Senate President Godswill Akpabio has submitted a formal petition to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, requesting an investigation into an alleged assassination plot against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

In the petition, dated April 3, 2025, Akpabio denied the serious accusations and demanded the prosecution of Akpoti-Uduaghan for criminal defamation.

The petition, which was also forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public statement on April 1, 2025, in which she accused Akpabio of allegedly directing former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to have her assassinated in Kogi State.

She claimed that the assassination was intended to falsely implicate her constituents in her death.

Akpabio strongly denied the accusation, calling it a “heinous lie” and an intentional attempt to damage his reputation.

In the petition, the Senate President referred to the allegation as politically motivated, accusing Akpoti-Uduaghan of trying to stir political unrest and tarnish his image.

He pointed out that the claim was made without any evidence to support it.

Akpabio emphasized the negative impact the false allegation has had, especially considering the wide media coverage it received across radio, television, and social media platforms.

He called for the matter to be treated with the seriousness it warrants by law enforcement.

Akpabio’s petition read: “I am writing to formally request an immediate investigation and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for criminal defamation, following a malicious and false statement she made against me on April 1, 2025. This statement was widely broadcasted on radio, TV, and social media.

“During her speech in Kogi State, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely claimed that I instructed the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to assassinate her in Kogi State instead of Abuja, intending to make it appear that her constituents were responsible for her death.”

“This statement is not only a grievous lie but also a deliberate and reckless attempt to damage my reputation, jeopardize my safety, and incite political unrest. It is entirely false and politically motivated, and the public accusation was made without any credible evidence.”

The Senate President further accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of attempting to manipulate public sentiment, malign his character, and destabilize his office.

“She clearly intended to incite the public and tarnish my image and office, both domestically and internationally,” Akpabio said.

Given the wide attention the allegation garnered, Akpabio urged law enforcement agencies to treat the issue with urgency and thoroughness.

He called for an “immediate investigation into the inciting allegation” and for Akpoti-Uduaghan to be prosecuted under the law for criminal defamation, incitement, false accusations, and conduct likely to disturb public peace.

Akpabio stressed the need for accountability among public officeholders, especially when their statements threaten the stability of democratic institutions or seek to destroy the reputations of elected officials.

This petition follows a previous incident where Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, which led to her suspension by the Senate for alleged misconduct.

The ongoing dispute between the two senators continues to stir political debate across the country.

Buba Galadima, a prominent figure in the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and a former ally of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has asserted that Buhari actively worked to prevent Bola Tinubu from succeeding him as president.

Galadima, who was once a close associate of Buhari, reminded Nigerians that Buhari never supported Tinubu’s rise to the presidency.

“Buhari never wanted President Tinubu to succeed him. But because Tinubu has a large heart, he has refused to talk about it,” Galadima said, recalling his past relationship with Buhari before the latter’s presidency.

Galadima further elaborated on Buhari’s actions leading up to the 2023 general elections, highlighting the former president’s efforts to block Tinubu from contesting.

This was particularly evident in Buhari’s decision to nominate Ahmed Lawan, the former Senate President, to run in the APC primary elections, rather than support Tinubu.

“It was open that Buhari never wanted Tinubu to succeed him,” Galadima stated.

According to Galadima, Tinubu was fully aware of Buhari’s efforts to undermine his political ambitions.

However, in a display of magnanimity and statesmanship, Tinubu chose not to address the issue publicly.

Galadima shared an anecdote about his own experience with Buhari, revealing that during his time in the APC, Buhari had caused a subcommittee to be formed to “reinvigorate” the party’s constitution.

Galadima explained that the subcommittee was set up after Buhari ordered that the secretaries of merging parties like CPC and ACN should be included in the APC’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Working Committee (NWC) due to their institutional memory.

“Tinubu saw into what Buhari was trying to do. As I speak to you, the committee has not sat, it hasn’t submitted any report, and the constitution has not been amended. And that was part of why even Buhari never wanted him to be the president – because he refused to take me out,” Galadima revealed.

He also pointed out that for over 12 years, the APC’s BOT had not convened, and the NWC only met a handful of times during Buhari’s tenure.

Galadima attributed these issues to Buhari’s apparent desire to distance himself from him, which ultimately led to his departure from the party.

When asked again about Buhari’s efforts to block Tinubu’s succession, Galadima responded, “Is there anybody who doesn’t know? Tinubu himself knows. Because he’s being magnanimous as a statesman, he doesn’t want to say his mind.”

