South-East leaders and stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have endorsed Chief Martin Agbaso for the 2027 Imo State governorship election, calling for the return of the governorship to Owerri Zone.

At the South-East Leaders and Stakeholders’ Forum yesterday, the group said the move was aimed at ensuring equity, inclusive governance and development in Imo State.

Chairman of the group and retired Director of Police Service Commission, Nze Emmanuel Ibe said the event was organised to formally endorse Agbaso for the 2027 governorship election in Abuja.

Ibe said the objective of the gathering was to be “purposeful and intentional” about the 2027 governorship election and mobilise support for Agbaso, whom he described as the rightful beneficiary of a mandate allegedly denied him in the 2007 election.

According to him, the people of Imo State voted for Agbaso in the 2007 governorship election, but the result was subsequently cancelled following allegations of violence in some areas.

He, however, questioned why the governorship election result was cancelled while the House of Assembly election conducted on the same day and by the same electorate was upheld.

“That was injustice, particularly for the people of Owerri Zone,” Ibe said, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the 2007 election remained a significant issue for stakeholders in the state.

He noted that since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, Owerri Zone had not had a sustained opportunity to produce the governor of Imo State, except for the brief tenure of former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, whose administration was truncated.

“And that is why they are beckoning on this man who was denied his mandate way back in 2007 to come forward and take up this mandate,” Ibe said, adding that the stakeholders hoped Agbaso would accept what they regarded as the people’s mandate.

Responding to the endorsement, Agbaso, a businessman and financial analyst thsaid he had thought he was done with politics but was persuaded to reconsider his decision after a series of developments that convinced him that his political journey was not yet over.

Agbaso said he initially had no idea that the event would attract such attention, adding that the goodwill expressed by those present nearly moved him to tears.

“If I knew, if I had any inclination that it was going to be something of this magnitude, I probably would have invited my friends also,” he said.

He attributed his decision to return to politics to divine intervention, saying God had been “merciful” and “extremely generous” to him and his family.

According to him, he had reached a point where he was comfortable with his business interests and had no immediate desire to return to politics.

“So I was done with politics. I was finished with it,” Agbaso said, adding that he had been repeatedly asked whether he would return to political office but remained content with his professional and private life.

He also recalled his early political career, saying he first contested for the Senate at the age of 32. According to him, his age was considered a major disadvantage at the time, with some people advising him to contest for councillorship or a seat in the State House of Assembly.

“You are too young for Senate,” he recalled being told.

Agbaso said he was initially frustrated by the perception that he was too young for higher political office but had come to understand the concerns that accompanied his age at the time.

He said his academic and professional achievements had since strengthened his experience, noting that he had undergone extensive training and established himself internationally as a financial analyst.

Agbaso further attributed his renewed political engagement to what he described as the hand of God, insisting that his return was not merely a personal decision but part of a larger purpose.

“I have not changed, I have not done anything to change. It is the power of the Holy Ghost,” he said.

Also speaking, a former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Nnaemeka Maduawo, backed Agbaso’s aspiration, calling on the people of the South-East to support credible leadership capable of delivering development, security and good governance.

Maduawo said the decision by Igbo elders and leaders in the FCT to engage in the political affairs of their states of origin was necessary to help reposition the region.

According to him, the South-East must begin to “get it right” by identifying and supporting competent individuals capable of providing effective leadership.

“It is important that the South-East gets it right. It is important that the South-East is reorganised. It is important that development starts to flow into the South-East. It is important that we have security,” Maduawo said.

He specifically described Agbaso as a patriotic and experienced individual with the capacity to provide the leadership required in Imo State.

Maduawo said Agbaso’s international education and professional experience had exposed him to ideas and practices that could be applied to the development of Imo State, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare, education and human capital development.

He also called for the correction of what he described as the injustice surrounding the 2007 governorship election, arguing that Agbaso’s continued availability and greater experience made his return to the political arena significant.

“That injustice of 2007 has to be corrected,” Maduawo said, adding that Agbaso had acquired more experience since the disputed election.

He urged Imo people to support the aspiration, saying, “A mandate delayed is not a mandate denied.”

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will yesterday launch a $1 billion Renewed Hope social protection programme as part of the present administration’s poverty reduction initiative.

