Politics
Osun guber: ADC raises alarm over plot to arrest Aregbesola
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cried out over an alleged plan to arrest its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
The party, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said it had received what it described as “credible reports” of moves to arrest the former Osun State governor in the days leading to the poll.
The ADC expressed concern that such an action could be intended to disrupt its campaign and election-day activities, particularly Aregbesola’s role in coordinating the party’s efforts.
“Given the pattern of intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions that has increasingly characterised the conduct of this government towards the opposition, we cannot afford to dismiss these reports,” Abdullahi said.
Aregbesola, who governed Osun between 2010 and 2018 and later served as Minister of the Interior, is currently the national secretary of the opposition party.
The ADC expressed concern that such an action could be intended to disrupt its campaign and election-day activities, particularly Aregbesola’s role in coordinating the party’s efforts.
The ADC said any invitation by security agencies should follow due process, given Aregbesola’s political status and previous public offices.
“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a former Governor of Osun State, a former Minister of the Federal Republic and the National Secretary of the opposition political party. If any security agency has a lawful reason to invite him, there are established procedures for doing so,” the party said.
It warned that arresting him shortly before the election could be interpreted as an attempt to weaken the party’s participation in the poll.
“An arrest on the eve of an election in which his party is participating would invite only one reasonable conclusion: that the purpose is to prevent him from leading and coordinating the party’s election activities,” the statement added.
The opposition party consequently urged the Federal Government and security agencies to avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
“The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,” Abdullahi said, urging authorities to uphold democratic principles.
“Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now.”
The ADC also called on the APC-led Federal Government to avoid measures that could heighten political tension in the state.
“Nigeria is still a democracy, and the government would do well to remember that before Saturday,” Abdullahi said.
A Gombe Federal High Court has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to conduct a fresh primary election for its governorship ticket in Gombe State.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed gave the order while ruling on a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry to challenge the emergence of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami as the PDP governorship candidate in the state.
Garry had challenged Pantami’s emergence after the party announced him as its sole candidate on June 26, 2026, arguing that the required primary election was not conducted.
Pantami, who was a gubernatorial aspirant in the All Progressives Congress, APC, had defected to the PDP after the APC settled for Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate in Gombe.
Pantami subsequently secured the PDP ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s governorship primary held in May.
But in its judgment delivered on Thursday, the court ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary election in Gombe State, in accordance with the party’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential running mate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, for what he described as Nigeria’s current economic crisis.
Kwankwaso said the decision to remove the petrol subsidy immediately after Tinubu assumed office in 2023 was implemented without adequate measures to cushion its impact on Nigerians.
Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, the former New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate said the government should have considered the potential consequences of the policy before implementing it.
“Bola Tinubu decided to remove the subsidy and the consequences we thought would happen certainly happened,” Kwankwaso said.
According to him, the subsidy was removed abruptly without sufficient consideration of the wider economic implications.
“He removed it immediately without looking at all the possible issues. That is how we found ourselves in this total mess economically,” he said.
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration at Eagle Square in Abuja on May 29, 2023, ending the subsidy regime that had kept petrol prices artificially lower but had also imposed a significant cost on government finances.
The policy was followed by a sharp increase in petrol prices, with subsequent increases contributing to higher transportation and living costs across the country.
Kwankwaso maintained that Nigerians should be able to access petrol at a more affordable price, arguing that the government should take steps to reduce the burden of fuel costs on citizens.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified Abubakar Babazango’s nomination as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the 2027 general elections.
The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Abubakar Bashir as the winner of the ADC primary election conducted for the constituency on May 21, 2026, and as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat.
Justice Chigozie S. Onah delivered the judgment on September 17, 2026, in a suit filed by Bashir against the ADC, INEC and Babazango.
The dispute arose after Bashir emerged as the winner of the party’s primary but Babazango was subsequently submitted as the ADC candidate for the 2027 election.
According to the results cited in the court proceedings, Bashir won the primary with 33,931 votes, defeating six other aspirants.
Zayyad Tumba came second with 16,266 votes, while Yusuf Garba polled 14,611 votes. Abubakar Mohammed scored 10,035 votes, Abubakar Gabdo received 8,022 votes, and Abdulaziz Abubakar secured 4,501 votes.
Babazango polled 4,359 votes, placing seventh among the seven aspirants.
Bashir subsequently challenged the substitution of his name with that of Babazango, asking the court to recognise him as the rightful winner of the primary and ADC candidate for the constituency.
In its judgment, the court held that the process through which Babazango’s name was accepted and published as the winner was inconsistent with the ADC’s Constitution and guidelines.
Justice Onah specifically referred to Section 12 of the ADC Guidelines for the Conduct of Primary Elections, which provides for the substitution of a declared winner only in circumstances involving the winner’s death or withdrawal.
The court found that neither condition applied to Bashir.
Consequently, the court set aside Babazango’s declaration and nomination and restrained him from presenting himself as the ADC candidate for the constituency in the 2027 general elections.
The court further directed INEC to recognise Bashir as the winner of the May 21 primary and as the ADC candidate for the Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency.
The court also ordered the ADC to recognise Bashir as its duly elected candidate and held that the party was required to comply with the Electoral Act 2026 and its own nomination guidelines.
Babazango had sought to retain his seat in the House of Representatives after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ADC.
Bashir had also asked the court for N25 million in litigation costs. The court declined the claim for solicitors’ fees but awarded N1 million in costs against the ADC and another N1 million against Babazango.
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