President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly considering four prominent northern Christian figures as potential running mates for the 2027 presidential election, according to multiple political sources.

Names widely discussed include former Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Defence Minister Lt-Gen. Christopher Musa (retd), Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Reports suggest Tinubu’s inner circle is reviewing these options to achieve a balance of religion and geography, with all four candidates hailing from predominantly Christian northern states.

Analysts note that, under the 1999 Constitution, the APC standard-bearer retains the freedom to choose a running mate from any part of Nigeria.

The speculation follows criticism of the Muslim–Muslim ticket adopted by Tinubu in the 2023 elections, which drew scrutiny domestically and internationally, including from U.S. officials advocating for more inclusive governance.

Christian associations, civil society organisations, and community groups have highlighted insecurity in northern Christian communities, arguing that broader political representation could strengthen national unity.

Northern Muslim groups, however, maintain that insecurity affects all communities in the region, citing Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks, banditry, and mass kidnappings as evidence of a universal crisis.

Political analysts are now asking which of the four figures—Dogara, Musa, Mutfwang, or Kukah—could best serve as a unifying force capable of fostering national peace and prosperity.

Observers stress that, beyond religious and ethnic considerations, Nigeria’s next leadership must prioritize stability, economic growth, and equitable treatment of citizens across all six geopolitical zones.

A chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, has warned President Bola Tinubu not to underestimate what he described as an emerging nationwide conspiracy aimed at stopping his re-election bid in 2027.

Isiguzoro, who is the Deputy President-General of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said opposition forces were already exploring strategic alliances to challenge the President, stressing that the next general election would be fiercely contested.

Speaking in an interview, he said the 2027 election would be determined more by political strategy and timely decisions than by the advantages of incumbency.

According to him, growing dissatisfaction among political, economic and regional blocs across the country was creating fertile ground for opposition realignments, which could pose a serious threat to Tinubu’s second-term ambition if not addressed early.

“President Tinubu must not underestimate the conspiracy against him. The 2027 election will be won through strategy, courage and decisive political action,” Isiguzoro said.

He added that the President’s political survival would depend on his ability to anticipate and neutralise these emerging alliances before they crystallise into a formidable electoral force.

Isiguzoro identified some of the forces working against the President as northern elites, Middle Belt leaders, disaffected business interests, and retired military and political power brokers, urging Tinubu to act decisively to counter their influence.

The Ohanaeze chieftain also called on the President to consider granting a pardon to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a strategic move that could help stabilise the South-East ahead of the 2027 polls.

He suggested that timing such a pardon to coincide with a significant national date, such as June 12 or October 1, could help reduce secessionist tensions in the region and deny the opposition a potent mobilisation tool.

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress has also intensified its criticism of the Tinubu administration, with the party insisting that removing the President from office is central to resolving Nigeria’s governance challenges.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the opposition’s priority was to end Tinubu’s tenure, alleging that the country had been “hijacked” under the current administration.

Abdullahi also raised concerns over alleged legislative manipulation, controversial tax laws and the reported payment of $9 million to foreign lobbyists, questioning the transparency of the process and accusing the government of undermining democratic norms.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has expressed confidence that whoever succeeds him in 2031 will perform even better, noting that his administration is laying a strong and irreversible foundation for the state’s development.

The governor stated this on Sunday during a reception service organised in his honour by the Assemblies of God Church, Okaiuga–Nkwoegwu, in Umuahia North Local Government Area.

Otti said his administration was still in its early years, stressing that the period ahead would witness aggressive and sustained development across the state.

He added that the longstanding challenges that hindered Abia’s growth had been overcome.

According to him, Abia has entered a new phase of progress that cannot be reversed, insisting that those expecting a return to the old order are “dreaming.”

“We have just started. We are not even three years old yet. By the time we are done in 2031, the results will speak for themselves. This is the season for the aggressive development of Abia State, and the curse that held us down has been broken,” Otti said.

He added that his confidence in the future of the state was rooted in his belief that power ultimately belongs to God, noting that divine timing plays a critical role in leadership and governance.

Responding to requests by the church for support, the governor announced that a Hummer bus for evangelism would be delivered within the week, courtesy of Prince Arthur Eze.

He also directed his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, to engage with church leaders on the allocation of land for a proposed prayer camp.

Otti thanked churches across the state for their support and prayers, while expressing appreciation to the Assemblies of God Church for the reception organised in his honour.

Earlier, the District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Jerusalem District, Rev. Dr Kenneth Ogbudu, described Governor Otti as a transformational leader whose emergence had marked a clear departure from past administrations in Abia State.

