Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) about Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South, claiming the veteran lawmaker is already aligning with the opposition coalition championed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.

“Let me tell you today and I want everybody to hear, especially the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje.”

“Senator Ali Ndume’s spirit and soul are with the coalition; it is his body that is in APC. He is already going,” Bwala stated during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

He went on to add, “It is better the way (Nasir) el-Rufai did: just say I am leaving. You’d give more honour and credit to el-Rufai that he didn’t feel he could stay and be a snitch.”

Ndume, who is widely regarded as the longest-serving senator since the return to civilian rule in 1999, has recently taken positions at odds with the presidency.

On Friday, he openly criticized President Tinubu’s threat to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, urging the president instead to prioritize emergency declarations on the economy and national security.

The senator also implied that Tinubu’s political standing might be in jeopardy without the support of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

His remarks followed a high-profile visit by opposition leaders—including Atiku Abubakar—to Buhari in Kaduna.

This development comes as opposition parties intensify efforts to forge a formidable alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On March 20, 2025, a major step was taken when Atiku, Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and other political heavyweights officially announced a coalition aimed at unseating Tinubu.

The coalition is looking to harness the over 12 million combined votes Atiku and Obi garnered in the 2023 elections—votes that exceeded Tinubu’s tally by more than four million, even though the APC candidate was declared winner by INEC.

Internal conflicts and leadership disputes within the PDP and LP, as well as grievances among APC loyalists, appear to have turned the Social Democratic Party (SDP) into an attractive alternative.

El-Rufai and some of his allies have already joined the SDP, with speculations suggesting that both Atiku and Obi may also make similar moves.

However, neither politician has confirmed any formal defection at this time.

Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that President Bola Tinubu traveled to France for medical treatment.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Bwala criticized the spread of misinformation online, saying, “Sometimes on social media, somebody will be tweeting, you don’t even know who the person is; it can be somebody who has mental health somewhere. You just see that information is coming out.”

“The president did not go to see a doctor; he’s on a working visit and we have been publishing his activities,” he added, stressing that the trip was for official purposes.

President Tinubu departed Nigeria on April 2, 2025, for a brief working visit to Paris, France, according to Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

A video released by the Presidency showed Tinubu exchanging pleasantries with senior government officials before boarding the presidential aircraft.

Onanuga explained that the trip would serve as a retreat for the president to assess the implementation of his administration’s ongoing reforms and strategize ahead of the second anniversary of his tenure.

Tinubu is scheduled to return to the country by April 16, 2025.

Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala has strongly criticized a U.S court ruling that directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other drug enforcement agencies to release any records they have concerning President Bola Tinubu.

The order was issued by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The judge ruled that withholding the records was unjustifiable, stating that protecting such information from public disclosure is “neither logical nor plausible.”

The court’s decision came in response to a legal challenge by Aaron Greenspan, who accused U.S. law enforcement agencies of violating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Greenspan’s petition is believed to be tied to the widely reported forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu to the U.S. government in 1993, linked to narcotics trafficking allegations.

Reacting to the development, Bwala dismissed the ruling outright, labeling it “mischievous and politically mechanised nonsense.”

He also questioned the timing and visibility of the ruling in the media, saying, “They claim the order was given on Tuesday, but it never saw the light of the media until Sunday.”

Bwala further accused political opponents of exploiting the issue for attention: “There is nothing these opposition under the auspices of coalition for a wild goose chase cannot try to do to keep relevance.”

The Presidency has formally dissociated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from a wave of campaign billboards for the 2027 elections currently surfacing in parts of the country.

Notably, in Abuja, the Airport Road has seen the emergence of large Door-to-Door campaign billboards prominently featuring President Tinubu, suggesting the start of an early re-election drive.

In response, the Presidency, through a statement issued on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, expressed concern over the trend, saying it had observed “with dismay, the increasing number of billboards in some cities promoting the 2027 campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.”

He noted that “some of these billboards with pictures of the President and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, emblazoned on them are springing up in Abuja and Kano in particular.”

While acknowledging the enthusiasm of loyal supporters, the Presidency cautioned against any breach of electoral regulations.

“While President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima greatly appreciate their teeming and loyal supporters across the country for their enthusiasm and continuing support, the two leaders do not support any campaign that breaches the laws of the land,” Onanuga stated.

He further explained that such actions go against Nigeria’s electoral guidelines: “The electoral law that guides the conduct of elections and political campaigns forbids any form of campaign for the 2027 general elections.

