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  • Abia ADC still embroiled in leadership crisis amidst coalition talk

    Abia ADC still embroiled in leadership crisis amidst coalition talk

    There is bad blood among few members of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Abia State as they have continued to lay claim to the structure of the party in the state.

    The two factions led by one Deacon Iyke Nwoke and the Obinna Don-Norman led faction have been engaging each other in a media war as they both claim authenticity of the party’s leadership.

    The leadership crisis in the party, our correspondent reports, would further scare away potential coalition parties who would have helped the party to become a force in the state’s political turf in 2027.

    Read Also: PDP eyes consensus option at national convention

    Investigations by our correspondent has it that apart from the 2023 governorship candidate of the party who was recently elevated to the post of an Arch. Bishop, Arch. Bishop Sunday Onuoha, by the Methodist Church of Nigeria Prelate, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali Abah, there is no known political figure in the party in the state.

    The two serving Senators in the state, Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and his Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Austin Akobundu in a separate press statement  from their offices, debunked a recent statement attributed to both of them by the Deacon Nwoke’s faction of ADC.

  • ADC expands grassroots structures in Ekiti

    ADC expands grassroots structures in Ekiti

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ekiti State has reaffirmed its unstoppable momentum, growing strength and deepening grassroots reach through a high-powered stakeholders’ engagement that convened influential political leaders, visionary aspirants, dynamic women mobilisers, and strategic representatives from all the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State.

    The meeting coordinated by Prof. Olusola Eleka, former Deputy Governor and State Coordinator of ADC in Ekiti State, marked a historic moment of recomposition and reconfiguration of leadership across all 16 LGAs.

    Eleka underscored that ADC’s renewed grassroots agenda remains the ultimate key to rebuilding trust and confidence among the people of Ekiti State.

    “The ADC is not only expanding in numbers but also in credibility, influence, and acceptance. Our strategy is rooted in genuine grassroots engagement, unwavering unity among leaders, and issue-driven politics.

    “With the resilient structures we are building across all 16 LGAs, ADC will not just participate in elections , it will emerge as the people’s platform and the authentic alternative for good governance in Ekiti State,” Eleka affirmed.

    Read Also: Atiku, ADC differ on CVR online registration figures

    Otunba Olumuyiwa Babalola, a foremost ADC Governorship aspirant, seasoned diplomat and international development expert, delivered a powerful charge on the imperative of unity, stressing that the ADC is growing stronger by the day and represents a true movement for transformational change.

    “ADC is not just another political party; it is a genuine people-driven movement for change in Ekiti. We are building formidable structures that will challenge the failures of the past, foster inclusiveness, empower women and youth, and deliver governance that reflects the authentic will of the people,” Babalola asserted.

    Ambassador Dare Bejide, another governorship aspirant, projected ADC as the credible third force, a strong political alternative poised to dismantle the status quo and offer Ekiti people a leadership founded on accountability, service, and sustainable development.

    Ekiti ADC Chairman, Hon. Ilesanmi Omolayo, applauded the bold and strategic decision of the Committee to recompose and reconfigure party executives in strict alignment with the guidelines of the National Headquarters.

    He further reiterated the party’s unshakable resolve to strengthen grassroots structures that guarantee inclusiveness, transparency, and effective mobilisation across the state.

    The gathering also featured former Ekiti Speaker Gboyega Aribisogan; Hon. Afolabi Akanni, Hon. Ilesanmi Ogidi, Chief Kayode Ogunjobi, a governorship aspirant, the State Women Leader, and several other respected leaders, alongside dedicated delegates representing all 16 LGAs.

    The stakeholders resolved to sustain massive grassroots mobilisation, deepen unity among party leaders and aspirants, and reinforce ADC’s position as the credible political alternative in Ekiti State.

  • ADC leadership crisis deepens as Bala assumes national chairman role

    ADC leadership crisis deepens as Bala assumes national chairman role

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is embroiled in a deepening leadership crisis as Nafiu Bala, the party’s deputy national chairman, formally assumed the role of national chairman on Wednesday, intensifying a bitter tussle within the party. 

    Bala’s move followed the resignation of former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu and came amid a contentious power struggle with a faction led by former Senate President David Mark, who was appointed Interim National Chairman by an opposition coalition.

    Speaking to journalists at the ADC national secretariat in Abuja, Bala declared himself the “authentic” National Chairman, citing the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. 

    “I have resumed office as the National Chairman of the ADC in line with the party’s constitution, which clearly states that the Deputy National Chairman takes over in the event of the National Chairman’s resignation,” Bala said. 

    He rejected the appointment of David Mark as Interim National Chairman, describing it as an “unconstitutional attempt to hijack the party.”

    The crisis escalated after the ADC was adopted by an opposition coalition, reportedly involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other political figures, to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 elections. 

    Bala accused the coalition of undermining the ADC’s internal democracy. “Atiku Abubakar is not a member of the ADC, and I have never held any discussions with him regarding the party’s affairs,” he stated, dismissing claims of his alleged expulsion by a Gombe State faction as “invalid, unlawful, and illegal.”

    The North-East caucus of the ADC, in a statement issued after a stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi, endorsed Bala’s leadership. 

    “We fully support Nafiu Bala as the acting national chairman following the voluntary resignation of Ralph Nwosu,” the caucus declared, urging coalition leaders to register as ADC members and respect the party’s constitution. 

    The caucus, led by zonal chairman Alhaji Usman Buba, described Bala’s leadership as a “constitutional transition” and called for unity to strengthen the party.

    However, a rival faction within the ADC, led by Auwal Barde in Gombe State, has rejected Bala’s claims. On August 21, the faction announced Bala’s expulsion alongside three other officials for alleged anti-party activities. 

    Another group, led by Danladi Ya’u, endorsed David Mark’s leadership, further deepening the divide. 

