Headline

2023 Presidency: Peter Obi Beats Tinubu, Atiku, Kwankwaso in Poll

Published

3 years ago

September 16, 2022

Eric

A poll conducted by Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Polls and commissioned by the Atedo N. A. Peterside Foundation has shown that Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party would win if Nigeria’s presidential election was held today.

The poll which was conducted this month points to a three-horse presidential race between Obi, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

They, however, described Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party who came fourth in the poll as a ‘dark horse’.

“The results showed a significant lead for Mr Peter Obi with 21% of voters proposing to vote for him if the presidential election were to be conducted today; and 13% each proposing to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who are both tied in second place. Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso was a distant fourth with 3% of voters proposing to vote for him,” a statement by ANAP foundation announcing the result of the poll shows.

The statement added that Obi’s 8 percentage point lead at this early stage is significant, but not sufficient to separate him completely from a leading pack of candidates scoring 21%, 13% and 13% respectively.

It says that undecided voters and those who prefer not to reveal their preferred candidate add up to a whopping 32% and 15% respectively, adding that the gender split of undecided voters shows that 39% of women are undecided versus 27% of male voters.

The percentage of registered voters according to ANAP foundation is as follows in each of the zones – 99% in the North East, 90% in the South South, the North Central and the North West respectively. The lowest registered voter percentages were in the South East with 88% and the South West with 85%.

“When asked if respondents were aware of the various candidates vying for the Presidency, data gathered showed that 99% of the respondents were aware of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. 98% were aware of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. 95% were aware of Mr. Peter Obi of LP and 74% were aware of Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP. All other candidates scored below 55% in terms of name recognition.

“Furthermore, the data summarizes top five reasons why voters are more inclined to vote in the forthcoming elections, these include: – The need to tackle insecurity (45%), the Economy (20%), Education (9%), Unemployment (7%) and Poverty alleviation (4%).

“46% of the respondents would love to see their preferred Presidential candidates participate in a televised interview and/or debate, with the interview/debates spanning across topics like their party manifestos, issues of Security, Economy, Education, Job Creation, Healthcare and Agriculture amongst others.

“It is worthy of note that 69% of those aged 18-25, 76% of those aged 26-35, 77% of those aged 36-45, 87% of those aged 46-60 and 89% of those aged 61+ responded saying that they would definitely vote in the coming elections. The age groups that expressed the greatest willingness to vote were those between 46-60 and 61+ years. On average, the Poll shows that almost 8 in 10 registered voters are absolutely certain that they would be voting in the next presidential election. If they stay committed then we could witness a huge turnout in the February 2023 elections. Furthermore, Mr. Peter Obi led the pack in virtually all the age categories i.e. his leadership was not confined to the youths only.

“While these Poll results show some significant trends, it is key to note that the battle ahead lies in the hands of the undecided/swing voters, as it appears they would ultimately decide which candidate takes the lead to emerge as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential elections.

In summary, our September 2022 Polls are inconclusive in terms of establishing a clear winner, as the undecided voters are large enough to turn the tables. However, ANAP Foundation has concluded that the trends are clear enough to establish the front runners and so our subsequent polls will concentrate on the 4 leading candidates only.”

Nigeria’s presidential elections will hold in February 2023 with campaigns set to start at the end of September.

The Punch

Headline

UK Orders Airspace Restrictions, Road Closures for Tinubu’s State Visit

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

Authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have announced temporary airspace restrictions and road closures in Windsor ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to the country.

Britain’s monarch, King Charles III, will host Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu at Windsor Castle on March 18 and 19, 2026.

State visits represent the highest level of diplomatic engagement hosted by the British monarch.

According to Thames Valley Police, extensive security measures will be implemented in Windsor during Tinubu’s state visit, including an expanded airspace exclusion zone and a large-scale policing operation.

The castle already operates under a permanent airspace restriction, but authorities said the exclusion zone will be extended on March 18 between 07:00 and 23:59 GMT.

Police warned that anyone who breaches the restriction will “likely” face arrest.

Security operations will involve search teams, armed units, mounted officers, and road policing officers. Neighbourhood officers and Project Servator teams will also conduct patrols across the town to deter and detect criminal activity while engaging with the public.

Officials added that Windsor’s extensive CCTV network and hostile vehicle mitigation barriers will also be used as part of security arrangements.

Ch Supt Adrian Hall of the joint operations unit said:

“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing royal events in Windsor, and significant planning and preparation have gone into this event.

“We will ensure everyone attending the state visit, including dignitaries, spectators, and members of the public, are kept safe to enjoy the historic occasion.”

Authorities said several road closures and parking restrictions will begin on March 17 ahead of Tinubu’s State visit, warning that motorists may experience temporary disruption on roads in and around Windsor.

Some footways and pedestrian crossings in the town centre will also close periodically between 09:30 and 12:30 on March 17 and 18 for a ceremonial procession.

Headline

False and Misleading: Senator Ireti Kingibe Not Suspended, Says ADC

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has dismissed reports that Senator Ireti Kingibe has been suspended from the party, describing the claims as false and misleading.

Kingibe currently represents the Federal Capital Territory in the Senate.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC is not aware of any decision to suspend the senator and urged the public to ignore the circulating reports.

Abdullahi emphasized that the party has well-defined constitutional procedures for handling allegations involving its members.

“The African Democratic Congress is unaware of any suspension of Senator Ireti Kingibe, the distinguished Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

He added that as a law-abiding political party, the ADC follows established internal mechanisms when dealing with issues concerning its members rather than addressing such matters through media statements.

“As a law-abiding political party, the ADC has clear constitutional procedures for addressing any allegations involving its members. Such matters are handled through established internal mechanisms, not through press statements,” Abdullahi stated.

The party therefore called on the public and media organizations to disregard the reports of Kingibe’s alleged suspension.

“We therefore urge the public and the media to disregard the reports suggesting that Senator Ireti Kingibe has been suspended by the party, as they are false and misleading,” the statement added.

Headline

Tambuwal Finally Dumps PDP, Defects to ADC

Published

2 days ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

Former Governor Aminu Tambuwal has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress.

“I write to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), effective from today,” the letter stated.

Mr Tambuwal stated that the party’s persistent internal crisis, leadership disagreements, and divisions at various levels made it difficult for him to continue his active participation and commitment as a member.

“The ongoing conflicts have, unfortunately, worsened the unity and direction that once defined the party,” the former Sokoto governor stated.

Meanwhile, in a statement on X on Thursday, Mr Tambuwal said he had officially joined the ADC with his associates and supporters.

“I am convinced that this decision is guided by my belief that Nigeria needs a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and a clear commitment to national development.

“I remain fully committed to the service of our country and to the ideals of democracy, justice, and national unity,” the former governor stated.