Politics
I’ve been approached to join APC but won’t defect — Natasha
The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has revealed that she has been approached multiple times by individuals from the Presidency and by some of her colleagues to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
However, she said she firmly rejected the idea, emphasising her commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party despite ongoing political crisis.
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed this in a recent interview on the Mic On Podcast with Seun Okinbaloye, which was posted on YouTube on Saturday.
Asked if the APC was an option should things not go well in the PDP, she replied, “No, I wouldn’t. I was in APC briefly at the start of everything. Why should I go and join APC?
I don’t have to follow the bandwagon. I don’t have to succumb to any threats or fall for any cajolery.
“I have been approached many times. I have been approached by people from the Presidency, from even my colleagues. Even as recently as yesterday, one joked about it: ‘We’re still expecting, we would love to have you.’ And I’m like, I love my space, I love my peace here. I’m okay with my party now, so I don’t think I have to join the APC.”
She also expressed that she may vie for the Senate again, and that conversation is currently ongoing with her political party, but “it is not certain.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan also spoke about rumours that the immediate past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, would contest for a senatorial seat in 2027, saying she was not afraid of him.
“If by any chance I make up my mind after due consultation with my family, constituents and political party, and I am on the ballot against former Governor Yahaya Bello in 2027, then I would say, bring it on.
“I am not scared of Yahaya Bello. I am his nightmare. He was a sitting governor and wielded all the powers at his disposal against me, and I defeated his candidate in 2023.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan is a serving first-term senator in the 10th Assembly, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, the same district Bello hails from.
She contested and won the seat in 2023 on the platform of the PDP.
She won against Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the APC, who was earlier declared winner.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Natasha approached the election petition tribunal, seeking to nullify Ohere’s victory and to be declared winner of the election.
In September, the tribunal sitting in Lokoja nullified Ohere’s election and declared Akpoti-Uduaghan the winner, with 54,074 votes, surpassing Ohere, who garnered 51,291 votes.
She also said that if she decides to contest again, it would most likely be on the platform of the PDP, but she could be forced to switch parties if the PDP fails to resolve its leadership crisis.
“If by any chance I decide to contest in 2027 and the PDP hasn’t resolved its crisis, I need just a month to choose a platform of my choice, and my people will move with me.”
Three political parties failed to submit their presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, which closed at 11:59 pm on Tuesday.
This was confirmed by an INEC official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter.
Daily voice understands that the affected parties are the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Nyesom Wike, and the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Nenadi Usman.
“As of now, only about three political parties are yet to upload the names of their presidential and running mate candidates. They are APGA, the PDP (Wike faction) and the LP (Nenadi faction). Virtually every other party has filed its candidates,” the official said as quoted by Daily Trust.
The commission had warned that no further extension would be granted.
Apart from the three parties said to have missed the deadline for uploading their candidates, the INEC official said almost all registered political parties have successfully uploaded the names of their candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 16th January.
Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, has officially confirmed that he will retain his Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, putting to rest speculation surrounding the composition of his re-election ticket. Government
Governor Bago made the announcement on Tuesday during a gathering at the Government House in Minna, where he declared that Garba would remain his deputy on the 2027 ticket. He further disclosed that Garba’s name would be submitted alongside his to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law.
The governor explained that the Nigerian Constitution mandates every governorship candidate to nominate a deputy when submitting nomination forms to INEC. He noted that recent rumours had created uncertainty over his choice of running mate, prompting him to publicly reaffirm Garba’s position.
Bago stated that the decision was intended to end months of speculation and reassure party members and supporters that Yakubu Garba remains his preferred deputy for the next electoral cycle.
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has dismissed reports that he plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Naija News reports that Dogara described the reports as false and politically motivated, insisting that he remained a loyal member of the ruling party.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dr Dominic Alancha.
According to the statement, the former Speaker is committed to working for the victory of the APC and the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Alancha said reports suggesting that Dogara was considering leaving the party were deliberately fabricated to create tension within the APC.
He said, “We wish to state categorically that these claims are false, baseless, and deliberately intended to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension.
“Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara remains a committed and loyal member of the All Progressives Congress. He has neither resigned from the party nor expressed any intention to do so.”
The spokesperson accused unnamed individuals of attempting to exploit the reports to cause division among members of the party.
“Reports suggesting otherwise are the handiwork of mischief makers seeking to sow division within the APC,” the statement added.
Dogara Committed To APC Victory
Alancha said Dogara was already working with party leaders and members to strengthen the APC ahead of the next general election.
The statement read, “As a statesman and experienced democrat, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara remains steadfast in his commitment to the unity, growth, and success of the APC.
“He is fully dedicated to working with party leaders, members, and supporters across the country to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
The statement stressed that Dogara’s political focus remained on supporting the ruling party and contributing to its electoral success.
Dogara also pledged his support for Tinubu’s bid for a second term, according to the statement.
“Furthermore, Rt. Hon. Dogara is committed to supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ensuring the victory of the APC in the 2027 general election,” Alancha stated.
He added that the former Speaker remained focused on promoting good governance, national unity and development under the APC-led administration.
Alancha urged members of the public and the media to disregard unverified reports about Dogara’s political future.
He added, “We urge members of the public and the media to disregard the fake reports and rely only on verified information from credible and official sources.
“Those behind these unfounded allegations should desist from spreading falsehoods capable of undermining the unity of our great party
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