Chuma Nzeribe has emerged as the Labour Party’s flag bearer for the upcoming Anambra South Senatorial bye-election, securing a decisive victory in the party’s primary election held over the weekend.

Nzeribe polled a total of 377 votes, defeating his closest rival, Emeka Anagwu, who garnered 213 votes.

The keenly contested primary saw party delegates from across the senatorial district cast their ballots in what was described by observers as a peaceful and transparent process.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled the bye-election for August 16, 2025, to fill the vacant Anambra South senatorial seat.

Barrister Ibrahim Kashim, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Bauchi State, together with Dr. Ladan Salihu, the former Chief of Staff to the Governor, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a resignation letter dated July 21, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of Majidadi Ward, Kashim who had initially emerged as the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate declined to disclose the reasons for his departure.

A former governorship aspirant, Kashim previously stepped down to support Governor Bala Mohammed during the campaign for the PDP presidential ticket.

He stated he “worked tirelessly to deliver votes across Bauchi LGA, even as he retained his duties as SSG.”

Kashim subsequently resigned from his government post in January 2025, noting that it was done at the governor’s directive.

Sources indicate that he “may still be eyeing the governorship seat in 2027 and could pursue his ambition on another platform,” although he has yet to announce a new party affiliation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ladan Salihu currently the spokesperson for the League of Northern Democrats submitted his resignation from the PDP on July 19.

In a letter to the PDP chairman in Hardo Ward, Salihu expressed his “loss of confidence in the party’s leadership and direction,” arguing that it has “jettisoned the core principles, vision, and mission of its founding fathers.”

Salihu, who also served as Commissioner for Information under Governor Bala, criticized what he called “the stranglehold of anti-democratic forces within the PDP.”

Their exits are seen as a significant blow to the ruling party in Bauchi, potentially precipitating a wave of defections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Their resignations follow a series of high-profile departures, including some opposition figures who have shifted allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to pursue their 2027 ambitions.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has approached a Makurdi High Court seeking additional time to respond to a N1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by a federal lawmaker, Hon. Terseer Ugbor.

Ugbor, who represents the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, initiated the legal action against Governor Alia.

The suit, filed under reference number MHC/422/2024, also names the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, and one Isaac Uzaan described as a media aide to the governor as co-defendants.

When the matter came up for mention, Director of Civil Litigation at the Benue State Ministry of Justice, J. A. Omenka, appeared in court on behalf of Governor Alia.

Omenka appealed to the court to grant more time to allow him to respond appropriately to the court processes submitted by counsel to Ugbor, Barrister Emmanuel Agbakor.

Agbakor, while reacting, did not oppose the request. He acknowledged the application and expressed no objection to the extension being sought by the defence counsel.

Following this development, the presiding judge, Justice I.N. Igoh, adjourned the matter to September 25, 2025, for the hearing of a motion for joinder.

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Labour Party has reaffirmed the leadership of Barrister Julius Abure as the authentic National Chairman, disowning a parallel meeting held in Abuja last week which sought to rename an “illegal” caretaker committee.

The resolution came at the end of the NEC meeting held on Monday, July 21, 2025, at the party’s National Secretariat in Utako, Abuja.

The gathering was attended by top party officials including members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state chairmen, national officers, key stakeholders, and Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 Vice Presidential candidate.

In a strongly worded communique, the NEC condemned the recent meeting held at the Transcorp Hotel on Friday, July 18, describing it as “illegal and unconstitutional.”

The NEC disassociated itself from the gathering and rejected its outcome, including the attempted rebranding of an “illegal” Caretaker Committee into an “Interim National Working Committee.”

“NEC notes that no matter how illegality is decorated, it cannot be legal,” the resolution stated.

Citing Article 14 (4)(B) of the Labour Party Constitution and Section 82 of the Electoral Act 2022, the NEC emphasized that only the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman has the authority to convene such meetings.

It stressed that no proper notice was given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as required by law.

The NEC reaffirmed that there is no leadership vacuum in the party, reminding members and the public that a valid National Convention was held on March 27, 2024, in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The legitimacy of this convention was confirmed by the Supreme Court on April 4, 2025.

As a result, the party called on INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to comply fully with the Supreme Court’s ruling and to recognize the duly elected leadership of the party.

The NEC passed a vote of confidence in the Barr. Julius Abure-led National Working Committee and urged party members to continue respecting and obeying the party’s leadership and directives.

In a significant political move, the NEC also declared that the Labour Party will not be entering into any coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The coalition of 2023 was bigger than any other coalition. We will therefore rebuild, reconcile, and consolidate the gains of the 2023 general election,” the statement read.

The party maintained that it remains ideologically distinct from other political groups, which it accused of squandering the country’s resources and betraying public trust.

NEC gave the green light for the conduct of congresses at the state, local government, and ward levels, as scheduled by the NWC.

The council also commended Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed for identifying with the party’s leadership and for expressing interest in the 2027 presidential race.

The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, has vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will take control of Enugu State in the 2027 general elections.

Nnaji made the declaration on Sunday during a rally at Ogurute in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, where he welcomed more than 500 defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) into the APC fold.

While addressing the crowd, the minister criticised the current Enugu State administration over what he described as “indiscriminate demolitions” of markets and traders’ shops without notice or compensation, saying the action had brought immense suffering to residents.

“Enugu has never had it this bad, and as I stand today, I imagine how a people can survive without something like Ogige Nsukka market,” Nnaji lamented.

“Ogige Nsukka market has gone; they have bulldozed Ogige Nsukka to ashes, without any notice. Many of our people have died out of that singular act of government. If you come to Enugu too, Holy Ghost suffered the same fate, Garki and Abakpa suffered the same fate, and Ogurute market here in Igbo-Eze North LGA suffered the same fate, and I wonder how our people who are predominantly businessmen can survive without trading.”

The minister also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, an indigene of Igbo-Eze North as the Chief of Naval Staff, describing it as a recognition of the area’s contributions.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu knows that we are here; he knows we are doing all these things for the state and for him and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Nnaji said.

“He knows and he has our support 101 per cent and he is behind us, we are APC.”

He emphasized that the APC would use every legal means to unseat the PDP-led government under Governor Peter Mbah.

“We are going to fight, we are going to do everything humanly possible and within the ambit of law to make sure that come 2027 our people will start rejoicing again,” he declared.

Also speaking at the event, the APC State Chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah, welcomed the defectors and described the wave of defections as a “rainbow movement” set to transform the party’s fortunes.

“You know that in the last election, the Labour Party won in Igbo-Eze North, LP won the House of Assembly, won the House of Rep, won everything, but they were rigged out,” Agballah said.

“Do you know why they were rigged out? It’s because they were in a one-man show. One-man-show parties don’t go far, politics is like a market, one person does not constitute the market.” he added.