hinted that the party had made a tough decision after extensive deliberation.

“The issue that recently caused tension and division within our ranks has been thoroughly discussed, and a decision has been reached.”

“Unfortunately, it was a painful one, and I will not delve into the details now. We will address this further at the appropriate time,” he stated.

Amid speculations that the NEC meeting was merely an extended caucus session, Damagum clarified that the gathering was formally convened in line with the PDP’s constitution and for regulatory compliance.

“After extensive consultations with our leaders, governors, and leaders of various party organs, we have decided to proceed with this NEC meeting. This is our NEC, and it will focus on one key agenda item to ensure we remain compliant with regulatory requirements and avoid any complications,” he explained.

Reiterating the need for members to refrain from engaging in public acts that could tarnish the PDP’s reputation, Damagum warned that external forces could be exploiting internal cracks for sabotage.

“I want to reiterate my welcome to all of you and urge party faithful to refrain from arbitrarily demarketing our party. The strength of our party lies in our ability to resolve our issues in our own unique way,” he added.

Concluding his remarks, the acting chairman reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the party’s internal cohesion and integrity, promising that the outcomes of the NEC meeting would be communicated transparently.

“Once we conclude our meeting, we will brief the media accordingly,” Damagum assured.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released its official timetable and fee structure for the upcoming 2025 bye-elections, setting the nomination fee for senatorial aspirants at N20 million, while House of Representatives hopefuls will pay N10 million.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

The document, signed by APC’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, outlined the full schedule of activities and cost breakdowns.

For the senatorial race, the breakdown includes N3 million for the Expression of Interest Form and N17 million for the Nomination Form.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives aspirants will pay N1 million for the Expression of Interest and N9 million for the Nomination Form.

For those contesting for State House of Assembly seats, the total cost is N2 million—N500,000 for the Expression of Interest Form and N1.5 million for the Nomination Form.

However, in a move aimed at encouraging inclusivity, the party announced waivers for women and persons with disabilities.

“Female aspirants and persons living with disabilities will only be required to purchase the Expression of Interest Form, as the Nomination Form will be issued to them free,” the statement noted.

The APC also introduced a concession for younger politicians.

“Youths aged between 25 and 40 are entitled to a 50% discount on the Nomination Form fee,” Argungu said.

Interested aspirants can collect the forms at the Directorate of Organisation, located on the 2nd floor of the APC National Headquarters, Wuse II, Abuja.

In addition, only delegates who have paid a minimum of three months’ dues at N200 per month will be allowed to vote at the congresses.

Delegate forms will be sold for N5,000.

The party’s schedule of activities kicks off with the notice of election to state chapters on Monday, June 30, 2025.

Membership revalidation and update will run from Tuesday, July 1 to Saturday, July 5, during which the sale of forms will also take place.

Completed forms must be submitted no later than Monday, July 7, followed by the screening of aspirants on Thursday, July 10.

The party primaries are scheduled between July 22 and July 26, with the final list of candidates to be published on Saturday, July 26.

“The party is committed to conducting transparent primaries that comply with the Electoral Act,” said Argungu.

He also emphasized the importance of adherence to internal regulations.

“Only those who have paid their dues for at least a year up to July 2025 and whose names appear on the membership register will be eligible to vote or be voted for,” he added.

Campaigns will begin Saturday, July 26, and end Thursday, August 14, ahead of the bye-elections set for Saturday, August 16, 2025.

The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the political crisis in Rivers State has demanded a detailed breakdown of a N24 billion allocation for CCTV installation at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The committee issued the directive during a 2025 budget defence session held Monday in Abuja.

Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo), who chairs the committee and also serves as House Majority Leader, raised serious concerns over what he described as “questionable provisions” in the N1.48 trillion Appropriation Bill submitted by the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd).

“We’ve reviewed the budget proposal, and there are serious concerns,” Ihonvbere said.

Among the contentious items highlighted were:

• N24 billion for CCTV installation,
• N30 billion for the purchase of gunboats, and
• N23 billion allocated as contingency reserves.

Ihonvbere also demanded the immediate submission of the state’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), a statutory requirement that precedes the presentation of any budget proposal.