The leadership turmoil within the Labour Party (LP) continues to escalate, akin to a persistent issue that refuses to be resolved, despite what was believed to be the final ruling on the matter.

The conflict reached a critical point yesterday when three factions asserted control over the leadership following a Supreme Court ruling that nullified the Appeal Court’s decision, which had confirmed Julius Abure as the national chairman.

The Supreme Court ruled that the lower court did not have the authority to handle the case.

While the Abure-led faction insists that there is no leadership void in the party following the Supreme Court’s verdict, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party met yesterday and approved the formation of a transition committee under Nenadi Usman to begin rebuilding the party from the ground up.

The decision was made during the NEC meeting, which saw the participation of key figures such as Governor Alex Oti of Abia State, Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate, Nenadi Usman, and Joe Ajaero, NLC President, represented by Ibrahim Umar, the former NLC President, among others.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, issued a statement asserting that the Supreme Court ruling did not imply the end of Abure’s leadership or that Usman’s National Caretaker Committee (NCC) had been authorized to take over.

Ifoh emphasized that any meetings convened without following the party’s constitutional procedures were illegal and any decisions taken would be invalid.

The Abure faction dismissed the claims of the NCC, stating that Usman’s committee and its supporters had no reason to celebrate since, according to them, the Supreme Court judgment had reaffirmed Abure’s position as party chairman.

During the NEC meeting, Obi and Oti displayed their support for the Usman-led NCC, presenting a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court ruling.

The leaders declared that the ruling affirmed Usman’s committee as the rightful leadership of the party, and they argued that the decision restored confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.

Following the NEC meeting, Obi, Oti, and other leaders visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters, requesting recognition of Usman as the LP chair.

They were received by INEC’s Acting Chairman, Sam Olumekun, and other national commissioners.

INEC later confirmed the visit on its Twitter handle, stating that Governor Oti had presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment regarding the party’s leadership.

The commission emphasized that the meeting aimed to foster clarity and alignment concerning the LP’s current structure.

Olumekun reiterated INEC’s commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law.

There was some concern regarding the absence of INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who was reportedly in The Gambia attending the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions meeting.

This led to rumors about President Bola Tinubu allegedly sacking him, a claim which was clarified by INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi.

In the midst of the ongoing leadership struggle, Lamidi Apapa declared himself the national chairman of the Labour Party, citing the Supreme Court ruling as justification.

Apapa, who had been asserting his claim to the leadership since 2022, reaffirmed his position as party chairman at a press conference in Abuja, adding a new layer to the crisis.

Apapa, who had clashed with Obi in the run-up to the 2023 elections, had also attempted to derail the case Obi and the party filed to challenge the victory of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Apapa renewed his claim to the party’s leadership on Wednesday, announcing that the National Working Committee (NWC), as constituted in 2022, would meet on April 14.

He declared all decisions made by Abure since April 4 null and void and appointed Farouk Umar Ibrahim as interim National Secretary.

Apapa stated: “Following the decision of the Supreme Court on setting aside all judgments that recognize the leadership of Abure as National Chairman, I, Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, the most senior deputy national, and in consonance with our party constitution, Article 14 2(a)(b), hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, Wednesday, the 9th day of April 2025, in an acting capacity, and Farouk Umar Ibrahim as National Secretary.”

He continued, “My leadership hereby calls on all members of the Labour Party that the National Working Committee of our party as of 2022 will meet next week, Monday, 14th April 2025, to announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South. My leadership will also take proactive steps to resuscitate the moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional.”

Meanwhile, Obi expressed his concerns over the increasing hardship in the country during the NEC meeting and an expanded stakeholders’ summit in Abuja.

He remarked, “The numbers are clear; the indices are clear; people are getting poorer daily. Those that would call me to come and eat and drink with them, now see me and ask to bring something.” Obi added,

“Do not fear anybody. Those who were afraid yesterday didn’t do any better. We must speak out when things are going wrong. Nigeria is collapsing.”

Obi also emphasized that the LP would address past mistakes by ensuring that only credible and qualified candidates represent the party in the 2027 general election.

“Anyone seeking to contest under our party must be a committed member, not just someone passing through. They must be competent,” he stated.

