The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has expressed relief at the possibility of its former presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying his departure would be a welcome development.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos, NNPP’s National Secretary, Mr. Oginni Olaposi, addressed the recent resignation of APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the growing speculation linking his exit to a possible arrangement involving Kwankwaso.

Although Ganduje cited health reasons for his resignation last Friday, Olaposi noted the timing raised concerns, especially in light of rumors about Kwankwaso negotiating his way into the APC.

“Kwankwaso still insists he is a member of our party even after his expulsion for alleged anti-party activities,” Olaposi said.

“Kwankwaso did not only try to hijack the NNPP but also made the party go through avoidable litigations.”

He added that the party had finally reclaimed its identity after a prolonged dispute involving changes made to its official logo.

“The NNPP Logo that he changed to the Kwankwasiya Movement Logo has just been changed to our Logo by INEC, after years of controversy and litigations,” he said.

Reacting to speculations that Ganduje may have stepped down from his position to smooth the path for Kwankwaso’s entry into the APC, Olaposi expressed skepticism.

“We have reasons to doubt the ongoing propaganda that Ganduje left APC to enable an alleged negotiated arrangement with Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 presidential election,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that APC has historically shown a willingness to welcome former members back into its fold.

“It is on record that Ganduje once said that APC is always ready to pardon and accommodate defectors even those who left its fold,” Olaposi noted.

For the NNPP, such a deal, if real, would be seen as a positive step.

“NNPP would be elated if any proposed deal between APC and Kwankwaso became a reality as the ruling party is in a better position to handle the former Kano state governor’s baggage,” Olaposi declared.

He concluded by reiterating the party’s view that Kwankwaso had betrayed the trust placed in him during the last general elections.

“We find it difficult to believe that Kwankwaso who is still struggling to hijack the NNPP is also negotiating to join the ruling party,” he said.

“Kwankwaso betrayed our trust in him by trying to hijack the party from its founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, who facilitated his free ticket for the 2023 presidential election.”

A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano, Alhaji Alhassan Yaryasa, has described the recent resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje as APC National Chairman as both wise and timely.

According to him, Ganduje stepped down just in time to avoid being publicly disgraced.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, Yaryasa revealed that had Ganduje not resigned voluntarily, there were strong signs that he would have been compelled to leave.

“We knew there was a plan to bring Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso into the APC and possibly be running mate of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.”

“Whatever the case may be, the decision taken by Ganduje to resign is the best option for him before they disgrace him out of office,” Yaryasa stated.

He further alleged that there were behind-the-scenes efforts to force Ganduje out if he failed to align with the Presidency’s agenda.

Yaryasa, a former Coordinator of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation for Kano South, praised the former chairman’s contributions to the party both at the national and state levels.

He emphasized that Ganduje should be commended for strengthening the party and bringing in influential defectors.

“Don’t forget Ganduje was able to bring key politicians from other parties into the APC, such as senators and Reps members who recently defected from other parties and joined the APC,” he noted.

“So, it’s better for him to leave the position honourably before they force him to resign and disgrace him,” he added.

When asked about the future of the APC national chairmanship, especially concerning the Northwest geo-political zone, Yaryasa called for adherence to party rules and fairness in determining the next appointee.

“Whichever zone is supposed to produce the National Chairman of the party should be given the chance to do so. This is necessary in order to ensure fairness,” he concluded.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has publicly urged former Nigerian military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, to confront his conscience, confess his role in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, and offer a heartfelt apology to the Igbo people.

This call came in response to Gowon’s recent claim that the war was not targeted at the Igbo ethnic group, but was instead aimed at curbing secessionist threats following the political crisis of 1966.

Ohanaeze rejected this position outright, labelling it a “gross misrepresentation of historical facts” and an “affront to the collective memory and dignity of the Igbo nation.”

According to Ohanaeze, Gowon failed to act decisively during the 1966 Northern riots, which saw widespread killings of Igbo people.

They accused him of failing to protect the lives of Nigerians, particularly the Igbo populace, during those violent episodes, which they described as “unimaginable atrocities.”

The group stated:
“We are compelled to address and clarify the deeply entrenched biases and distorted narratives perpetuated by General Gowon.”

In a scathing critique, Ohanaeze Ndigbo argued that Gowon, now 91 years old, remains “a pawn in the hands of colonial powers and the Fulani oligarchy, both of whom orchestrated his actions during what became an unjust war against the Igbo.”

They challenged the former leader to drop the long-held narrative of Nigerian unity which, they say, is rooted in falsehoods and manipulation.

“He must abandon the military mentality and the rehearsed narratives advocating for a united Nigeria, narratives built upon deceit and instead testify honestly, without fear, to both the Nigerian public and the world,” the organisation insisted.