“Premature campaigning can undermine the integrity of the electoral process and create unfair advantages. As law-abiding leaders, President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima do not support any action that undermines our institutions and the electoral process.”

Onanuga emphasized that no official re-election campaign had been authorized.

“Until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sets the timetable for the 2027 elections, the President has not endorsed or authorised anyone or any group to mount a 2027 campaign for him through any media channel—be it Out-of-Home, print, digital, radio, or television.”

He called on those behind the campaign to stop their activities: “Therefore, we urgently call on individuals and groups funding this 2027 political campaign through the ongoing deployment of materials on billboards nationwide to cease immediately.”

Onanuga concluded by reiterating the administration’s current priorities.

“President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are fully committed to delivering the ongoing task of nation-building they have set for themselves. This commitment is evident in their focus on economic revitalisation, human capital development, infrastructural renewal, social investment, and national security.

“When INEC signals that the processes for the 2027 elections can start, President Tinubu will duly inform Nigerians of his plans.”

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has scheduled May 12, 2025, for the substantive hearing of a lawsuit challenging the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The legal action was initiated by Farah Dagogo, a former National Assembly member and 2023 governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State.

Due to challenges in serving the defendants directly, the court granted an application for substituted service and set a date for the main hearing.

The case, registered as FHC/PH/CS/50/2025, is before Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed.

On April 9, 2025, Dagogo sought judicial intervention regarding the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of the state’s democratic institutions.

Those named in the suit include President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Nigerian Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abass, and retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who was appointed as the state’s sole administrator.

A motion ex parte filed a day earlier, on April 8, 2025, saw Dagogo’s legal team led by Chief C. I. Enweluzo, SAN, asking the court to allow substituted service for the originating summons and related processes, citing difficulty in reaching the respondents directly.

Justice Mohammed, after reviewing an affidavit sworn by Solomon Ayotamuno, a litigation assistant at Liberty Chambers, and hearing submissions from the plaintiff’s counsel—including Femi Adegbite, Monday Dayi, Daso Jack, and D. Bakweri—granted the request.

The court further ordered that a hearing notice be issued and the case be adjourned to May 12, 2025, for substantive deliberations.

In addition, the judge directed that all court documents be delivered to the defendants via DHL courier to their last known addresses.

The backdrop to the case is the decision by President Tinubu on March 18, 2025, to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State.

That action led to the six-month suspension of democratic governance in the state and the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibas as the sole administrator for an initial six-month tenure.

Dagogo formerly represented the Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

In response to the declared state of emergency in Rivers State, the House of Representatives has announced the inauguration of a 19-member Ad-Hoc Committee tasked with oversight responsibilities.

The committee is scheduled to be formally inaugurated on Tuesday, April 15.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on Sunday by the House spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi, Jr., who explained that the decision followed the National Assembly’s endorsement of a revised version of the State of Emergency proclamation submitted by President Bola Tinubu.

According to Rotimi, the modifications were the outcome of “intense deliberations aimed at bolstering democratic safeguards and ensuring adherence to the doctrine of checks and balances.”

A key change in the proclamation, he noted, is that the responsibility for overseeing the emergency measures now rests with the National Assembly rather than the Federal Executive Council.

“In line with Section 5 of the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025, and pursuant to Section 11(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the House has constituted a dedicated Ad-Hoc Committee to monitor implementation and ensure that governance in the State remains within the bounds of constitutionalism and rule of law,” Rotimi stated.

The committee will be chaired by Rt. Hon. Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, with Rt. Hon. Ali Isa J.C. serving as Deputy Chairman.

Other members include Rt. Hon. Isiaka Ibrahim; Rt. Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase; Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betera; Hon. Sada Soli; Hon. James Abiodun Faleke; Hon. Igariwey Iduma Enwo; Hon. Shehu Saleh Rijau; and Hon. Wole Oke.

Additional appointees are Hon. Akarachi Etinosa Amadi; Hon.  Patrick Umoh; Rep. James Barka; Hon. Alex Egbona; Hon. Isa Anka; Hon. Amos Daniel; Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu; Hon. Onuh Onyeche Blessing; and Hon. Fatima Talba.

The committee’s administrative coordination will be handled by a secretariat led by Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi.

Rotimi stressed the importance of legislative oversight during this period, reaffirming the House’s commitment to constitutional supremacy.

“This development underscores the resolve of the House of Representatives to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and ensure that the extraordinary measures undertaken during the emergency period remain subject to legislative oversight, guided by transparency, accountability, and the best interest of the good people of Rivers State,” he stated..