The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has trained 1,300 ward agents ahead of its planned electronic membership registration exercise, scheduled to begin in January 2026.

The party said the exercise would be concluded before the January 30, 2026 deadline set by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

Speaking in Enugu on Saturday, the APC e-registration coordinator in the state, Flavour Eze, said the agents were trained across four centres to ensure a smooth and error-free registration process.

According to him, five agents were trained in each of the state’s 260 wards.

Eze explained that the training was designed to equip the ward agents with the technical and organisational skills required for the exercise, stressing that accuracy and proper documentation were critical to the success of the registration.

He described the agents as the backbone of the party at the grassroots level and urged them to fully apply the knowledge acquired during the training to ensure effective delivery.

The coordinator also disclosed that the party planned to extend its mobilisation efforts to communities and villages by engaging canvassers to drive wider participation and attract new members into the party.

Eze further noted that the Enugu State Government was supportive of the registration exercise and would provide the necessary logistics to ensure its success.

He encouraged residents of the state to appreciate what he described as the government’s commitment to empowerment initiatives and inclusive political participation.

The APC said the e-registration exercise was part of broader efforts to strengthen its grassroots structure and expand its membership base across Enugu State.

The Nsukka Youth General Assembly (NYGA) has been at the centre of conflicting claims over a bye-election for the position of President.

While the Electoral Committee headed by Malachy Omeje announced Bonaventure Chigozie Omego as the winner of the exercise held on Sunday in Nsukka, the Executive Council of Nsukka Youth General Assembly has disowned the exercise, declaring it null, void, and of no effect.

According to the Electoral Committee, the bye-election was conducted in line with the provisions of the NYGA constitution, following due process, transparency and fairness.

Malachy Omeje said that out of 925 registered voters, 235 were accredited and voted, with Bonaventure Chigozie Omego polling 229 votes, while his opponents, Kenneth Nnamdi Eze and Ugonna Everestus Nwodo received 2 and 3 votes, respectively.

The Committee commended all aspirants for their sportsmanship and praised NYGA members for their peaceful conduct.

However, in a public disclaimer, the NYGA leadership stated that it neither authorised nor recognised any by-election conducted in its name.

The statement said the Executive Council did not approve, supervise or validate the electoral process, noting that all previously screened aspirants had been disqualified and the 2025 NYGA Bye-Election Electoral Committee dissolved due to non-compliance with established guidelines.

The Assembly warned that anyone claiming to have emerged from the alleged election or presenting themselves as elected officers is acting illegally and without NYGA’s backing.

Members of the public were advised to disregard any outcome or announcement linked to the purported by-election.

NYGA also reaffirmed its commitment to due process, transparency and credible leadership, and stated that a credible electoral committee will be reconstituted to conduct a free and fair by-election in due course.

The disclaimer obtained by DAILY GAZETTE, was jointly signed by the National Secretary of NYGA, Comrade Eze Ernest Uchenna; the Acting President, Comrade Eze Juliet Adaeze; the Board of Trustees Secretary, Hon. Dr. Sebastine I. Odo; and the Board of Trustees Chairman, Hon. Dr. Chika E. Obetta.

Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has intensified consultations across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, with recent visits to key northern leaders in Kaduna and Niger states.

Obi began the round of engagements in Zaria, Kaduna State, where he met with Professor Ango Abdullahi, former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University and Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum.

The meeting, according to Obi, focused on the state of the nation, national unity and the responsibility of leadership to rise above ethnic and regional divisions in addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

In a post on his verified X handle, Obi said the discussion with Abdullahi was frank and far-reaching, centring on how Nigeria could be rebuilt through inclusive leadership and practical solutions.

He noted that the exchange reinforced the need for leaders to work for the collective good rather than narrow interests.

While in Zaria, Obi also interacted briefly with a group of graduating pilots at the airport.

He said he encouraged them to remain disciplined, professional and committed to excellence, stressing that Nigeria needs skilled and ethical young professionals to drive development.

From Kaduna, Obi proceeded to Minna, Niger State, where he met with former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida.

He disclosed that the visit followed up on an earlier conversation about the book Growing Apart, which examines the divergent development paths of Nigeria and Indonesia, despite similar starting points.

Obi said he presented Babangida with an autographed copy of the book, as earlier requested, and that their discussion covered issues of national unity, security and improving the living conditions of Nigerians.

He described the engagement as part of his broader effort to consult widely and learn from diverse perspectives on how to move the country forward.

