Hon. Professor Paul Sunday Nnamchi, member representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has launched strategic efforts to strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As part of this initiative, Prof. Nnamchi recently held a series of leadership harmonization meetings with officials of both the APC and Labour Party (LP) across wards and local government areas in Enugu East and Isi Uzo.

The meetings took place at his residence in Enugu and were aimed at fostering unity, encouraging collaboration, and laying the groundwork for building a stronger APC presence in the state.

Enugu State APC officials who are indigenes of the constituency also participated in the sessions, which focused on building consensus and preparing for future political contests.

The engagement follows Prof. Nnamchi’s recent defection from the Labour Party to the APC, a move he attributed to unresolved leadership crises that had plagued the LP for over a year.

In his remarks, Chief Louis Agbo, APC State Financial Secretary and native of Isi Uzo, applauded the lawmaker’s leadership in convening the meeting.

He described it as a timely and strategic move that could rejuvenate APC in Enugu. Agbo also praised Nnamchi’s contributions in the House of Representatives, stating:

“Through his eloquent contributions in plenary, Prof. Nnamchi has elevated our constituency’s visibility in national politics.”

Similarly, Chief Sunday Nome of the Labour Party and Mr. Levi Okeke of the APC, both leaders from Enugu East Local Government, lauded the effort.

They expressed their commitment to working together across party lines to mobilize new members and position the APC as a dominant political force in the 2027 elections.

Prof. Nnamchi emphasized that the goal of the harmonization effort was to ensure a peaceful merger of interests and to build a formidable political structure capable of winning future elections.

“This is the first step in my plan to strengthen APC in Enugu East/Isi Uzo and the entire Enugu State. I believe that with unity, strategy, and grassroots mobilization, we can deliver strong results for the APC in 2027,” he said.

He urged leaders from both parties to begin joint mobilization efforts in their wards and local government areas and assured them of his continued support in repositioning the party in the state.

Newly appointed Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has promised to take bold steps to strengthen the ruling party while working to attract more opposition governors into its fold.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television just hours after his emergence in Abuja, Yilwatda said:

“The confidence they have in me is to make sure I take tough decisions but with gentility and teamwork for the collective interest of the party.”

He drew a parallel between his calm demeanour and that of President Bola Tinubu, noting that strength does not have to come with aggression.

“Of course, I will because that is what the president asked me to do and the members are asking me to do also,” he said.

“Look at the body language of Mr President; soft-talking, calm, gentle, but look at where he is driving the country, taking tough decisions, where people fear to even discuss.”

Yilwatda also made it clear that expanding the APC’s influence is a top priority, especially by winning over more governors from opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“My job is to unite the party, (and) to expand the party. We have 23 governors and we are still counting. My job is to bring in more. We would do legwork and bring in more,” he said.

So far in 2025, two PDP governors; Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State have defected to the APC.

The party now controls 23 states, while the PDP governs 10, and the Labour Party, NNPP, and APGA each control one state.

Yilwatda acknowledged the contributions of past APC chairmen such as Abdullahi Ganduje, Adams Oshiomhole, Abdullahi Adamu, and Mai Mala Buni, saying he would draw from their experience to guide his leadership.

“My immediate priority is that the party is united,” he said, adding that he would focus on coordinating internal structures to implement the party’s manifesto fully.

A former APC governorship candidate in Plateau State in the 2023 elections which was won by PDP’s Caleb Mutfwang, Yilwatda highlighted his varied professional background as preparation for his new role.

“I’m a politician coming in with private sector experience, university experience, administrative experience, election processes experience and now with the political experience to gear the wheel of the party,” he stated.

He also referenced his previous roles as a registered engineer, university lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, former Resident Electoral Commissioner with INEC, and most recently, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, a position he held until his new appointment.

Yilwatda was nominated as minister by President Tinubu in October 2024 before ascending to the APC national chairmanship in July 2025.

Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) was briefly detained by immigration officials at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom.

Her detention came as the Senate concluded its legislative session until September 23, 2025, bringing an end to another year of activity.

Akpoti‑Uduaghan, traveling with her husband to attend her stepson’s graduation ceremony abroad, was reportedly told that her name had been placed on a watch list.

“She was told that the leadership of the National Assembly requested that she be considered a flight risk and placed on a watch list,” a family member explained on condition of anonymity.

“We are wondering why they treated her that way, given there is no court order restricting her movement and she has never missed any of her court appearances.”

The incident unfolded amid escalating tensions between the senator and the National Assembly leadership. She is currently challenging her suspension from the Senate, a consequence of her outspoken protest over changes to her designated sitting position.

The senator subsequently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, a charge he firmly denies.

Eyewitnesses say Akpoti‑Uduaghan visibly protested the travel ban and made urgent calls to senior immigration officials and government contacts.

After nearly an hour, she was permitted to board her British Airways flight.

Immigration authorities have yet to issue an official statement. Spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi promised to “revert once he obtains details of the incident.”

According to Dayo Fadugba, a lawyer and policy analyst based in Abuja, Senator Akpoti‑Uduaghan’s own Notice of Appeal supports the position that the Senate was under no court-mandated obligation to reinstate her before her six-month suspension ended.

Fadugba pointed to “Ground 23 of the 30‑ground appeal,” stating it “affirms that the trial judge only observed the suspension to be excessive, without issuing a pronouncement nullifying it.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Akpabio has called on all standing and ad-hoc committees to use the two-month recess to finalize pending reports and prepare them for presentation when legislative business resumes.