    “Nafiu Bala’s claim to the chairmanship is baseless and not recognized by the party’s legitimate structures,” Ya’u said in a statement on August 25.

    Bala’s faction has also denied a purported resignation letter dated May 18, 2025, which claimed he had stepped down. 

    Dr. Christopher Okechukwu, a key ally, described the letter as “fake and lacking the official ADC insignia.” 

    He accused Nwosu and external actors of attempting to destabilize the party. 

    “We have notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Bala’s legitimate leadership, and we will pursue legal action to protect the party’s integrity,” Okechukwu said.

    The ADC’s National Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee, and 2023 governorship candidates had earlier endorsed Bala as acting national chairman on August 11, citing Article 14.3 of the party’s constitution. 

    Read Also: I never held meeting with Atiku, he is not ADC member – Nafiu Bala

    “The ADC remains committed to internal democracy and will not be hijacked by external forces,” Bala said, outlining plans to strengthen party structures and foster partnerships ahead of the 2027 elections.

    The leadership tussle has raised concerns about the ADC’s stability as a viable opposition platform. 

    Political analysts warn that the ongoing crisis could undermine the party’s credibility unless resolved swiftly. 

    For now, Bala remains defiant, vowing to lead the ADC through the storm. 

    “I am in control of the party’s structure, and we will not allow political hooliganism to prevail,” he declared.

  • ADC denies claims of SDP merger in Kaduna, slams El-Rufai

    ADC denies claims of SDP merger in Kaduna, slams El-Rufai

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State has refuted reports that the entire structure of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state has collapsed into its fold under the influence of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Mallam Bashir Saidu, and Hon. Ja’afar Mohammed Sani.

    In a statement signed by its state publicity secretary, Musa Idris, the ADC described the report as “false, baseless, and unknown to the leadership of our party in Kaduna State.”

    The clarification came after a statement by one Mr. Darius Kurah, who identified himself as “Publicity Secretary of the Coalition.” 

    ADC, however, disowned him, stressing that Kurah is neither a member nor an official of the party, describing his claims as “political impersonation.”

    Idris emphasised that he remains the only recognised publicity secretary of ADC in Kaduna State and clarified that the State Chairman, Elder Patrick D. Ambut, was misrepresented. 

    According to him, Ambut only attended a post-bye-election review meeting and never authorised any statement indicating a merger with the SDP.

    “For the record, ADC did not convene any meeting to absorb SDP members. ADC did not receive or collapse SDP structures into its fold. ADC did not authorise any pronouncement suggesting otherwise,” the statement read.

    Read Also: Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai bewildered

    The party emphasised that while SDP remains part of a coalition at the national level, any individual or group wishing to join ADC must go through due process, starting with registration at the ward level. It dismissed any claim of a wholesale “collapse of structures” as having no legal or political effect.

    Reaffirming its commitment to inclusivity and coalition-building, the ADC maintained that its doors are open to genuine political partners across parties, but “cannot be forced open by political opportunism, deceit, or backdoor proclamations.”

    The statement concluded with a call on the public and media to disregard what it described as “false claims being peddled by Mr. Darius Kurah and his sponsors,” assuring that ADC structures across Kaduna’s 23 local governments remain intact, united, and committed to offering a people-driven alternative.

  • ADC defectors now realising they’ve joined ‘one-chance vehicle’ – PDP governors

    ADC defectors now realising they’ve joined ‘one-chance vehicle’ – PDP governors

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has taken a swipe at the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing defectors of engaging in “irresponsible verbal attacks” after realising they had joined a “one-chance vehicle.”

    In a statement signed by its director-general, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, the forum likened the ADC’s plight to that of the prodigal son, stressing that the PDP remains open to welcoming back repentant members who show genuine remorse.

    The reaction followed criticisms from the ADC and some Zamfara residents, who described the PDP governors’ dinner and colourful gathering in Gusau as insensitive, given the state’s ongoing security crisis.

    ADC’s national publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, had condemned the Gusau meeting as “an insensitive jamboree,” accusing the governors of disregarding the grief of citizens recently affected by bandit attacks.

    But the PDP governors dismissed the outcry, insisting that the ADC’s comments were unjustifiable and borne out of frustration.

    “Ordinarily, we would not grant them the rare privilege of joining issues, but it is our sense of responsibility to correct the erroneous impression being forced down the sensibilities of the innocent Nigerian public that necessitates this response.

    “Playing politics and trying to gain political capital with human lives isn’t our stock in trade, as is characteristic of the ADC; the Zamfara Meeting was scheduled and not a spur-of-the-moment thing. ADC should have done better by empathising through a visit to the affected states than playing to the gallery.

    “The Meeting extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, the security situation, amongst other critical issues of national interest and at the end of the day issued a communique that created time and space to comment on the state of insecurity and security reforms as follows;

    “The Forum, particularly commends initiatives by the government of Zamfara State in significantly curbing insecurity within the state; but condemns the continued monstrous killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger and Benue States and other parts of the country and calls on the federal government to be more responsive to the lives and properties of the citizenry”, Agbo stated.

    Continuing further, the PDP Governors’ Forum described the ADC as prodigal children whose exit has brought peace for the PDP.

    Read Also: ADC slams PDP governors over Zamfara meeting

    “Since their exit, the PDP has become much more formidable and focused, with clear determination to have our eyes on the ball.

    “The ADC before now, with their inordinate sense of entitlement, constituted a huge clog to the wheel of national unity and harmony.

    “The security situation in the country was of grave concern to the PDP governors, which took centre stage in our deliberation and resolution as contained in the communique.

    “That the ADC couldn’t see that much isn’t surprising, as the prodigal son wasn’t known to have any pity on his father’s fortune,” the PDP Governors’ Forum stated.