According to him, the series of meetings has strengthened his belief that Nigeria’s challenges can only be addressed through honest dialogue and collective responsibility across regions and generations.

“These engagements have reinforced my conviction that meaningful progress requires sincere conversations and shared commitment to our common future,” Obi said, adding that he remains committed to contributing to the realisation of a better Nigeria.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, has said the PDP would willingly offer Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, its governorship ticket for the 2027 election should he choose to defect to the party.

Wabara made the disclosure on Sunday in Umuahia while speaking with journalists shortly after the presentation of the Abia 25-Year Development Plan by the state government.

He described Otti as a valuable political asset whose performance in office has drawn admiration beyond party boundaries.

According to Wabara, the governor’s record in governance has made him attractive to several political parties, noting that the PDP would not hesitate to present him as its candidate if he decides to pitch his tent with the party ahead of his second-term bid.

He attributed the growing cross-party interest in Otti to what he called visible achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, industrial development and security, adding that such a scorecard would count significantly in 2027.

The former Senate President also said ongoing efforts by the PDP’s National Working Committee to reposition and rebrand the party had strengthened its appeal as a credible platform for serious aspirants, both in Abia State and nationally.

Wabara stressed that the South-East remains a traditional stronghold of the PDP and argued that Otti’s possible defection would further reinforce the party’s influence in the zone and restore its relevance in the national political equation.

He commended the governor for unveiling the Abia 25-Year Development Plan, describing it as a clear roadmap for sustainable growth and long-term development in the state.

He also praised initiatives such as the introduction of electric buses for urban transportation, saying they would ease the burden on residents.

“As an elder statesman and stakeholder in Abia politics, I have a moral duty to acknowledge performance, regardless of party affiliation,” Wabara said, adding that good governance should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan politics.

Recalling earlier controversies over his praise of Otti during the reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road in Aba, Wabara said time had vindicated his position, as residents across political divides now celebrate tangible evidence of progress.

He urged the governor to seriously consider joining the PDP, especially in view of what he described as internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and the need for a stronger political platform ahead of 2027.

Abia State was governed by the PDP from 1999 to 2015 before power shifted to the APC, and later to the Labour Party with Otti’s victory in 2023.

Since assuming office, the governor’s focus on reforms and fiscal discipline has continued to attract attention across party lines.

Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the House of Representatives for declining to criminalise vote-buying during party primaries, calling the decision a serious blow to Nigeria’s democratic integrity.

Speaking in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Obi expressed disappointment that lawmakers did not take a firm stance against inducements at the foundational stage of the electoral process.

He described vote-buying as a “cancer” undermining credible elections and warned that the refusal to address it at the primaries level protects a broken system rather than safeguards the nation’s future.

“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying. By refusing to criminalise it at the foundational stage of party primaries, the House has chosen to protect a broken system rather than safeguard the nation’s future,” Obi said.

Obi stressed that any attempt to curb vote-buying must begin at the start of the electoral process.

He warned that democracy loses meaning when votes are exchanged for money and noted that the culture of vote-buying is no longer limited to politics but has seeped into other aspects of society, including town unions, student elections, and clubs.

“Any effort to stop vote-buying must begin at the primaries. Without addressing the problem at its roots, any measures taken later will lack the strength to endure,” Obi wrote.

He further emphasised that a democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy but a criminal marketplace.

He called for bold reforms, insisting that Nigeria’s democratic future must not be compromised.

“The future of our democracy must not be for sale. A new Nigeria is possible, but only if we confront these practices boldly and insist that integrity begins at the very start of our electoral process,” Obi added.

Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has given her most detailed account yet of life inside Aso Rock during her husband’s presidency, alleging that powerful cabals quietly seized control of access to President Muhammadu Buhari and transformed the Presidential Villa into a centre of manipulation and surveillance.

She claimed that unelected actors around the President planted listening devices in private quarters, enabling confidential conversations to be monitored and relayed to a narrow circle of power brokers who used the information to consolidate influence.

According to her, the practice had nothing to do with formal security operations and was driven instead by personal interests.

Aisha said the result was a breakdown of trust within the First Family and a gradual isolation of the President from voices outside the inner circle.

She alleged that even as First Lady, she found herself excluded from decision-making processes once Buhari assumed office in 2015.

Her revelations are contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari by Dr Charles Omole, recently presented at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The book, she said, exposes how informal power networks shaped the presidency as much as constitutional authority.