According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the launch is expected to take place at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.  “Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has placed social protection, poverty reduction and economic inclusion at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda, (RHA) with renewed efforts to strengthen and expand social protection interventions across the country.” According to the organisers, the initiative signals the Tinubu administration’s renewed commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s social protection architecture and improving the lives of vulnerable households.

“The event is expected to signal a major shift towards a more integrated, household-centred and results-driven approach to social protection in Nigeria. It will formally introduce a new generation of social protection interventions and delivery systems under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The new approach is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection delivery architecture and expand interventions targeted at poor and vulnerable households, with greater emphasis on ensuring that, interventions translate into sustainable improvements in the lives and livelihoods of beneficiaries.

“One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) will be presented as the integrated national architecture connecting Humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction, economic inclusion and graduation around the household as the centre of intervention and measurement. “The OHOPRS’ strategic proposition is: One System, From Vulnerability to Prosperity. While the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction will articulate the Ministry’s strategic priorities, institutional reforms, programmes, delivery mechanism and implementation partway for humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction.” As part of the programme, the Federal Government will also launch an Emergency Cash Transfer initiative targeting 7.6 million vulnerable households, providing timely support to households facing socioeconomic vulnerabilities and shocks. “The programme will further feature the launch of the Humanity First Magazine, a strategic communication and knowledge platform, showcasing interventions, results, partnerships, human-impact stories and innovations across Nigeria’s humanitarian and poverty-reduction ecosystem.

“The event is also expected to reinforce collaboration between the Office of the First Lady and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, towards ensuring that vulnerable households are safe, secure, protected and empowered, while progressively being linked to pathways to prosperity.

“The Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme represents a significant step towards a more coordinated, responsive and results-oriented social protection system that places vulnerable Nigerians at the centre of national development efforts,” the statement read.

The Federal Government has tightened regulations guiding official foreign travels by government appointees, warning that none of its appointees will be allowed to embark on official trips abroad without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The warning was contained in a circular dated August 13, 2026, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, all Ministers, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and other top government functionaries.

The circular, with reference number PRS59648/S.13/TI/335, decried the persistent disregard for extant travel guidelines by public officials despite several directives issued by government over the years to regulate the practice.

According to the SGF, “It has been observed with concern that some Federal Government Appointees continue to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), contrary to extant Government directives and established administrative procedures regulating official travels outside the country.”

Akume listed previous circulars issued to check the trend, including the Guidelines for Official Travels by Cabinet Members, Heads of Agencies and Public Officials of September 18, 2023; the Guidelines for Official Trips by Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, Boards of Corporations and Government-Owned Companies of March 31, 2015; the Additional Cost Control Measures to Guide Foreign Trips by Ministers and Senior Government Officials of September 27, 2017; a circular on Observed Indifferent Adherence to Extant Regulations Guiding the Conduct of Foreign Trips by Public Officials dated March 8, 2018; and the Further Cost-Cutting Measures and Fiscal Prudence on Travel by Cabinet Members circular of November 20, 2012.

Despite these directives, he noted that instances of non-compliance continue to be recorded, stressing that the trend undermines Government’s efforts to ensure proper coordination, accountability, transparency, prudent management of public resources and effective monitoring of official foreign engagements undertaken on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The SGF declared that all official foreign trips undertaken by Federal Government appointees shall continue to require prior approval from the OSGF before such trips are undertaken, except where otherwise expressly provided by law or by specific Presidential directive.

According to him, the requirement is consistent with the principles of due process, centralized coordination of Government business and prudent management of public resources, as reflected in the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition, and the Financial Regulations, Revised Edition, January 2009.

To strengthen compliance, the circular directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to include evidence of valid OSGF approval as a mandatory requirement in the processing of requests for official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and all applications relating to official foreign travel by Government Appointees.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Josiah Amupitan, has assured political parties and Nigerians that the commission will remain neutral in the 2027 elections.

Amupitan gave the assurance on Tuesday at the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election. The commission does not have a candidate, nor does it favour any political platform,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chairman also urged political parties and candidates to focus on issues during the 2027 campaign rather than turning the election into a contest of violence and personal attacks.

“Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” he said.

Amupitan said Nigerians were more interested in practical solutions to their challenges and urged political actors to present clear and measurable programmes.

“Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions. They deserve to hear clear, concrete, and measurable manifestos,” he said.

He also assured Nigerians that the commission was building on previous preparations to deliver a credible election in 2027.

Amupitan said INEC’s preparations were progressing, adding that the commission was expanding its logistics to handle the large number of personnel required for the nationwide exercise.

“I am pleased to report that our preparations for the 2027 elections are progressing with absolute precision. We are scaling our operational logistics to manage a massive nationwide ad hoc workforce of 1.4 million personnel across over 176,000 polling units,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday presided over a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, (FEC), at the State House in Abuja.

The meeting, the first since June 29, 2026, started with the national anthem after the President arrived at the Council Chamber at 2:30 pm.

Present at the FEC meeting were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Didi Walson-Jack; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; ministers, presidential aides and heads of agencies.

At the meeting, the council observed a minute’s silence in honour of Abubakar Alhaji, who served as Minister of Finance under the Ibrahim Babangida administration and died on July 30, 2026.

The council also honoured a former Minister of Science and Technology under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Prof Turner Isoun, who died on July 15, 2026.

Recall that at the last FEC meeting on June 29, Tinubu swore in two new federal commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), Amina Gamawa, representing Bauchi State, and Abdullahi Mukhtar, representing Kaduna State, shortly before the council session commenced.

At the time of filing this report, details of yesterday’s FEC meeting are yet to be disclosed.

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated him following his victory in the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.

Adeleke disclosed this in an interview with newsmen shortly after he was declared the winner.

He described the gesture as an indication of support for the democratic process.

“I want to seize the opportunity to thank Mr President. Mr President has called me and he has congratulated me, and I thank you for making sure democracy lives on because we fought for it,” Adeleke said.

The governor also expressed confidence in his victory, saying he never feared that the election would not go in his favour because of his strong faith in God.

“I have a God who never fails. I have a God who never fails. I have a God who never fails. He will never fail. And Jesus never fails,” he said.

Adeleke further said he expected his APC counterpart, Oyebamiji, to accept the result and call to congratulate him, describing such a gesture as a demonstration of political civility.

“I’m expecting Oyebamiji, even as a civilised person, to call and congratulate me,” Adeleke said.

The President’s congratulatory call came after Adeleke was declared the winner of the Osun State governorship election, with the governor calling on political stakeholders to uphold democratic values and accept the outcome of the poll.

Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has said he would restore fuel subsidy if elected president in the 2027 general elections.

Sowore argued that contrary to the federal government’s claim that fuel subsidy has been removed, the government is still subsidising petrol but has simply changed the name attached to the policy.

He also accused the government of secretly subsidising the naira through measures aimed at supporting the currency’s value against the dollar.

Sowore made the remarks yesterday while speaking on ARISE News, where he outlined what he described as an alternative approach to tackling Nigeria’s economic crisis.

Responding to questions on whether he would reintroduce fuel subsidy if elected, Sowore said the argument that subsidy had been completely removed was misleading.

“In the first place, they are still paying subsidy. They’re just changing the name of what they call it,” he said.

According to him, the government is subsidising petrol because Nigeria does not produce enough locally, while also supporting the naira through interventions in the foreign exchange market.

“They are subsidising not only petrol, because they don’t have enough and they can’t produce locally. They’re also subsidising the Naira,” Sowore said.

He argued that the government had failed to be transparent about the measures being used to support the naira, insisting that the exchange rate was being influenced through what he described as a hidden subsidy.

“That’s one thing they will never tell you. The reason the Naira is at a certain rate to a dollar is because it’s been quietly and secretly subsidised,” he said.

Sowore acknowledged that countries routinely take measures to defend their currencies but questioned why the government would deny that such interventions amounted to subsidy.

He also defended the principle of subsidies, arguing that the problem in Nigeria was not necessarily subsidy itself but the manner in which public resources were distributed.

“There’s no country in the world that don’t subsidise their poor,” he said, adding that wealthy Nigerians and businesses were benefiting more from government incentives than ordinary citizens.

According to him, importers and businesses benefiting from customs waivers were receiving a form of subsidy that was significantly more valuable than the relief previously enjoyed by consumers through cheaper petrol.