“We need to compare your financial inflow with the projected deficit. In addition, we expect details on transfers to local governments, especially how those funds are currently managed,” he added.

He further criticized the budget’s inclusion of allocations to federal projects without concrete reimbursement plans and stressed the need for transparency regarding the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) over the past three months.

“All the documents we requested must reach us within 48 hours. Be assured, our goal is to make Rivers work again. We want accountability, and we must protect the interests of the people, no matter how remote their communities are,” Ihonvbere emphasized.

He also took a moment to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his role in addressing the political impasse between the Rivers State Executive and Legislature.

Responding on behalf of the Rivers State Government, Mr. Andrew Nweke, the Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy to the Sole Administrator, explained that the current budget framework was largely inherited.

“The proposal was based on a needs assessment conducted by implementing agencies and was designed to reflect the priorities of the Rivers people,” Nweke said.

Defending the CCTV budget, he stated: “The Office of the Governor is one of honour and strategic importance. It deserves modern surveillance and security technology.”

He further clarified that the N30 billion earmarked for gunboats was aimed at bolstering security operations in the state’s waterways, while the N23 billion contingency fund was intended to address emergencies such as flooding.

Nweke assured the lawmakers that all the required documents would be submitted promptly to assist the legislative review process.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as its National Secretary following a decisive National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the 100th NEC session at the party’s national headquarters, Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, explained that the meeting was focused solely on resolving issues surrounding the party’s correspondence with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the national secretary position.

“We just rose from our 100th NEC meeting. It was a one-agenda meeting to discuss the outcome of our interaction with INEC as regards the national secretary,” Damagum said.

“We all agreed that Senator Anyanwu will continue to act as national secretary.”

The decision brings an end to weeks of speculation and internal tensions over the leadership of the PDP secretariat, as the party gears up for key decisions ahead of its forthcoming national convention.

Damagum also disclosed that the next NEC meeting has been scheduled for July 23, when the party is expected to finalize plans for the convention.

He confirmed that both he and Senator Anyanwu will jointly notify INEC of the date, in line with internal protocol.

“The success of today’s meeting has disappointed our detractors who thought it would be rancorous,” Damagum said, responding to speculation of possible division within the party.

“The beauty of the Peoples Democratic Party is that it is the only party in this country that knows the mechanism to solve its own problem, rancour-free.”

He further emphasized the unity witnessed during the session, noting that the turnout and consensus among party leaders were a strong signal of internal cohesion.

“All our governors attended the meeting. All members of NWC were on the same page,” he said.

“You will not be seeing all these press releases and counter-press releases.”

The reaffirmation of Anyanwu’s role comes amid previous legal and political challenges, including court rulings and internal disputes over his return to office.

However, Monday’s NEC resolution appears to have solidified his position, at least for now, as the PDP moves forward.

INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wole Oke, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take urgent steps toward sanitizing the electoral process by removing inactive political parties from ballot papers.

In a position paper released on Monday, titled “Strengthening INEC’s Regulatory Role Over Political Parties to Safeguard Democratic Integrity,” the lawmaker argued that the growing clutter on ballot papers contributes significantly to voter confusion and an increasing number of voided votes.

“Our ballot paper has become one of the longest and most confusing in the world. Voters, both literate and non-literate, have complained about being overwhelmed by the number of logos. Some end up voting wrongly or spoiling their ballots altogether,” Oke said.

Representing the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, Oke urged INEC to streamline the ballots by eliminating logos of political parties that have remained inactive, obscure, or non-performing.

He believes this will enhance clarity for voters, especially those with lower literacy levels.

“The proliferation of these unserious parties not only wastes INEC’s time and resources but also robs voters of their ability to make informed and accurate choices,” he added.

He accused many registered parties of existing merely on paper, pointing out that several do not field candidates or engage meaningfully in the democratic process.

According to him, their primary activity during election seasons is filing petitions in court, often with the goal of extorting successful candidates.

Oke further called on INEC to conduct an immediate compliance audit of all registered political parties and enforce Section 225A of the Constitution, which allows the Commission to deregister parties that do not meet essential participation benchmarks.