  • ADC suspends Abia chairman over alleged misconduct, mismanagement

    ADC suspends Abia chairman over alleged misconduct, mismanagement

    The Abia State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suspended its chairman, Mr. Don-Norman Obinna, following allegations of high-handedness, misappropriation of party funds, and unauthorised sale of party property.

    The decision was reached during a harmonisation and unification meeting held in Aba, which brought together party members and coalition partners. According to reports, the suspension enjoyed overwhelming support from members present.

    Speaking with journalists, Mazi Okoroafor Kanu, former deputy chairman and now acting state chairman, said the action was taken to prevent the party from collapsing ahead of its 2027 political plans.

    “He runs the party like his personal business, disregards the State Working Committee, and even sells the party’s vehicles without approval,” Kanu alleged. “This suspension is to save the soul of ADC and reposition it as an inclusive platform for all Abians.”

    Read Also: ADC coalition deceiving Nigerians, says Datti Ahmed

    The party also announced the formation of a three-man disciplinary committee, headed by Barrister Kalu Kalu, to investigate the allegations and submit its findings within two weeks. The outcome, they said, will determine Obinna’s fate.

    Members expressed optimism that the move would strengthen the party’s unity and open its doors to new members as it prepares to challenge for the Abia Government House in 2027.

  • 2027: Governors in power game to pick successors

    2027: Governors in power game to pick successors

    • Abiodun, Makinde, AbdulRazak keep cards close to chest
    • Anxiety in states as aspirants intensify consultations

    All appears not to be well between many second term governors and party stakeholders over succession to government houses in 2027, an investigation by The Nation  has shown.

    The rank and file of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, and Nasarawa as well as those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo and Adamawa are worried that the governors are keeping them in the dark over their possible replacements.

    Alleged governorship aspiration of the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo on the platform of APC in Akwa Ibom State is generating tension of its own.

    Sources said Governor Umo Eno had been assured by the APC hierarchy of a second term ticket as a condition for his defection from PDP in June.

    Party members in the state are upset that the minister’s aspiration could threaten internal cohesion.

    Members of the APC in Lagos State are eager to know the party’s stand on its possible flag bearer in 2027 and the senatorial district he might come from.

    Since 1999, it could be said that only one party has maintained dominance in Lagos State.

    Eyes are on the Centre of Excellence for three reasons. The first is that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be completing his second term in 2027. Succession politics fills the air. Across the political parties, the nomination of candidates will follow the usual complex and challenging processes.

    The second is that Lagos is the base of the President, and at least, in the ruling party, the buck may stop at his table.

    The third is that the ruling party can hardly drop its guard, given its 2023 experience when the incumbency power and influence collapsed during the presidential poll with the Labour Party (LP) triumphing over the supposedly poll-confident APC.

    But the contemporary history of Lagos also attests to the mystery of its succession politics whereby since 2007, there is no member of ruling parties – AD, AC, ACN and APC – who vied for the ticket and got it without President Bola Tinubu’s backing.

    The governors who are Tinubu’s successors – Babatunde Fasola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sanwo-Olu – have one thing in common. In the real sense of the word, they are not politicians with solid personal structures, but technocrats – lawyer, chartered accountant and banker – who became outstanding in public service as Chief of Staff, Accountant-General and Commissioner.

    Whether that pattern of nomination of a competent and suitable candidate for the ruling party will be sustained or changed will depend on certain dynamics in the nearest future.

    Factors usually considered, apart from competence and acceptability to the electorate, are zoning,  which is not sacrosanct; religious balancing, which also may not be a strong issue in the Southwest; and gender parity, depending on the pre-determined outcome of the nominations, either through direct primary, indirect option or consensus which is now remote.

    The only sub-zone rooting for zoning or rotation in 2027 is Badagry Division in the Lagos West Senatorial District. The activities of some politicians from the area in this regard are visible in the media.

    Once the candidate receives the majority endorsement in the ruling party, post-primary crisis is nipped in the bud and party faces the election squarely.

    There will be no shortage of aspirants on the platform of APC, with the majority of them from Lagos East.

    Unlike in other states, however, the potential contenders are careful not to divert the attention of the governor and heat up the state. They are only intensifying consultations and underground mobilisation within the party structures.

     A source said four are in the race as a strategy to draw attention so that they can be considered for other positions if the governorship ticket predictably slips away.

    The potential Lagos APC aspirants are in four categories. The first category comprises former aspirants who are likely to throw their hats in the ring again.

    The first is Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who competed with Ambode at the 2015 primary, and was offered the running mate in 2019 before stepping down for Sanwo-Olu.

    Since he joined the Tinubu administration as a commissioner in 2002/3, he has always been in government. He served in the eight years of Fashola as commissioner before becoming Special Adviser to him while he was works minister.

    The second in the category is Tokunbo Wahab, Environment Commissioner. He is a lawyer. Before his current assignment, he had served as Special Adviser on Education.

    The third is the Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, who was preferred as successor to Ambode by some influential associates of Tinubu in 2015. A security expert, he was the campaign manager for Sanwo-Olu in the Independent Campaign Group in 2019 and 2023.

    The second category is made up of experienced politicians who are coveting the seat and putting up personal structures to actualise their dream. These include Presidential Chief of Staff and former House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who has sponsored empowerment programmes in Surulere Constituency and beyond; House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who was reinstated after his impeachment as head of the legislative arm; and former Governor Ambode, whose second term bid hit the rocks. They are all in positions to fund state-wide governorship campaigns.

    The third category is made up of young men and women of note and distinction who have excelled and earned good reputation in politics, public service and personal endeavours. One of them is Hakeem Muri-Okunola, a lawyer who had served as Head of Service in Lagos State before becoming Principal Private Secretary to the President.

    Also, mention has been made of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who is up and doing in his current assignment. A distinguished medical doctor, he is a former Minister of State for Health.

    Others include House of Representatives member from Ikorodu, Jimi Benson, and his predecessor, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who is the chairman of the Diaspora Commission.