“In fact, the people that get the most subsidy in Nigeria is not the poor, it’s the rich,” Sowore said.

He further argued that the removal of fuel subsidy had contributed to the worsening economic conditions in the country, particularly through its impact on the naira and household purchasing power.

“You saw what happened, immediately you remove subsidy. Look at where your economy tanked. Your Naira also went down the toilet,” he said.

Sowore said that if elected, his administration would seek to move away from what he described as economic policies that had normalised poverty in Nigeria.

He said the country needed to abandon the “old mentality” responsible for policies that had made poverty increasingly widespread.

“There’s no need for us to sit down here and ask, ‘Oh, what would you do differently?’ Of course, what we have to do differently, first and foremost, is to get rid of this old mentality and the ideas that brought poverty to become a standard, you know, a household name in Nigeria,” he said.

The AAC candidate also expressed concern over Nigeria’s food security situation, citing the Food and Agriculture Organization’s assessment of countries facing food shortages.

He said it was particularly troubling that Nigeria, despite being a major oil-producing country, was among countries identified as facing food insecurity.

“That is to say we are so bad and we are about the only country producing oil that is on FAO’s list of countries that has food shortages. That’s the country we are in,” Sowore said.

He accused the government of focusing more on the public image of its economic policies than their impact on ordinary Nigerians.

“But they don’t want to tell you all this because it’s all about the optics. But optics don’t feed people,” he added.

Security agencies in the country, including the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have deployed 25,310 operatives for the Osun State governorship election holding on Saturday.

The deployment comprises 15,000 police officers, 10,210 NSCDC personnel and about 100 EFCC officers, according to separate announcements by the agencies.

This is outside the numbers that are also expected to be deployed by other security agencies like the military and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Fourteen political parties are contesting the August 15, 2026 governorship election, with 2,339,233 registers voters.

Among the candidates, three have emerged as prominent contenders based on their political strength and visibility: incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). LegislativeBranch

On Monday, the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Audi, ordered the deployment of 10,000 personnel from 10 neighbouring state commands to reinforce security operations across Osun.

The personnel are being drawn from the Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta and Federal Capital Territory commands, with about 1,000 personnel from each command.

The deployment will complement the corps’ existing personnel in Osun and cover the state’s 30 local government areas, including polling units, electoral officials, observers, journalists and residents.

NSCDC spokesman, Afolabi Babawale, said specialised units, including the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics Unit, Specialised Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad and K9 Unit, had also been deployed.

He said the units would support intelligence gathering, crime prevention, protection of critical infrastructure, crowd control and other election-related operations.

The NSCDC said its Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, Ayuba Phillip, alongside designated Assistant Commandant-Generals and other senior officers, would relocate to Osun to supervise the corps’ election security operations.

Audi charged personnel to remain professional, neutral and respectful of citizens’ rights throughout the election.

He said, “our personnel have been properly briefed on the need to be professional, neutral and respectful in the discharge of their duties.”

The NSCDC boss also warned political thugs and others planning to disrupt the election that they would face the law.

“The NSCDC in collaboration with other security agencies on election duty will not tolerate any activity intended to jeopardise the election process; criminal-minded persons and political thugs willing to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election would face the wrath of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act.”

The Nigeria Police Force had earlier announced the deployment of 15,000 personnel to Osun for the election, including officers to be stationed at polling units and other strategic locations. Africans& Diaspora

Similarly, a senior EFCC official revealed that about 100 personnel would be deployed to the state to prevent vote buying and other forms of electoral inducement.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the alleged use of an outdated operating system on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), warning that it could pose cybersecurity and operational risks ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raised the concerns following the reported failures recorded during the Osun State mock accreditation exercise on August 1, 2026, and comments by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Director of ICT, Dr Lawrence Bayode.

Bayode, while speaking on Arise TV on Monday, reportedly said the BVAS, introduced into Nigeria’s electoral process in 2021, currently runs on Android version 10.

In a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja, yesterday, Atiku said Android version 10 had reached end-of-life status in 2023 and no longer receives regular updates or security patches.

He argued that running an election technology platform such as BVAS on an outdated operating system, could expose the electoral process to cybersecurity and operational vulnerabilities.

