Politics
BREAKING: Winners Emerge In Five Abuja Councils Election, Others
The All Progressives Congress (APC) appeared set, last night, for an almost clean sweep of the area council polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the by-elections into the Kano and Rivers State houses of assembly.
The results of the by-elections in Ahoada East and Khana 2 state constituencies of Rivers as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as this newspaper went to press were in favour of the party.
It was also on the edge of victory in the by-elections in Ungoggo and Kano Municipal constituencies in Kano following the boycott of the polls by its biggest rivals, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Results seen on INEC’s IRev portal last night showed the APC to be dominant in four of the area councils in the FCT: Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Kwali and Abaji.
It had a narrow lead ahead of PDP in Kuje while the PDP also led the APC with a narrow margin in Gwagwalada.
The performance of the ADC appeared pathetic across the FCT.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, seemed to blame the poor outing of the ADC on alleged voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, including alleged collaboration between APC agents and some security personnel.
However, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and INEC expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the FCT elections.
Voter turnout in the city centre of Abuja was generally low, but it was much better on the outskirts where the majority of the population reside. The same story of low turnout played out in Kano and Rivers states.
Ukalikpe Napoleon and Loolo Bulabari Henrietta, both of APC, were declared by INEC as winners of the by-elections in Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana 2 respectively.
The Returning Officer for Ahoada East, Prof. Rosemary Ogbo, announced the result and certified that the poll was duly conducted and contested.
She said Ukalipe polled 3,980 votes to defeat Ego Marvelous of the Action Alliance (AA), who scored 33 votes.
Others contestants were Godstime Egor of Action Party of Nigeria (APN), 38 votes; Oseja Clifford of Boot Party (BP), 11 votes; Ephraim Raphael Ede of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), seven votes; Ogide Samson Greatman of Young Progressives Party (YPP), seven votes; and Kwodu Saturday Prosper of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) six votes.
Prof. Ogbo said Ukalipe, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes, was duly returned elected.
Loolo Bulabari Henrietta, on the other hand, polled a total of 7,647 votes to defeat the candidates of the African Alliance, New Nigerian Peoples Party, Young Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the by-election as peaceful and orderly.
Yomere told newsmen during an assessment tour of voting activities in wards 8 and 3 in Khana constituency ll that the exercise took place without incidents of violence.
Commenting on voter apathy observed in some areas, Yomere said that INEC should not be blamed, stressing that the commission fulfilled its responsibility by carrying out adequate publicity and necessary preparations ahead of the election.
He expressed concern over voter apathy, but commended efforts made by INEC and civil society organisations in the sensitisation of voters before the election.
“We took it upon ourselves to go from local council to local council, pleading with traditional rulers, politicians and CSOs to encourage voters,” he said.
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf praised the “peaceful conduct” of the by-elections in the state.
The ADC, NNPP and PDP opted out of the elections, but Accord Party, AAC, ADC, APC, APN, APP, PRP, WPP and ZLP took part.
The Governor’s spokesman, Sanusi Bature, thanked INEC and security agencies for ensuring the exercise was conducted orderly and without hitches.
“The calm atmosphere across polling units reflects the growing political maturity of our people,” he said, expressing appreciation to residents of Kano Municipal and Ungogo for their cooperation.
The governor commended political parties, especially APC members, for obeying electoral rules.
“For the first time, we have had a crisis-free election in Kano,” Yusuf said, adding that the development aligned with his administration’s Kano First Agenda.
The governor pledged continued prioritisation of citizens’ security and vowed to work with electoral bodies for transparent and credible future elections.
The Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner, Amb. Abdu Zango, blamed the leadership of NNPP and PDP for not fielding candidates for the by-election, insisting that INEC was ready to welcome any party that met all the necessary requirements for the by-election.
“You have gone round and seen things for yourselves. As far as security is concerned, you can see for yourselves, no issue.
“And we really want to appreciate and commend citizens and voters. They have behaved responsibly. No violence. No threat whatsoever; visible or even invisible. So, we are very happy.