    The last category is made up of technocrats in APC; patriotic, experienced in public administration, competent and loyal party stalwarts who mean well for the party, its leadership and the state, but who may not personally seek the governorship ticket unless they are called upon to take up the role in furtherance of their dedicated service to the state, the nation and humanity.

    In this mould, according to party sources, is Tokunbo Abiru, chartered accountant, banker and senator representing Lagos East District.

    He had resigned as Finance Commissioner in the Fashola government to take up the job of Executive Director at Syke Bank. He later became Managing Director of Polaris Bank. He succeeded Senator Osinnowo Pepper after his demise. Abiru was re-elected in 2023.

    More aspirants are expected when the whistle is blown by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    PDP

    The Lagos PDP chapter is not currently in a good shape. It is weakened by protracted crisis, more than its 2023 condition. The chapter is polarised.

    But the state executive committee is made up of officers loyal to the BoT member, Chief Olabode George, who is recognised as the leader by the national leadership.

    A source said the 2023 LP candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, is being wooed by the chapter ahead of 2027. Currently, LP is enveloped in crisis and there is no end in sight to the logjam.

    Rhodes-Vivour was the anointed aspirant until Jide Adediran defected from the APC to PDP, shortly before the last general election.

    LP

     The mass appeal of LP in the state seems to have evaporated after Rhodes-Vivour lost in the 2023 election. He now courts the ADC. The party is not attractive to politicians who may wish to borrow the platform because of its protracted crisis.

    ADC

    Lagos ADC is woven around anti-Bode George members of the PDP, including Alhaji Rahman Owokoniran and Funmi Onita-Coker. No aspirant is associated with the platform for now.

    But Onita-Coker said: “ADC will definitely field a governorship candidate.”

    Nassarawa

    The state is currently administered by APC Governor Abdullahi Sule who is over two years into his second term. The APC is the party to beat in the state and is not likely to be short of governorship aspirants.

    For now, the two most visible aspirants in the party are Senator Aliyu Wadada and retired Police Inspector General Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.

    Wadada, an immensely popular politician, currently represents Nasarawa West in the Red Chamber.

    He recently returned to the APC following his resignation from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on whose platform he got elected in 2023.

    He broke ranks with the APC in the run up to the 2023 elections when he was denied the senatorial ticket by the powers that be.

    He moved to the SDP and won.

    Read Also: 2026: Australia-based medical doctor joins Ekiti governorship race

    Adamu served as the 20th Inspector General of Police. He was appointed on January 15, 2029 and retired on April 6, 2021.

    Governor Sule is mute on his choice.

    Ogun

    Like Sule, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State is giving nothing out yet on his preferred candidate for the office that he will be relinquishing in less than two years from now.

    But that has not stopped several aspirants from his party-APC- from going about their consultations with the people.

    But the greater challenge lies in the reluctance of Ogun East (Ijebu and Remo areas) and Ogun Central (Egba area) to cede the ticket to Ogun West, which has not had its own occupy the office since the creation of the state in 1976.

    While Ogun East has produced the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the incumbent Abiodun, from Ogun Central came Chief Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun.

    Different interest groups are assembling teams, building relationships and scanning the political climate across the three senatorial districts ahead of the party primaries.

    The governor, who is interested in going to the Senate after his tenure, is currently locked in a battle with the incumbent Senator for Ogun East, Otunba Daniel, after the former governor accused Abiodun of planning to demolish his (Daniel’s) Asoludero Court private residence in Sagamu, and a hotel over alleged building regulation infractions.

    Their face turned ugly on Tuesday with the suspension of Daniel by the APC for alleged anti-party activities.

    Observers say having used pliant party structure to suspend the ex-governor, Abiodun may have set off a political storm that would keep him too preoccupied and distracted ahead of 2027 that his political goodwill could be adversely affected to make a strong representation on who should be his successor.

     So, governorship aspirants in the state seem to be looking beyond Abiodun for backers. They are taking cues from the fate of those who relied on his predecessors but failed in the end. The argument is that if more popular governors like Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun could not produce successors, what chances does Abiodun have to break the jinx?

    Governorship aspirants in APC include Ambassador Sarafa Isola, the immediate past Nigeria’s High Commissioner in London; Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu; Kayode Amusan, a former member of the House of Representatives; Senator Solomon Adeola; Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Representative Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; and Representative Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade.

    Isola, Salisu and Amusan are Egba while Salako-Oyedele, Isiaka, Akinlade and Adeola are from Ogun West.

    The Yewa, Awori and Ogu people of Ogun West are pulling all the strings to have the governorship this time around. They say they can no longer remain spectators while the Ijebu, Remo and Egba continue to dominate the seat.

    Observers believe that should APC stakeholders decide to concede the ticket to Ogun West, it will likely go to Adeola who appears to be well connected to the grassroots across the state.

    The governorship candidate of PDP in 2023, Oladipupo Adebutu, is also believed to be working underground to have another shot in 2027.

    Adebutu though from Iperu, Remo like Abiodun, is plotting to use the platform of Ogun Central to contest.

    He recently said he has Egba connection through a village in Odeda Local Government area of the state.

    Adebutu is reputed as the sole financier of the Ogun PDP and has taken firm grip of the party structure, using it to corner the governorship ticket to only himself.

    But the outing of his party and its candidate in the last by-election in his Ikenne/Sagamu Remo North Federal Constituency does not portray him as one with the kind of influence he claims to have.

    Moreover, notable members of the PDP including former chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Sikirulahi Ogundele and Adebutu’s running mate in 2023, Abdulkabir Akinlade, have deserted him for APC.

    The ADC and LP are practically non- existent in the state.

    Akwa Ibom

    Concerned by the alleged aspiration of Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo to contest the APC ticket with Gov. Eno, some party members petitioned President Tinubu, saying the party’s unity was at stake.