Obi further called for an inclusive approach: “Let’s do the right thing, let’s go from ward to local government to state, to zone and nationally; everybody is free to contest. We will ensure fairness, and we want to build a party that will be fair and just, and people can look at and say, ‘This is how this party is.’”

“We want to go into the next election knowing fully well that we are offering Nigeria the best of people for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governors, and every form of election. We want to correct the mistake we made in the past; we will be sure that whoever wants to contest must be a Labour Party member and not on transit,” Obi concluded.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has said he left office in 2023 with the same physical assets he had before taking the reins of leadership in 2015.

This revelation came through a statement on Wednesday from his media aide, Garba Shehu, following a courtesy visit by members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna.

During the meeting, the former president urged the APC governors to adopt a leadership style centered on the people, noting that governance is both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Leadership presents both a challenge and opportunity, and that balancing the two would significantly advance national progress,” Buhari was quoted as saying.

Shehu further noted that Buhari expressed satisfaction with the direction the APC governors are taking and reiterated his belief in their commitment to the country’s advancement.

He also extended gratitude to the Tinubu administration for renovating his Kaduna home, stating that although the exterior appeared largely unchanged, there were considerable improvements inside.

Buhari appreciated the visit from the governors, mentioning that while he had previously worked with some of them, others were new acquaintances.

The Chairman of the PGF and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, spoke on behalf of the delegation.

He explained that the visit was timed to mark Eid-el-Fitr and to acknowledge Buhari’s legacy and influence on the APC and Nigeria’s democratic journey.

“Many of us recall with pride the principled role you played in the founding of the APC. That legacy continues to shape our party’s identity direction,” Uzodinma said.

“We are especially gratified, only a few weeks ago, to hear your public affirmation that the APC remains your party of choice. That declaration could not have come at a better time. It reaffirmed your place as a pillar of our movement and provided reassurance to members of our party. Mr President, you are pan-Nigerian.”

“Your Excellency, your legacy in Nigerian history is secure. You remain the only opposition candidate in our nation’s history to have defeated an incumbent. You did not only win power, you governed with calm resolve and handed over, with honor, to another APC president. For this, we are extremely grateful.”

Uzodinma praised Buhari’s achievements during his tenure, highlighting improvements in security, infrastructure, and social investment programs.

“Your administration gave expression to our party’s core principles through your focus on security, economic recovery, and anti-corruption. Your efforts reclaimed territory from insurgents, extended social investment programs like the Conditional Cash Transfer and School Feeding Program, and ushered in road and rail revolution that is still bearing fruit. Programs such as the Anchor Borrowers Scheme directly impacted food security. You taught us to produce what we eat and eat what we produce. You brought dignity to governance and deepened the progressive ethos of our party.”

The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and reforms, linking it to the foundation laid by Buhari.

“Today, APC is being renewed and repositioned under your worthy successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. His leadership is bold, reform-driven, and unshakably committed to progress. Your public endorsement of him in your recent birthday message was a powerful symbol of continuity and humility.”

“Your Excellency, today we honor you, not just for your past service but for the enduring values you represent. We ask you to continue to support and guide us as we take the next steps to deepen progressive politics across the nation, and ensure that APC continues to be in power for a more prosperous Nigeria,” he concluded.

As the leadership crisis within the Labour Party (LP) continues to unfold, Bashiru Lamidi Apapa has declared himself the acting National Chairman of the party, following the recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the leadership of Julius Abure.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Apapa said the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, effectively removed Abure from office, and, as the most senior deputy national chairman, he is constitutionally empowered to assume the leadership of the party.

“Following the decision of the Supreme Court on setting aside all judgements that recognise the leadership of Julius Abure as National Chairman, I, ALH BASHIRU LAMIDI APAPA, the most senior deputy national, and in consonance with our party constitution, Article 14 2(a)(b), hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, Wednesday, the 9th day of April 2025, in an acting capacity, and Alh Farouk Umar Ibrahim as National Secretary,” he stated.

He further announced that the National Working Committee (NWC) as constituted in 2022 would meet on Monday, April 14, 2025, to set a new direction for the party.

“My leadership hereby calls on all members of the Labour Party that the National Working Committee of our party as of 2022 will meet next week, Monday, 14th April 2025, to announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South.”

Apapa emphasized that all actions taken by Abure since the Supreme Court’s ruling were null and void. He also promised that his leadership would revive the dormant Board of Trustees (BoT) and reposition the party for inclusive participation.