He also urged senators to conduct constituency oversight visits, especially to inspect road projects in their jurisdictions.

Former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of sidelining Northern Nigeria in the distribution of national resources.

Speaking on Thursday during a Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the 2025 Constitutional Amendment hosted by the Kano State government, Kwankwaso voiced strong concerns about what he described as an imbalanced allocation of the national budget.

“From the information available to us, it’s like most of the national budget is now tilting in one direction in this country,” Kwankwaso stated.

He criticised the Federal Government under the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he said was a clear focus on development in the South, while the North continues to grapple with underdevelopment.

“That is why we have insecurity, we have poverty and so on. It is happening here mainly, but like a desert, it would go everywhere,” he warned.

Highlighting the dilapidated state of infrastructure in the North, Kwankwaso lamented: “Most roads in the northern region remain in a deplorable condition, whilst the APC government continues to allocate lump budgetary provisions for infrastructural development in the southern region.”

He called on the Tinubu administration to prioritise fairness and equity in the management of national resources, stressing that balanced development is essential to national unity and stability.

Former Minister of Transportation and one-time governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has made a dramatic return to the political spotlight this time under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Arriving at the Port Harcourt International Airport to an enthusiastic reception, Amaechi confirmed his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his new role as a key figure in an emerging opposition alliance.

Addressing supporters, Amaechi said the ADC would lead a new era in Rivers State politics, one defined by credible elections and an end to what he described as a deeply entrenched practice of electoral manipulation.

“This culture of ‘writing results’ must stop,” he said.

“We will not allow a repeat of the past in 2027. Enough is enough.”

He emphasized that the ADC was not just a platform for protest, but a viable alternative committed to restoring electoral integrity and holding those in power accountable.

Amaechi also raised concerns about Nigeria’s national direction under President Bola Tinubu, warning that a second term for the incumbent could worsen the country’s challenges.

“The road we’re on is dangerous. Another four years under this leadership would be catastrophic,” he cautioned.

The House of Representatives has advanced a legislative proposal aimed at addressing Nigeria’s long-standing issue of abandoned and inflated public projects.

The bill, which passed second reading, seeks to establish the National Independent Project Monitoring Agency (NIPMA), a body that would independently oversee the implementation of capital projects funded by the federal government.

Sponsored by Hon. Chinedu Martins, the bill intends to fill a critical gap in project oversight by ensuring transparency, accountability, and timely execution.

Martins said the agency would not only track and report on all federally funded projects nationwide but also detect inflated costs early, saving the country billions of naira each year through rigorous and real-time monitoring.

Leading debate on the bill’s general principles, Martins criticized the existing structure where ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) are responsible both for awarding contracts and monitoring their implementation.

He argued that such an arrangement is flawed and fosters corruption and inefficiency.

“You will agree with me that, year after year, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria presents an Appropriation Bill to this Honourable House, detailing capital expenditures running into trillions of naira for the execution of developmental projects across the country,” Martins said.

“These projects are domiciled in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and implemented by contractors who are issued letters of award in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Public Procurement Act of 2007.”

Despite these massive budgetary allocations, he said, the visible results are disappointing:

“The reality on ground paints a distressing picture. Across the country, we encounter the scars of abandoned, substandard, or poorly executed projects by MDAs. This is not only wasteful; it is unacceptable.”

Martins pointed to the absence of a “credible, transparent, and independent monitoring system” as one of the main reasons projects fail. He emphasized the inherent conflict of interest in the current system:

“Mr. Speaker and Honourable Colleagues, you will agree with me that the same MDAs that award these contracts are also the same MDAs responsible for monitoring the execution of the same projects. This arrangement is inherently defective. As the saying goes, you cannot be a judge in your own case.”

“This model of self-supervision breeds inefficiency, fosters compromise, and enables contractors to cut corners, which is a major reason for the numerous abandoned projects, while billions of naira remain unaccounted for.”

The proposed NIPMA would serve as a statutory body solely focused on monitoring, tracking, and reporting the implementation status of federally funded projects, thereby addressing the governance vacuum currently plaguing public infrastructure delivery.

Martins also emphasized the economic benefits of creating such an agency:

“Effective monitoring will detect inflated project costs early and ensure value for money, saving the nation billions of naira annually. Citizens will regain trust in government when they see that public funds are being transparently and judiciously utilized.”

He added that the agency would also generate employment for various professionals such as engineers, quantity surveyors, auditors, and data analysts, while also stimulating local economies in project host communities.

“When infrastructure projects are properly implemented, they catalyze commerce, attract investment, and promote national development, thereby expanding the economy and reducing poverty.”

Martins clarified that the proposed agency would not conflict with existing institutions:

“Should this Bill be passed into law, the National Independent Project Monitoring Agency will not conflict with existing institutions such as the Bureau of Public Procurement or the Office of the Auditor-General. Rather, it will complement them by addressing the urgent need for real-time, on-the-ground monitoring of capital projects.”

Calling for broad support from his colleagues, he concluded: “This Bill is timely, necessary, and ultimately in the best interest of the Nigerian people. Therefore, I respectfully urge this Honourable House to lend its full support to this vital legislative proposal to be allowed to be read the second time, to ensure that resources appropriated by this House genuinely serve the people of Nigeria.”