According to her, individuals who had long anticipated Buhari’s rise moved swiftly to dominate access once power was secured.

Campaign allies disappeared, while new gatekeepers emerged, claiming exclusive insight into the President’s intentions and shielding him from dissenting views.

She dismissed suggestions that talk of a cabal was exaggerated, describing instead a coordinated group of relatives and associates who feared her assertiveness would weaken their grip.

Early advice to strike a compromise with them was rejected, she said, believing respect and professionalism would prevail.

Aisha further linked the internal power struggle to the deterioration of Buhari’s health, arguing that aides disrupted a long-established dietary and medical routine she supervised.

She said misinformation led the President to temporarily abandon prescribed supplements, contributing to visible weight loss and declining strength.

She recalled that when Buhari was eventually flown to London for treatment, doctors prescribed stronger nutritional supplements, which he initially resisted until she ensured he took them discreetly.

Within days, she said, his condition improved.

The former First Lady also addressed speculation surrounding Buhari’s prolonged medical absences, insisting that pneumonia and age-related complications, not conspiracy theories, defined his health challenges.

She blamed poor communication by the administration for allowing rumours to thrive.

Reflecting on Buhari’s final days, she described a quiet period marked by family presence and medical care rather than political intrigue.

She credited President Bola Tinubu with ensuring an orderly state burial and acknowledged the support of Vice President Kashim Shettima and officials of the Presidential Air Fleet.

Aisha said the death of her husband stripped the cabals of their influence, noting that their authority had rested solely on proximity to the President.

She insisted she and her children seek no retribution but warned that allowing unelected actors to dominate access to power remains a danger to Nigeria’s democracy.

Her account, she said, raises a broader question about governance in Nigeria: whether elected leaders truly wield authority or merely lend it to those who operate behind the scenes.

Former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has denied any involvement in the alleged N2.2 billion fraud case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), insisting that his record in public service remains untainted.

Ngige, who served as labour minister between November 2015 and May 2023, was arraigned on December 12 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts.

He was briefly remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre following the arraignment.

Justice Maryam Hassan, sitting in Gwarimpa, later granted him bail after his legal team perfected the bail conditions.

Shortly after his release, Ngige attended a caucus meeting of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The EFCC alleges that Ngige used his position to confer undue advantage on companies said to be linked to his associates through the approval of consultancy, training and supply contracts at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.

According to the prosecution, seven contracts valued at N366.47 million were awarded to Cezimo Nigeria Limited, while eight contracts worth N583.68 million allegedly went to Zitacom Nigeria Limited.

The anti-graft agency further claimed that eight contracts valued at N362.04 million were awarded to Jeff & Xris Limited, four contracts worth N668.14 million to Olde English Consolidated Limited, and another four contracts amounting to N161.6 million through Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited.

All the companies, the EFCC said, were linked to Ngige’s associates.

The commission also accused the former minister of receiving monetary gifts from contractors between May and June 2022.

These included N38.65 million allegedly received through his campaign organisation, N55.003 million through a scholarship scheme, and N26.13 million from another contractor.

The offences are said to contravene Sections 17(a) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and carry a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment upon conviction.

EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), opposed Ngige’s bail application, arguing that the former minister had previously breached administrative bail conditions by failing to return his passport after being allowed to travel abroad for medical reasons.

However, defence counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), urged the court to grant bail, describing the charges as bailable and stressing that Ngige was a well-known public figure who posed no flight risk.

He also raised concerns about his client’s health, noting that the correctional facility lacked adequate medical infrastructure.

In granting bail, the court ordered that Ngige be released pending trial, which is expected to commence next year.

Speaking after securing his release, Ngige maintained that he served Nigeria with integrity throughout his career.

He thanked his supporters and insisted that the allegations did not amount to embezzlement or theft of public funds.

“In all my years of over three decades of public service, including my time as governor of a state, I have not been found wanting in the handling of public funds,” he said.

He further questioned how the companies mentioned in the charge could have been given unfair advantage, arguing that ministers do not preside over contract awards.

“My hands are clean, and it will be interesting to see where and how these companies were allegedly given unfair advantage in a process over which ministers neither participate in nor control,” Ngige stated.

According to him, Permanent Secretaries chair ministerial tenders boards, while the companies cited in the case were regular bidders that often lost out or were disqualified for failing to meet requirements.

“The companies mentioned competed like others and, in many cases, did not win bids. Some were even disqualified,” he added.