National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is “gasping for breath” due to internal divisions and a wave of defections that are swelling the ranks of the ruling party.

Speaking on Thursday at the APC National Summit held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ganduje pointed to factional conflicts and declining unity within the PDP as signs of the party’s collapse, while attributing its setbacks to the APC’s growing dominance and leadership.

“The PDP is now gasping for breath,” Ganduje declared.

“Its house is divided, and its members are trooping into the APC in droves. That is the impact of our performance and leadership.”

According to Ganduje, the APC now controls 22 of Nigeria’s 36 states — a figure he hinted is likely to rise as more politicians defect.

“One more governor is on the way,” he said, though he did not disclose which state the defection might come from.

Ganduje also emphasized that the APC is focused on expanding its political influence in preparation for upcoming elections, including the governorship race in Anambra State and other off-cycle polls.

He cited the APC’s string of post-2023 electoral victories as clear evidence of the party’s rising popularity and as an indicator of success heading into the 2027 general elections.

“We are preparing strategically, and our recent victories are signs of what is to come. Even in the Federal Capital Territory, through our political dexterity, we are confident of success,” he stated.

The summit drew key APC stakeholders from across the nation, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and 22 APC governors.

The gathering was part of the party’s effort to solidify internal unity and shape its political direction ahead of future contests.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, all 22 governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s sole presidential candidate.

The endorsement came on Thursday during the APC National Summit held at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.

The governors, acting under the umbrella of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu and formally initiated the move to adopt him for re-election.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma made the announcement during the summit.

The endorsement motion was swiftly supported by the PGF Vice Chairman and Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, who joined Uzodimma on the podium to second it.

Governor Uzodimma subsequently presented the motion for a voice vote before the summit attendees.

Those present included Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the National Assembly, current and former governors, and APC representatives from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The motion was met with unanimous approval.

“In a voice vote followed by a standing ovation, [they] adopted President Tinubu for a second term in office come 2027,” the report noted.

The endorsement follows similar expressions of support from other factions within the APC, including a recent vote of confidence by governors from the North Central region.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s political future, declaring that his re-election bid in 2027 will be much smoother than the 2023 contest.

Akpabio made this statement on Thursday while leading the National Assembly leadership in passing a vote of confidence in President Tinubu at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national summit, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

“If this president has done well, is it not us (National Assembly) that will say so? If he has not done well, is it not us that will give him notice of impeachment?”

“We are not giving him notice of impeachment, we are giving him notice that it was difficult for you in 2023, but in 2027 I see everything turning around, the number of states that are coming to join you,” Akpabio declared.

He also recounted an encounter with a senator from the Labour Party, underscoring the shift in political alignment.

“As I was leaving, one senator was dragging my dress today. He said, ‘please take me there’, and I said you can’t come now. He is a Labour senator but I don’t want to mention his name,” Akpabio added.

The vote of confidence aligns with earlier support from the Progressives Governors’ Forum, which also endorsed Tinubu’s leadership during the summit.

The party leadership formally adopted this endorsement at the gathering, which was attended by President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, APC governors, and other prominent party figures.

Tinubu, who is nearing his second anniversary in office, secured victory in the 2023 presidential election amidst stiff competition from key rivals.

He won in 12 out of 36 states and amassed 8,794,726 votes, outpacing his nearest challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who garnered 6,984,520 votes.

Labour Party candidate and former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, achieved a notable third-place finish with 6,101,533 votes, having mobilized an energetic base of mostly young voters.

The Nigerian government has filed criminal defamation charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing her public allegations that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello plotted to assassinate her.

According to court documents obtained by DAILY GAZETTE, the charges were filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed as the complainant and Senator Natasha as the sole defendant.

The senator is being charged under Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The alleged offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.

The allegations stem from a live interview Senator Natasha granted on Channels Television’s programme Politics Today on April 3, 2025, during which she stated:

“I do stand by what I said. In respect to the meeting or discussion Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me.”

She also accused Senate President Akpabio of orchestrating the withdrawal of her security detail to make her more vulnerable to attack.

The government plans to call six witnesses, including key political figures, to testify in the case.

Godswill Akpabio and Yahaya Bello are listed as nominal complainants and are expected to testify on their personal knowledge of the events.

