NDC

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A long-time associate of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Kabiru Abdullahi, has left the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Abdullahi announced his resignation from the NDC in a letter addressed to the chairman of the party in Kofar Ruwa Ward, Dala Local Government Area of Kano State.

His defection comes ahead of the 2027 general elections and adds to the political realignments within Kano State as major parties position themselves for the next electoral contest.

Abdullahi, who has been associated with Kwankwaso for several years, did not state in the report the reasons for his decision to quit the NDC and join the APC.

The development is expected to attract attention within political circles in Kano, given Abdullahi’s previous relationship with the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has selected former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The announcement was made on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Government House in Bauchi.

A statement by Dotun Oyelade, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, said Makinde unveiled Daura as his choice for the vice-presidential slot at the gathering.

Makinde said the former DSS chief was selected in response to the security challenges facing the country. He expressed confidence that Daura’s experience would help address the insecurity affecting Nigerians.

The governor also said he was prepared to tackle the country’s worsening poverty situation, which he attributed to poorly implemented policies over the past three years.

The APM candidate said his administration would seek cooperation with politicians who share his vision as part of efforts to improve the country after the 2027 election.

Makinde declared his intention to contest the presidency on May 14 at a joint mega-rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

At the time, he said his decision to seek the presidency was driven by the need to reset the country. He also maintained that the challenge extended beyond securing victory at the polls, as Nigerians deserved a genuine opportunity to determine the nation’s direction.

Daura served as DSS Director-General from July 2015 until August 2018. His tenure ended after he was reportedly removed over a controversial DSS operation at the National Assembly complex.

Before his latest political move, Daura was an aspirant for the governorship ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State.

He resigned from the ADC on Sunday and announced plans to join the APM. He cited what he described as injustice and instability within the party as reasons for his departure.

Daura’s selection by Makinde marks another major development in the political realignment ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has maintained that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will end today, July 26, despite calls from opposition political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) for an extension to allow more eligible Nigerians to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a notice posted on its X account on Saturday, the commission said registration centres across the country would operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the final day of the exercise.

“Your future won’t wait. Neither should you. The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ends Sunday, 26 July 2026,” the commission stated.

INEC also advised prospective voters to complete their registration through its online CVR portal or visit designated registration centres and INEC offices nationwide for physical assistance.

The commission explained that the Electoral Act requires it to suspend voter registration, voter register updates and revisions 90 days before an election. The measure allows time for data cleaning, printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and other election preparations.

INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said there would be no extension beyond the deadline because the commission must begin processing the data collected.

“By midnight on Sunday, voter registration ends. There won’t be any extension. There are so many things that we need to do at the back end. We have to draw a line; otherwise, we won’t be able to produce a clean copy of what has been posted,” he said.

Haruna said the commission’s Information Technology Department and Voter Registration Department would immediately begin reviewing the records after registration closes.

He explained that the Automated Biometric Identification System would detect and remove multiple registrations before the provisional voters’ register is published for public scrutiny.

“We have this automatic biometric system that will check whether somebody has registered more than once. They will publish the register for claims and objections. That is, if anybody thinks a name shouldn’t be on the register, or if he has some claims, for instance, that his name has been omitted or some of his details are incorrect,” he said.

Haruna added that the total number of newly registered voters would only be available after biometric verification and the claims and objections process.

“So, it’s after all that has been done that we will have a final figure, which we will now add to the existing 93 million or so. That will then become the voters’ register. We are mandated to give every political party a copy ahead of the election,” he added.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, also defended the decision. He said the commission acted in line with the law and its election timetable. He dismissed concerns about technical challenges and insisted the registration portal was capable of handling applicants throughout the exercise.

According to him, the commission had already extended the exercise and conducted nationwide voter education campaigns to encourage participation.

“The states have pictorial evidence of the awareness campaigns and voter education carried out by the commission,” he added.

Meanwhile, INEC disclosed that it had registered 2,970,257 eligible Nigerians as of July 17, 2026, during Phase III, Week Nine of the CVR exercise. The figure includes both online and physical registrations. However, the commission said the data remains provisional until the completion of claims, objections and biometric verification.

The statistics showed that 970,865 people completed registration online, while 2,000,092 registered physically. Women accounted for 1,561,765 registrants, while 1,409,192 men completed the process.

Young people between the ages of 18 and 34 made up the largest group of registrants with 2,003,183 registrations. Students formed the biggest occupational category with 695,026 registrations, followed by business owners with 626,523.

Kano recorded the highest number of registrations with 234,305, followed by Lagos with 140,546 and Edo with 139,313. Bauchi recorded 96,061 registrations, while Borno had 44,866.

Despite INEC’s position, several opposition parties and civil society organisations urged the commission to extend the exercise.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi argued that voter registration should not be restricted to fixed timelines.

“We have also mobilised people across the country to INEC to register, but you know it is not easy for people to abandon their daily work to go and queue for hours at INEC offices for registration. What we have done is mobilise our people at the grassroots level,” he said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, said many Nigerians had lost confidence in the electoral process.