“The turnout of voters in polling units may be low because of the Ramadan. Second, I think the general feeling that this is a very small election involving only two candidates and very few parties.
“We have nine parties that fielded candidates. For the parties that did not participate, INEC did not receive any complaint from them. We have not received any accusation or anything. That they are not participating is entirely their responsibility.
“We don’t decide who participates. Whichever party that does primary and satisfies all the necessary guidelines as contained in the Electoral Act, is eligible to field candidates,” the INEC Resident Commissioner said.
Reports from different parts of the FCT last night showed that the APC performed well in places like Nyanya, Karu, Orozo, Karshi, Kabusa ,Giji, Gwagwa and Jiwa. The PDP also did well in Gwagwalada and Kuje.
The ADC chairmanship candidate in AMAC, Dr. Paul Moses, who had boasted about his chances in the election, got a total of seven of the 10 votes cast at his Polling Unit 076, Sani Abacha Estate, Wuse 4. The APC got two there while one vote was declared invalid.
He appeared on social media last night, attributing his poor outing to alleged intimidation of his supporters.
The APC flag bearer in the AMAC election, Christopher Maikalangu, scored 229 votes in his Garki village polling unit 004.
As the results began to trickle in, APC chieftains including the National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, his predecessor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun went to the party’s situation room to monitor the results.
Residents of the FCT are eagerly awaiting the official results from INEC.
The ADC said it had received reports of “voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, including alleged collaboration between agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some security personnel.”
It also raised concerns over disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which it claimed remained “inaccessible even as results were being collated.”
“We find this a curious coincidence and call on INEC to urgently restore full IReV functionality, with a clear public explanation of the disruption,” the party said, but urged its agents and voters to remain calm, vigilant and to document all incidents observed during the exercise.
It also condemned the movement of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike around polling units in Abuja during the council elections, describing it as interference in the electoral process.
National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the Minister’s presence at voting centres under the guise of monitoring could undermine the integrity of the exercise.
“The FCT Minister is not a registered voter in the FCT, and as a known partisan and cabinet minister, Wike has no constitutional role in the electoral exercise.
“His presence during active voting is therefore not only vexatious and meddlesome but also risks intimidating voters and officials,” he said.
Factional National Chairman of PDP, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, asked INEC to protect the sanctity of the nation’s democratic process from any form of manipulation.
He was reacting to a viral video of the FCT Minister at a campaign rally of the APC where he told them to play their part during the Area Council elections and leave the rest to him.
Turaki said Wike’s statement was indicative of his intention to manipulate the elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress after getting two chairmanship candidates of the party to step down for their APC counterpart.
Turaki described the minister’s statement as deeply disturbing.
“It conveys a troubling mindset and suggests a clear intent to interfere with, manipulate, or unduly influence the electoral process.
“Such conduct is unacceptable in a democratic society and constitutes a direct threat to the credibility and integrity of elections,” he said.
He added: “At a time when Nigerians expect transparency, neutrality and strict adherence to democratic norms especially from public office holders, this utterance falls far below the standards expected of a serving minister of the Federal Republic.
“The PDP therefore calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission to take immediate notice of this undemocratic statement and to unequivocally dissociate itself from any individual or action capable of compromising the credibility of the electoral process.
“INEC must reassure Nigerians through decisive action that it remains committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections.
“Democracy must be protected, and no one, regardless of position or influence, should be allowed to undermine the will of the people.”
A former House of Representatives aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Danjuma, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Danjuma, popularly known as Garkuwa Babba, was the ADC aspirant for the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency and also served as National Chairman of the ADC House of Representatives Aspirants Forum.
He announced his defection after meeting with Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, Naija News understands.
During the meeting, Danjuma declared his support for the APC and pledged to mobilize his political network and grassroots supporters for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said he would support Governor Yahaya’s senatorial ambition, the APC governorship candidate in the state, Dr Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna, and other candidates of the party.
