Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has convened a strategic meeting with leaders of the African Democratic Congress from the South-East, alongside influential Igbo political figures, in what observers see as early coalition-building ahead of the party’s 2027 presidential primary.

According to a statement issued by the ADC on Wednesday, the closed-door meeting was described as “crucial” to shaping the party’s strategic direction and exploring potential alliances as preparations intensify for the 2027 electoral cycle.

The meeting reportedly took place on Tuesday night at the Abuja residence of Chikwe Udensi and attracted a strong delegation of party stalwarts and regional leaders.

Among those present were Senator Augustine Akobundu; Chief Chekwas Okorie; former Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajiuba; Dr Osita Oruche; Prof Onyi Nwagbara; Chief Uchenna Okogbuo; former ADC National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu; Hon Uzoma Abonta; Hon Uko Nkole; Etigwe Uwah; Dr Steve Nwadiuko; Chief Morris Eboh; Senator Frank Ibezim; and Dr Dave Eboh.

The development comes amid heightened political activity following the release of a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for Presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Assembly polls are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The commission also set a 91-day window—ending May 30, 2026—for political parties to conduct and conclude their primaries.

In a statement, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained that the revised timetable followed amendments to the Electoral Act 2026.

The commission further clarified that party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will commence on April 23, 2026, and must be concluded by May 30, 2026.
INEC reiterated that in line with the Electoral

Act 2026, political parties are mandated to submit their digital membership registers at least 21 days before conducting any primary, congress, or convention, warning that failure to comply may lead to disqualification from fielding candidates.

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the new Minister of State for Finance, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Oyedele, who previously chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, is expected to replace Doris Uzoka-Anite in the finance ministry.

Uzoka-Anite has now been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State, marking her third portfolio since joining the administration.

Uzoka-Anite was initially appointed Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment in August 2023 before being reassigned in October 2024 to serve as Minister of State for Finance.

From Tax Reforms to Cabinet Nominee
Oyedele, a fiscal policy expert and tax professional, was appointed in July 2023 to head the presidential tax reforms committee. Before that role, he was a fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader a tPricewaterhouseCoopers, where he built a career spanning over two decades after joining the firm in 2001.

A public policy specialist, accountant, and economist, Oyedele holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from Yaba College of Technology and a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University.

He has also completed executive education programmes at globally renowned institutions, including the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

In academia, Oyedele is a professor at Babcock University and serves as a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.

His nomination follows President Tinubu’s assent in June 2025 to four landmark tax reform bills drafted by the committee he led.

The bills — the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill — were passed by the National Assembly after months of debate and public scrutiny.

The new tax laws, which came into effect on January 1, 2026, are aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s tax administration framework, boosting revenue generation, improving the business climate, and attracting both domestic and foreign investment.

Despite facing opposition and criticism from some quarters, the reforms marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s fiscal policy direction, with Oyedele widely regarded as the chief architect of the new tax regime.

…Credits ex-caretaker chairman with repositioning party, attracting governor

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor, has said the immediate past Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, fundamentally changed the political narrative of the APC and rescued it from decline.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu on Wednesday in the aftermath of the party’s congresses, Dr. Okafor described Nwoye as a formidable grassroots politician whose leadership stabilised and repositioned the party at a critical moment.

According to him, the former caretaker chairman took a bold political risk that eventually transformed the fortunes of the APC in the state by facilitating the smooth entry of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah into the party.

“I thank God for the gift of Dr. Ben Nwoye to APC in Enugu State. At a time when the party was drifting and heading towards collapse, he stepped in decisively. He took what many considered a huge political risk by reaching out to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah to join the APC. Many doubted the move and described it as impossible, but he remained focused and intentional about what the party needed to survive and grow,” Okafor said.

He noted that Nwoye committed his time, energy, and personal resources to the project of rebuilding the party, adding that his efforts have earned him a place in the political history of the state.

“As someone who had worked tirelessly for the party over the years, he understood that certain challenges were temporary and that strategic alignment was necessary for Enugu to connect to the centre. He worked relentlessly and achieved that goal. It is not an exaggeration to say he has rewritten the political narrative of the APC in Enugu,” he added.

Okafor also commended Nwoye’s inclusive leadership style, which he said ensured that members were carried along throughout the transition process that culminated in the successful ward, local government, and state congresses.

“For the first time in the state, the APC enjoyed positive engagement from the media and other political actors. That was not by accident. It was because the party had a leader who understood grassroots mobilisation, dialogue, and reconciliation. He engaged widely, responded to issues with maturity, and rebuilt confidence in the party,” he stated.

On the future of the former caretaker chairman, Okafor expressed the view that Nwoye would be well-suited for a national assignment within the party, given his experience and understanding of APC politics at both state and national levels.

He pointed out that as a former state chairman, foundation member of the party, and former secretary of the Forum of APC State Chairmen, Nwoye possesses the institutional knowledge required to contribute meaningfully at the national stage.

“He understands the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the development roadmap being pursued in Enugu State. He has the capacity to represent the state effectively at the national level and further strengthen the party’s structure. That is my personal opinion as a foundation member and stakeholder in the party,” Okafor said.

He also praised Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for the confidence reposed in Nwoye during his tenure as caretaker chairman, despite opposition from certain quarters.

According to him, the governor’s decision to support Nwoye’s leadership demonstrated trust, reciprocity, and a commitment to unity — qualities he said define strong and visionary leadership.