Atiku questioned why INEC, with what he described as its substantial budget, had not upgraded the BVAS software ahead of the 2027 general elections or used forthcoming off-cycle elections, including the Osun governorship election, to test an updated version.

He described what he called INEC’s handling of the BVAS issue as “suspicious” and alleged that it could undermine the integrity of the country’s elections.

According to him, vulnerabilities in an outdated operating system could potentially be exploited by cybercriminals to gain unauthorised access to devices and tamper with stored voter accreditation or polling unit result data before transmission.

He also raised concerns about the transmission of polling unit results over public telecommunications networks to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV), portal.

Atiku said outdated security and cryptographic components could increase exposure to cyber threats, including attempts to intercept, block or manipulate data transmitted between polling units and the result-viewing platform.

The former Vice President further expressed concern about the biometric functions of BVAS, which uses fingerprint and facial recognition for voter accreditation.

He argued that an outdated biometric framework could affect the system’s accuracy and resilience against attempts to circumvent its verification processes.

Atiku also warned that software defects associated with legacy systems could lead to application crashes, particularly during periods of heavy usage, potentially causing delays in voter accreditation.

He said he supported calls by cybersecurity experts for an independent and comprehensive audit of the BVAS hardware and software ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, running critical national infrastructure on an end-of-life operating system could create an expanded attack surface and expose the electoral system to avoidable risks.

The statement was signed by the Atiku Media Office, Abuja, on August 11, 2026.

From Henrietta Ashikodi, Umuahia 

The All Progressives Congress, (APC), Abia State Chapter, has strongly condemned statements credited to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Hon. Chris Nkwonta endorsing Governor Alex Otti for the 2027 governorship election.

The party described their actions as unstatesmanlike, irresponsible, embarrassing, and inimical to the unity, cohesion, and electoral prospects of the APC in the state.

This was contained in a communiqué unanimously adopted and signed by 17 members of the Abia State Working Committee, (SWC), present at the meeting.

The signatories include: Hon. Chijioke Chukwu – Chairman; Chief Chinedu Ihesiulo – Deputy Chairman; Chief Chidi Avajah – Secretary; Comrade Ben Godson – Assistant Secretary; Lady C. C. Erondu, JP – Woman Leader; Lolo Josephine Chukwu – Deputy Woman Leader; Prince Tony Egbulefu – Senatorial Chairman, Central; Sir Justice Onwumelu – Senatorial Chairman, South; Chief Ebere Nwachukwu – Welfare Secretary; Darlington Ujoumunna – Financial Secretary; John Ajuzieogu – Treasurer; Chief Jerry Awah – Youth Leader; Hon. Mike Ukoha – Special Leader; Chief Emma Nwauhiara – Auditor; Barr. Emeka Okorafor – Organizing Secretary; Barr. Vigilius Nwankwo – Legal Adviser; and Uche Aguoru – Publicity Secretary.

According to the Communiqué, the SWC, in a meeting held on Monday, August 10, 2026, extensively deliberated on recent public statements and actions attributed to two prominent members and leaders of the party, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Hon. Chris Nkwonta, concerning the 2027 Abia State Governorship Election.

After exhaustive deliberations, the State Working Committee unanimously and unequivocally condemned, in its entirety, the said statements and actions as unstatesmanlike, irresponsible, embarrassing, and inimical to the unity, cohesion, and electoral prospects of the All Progressives Congress in Abia State.

The SWC expressed concern that at a time when the party is mobilizing its members and supporters across the 184 wards of Abia State towards total electoral victory in 2027, statements capable of undermining the confidence of members and supporters, while openly projecting support for a rival political party, are not only regrettable but constitute a serious breach of party loyalty.

The Committee noted with grave concern that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, in an interview on a national television station, was reported to have declared that “Governor Otti of the Labour Party will win the governorship election.”

Similarly, the SWC expressed deep disappointment over the conduct of Hon. Chris Nkwonta, who, in the presence of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, publicly stated that he would vote for Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party in the 2027 governorship election.

The SWC considered these actions particularly disturbing because, they were made by individuals regarded as leaders and prominent members of the APC in Abia State.

Such public declarations, in the view of the State Working Committee, amount to acts of internal sabotage and anti-party conduct intended to weaken the party’s electoral machinery and demoralize its teeming members.