    The minister’s action, according to them, is “undermining the party’s unity and creating divisions that are detrimental to our collective success.”

    They accused him of being more focused on positioning himself for a future political contest than on delivering results for the party.

    The PDP which had ruled the state from 1999 until Eno’s recent defection is now a shadow of its former self.

    The rump of its membership are trying to find space in ADC.

    Oyo

    The result of the recent by-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency which went in favour of the PDP seems to have strengthened Governor Seyi Makinde’s grip on the party and the state.

    Members of the party and the people of the state are anxiously looking forward to January 2026, five months from now, when the Governor promised to reveal his preferred candidate.

    Speaking during the 11th Omituntun Ramadan lecture in Ibadan back in March, Makinde said: “In January 2026, we know that political activities will start. I will tell you the picture of the person that will be installed there.”

    But while the waiting game continues, speculations are rife about those aspiring for the position in PDP.

    They include Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; Adebo Akande, Executive Adviser to the Governor on International Cooperation Development and Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA); Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, businessman, politician, and philanthropist; and Niyi Aborisade, human rights activist and United Kingdom-trained lawyer

    From the APC are Power Minister Bayo Adelabu , Special Adviser  to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Mr Sunday Dare; Representative Remi Oseni;and Zacheaus Adedeji, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

    The party’s governorship candidate in 2023, Senator Teslim Folarin, has been quiet lately.

    Members of the APC in the state say the party has immense goodwill but is in dire need of leaders in the mould of the late Abiola Ajimobi, who can seize the momentum and propel the party to the desired height.

    The ADC in the state is torn apart by internal challenges. Only recently, its leadership expelled some key members including former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, and ex-Senator Michael Koleoso, for alleged anti-party activities.

    Since the sack, not much has been heard from the party.

    Kwara

     In Kwara State, alliances are being formed and old tensions are resurfacing ahead of the governorship race.

    So far, some governorship aspirants from Kwara North have expressed their intention to seek APC’s governorship ticket for 2027.

    They are the Senator representing the zone Sodiq Umar, Hon Danladi-Salihu, Makama of Lafiagi Alhaji Tajudeen Audu and Haliru Dantosho Mahmud.

    Governor Abdulraman AbdulRazaq in his first term in office pledged power shift to the zone in 2027.

    Stakeholders from the zone are confident of getting the support of the rest of the state and recently convened a meeting to lay the ground for the emergence of the next governor from the zone.

    Speaking during the meeting, APC Deputy Chairman in the state Abdullahi Samari said it was to “put our house in order” and to enable the aspirants work together.

    He said:”Principally, APC has guidelines and that will be followed before a candidate will emerge. We want to assure Kwarans and Nigerians that those aspiring to govern the state from Kwara north are people with enough wisdom, experience, people with fear of God, love for the masses and have resolved to work together- so that whosever emerges as the candidate at the end of the day with support of our brothers and sisters from other senatorial districts- will cling the seat of power.”

    All the four aspirants took their turns to express their resolve to rally round any of them that emerges as the governorship candidate come 2027.

    Speaking, Senator Umar said the governorship seat is what the zone has been “hungry for in the interest of Kwara first and, of course, our region.

    “All we are asking is for Kwarans to trust us and give us this opportunity to also govern the state.

    “There is no division between us. We are all working together. Kwara north is united not divided. We are one people and the same family.”

      Former Senate President Bukola Saraki who is the leader of PDP in the state will be key in deciding the party’s flag bearer.

    The party is still reeling from its loss of power in the Otoogee rebellion of 2015 and the defection of some key members to ADC.

    ADC revs up in Adamawa

    The political influence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his home state of Adamawa is still strong, hence the movement of key politicians mainly from his former party PDP to the ADC.

    These include the 2023 governorship candidate of APC, Senator Aishatu Ahmed (Binani), former Governor Jibrilla Bindow , Senator Ishaku Abbo; and ADC governorship candidate in 2019, Senator Abdulazeez Nyako, each of whom is keen on being governor.

    The ADC has promised to take no sides when the contest starts.

    Chairman of the party in Adamawa State, Shehu Yohanna, told The Nation that everyone will have adequate accommodation to thrive.

    In the PDP, the political landscape is similarly populated by four formidable contenders.

    The four include immediate past speaker of the state House of Assembly and now Senator for the Central Zone, Aminu Iya Abbas.

     Like most in the race, he has not officially declared interest, but his associates are preaching his ambition on many of his social media handles.

    Iya Abbas who got into the Adamawa House of Assembly in 2019, became Speaker upon reelection in 2023 and got into the Senate in 2023, is a fast riser who is believed to be keenly interested in seeking to move up quickly again for a higher office, the office of Governor.

    The incumbent Secretary to the Adamawa State Government (SSG), Auwal Tukur, has the political legacy in a father, Bamanga Tukur, who served as both governor of the defunct Gongola State and then as National Chairman of PDP.

    Tukur who was member of the House of Representatives two decades ago, sought to go to the Senate in 2023 but failed to get the PDP ticket for Adamawa Central Zone.

    The current Commissioner of Works in Governor Ahmadu Fitiri’s cabinet, Adamu Atiku Abubakar, who is a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is also said to be interested but observers wonder why he would not prefer ADC where his father is now a leader.

    The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Amos Sunday, known for his ability to surprise his opponents, is also quietly in the race.

    Other contenders in the PDP can be described as new breed politicians who appear to command some following more for their fat purses than for political pedigree.

    One of them is Chief Maurice Vonobolki, a financial expert who retired as a bank assistant general manager.

     In APC, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, holds the aces.

    Ribadu who is the APC leader in Adamawa State by virtue of his NSA Office in Abuja, is also the one in the sure position to decide who gets the party’s ticket for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

    Who succeeds Bayelsa’s  Diri?

    The three senatorial districts in the state are rooting for a fresh look at the power rotation agreement among them.