“My leadership will also take proactive steps to resuscitate the moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional,” he said.

He listed members of the 2022 NWC who are expected at Monday’s meeting, adding that preparations for party congresses and the national convention would commence immediately.

“The National Working Committee members listed below are hereby put on notice about the NWC meeting coming up on Monday next week, where we will immediately set in motion the conduct of Ward Congresses, Local Government Congresses, State Congresses, and National Convention, where every member of our party shall have the right to participate, provided you are a financial member.”

Apapa listed key officials under his leadership: “Deputy National Chairman NLC, Mr. Ladi Iliya; Deputy National Chairman TUC, Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, National Secretary; Alh. Umar Farouq Ibrahim, National Legal Adviser; Bar. Oyelekan Akingbade, National Publicity Secretary; Dr. Abayomi Arabambi, National Treasurer; and Mrs. Oluchi Opara, National Youth Leader.”

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd), has approved the appointment of new chairpersons and members for the State Civil Service Commission and the Local Government Service Commission.

The announcement was made in a statement released by the Secretary to the State Government, Ibibia Lucky Worika.

According to the statement, the Civil Service Commission will be chaired by Dr. Livinus Bariki, with four other appointed members: Ambassador Lot Peter Egopija, Mrs. Maeve Ere Bestman, Mrs. Joy Obiaju, and Mrs. Charity Lloyd Harry.

For the Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Isreal N. Amadi has been appointed as Chairman. Other members include Mr. Linus Nwandem, Lady Christabel Ego, George Didia, Dr. Tonye Willie D. Pepple, Barr. Richard Ewoh, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (rtd), and Dr. Sammy Apiafi.

The appointments are to take effect from April 7, 2025.

Governor Otti, 

Supporters of Senator Esther Nenadi Usman’s National Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party (LP) erupted in celebration in Abuja on Wednesday, following the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the party’s leadership crisis.

Reading from the court’s judgment during the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and expanded stakeholders’ summit at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, declared that the apex court had affirmed Usman’s leadership.

The meeting was also attended by the party’s national leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, just two days after a factional national chairman, Julius Abure, threatened to discipline both men for alleged anti-party activities and their involvement in the parallel NEC.

Quoting the court, Otti said, “The Supreme Court has affirmed that the plaintiffs—Senator Usman and others—were right in their appeal, and the judgment also warned politicians to respect the tenures of office as defined in their party constitutions.”

Otti criticized Abure for clinging to the position of national chairman despite his tenure having expired.

According to him, efforts were made to accommodate Abure, including offering him the role of Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), but he refused.

“I met with him and asked what he wanted. He claimed he wanted nothing. We even offered him the BoT chairmanship. Despite that, he insisted on remaining in office, even after the expiration of his tenure and those of the National Working Committee (NWC),” Otti explained.

He stressed that the proper route for anyone seeking to lead the party was through the democratic process starting from ward congresses up to the national convention, where every member would have a chance to contest.

The Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Kennedy Peretei, has officially resigned from the party, citing deep-seated internal issues and a lack of commitment from party leaders as the reasons behind his decision.

Peretei, in a strongly worded resignation letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of Arogbo Ward 1, criticized the party’s leadership, accusing them of selfishness and insincerity.

According to him, the PDP in Ondo State has deteriorated to the point of being beyond recovery.

Describing the party’s current state as terminal, he said, “The PDP in Ondo State is now on its way to the mortuary after being in the intensive care unit.”

He alleged that the party’s leaders have no genuine interest in winning elections and are only interested in personal gains, especially during election cycles.

“It is difficult to work with people whose only concern is how to exploit the party for personal benefit every election year,” he wrote.

Peretei, who previously served as the PDP’s State Financial Secretary between 1999 and 2003 and as the Publicity Secretary from 2020 until his resignation, said he had given his best to the party over the years but could no longer continue under the prevailing conditions.

He lamented that the same individuals responsible for the party’s failures in recent elections continue to dominate its affairs, leaving it incapacitated and unable to compete effectively.

In a parting shot, he advised party loyalists who rely on election stipends and political handouts to find more sustainable means of livelihood.

“For those who depend on election funds and party patronage to run their families, I admonish them to seek second addresses so they can live more meaningful lives than that of political bandits, Almajaris or just ‘Yes’ men,” he stated.