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Peter Obi moves to challenge Electoral Act, insisting there’s a grand plot to rig 2027 polls
Peter Obi completed his registration on Saturday in his hometown of Agulu, Anambra State, where he also announced plans to challenge the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 in court, alleging that some of its provisions could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The former Anambra State governor argued that aspects of the new electoral law were designed to enable electoral manipulation and tilt the political playing field in favour of the ruling party.
He also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of exceeding its constitutional mandate by attempting to dictate how political parties conduct their internal processes, particularly in the selection of candidates.
According to Obi, the electoral body should concentrate on conducting credible elections rather than interfering in party affairs.
“I am going to challenge the decision in court; INEC has no reason to assume processes in how political parties elect their candidates. Its responsibility is to conduct elections,” he said.
Using a football analogy, Obi added that the commission’s role should be limited to officiating elections rather than determining how political parties prepare or choose their candidates.
“You don’t tell a team how to prepare its players before a match. As a referee, INEC’s role is to officiate, not to determine which players a team should field,” he said.
Obi further alleged that the law was being hurriedly introduced to benefit the ruling party ahead of the next presidential election.
“All the laws being hurriedly created are simply aimed at enabling the ruling party to snatch the 2027 presidential election and run away with it,” he claimed.
He urged supporters and party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls, noting that Anambra State alone has about 2.8 million registered voters.
“We have about 2.8 million registered voters in Anambra, and I urge everyone to go to the grassroots and mobilise people to register and be ready to vote,” he said.
The former presidential candidate also stressed the importance of unity among opposition groups, saying leaders from the South-East were already engaging with other regions to build a formidable opposition ahead of the next election cycle.
“In this journey of 2027, we in the South-East are working as a family and discussing with other regions. The goal is to unite the opposition and create a new Nigeria,” he said, adding that the South-East remains an integral part of the country.
Obi also criticised Nigeria’s current socio-economic situation, describing the nation as one of the poorest in the world despite its vast resources.
“We cannot continue in an era where Nigeria has become one of the worst five countries in the world and the poverty capital of the world. We are committed to building a Nigeria where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the ADC National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, said the party’s membership registration exercise would be conducted both physically and online.
He encouraged prospective members to complete their online registration before visiting designated centres to collect their membership cards.
Idigo disclosed that about 50,000 membership cards had already been sent to Anambra State, with additional cards expected soon.
He also noted that the party would adopt the direct primary system in selecting candidates for future elections.
Also speaking, the ADC candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, John Nwosu, described Obi’s registration as a major boost for the party.
“This is a day of joy. The journey of Obi to the presidency begins today,” Nwosu said, while urging party members to remain united and avoid internal divisions ahead of future elections.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Nwosu noted that issues such as vote buying, voter apathy and a shortage of polling agents had affected the party’s performance, adding that efforts were underway to address those challenges before the next polls.
President Bola Tinubu has declared his intention to seek re-election in 2027, saying critics exploiting the country’s security challenges were doing the bidding of his political opponents.
Tinubu made the remarks while receiving Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other stakeholders from the state, telling them that hostile forces were weaponising insecurity to undermine his administration.
“You are playing to the hand of agents, including my own enemies, who want to use insecurity to get rid of me,” he said, adding that he would not be deterred.
“I’m a very stubborn politician. I just refuse to go. And I will campaign for my second term.”
The declaration comes amid sustained pressure on the Federal Government over attacks by armed groups, kidnappings, and killings across several states, with opposition figures and civil society organisations demanding stronger federal action.
NDLEA raids 3 illicit drug warehouses, recovers N16.9bn worth of opioids
Tinubu has consistently defended his administration’s security record, maintaining that agencies are being adequately supported to restore stability.
The President took office in May 2023 and is constitutionally eligible to seek a second four-year term when Nigerians go to the polls in 2027.
…proposal aim to strengthen coordination and innovation across the Armed Forces
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a proposal to set up a Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre, envisioned as a high-level strategic hub to improve coordination, efficiency and overall performance within Nigeria’s Armed Forces.
The bill, sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, is titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre to Enhance the Coordination and Effectiveness of Military Operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria by Integrating the Capabilities of Its Respective Services; and for Related Matters (HB 2741).”
It progressed to the next stage following debate by lawmakers on Wednesday during plenary.
The planned centre is intended to serve as a focal point for defence research, development of military doctrine, strategic planning and innovation in warfare, with particular attention on fostering closer collaboration among military and paramilitary bodies.
Commencing debate on the general principles of the legislation on behalf of the Speaker, Rep. Daniel Asama said, “the initiative is designed to bridge critical gaps in Nigeria’s defence framework, particularly the lack of a dedicated institution for developing and coordinating joint military doctrines.”
“The centre would establish a structured system for the formulation, validation and dissemination of joint doctrines, while also promoting interdisciplinary research on multi-domain operations”.
Asama further observed that Nigeria’s increasingly complex security landscape demands a more integrated and strategic military response.
“Nigeria faces complex security challenges, including terrorism, insurgency and cyber warfare, which require coordinated doctrinal responses among the Armed Forces.
“The absence of a dedicated institution for joint doctrine development has created operational gaps and limited interoperability among the services”, he said.
According to him, the proposed centre will serve as both a think-tank and a centre of excellence for doctrine formulation and warfare strategy.
“This bill provides the legal and institutional framework for the Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre as a think-tank and centre of excellence for doctrine development and warfare strategy.
“It addresses the need for integrated doctrine development, unified command thinking and joint operational planning”, he added.
He described the bill as timely, the lawmaker said it would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond to evolving threats while enhancing cooperation among the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He explained that the proposed centre would provide a standing platform for defence research, simulation exercises and policy coordination, with the aim of strengthening the long-term sustainability of the country’s security efforts.
The institution is expected to draw together major players in the security architecture, including the Ministers of Defence, service chiefs and specialists from the private sector.
Its responsibilities would cover aligning warfare strategies, monitoring emerging threats, reviewing operational requirements and offering strategic guidance for defence activities.
The centre would also work closely with defence institutions, universities, international allies and research organisations to advance joint doctrine development, simulation tools and contemporary warfare practices.
Among its core aims are improving Nigeria’s capacity to respond to hybrid and asymmetric threats, enhancing cooperation among the armed services, promoting defence research and expanding both regional and global security partnerships.
Asama expressed optimism that the proposal would markedly strengthen the nation’s military preparedness and strategic depth.
“The Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre will serve as the intellectual and operational hub for defence coordination, doctrine formulation and integrated warfare planning,” he said.
Following its passage for second reading, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Defence for further legislative consideration.
When passed into law, the piece of legislation is expected to provide a solid institutional framework for advancing joint military operations and improving Nigeria’s response to current and emerging security challenges.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate removal of Mr. Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
He has nominated Mr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar to take over as the new Chief Executive. The appointment is pending confirmation by the Senate.
Details shortly….
2027: My opponents are arming terrorists against me — Tinubu
Lawmakers Move To Establish Military Strategy Hub
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