Headline

Anambra Decides: Between Soludo, Ozigbo and Uba

Published

4 years ago

November 7, 2021

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

After much heightened tension as regards the Anambra State Governorship Election, the exercise took off though without attendant fears as exhibited by reduced turn out.

It must be noted that prior to events leading to the November 6 date, it was a case of to be or not to be. But finally, the day came, and the people of Anambra State thronged out to elect the governor of their choice to replace the outgoing Willie Obiano, whose tenure ends in March 2022, after eight years of stewardship.

Earlier, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), which has declared ‘no election’ in the state, had retracted their decision. The group, known as ‘outlawed’ by President Muhammadu Buhari- Federal Government, had said that the regular Monday Sit-at-Home order be resumed on Friday, November 5, 2021 to last through to November 12, 2021. This was aimed at frustrating the election.

Much as the government responded with beef up of Security in the state, a cross section of those who spoke to The Boss confided that they would come out even as the government has given assurance that lives and property of citizens are safeguarded.

“So you want me to be in the middle of IPOB and Police crossfire. No. I will stay in my home. A dead man don’t tell tales,” a respondent told the Boss.

“Where were the security agencies when many buildings, outposts and public places were being destroyed, including lives. Wisdom demands one respects himself,” another respondent volunteered.

But events turned out for good when on Thursday, November 4, 2021, IPOB released a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, stating that the Sit-at-Home order has been revoked, and as a result everyone was permitted to engage in the Civic responsibility.

The group said they listened to voice of reason as presented by elders in the South East.

Consequently, about 18 candidates had stepped, thrown their hats in the ring to vie for the number position of Anambra State. These 18 personalities cut across different and diverse political parties.

However, analysts and stakeholders have, after thorough consideration, narrowed the chances of winning to three individuals from the notable political parties.

They include Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Stakeholders have unanimously agreed that the next governor of Anambra State will come from among the above individuals and parties.

Below are the strength and weaknesses of the contestants

CHARLES CHUKWUMA SOLUDO (APGA)

Born on July 28, 1960, Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR is an accomplished economist and a former governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Chukwuma was named governor on May 29, 2004. He is also a member of the British Department for International Development’s International Advisory Group, and is reputed for land breaking policies that regularised and strengthened the naira.

Soludo is a core professional in the business of macroeconomics. He obtained his three degrees and then professorship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State, where he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in 1984. He also has an MSc Economics, obtained in 1987, and a PhD in 1989. It is worthy of note that he won prizes for the best student at all three levels.

Soludo was appointed to the position of Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria in 1998, and became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA the following year.

In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari, appointed him as a member of a newly formed 8-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) which would report directly to the President.

He is reputed as the best among the candidates, and has an edge as he belong to the party in power in the state, APGA.

VALENTINE OZIGBO (PDP)

Fondly called Val, Valentine Chineto Ozigbo was born on July 20, 1970) is a Nigerian politician and business executive. He is the immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria plc (Transcorp), a diversified conglomerate with strategic investments and core interests in the hospitality, agribusiness and energy sectors. He was appointed to the position in 2019.

Ozigbo also worked as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria-based hospitality company, Transcorp Hotels Plc, where his prowess remains a testimony. He also worked in the banking sector, gaining over 17 years of experience with NAL Merchant Bank, Diamond Bank, Continental Trust Bank, FSB International Bank, Standard Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Bank PHB.

He is reputed as a good under whom the fortunes of Anambra can change for the better. However, his tortuous road to emerging the party’s candidate slowed him down towards amassing the requisite followership, and may affect his chances.

ANDY UBA (APC)

Born Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba on December 14, 1958, the APC candidate, who is better known as Andy Uba served as the elected Senator for the Anambra South Senatorial District of Anambra State in April 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He defected to the APC in February 2017.

UBA is married to Pastor Faith Vedelago of Faith Miracle Center Abuja and they have two children together. Many believe that his closeness divinity via the status of his wife will give him the leverage to rule with the fear of God.