Their addresses are listed as No. 13 TY Danjuma Street, Asokoro, and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, respectively.

Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, whom Natasha alleged drove Bello to the Hilton Hotel for the said meeting, is also listed as a witness. His address is the Senate Building, National Assembly Complex.

Dr. Sandra C. Duru, a U.S.-based individual, is included as a witness, listed to testify about her knowledge of the matter.

Her address is 1 Chrisholm Trail Road, Suite 450, Round Rock, Texas, 78681.

Two police officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit, ACP Maya Iliya and SP Abdulhafiz Garba, are listed as the investigating officers in the case.

Before the television interview, Senator Natasha had made similar claims at a political rally in Kogi State.

“The Senate President first reached out to Governor Ododo to recall me. But Ododo declined, saying the people love me too much. So he turned to Yahaya Bello,” she said at the rally.

“Akpabio was not satisfied. He then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuquo who drove Yahaya Bello to the Hilton. I was informed. The meeting was in two folds.”

“He told him to commence my recall. He was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that day. The second thing was that he should kill me.”

“Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. He told him not to do it in Abuja. It should be done here [in Kogi], so it would seem like the people killed me. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has issued a firm directive to all commissioners and political appointees in his administration: either defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with him or resign their appointments.

Speaking during an ongoing State Executive Council meeting in Uyo on Thursday, Eno clarified his position on leaving the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has governed the state for 25 years.

“Anybody who claims he is not aware of my intention to leave PDP is still living in 18th century,” the governor declared.

Multiple sources present at the meeting confirmed the governor’s remarks, noting that Eno emphasized his admiration for President Bola Tinubu and his desire to align politically with him.

“Let me tell you, anybody who believes when I leave PDP he will use the party structure to fight me is lying because I will still control the PDP structure,” Eno added, signaling his intent to retain influence even within the PDP.

The governor reportedly made it clear that the directive applied to all appointees except elected officials such as members of the State House of Assembly and Local Government Chairmen.

“Apart from elected officials like House of Assembly members and Local Government Chairmen, I have nothing to negotiate with you,” he warned.

Eno’s expected official defection on June 6 would end PDP’s 25-year dominance in the state.

The emerging structure of a political coalition aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections has been revealed, with former Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Liyel Imoke of Cross River State appointed to lead two strategic committees.

The announcement was made by Dr. Umar Ardo, Convener of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), during a press briefing in Abuja following an expanded meeting where the elitist group declared its commitment to the coalition.

Notable political figures such as former Kano Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and other northern political leaders were present at the meeting.

The coalition is backed by high-profile opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

According to Ardo, Imoke is leading the committee tasked with exploring the option of merging with an existing political platform, while Amaechi chairs the group considering the formation of a new political party.

Ardo stated, “We resolved to support the National Opposition Coalition Group for the transitional politics towards 2027 and to contribute in the dialogue on either to register a new political party as the vehicle to drive the politics or fuse into an existing political party.”

He further explained that a conclusive decision on whether to proceed with a new party or integrate into an existing one will be made on May 30.

“The coalition set up two committees, among others, to consider the desirability or feasibility of registering a new political party and to consider fusing into an existing political party. Both committees submitted their reports,” Ardo said.

“The committee for fusing into another political party is headed by former Governor Liyel Imoke and the committee for registering a new political party was chaired by erstwhile Governor Rotimi Amaechi. I was the secretary of that subcommittee for the registering of new political parties.”

He added that discussions are ongoing regarding possible collaboration with existing parties such as the Action Democratic Party (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

“Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai brought a complaint that SDP is interested in being considered for the fusing. For that, the committee set up the 30th of this month to decide either to go with ADC, SDP or form a new political party. So, we in the LND here have resolved to support that position.”

Addressing broader regional concerns, Ardo emphasized the coalition’s intent to engage northern governors over socio-economic challenges plaguing the region.

“We also resolved to engage the 19 northern governors on the terrible situation in the North, the endemic poverty, destitution, insecurity and unemployment facing Northern Nigeria. Most of us have agreed that the biggest problem is the inertia of our 19 northern governors.”

“So we resolved that we are going to engage them one way or the other. We resolved to mobilize the North and by extension all Nigerians to pressure government, especially legislators to uphold, defend and protect the constitution of Nigeria,” he concluded.