    Some interest groups say with power having gone round all the senatorial districts, the 2027 polls should be an all comers affair.

    But this argument has not gone down well with some in Bayelsa East senatorial district, who argue that while the two other districts have had full tenures, it has only had a combined six-year tenure between ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Gov Timipre Silva.

    Ex-President Jonathan served one year into the second term of ex-Gov Dipreye Alamieseigha’s mandate before he was elevated to the office of vice president to ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua.

    Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, accordingly, served only one term after his bid for tenure elongation which he challenged at the courts failed.

    However conventional wisdom appears to favour rotation of power.

    Within the Bayelsa, All Progressive Congress (APC) top contenders from Bayelsa East said to be interested are incumbent Managing Director of Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, ex-Gov Timipre Sylva, Senator Ben Murray- Bruce,  Petroleum Minister (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpibiri, from Bayelsa West. His ambition will upset the rotation policy if he decides to gun for the top job.

    PDP Governor Duoye Diri has kept his preferred successor close to his chest, but there are speculations that he might settle for Benson Agadaga, the PDP senator representing Bayelsa East.

    Aside Senator Agadaga, it was learnt, Gov Diri could settle for his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo who hails from Bayelsa East senatorial district.

    The National Working Committee of the APC, led by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday met with leaders and stakeholders of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the party, reaffirming the Party’s commitment to inclusivity, unity, and grassroots strengthening ahead of future elections.

    Details of the meeting were not immediately available.

     Alia in the eye of the storm

    Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia is only two years into his first term but the odds are quite formidable against him already.

    But the Reverend Father who refers to himself as Gafa, meaning the powerful Eagle in Tiv, is determined to do two terms.

    He has been having running battles with politicians even within his own party, APC, including the state House of Assembly.

     At the burial of his traditional ruler in January, Alia said: “For now, I am the only governor of Benue State,” and “if you do not want me, leave the state until after eight years, after my tenure, you can return.”

    His Chief Press Secretary, Sir Kula Tersoo said: “Governor Alia has no serious challenger in the 2027 governorship.”

    Notwithstanding, several candidates are vying to challenge him in 2027. One of them is Chief Mike Aondoakaa, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. He is in the APC.

    He has been consulting quietly and possesses a massive financial war chest.

    There is also Hon. Pastor Terwase Orbunde, a former House of Representatives member and Chief of Staff to former Governor Samuel Ortom.

    Prof. Terhemba Shija, a former Commissioner for Information and Culture in Benue State, has also been consulting to take a shot at the 2027 governorship race possible on the platform of ADC.

    Honorable Terkaa Ucha, a two-term member of the Benue State House of Assembly, wants to contest on the platform of PDP.

    The recent defection of former Senate President David Mark from PDP to ADC has left a vacuum in the PDP in the state.

    Those campaigning to displace Otti in 2027 are wasting their time — Says Umuahia Catholic Bishop

    The Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Dr. Michael Kalu Ukpong, says those campaigning to take over from Governor Alex Otti in 2027 are wasting their time, saying that the Governor’s performance  in two years has done the campaign for him.

    Bishop Ukpong stated this when he hosted the Governor to a lunch at Mater Dei Cathedral, Umuahia, to celebrate his impactful and remarkable achievements.

    ‎The Bishop said that things he thought would be impossible to happen in his lifetime in the state have been made possible by Governor Otti.

    He said: ”There was a time I sent you a text, telling you that for the first time, Abians are proud to be Abians. I have not been to Aba for a long time.

    “Those living there are telling stories of your good works in Aba, which the Catholic Bishop of Aba, Bishop Echema has also confirmed. We are saying, keep it up.

    “If we finish saying everything we are saying without mentioning Igwu (Omenuko) Bridge, then we have not started. Since I became an adult, travelling from Ohafia through Bende-Ohafia Road, once you get to Igwu Bridge, the journey becomes scary until you cross the bridge.

    “Once you cross the bridge, you know that you have started your journey. Coming from Umuahia, it was the same thing.

    “But now, nobody is scared of the bridge again because of the work you have done there. Hence, we say thank you. What I thought was impossible in the past is now possible.

    “I didn’t know that in my lifetime that the bridge would be like what it is now.”

  • ADC: Failure at first test

    Politics is a game of numbers and strategies. It works best when the players focus on doing good for all and not on a mission to hunt fellow players like games.

    For the now rebranded African Democratic Congress (ADC), the party’s leadership seems to focus mainly on how to shoot down the ruling party’s leading lights. Their antecedents, actions, and utterances show a lack of depth. The party’s outing in last week’s by-elections proved disastrous. Despite its effusive self-congratulations ahead of the polls, ADC could not fly.

    It has no identifiable programme. Its leadership has been grandstanding. Nigerians are not taking the political experimenters in the coalition very seriously. There is no impact yet. ADC is not new. What is striking is that it has been loaned to new investors who have acquired its liabilities. But the returns on the investment are not forthcoming.

    During the recent by-elections in two senatorial districts, seven federal constituencies, and eight state constituencies, the party lost its deposit, despite the bravado of its loquacious leaders.

    ADC was off the radar on poll day. The noise-making briefly subsided. Then, after the announcement of the election results, the party’s leaders cried foul. But its lamentation did not elicit any sympathy from observers.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which they decimated through self-imposed ostracism, still exhibited some strengths. It won a critical federal seat in Oyo State, which it had lost in previous elections, thereby affirming the indisputable leadership and influence of the governor, Seyi Makinde.

    The PDP also came second across the board, which means that despite its weakness, its structures are not dead. They are only ailing, fragile, and fragmented.

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo tried to maintain dominance in its sphere of influence, unlike the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which seemed to have lost its grip on some constituencies in Kano State. While APGA won the Anambra South senatorial seat, NNPP could not win the House of Assembly seats in its supposed stronghold. The party, in utter dejection, is threatening litigation.