Danjuma said his decision to leave the ADC was largely influenced by Yahaya’s leadership, performance and development record in Gombe State.
He praised the governor for what he described as tangible development across the state, saying his achievements had boosted confidence in the APC and reduced the appeal of opposition parties among voters.
According to him, joining the APC was a deliberate move to support continuity, stability and further development in Gombe State.
Receiving Danjuma, Governor Yahaya welcomed his decision to join the APC, describing the development as a major boost for the party.
The governor assured the new APC member and his supporters of an inclusive and united party, stressing the importance of unity, loyalty and collective effort.
Yahaya said the APC remained open to individuals and groups who shared the vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Gombe State.
He added that Danjuma’s political experience, network and grassroots reach would be valuable to the party.
The governor also urged APC members and stakeholders to remain united, saying the strength of the party depended on its ability to accommodate different interests while working towards the development of Gombe State.
“These men and women will carry the ADC banner and our commitment to offer Nigerians credible leadership and a real alternative,” the party said.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has released the names of its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 elections in 28 states
The list, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, includes several prominent politicians and former public officials seeking to contest the poll.
“These men and women will carry the ADC banner and our commitment to offer Nigerians credible leadership and a real alternative,” Mr Abdullahi wrote in a post on X on Friday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the governorship elections for 6 February, 2027. It will hold alongside the state House of Assembly elections.
The remaining eight states hold their governorship elections outside of the regular election season as a result of previous court decisions. The eight states are Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun.
The presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on 16 January, 2027.
ADC governorship candidates
The candidates and their running mates are Kalu Agu and Alozie Darlington (Abia); Modibbo Ribadu and Aguwa Iliya (Adamawa); and Akpanudedehe James and Nsien Tommy (Akwa Ibom); Halliru Jika and Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir (Bauchi); Herman Iorwase Hembe and Abba John Abba (Benue); Babagana Buhari and Mamman Dauda (Borno); Nkoyo Toyo and OkwoChe Andrew Adagbor (Cross River; and Great Ogboru and Afiari Gloria (Delta).
Others are Ukpai Mba Udeh and Onwe Daniel Ede (Ebonyi); Ocho Obodeze Chukwuma and Eze Arinze Christopher (Enugu); Bala Bello and Bala Sani Isa (Gombe); Sabo Mohammed Nakudu and Musa Ya’u Balarabe (Bauchi); and Isa Mohammed Ashiru and Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku (Kaduna).
There are also Ibrahim Ali Amin and Shehu Abdulkadir Bari (Kano); Ahmad Baba Kaita and Aminu Yar’Adua Ahmed (Katsina), Abubakar Malami and Zagi Musa Mohammed (Kebbi); Zakari Mohammed and Olawuyi Julius Olayide (Kwara); Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere (Lagos).
The list also includes Nuhu Angbazo and Ahmed Yusuf (Nasarawa); Mohammed Kpautagi and Musa Mamman (Niger); Biodun Collins Ogundipe and Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi (Ogun); Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke and Wahab Adeniyi (Oyo); and John Sunday Sura and Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus (Plateau).
The remaining candidates are Gabriel Pidomson and Okumgba David Amapakaye (Rivers); Manir Mohammad Daniya and Isah Bello Ambarura (Sokoto); Abubakar Umar Tutare and Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan (Taraba); Kassim G. Gaidam and Kori Lawan Mohammed (Yobe); and Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf and Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal (Zamfara).
ADC performance in off-cycle elections
Since the ADC was adopted as the platform for the opposition coalition in 2025, it has struggled to make a significant impact in the three off-cycle elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun off-cycle governorship elections.
In the 2025 Anambra governorship election, APGA’s Chukwuma Soludo was re-elected with 422,664 votes, defeating APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 99,445 votes. John Nwosu, the ADC candidate, finished fifth with 8,208 votes, representing about 1.4 per cent of the 584,054 valid votes cast.