…Declares party set to deliver 99.9% votes for Mbah, Tinubu in 2027

The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State Chapter, and Executive Chairman of Igboeze South Local Government Area, Hon. Barr. Ugo-Ferdinand Ukwueze, has described the recently concluded APC ward, local government, and state congresses in Enugu State as the best ever conducted by any political party in the state.

Speaking with journalists in Enugu on Wednesday after the conclusion of the exercises across the 260 political wards and 17 local government areas, Ukwueze said the peaceful and transparent conduct of the congresses demonstrated the overwhelming support of party leaders and members for Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah as leader of the party in the state.

He noted that the seamless process did not come as a surprise, given what he described as the governor’s exceptional leadership both in governance and party administration.

“The peaceful, transparent, and widely accepted congresses witnessed across Enugu State clearly show that our party is united and focused. From the wards to the local governments and up to the state level, members freely expressed their will without intimidation or confusion.”

“This level of organisation has strengthened confidence in the leadership of the party and reflects the trust members have in the Governor’s vision and capacity to lead the APC to greater electoral success,” he said.

Ukwueze further stated that the party was already strategising ahead of 2027, expressing confidence that the APC in Enugu State would deliver 99.9 per cent of the votes for Governor Mbah’s re-election and for President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

He added that the party had elected credible individuals of sound character to lead at both the grassroots and state levels, positioning it for a successful primary process in the coming weeks.

The ALGON deputy chairman also commended the ward, local government, and state congress committees led by Dr. Lucky Ógbè, Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, and Hon. Loveth Idisi, respectively, for what he described as their professionalism, fairness, and commitment to due process.

According to him, their conduct ensured credibility, peace, and broad acceptance of the outcomes across the state, strengthening internal democracy and boosting members’ confidence ahead of future electoral contests.

“The orderly manner in which the congresses were conducted has repositioned the APC in Enugu State for greater unity, mobilisation, and strategic growth. It has laid a solid foundation for an impressive outing at the polls,” he stated.

He equally praised the outgoing Caretaker Committee led by Dr. Ben Nwoye, describing it as focused, inclusive, and instrumental in stabilising and rebuilding the party.

He said the committee’s leadership created the foundation that made the smooth conduct of the congresses possible.

Ukwueze congratulated the newly elected state executive led by Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, describing their emergence at the state congress as historic, peaceful, credible, and widely accepted.

He said the development signalled renewed strength, unity, and collective determination within the party to secure overwhelming victories in future elections.

Governor Mbah and Dr. Martin Chukwunweike

The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday elected Dr. Martin Chukwunweike as its State Chairman alongside Hon. Chukwudi Nnadozie as Secretary and 35 other members of the State Executive Committee.

The 37-member executive emerged unanimously at a well-attended state congress held at Okpara Square, Enugu.

The exercise was supervised by a national panel of the party and was described as peaceful, transparent, free and credible.

In addition, 15 zonal executives — five each from the three senatorial zones of the state — were also elected.

Addressing party faithful at the congress, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah commended members for conducting what he called a hitch-free and transparent exercise, noting that Enugu had continued to set standards not only in governance but also in political organization.

He said the state’s alignment with the Federal Government had begun to yield tangible benefits, particularly in infrastructure and revenue growth.

“What we have demonstrated here is that we are one big family. The alliance we forged is not one of convenience but of conviction. Enugu remains a model for governance and politics,” the governor said.

Mbah congratulated the new executive and urged them to consolidate on the foundation laid by the outgoing caretaker committee led by Dr. Ben Nwoye.

He also charged them to effectively communicate his administration’s reforms and projects to the grassroots, stressing that no effort should be spared ahead of future elections.

The governor used the occasion to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies, stating that the reforms had increased federal allocations to states and eased macroeconomic pressures.

According to him, the policies had strengthened the naira, stabilized the exchange rate and boosted foreign reserves, thereby creating fiscal space for subnational governments to undertake transformative projects.

“Through connecting to the centre, Enugu has recorded significant milestones,” he said, citing the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and its cargo terminal to private investors, which he noted would position the state as a major aviation hub.

He also disclosed that presidential approval had been secured for the completion of the rail line that currently terminates in Aba, adding that the development would advance the state’s vision of a multimodal transport system.

Mbah further referenced the establishment of the South East Development Commission and plans to extend a high-pressure gas pipeline to Enugu within the next 18 months to unlock the state’s energy potential.

In his acceptance speech, the newly elected chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, pledged to work with his team to strengthen the party and deliver victory in forthcoming elections.

He expressed confidence that the governor’s performance would earn him a second term, remarking that no governor in the state had served only one tenure since 1999 and that Mbah’s case would follow the same trajectory.

Earlier, the outgoing caretaker chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, described the congress as a testament to unity within the party.

He credited the governor with fostering inclusion and harmonizing former APC members with defectors from other political platforms into what he called “one indivisible broom.”

Also speaking, the APC National Deputy Chairman (South), Chief Emma Enukwu, urged the new leadership to focus on mobilization and vote delivery, noting that political leadership is ultimately measured by electoral success.

The five-man national congress panel led by Hon. Loveth Idisi, with Hon. Tobechukwu Okonkwo as secretary, commended the exercise as credible and successful.

Okonkwo particularly praised the infrastructural transformation and environmental cleanliness of Enugu State.

Dignitaries at the event included the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uche Ugwu; Senator Osita Ngwu; Hon. Martins Oke; the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; Barr. Chijioke Edeoga, Hon.  John Chukwuma Ogbodo and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Barr. Victor Udeh, among other serving and former political office holders.