“Nigerians are discouraged, and this is putting them off registering. Unless INEC clearly demonstrates that it is impartial and capable of conducting credible elections, it will continue to have a negative impact on participation,” he said.

Labour Party National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh also criticised the planned closure.

“The name of the exercise is Continuous Voter Registration, and we should start with the name and allow people who have an interest in participating in the election to register.

“I don’t see how people registering even up to December can obstruct what INEC is doing, so long as those people are not going to contest elections.

“It is only in Nigeria that electoral umpires put barriers in place to keep people from participating. In most other countries, once you have a national identity, it is enough for you to vote, but here they are making it a big deal.

“I don’t know where the idea of stopping people from participating in the CVR comes from or how it will help INEC. Millions of Nigerians will turn 18 by December. Are they saying those people should not register?” Ifoh said.

Civil society organisations also backed calls for an extension.

President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the commission should consider keeping registration open for a few more weeks because about six months remain before the elections.

“Given that there are six clear months before the general elections, there may be a need to relax the closure of voter registration for some more weeks.

“It should not be in response to the demand of political parties but in response to the need to make our democratic process more participatory. Such an extension may be effective for new voters at INEC offices nationwide only,” she said.

Chairman of the BallotEyes Working Group, Olasupo Abideen, described the closure as premature.

“To be honest, when we say something is continuous, it should be continuous voter registration. Because the moment INEC closes the portal, especially with more than six months before the election, I think it is wrong,” he said.

Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy, Emmanuel Olowu, also questioned the legal basis for ending the exercise several months before the elections.

“If the law allows registration to continue until no later than 90 days before the election, why has INEC ended the exercise about 180 days before polling? What legal, administrative or logistical reasons justify this early closure?” Olowu asked.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Yiaga Africa supported INEC’s decision.

APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, said the commission requires a deadline to complete election preparations.

“Talking about an extension; we are willing to indulge the other political parties because they would otherwise complain that INEC is biased against them. Meanwhile, INEC gave equal time to all the political parties, and they failed to do the needful but preferred to spread false narratives to deceive the people.

“INEC also gave an extension for the upload of candidates, and we welcomed it even though we had met the initial timeframe. If it is the decision of INEC and it will not affect its programme, we have no objection,” he said.

Yiaga Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo also defended the commission’s decision.

“The commission requires sufficient time to clean the register, adjudicate claims and objections, remove duplicates, print voter registers and complete other pre-election preparations. While the closure may disappoint some prospective voters, certainty and adherence to the electoral timetable are essential for effective election planning,” he said.

By Uzair Adam

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has named Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso as its deputy governorship candidate for Kano State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His emergence was announced after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Miller Road residence of the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Kano.

Mustapha, son of the former governor, will serve as the running mate to Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who was earlier selected by the party as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The development comes amid ongoing consultations within the party as it intensifies preparations for the next electoral cycle in Kano State.

Before his nomination, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso served as Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

The NDC is expected to formally unveil its campaign structure and begin wider consultations with party stakeholders across the state as part of efforts to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has rejected claims of internal divisions within the party, insisting that the political movement remains united and focused on its objectives ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson stated this during an interview on Prime Time, a programme aired on Arise Television on Wednesday, where he responded to questions about developments within the party.

The former Bayelsa State governor said the NDC continues to enjoy the support and confidence of prominent political figures, including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

According to him: “There is no crisis in the NDC whatsoever. We have been able to enjoy the confidence of my colleagues, former governors like me, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

“These are very distinguished Nigerian political leaders, and we brought the two of them to the platform. They came to our platform, and there are people with whom I have been working for some time. So, it is a recent development that we are now in this kind of convergence in the NDC.

“A lot of Nigerians believe in us, and I want to begin by thanking Nigerians for their trust and confidence.

“We have seen it in the number of people who have shown interest in contesting on our platform, which is part of what we are talking about. It is not a crisis.”

Dickson argued that the increasing number of aspirants seeking elective positions under the party’s platform should be viewed as a sign of growing acceptance rather than evidence of internal conflict.

He maintained that the NDC remains committed to strengthening its structure and preparing for future electoral contests, noting that public support for the party continues to expand across the country.

By Uzair Adam 

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has responded to recent remarks by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, saying the former Kano governor was also once under his political mentorship.

Ganduje, who is currently in Saudi Arabia performing the Hajj pilgrimage, made the response in a statement released on Friday through his Chief of Staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba.

The statement followed comments credited to Kwankwaso in which he reportedly said, “Even Ganduje was once my boy.”

Reacting to the remark, Ganduje said politics thrives on mentorship, sacrifice, support and long-standing relationships, noting that no politician attains prominence without assistance from others along the way.

According to the statement, Ganduje recalled playing a significant role in Kwankwaso’s early political journey, especially during the National Assembly election that led to his emergence as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“At that period, Ganduje could comfortably have described Kwankwaso as his political boy, considering the moral and financial support he offered him,” the statement read.

The former APC chairman further recalled that during his time as a senior civil servant in the Federal Capital Territory and later as Kano State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Kwankwaso frequently visited him in both Abuja and Kano.

Ganduje said reviving “boy-master” narratives in present-day politics was unnecessary at a time citizens expect leaders to focus on governance, peace and development.