“The APC is a political party governed by its constitution, rules, and regulations. No individual, regardless of status, position, influence, or past contribution to the party, is above the Constitution of the party,” the communiqué stated.

Accordingly, the SWC held that the actions of Senator Kalu and Hon. Nkwonta constitute anti-party activities and a clear breach of Article 21.2(11) of the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress, 2022, which provides for disciplinary action against members whose conduct is inimical to the party or amounts to acts of indiscipline and disloyalty.

After due consideration, the Abia State Working Committee resolved as follows:

That it strongly condemns the statements and actions attributed to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Hon. Chris Nkwonta as unacceptable, irresponsible, unstatesmanlike, and inimical to the collective interest of the APC in Abia State.  It calls on both Senator Kalu and Hon. Nkwonta to tender an unreserved public apology to the APC, its leadership, members, and supporters in Abia State within 14 days from the date of this communiqué.

That the apology must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the party, its Constitution, its leadership, and the collective decision of the APC to present and support all its candidates in the 2027 general elections, especially the governorship candidate.

That failure by either of the two individuals to comply within the stipulated 14 days will leave the party with no option but to constitute a disciplinary committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding their statements and actions and make appropriate recommendations to the competent organs of the party.   Where found liable, the party shall apply disciplinary measures as prescribed by the APC Constitution and other applicable party regulations, without fear or favour, irrespective of the status of the individuals concerned.

The SWC further resolved that the party would withdraw its political support and privileges from any of the individuals if their conduct is established to be inimical to the party’s interest ahead of the 2027 general elections.

That the Abia APC remains fully committed to the collective decision of its members and organs to strengthen the party, support its candidates, and work tirelessly towards winning the 2027 general elections and taking over the governance of Abia State.

The SWC stated that the APC is bigger than any individual, regardless of political stature. It added that leadership comes with responsibility, and those entrusted with leading a political party must uphold its values, defend its interests, and respect its decisions.

“The party will not permit personal interests, political calculations, or individual ambitions to undermine the collective aspirations of our members and supporters across Abia State.

“At this critical stage of our preparations for the 2027 elections, all members, especially those in leadership positions, are expected to demonstrate discipline, loyalty, restraint, and commitment to the party,” it stated.

The Abia APC urged all its members to remain calm, focused, and united, assuring them that the party will deploy all legitimate political and organizational mechanisms to protect its integrity, defend its interests, and win the governorship and all legislative seats, both federal and state, in 2027.

Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded that President Bola Tinubu explains the disturbing questions reportedly raised by The Economist over about $20 billion worth of projects linked to his long-time associate, Gilbert Chagoury.

Atiku in a statement yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the reported revelations have elevated concerns about the Tinubu administration’s procurement practices from domestic suspicion to an international credibility crisis.

“At prevailing exchange rates, $20 billion is approximately ₦27 trillion. Nigerians deserve to know how projects of such staggering value became concentrated around businesses linked to one man who happens to be a close associate of the President.

“This is not pocket change. This is an amount approaching the scale of entire national budgets. Nigerians cannot be asked to tighten their belts while those around the President appear to be tightening their grip on some of the biggest contracts in the country,” Atiku said.

He said the Presidency must respond specifically to the issues reportedly raised by The Economist concerning procurement, taxation and the relationship between political proximity and access to major government projects.

“The questions are simple: Who awarded these contracts? Were they competitively tendered? What tax concessions, waivers or privileges were granted? Who are the ultimate beneficial owners? And why does the same presidential associate keep appearing around projects worth billions of dollars?

“President Tinubu cannot answer every allegation of corruption and cronyism by deploying presidential spokesmen to abuse critics. The Economist is not an opposition party. It is not on the ballot in 2027. The President should answer the questions it has raised,” he said.

Atiku said the controversy strikes at the heart of the administration’s credibility because Nigerians are simultaneously being subjected to higher taxes, soaring living costs and unprecedented economic hardship in the name of sacrifice.

The former Vice President therefore challenged the Presidency to publish the procurement details, ownership structures, tax concessions and other relevant information concerning the projects reportedly identified by The Economist.

“Nigeria is a republic, not a friends-and-family investment portfolio. ₦27 trillion demands answers. President Tinubu must provide them.”