He said the governor’s leadership had introduced governance driven by competence, transparency and accountability, citing the reconstruction of long-abandoned roads, improved fiscal discipline and the regular payment of salaries and pensions as key achievements.

According to Ogbudu, the administration’s reforms have restored public confidence, revived economic activities and repositioned Abia State as an attractive destination for investment.

The reception was attended by the wife of the governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti; the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha; the Deputy Speaker and other members of the Abia State House of Assembly; the Chief of Staff; commissioners, special advisers, senior government officials and other dignitaries.

The Atiku Haske Organisation has disowned and expelled Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress and his directive that members of the group should join him in the ruling party.

The group said Abba lacked the authority to determine its political direction, insisting that he was neither its founder nor a financier of its activities.

Abba had, after announcing his defection to the APC on Thursday, instructed coordinators and members of his political structure to defect en masse and mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He also called for the renaming of the group to the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation.

However, reacting in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the initiator and convener of the Atiku Haske Organisation, Mai Nagge Bakari, said Abba was only an invited member and had no legal or moral standing to issue directives on behalf of the organisation.

Bakari stated that Abba neither contributed financially to the group nor held its registration documents, stressing that the organisation was founded independently of him.

According to the statement, the group had collectively resolved to move from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress and had no intention of defecting to any other party.

Describing Abba’s action as a violation of the group’s resolutions, values and principles, Bakari announced his immediate expulsion from the organisation, declaring his directive to defect to the APC “null and void.”

The group reaffirmed its loyalty to Atiku Abubakar, describing him as the candidate best suited to advance its objectives, and warned Abba to stop identifying himself as a member.

Abba Atiku was received into the APC on Thursday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, and other party leaders from the North-East.

He pledged support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid and announced the renaming of his political structure to align with the President’s 2027 re-election campaign.

The Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified its governorship primary election which produced Dr Wole Oluyede as its candidate for the June 20, 2026 governorship poll.

The party said it had approached the Court of Appeal to overturn the ruling and had also filed an application for a stay of execution, insisting that Oluyede remains its duly nominated candidate pending the outcome of the appeal.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Ado Ekiti by the Director of Media and Communication of the Ekiti PDP Governorship Campaign Council, Sanya Atofarati.

According to Atofarati, the notice of appeal and the stay application effectively preserve the status quo, stressing that the judgment does not invalidate Oluyede’s candidacy until a superior court decides otherwise.

He maintained that Oluyede emerged from a valid primary election that was properly conducted and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Atofarati said the party was undeterred by ongoing litigation and political pressure, adding that the PDP remained focused on reclaiming power from the All Progressives Congress in the 2026 election.

He accused the APC of attempting to exploit the court ruling to destabilise the opposition, noting that the situation had instead strengthened the PDP’s resolve and highlighted what he described as the failures of the ruling party in Ekiti State.

According to him, pensioners are owed arrears, major roads are in poor condition, the education sector has deteriorated, businesses are burdened by multiple taxation and public infrastructure has suffered neglect.

Atofarati also alleged that the APC-led administration was unpopular, even within its own ranks, accusing it of suppressing internal dissent by avoiding credible primary elections.

He stressed that the PDP had not withdrawn recognition of Oluyede as its governorship candidate and would only do so if compelled by the final decision of a superior court.

The party further alleged that the omission of Oluyede’s name from INEC’s provisional list of candidates was a deliberate attempt to unlawfully exclude the PDP from the ballot, adding that it had already taken legal steps to compel the electoral body to act in line with the law.

The PDP urged its members and supporters to remain united and intensify grassroots mobilisation, including active participation in the ongoing INEC voter registration exercise ahead of the election.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court last week nullified the PDP governorship primaries held on November 8, 2025, following a suit filed by one of the aspirants, Funso Ayeni, and ordered the conduct of a fresh primary election.

Preparations have reached an advanced stage for the wedding ceremony of nine children of the Minister of State for Defence and former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, scheduled to hold on the same day in Abuja.

An invitation card for the ceremony, which has been widely circulated on social media, indicates that the weddings will take place at the Abuja Central Mosque by 1:30 pm on February 6.

The nine children listed on the invitation are Ibrahim, Suraj, Safiya, Maryam, Aisha, Fahad, Muh’d, Nana Firdausi and Farida.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State, Yusuf Idris, said the children comprise five sons and four daughters.

Idris disclosed that arrangements for the event were in top gear, adding that he is a member of the organising committee.

“By the grace of God, the wedding ceremony will be conducted at the Abuja Central Mosque on February 6. The minister is marrying off five sons and four daughters, and preparations have reached an advanced stage to ensure a smooth and successful ceremony,” he said.