Andy Uba’s chances have a backlog of abnormalities as many has continued to accused him of masterminding the kidnap of Dr. Chris Ngige, a sitting governor, many years ago.

Whoever emerges victory in the November 6 election is expected to continue on the path established by Mr Peter Obi and sustained by Willie Obiano.

Headline

Why Nigerians Must Reject INEC’s Revised Timetable – ADC

Published

3 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the week, released a fresh elections timetable, with major amendments to accommodate the just passed and signed Electoral Act 2026 by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu respectively.

Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.

Accordingly, the Commission has resolved as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 16th January 2027 as against the earlier stated February 20, 2027
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027 as against the former date of March 6, 2027

Also in accordance with the approved Schedule of Activities, the electoral bidy noted in the revised timetable that:

Conduct of Party Primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on 23rd April 2026 and end on 30th May 2026.

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the revised 2026–2027 general election timetable, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu, and calling on all Nigerians to speak up enmasse to reject the revised timetable.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the new deadlines and compliance requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition parties seeking to field candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, however, faced objections from some Muslim stakeholders who noted that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the required election notice period from 360 to 300 days, allowing INEC to adjust the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC released a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC said the requirement that political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, effectively bars opposition parties from participating.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission. What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is, in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today. However, more significant is that, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That is only about 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate. These are not routine administrative rules but are deliberately constructed barriers designed to exclude the opposition from participating in the election.”

The party further noted that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to contain name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN) and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register that does not contain the specified information. It warned that failure to meet these requirements would lead to disqualification.

The ADC questioned the fairness of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress began its registration process in February 2025, long before the requirement became mandatory.

“It is not a product of foresight but insider advantage. They knew what was coming. They therefore had one full year to carry out an exercise that other political parties are expected to complete in one month, during which they must collect, process, collate and transmit large volumes of digital data to INEC under the threat of exclusion. This is practically impossible.

“Democratic competition is based on a level playing field that does not give any contestant an undue advantage. A system where one party exploits incumbency to gain a one-year head start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it was nearly too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC said it has joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the INEC timetable is equally rejected as it appears designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it be clear that ADC will not take any action that appears to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options and will make our position known in the coming days,” the party said.

The party also called on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness, stressing that democracy cannot survive when electoral rules are structured to produce predetermined outcomes.

The party has consistently accused the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) of scheming to silence the opposition as the 2027 General Elections draw closer, citing his manipulation of state governors and Assembly members from jumping ship, and settling with the ruling party.

Presently, the president’s party has a total of 31 out of 36 states governors, more than majority of the national and states Houses of Assembly.

A frontline publisher and chieftain of the ADC, Chief Dele Momodu, has warned that Tinubu is gradually transforming into full-blown dictatorship, stressing that his second term in office would turn state governors into ‘total slaves’.

Headline

Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

4 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

Gistmania

Headline

Court Validates PDP 2025 Convention in Ibadan, Affirms Turaki-led NWC

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

Eric

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the 2025 Elective Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Dr. Kabiru Turaki as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the convention in its entirety, ruling that it was conducted in full compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing party elections in Nigeria.

The decision marked a significant legal victory for the party’s leadership and brought clarity to the dispute surrounding the convention’s legitimacy.

The ruling followed an amended originating summons filed by Misibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, in Suit No. I/1336/2025.

In a comprehensive judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, effectively endorsing the processes and outcomes of the Ibadan convention.

Justice Akintola held that the convention, organised by the recognised leadership of the party, satisfied all laid-down legal requirements as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court found no breach of due process or statutory non-compliance in the conduct of the exercise.

In the same proceedings, the court dismissed the Motion on Notice seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the ruling, filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others. The applications were described as lacking merit.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court had also rejected a bid by Ibrahim to have his clients joined in the suit.

Justice Akintola ruled at the time that the joinder application was unsubstantiated and consequently dismissed it.