Furthermore, Ohanaeze called on Gowon to speak the truth about the Aburi Accord, a peace initiative they believe could have averted the full-scale war.

The group claims that colonial interests led to the abandonment of this critical agreement.

“His military aggression against the Igbo was not a reaction to secessionist ambitions; rather, it was a calculated initiative aimed at safeguarding British economic interests in the oil-rich Eastern region of Biafra and retaliating against perceived threats post-1966 coup,” they stated.

In their closing remarks, Ohanaeze offered a moral and spiritual perspective, suggesting that Gowon’s advanced age is a divine opportunity for reflection and atonement.

“God has kept him alive for two reasons: to surrender to his conscience and seek divine forgiveness, and to take the lead in healing historical wounds by promoting efforts in reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the Igbo people.”

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Nigeria’s 36 state governors to publicly disclose how security vote allocations totaling billions of naira have been spent since May 29, 2023.

The group also urged governors to invite anti-corruption agencies to investigate those expenditures.

In a Freedom of Information request dated June 28, 2025 and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP demanded that governors “publicly account for how they have spent security vote allocations since May 29, 2023, and invite anti-corruption agencies to investigate the expenditure.”

SERAP further called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to “track and monitor the disbursement of the funds.”

“In the wake of the Benue massacre and well‑documented ongoing cases of insecurity in several states, there is a legitimate public interest for governors to account for how they spend security votes,” SERAP said.

The organisation lamented that governors continue to “grossly fail to guarantee and ensure the security and welfare of the people” despite receiving millions under the guise of security votes. It noted this is “contrary to section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution.”

SERAP warned that secrecy in security vote disbursement has “fuelled corruption and weakened the ability of citizens to hold their leaders accountable.”

The group emphasized that governors can no longer claim immunity from scrutiny under the Freedom of Information Act, citing a landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming that the Act applies to all levels of government, including state institutions .

“The Supreme Court has made clear that state governors can no longer hide under their unfounded claim that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to them,” the statement said.

SERAP added that failure by any governor to comply within seven days would trigger legal action aimed at enforcing transparency.

Highlighting the stakes, SERAP referenced a World Bank report which classifies Nigeria as “fragile and conflict-affected,” warning that unchecked insecurity has fueled extreme poverty and declining human development indicators.

“The judgment sends a powerful message that state governors can no longer escape accountability for how they spend security votes.”

“Disclosing details of spending public funds as security votes by your state would serve to engage the Nigerian people in an honest conversation about the security problems in several states and what the governors are doing to respond to them.” SERAP concluded.

Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has officially disbanded all his socio-political support organisations, most notably the widely influential Simplified Movement in a significant gesture aimed at fostering peace across the state.

Announcing the decision during a meeting on Saturday in Port Harcourt with his political family, including former Chief of Staff Edison Ehie, ex-cabinet officials, local government chairpersons, elders, women, and youth leaders.

Fubara explained the gravity of the move: “The sacrifice for total peace will be heavy,” he told the gathering, urging supporters to embrace the decision in good faith.

The announcement follows a major peace negotiation brokered less than a day earlier by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja, bringing together Fubara, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State House Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the first meaningful step toward resolving the ongoing political impasse in the state.

At the Simplified Movement’s office, Fubara reassured attendees that the decision was made with collective interests at heart, emphasising the need for peace, stability, and developmental progress:

“I cannot abandon you people. This is the time for me to prove that I care for you. I make a commitment here that whichever way it goes, I will not abandon anybody. But the sacrifice we must make to achieve total peace will be heavy, and I want everyone to prepare for it.”

He acknowledged the disappointment and anxiety the peace agreement may provoke among loyalists but noted that leadership often requires difficult choices for the greater good.

Fubara lamented the crisis’s toll on governance and development across Rivers State, expressing optimism that reconciliation would rejuvenate stalled projects.

He also acknowledged Wike’s early contributions to his political rise:

“Nobody can take away the role the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, played. That’s the truth,”

“Yes, we might have our differences, but nobody can wish away the risks he took.” he added.

Calling for unity, he posed a rhetorical question to his followers:

“If we believe we are one family and that our interest is to support the President, then what’s the issue? If you say you’re with me, this is the time to prove it. Because it’s not even about me; it’s about the overall interest of the state.”

Fubara closed with a local metaphor to underscore the need for patience and humility:

“In my place, there’s a fish called Atabala — you call it Tilapia. The mother Tilapia tells the young ones, ‘If you want to grow as big as I am, you must hide your head in the mud.’ We’ve done our best. What we need now is peace so we can grow.”