    APGA recognises its limitations. It is not a national party. It is the legacy of the Great Ikemba Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of Nnewi. Its ambition is limited to maintaining dominance in Anambra, and nothing more.

    Read Also: ADC coalition deceiving Nigerians, says Datti Ahmed

    The NNPP is a one-man party woven around the personality of the Kwankwasiya leader, who is really not looking for an ally, as long as the party remains in control of the poll-confident Kano.

    The crisis-ridden Labour Party (LP) of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and his adversary, Julius Abure, was nowhere to be found during the election. Its chances were sacrificed on the altar of internal division, protracted conflict, and glaring self-destruction, which no court judgment on the leadership tussle can avert.

    Why the coalition’s curators cannot spy on the APC blueprint and replicate its fusion strategies by bringing together PDP, LP, APGA, NNPP, and ADC to form a formidable mega party is confounding. The corollary of the situation is that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lacks the semblance of political stamina and bridge-building acumen, sagacity, persuasive talent, and leader-servant virtues that have made Asiwaju a towering figure in the polity.

    ADC’s motive was the liquidation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Its intention is to  displace the ruling party in the 2027 presidential poll, and with last week’s by-election as a dress rehearsal.

    But the ruling party never slept on guard. National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda led the inspiring campaigns. All APC governors supported the chapters involved in the by-elections. Nothing was left to chance.

    At the close of polls, the ruling party checkmated ADC’s planned incursion to the chagrin of the boasters. APC won the Edo Central senatorial seat vacated by warrior Governor Monday Okpebholo, and the Ovie Federal seat vacated by his deputy, Denis Idahosa. Overall, APC consolidated as the ruling party through its huge victories, sending signals about its capacity to repeat the feat in future contests.

    Predictably, it was wailing galore in ADC as its leaders regressed to defence mechanisms, attributing their failure to imaginary malpractices and other forms of inexplicable irregularities.

    Morning shows the day. The beginning, particularly a false start, can predict a future doom.

    A month after hijacking the ADC from its original members, the Atiku forces have not broken new grounds. Its membership drive has been hectic as split followers at PDP chapters in some states only reluctantly gravitate to the ADC. The few that left for ADC did so with  reservations.

    If ADC claimed to have an ideological background or leaning, it has either been damaged or polluted as there is no unifying idea other than fighting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu without tendering sound, objective, constructive, and reasonable alternative solutions to the socio-economic and political challenges. The motive of the prime mover is not nation-building or development. It is the desire to fulfill the ego of getting power and occupying the coveted seat by all means and at all costs.

    Neither has the ADC found internal peace since the invasion of the party by the new tenants. Apart from the cracks within, as exemplified by the bitter struggle between the divided old handlers and the newcomers, there is also a suspicion between the acclaimed intellectual wing responsible for the spade work and the ageing politicians itching to fulfill their long-standing presidential ambitions.

    A crisis is also brewing in the crawling party over the disagreement on zoning. The general feeling in the country is that the South deserves four more years after 2027. The puzzle, then, is: which bloc zone of the country should take the ADC presidential slot – North or South?

    Lacking the courage, foresight, strategy, and wherewithal to raise a new party or mobilise successfully for fusion or alliance of political parties, the only option left to the Atiku forces and their tiny club of collaborators was the adoption of ADC as a borrowed platform.

    Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, a former Transportation Minister, was said to have unveiled himself as the visioner and missioner of the feeble opposition crusade in a video last week. He is indirectly throwing a challenge. The early disclosure may be a signal that an internal rift is imminent over the presidential ticket, which ADC chieftains from the South have the legitimate right to demand, based on the subsisting agitation for zoning.

    Unlike the open consultations among the like-minded legacy parties that formed the APC in 2014, the ADC coalition settled for the style of a secret cult. The party was not a product of group mobilisation but an alliance of aggrieved and disgruntled individuals in the PDP who were locked in the supremacy battle, and a few stalwarts of the APC who have an axe to grind with the President.

    The main grievance of the few APC collaborators was that they were not picked as ministers by the Commander-in-Chief.

    What have the ADC leaders done for Nigeria to make them think that Nigerians would see the party as a credible alternative? Were the ADC leaders not part of past PDP governments that were rejected by voters in 2015, 2019, and 2023, after 16 years of profligacy, ineptitude, and maladministration? Have they repented?

    With Atiku in ADC are politicians of his time: they may be finding it somehow difficult to penetrate the nooks and crannies of the vast country, apart from battling with fading influence at home. In the past, they were big names in the polity. Now, they cling on to an old reputation and the glory of their illustrious past.

    Senator David Mark, Army General, former military governor, ex-minister and Senate President for eight years, is from Benue State, which is now controlled by the APC. His disciple or mentee, Senator Abba Moro, who objected to the balkanisation of the PDP, has vowed not to jump ship along with his former leader.

    Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, eminent public servant and Third Republic governor of Edo State, is a former national chairman of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). He became APC National Chairman after the Tinubu/Akande/Osoba forces prevailed on the late Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, following a serious protest and resistance to his candidature. It is doubtful if he or his compatriot, Chief Tom Ikimi, can now be a factor in political mobilisation in Edo State and the Southsouth region, where ADC was routed by Okpebholo’s APC. It is the same awful picture in the Southwest, where the ADC Interim National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, is now complaining of being hunted.

    The only harm ADC has done is to further reduce the chance of the PDP at the polls, following the split.

    APC has not lost any members. It operates in an advantageous position. It has less headaches than the PDP and ADC.

    Serial defectors who left the PDP are now hibernating in ADC. After the 2027 poll, they are likely to retrace their steps to the PDP, as usual, and work out a reconciliation plan.

  • Onanuga mocks ADC

    Onanuga mocks ADC

    The he Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, yesterday mocked the opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, over their poor outing in the by-election.