In the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, the ADC candidate, Dare Bejide, finished third with 12,872 votes, accounting for about 3.4 per cent of the 375,777 valid votes cast.
In last month’s Osun governorship election, the ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, came third with 1.7 per cent (17,180) of the 985,079 valid votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the exit of global ride-hailing brand Uber from Nigeria, alongside the shutdown or scaling down of operations by several major international companies, as further evidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies are turning Nigeria into a “graveyard of businesses.”
Naija News reports that global ride-hailing company, Uber, had announced the shutdown of its operations in Nigeria, bringing an end to a 12-year presence in the country.
The company said its services would cease in Nigeria from September 2, 2026, following a review of its business operations
Uber disclosed the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday, describing its departure from the Nigerian market as a difficult one.
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the growing list of businesses shutting down, scaling back or leaving the country exposes the widening gap between the government’s claims of economic progress and the reality confronting businesses and ordinary Nigerians.
The party said it was particularly astonishing that President Tinubu and his government were celebrating a marginal 0.2 percentage-point improvement in GDP at a time when businesses are closing, jobs are disappearing and millions of Nigerians are sinking deeper into poverty.
“Certainly, a 0.2% growth does not justify the extreme hardship that Nigerians are suffering,” the party said.
He argued that while the Tinubu government celebrates a marginal improvement of 0.2 percentage points, Nigeria’s poverty rate has snowballed to 63%, affecting an estimated 140 million Nigerians.
The ADC also asked President Tinubu to explain 0.2% GDP growth to the 140 million Nigerians who have sunk into poverty since he came to power; the workers who have watched the value of their salaries disappear; businesses that have struggled with energy costs; and millions who have been forced to reduce the quantity and quality of food on their tables.
“When the President and his party say things are getting better, we expect them to tell us what has improved in the lives of Nigerians. They should tell us how much food their “GDP growth” has put on the tables. They should tell us which bill it has paid. If 0.2% is a mark of success in their books, President Tinubu and APC should tell us what they consider as failure,” the ADC said.
The party said that Uber’s exit after twelve years in Nigeria reflects the increasingly hostile operating environment confronting businesses, particularly the soaring cost of energy and transportation, with the price of fuel rising by as much as 1,700% following the removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira.
“This is precisely why the ADC Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has proposed the restoration of a targeted fuel subsidy to bring down the cost of fuel, transportation and production,” the party said.
It also cited the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s earlier report that 767 manufacturing companies, including 20 iconic global brands, have shut down or ceased operations in Nigeria, while hundreds more are distressed since President Tinubu assumed office in 2024. It listed among the companies that have shut down or scaled down operations in the country to include Microsoft, Jumia and Bolt Food, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi-Aventis, Bayer AG, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and PZ Cussons, among others.
“Therefore, when the President announces that Nigeria has turned the corner, we wonder which corner he is talking about. If indeed the economy is improving, or the slightest hope exists in the minds of those who run these businesses that this APC government can improve the economy, why are they closing shop and moving elsewhere?” ADC asked, citing the example of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which it said shut down manufacturing in Nigeria after 50 years.
“The painful truth is that Tinubu has turned Nigeria into a graveyard of businesses. Every business that shuts down or pulls out is a vote of no confidence in the Tinubu administration and its capacity to manage the economy. Each exit delivers a blow to the economy. But perhaps, more importantly, each one represents a massive loss of jobs and increased poverty.
“Therefore, when the APC and its government celebrate even the most negligible shift in GDP numbers and flaunt that as evidence to show that things are getting better, they are immediately contradicted by the painful reality that Nigerians are getting poorer and hungrier. Those who had jobs yesterday are not sure how long it will take before their employers close shop, and those earning salaries are struggling even to transport themselves to work,” the party concludes.
ADC reiterated that its presidential candidate’s plan to subsidise the production costs of fuel to make it more affordable will bring down the cost of living, make businesses more profitable, and create jobs across sectors.
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