He also revisited the 1998 Kano governorship primaries, claiming that many party stakeholders believed he won the contest but that senior political figures persuaded him to accept the deputy governorship position alongside Kwankwaso in the interest of party unity.

Despite their political disagreements over the years, Ganduje noted that he and Kwankwaso worked together successfully as governor and deputy governor between 1999 and 2003, and again from 2011 to 2015.

He added that political relationships naturally evolve, citing the example of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who once served as Kwankwaso’s Personal Assistant but later rose to become governor of the state.

“Politics should not be reduced to who is superior to the other. A father can nurture a child who eventually surpasses him in influence and status,” Ganduje stated.

He urged political leaders and supporters in Kano State to avoid divisive comments and instead concentrate on promoting unity, peace and development across the state.

By Uzair Adam

Abdulaziz Umar Ganduje, son of former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has declared his intention to contest for the House of Representatives seat representing Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency in Kano State under the New Democratic Coalition (NDC).

The Daily Reality reports that Abdulaziz’s decision to obtain the NDC nomination form marks a significant political shift from the Ganduje family’s long-standing ties with the APC and signals his alignment with the political movement of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

A video circulating on social media showed Abdulaziz speaking about his political ambition and his engagement with Kwankwaso, further fueling speculations about his growing involvement in the Kwankwasiyya political camp.

The NDC, which was recently adopted by Kwankwaso following his reported exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has continued to gain momentum across Kano State with increasing support from political actors and grassroots mobilisers.

Political observers believe Abdulaziz’s entry into the race could intensify competition in the constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially with expectations of a keen contest between the NDC and the ruling APC.

Analysts also say the development may further reshape political alliances in Kano and deepen the rivalry between the Kwankwasiyya movement and the APC structure in the state.

By Uzair Adam

The member representing Gwale Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mai Rigar Fata, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mai Rigar Fata represents Gwale Local Government Area, the hometown of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The lawmaker was officially received into the NDC on Thursday by former Kano State governor and party leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, at his residence in Maitama, Abuja.

Kwankwaso described the defection as a major boost for the party’s grassroots structure in Kano State, saying the new entrants would strengthen the NDC ahead of future political activities.

Mai Rigar Fata was first elected into the Assembly in 2023 under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) before later moving to the APC alongside Governor Yusuf.

His latest defection followed his failure to secure the APC ticket to contest for another term in the Assembly.

Others who also joined the NDC include former Gwale Local Government Vice Chairman, Hon. Kabiru Sani Auwal Obi, and Malam Mahadi Isa Umar.

The development came shortly after a Federal High Court ruling on Thursday which reportedly created fresh openings for political defections previously restricted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Reacting to the court decision, the spokesman of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ruling could trigger mass defections from the APC.

By Uzair Adam

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has approved the formation of a 20-member National Selection Committee to oversee the screening and final selection of aspirants ahead of its upcoming governorship and National Assembly primaries.

According to the party, the committee will be officially inaugurated on Monday, May 25, 2026, after which it is expected to immediately commence its inaugural sitting as part of preparations for the primaries.

This development was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the party’s National Secretary, Barrister Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, who said the decision reflects the party’s commitment to transparency, internal democracy, and credible candidate emergence.

The statement noted that the approval followed recommendations from the NWC and was endorsed by the party’s National Leader as preparations for the primaries intensify.

The newly constituted committee is expected to examine and review reports submitted by the National Screening Committee and take final decisions on the screening outcomes of all aspirants seeking to contest under the party’s platform.

The NDC National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, will chair the 20-member committee, while Barrister Enekweizu will serve as secretary.

Other members include Buba Galadima, Yunusa Tanko, Udenta Udenta, Aminu Abdulsalam, Alhaji Mohammed Bakin Zuwo, and Alhaji Shittu Mohammed, among others.

Part of the statement read that the initiative is aimed at strengthening internal democracy and ensuring a credible selection process that produces widely acceptable candidates.

It also urged aspirants, party stakeholders, and members to show patience and cooperation, noting that the timetable for the exercise is tight but structured to encourage consensus-building within the party.

The party further explained that only aspirants cleared by both the screening and selection committees will be allowed to purchase nomination forms.

In cases where consensus cannot be reached, the party said it will proceed with direct primaries scheduled for May 28 to May 30, 2026, in line with its electoral guidelines.

Reaffirming its position, the NDC said the entire process is designed to promote fairness, inclusiveness, and unity ahead of the elections.

By Uzair Adam

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a transparent system for monitoring and auditing the use of federal security funds across the country.

This position was made known by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, while reacting to the president’s recent visit to Plateau State and his remarks at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Jos.

The party stressed the need for heightened security alertness through improved coordination between military and police forces, with active participation from local and state security structures.

It also urged the president to adopt a culture of accountability by providing regular public updates on security incidents and the measures taken to address them.

Referencing the persistent security challenges in states such as Plateau, Zamfara, Benue, Niger, Kaduna and Kwara, the ADC further advised the president to engage directly with affected communities, local governments and state authorities, listen to their concerns and explore their suggestions for lasting solutions.