Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, recently appointed as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, participated in his first National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The session was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima and saw the attendance of several state governors and deputy governors from across Nigeria’s 36 states.

Ibas, who assumed the role in March 2025 following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu, joined other top state officials in deliberating key national economic matters.

Among those present were Governors Alex Otti (Abia), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), and Bassey Otu (Cross River), among others.

A notable moment in the proceedings came when Governor Oborevwori, who recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), was invited by the Vice President to offer the opening prayers.

The meeting also paused to observe a minute of silence in honor of victims of recent violent attacks in Plateau, Benue, and Kwara states.

Vice President Shettima led a prayer for the departed souls and extended the Council’s sympathies to the affected families.

This marks Ibas’s formal entry into the country’s highest economic decision-making body, setting the tone for his administrative engagement with national governance in the months ahead.

A former House of Representatives member, Tajudeen Yusuf, has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to forgo his presidential ambition in 2027 and allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to return to its traditional zoning arrangement by ceding the ticket to the South.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Yusuf linked the ongoing crisis in the PDP to personal ambitions superseding collective party interests.

He argued that Atiku’s repeated bids for the presidency have contributed to the party’s internal instability.

“If I have my way, I will advise former Vice President Atiku, leave PDP ticket, let it go to the South even if we don’t win presidential election, we would have been seen as going back to our original modus operandi where part positions are zoned,” Yusuf stated.

He emphasized the vital support the South-South and South-East regions have provided the PDP over the years, warning that continued marginalization could erode morale and faith in the party’s future.

“Look at the South-South and the South-East who have been reasonably the bedrock of the PDP, you just come and pick ticket, people will start losing hope because the desire of everybody is to get to the peak of their career,” he said.

Yusuf expressed concern over the frustration growing among party members from the South, particularly during primaries dominated by votes from one section of the country.

“If they now realise that because of the number that comes from one particular section in primary election they cannot get the ticket, they get frustrated,” he noted.

The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, has faced serious turbulence since its defeat in the 2023 general election.

The wave of defections continued this week with key figures such as Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and several commissioners leaving the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Describing the PDP’s woes as largely self-inflicted, Yusuf accused governors of deliberately allowing the party to crumble to justify their exits.

In a show of loyalty and party alignment, Mr. Oluwagbenga Abiola, Vice Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, has officially withdrawn from the upcoming council chairmanship race in Lagos State.

Abiola announced his decision on Wednesday, endorsing Abdulganiyu Obasa, son of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

The announcement comes ahead of the Lagos State local government elections set for July 12, 2025.

Addressing the press, Abiola emphasized that his move was entirely voluntary and rooted in gratitude to his political mentor.

“I will never go against my leader, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. This is the man who made me,” he said, quashing speculation that he had been pressured to step down.

Recalling his political journey, Abiola acknowledged the Speaker’s pivotal role in his career.

“He appointed me Special Assistant on Media when he became Speaker in 2015. In 2016, I was appointed Sole Administrator of Agege LGA, thanks to his recommendation to the governor.”

“That appointment made me the youngest council boss in Lagos State at the time,” he shared.

His trajectory has continued in alignment with Speaker Obasa’s political influence, having served as Secretary to the Local Government in 2017 and later as Vice Chairman in 2021.

Abiola affirmed that his ambition to become Chairman was natural, but he accepted the party’s position.

“Yes, I aspired. Every Vice Chairman dreams of becoming Chairman. But the party has spoken, and I fully agree. Leaders and stakeholders have united.”

“They’ve asked the Speaker to allow his son to contest, and I respect and support that,” he stated.

The Vice Chairman dismissed reports that his withdrawal was coerced, reiterating his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Speaker Obasa.

“My decision is based on party loyalty and trust in my leader’s judgment. I trust my leader. He knows what’s best and can recommend me for even greater responsibilities when the time is right,” he explained.

“I’m still young and full of energy. I’ll work for the party and ensure we achieve victory.”

He further pledged support for Abdulganiyu Obasa, describing him as competent and ready.

Abiola also confirmed that his support group, the Obasa Youth Alliance, had been directed to back Abdulganiyu’s bid in the July election.

This development follows growing concerns among party members about candidate imposition.

Only days earlier, APC members in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area held a peaceful protest over what they described as an undemocratic selection process.

A similar protest had also disrupted a stakeholders’ meeting on April 14.

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on the National Assembly to expedite the passage of a bill proposing 74 constitutionally reserved seats for women, aiming to boost female representation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This demand was made during a two-day conference in Abuja, themed ‘Breaking the Barriers and Shaping Positive Attitudes Towards Inclusive Politics in Nigeria’.

The event, organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in partnership with the IPAC Directorate of Women Affairs, brought together female political leaders to strategize on gender inclusion in governance.

IPAC’s National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, led the charge for legislative action.

“Accordingly, IPAC reiterates its call for the passage of the bill on the reservation of special seats for women in parliament, currently pending in the National Assembly. The bill seeks to create 74 seats for women to encourage greater female participation in politics,” Dantalle stated.

To institutionalize gender inclusiveness, IPAC announced the establishment of three directorates—Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities—within its organizational structure.

These arms are tasked with amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups in political discourse and party decision-making processes.

“In any democratic society, the active participation of women in politics is crucial to achieving inclusivity, equality, equity, and sustainable development,” Dantalle added.

The council reaffirmed its intention to lobby both the National Assembly and the Presidency to ensure the bill’s passage.

It also committed to strengthening female representation from the national level down to local party structures.

Beyond the gender reservation bill, Dantalle also advocated for swift action on the long-awaited Electoral Offences Commission bill.

“Council urges the National Assembly to also pass the Electoral Offences Commission bill into law to enable the prosecution of electoral offenders and their sponsors,” he said.

He further proposed that Nigeria consider implementing a single-day general election, as practiced in the U.S., Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

“A single-day election will reduce costs, minimise disruption, and address logistical challenges,” Dantalle noted.

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, echoed the urgency for structural reforms within political parties.

She recommended immediate constitutional amendments to reserve at least 50% of positions—both appointive and elective—for women.

“One solution I recommend is for all political parties to immediately amend their constitutions to create special seats for women. Parties should mandate the allocation of at least 50 per cent of appointments and elective positions to women,” she emphasized.

Tallen also pushed for the adoption of the “Zebra Policy,” which encourages alternating male and female candidates in party nominations.

“Since political parties are central to governance and policy direction, they must take the lead in addressing religious and cultural norms that hinder women’s involvement,” she said.

Appealing to national leadership, she urged both President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to champion the gender inclusion cause.

“President Bola Tinubu should lead the charge for gender inclusion. Mrs Oluremi Tinubu should use her position to champion the mainstreaming of women in Nigerian politics,” she urged.

Tallen expressed concern over Nigeria’s dismal global standing in female political representation, pointing out that women currently occupy just 4.2% of seats in the National Assembly.

This figure, she noted, pales in comparison to Rwanda, where women hold 64% of parliamentary seats.

“As the Giant of Africa, Nigeria must take the lead in gender mainstreaming and dismantling gender bias in politics,” she stated.

NIPSS Director-General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, also addressed the gathering, reiterating the institute’s commitment to supporting national dialogue.

He emphasized the danger of marginalizing women in governance, stating that such exclusion weakens democracy and hampers equitable leadership.

The conference concluded with a collective call from stakeholders for systemic reforms to remove barriers to women’s political participation and promote a more inclusive democratic process.