    In his verified X account, he said: “How is the market now?” Onanuga posted, in a thinly-veiled jab at the coalition which had styled itself as a formidable political force ahead of the polls.

    Read Also: Tinubu, APC, governors, Ganduja condole with Yilwatda over mum’s death

    The post was accompanied by two photographs, one of which had only Atiku on it and the other had other members of the coalition.

    Official results showed that  the APC won 12 of the 16 constituencies contested in the by-elections across 12 states. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured two seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won one seat each.

    The outcome dealt a setback to the bloc of opposition leaders who had publicly announced their resolve to work together against the ruling party ahead of future elections.

  • By-elections: ADC fails first test

    By-elections: ADC fails first test

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party adopted by the coalition of opposition leaders plotting to sack the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, has failed its first popularity test.

    The election that was held over the weekend across 13 states and 16 constituencies showed that the ruling APC remains the most popular party.

    The states where the elections were held in five federal constituencies include Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo States, as well as nine state constituencies in Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna (2), Kano, Kogi, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara States.

    The polls, which were conducted to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly, produced a clear winner in the APC.

    Despite smooth voting in some areas, the by-elections were overshadowed by incidents that raised concerns about the credibility of the process.

    The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the arrest of two INEC officials in Iperu Remo for alleged electoral offences after they were found with N2.5 million during the exercise.

    In Kano, the APC alleged that thugs disrupted voting and demanded the cancellation of results in certain polling units, insisting the integrity of the process had been compromised.

    In Ogun, ADC could not fly. It scored 289 votes in the Ikenne Local Government Area. APC polled 41,237 votes. The PDP candidate got 14,324 votes.

    Read Also: ADC downplays by-elections as measure of strength, eyes 2027 with optimism

    In Remo North, APC got 8,052, PDP 992, and ADC 37 votes.

    Also, in Sagamu LGA, APC scored 22,958, PDP had 7,737, and ADC won 179 votes

    In Anambra, Governor Chukwuma Soludo said thugs assaulted his commissioner during the senatorial by-election, describing the incident as “desperation” from political actors.

    The PDP also came under scrutiny after security agencies intercepted over N25 million in Kaduna, but the party maintained the money was meant for logistics and agent welfare, not vote buying.

    At the end of the exercise, APC secured victories in 12 constituencies, confirming its political dominance less than two years before the 2027 general election.

    The PDP managed to clinch just one seat, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won two and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) held on to one.

    The Labour Party (LP) and ADC failed to win any constituency.

    Though limited in scope, the by-elections offer a glimpse into the political undercurrents ahead of the 2027 polls.

    The APC’s sweeping victories signal the party’s organisational strength under Nentawe Yilwatda, the new national chairman.

    For the PDP, the outcome deepens concerns about its ability to stage a comeback, having won only in Oyo.

    APGA’s gains in Anambra further strengthen its regional identity, while NNPP’s resilience in Kano keeps the northwest competitive.

    The LP, which made significant surprises during the 2023 elections, did not win a single seat.

    The ADC coalition failed to secure any seat, an outcome observers say was expected, noting that the group must strengthen its grassroots presence ahead of the 2027 general election.

    Analysts say the results could influence alliances, defections, and campaign strategies as parties begin to prepare for the next elections.

    The by-election marked the first election since the ADC coalition came alive.

    New leaders of the party, including the Interim National Chairman Senator David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors of Anambra, Kaduna and Rivers States – Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi – campaigned for ADC ahead of the by-election.

    The outcome of these elections might be a pointer to the strength of the ADC in the next elections.

    Obi could not upturn the tide of failure, either for ADC or the LP in his constituency.

    According to the result declared by INEC, APGA’s Ifeoma Azikiwe won for the Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the Anambra State House of Assembly.

    Soludo said Onitsha North Constituency “happens to be the constituency of the former presidential candidate of the LP. That’s his state constituency; he lives in Onitsha”.

    “And all of them came. The senator representing the zone came. The senator representing Anambra Central threw himself into the ring.

    “Members of the House of Representatives threw themselves into the ring. It looked like this was an allied force. Who were they coming against? The people. But the people of Anambra spoke.

    “They wanted to use it as a test case for the new concoction called ADC in Anambra, but that election was won by APGA; we won with about 77 per cent, a very emphatic statement. The signal we sent was that both the ADC and LP are dead in Anambra,” Soludo said.

    But ADC condemned the by-elections, saying they were marred by intimidation and corruption.

    In a statement, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stressed that the outcome of the by-elections does not reflect the true strength of the party as the coalition platform for opposition leaders.

    He further argued that the exercise once again highlighted the alleged decline of Nigeria’s electoral process under President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

    The ADC alleged that the polls were tainted by violence, vote-buying, manipulation, and administrative irregularities.

    It said: “The ADC noted that the party did not field candidates for most of the positions contested in the by-election.

    “Therefore, with all its flaws and irregularities, this election should not be seen as a measure of the strength or capacity of the opposition coalition, but rather as a sad reflection of how far the system has been corrupted against the will of the people.

    “What Nigerians witnessed in the by-elections is yet another reminder that under the current administration, democracy itself, just like the economy and our national security, continues to decline under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC.

    “When elections are marred by widespread violence, when ballots are openly and brazenly exchanged for money, when opposition candidates are excluded without explanation, and when the very institutions entrusted to safeguard democracy become complicit, then the vote of the ordinary Nigerian ceases to have meaning.

    “In some states, nearly 300 thugs armed with rifles, knives, and cutlasses were arrested on election day. Is this democracy—or banditry disguised as voting?”

    The ADC claimed that in certain states, entire polling units were nullified following incidents of ballot box snatching and blatant voter intimidation.

    The coalition party further noted that when citizens cannot cast their votes without fear of harassment or violence, it signifies a breakdown of the fundamental covenant between the state and its people.