“Section 225A of the Constitution empowers INEC to deregister parties that fail to meet basic requirements such as winning elections or even participating in them. INEC must act now to clean up the system,” he said.

He also advocated for reforms to the Electoral Act to restrict post-election legal challenges to only parties that actually took part in the polls.

This, he argued, would help decongest the judiciary and discourage voter apathy.

“Ballot clarity is a cornerstone of credible elections. We must not allow our democracy to be distorted by political logos with no real meaning or mandate behind them,” Oke warned.

His comments come amid growing public concern over the complexity of Nigeria’s ballot design and the impact it has on election outcomes.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has set October 6 as the date for the hearing of former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison‑Madueke’s legal challenge against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is attempting to sell her seized properties.

During Monday’s session, Justice Abubakar Umar allowed Mrs. Alison‑Madueke, represented by counsel Mr. Godwin Iyibor, time to respond to legal papers served by the EFCC.

In a lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/21/2023, filed by a team led by Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the former minister demanded that the court compel the EFCC “to retrieve from persons (natural or corporate), to whom it had sold off any of the properties.”

She alleges the EFCC violated her fundamental right to fair hearing by launching a public auction of assets they claimed were linked to her, following a 2023 notice.

She further argued that the properties were seized based on final forfeiture orders obtained through “misrepresentations and concealment of facts.” She maintained:“

The several applications upon which the courts made the final order of forfeiture against the Applicant were obtained upon gross misstatements, misrepresentations, non‑disclosure, concealment and suppression of material facts and thus court has the power to set aside same ex‑debito justitiae, as a void order is as good as if it was never made at all.”

Mrs. Alison‑Madueke contended that she was never served with any charge or summons in the proceedings leading to the forfeiture and that no criminal conviction supports the EFCC’s claims. Notably, she pointed out:

“Till date, the Applicant has not been convicted of any unlawful activities to warrant the forfeiture of her properties and assets.”

She also noted that at all relevant times, she was abroad seeking medical treatment, and therefore had no access to Nigerian newspapers or legal notices.

In its counter-affidavit, the EFCC stated that criminal charges had indeed been filed against her since 2017, including cases in Abuja and Adamawa.

The EFCC cited final forfeiture orders issued by Justice C.A. Obiozor (July 9, 2019) and Justice I.N. Oweibo (September 10, 2019), and asserted that the seized assets were sold “in accordance with the due process of law.”

The EFCC emphasized that “the final forfeiture orders pursuant to which the sale of the properties was conducted, are still in force and have not been set aside.”

They also confirmed they adhered to newspaper publication requirements to alert interested parties.

Earlier, Mrs. Alison‑Madueke had filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against the EFCC, accusing the agency of spreading damaging and false reports that had harmed her reputation (File No. CV/6273/2023).

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has reaffirmed that he would only serve a single term if elected president in 2027, in keeping with Nigeria’s zoning agreement between the North and South.

Speaking during a Twitter Space session hosted by Parallel Facts on Sunday, Obi reiterated his commitment to equity in power rotation, a principle he said he has long upheld.

“If you take the arrangement which is, understandably, what you can call an unwritten agreement that power would go south and north, and if that arrangement is to be followed strictly, you would see that anybody, not just me, who happens to come from the south as president in 2027 must be ready to leave on the 28th of May (not 29th), 2031.”

Obi emphasized his consistent stance on zoning, referencing his political record in Anambra State.

“I campaigned for zoning. I championed zoning in Anambra State. That is one of the reasons today some people feel we must deal with this man. I insisted on it, I maintained it and I followed it to the last letter, and till today, I still follow it religiously.”

He also vowed to protect the democratic process by discouraging political defections and ensuring vibrant opposition.

“My presidency will ensure there is a strong opposition in party politics. There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge.”

Obi expressed concern over the state of leadership in the country, criticizing what he described as misplaced priorities in the face of national crises.

“Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, [and other parts of the country], and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying.”

Clarifying his position on political coalitions, Obi distanced himself from alliances focused solely on gaining power.

“If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out. I’m not interested. I want a coalition that stops the killings in Borno, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working.”